Hello everyone I just wanted to mention that Ruthie over at 5 Precious Things had a lovely addition to the why-we-blog question. She speaks about several aspects of the subject but I found resonance with her thoughts on how and why we choose to share the parts of ourselves we do. Instead of trying to paraphrase her (and probably botching it up) I will just encourage you to visit her site for yourselves. It is a beautiful and magical blog and in addition to taking on such heavy questions as this she also shares her art and her enchanted slice of Scotland. Do go and visit...
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
My pasta dish for "The Movable Feast"
Or Why I blog...
Quite some time ago there was a conversation circulating among the blogs I love about why people feel the need to blog, especially as it pertains to artists, authors and other creative people. It started with Rima Stains at the Hermatage (one of my all time favorite blogs!) when she was interviewed for John Barleycorn on her inspiring blog site and her art. Her words evidently struck a chord with folks as so many people chimed in. Terri Windling (who authored a fabulous book and has another of my favorite blogs) spoke beautifully as to her thoughts on blogging and dubbed the all-encompassing-conversation that was sweeping the blogosphere "the movable feast".
A Mermaid in the Attic picked up the thread (or should I say the salt and pepper?) and added her thoughts. It has since swept the Internet with so many eloquent voices speaking their personal reasons for blogging. If you haven't read anything on this or are not familiar with Terri, Rima, or the Mermaid in the Attic treat yourself, make a cup of tea and get ready for a fascinating, thought provoking and heart felt read. Terri has everyone all linked up so start by clicking here, however please do read my story below first.
This subject of blogging and the resulting conversations strongly resonated with me but as with so many things it has taken a while for me to digest. I kind of got it today when I read a comment by one of my followers in England. She happens to have the sobriquet "Pixie" and lives in an old fishing village in England (my heart soars at her profile!). She left me the loveliest message about following my blog which caused me to immediately start crying. Now upon reflection though her words were very sweet my response was a bit extreme. This caused me to wonder what had been triggered and after a few more tissues lead me to the table of the"movable feast". I believe I am now able to offer my side dish which finally came out of the oven just now (to firmly abuse the analogy!)
I have always marched to a different drum beat. My father was so far out-of-the-box that to consider living in a box would have been abnormal.
As wonderful as that sounds there was also a lot of crazy stuff, like Dad didn't believe in the public school system so he pulled me out in the 6th grade. Now some of you might be thinking how wonderful that I was home schooled... I wasn't. He didn't bother. He stated that "You can learn more from watching TV than going to some dammed school". One time he handed me a calculus book (when I had last worked on fractions in school ages ago) and told me that I needed to read it.
Even with that experience of the written word (or should I say equation) I still grew up with a love of books though the scholarly tombs that were around our house (Churchill and Abrams the Rise of Western Civilization) were rather daunting to my young mind. I was still immersed in Nancy Drew and The Happy Hollisters" after all.
Though my life was very abnormal my extended family was very traditional. They were mostly from a small steel mill town in Colorado and grew up in a classic American way. To say they didn't get me is putting it mildly! I was always the weird cousin from California who they said dressed strangely (well, actually I did), acted bizarre (I guess I did that too), was an only child and so consequently was a spoiled brat (that I will disagree with). I know they thought I would never be functionally normal (well I am functional but definitely not normal).
Today I consider that a good thing but at the time it was a bit tough to hear. I wasn't into the party or boys scene (maybe because I didn't go to school?) I would rather draw, read, dream and play on the farm.
I just knew I was not like anyone else out there.
I sort of came to accept that and have gone on about my life. It is rare when I really connect with someone especially in my own town. Mind you I like people I am just very different from most folks so I have often felt I don't really have a community.
So fast forward to present day. Here I am blogging about my life, my creations, the 50+ kitties my husband and I look after (definitely not main stream!!!) and people all around the planet find me and say the loveliest words of... acceptance. I think that is why when I receive these comments from the far flung Internet world it hits me so profoundly. These people "get" me. We understand one another.
As I dig further into the blogs I find that many of the artists and authors I admire are interconnected forming their own community. They have found each other and now I am finding them. And in a round about way I am finding me. I understand that I am not alone in the big wide world. My kindred is just not very local but all over the planet, in England, Russia, Australia, China, Canada, and so on. We may not even speak the same language, but our spirits recognize each other. I feel encouraged and accepted and to have another person actually enjoy what I do is so wonderful!
This is my dish for "the movable feast" (a rather large pasta dish don't you think?) Though not nearly as eloquent as so many other voices it is my truth. If you have read all the way though thank you for your precious time.
Blessings,
Tricia (AKA the weird cousin from California)
P.S. I did eventually go to the local community college and then transfer to a University and receive my BA in Art History... it was a TON of work!!! Completely ignorant doesn't even begin to explain my state of learning as I ventured onto a college campus. Just thinking about it makes my knees knock!
Quite some time ago there was a conversation circulating among the blogs I love about why people feel the need to blog, especially as it pertains to artists, authors and other creative people. It started with Rima Stains at the Hermatage (one of my all time favorite blogs!) when she was interviewed for John Barleycorn on her inspiring blog site and her art. Her words evidently struck a chord with folks as so many people chimed in. Terri Windling (who authored a fabulous book and has another of my favorite blogs) spoke beautifully as to her thoughts on blogging and dubbed the all-encompassing-conversation that was sweeping the blogosphere "the movable feast".
(Not related to "The Movable Feast" but I wanted to show you Terri's beautifully haunting novel, I highly recommend it!)
A Mermaid in the Attic picked up the thread (or should I say the salt and pepper?) and added her thoughts. It has since swept the Internet with so many eloquent voices speaking their personal reasons for blogging. If you haven't read anything on this or are not familiar with Terri, Rima, or the Mermaid in the Attic treat yourself, make a cup of tea and get ready for a fascinating, thought provoking and heart felt read. Terri has everyone all linked up so start by clicking here, however please do read my story below first.
This subject of blogging and the resulting conversations strongly resonated with me but as with so many things it has taken a while for me to digest. I kind of got it today when I read a comment by one of my followers in England. She happens to have the sobriquet "Pixie" and lives in an old fishing village in England (my heart soars at her profile!). She left me the loveliest message about following my blog which caused me to immediately start crying. Now upon reflection though her words were very sweet my response was a bit extreme. This caused me to wonder what had been triggered and after a few more tissues lead me to the table of the"movable feast". I believe I am now able to offer my side dish which finally came out of the oven just now (to firmly abuse the analogy!)
I have always marched to a different drum beat. My father was so far out-of-the-box that to consider living in a box would have been abnormal.
(The ranch I grew up on, those are date palms, now it is in the middle of a golf course in the Coachella Valley. When I was growing up Coachella was most definitely NOT as cool as people seem to think it is now {if you can call 120F in the shade "cool".)
As wonderful as that sounds there was also a lot of crazy stuff, like Dad didn't believe in the public school system so he pulled me out in the 6th grade. Now some of you might be thinking how wonderful that I was home schooled... I wasn't. He didn't bother. He stated that "You can learn more from watching TV than going to some dammed school". One time he handed me a calculus book (when I had last worked on fractions in school ages ago) and told me that I needed to read it.
(More of the Date palms on the ranch.)
Even with that experience of the written word (or should I say equation) I still grew up with a love of books though the scholarly tombs that were around our house (Churchill and Abrams the Rise of Western Civilization) were rather daunting to my young mind. I was still immersed in Nancy Drew and The Happy Hollisters" after all.
Though my life was very abnormal my extended family was very traditional. They were mostly from a small steel mill town in Colorado and grew up in a classic American way. To say they didn't get me is putting it mildly! I was always the weird cousin from California who they said dressed strangely (well, actually I did), acted bizarre (I guess I did that too), was an only child and so consequently was a spoiled brat (that I will disagree with). I know they thought I would never be functionally normal (well I am functional but definitely not normal).
(My version of evening wear, a frilly nightie over sleepers with feet in them.)
(Not really dressed at all but doing what I always did, drawing and coloring.)
(One of my early drawings (age 8 ) of my dog)
I just knew I was not like anyone else out there.
(Age 15 of 16 I think.)
I sort of came to accept that and have gone on about my life. It is rare when I really connect with someone especially in my own town. Mind you I like people I am just very different from most folks so I have often felt I don't really have a community.
So fast forward to present day. Here I am blogging about my life, my creations, the 50+ kitties my husband and I look after (definitely not main stream!!!) and people all around the planet find me and say the loveliest words of... acceptance. I think that is why when I receive these comments from the far flung Internet world it hits me so profoundly. These people "get" me. We understand one another.
As I dig further into the blogs I find that many of the artists and authors I admire are interconnected forming their own community. They have found each other and now I am finding them. And in a round about way I am finding me. I understand that I am not alone in the big wide world. My kindred is just not very local but all over the planet, in England, Russia, Australia, China, Canada, and so on. We may not even speak the same language, but our spirits recognize each other. I feel encouraged and accepted and to have another person actually enjoy what I do is so wonderful!
This is my dish for "the movable feast" (a rather large pasta dish don't you think?) Though not nearly as eloquent as so many other voices it is my truth. If you have read all the way though thank you for your precious time.
Blessings,
Tricia (AKA the weird cousin from California)
P.S. I did eventually go to the local community college and then transfer to a University and receive my BA in Art History... it was a TON of work!!! Completely ignorant doesn't even begin to explain my state of learning as I ventured onto a college campus. Just thinking about it makes my knees knock!
P.S.S. I can tell you this... not for all the tea in China would I go back in time!!! That is saying something because I adore tea and now that China has published my faerie wedding I adore them too. Each decade has been better than the last.
I like. like, like like, being 48!!!!!!!!!! Here's to the next decade!
Blessings
The faeries are in Chinese Elle!!!
Yea!! I finally received my copy of the China version of Elle Magazine...
Remember when I told you the faerie wedding had made it into the mag?
They told me they were going to send me a copy, I have been so excited!
I didn't realize how BIG the layout was going to be... WOW!
They also included the first barn wedding on the ranch that I did...
I am a little stunned! Extremely cool don't you think?
As I can't read Chinese I hope they are complimentary and not saying "look at this crazy designer... Here's how NOT to do your wedding!" LOL!
Just wanted to share (brag more like...).
Don't forget to please, please, please, sign up as a follower and possibly win my first give-away (see the last post). I am getting nervous that my 150+ followers from my old blog won't find me...
Come on over, the water's fine!
Blessings
Tricia
Monday, April 25, 2011
MY FIRST GIVE AWAY!!
So as promised... My first give away!
This is in honor of my new blog home, and as I sailed right past my first anniversary of blogging (March 2010) it will also be a belated one-year birthday present to you my audience! All you have to do to win these goodies is to become a follower, leave me a comment please and talk about my blog and give away on your blog if you have one, if you don't have a blog, no worries enter anyway (not too much to do I hope... and yes it is a bribe).
I will pick the winner on Monday May 2nd. Maybe I will have the kitties choose...
The goodies are very much a reflection of who I am (scary huh?) and what I love (and I made the nest just for you!).
Natural, woodsy, faerie bits...
"a faerie's nest filled with all sorts of their mag-pie-like found objects"
There are vintage milliner and beaded flowers, moss, feathers, Quail eggs, vintage jewels,
and dried Lavender (mmmm, smells good!).
Dangling off the nest are old skeleton keys, and a beaded flower.
Vintage silver, lace and other antique lovelies...
I placed the nest in a vintage silver footed bowl with a lovely old lace handkerchief.
It is not permanent so you can take it out if you like
Bling!
Indian bangles just for fun!
Native American and other indigenous cultural art.
These are vintage sterling silver Navajo hoop earrings (hard to believe that 15 years old makes them vintage!!! I must be positively antique!).
Indian oils, incense and... Well really most anything from India
Really lovely incense in Rose and mini Dhoop sticks. Not too sweet I promise.
So I hope your tastes run parallel to mine (I am truly so sorry... really!)
And I hope you enter my give away, yea! (Please more than one person, please more than one person, please more than one person...
See you soon,
My new home, welcome!
YEEEAAAA! New Digs... Welcome, please come in and stay awhile. Have a look around and tell me what you think.
Later today I will post another message telling all of you how to win a wonderful present in honor of my new home (and a few other things, stay tuned).
See you in a bit...
Later today I will post another message telling all of you how to win a wonderful present in honor of my new home (and a few other things, stay tuned).
See you in a bit...
Friday, April 22, 2011
Cats, Dogs, Brides, and paperwork!
Hello Everyone... I haven't forgotten about all of you... I promise. Just lots of irons in the fire!
Me being the procrastinator that I am waited until the last minute to get through tons of paper work for the US's big tax day. I would so much rather do more fun creative things! I did have help though...
Nipper was making sure my receipts were in order for the charity that my husband and I run called The Lucky Few. I sure hope the IRS (for those of you not in the US they are the tax collectors) doesn't mind a few cat hairs!
Another project I have been working on is a fun photo shoot with coordinator and designer Kelly Oshiro. I can't let too much out at this time but here is a bouquet from the shoot.
Just to tease you here is a severely cropped picture that shows you hopefully just enough to wet your curiosity but not enough to tell you what we were up to. The model and the dog were adorable!... The dog belongs to Kelly. He was a rescue dog like all our cats (I knew I loved Kelly and not just because she is super creative and fun!!!). For more on this very cool lady check out her web site here.
I will post the pics here as soon as I get them (it will be awhile though). Lots of fun!!
I have also had a couple of weddings. For anyone questioning my dedication to duty or being a team player... here I am drying the flower girl's dress which she had peed on right before the ceremony. I ran and got my hair dryer from home (just around the corner) and stood behind the barn and did my best to dry it out while the ceremony was waiting.
I am making a funny face for a reason... hot air travels up... towards your nose...
Me being the procrastinator that I am waited until the last minute to get through tons of paper work for the US's big tax day. I would so much rather do more fun creative things! I did have help though...
Nipper was making sure my receipts were in order for the charity that my husband and I run called The Lucky Few. I sure hope the IRS (for those of you not in the US they are the tax collectors) doesn't mind a few cat hairs!Another project I have been working on is a fun photo shoot with coordinator and designer Kelly Oshiro. I can't let too much out at this time but here is a bouquet from the shoot.
Just to tease you here is a severely cropped picture that shows you hopefully just enough to wet your curiosity but not enough to tell you what we were up to. The model and the dog were adorable!... The dog belongs to Kelly. He was a rescue dog like all our cats (I knew I loved Kelly and not just because she is super creative and fun!!!). For more on this very cool lady check out her web site here.I will post the pics here as soon as I get them (it will be awhile though). Lots of fun!!I have also had a couple of weddings. For anyone questioning my dedication to duty or being a team player... here I am drying the flower girl's dress which she had peed on right before the ceremony. I ran and got my hair dryer from home (just around the corner) and stood behind the barn and did my best to dry it out while the ceremony was waiting.
I am making a funny face for a reason... hot air travels up... towards your nose...Oh well, the show must go on as they say. Hope you all are having a lovely Spring. I will be back soon.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
This old ranch...
I wanted to share some pictures of the magical ranch I live on. We feel like we live in a time warp here. Once you pull onto the property life seems to slow down, it is wonderful!
There are delightfully aged abandoned buildings scattered about.
I would love to restore this before it is too far gone... It was built around 1915 used to be a stable for horses.
The old wood is so beautiful. No mater how hard folks try you just can't mimic the look of aged wood.
It has the most glorious rafters.
A tree has grown up right through the middle... isn't that wonderful? If I had the money I would make this building into the most amazing home... and I would definitely keep the tree.
Or I guess I should say trees...
Here you can see the top of the trees, they are rather huge!
All of the buildings have such beautiful doors.
There is a paddock adjoining the building with another tree going out of the side...
Looking down the front of the building towards another paddock. Those are the foreman's horses in the distance.
Another view of, it is so magical especially in the setting sun. Part of what is so lovely here is how peaceful everything is. Just the sound of the ocean in the distance and the birds. As the evening comes in the crickets start to sing. Just beautiful!
My husband is doing some work nearby and we both feel like is it almost a sacrilege to start up the power tools.
However some "noise" suits the place wonderfully...
This is Tomas, our neighbor.
He has worked on the ranch for 30 plus years.
Can't you just hear the music for the "Milagro Bean field Wars" playing softly in the distance?
We even have old Amorante's pig living down at the end of the street...
If you haven't seen the movie I can't recommend it enough! Directed by Robert Redford back in the 90's it is about a small magical New Mexico village and how they adjust with the modern era. Absolutely delightful!
Gosh I love this little "Milagro" ranch...
Blessings!
There are delightfully aged abandoned buildings scattered about.
I would love to restore this before it is too far gone... It was built around 1915 used to be a stable for horses.
The old wood is so beautiful. No mater how hard folks try you just can't mimic the look of aged wood.It has the most glorious rafters.A tree has grown up right through the middle... isn't that wonderful? If I had the money I would make this building into the most amazing home... and I would definitely keep the tree.Or I guess I should say trees...Here you can see the top of the trees, they are rather huge!
All of the buildings have such beautiful doors.There is a paddock adjoining the building with another tree going out of the side...
Looking down the front of the building towards another paddock. Those are the foreman's horses in the distance.
Another view of, it is so magical especially in the setting sun. Part of what is so lovely here is how peaceful everything is. Just the sound of the ocean in the distance and the birds. As the evening comes in the crickets start to sing. Just beautiful!
My husband is doing some work nearby and we both feel like is it almost a sacrilege to start up the power tools.
However some "noise" suits the place wonderfully...
This is Tomas, our neighbor.He has worked on the ranch for 30 plus years.Can't you just hear the music for the "Milagro Bean field Wars" playing softly in the distance?We even have old Amorante's pig living down at the end of the street...If you haven't seen the movie I can't recommend it enough! Directed by Robert Redford back in the 90's it is about a small magical New Mexico village and how they adjust with the modern era. Absolutely delightful!
Gosh I love this little "Milagro" ranch...
Blessings!
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