A Gift.........

December has been a busy month.......

it began with the news that my father passed.....not unexpectedly

........and that event blended into a journey to where I began,

 to embrace family 

and celebrate... 

December birthdays......

and that blended into coming home....

 to where I live now

......to 'pass through' my post office and pick up held messages and packages.....

and then move on to the place of new friends to celebrate Christmas and now cross over into the
New Year...........

all a seamless flow now........

dreaming of landing long enough in one place to make a mess making things........

and as I opened my cards......

and parcels...

this lovely gift.....

from two friends......

the 'giver' and the 'maker'.........

brought such JOY to my heart!

to know that in this life I am so blessed to have friends...

givers, and makers and makers who give.......

 who are connecting with each other in the most important ways........

I give thanks to all of you and feel the JOY of our connection....

which was, as I look back to my ramblings of last holiday season.....

my goal for this year.

To experience JOY...and I have.

And for the record, as I reflect on this year and look forward to next.....

the word that seems to keep surfacing is.....

CLARITY

Wishing all of you a very very Happy New Year....

filled with Peace, Joy, Abundance and Good Health!

Mosaics......

Just released!  

A beautiful and inspiring book....

Mosaics

by Elizabeth Atkins-Hood (my friend Bid) and Elizabeth 'Joy' Bell

 ....whom I had the great pleasure to get to know on my trip last year to New Zealand.  They join the ranks of more than a few of my friends who are publishing wonderful inspiring books!

This book is filled with beautiful photographs of their work and those of others who have inspired them......with tips and projects that will be sure to inspire anyone who has ever had the urge to 'nibble' at glass and tile.......

and how timely....

since.....

our little town has imbarked on yet another public mosaic mural project 

This one depicting the town's history and surrounding flora and fauna....

my contribution is the floral in the center....

(a loose interpretation of the 'globe mallow' by a western newcomer!)

and this mural......

will be quite large.....

as always...

requiring many hands to make it!