Quietude

This is the quiet time.  Only a slight tune from the chimes by the front door will break the silence.

The croaking frogs are gone, or burrowed into the mud for the winter.  They didn't leave a forwarding address so I hope they find their way back to their pond this coming spring.

The trees are bare although they still stand tall and straight in the midst of the worst storms.

The only noise I hear on this back path is the sound of acorns crunching underneath -- which of course tells all the creatures in the woods that I am wandering around.

"You do not need to leave your room.  Remain sitting at your table and listen.  Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked,  it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet." - Franz Kafka

Sari Gobbins

It was easy to find Sari -- she's so entranced with bright colors, especially ribbons.  Apparently she has caused a kerfuffle among the Piffle group because she just can't resist bright colors.  Quite a few of the Piffles are worried that her colorful attire will attract unwanted attention.

Sari Gobbins is not to be deterred however.  She is somewhat of an extrovert and sort of a flibbertigibbet -- so she's not afraid of being discovered.  This was a treat for me - since she was happy to visit with me.  Of course the fact that I brought her a few 'pretties' to wear didn't hurt my cause any!

Fortunately winter doesn't last too long and not many people are out wandering the woods at this time of the year.  The trees and bushes and flowers will be back to fill in the woodland spaces and then Sari will blend right in.

"Today you are you!  That is truer than true!  There is no one alive who is you-er than you!" - Dr. Seuss

"Baggaraggs"

I've recently added a little extra magic in my life.  Oh the excitement of opening a package from Robin Ridener of "Baggaraggs". 

I started with "Everland" -- a bit of a thing who sits on a ball of twine.  Her story is a dream sequence which is quite haunting and lovely.  

 

Robin's use of embellishments -- oddities -- paper, fabric and thread are just hard to describe.  In fact each time I hold  one of my little trio I discover something else.  The "Wishlist" talks about Christmas -- but I consider it my year-round wish list since I've been wanting one (or more) of Robin's dolls for what seems like forever.

And don't you love "Birdbrain"?  With her burlap wings and a Robin-made bird on her head she makes me laugh.

If you haven't discovered Robin's magical creations -- please hop right over to her shop on Etsy  --  Baggaraggs Etsy Shop . And don't miss her blog where she tells the stories of her creations at Baggaraggs Blog .

"True originality consists not in a new manner but in a new vision." - Edith Wharton

  

'Starr'

The first time I discovered "Starr" she was on her back, looking toward the sky.  Whatever is she doing?  Perhaps a bit of cloud watching???  No, it turns out that she is enamored with stars -- but had slept the night away and thought she might find a bit of starlight in the early morning.  She had seen a sliver of moon once in broad daylight.  Why not a star?

Our visit led us into a discussion of stars.  She was bumfuzzled because Bibliofile had read to them all about stars and he said that stars are balls of gases held together by their own gravity.  Surely she thought they were much more romantic than that. At that point in the reading she broke down in tears and the whole group had to stop the educational process to give Starr several shoulders to cry on.

And so I gave Starr my thoughts on the mysteries of life -- and the perceptions that each of us has.  If her perception is that the stars are beautiful shining beacons in the dark sky, why not keep those thoughts?  Why not spend her evenings watching the stars as she has in the past?  Magic can often be the very best part of our lives and  we should hold it close and nurture it.   For isn't there a value in living your life through dreams and ideas and fanciful notions?

"When you wish upon a star

Makes no difference who you are

Anything your heart desires

Will come to you

If your heart is in your dreams

No request is too extreme

When you wish upon a star

As dreamers do..."

Lee Harlington and Ned Washington

"Perception"

Perception of mind - enomena.deviantart

I've been delving into the word 'perception' and all its meanings and ramifications.  Its really a HUGE word -- full of possibilities and questions and answers.  In some ways we are ruled by our perceptions.  Each day our minds are busy perceiving, whether we are aware of it or not.  And, think about this - our new perceptions are often built on our old perceptions.  Gosh there's a lot going on up there!

Perception is the reason three people can view an incident and yet relate back three different versions of it.  It can often be the cause of disagreements because each person is coming at the situation with a different perception.  I've learned over the years not to always trust my perceptions.  Viewing a person through preconceived notions has led me away from them instead of toward them.  And yet, when I actually get to know the person I find that we are more alike than not alike and we often become very  good friends.  Sneaky things those perceptions.

These days I think that sometimes my perceptions should be put into a closet somewhere. Sometimes I need a bit of mystery, magic and fun no matter how much it flies in the face of my own reality. Sometimes I need to open myself up completely and let new, fun, magical impressions come in. I want to fill my  life journey with new knowledge and magic and see where it takes me.  How about you?

"Miracles happen everyday, change your perception of what a miracle is and you'll see them all around you." - Jon Bon Jovi

'Bibliophile'

Yes indeed, I did it!!  I made contact with my very first Piffle and it was so fortuitous because it turns out that he is a 'wordie' like I am.  I discovered him sitting on a pile of books - which I later found out he had liberated from the back of local thrift shop.  They are his pride and joy.   

Apparently he usually goes foraging for non-fiction books (any others might be too provocative) in the outdoor book chute at the library. He will sneak in there late at night and carry away as many as he can handle, sometimes bringing a helper along.  I can just imagine them - one inside, one outside with ropes holding the books and a lot of lifting and hoisting going on - such a rigamarole when he could go inside and check them out.

Once he has read them, both to himself and aloud to his loyal listeners, he returns them to the chute no damage done.  My only thought, as he elaborated on his plan, was that there must be some very upset library patrons - who could swear they dropped their books in the slot days ago and yet keep getting 'fined'. 

Having just discovered this 'lost tribe' I daren't be too critical or I'll spoil everything.  Remember, we're still keeping this under our hats.

"He that loves reading has everything within his reach." - William Godwin

"Piffle" Sighting

You are all sworn to secrecy - no, really I mean it.  If my reputation as a level-headed, sane woman is to be maintained, no mention of this and further postings on this subject must be revealed.  Promise?

When I was a child, living at the ocean, there was a joke that at night we could go 'snipe' hunting.  Mostly this was told to teenage girls for the obvious reason.  Here in the Lickety-Split forest, which surrounds us quite deeply, our elusive prey  is called a "Piffle". 

At least the Piffles are not some scary beast such as Yeti or Sasquatch.  However, over the years Piffle's have been blamed for every missing thing in the county.  The story goes that they are pilferers and will take anything not nailed down.  Strangely enough, a few days later the item is returned (or at least the rightful owner has found what was misplaced).

Anyway, my secret (which remember you must not reveal) is that I have actually had a Piffle sighting - or at least the remnants of one.  As I walked along the path behind our house I found this group of mismatched items in a circle.   Who or what could have left these behind?

And so began my investigation...

"Still round the corner there may wait, a new road or a secret gate." - J.R.R. Tolkien

Lest you think...

That I'm not doing any sewing these days - I pass along a couple of pictures.  For being in the middle of a project my table is remaining quite orderly -- must be one of those new year's resolutions popping up.  I don't expect this to last.

The 'community' that I'm creating right now takes longer to 'think out' -- longer to 'imagine' -- longer to 'bring to life'.  But its coming, I promise.

"Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back.  Those who wish to sing always find a song.  At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet." - Plato

Searching for the Words

I've recently been on a search for words that would bring a smile - or represent life in a little bit different way.  Its been lots of fun.


Here are a few that I especially like:

Balderdash - Nonsense
Cahoots - Collusion
Discombobulate - Confuse
Folderol - Nonsense
Gallimaufry - Hodge Podge
Kerfuffle - Commotion
Lollygag - Dawdle
Persnickety - Very Particular
Piffle - Trivial Nonsense
Rigamarole - Intricate set of procedures
Tom Foolery - Silly Act
Woolgathering - Idyl Daydreaming

So my new year's challenge is to use these and other words like them -- here and there - spattering them into my days whether printed or spoken.  Just having fun...

"My favourite words are possibilities, opportunities and curiosity.  I think if you are curious, you create opportunities, and then if you open the doors, you create possibilities." - Mario Testino