Sapping me MOON

yes this full moon is what's commonly known as the Worm Moon but also Sap Moon in regions when the first tapping of the maple sap begins...in my case however the sapping is of my energy!

Phew, what a week so far....teaching my first workshop this year on Painting with Wool. A truly great Pesach (Passover) celebration last eve complete with singing, drinking and a very late night for the kids thanks to dear Topangites......yes still recovering, and Easter is just around the corner right before the boys and I head out to Old Blighty for a spot of puddle splashing in my home town. The word 'busy' doesn't quite encapsulate or begin to describe what's really going on here!

A mother and baby by Aurora in slight bas relief

I love that gefilte fish (yummy first course) often is shaped into an egg and the elliptical egg often symbolizes spring, rebirth, and the season’s renewal of life. Perfect.

and off they go.....

A lovely table set for revelry!

Using eggs as a holiday tradition is found across cultures. During the Jewish Passover (starting March 30), a roasted egg sits on the Seder plate. Eggs associated with Easter (April 4) are fertility symbols and reflect ancient spring renewal rites. For Christians, eggs were traditionally forbidden during Lent and always eaten on Easter Sunday.

Lovely Summer sunset by Safi inspired by our hot snap of sunshine

Peaceful breezes by the beach, caught by Brooke

and now....Equality!

or the Vernal Equinox at least! This Spring marks many moons of marriage for me and the Hairy One, 13 years this weekend and 3.20.2010 must be all sorts of fun for a numerologist! To celebrate , we are off to the Renoir show at LACMA as we appear to find ourselves drawn to fine art on this special day every year ( and some indian food), doesn't take a lot to please me!!

My shining heart boy's and I are having an ongoing discussion about time, cultures, and new year, as we seem to celebrate at least 3 New Year's each 12 months ( Chinese, English and Jewish) and they think this is great! So I thought this was really interesting...The astronomical Persian calendar begins its New Year on the day when the March equinox occurs before apparent noon (the midpoint of the day, sundial time, not clock time) in Tehran. The start of the New Year is postponed to the next day if the equinox is after noon. Well I'll be!

This recent doll is called Heavenly after a friend I once knew - she embodies the soul sister of the 70's with spring in abundance!
This gorgeous felted fruit is part of our 1st grade class offering of a fully stocked store at Ocean Charter Schools silent auction - which is also tomorrow, so bid high my friends, I'll see you after a while for a wet one!

Something Green

15 3 2278 10.2006

THE LEPRECHAUN

The leprechaun is a cobbler but he more than a cobbler be

as he guards the gold and treasures of the many fairies wee.

More precious than the treasures is what he hides so well...

it's privacy he pleasures and hopes his shoes will sell.

To keep his magic strong and this, you never knew...

he seeks to kiss a wee colleen fair maiden, one so true.

With his ungainly image one thinks he is a shrew

and no decent fair maiden would kiss one if she knew.

And so he has to steal it and in the night he creeps

the eve of auld St. Patrick's Day one magic night he seeks.

Asleep lies the fair maiden a fairy sprinkles dust...

to keep her from awakening and kiss her, yes he must!

For in the maiden's purity there lies a heart so true

for a leprechaun to steal a kiss makes all his dreams come true.

The purity of her fair heart is truly made of gold

and all the kingdoms of the world knows this is hard to hold.

And if the Leprechaun succeeds to kiss this maiden true

his magic and his wealth increase still, he'll not share with you!

Now should he ever get him caught while kissing one so pure

his wealth and magic will dissolve and that he knows is sure!

Stealthily the cobbler creeps to steal this kiss so rare

holds his breath and kiss the cheek of this young maiden fair

This success has left a mark...has filled his heart with glee

has made him do a little jig which has awakened thee.

So in his fearful haste to flee he ran out oh so fast...

his little hat blew off his head...that hat will hold your catch!

A clover did fall from his shoe and turned into a pin

Wear this now on your lapel for good luck to come in.

Some of his gold fell from his pot and in this mortal world...

turned into chocolate on the spot for little boys and girls.

And when his cobblers feet did tread upon the land outside

the gold he'd spilt upon the ground he can't pick up or hide.

And as he watched in disbelief as gold did turn to cents

he disappeared with great relief another year past hence.

So watch now, on St. Patrick's Day the eve of which may find

a leprechaun in cobbler-wear who'll leave a trail behind.

And as you gather up the treats on this Saint Patrick's Day

give thanks for all the blessings that have now come your way.

It's that time again!!

Felting Art Workshops
Something out of Nothing
~Click on headings for more information~


Wool Painting Tapestry
using unique wet and dry felting methods
March 28th - Playa del Rey
$50 plus $10 materials fee

Spring Maiden Sculpted Wool Art Doll
armature and needle felting techniques
April 22nd in Santa Monica or April 25th in Playa del Rey
$48 plus $12 materials fee
student doll by Connie.

Funky Faceted Flumpies coming soon....
intuitive forms with faces and loads of personality!
MAY dates to be confirmed.

Tall Tale Tree Sculpture
sturdy wire armature frame and base mat techniques
July 17th - Los Angeles location tbc
$50 plus $10 materials fee

Storyteller Fantasy Playscape
using unique wet and dry felting methods

June 13th, 15th or 19th $70 plus $15 materials fee
example playscape only

More information and to reserve space (recommended)
register at www.Phoenix420.etsy.com for all workshop classes

Your chosen workshop will be confirmed via email with directions to the locations.

Space for all classes is limited and they can fill up fast. There will be a waiting list and possibly an extra class added if necessary. Materials fees for each class are listed and are due upon the start of the class. You may choose to bring and use your own materials. Private classes are available.

Please contact Phaedra (at) thephoenixgift.com directly for any questions, difficulties during registration or anything I may have forgotten to cover!

Tripping Out

Out and about, to the local Vernal Madrona marshes in the rain to observe the wildlife that it draws to it's watery heart. Coupled with a Sunday Valentine jaunt to Point Dume, to spy water birds from above and the golden glimmers of the wildflowers atop the mount. We trekked all around the many paths (and some that weren't) enjoying the windy views, whilst trying to catch a glimpse of a whale or dolphin that frequently play the bay.

Vespers

For Barb -

When my time has come
and impermanence and death have caught up with me,
When the breath ceases, and the body and mind go their separate ways,
May I not experience delusion, attachment, and clinging,
But remain in the natural state of ultimate reality.

tibetan nyingma master - longchenpa rabjampa - 14th century

Locks of Lunacy!

Well, this was quite a week....I've chopped it all off, my hair that is and it feels great if not a little colder on the back of my neck! Donated 1o inches to Locks of Love and was paid in hidden and magical silver hair, how did they suddenly appear I humbly ask? The last time the tresses were tossed was nearly 17 years ago, upon my flight from Blightly and a life most horrid for an impetuous soul as mine. I will share more later, but can say that change is mostly good, exciting and freeing. Doors (if not windows) should be opened, walked through and maybe even peeked into to see what may be in store for you.

off with her hair!

The 'Little Ones' have been arriving in droves at Seeds of Joy, choosing their children to take care of them and begging Mother Earth to sew their new clothes so they can attend school with the children. Um, when is my little one coming dear Mother Terra?

Annabel ( Little One) flying on wings of love...

Baking bread calms me and so......

Old, Older, Oldest?

If Candlemas be mild and gay,
Go saddle your horses and buy them hay;
But if Candlemas be stormy and black,
It carries the winter away on its back.

Forgetting that Candlemass is a Swedish metal band big in the 80's...It’s no accident that February 2 is both Groundhog Day, Candlemas and Imbolc this year.

All signify the triumph of light over darkness, spring over winter. Today is the astronomical midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.

Candlemas, a Christian feast day, got its name from the candlelit processions that accompanied it. Groundhog Day, a holiday that uses a furry prognosticator to foretell the coming of spring, depends on the presence (or not) of sunshine for its forecast.

Thus the day is known for weather rhymes, such as Half your wood and half your hay, / Should be gone and be left on Candlemas Day, a reference to the halfway point of wintery weather.

The oldest of the rites - Imbolc or Oimelc, two names which refer to the lactation of the ewes, the flow of milk that heralds the return of the life-giving forces of spring.

In the county of Shropshire, the snowdrop, first flower of spring, took the place of candles, being named, “Candlemas bells,” “Purification flowers” or – with a faint remembrance of Brigid, perhaps – “Fair Maid of February.”
In Ireland and Scotland, an effigy of Brigid was carried about from door to door as in Scotland. Often the figure of Bride was fashioned from a churn-dash covered with straw, emphasizing her presence in the dairy; sometimes it was a child’s doll decked out for the occasion, and sometimes a young girl dressed in white represented Brigid herself. The girl might hand out a Brigid’s Cross to each household, for the saint’s special cross was an important part of the Irish celebrations in all parts of Ireland. These crosses of rushes or straw were made on St. Brigid’s Eve and hung in the house and often in byre and stable too, to honor Brigid and to gain her protection. The crosses took shapes that are not traditionally Christian, but bear marked resemblance to symbols of the sun in cultures throughout the world. One kind was actually not a cross at all, but a figure with three legs, recalling the three-fold nature of the goddess-saint. It is, in fact, an ancient Celtic symbol known as the triskele.

Il Pleuvait!

Striking deep into the ground and my skeleton, the wash of the wind and rain made all things clear once more. We ventured out and about to see the waves, the beach in the winter is truly an astounding force to feel and the sunsets of late have been painted by the angels themsleves!



I hope dearest beloved, that you are enjoying this watery interlude, the sunny climes are ne'er far from our western shore!

This weeks missions:

• make seed bombs
  
• tidy the garden
• sort and donate stuff
• fix the fridge
• felt the kandinsky....
• hit the thrift store with abandon
  

Prepared?

Fighting my emotion, I can only imagine what the residents of Haiti must be experiencing. I know fear, grief and soul wrenching and can almost feel the human devastation from this far off. I am curiously quite prepped for a disaster, carrying with me numerous first aid supplies, food, water, blankets, clothing etc. It's an almost unconscious and ever growing eccentricity that allows me to explore the awful possibilities and how I will help in such an event, as I have before in '94.

I have travelled far and wide, together and alone and know that having some basics to hand and a little training can go a long way. To that end, my challenge for you today will be to ask how you can be more prepared, in strength, not fear or need. Get some first aid training, sign up with an organisation and serve with them, give monetary gifts to those who your heart is with and be at peace with the knowledge that you have the power to make a difference.

Blessings.
ae

Sing to me

I'm pretty sure I posted here only a few days ago, and it seems to have disappeared completely! Here it is again, mainly for my own sanity!

With the wind blowing, 20ft waves just a few days ago and a low of oh, maybe 58 F ( tee hee) we've really hit winter here in La La Land! So to help the seasonal mood, we use a little (a lot) of imagination! With Donovan Boy and Little Gandalf rolling their eyes, in the most good-natured way of course - I am constantly and quite excitedly pointing out that there is snow on those far off mountains! The fastest Queen Winter for school and a rather gentlemanly King Winter for a fellow teacher as a 12th night pressie came to visit to help things along!

Frosty King comes a-knocking at Seeds of Joy!

Just had to share a quick pic of some lovely damp bark, recently 'collected' at Wilderness Park!

Rivers of bark - the first in a new collection!

Some unfinished Goldsworthyesque art in the forest...

New Moon tonight, the Jasmine is particulary strong at night and during a waxing moon...hmmm!

Resolute

Wass hail! and Happy New Year!

12 Days of Christmas by Amy Evangeline

Had to get one in today. Have you ever wondered how tired you must've been before a holiday comes along and allows you to really sleep all you want? I can't believe how knackered I was/am and have just enjoyed sleeping and dreaming a lot for the past week!


I am of course resolute about many things, but some are actually within grasp I think...

• Giving up sugar, dairy and wheat for January - ouch!
• Re-read all the Sherlock Holmes memoirs and stories ( last done 20 years ago!!)
• See the 38 "7 wonders of the world" ..3 down, maybe another later this year!
• Do a wine/art tour of Italy...I can see if this years' anniversary turns into a honeymoon can't I?
• Renovate my kitchen
• See some Shakespeare, and maybe play some too!
• Complete my Getty garden series!
• Teach my kids 5 new card games - so they'll never be bored travelling
• Drive across the U.S and make a collection of something whilst doing it.
• Finish a large art piece

Summer at the Getty Gardens

Winter at the Getty Gardens

What's on your 2010 list?

Once in a Blue moon

The magical light of the second full moon this month welcomes the New Year of 2010! Although back in the mild sunny climes of the west now, the Phoenix family enjoyed the blast blizzard in the big apple. We were gifted with a trudge through Central Park with the local residents who were out enjoying the crispy undergrowth with sleds in tow. It was truly a most beautiful walk, the icy river sparkling under pelted flying snowballs, and we met a few frozen sno-men along the way. We spied ruddy smiling faces of those who ventured out and our winter wet hands were warmed with my favourite winter treat hot chestnuts!





Did you know? : The Aztecs made a red dye from the bracts of the the wild poinsettia bush and also used the sap to reduce fevers!



Many blessings this season to you and may this New Year be a prosperous, healthy and happy one!

Spiralling

And so to the advent spiral we go into the winter season! What a lovely way to create an inner moment of clarity in the darkness, by the offering of an apple clad candle, lit from a central point and a gradual glow illuminates the evergreen spiral. There are no actual pictures of this event since it can only be captured by the mind and soul, that is rightly so!

The Jusso stream and tree to read under

G.bye sweet nymph

The excitement at winter faire so electric, 3.5 hours of sleep, a fabulous 5th grade lecture and eurythmy lesson had my adrenals pumping for the day! My calloused elven hands are still busy making gifts and treasures, some will appear in the new and lovely, "Petals and Stems" shop at Westside Waldorf and will continue to pop up over the year I hope!

Infinity Cave Playscape

mermaids in waiting for a kit and kaboodle!

A fresh bounty of veggies fell my way when a spare CSA box was offered last week, and did I mention that we won a raffle to Mammoth Mountain!! We are so very excited, we've never won anything and have been wanting to to take the kids ski-iing for years! I feel the love, thank you!