Art Challenge, day two

Another amazing day in the studio.  I was able to finish three of my Yellow Submarine tiles :) They'll be bisqued as soon as they're dry & I'm still planning a giant LOVE hand.

I had much slab awaiting me, perfectly cured for some carving...
Amy Steinberg's design for this years LiG tee shirts.

And lookee this guy!

Happy Mama Today!

February Art Challenge, day i

February is the perfect month to challenge myself with Art <3
I already feel the soulful benefits of regular creation experience, I'm now courageous enough to document my labors of love, loss, healing & learning for posterity.
Today I arrived at the studio and set up camp with Faith, my favorite Singer machine. I pinned my first dress pieces. While listening to The Help.
I broke from manic sewing to attend my Celebrating Surfaces class. Aunt Flo thwarted full creative flow, so I gathered ideas & let them swirl their way to a future fruition.
I promptly returned to Faith & my Daisy Dress, truly returning to the amazingness of my audiobook, to assemble much of the dress. 
As soon as I recognized I'd been pushing it, both listening & creating, I stopped. 7 hours was a great day of creativity!

Oh the Things I Learn

I can almost, almost, giggle at recently receiving TWO blood-relative communications addressed to the wrong name.
It's not a misspelling to call me Diane. It's not my name. My mama loved me enough to put that extra syllable there, I'd appreciate you using it.
Funny, if you've known me more than 3.5 minutes you'd probably know that by paying attention. What does that say for those who've known my name more than 40 years?
It says more than anyone on this planet could ever imagine. (this may be why I'm a theist)
My blog was discovered during a google search for a dead relative.
Now I'll be the first to say I'm sorry my blog contains the only story on the internet about said relative. Not even an obituary comes up. My memories of the guy are just plain unpleasant. I don't have details, I don't have the Big Picture of Him Story. I don't need them either.  The point of writing about his death, was to document and examine my incredibly odd reaction & the way it was completely ignored and not discussed with me by ANYONE.
At this point in my life, I have enough experience with Death to know I've evolved not so far from the girl who was joyous for peace. I've now become joyous to know this hard-to-understand grownup in my crazy childhood found his very own peace through his death. For that understanding, for that Gift to Me, I will be forever indebted to his experience. Painful & confusing as it was for me as a child.
In wanting to respond to an all-caps heart-felt outpouring of concern for my mental health and ability to function within the family unit, I found this:

Our job is unconditional love. 

The job of everyone else in our life is to 

push our buttons. -Byron Katie

So thank you, Dear Concerned Cousin. I love you. I appreciate the examination opportunity brought to me by your pushing of my buttons.  May my pushing of your buttons bring about great joy and love for you and yours.
May you always remember:

"The truth will set you free. 

But first, it will piss you off."  -Gloria Steinem    

Namaste,
diana not diane

A Chicken Lady is Born

Brand New Babies, 2 days old

On March 31, my life changed forever. All I did was get into my car, drive to the feed store, and retrieve some chicks I'd ordered weeks before.  Simple. Profound.  

I received: 3 Australorps, 2 Buff Orpingtons, and one Black Sex-Linked. Though my thoughts on names swirled, I finally decided to name them each for an important female character on Dr Who.  River Song, Rose Tyler, Martha Jones (Australorps) Amy Pond & Donna Noble (Orpingtons) and Harriet Jones, Prime Minister (or MP Flydale North, only elected official in the brood, depending on the day; Sex Linked).  

My Girls, Day 5

Rose Tyler, an easy favorite, even at 11 days

For the first many weeks of their lives, they lived in our living room. Where I lovingly socialized them, hoping for a Reptile Gardens worthy chick (Read: able to play tic-tac-toe).  

Martha, Donna & Amelia  15 days

First order of focus, however, was acclimating them to my interference in their business & busyness.  The Hand came down regularly to hold, groom & reward the chicks.  It was clear from the beginning who liked it (Rose & River), who tolerated it (Harriet Jones, PM & Donna), and who avoided it (Martha and Amelia).  

First Roost, 22 days
Amy, Harriet Jones-PM, Donna,
Rose, Martha & River 

Around 5 weeks, they ventured outside to play. Well, they went outside and stayed in their box the first few times, THEN they ventured out and about... And Amelia went missing.  We live where there are prey and predators. I knew it was a risk, I knew it could happen (counted on it) and it did.  

30 Days Old! <3
(notice the yellow on the Australorp girls is fading!)

42 Days Old, River Donna Rose Harriet Jones PM Martha

  Eventually, the girls were big enough (had enough feathers) to move from the comfort of our living space, to the back porch. There they would stay until their transition outdoors.


...Stay tuned for part ii

Mighty Awesome Monday

Take this O'Voice of Doubt:

As Alex's World of Food expands with me, we have agreed upon a code of conversation.  I want to uphold and honor his food needs, while opening his culinary world; He wants to trust me to feed him without judgment and open his culinary world in a gentle fashion.  We now view offers of new foods as "Challenges" - there is no attachment to the outcome of said challenges, I think of it as Strewing Food and this is the term he chose to use. So many examples of his courageous acceptance of challenges this summer! To his rotation he has added: Newman O's (mint and chocolate!!), 2 flavors of Dutch Cheese, Coconut Bliss, stevia sweetened koolaid things, Cheddar Cheese Popcorn, Trader Joe's Goodies ... And Today.... Tortellini! The Magic works something like this:
A: Hey Diana 
D: Hey Alex
A: That pasta I had yesterday was really good!
D:Would you like me to make you some pasta today?
A: That would be *AmAzInG* 
D: Oh wait! We're out of penne, but I've got some of that tortellini we talked about, if you want to try that.
A: Hmmmm (full minute of thinking) Challenge Accepted!
While cooking, Alex takes a stroll past the stove....
A: Diana, I didn't notice that they were different colors before. I hope it's not as horrible as the different colored Goldfish. The red was okay, but the rest of the colors? Yuck.
D: I hope you notice the different flavors are the actual foods the different pastas are made of, not the chemicals that make up the colors in a laboratory.
A: Me, too.
Large bowl of Tortellini, layered with shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese...
A: Hey Diana?
D: Yes Alex
A: I taste tested the colors and, well, the green ones taste funny.
D: I thought you'd think so, they're made from spinach.
A: Oh.
D: I can take the green ones out when I make it for you.
A: That'd be great.
(Bowl abandoned, non green tortellini tainted by association with greens. I understand, without comment)
A few hours later...
A: Hey Diana?
D: Hey Alex
A: Can we try pasta again? Without the green ones?
D: Of course!
I remove the green torts and put them back in the bag, cooking the yellow & orange ones.  Alex enters the kitchen and picks up the package.
A: Diana?
D: Yes Alex?
A: I think the weird flavor might be they're stuffed with cheese.
D: Maybe. Would you like me to make you a different pasta? Or would you like a bowl of rice with salt at this point?
A: Rice & SALT!
D: Can do!
In four minutes, I served him a bowl of Organic Jasmine Rice with Himalayan Pink Salt ♥ Both a far cry from Minute Rice and Morton's. 

Meanwhile, I began with washing the dishes (as an excuse to listen to MORE Storm of Swords), moved on to the window sill, the window, the curtain, the frame, the walls, the crown molding, the cupboards, the floor, the moving of furniture... I had no idea the impact of wiping the front of one's refrigerator - it looks so prettyful!! 

Hayden designed his own birthday present - a custom 360 controller - and he shared the joy with me this morning! I can't wait to make this dream come true for him ♥ Another birthday request is a ticket to see his favorite band... today he requests a ticket to a FESTIVAL where they're playing, he can attend with friends and I'm offered the option of not attending, not because I'm personally lame, but because he worries I might not have a good time.  He's Awesome!  

When we are traveling in a few weeks, on our Awesome Adventures to return the Spare Children, we will have a chance to see - AGAIN - an Andy Warhol exhibit ♥ A couple of years ago, we happened to be in town at the same time as a Rodin exhibit, a second chance for us then, too. We're good at being in the same place as Awesome Art!

....so when that voice creeps in again, I'll just pull up this post and remember... 

The Mood Barometer

As I become more Native in my Oregon Home, I am beginning to recognize the signals of atmospheric interference with my summer sun induced mania. Most notably, the absence of sunshine when it should be very sunny. The presence of heavy, grey skies when it's not winter. My awesome wanes toward awful (aweless, more like it) and my proverbial Ass is a-Draggin' and I do not like it, not one bit! The emotional equivalent of Too Much Gravity does not belong in summer; certainly NOT My Summer! 

So I kicked it out. 

I looked at today's once-again-and-never-before-rainy-skies-in-July & acknowledged Today's gonna take a bit more gumption than I'd budgeted, good thing I've got reserves. And I do. Gumption doesn't run out, doesn't wear out, doesn't go anywhere -- I'm the one who takes it for granted on the sunny days with fun lists of sunshiney summery chores to do. Gumption's still right here on the grey days, just tougher to turn towards and utilize; that Too Much Gravity Syndrome. I'd not want to answer for wasting or neglecting such a Valuable Gift as Gumption.  If the mind can think it, the body can move towards it.  

Perhaps in the dark and swirly ways of the Oregon rainy sky; perhaps in the quicker breezy ways of the Oregon blue summer sky. Always in the ways of diana. 

As it should be. 

Awesome! 

Dizzying Ride

I was this close to The Dream.

From the Death of a Waterbug...

Doesn't seem real, though, I didn't even take the time to blog about it.  I invested a lot of work, a lot of faith & was on the verge of Doing It, when the road turned abruptly then ended.
It was days after my partner said "I Quit" when signs began to appear that the path we were on was headed for trouble. The World is Not Ready. I can be patient.
I can heal. I can trust. I can learn.
I can dare to Dream another Dream.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Instead, I have this summer to Be Joyful & Free.
I've got Alex & Lizabeth to keep the house full of even more laughter, while Hayden emerges from his cocoon to bless us with his entertainment. We've done the beach and we'll do it again! daVinci Days is this coming weekend. Oregon Country Fair was last weekend. The sun is mostly shining (but for yesterday and today) The chickens are growing and happy, as is the garden. Charlie the Big Black Fuzzy Dog is happy & scratchy, as always.  Artemis & Spot & Ford run wild, pouncing one another in the tall grass, the Unmowed Jungle.

Cat's in the Hammock

If we can keep Ford home at night, he'll not be racing across the highway to do the feline equivalent of me walking into Mike Tyson's house and punching him in the face. And Mike Tyson's mom won't have to lock him away until she takes him to kitty jail, to save his own stupid ass! As his first trip to jail resulted in castration, we're hoping once the testosterone is gone, so will his need to prove himself (prove himself tasty!) any longer.  We can hope.
Minerva Mjölnir the volvo has died. I shall be making a trip over to her resting spot to clean her out, one last time. It's the curse of the bumper stickers: I just put 6 new unschooling stickers on her. A big prayer of Thanks to all the Gods consulted on her death placement: 12 miles from home at midnight is preferable to any other far worse case scenarios in the universe. Especially considering the sheer number of miles I cover in a year.  Again, many thanks ♥
Pippi Lea Fanta Pants, a red, 2003 Ford Focus, has petitioned for a place in our family, we shall be meeting her soon. I ordered stickers special for her adoption: Eleven & Pond, of Dr. Who, drawn in Calvin & Hobbes style.
Why not? Life is short & I got lots of Awesome to share.

Awesome Outreach, My Art

An unknown Hero posted one of these at the Life is Good Unschooling Conference, 2010. I've kept my "take home reminder" in a sacred place. Now! is the perfect time for me to share the Awesome reminder with my community! A few sheets of cardstock & a supply of sharpies and stickers, then it was color copies at Kinkos ♥

I've reminded many of my favorite service folk 'round town, 

their Awesome is important to my Awesome Life ♥ 

There are signs hanging in random spots 'round Corvallis

I gave out hundreds of reminders at Oregon Country Fair

& I left the empty signs hanging in Awesome spots (like the porta-potty!)

My dotty sign (below) was complimented by Earl Newman. 

Sign Making is the Art that sings to me,
my favorite creative expression. 

My Quest is to find new and Awesome ways to use my skillz! 

Go ahead, make your sign.
Hang it up! Flash Strangers!
Giving away Awesome adds to your own Awesome

Awesome Quest Challenge I

Awesome Quest Challenge I: Part of being Awesome for me is pushing myself out of my comfort zone. My comfort zone sure is comfortable, but not terribly enjoyable. There are a lot of things I hold myself back from. How can you take a step out of that zone this week? What have you been holding yourself back from? 

There's a common thread among hoarders and clutterers: a fear of doing it wrong keeps us from doing it at all.  I'd rather my house be judged by what I don't do than by what I do wrong. Somewhere inside me, that has made sense for a long time & justified many hours of escape from what I should be doing.  Part of Awesome Quest 2011 (AQ11) for me, is stepping outside of those excuses and having the Awesome Home in reality that I have in my fantasy.  

• Daily dishwashing
• Chalkboard paint on cupboards (still in progress, Red coat #286 coming soon!)
• Chicken Coop acquired & mostly primed
• Plans for Chicken Coop TARDIS Painting & Police Box Signage
• First Coil Pot in Pottery 101, plans for Berry Bowl & lidded jars 
• Plans for mailbox remodel
• Fun times, fully engaged, with all three+ kids 
• 4 pieces of art for daVinci Days
• Clarification in messy relationship ending
• Laundry pile down to actual pile from mountain
• Hammock in the TREE! 
• You Are AWESOME outreach posters (5 variations created)
• Love & attention to Garden 

What I've earned from this is Awesome beyond measure... Not only do I feel more at home in a Home that feels like, well, HOME, I feel more me. I am pretty Awesome. It's time I start remembering that on a momentary basis. We're all happier when I do :)  When mama ain't feelin' her Awesome, ain't NOBODY feeling her Awesome ♥
...and more (most?!) importantly:

When Mama's feelin' her Awesome, 

EVERYBODY feels Awesome! ♥ 

Mirror Cleaning Time

My primary relationship is with myself- all others are mirrors of it. As I learn to love myself, I automatically receive the love and appreciation that I desire from others. If I am committed to myself and to living my truth, I will attract others with equal commitment. My willingness to be intimate with my own deep feelings creates the space for intimacy with another. ~Shakti Gawain