Shine the Divine: Creativity IS a Spiritual Practice: Long Shadows and a Bit of a Ramble

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Long Shadows and a Bit of a Ramble

Long shadows bowed low

Across a cold country road

Sun smiled graciously

This black and white photo contribution is from last winter. We have much deeper snow right now, and I haven't been out for a country drive in quite a while, so I dug into the archives.

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The solumedrol infusion went well yesterday, only TWO tries to get the line in and two tiny bruises! A nurse I've had before and really like (she's an ER nurse too so really knows her stuff as far as getting an IV in...but even with tons of fluids for two days prior and heating my arm for an hour, a vein blew...poor sweet veins....they work so hard to do their job.

Thanks everyone for your kind comments...and obviously YESTERDAY was one of those days in which it was not possible to hop around the bloggy neighborhood and make visits!!! As I discussed in yesterdays post. No guilt, just love!

First I was sleepy from the meds, and then tired mixed with wired...a very odd sensation. I still did manage to stay abreast of things at the Dharma Sister's Circle "Khanti a Healing Circle" forum I am now moderating (you can listen to my welcome message for this group here if you are curious...I hope you will check it out because my friend Jan Lundy has an amazing amount of goodness packed into her new websites... I feel so honored to be part of the Buddha Chick family and Dharma Sister's Circle support team of moderators and teachers)...

And was also somehow able to take on the role of master hair sculptor for Rosie in preparation for her 8th grade semi-formal. SHE LOOKED GORGEOUS! Ok I AM her Mom...but seriously...the girl was all glammed up! I told her that if no boys asked her to dance it was because they were too shocked and stunned by her ravishing beauty to even approach her radiance. Her response was "Oh MOM, it's a social status thing...I'm just not COOL." Which may be true in the follow-the-pack-world of middle school society, as she grooves to her own drummer and always has, both my daughters do, but she sure was hot (appropriately so, for a 14 year old) just sayin'! Wow, yeah, I'm still a bit wired! Will try to rest a bit over the weekend with some good books if I can concentrate and excellent mp3's to sooth and uplift my my soul at DharmaSeed.

If you enjoy the elegance of black and white photos and dancing shadows, drop by:

41 comments:

ArtPropelledFebruary 12, 2011 at 7:20 AM
How wonderful to hear your sweet calming voice, Laura.... and I agree your daughter is beautiful.
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AislingFebruary 12, 2011 at 8:09 AM
Your daughter is beautiful, and what a loving, supportive Mom she has! I think marching to your own drummer is more authentically beautiful than any fleeting social concept of beauty - but I'm pretty sure most middle school students haven't realized that yet. Good thing your daughter has you to offer perspective. I loved reading your post this morning.
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Debra She Who SeeksFebruary 12, 2011 at 8:39 AM
I hope Rosie enjoyed the dance! Oh, I remember those dances so well. I was not a cool girl.
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LoriFebruary 12, 2011 at 8:48 AM
I am so thankful it went well for the most part yesterday. Your daughter is beautiful...her hair looked fabulous...enjoy your weekend...I pray you are wrapped in peace,healing energy and joy. Blessings to you and yours Laura. (((Laura)))
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texwisgirlFebruary 12, 2011 at 9:12 AM
Oh she's just beautiful! Glad you got thru the treatment alright. God bless your veins!
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DulceFebruary 12, 2011 at 9:23 AM
Not guilt just LOVE _ That is so true... And that photo with those words are perfect.... I really hope you can go for a walk or a drive into that scenario soon.
:)
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DragonstarFebruary 12, 2011 at 10:11 AM
I love the shadows and all the beautiful shapes of the trees. It's a lovely photo.

Your daughter is such a beauty!
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LeslieFebruary 12, 2011 at 10:28 AM
Love both photo and haiku, but they can't compare with those photos of your beautiful girl.
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WebsterFebruary 12, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Laura, your voice is so lovely and calming. Your daughter may not be "cool," but she is gorgeous! I hope she had fun at the dance. You did a very nice job with her hair.

I don't have the initiative to commit to do the Darma Chicks at this time, but it does sound like a good group for helping one live a positive and productive life.

Rest as well as you can this weekend, and I hope the Solumedrol does it's good work on you.
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Myrna R.February 12, 2011 at 11:19 AM
I'm glad all went well. Your daughter is beautiful. If she's not cool - what is?

Hope you do get some quality rest this weekend.
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CarolineFebruary 12, 2011 at 11:22 AM
Hello beautiful... Glad your treatment went well, I can only imagine how exhausting it gets. Your daughter looks beautiful! Hope your weekend is peaceful and light.
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Y. IkedaFebruary 12, 2011 at 11:30 AM
Lovely B&W photo of your beautiful daughter. The hair style fits to her very well.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Yoshi
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DoanLegacyFebruary 12, 2011 at 12:59 PM
You're a loving soul, a great teacher, and a fantastic photographer.

I love your daughter's hairdo..
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BirgittaFebruary 12, 2011 at 1:02 PM
Great photos Laura!
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Deb ShuckaFebruary 12, 2011 at 1:19 PM
Such a beautiful daughter! She'll learn soon enough that her own brand of coolness will take her so much farther than the junior high kind (as painful as it is to not fit in).

So glad your treatment went well.
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TALONFebruary 12, 2011 at 1:21 PM
That shadow shot is beautiful. Shadows are quite often more intriguing than the object they represent.

She does look gorgeous! And kudos to her for being true to herself - which has to be in large part to her amazing Mom :)

Have a beautiful weekend, Laura.
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CarverFebruary 12, 2011 at 1:25 PM
I love the shadows and whole composition of the first shot. Great shots of your beautiful daughter.
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One Woman's JourneyFebruary 12, 2011 at 2:03 PM
Rest - and your daughter's hair is beautiful - she is beautiful :)
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LeoviFebruary 12, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Nice pictures and very interesting play of light and shadow both vertically and horizontally with the shadows of the trees projected on the road. Greetings.
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Crafty Green PoetFebruary 12, 2011 at 3:47 PM
your daughter is beautiful and her hair looks wonderful!

I like the shot of the trees and shadows, very effective in black and white
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AnnelieFebruary 12, 2011 at 5:02 PM
Wow, love the shadows in the first picture!
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RalphFebruary 12, 2011 at 5:36 PM
Last year's shadow is perfect, the light and shadowy trees falling over the land wonderfully!

The odd day of medications can be overshadowed by a perfect day of life. More of the good days that the tired/wired days, we all hope for!

Middle school classifications as to cool vs not cool we grow out of - although a drag when we experienced them. Your daughter is lovely, her style to admire. A proud mom you deservedly are!
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mississippi artistFebruary 12, 2011 at 5:55 PM
Wonderful shadow shor. Your daughter is beautiful.
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Karin BartimoleFebruary 12, 2011 at 6:15 PM
so glad the infusion went reasonably smoothly Laura - 2 tries is not bad at all. I hope you feel better and better as the meds do their thing.
Rosie is most definitely a knock out!! Her hair looked gorgeous - you have many talents!!
and I gotta say, the tree photo is breathtaking.
A lovely post all the way around!!
mucho love :) xoxox K
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forgetmenotFebruary 12, 2011 at 6:33 PM
Wonderful shadow shot and great hiaku. And, yes, your daughter is beautiful. Mickie
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Janice Lynne LundyFebruary 12, 2011 at 6:52 PM
I like the new look of your site, Laura. It feels light and happy. And I appreciate the nudge for people to come visit DharmaSistersCircle.Org. You are doing an amazing job as Moderator of the Healing Circle. Grace fills that space.....xo
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WoodyFebruary 12, 2011 at 7:13 PM
Your caption is perfect. I'm glad to hear things went well. Your daughter is stunning, you must be very proud!
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Magical Mystical TeacherFebruary 12, 2011 at 7:29 PM
Those trees look very comfortable with each other, as though they have been friends for a long time.

A SEEKER OF SHADOWS

A seeker of shadows one day
Asked shadows to come out and play:
“O shadows, my dears,
Despite all my fears,
I hope you will not run away.”

© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher

Shadowy Humility
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KarineFebruary 12, 2011 at 9:16 PM
I'm glad to hear your treatment went well!

I hope Rosie enjoyed her evening, her hair looks lovely, you did and awesome job with it!
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TammieFebruary 12, 2011 at 9:25 PM
such beautiful hair on a lovely gal!
your photo and poem are lovely.
be well ~
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chubskulitFebruary 12, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Beautiful shadow shot!

My Shadow Shot, hope you can take a peek!
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JoFebruary 13, 2011 at 12:51 AM
I love your b&w long shadows photo, Laura....would be really cool to do in fabric!
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Hey HarrietFebruary 13, 2011 at 1:19 AM
Beautiful photos. All of them! Your daughter is lovely and her hair looks fab!
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http://graceolsson.com/blogFebruary 13, 2011 at 7:52 AM
I prefer colors.

but, I am here just to say you:

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY
LOVE U, MY QUEEN
GRACE OLSSON
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BLOGitseFebruary 13, 2011 at 10:17 AM
Black & white, yes, beautiful, all of these...
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Sweet Repose-Junk RevivalFebruary 13, 2011 at 2:10 PM
Time for a drive...me and the dog, might as well make the best out of hauling the recyclables...Spring is close!
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SpiderdamaFebruary 13, 2011 at 2:35 PM
Beautiful daughter!!
And I love the first picture. Lovely shadows from the trees. Hope you can go out with your camera soon.
Wish you blessed days Laura, hugs from Tania
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KarenFebruary 13, 2011 at 6:26 PM
I love the long shadows of winter! Beautiful hair sculpture and a beautiful girl.
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DarlaFebruary 14, 2011 at 11:56 AM
Fab photo...OMG...I was mesmerized...and then the poem evoked such a sense of the genteel...lovely.

Glad you are enjoying being part of the Dharma community, and SO happy for you to share in the glory of party preparations! (((BIGHUG)))
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LindaFebruary 14, 2011 at 3:09 PM
Your daughter looks so beautiful. And teenage boys always lag behind...
High school sounds quite tough, but then it's over and life really begins.
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tania palermoFebruary 14, 2011 at 11:06 PM
really stunning image! i really love the tones.
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Bright Sparks:

Remnants

Before the eMeS, my now constant companion begged me to stay close to home, I taught art, yoga and meditation to Jewish teens in the Greater Boston area. The collage series in the slide show above was created using forgotten paper scraps that slipped between the cracks of the tables onto the floor, from an Art as a Sacred Practice class I taught to High School students several years ago. My intention was to find the intrinsic value in each remnant. Often the beauty of an individual person goes unrecognized or unappreciated until it is revealed in the context of a relationship; the same is true of colors, shapes and textures. Click on the images to take a closer look. They are tiny works, some no bigger than 1.5” x 1.5”