Needing to Chill...

 ...in a secretive, refreshingly fluid paradise

hidden away from reality...

a place

full of clear light, whimsical thoughts, beautiful patterns and

soft, soothing colors.

This place is worlds away from

frustration,

worrisome issues, and emotional whirlpools.

This place is full of wonder and decorated with magical bubbles,

cushioned in frothy sea foam, 

and fueled by gentle ripples of serendipity.

The life giving energy of this place ebbs and flows with

serenity and zen and wisdom...

 gently buffing away

the jagged edges of troubling thoughts.

This place 

renews and validates the intentions of my spirit

and

 invigorates the peace within my soul.

This place is special and unique...and known only to

my Muse and I.

It gives us life. It helps us grow.

It enables us to hope...and be joyful...and be whole.

This place is my (he)ART.

"It is not down in any map; true places never are."
~Herman Melville

"A Heart...Warming"

Brrrrr...baby, it's c...c...c...old outside!

Here in the "Valley of the Sun"

we hit 75 year old overnight LOW temps

in the "low 20's" this week

and highs only in the lower 40's...

which were actually lower than those in

Anchorage Alaska!

Then...

add in fierce gusty winds, an official "hard" freeze,

and

a record low February dew point

of -18 degrees

and Phoenix was in the deep freeze.

It was soooo dry

the winds sliced like sharp sabers.

The Pro Am of the Phoenix Open was even cancelled

due to the fact that the greens

were tundra-like and could be easily damaged.

Plants and citrus trees everywhere

took on ghostly appearances

covered with sheets and car covers and

towels and rags.

Pool pumps, outdoor spigots, and irrigation systems

suffered heavy damage

from the freeze if not cared for properly.

Fountains and outdoor water features froze

into jeweled lacy ice sculptures.

Today temps are 25 degrees below the seasonal average.

BUT....

this weekend

they are to return to a somewhat normal range

hitting the 70's by Sunday. YAY!

So...

amidst all this chilly frigid blog speak...

I DO realize that

others have had a winter season far worse than I...

and that

I would rather shovel sunshine than snow...

no matter how cold it gets! :)

(Seriously!)

Today I send you sunshine and smiles

from the desert.

I hope that your artistic spirits and your gardens

will slowly begin to warm

to the thoughts and plantings of

a springtime filled with glorious blooms.

Now there's a

heart warming thought for sure!

♥
“All the statistics in the world

can't measure the warmth of a smile.”
~Chris Hart

"A Heartfelt Tribute..."

...To those who serve unselfishly-

bringing light into darkest corners with a warm smile

or a tender touch...

To those who give lovingly from their hearts daily

to perfect strangers who have been

placed in their care...
To those who provide unceasingly

remarkable levels of dignity, respect, comfort, and support

to the terminally ill...

To each of the professionals and volunteers

of health care and hospice

systems worldwide

who bolster inner strength and peace in so many...

who serve from their hearts

and

love from their souls...

You are the best.

"Food for Thought..."

"Only as high as I reach...can I GROW,

only as far as I seek...can I GO,

only as deep as I look...can I SEE,

only as much as I dream...

can I BE."
~Karen Ravn

For JGL...♥...Shine on, Girlfriend!

"Last Night..."

...Another Arizona sunset

painted my

heart.

See other "Six Word Saturdays" here...:)

"Put Your HEART Into It..."

...and let your artistic Muse play...:)

Make it a family event!

The most simple of art tools can design

a HEART felt artwork to help the people of Haiti.

Just pencil and paper...add color for fun...Think about it.

Click on

the "Art Hearts for Haiti" badge

on my side bar

for project specifics.

There is still time to play...and it's so simple to do.

Why not put your HEART into it!? :)

"Art Hearts For Haiti...#1..."

The heart of a devastated country needs life support.

We can help.

Collectively, as a group of artists,

we can hold

her people gently in our hearts.

We can attempt to mend

lovingly, with the simple tools of an artist,

the

jagged gaping wounds of poverty.

We can

replant seeds of HOPE and LOVE and FAITH

deep

into the spirits of a shattered people.

We can nourish these seeds with kindness and light,

...with inspiration...

and with the exuberant joy of our art.

We can hope,

with all of our collective hearts...

that there will be that one fabulous day,

when the art we have shared might

encourage sprouts of

new growth...green, fresh, and full of innocence...

awaiting a moment in time to bloom

into bountiful trees of life...

with sturdy branches...and glorious leaves...

and strong, independent, and deeply planted roots.

We can do so very, very much...

Ahhh...

yes, we certainly can...:)

Won't you join us?

It's so very simple...just

click on the "Art Hearts for Haiti" badge

on my sidebar.

"There is no pebble so small

that it won't make ripples when tossed

into a body of water."

~Charles Peck

"(be)Thankful (this)Thursday..."

...and generous, too!

Join with other artists and share your

(he)art

for a worthy cause.

Click here for details...

Deadline is January 29th, 2010.

All it takes is a bit of your Muse's time

and

few artistic waves of the old magic wand.

...I will post my heart tomorrow...:)

“Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can, in all the ways you can,

...In all the places you can,

At all the times you can, to all the people you can,

...As long as ever you can.”
~John Wesley (1703-1791)

“If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”
~Mother Teresa

“We make a living by what we get,

but we make a life

by what we

give.”
~Winston Churchill

"Hearts, Anyone...?"

How about a whole Valentine's day week

filled with them?!

Introducing here to you today...

the first in my "Black Heart" series of

art designs drawn with a bit of an

urban edge.

"One of the hardest things in life

is having words in your heart that you can't utter."
~ James Earl Jones

"Inside His Heart..."

...today...a team of cardiologists

using highly technical cardiac catheterization devices

will travel ...

working their way

along intricate cardiovascular pathways

to determine what is causing my Dad problems.

As they to their job

Mom, Jack, Susan, Scott and I will sit on the edge of our chairs

awaiting their findings...

while Mark, far away in Chicago, awaits a call.

We will all be looking

to the Divine

for

guidance.