The Timid Moon

‎"Luna Tímida" ©2010 Rochelle Rosenkild

One evening a few weeks ago, my husband walked out the door to run some kind of errand. I thought it was cute that he ran back in to tell me I might want to take a picture of the moon.

I grabbed my camera and ran outside, but was bothered that I could not get a clear view. Then I decided to work with what I had. Here is the result.

The funniest part was, the hubby forgot he sent me out with my camera and could not figure out why I didn't answer the phone when he called a billion times to ask if we are out of milk. Silly man...he should know better! It was ALL HIS FAULT! I must have been out there for an hour or so. I'm not sure...I lose track of time.

Charlie Update

Just wanted to take a moment to say that Charlie is still alive and lickin'! He is still old, of course, but he is up and about (with help) and wagging his tail and awaiting his next treat....

I also want to say that I feel like it appears I was "crying wolf" over Charlie. But, we truly thought he was taking his last breath. He has amazed us with his recovery from what we believe was a series of small heart attacks. I just don't want any of you to think I was toying with your emotions because I know so many of you really take something like this to heart. I appreciate that!

New offerings

Hi everyone,

I have some new original paintings for sale.

Click here to see the beach scene.

Click here to see the Abstract Mountain Landscape.

I'm hoping to add something new to my shop on a daily basis.

Thanks for stopping by!

Shell

The Passing of "Puppah Chawllie"?

As I begin typing this, our 14-year-old black Lab, Charlie, is on his bed in the kitchen. He is very weak and in the last stages of his journey here.

I like to say he and our son, Clay, were puppies together. They both came into our lives within the same year. As our son grew, he thought he was a puppy, too. He would try to drink from the dog's water bowl and chase Charlie around the yard. "PUPPAH! PUPPAH!...T'Mere Puppah!"he would shout, with toddler glee.

One time we went fishing out at the lake. Luckily, the stroller made it down the hot, dusty path to the fishing spot. Charlie had a great time learning to swim and running around doing puppy things all day. After a long and tiring day, we headed back to the car. I stopped to pick something up that had fallen off of the stroller and before I could start again, Charlie had crawled into the storage compartment beneath the stroller! I guess he figured, "if that puppy doesn't have to walk, why should I?" He rode the rest of the way down there.

When our son was about 3, just after sunset, he and I were lying on some cushions on the floor...playing and talking. Clay looked out the glass doors and saw Charlie out in the yard looking back at us. He turned to me and said, "Mom?.... look how Charlie soaks into the night....and his eyes shine like stars." I was dumbfounded by this poetic statement from such a little guy.

Charlie has been a faithful friend over these many years. He has been with us on our walks...where his boy was in a stroller, then a wagon, a scooter and now a skateboard. Clay is just starting high school, a new journey for him and us. He is our only child and we are really feeling how quickly time is passing now. As we learn to let go in many ways, we know that Charlie will always be with us wagging his big, old tail.

Soon, he will soak into the night... one last time...and he will be a shining star in so many of our wonderful memories.

*****

Well, evening is upon us and once again, this old dog is full of new tricks. He wagged his tail at the mention of dinner and (with a lot of help) is now outside trying to eat. That's a Lab for ya! I'll keep you posted.

The Depths of Simplicity

Beauty is an ecstasy; it is as simple as hunger.

There is really nothing to be said about it. It is like the perfume of a rose:

you can smell it and that is all.

W. Somerset Maugham

To me, this labyrinth of petals shows that simplicity and complexity often reside in the same place.

When I delve into those deepest areas, I come right back to the realization that no matter how much I might overthink something....it just is what it is.

Independence Day

This weekend flew by and we didn't really have any fantastic, outlandish plans. We didn't go fight the crowds to see the fireworks show. We didn't spend oodles of money on fireworks at the local stand. But, we did spend time together as a family.

As the mother of a teenage boy, I am ever so grateful for each fleeting moment together. All of a sudden, on this weekend celebrating our country's independence, I was really bummed out by the growing independence of our son! It dawned on me that he is becoming a young man. I mean, I knew this...but it hit me that my little boy is gone.

That trip to Legoland I have wanted to take all these years...well....I guess that's out the window, now. While the builder in him is still fascinated by the amazing structures that can be made out of Legos, I don't think a day surrounded by toddlers sounds particularly thrilling to him anymore.

He would rather send text messages all day, than make crafts with Mom. Rather perfect his skateboarding tricks than help me in the kitchen. He'd even rather do hard physical labor at his Grandma's house than hang out at home!

I'm trying not to take it personally, but I have a lot of growing up to do! So, when I take a step back I realize, a simple barbecue with his family was good enough for him. No tantrums over how much was missing... I need to do the same. I need to savor what we have, not pine over what has changed.

This weekend has taught me that we don't need a lot of fanfare. Don't need a lot of fuss. And, even with our growing independence, we still come back to each other in those beautiful moments where the explosions are in the distance and the light is in our hearts.

A surprise by the pond...continued...

(If you are stopping in for the first time, be sure to scroll down to the previous dates and see how this all came about!)

So, as I was saying...the odd little snail, who was sent to wake me up, wanted me

to lift him up to my painting which hangs in the hallway. I was quite hesitant, because

I intend to sell that painting and don't think snail tracks would add to its value.

Anyway, I did it.

To my complete surprise, he went INTO the painting and told me to follow.

I stood back (as far as I could in such tight quarters) and thrust myself head first.

It worked! Which is a very good thing as I would hate to have had my husband

wake up to a loud thud and find me on the floor with a broken painting on my head!

I'm sure he would just roll his eyes and go back to bed because he has come to

expect the unexpected around here! But, still...

After taking my leap of faith, this is where I landed.

As I got to my feet, I looked around and tried to rub the sleep from my eyes.

I thought surely I must be dreaming!

My eyes adjusted and I could see that my little friend was on the move once again.

We wended our way past the Lamb's Ears and beneath the Wisteria Vine.

It was all very familiar, since this is my own backyard....but it was if I had never

been here before. I'm sure my mouth hung open and my

eyes were as round as the moon.

There were pond-dwellers here and there, enjoying the atmosphere as well.

Tea cups were filled to the brim with invisible tea. It was so delightful, like Earl Grey

only more divine. The tea pot never emptied and I never got too full. Which is a good

thing because I was told that just around the corner of the pond, near the stand of cattails,

there was an array of treats for me to eat.

As I got up close, I could see...these goodies set out for me.

Um.........well...you know....it IS the THOUGHT that counts.

Ah hem...and the worms weren't so bad, but the flies were a

little rough going down. I couldn't believe the wonderful things

my friends had done for me!

I sat on the bench and soaked in all of the magical things around me.

Mr. Mockingbird sang his marvelous songs...which can be annoying when

you're trying to sleep, but this night he could do no wrong!

I must have dozed off, of course you saw it coming, for I woke up in my bed

and wondered if it was all a dream.

But, I can tell you one thing by looking at the pond this morning.

There was SOME kind of magic going on!

There are a bazillion tiny, new frog eggs in the shallows!

With all those helpers next year, just imagine the Mad Moonlit Tea Party we shall have!

A surprise by the pond

As the moon rose into the sky, I drifted off to sleep...not sure of what was to come

or how I would know it was time.

I slept soundly until I felt upon my cheek, the tiniest, whisper of a tickle.

When I opened my eyes, this is what I saw upon my pillow.

He beckoned me to follow him, so I headed toward the door. My anticipation

was so great that I didn't want to wait and follow him to a familiar place...at a

snail's pace! But, to my surprise, he said, "That's not the way. Lift me up to this

painting and come after me right away!"

(Due to technical difficulties, I will continue telling you all about this wondrous

experience as soon as I can....so for now....I must say...."TO BE CONTINUED"

....Didn't you always hate seeing that at the end of a show when you were a kid?)

Dusk is falling...and things are happening out there!

I tried to be so good, but as the sun was setting,

the curiosity overwhelmed me.

Did someone say Tea Party?

I've heard so many wonderful things about a fabulous day of sharing tea and goodies

with lots of interesting people in the most fantastical way.

"I'm so new to this....and so busy...and can never seem to catch the tail I must be chasing."

That's what I said to His Royal Frogness as I knelt by the pond and told him about

how I would love to be a part of it all.

He told me I had at least one very good excuse for not taking part as I had hoped. The

opportunity to display a painting in the Riverside Art Museum doesn't happen

every day. It just so happens to have happened on THIS day!

Then, do you know what he told me? He said I shouldn't fret.

"Something amazing will happen tonight," He whispered.

He has something in store for me since I have given him this kingdom where he can

protect and watch over his kin.

I can hardly wait to see what's going to happen. I hope you'll come back and find out, too!

And, if you haven't been there yet, visit http://afancifultwist.typepad.com/a_fanciful_twist/ . What an inspirational place!

Be sure and stop by my friend Gerushia's place, too. http://gerushiasnewworld.blogspot.com/

Inspirations from the Garden

Well, Here it is...Summer has already begun and I just finished

my list of New Year's resolutions....writing it...not doing it! So, I

think the last resolution should be, not to feel guilty or oppressed

or diminished by the things I have not yet done. Those

thoughts only lead to a kind of paralysis for me. Then, of course,

the guilt and all gets even worse.

So, a little surprise in the front yard gave me a gentle, uplifting

reminder this morning. It's the Easter Lily that I assumed was dead

because it hadn't bloomed this Spring.

All of a sudden while we were away on vacation, it burst

forth in all of its beauty and grace. Upon discovering this,

I was filled with joy to see that it was alive, not scolding it

for being late. The lesson here is...Better Late Than Never.

While it is a virtue to get things done on time, it does not

benefit us to berate ourselves if that doesn't happen.

Sometimes the right time is not necessarily the time we

have set up for ourselves.

So, we must let ourselves bloom when the conditions are

just right, and not kill ourselves in the meantime.

Each new day..each new moment... is a new opportunity to start fresh.

Heh heh! Oops again!

There went January. :(

OOPS!

There went December!