March 23, 2025

Right off the bat, I must admit that I am scattered this week and not as focused on this update as I would like. I have not been out to art classes or to see friends at all. I have instead been focusing on exercise, keeping up with my medical and my mom’s medical, extended family’s “goings on” and giving mental and physical energy to upcoming birthday celebrations that happen over the next few months. So, bear with me dear readers.

On the positive side, I observed two wonderful nature events. We have an orange tree in our front yard and the harvest has been delayed by a couple of months due to weather pattern changes. So I have not yet harvested all of the oranges. The rinds are thinner this year due to lack of moisture. So when the oranges get juicy they split open. One enterprising bird landed on a branch with 2 oranges hanging down and was pecking at the insides. So getting their vitamin C and fiber, I suppose! It was fun to watch. Also, we are having roof inspections done and needed to move some patio furniture to make sure the glass table top was not damaged with things being brushed off the roof. So we moved the glass topped patio table over the custom mosaic bird bath to protect it from harm also. In so doing, we caused a pair of birds to come and hover like helicopters over our patio as they tried to figure out how to navigate this new “maze” to get a drink of water. They figured it out with one leading the other and then both flew off together. Problem solved! And so fun to watch.

This morning I am going on a “mindfulness” hike with a small group of like minded people. I think that will be a good way to end a week where my attentions were pulled away from creating. While my family and extended family have remained healthy, many of our friends have had surgeries, or visits to the E.R., or depression from job loss. So keeping up with them and cheering them on, as best we can, has been a large focus.

Knowing your limitations and still creating magic inside those limitations has been this week’s focus. For a visual person with high standards it has been a gritty lesson this week. Insert needle ripping across vinyl here. Yet learn we must, while also keeping the hope of brighter things in the future alive. Focusing on necessities, which I do a lot, while vital is not inspiring. So my challenge to myself this upcoming week is to find inspirational places and people.

A note on the “mindfulness hike”, post hike. I had never been on one before and it requires that no one speak on the 1.5 hour hike. The leaders speak at various points to guide the meditations and the groups you break up into. This is not something that many people would excel at, without some practice. The human species tends to be very noisy and attention focused. People hiking in pairs had trouble not cuing off of, or deferring to, their partner’s energy. Internalization was harder for them. People passing by the group having no idea everyone had agreed to be silent, said “Good morning” and got waves in response. I am sure it was odd to them.

We learned three “fancy” words, as the leader called them. Beyond the basic 5 senses there are:
Vestibular –  Internal senses possessed by humans which include spatial orientation, proprioception (body position/balance) as well as nociception (pain).
Interception – This sense provides information to the brain about what’s happening inside the body, such as hunger, thirst, pain, and fatigue, heart rate, etc. In addition to vestibular and interoception, there is also the proprioceptive system. The proprioceptive system is related to body awareness and movement (position and balance as mentioned earlier).

At one point we were in a circle and quiet. A man was hiking on an adjacent trail carrying his little daughter and with an off leash dog. The dog noticed us and cut through the brush to join “whatever was going on”. When no one moved or spoke, he started barking. I broke my silence and simply said, “It’s okay pupper” and he decided that he could move along his way. Interesting how sometimes all we need is a little assurance that everything is okay, human or animal. I learned a lot on this hike about observation, internally and externally. I became more aware of how fragile everything is around me and that I’m not alone even if I don’t see every animal or every person. I learned to loosen up my muscles and be more purposeful and non rushed in my steps. It was worth the hour and a half. I have also noticed that after the frightening fires and weather that started 2025 here, I find myself reassuring animals as they cross my path and making sure they have clean water. I joke that I am becoming “Cinderella” or “Dr. Doolittle”. However, what it is, is simply the consideration of those otherwise overlooked creatures that cross your daily path.

I have updated the Engaging Art News pages with two articles I found fun this week. I hope you enjoy those. Until we meet again… and I have more inspiration for you, I hope you are surrounded by innovative, creative people who see your worth and let you know how truly special you are. And I hope you find time for some peace..