Death & Life As An Art Form

I had an opportunity to get inside a coffin last week. How do you pass that up?

Death intrigues me. I wonder about it the same way I wonder about the dream world when I'm in the waking one. As I live & breathe, I ponder my own mortality. I don't think I'm morbid; death is the inevitable conclusion to life and an inescapable event we will all have in common.
It's there.
It's mysterious.
Its existence makes life all the more rich.

These thoughts lead to warmer, fuzzier ones of love. Despair is to love just as death is to life, and waking is to dreaming. To live fully is to give yourself over to each of these experiences, the only order you can count on is death will be last.
Suffering and joy should both be given into fully at times, often simultaneously.
I count myself charmed to have been awarded this life. Surrounded by love and support from my beloved family, and my extended family of friends, my life is an embarrassment of riches.
Having an excess of these things, it's my honor & duty to share with people who need what I have so much of.
Every once in a while, you get an opportunity to commit acts of love & kindness to people you hardly know.
It can hardly be considered a "selfless act", and as a matter of fact, leaves me grateful for the opportunity and feeling a touch embarrassed by the heartfelt "thank you"s received in return.
After last week's coffin ride and graveyard photography, I had a closer encounter with Death. A friend of a friend died in his home by gunshot. He & his girlfriend had just moved into the house 2 weeks ago. Let's call her "H".
This took place on H's birthday. She has no living family. Unable to go back to her new home and with no relatives to lean on, our mutual friend "D" stepped up to the plate for the aforementioned reasons. I said H has no family; in truth she has no living parents, she most certainly has a big, loving family.
I went with two other friends (family of my family) to the house to clean up and collect some of her things.
These two friends are men we'll call "K" and "T". I had been warned of what to be prepared for before entering the house and we all came prepared with gloves, respirators and cleaning supplies.
As we all got to work in what was the site of a violent and tragic end to a young & precious life, it struck me like a summer rain, how all I could see was love. What is more beautiful in this world than acts of love and compassion between people who are not even particularly close?
K & T are both big, burly, tattooed and pierced guys; it's safe assumption to say many people don't see them for the kind, generous, good spirited creatures they are. "Their" loss.
We were able to do something for someone during their mourning period, there's rarely anything anyone can do during times like these. I'm honored.
I packed up anything I could find that a girl would want from her house: hair dryer, sketchbook, art supplies, wigs, jewelry, pocket knives. I threw away anything I could find that was a source of bad odor while K & T steam cleaned the carpet and wiped down the walls.
I ripped leather off a chair and bagged & threw it away. I cut out a clean piece of leather to give H, as I knew she wanted a memento.
After a few hours we were ready to go back to D's and give H her things.
I'm humbled by this opportunity to be of service for someone during such a dark time.
I am grateful to have been in the presence of so much love.
I am not a bit surprised to see how life and death and love and sorrow are all amplified in tandem.
Through death, life is made sweeter.
Through sorrow, love is felt greater.
Through receiving, giving is made an art of love.
Thank you for the opportunity to hone my craft.

I'm still here y'all!

Bear with me. I have been busier than usual over the last few weeks and I have neglected my writing. Writing is a mood lifter to me so I need a fix!
This will be short.
I'm working on pieces for a National Halloween Convention next week in PA. I wasn't going to go, but then decided to go for it and hence, I've been absent.
Here's one piece I'm taking (should have before pics, but I don't think I do). It's a gorgeous Depression Era vanity tripple mirror. I just love that stuff. I had to force myself not to make a career out of it. I painted is satin black, did some minor restoration, enhanced the carving at the top and viola! Halloween over-mantle.
I have a few pieces in my inventory already, but I am making new things to take to the show. I've done some bat silhouettes, cut to integrate the engraving with the shape of the piece.
I have about two dozen really fantastic cuffs ready to go. I'll be interested to se how they do there. I'm working on a few stunners to add to my smaller pieces.
Alas, time is running out.
I leave with my best companion, Brandi, Wednesday. We have much yet to do. It will be so fun and will certainly fuel my fire, really looking forward to that part.
I'll be back as soon as I can!

Farm Pictures

Pictures, pictures, and still more pictures!
Sunday I went to The Farm to see Dad, my uncle Tom and CP who pretty much counts for an uncle too. My sister brought her kids out there too.
Whiskey is our lone horse now, and without his charge Sugar to look after he has a different temperament.
Doesn't he look innocent here?
While shooting his big beautiful brown eyes I noticed how clearly you can see the world reflected in them.
Horses love to lick and try to bite your hands. It must be salty. I think he would eat my flesh if I let him.
Cassie busied herself netting in the pond and catching some gorgeous sun fish.
Bran & I sat on the porch swing and I couldn't help but to notice how beautiful the chains are. I had to get a shot of my favorite new cuff against this patina.
Dad has little vignettes everywhere of cool things, kind of like at my house...(wonder where I get that from?)
Porch Swing
Wheel for turning a water valve? That's what it looks like to me.
Ellie's friend Emily found this treasure, a Box Turtle shell.
The grass does not grow under Miss Cassie's feet!
D0-Da is raisin' up these grandkids right. Firearms for everybody!
What a pair...
It is beyond my describing, how it feels to play with my sister's kids and my Dad at the Farm where we played when we were their age.
My family is truly the most important thing in my life. The Farm itself is a member of the family.
As a wise West Virginian woman says:
"Do you remember your family over here at 4422 Philadelphia Church Rd, the onliest ones that give a damn about'cha?"
Isn't that the damn truth!

Busy As A Beaver

Last Saturday was a most fruitful and prosperous day! It was supposed to be thunder-storming all day, in reality it blew through and left, but the weather was windy, dark & moody; my favorite kind.
I finished a dozen cuffs that I've had in various stages of production, just having the fruits of my labor all piled up like this makes me feel rich!
In between jewelry making I made a pound cake and two loaves of banana bread for my Dad & uncles the next day.
An old friend came by for a visit that night and remarked how funny she found it that I "just whipped out home made cake & banana bread in between making jewelry all day.
Shoot, "It won't nothin'" as I say!
I like to use my anvil on the concrete of the front porch in nice weather, but on this blustery rainy day I brought it indoors. I am not fancy enough to have one mounted on the perfect tree stump (yet) but where there's a will there's a way.
One of my strengths is an ability to work in conditions that are not ideal; I don't need everything to be perfect in order to do amazing things.
I just think of what I'll be able to get done once I get my compound and I do have perfectly ideal surroundings and conditions....
....it boggles the mind....!

Tysabri #28

Wow, I think today makes infusion #28! I am very happy with my Tysabri infusions to treat my ms. I've been on it for 28 months now and I've had no new relapses in that time.
The side effects for me were exhaustion, for as long as 5 days after. Also, in the beginning I experienced some mild depression following infusions, but after the first year that stopped. The information out there doesn't claim depression or moodiness as a side effect, but talk to other recipients of the drug and you will learn different.
So I go to Presbyterian Hospital once a month and spend the afternoon in outpatient oncology and all is well.
The months are running together and my experience of time differs from reality, so it feel like I'm going twice as often as I am.
Today I had packed up and headed to my sister's with dog in tow, ready for an outpouring of art work hustling when my phone's calendar alerted me of my appointment.
OOPS!
I rushed back to Charlotte, dropped the dog off and got here as fast as I could.
Like I always say, they can't start without me!
I am doing well, and keeping the deadly PML (primary multifocal leukoencephalopathy) at bay.
I am a fan of Tysabri and hope to stay on it as long as I can.
Good luck to me!

Resting Railroad Appreciation Day

Some days I wake up exhausted. On those days I'm really grateful that I don't work a nine to five, I just let the dog out and crawl right back in to bed.
This morning was like that.
After four extra hours of sleep, I decided to treat myself to an indulgent rail road walk.
I love getting off the sidewalks and onto the tracks. It makes for a wonderful respite from the city for this country girl.
You can always find the coolest things on the tracks. How long has it been since Charlotte had phone numbers with letters in them? I wanted to take this home but...it's not going anywhere.
I've been passing this pile of spikes and other steel for weeks. It looks like somebody left their treasure here to me...
Beauty is all around us. Even power lines are a sight to behold when you see them for what they are instead of the eye sores you thought they were.
After weeks of missing it, I caught a train in action today!
The coolest thing happens about a mile before it catches up to you; the rails start to zing, twing, buzz and sing. It's a very cool experience.
The wind and noise created by the passing train is exhilarating to me. I think I must have been a hobo in a past life...
A girl can dream, can't she?
Take the time to stop and experience the passing train now & then; it's more exciting than smelling the roses. But if you pass some roses, go ahead and stop to smell them too.

Halloween is a mere six and a half months away y'all.
I have been making ready the wares for the National Halloween Convention in PA next month, I will be attending!
I am this month's Guest Artist on Spooky Time Jingles', the Halloween art group my sister has been with for quite some time now. Their artists do an update on the 13th of every month, submitting new pieces for their fans to buy.
Here is Brandi's piece for April:

Here is my bat necklace, at a very affordable price of $75 you too could have this one of a kind, handmade piece of Halloween artwork to wear. It is made from heavily oxidized cable chain, satiny smooth luminescent red beads and a 2 inch wide bat silhouette cute from antique engraved silverplate.
Keeping to my redneck roots, I photographed it against my trusty, rusty fire barrel by its magnetic clasp.
I am all aflutter keeping several balls up in the air what with an upcoming trip abroad to Istanbul, a Halloween convention in PA and helping my sister with still more Halloween art all within the next 5 or 6 weeks.
Sometimes you just have to make time for social engagements, even when you're swamped. Last night was just such an occasion, I stopped by my friend Dee's house to catch up and act a fool on her front porch as we are wont to do during these lovely Spring months.
Just look at her Crypt Keeper who stands guard all year on the front of the house, Dee is truly a kindred spirit.
I am filled to overflowing with work, pursuits, plots & schemes, projects, plans and preparations. No shortage of things to take care of, that is for sure.
I sent off the application for my passport today. It's official!
All this hoopla is surely going to drive me batty; there's a necklace for that.



I will keep you abreast of all the developments, faithful readers.
In the mean time, remember I accept PayPal!