Trippin' Taos.......

 Folks in these parts.....

call this.....

God's Light.

Adventures in Albuquirky.....

I set out to find something that was suggested I might find here....

at this very large Hispanic market in town....

and as I wandered....

(note to self....learn some Spanish)

eyes WIDE.....

looking for something.......I could not find....

(which was....Florida Water....Agua de Floras?)

  ....everyone was so helpful here......thinking I was a tourist with camera in hand!

and....

to my happy surprise

I was led.....

here........

to enjoy fruity drinks......some which are flavored with flowers.....

and this.....

was my favorite!  

a Sweet and Creamy rice drink.....

and mixed with Papaya!

YUM!

more Joy.

the rest of the story......found the Florida Water at the Hoo Doo shop down the street!

Chasing Joy........

to the end.......

of my street.

Following the thread full circle............the rest of the story

Those that know me know bits of this story.......of connection and of saying 'yes'.........as my friend Roz tells it HERE..........

Years ago, I found myself living in Toronto, Canada......relocated from Michigan in the US.....In a dramatic way....pretty much not my choice......and now that I reflect.....it pretty much marked the end of a long marriage.....but I digress.  I found myself there as spouse to an Expat working in Canada.

After a long illness, caused by the stress of the move.......I began to venture out.....and as I do find solace in all things 'fiber' related.....I headed to Toronto's amazing 'Textile Museum' where I was blessed to find an exhibit of Dorothy Caldwell's work........And I remember it as if it were today......seeing the book she made while working on the exhibit......displayed in spotlight....unprotected by glass......

this precious tome......

for all visitors to peruse......without white gloves.....as is traditional when "allowed to touch"......in a museum setting. 

Seeing this book shifted my life at that moment.  I can't explain why. But being with it somehow gave me hope that I could be lifted from the heaviness I had been feeling.   And after that......life went on......and I began to regain my health......and struggle to find my bearings in my artistic expression.  

As the year went on, I met a woman who was to become a dear friend....Wendy......a rare fellow American.....amidst a sea of immigrants and nationals.......and we developed a special bond of mutual admiration and trust.  And while I lived in Canada, I managed to serendipitously find a beautiful space to work.....nice because I continued to struggle with finding my voice and my place there.....and it went on like that for almost 5 years, of what was to be a short stint in Toronto for my then husband and I.  I have to mention that while I lived in Toronto, I joined the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild, (CBBAG, lovingly called 'cabbage'), where I learned the technical aspects of bookbinding..... and enjoyed great inspiration hanging out at the Japanese Paper Place Warehouse, a place of worship for me......all the while thanking God and the Universe with every step I took there for the privilege to live in that wonderful city.

A few years later, recalling how touched I was by Dorothy's 'book' upon my arrival in Toronto.....I was able to enroll in her class at Haystack.  Imagine....having to go all the way to Maine to study with a gal who practically lived up the street.....I exaggerate.  But the time with Dorothy and at Haystack was magical......and as it was my second visit there.....inspired years and years before to visit there by another friend .......OH how this story can go back in time......and 'yes', it was there, that time at Haystack that the magic began.......connections were made and the spark ignited....

So long story short, Dorothy and I reconnected in Toronto......and that was fun and validating......and then I left there and moved back to the States.  Again.  Not exactly my choice.

And shortly after, my husband left to find his own way...and that was that.  An abrupt end to a long journey together.   I must add here, that he and I enjoyed a beautiful life of travel while we are together, I believe, adding to the tapestry of my life......and giving me the courage to do it alone.

Now in that year of recovery from the blow I was not expecting....I came out of my fog long enough to notice that an interesting friend of mine was doing some very adventurous things on her own......like hiking in Yellowstone Park.  Her name is Yoriko, and she is also an artist. Long story short, on a whim......I asked if I could accompany her.  ON a HIKE.  Not even occurring to me that I may not have the stamina to do such a thing......and with all kinds of plan 'B's in place.....she and I headed from our nests in Michigan.......to the vast beauty of  Yellowstone National Park.  And there I learned that on the first day......we were to hike a MOUNTAIN.  To which again......I said, "Yes".  And I did, hike that mountain....

and got to the top,

never mind I was last in line.....

with the help of another beautiful woman named  'Shimmer' who seems like an apparition now......and this seems to be becoming a story of support and inspiration.

So it was there, on the last day of our hike, that I met Roz, who I learned was from Australia.  And I instantly knew her.  As I had been in her place......stranger in a strange land and all that.......and amazingly we had so much in common.....a working interest in fibers and metal.......and in beauty......and soul.  And after that, we chatted on line.....and I told her of the 'magic' she could find in our wonderful country......and to my honest surprise......she said YES to every clue I sent her way.  Even going to New York City on her own!  Now some of you might not find that exceptional, but I do.  I'm not sure I would have done it.  And she embarked on a journey of expansion that we both find quite amazing.....

But the story doesn't end there for me.  Because as the year moved on and Roz journeyed back to Australia, I then joined India Flint at Shakerag in Tennessee........and whilst the threads were crossing on the other side of the world, with Roz and Dorothy and India......she knew, but I didn't, that we were destined to meet again in OZ.  So, as I was floating in the surrender of selling my house, and letting go of the past, amidst boxes of memories stacked ceiling high in my new apartment, India invited me on an adventure that is chronicled at the beginning of this blog, titled 'Over the Rainbow', A New Beginning, because that is where I went that autumn.....to spring year.  Once again, I said 'YES'.

And as all of our paths crossed......Mine, Wendy, Dorothy, Roz and India's, and all the other amazing souls and powerful women I've met and who have touched me along this journey.....somehow magic is happening......and I am forever grateful to all of them, the Universe, opening to Intuition and Source, and to saying 'YES'.   I so love, respect and admire you ALL!  

With deepest appreciation for your friendship,

Marianna

The other side of 'me'..........

I have been thinking for some time that this blog is a little lop sided.  I mainly show pretty pictures of where I've been.....and talk a little about what I'm doing.......but I leave out a HUGE portion of my life which is my Spiritual side.  My seeker side.  And I guess the reason I'm saying this is because there are large gaps in my blog when I'm doing just that......seeking....thinking.....to myself mainly.  And it's about heady and personal stuff.  I say personal because each of our journeys are personal.  Different. and Similar at the same time.  And heady, because it's in my head and hard for me to understand, let alone explain it to others.

But that is what I spend a lot of my time thinking about.  Why we bi-peds are here on this earth.  Me mainly.  Why am I here?  What is my special purpose?  Am I or am I not doing a good job at being ME? And does it matter?  What I do?  And there are folks that I turn to that say it 'does' matter.  But not in the way that I think.  That perhaps I'm here to make a groundbreaking discovery, to work harder,
or to solve world peace.

I'm discovering the obvious now, that I'm here to just be 'me'.  

So that is what I think about.  My confusion in all of that.  

And I've turned to a group on line that also ponders the same kinds of things.......those who study with

Dr. Jean Houston.

And with that, I've been invited to ponder Myth lately, or in other words Universal Story........
and I am reading 

 The Greek Myths, by Robert Graves and lisening to the lectures Joseph Campbell recorded before his death........Joseph Campbell:Mythos....narated by Susan Sarandon.....

to learn more about what he calls, 'the one great story of mankind'

to try to gain some more sense of it all.........and with each day......it is becoming more clear.....

how much easier it is

to just BE.

Pressure off.

the most important thing......

Inspirited by Leslie's recent re-post here.........I'm realizing I am so blessed as to wonder........

What is the most important thing to do today.......?

As I have just arrived home from being gone what seems like months, given days here and there......

With no 'smalls' in my charge.......and no 'honey' to dew for........

I have just me.  

Overwhelmed.

House disheveled with the flotsam of travel....stitching and beads......japanese paper bits flitter about....and oh, the tools of my craft.....dishes to do...... over ripe bananas to slice.....course lectures to listen to and 'the work' to be done......boxes of things I just 'had' to liberate from storage.......and a fine red dust that veils it all....the list of to do's.......scheduling.....doctor.....dentist.....the bank...... 

the bills......

ugh.  

Now...."what 'calls' me?", I ask.  A pot of porridge on the stove.......a sheet of copper on the table waiting receive it's cuts.......an almost finished frock to be stitched.....

answer back......

and

OK...

maybe the bananas too.

and back.........

I'm happy to report that I have safely returned from a 4,000 mile ramble through 11 states........

 New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas and back again.....

My first stop was the Shakerag Workshops in Sewanee, Tennessee..........

Where I attended a sewing workshop given by Natalie Chanin and Diane Hall from 

Alabama/Chanin.........

and for a week.....

 we stitched and stitched

...........all by hand for days and hours and more days.........

and learned how to 'love our thread'....

  modify and draft patterns and create encrusted frocks all from t-shirt fabric.....

and in that week,  I managed to craft together

a 'basic' skirt and corset........ta da

This is the second time I've been to Sewanee and a better place to fill the soul with love and food and creativity there is not.......

with opportunities for recreation, contemplation, nourishment of the body and soul

and to make new and reunite with old friends.......

I am buoyed with happiness, renewed energy and inspiration....

A personal thanks to 

Claire Reishman

the amazing woman who is at the helm of these amazing two weeks every summer at the 

St. Andrews-Sewanee School

for her persistance in getting the most amazing teachers and staff and volunteers to come together to make up this experience....called

Shakerag.

See Lotta's post here for another account of an amazing workshop with held the same week.