#naphopomo Day 16 Deep in the Forest

Deep in the forest something stirred , broadcasting far and wide
a song for all who chose to hear. The call to return tugged hard
at a skirt hem, speaking of rewards for the soul.

Mid Morning Break

At 10.15 a.m. the hand bell, from the school across the river, rings for morning break. I move from the beds to the shade of the shed, drink iced water, sit down on the roots of the old golden apple tree and watch the view. Dry season, it is hot. The water in the ravine trickles below Job's Tears to the river below. There is a digger working in the village of Vendome and the horns of the large trucks announce their descent of the winding mountain road. Lesser Antillean bullfinch, bananaquit and butterflies pass by with the cooling breeze that rustles the royal palms.

Parcels, Packaging and Gifts

The gathered
dried seeds of the
Bixa tree are
covered in a
red pigment
that I am
hoping to use
for an art project
in the near future.

I also love the gift
wrapping provided
by Mother Nature.

Just a little taster!

Last night
we took the bus
down to town
and spent a lovely
evening here at
the opening of the
Grenada Arts Council
Annual Open Exhibition.

There were wonderful
pieces on show and it
was inspiring to see
the diverse creativity 
that exists here on
this little island.

Observations
from nature
sit happily
besides
vibrant
geometric
designs.

Deep emotional
responses
to love and
affairs of the heart

rub shoulders
with evocative
sensuality.

Beautiful
photographic
images
gel

with
unbelievable
painting

The superb
works of
mother and son
hang side by side.

 Music

 lifestyle








Anansi

beautiful blooms

exquisite batik

sculpture,
jewellery....
heart work



.........and so much more.
All can be seen at the Grenada Arts Council's Gallery,
in Young Street,St. George's. from now until the 28th February.

Shadow

and Cathy
are
thrilled
to be there.

P.S. If you have
a link to any of the
images that
you would like
to include  here, please
let me know.

Decisions Decisions

Painting

drawing

sketching

research

experimentation

illustration

construction

cooking

looking

erasing

finding

losing

thinking

doing

taking

 

 

all of the above, flicking through old magazines and making a scrap book to remind me of where to put the energy.

 

Mango Season

English Girl Eats Her First Mango

by John Agard

a kind of love poem

If I did tell she

hold this gold

of sundizzy

tonguelicking juicy

mouthwater flow

ripe with love

from the tropics

she would tell me

trust you to be

melodramatic

so I just say

taste this mango

and I watch she hold

the smooth cheeks

of the mango

blushing yellow

and a glow

rush to she own cheeks

and she ask me

what do I do now

just bite into it?

and I was tempted

to tell she

why not be a devil

and eat of the skin

of original sin

but she woulda tell me

trust you to be

mysterious

so I just say

it’s up to you

if you want to peel it

and I watch she feel it

as something precious

then she smile and say

looks delicious

and I tell she

don’t waste sweet words

when sweetness

in your hand

just bite it man

peel it with the teeth

that God give you

or better yet

do like me mother

used to do

and squeeze

till the flesh

turn syrup

nibble a hole

then suck the gold

like bubby

in child mouth

squeeze and tease out

every drop of spice

sounds nice

me friend tell me

and I remind she

that this ain’t

apple core

so don’t forget

the seed

suck that too

the sweetest part

the juice does run

down to you heart

man if you see

the English rose

she face was bliss

down to the pink

of she toes

and when she finish

she smile

and turn to me

lend me your hanky

my fingers

are all sticky

with mango juice

and I had to tell she

what hanky

you talking bout

you don’t know

when you eat mango

you hanky

is you tongue

man just lick

you finger

you call that

culture

lick you finger

you call that

culture

unless you prefer

to call it

colonization

in reverse

Kelly Moore

If,
you feel to
travel
to distant
lands
and,
if,
inspirational
art,
adventure,
surprises
and
stories
are what
you seek,
then join
me
on a
never ending
magical
journey,


where you may lose yourself, find yourself, discover new selves,
then here is where you begin.

Turmeric

Known as 'saffron' in Grenada. For more information see here.

Perfect Packaging

Mahogany seed pod five segments twelve seeds sixty trees

click on the photo to see actual size

Lost and found

you lay on the sand ,
taking a rest from a rough ocean crossing
by the looks of things,
you spoke
of stories, of secrets, of deep travels
and slow returns,
we smile and plan.

Comfort

Four flour sacks,
lovingly hand stitched,
French seams,
bleached, washed, rinsed,
island breeze and sun dried,
bleached, washed, rinsed,
island breeze and sun dried,
bleached, washed, rinsed,
island breeze and sun dried,
bleached, washed, rinsed,
the sheet that does caress,
cools and comforts,
so recently, sweat soaked,
now, shower scrubbed, skin.
Priceless bed linen.

On making carrot beds.

there lie stones that like to hide
there lie stones from the other side

















there lie stones wet with dew
there lie stones with a greenish hue
there lie stones that demand to be held
there lie stones from another world




















there lie stones out of sight
there lie stones that gleam with light
there lie stones muddied and true
there lie stones that speak to you




















there lie stones lost in time
there lie stones etched with grime
there lie stones under foot
there lie stones disguised as root




















there lie stones of a different hue
there lie stones in wait for you.

Turmeric travails

Some time ago, here, the turmeric, known
as saffron in Grenada, flowered and before long,

was ready to harvest.

Six plants bore a bounty of succulent fingers

of spice.

The fingers were 'chipped', sliced thinly, and left

to dry in the hot sun.

There is a very happy woman in 'The Spice Isle",

who, thanks to her wonderful neighbour,

for showing her how,

and to Pa for giving her her own grinder,

(made in the Czech Republic, )

for her birthday next week,

got

two jars full of hard work, sunshine, happiness and health.

H H The Dalai Lama

With thanks to Helz at Art and Soul .

HH The Dalai Lama
By HH THE DALAI LAMASunday, October 21, 2007; Brute force can never subduethe basic human desirefor freedom.The thousands of people who marched in the cities of Eastern Europe in recent decades, the unwavering determination of the people in my homeland of Tibet and the recent demonstrations in Burma are powerful reminders of this truth. Freedom is the very source of creativity and human development. It is not enough, as communist systems assumed, to provide people with food, shelter and clothing. If we have these things but lack the precious air of liberty to sustain our deeper nature, we remain only half human. In the past, oppressed peoples often resorted to violence in their struggle to be free. But visionaries such as Mahatma Gandhi and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr have shown us that successful changes can be brought about nonviolently. I believe that, at the basic human level, most of us wish to be peaceful. Deep down, we desire constructive, fruitful growth and dislike destruction. Many people today agree that we need to reduce violence in our society. If we are truly serious about this, we must deal with the roots of violence, particularly those that exist within each of us. We need to embrace "inner disarmament," reducing our own emotions of suspicion, hatred and hostility toward our brothers and sisters. Furthermore, we must reexamine how we relate to the very question of the use of violence in today's profoundly interconnected world. One may sometimes feel that one can solve a problem quickly with force, but such success is often achieved at the expense of the rights and welfare of others. One problem may have been solved, but the seed of another is planted, thus opening a new chapter in a cycle of violence and counter-violence. From the Velvet Revolution in the former Czechoslovakia to the popular pro-democracy movement in the Phillipines, the world has seen how a nonviolent approach can lead to positive political changes. But the genuine practice of nonviolence is still at an experimental stage. If this experiment succeeds, it can open the way to a far more peaceful world. We need to embrace a more realistic approach to dealing with human conflicts, an approach that is in tune with a new reality of heavy interdependence in which the old concepts of "we" and "they" are no longer relevant. The very idea of total victory for one's own side and the total defeat of one's enemy is untenable. In violent conflicts, the innocent are often the first casualties, as the war in Iraq and Sudan's Dafur crisis painfully remind us. Today, the only viable solution to human conflicts will come through dialogue and reconciliation based on the spirit of compromise. Many of the problems we confront today are our own creation. I believe that one of the root causes of these manmade problems is the inability of humans to control their agitated minds and hearts -- an area in which the teachings of the world's great religions have much to offer. A scientist from Chile once told me that it is inappropriate for a scientist to be attached to his particular field of study, because that would undermine his objectivity. I am a Buddhist practitioner, but if I mix up my devotion for Buddhism with an attachment to it, my mind will be biased toward it. A biased mind never sees the complete picture, and any action that results will not be in tune with reality. If religious practitioners can heed this scientist's advice and refrain from being attached to their own faith traditions, it could prevent the growth of fundamentalism. It also could enable such followers to genuinely respect faith traditions other than their own. I often say that while one can adhere to the principle of "one truth, one religion" at the level of one's personal faith, we should embrace at the same time the principle of "many truths, many religions" in the context of wider society. I see no contradiction between these two. I do not mean to suggest that religion is indispensable to a sound ethical way of life, or for that matter to genuine happiness. In the end, whether one is a believer or a nonbeliever, what matters is that one be a good, kind and warmhearted person. A deep sense of caring for others, based on a profound sense of interconnection, is the essence of the teachings of all great religions of the world. In my travels, I always consider my foremost mission to be the promotion of basic human qualities of goodness -- the need for and appreciation of the value of love, our natural capacity for compassion and the need for genuine fellow feeling. No matter how new the face or how different the dress and behavior, there is no significant division between us and other people. When I first saw a photograph of Earth taken from outer space, it powerfully brought home to me how small and fragile the planet is and how petty our squabbles are. Amid our perceived differences, we tend to forget how the world's different religions, ideologies and political systems were meant to serve humans, not destroy them. When I traveled to the former Soviet Union in the late 1970s, I encountered widespread paranoia, even among ordinary people who feared that the West hated them so much that it was ready to invade their country. Of course, I knew this was mere projection. Today, more than ever, we need to make this fundamental recognition of the basic oneness of humanity the foundation of our perspective on the world and its challenges. From the dangerous rate of global warming to the widening gap between rich and poor, from the rise of global terrorism to regional conflicts, we need a fundamental shift in our attitudes and our consciousness -- a wider, more holistic outlook. As a society, we need to shift our basic attitude about how we educate our younger generation. Something is fundamentally lacking in our modern education when it comes to educating the human heart. As people begin to explore this important question, it is my hope that we will be able to redress the current imbalance between the development of our brains and the development of our hearts. To promote greater compassion, we must pay special attention to the role of women. Given that mothers carry the fetus for months within their own bodies, from a biological point of view women in general may possess greater sensitivity of heart and capacity for empathy. My first teacher of love and compassion was my own mother, who provided me with maximum love. I do not mean to reinforce in any way the traditional view that a woman's place is confined to the home. I believe that the time has come for women to take more active roles in all domains of human society, in an age in which education and the capacities of the mind, not physical strength, define leadership. This could help create a more equitable and compassionate society. In general, I feel optimistic about the future. As late as the 1950s and '60s, people believed that war was an inevitable condition of mankind and that conflicts must be solved through the use of force. Today, despite ongoing conflicts and the threat of terrorism, most people are genuinely concerned about world peace, far less interested in propounding ideology and far more committed to coexistence. The rapid changes in our attitude toward the Earth are also a source of hope. Until recently, we thoughtlessly consumed its resources as if there were no end to them. Now not only individuals but also governments are seeking a new ecological order. I often joke that the moon and stars look beautiful, but if any of us tried to live on them, we would be miserable. This blue planet of ours is the most delightful habitat we know. Its life is our life, its future our future. Now Mother Nature is telling us to cooperate. In the face of such global problems as the greenhouse effect and the deterioration of the ozone layer, individual organizations and single nations are helpless. Our mother is teaching us a lesson in universal responsibility. The 20th century became a century of bloodshed; despite its faltering start, the 21st century could become one of dialogue, one in which compassion, the seed of nonviolence, will be able to flourish. But good wishes are not enough. We must seriously address the urgent question of the proliferation of weapons and make worldwide efforts toward greater external disarmament. Large human movements spring from individual human initiatives. If you feel that you cannot have much of an effect, the next person may also become discouraged, and a great opportunity will have been lost. On the other hand, each of us can inspire others simply by working to develop our own altruistic motivations -- and engaging the world with a compassion-tempered heart and mind. The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of Tibet. Since 1959, he has been living in Dharamsala, in northern India, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile.

Value

There comes a

time when we

all need to

sweep and

clean and

sort.

That time was yesterday for me.

Due to hurried, impromptu, previous, searches, the papers, certificates, documents etc., the proof of who you are, lay, in a disorderly bundle, at the bottom of a plastic storage box.
Sifting, sorting and identifying took the best part of a productive day.

I was rewarded by that delightful, if shortlived, feeling, of space and clarity and purpose.

The 'studio' was refreshed and ready.

In amongst everything, I found this little gem. A list of words from a game of Scrabble, played many years ago, when we got bored playing by the rules and gave each other extra points for creativity, using our remaining letters.

Boule- French delicacy, sort of cross between pastry, ice cream and chocolate.

Does not make you feel bloated, helps you slim and tastes delicious.

Burano-Cross between a meercat and a rabbit. Found in deepest forests in Africa.

It can be distinguished from other, similar looking animals by the pink and fluffy area
under its' tail.

Seworc-Disease of the big toe, usually the left.

Goicuiey -Ancient art of thatching , as in "Will you please 'goicuiey' my roof for me?'

Tevidiamn- particular make of organ.

Gankoity- the circle in the ice that the Inuit fish through.

Soul searching?

When you walk on a beach do you keep your head down drawn to the infinite numbers of treasures you might find? Do you scan and search and retrace your footsteps, one more time,for that special glimmer on the periphery of your vision? Is it impossible to resist this urge? Is it the same in the forest, or when you are digging earth in the garden? Shells and stones and seed pods, slivers of polished glass and pottery shards. What is it that we are really searching for?

What is this drive, desire, delight, that we are connected to? There is meaning and magic in what we do.