My first attempt at 'Happiness'…..

Just kidding….(sort of)

As the Ghosts of Christmas' Past always seem to find me this time of year,

I thought I'd cheer mySelf

with an attempt at making some incense I'll call 'Happiness'

I've been collecting ingredients for years...

wanting to try this...

and finally made the leap.

Now I'll wait two weeks for them to dry,

 with hopes the coven of happy cones burn evenly…

And 

as an added surprise

 my house smells just like a candy cane! 

(not my favorite flavor, but it does smell Happy, if that can be)

What happened......

If you recall from here.....

which was almost two months ago...

I had been in quite a funk.

Not knowing quite where to BE.

More than a year and a half ago I made the leap to change my 'place'

and moved from a town in southeast Michigan

to 

the middle of nowhere New Mexico.

And boy was I blessed to be deposited in a tiny town and a tiny house,

 that held me in quiet, peace and friendship

And you would think that would make me 'happy'....

but as time went on.....

I was drawn more and more to Albuquerque, an hour and a half from my little place

where I found a more expansive environment to create and commune.

And although the scenic drive between here and there is stunning, 

the packing up week after week wore on me.

I felt like I was being pulled up by my roots every time I had to begin my drive again.....

So I began to look for a place to BE in the city.

And NO NO NO

With all of my searching.....I could not find one

and was entirely STUCK

So what did I do to move the energy?

I began to clear clutter.

Mainly the clutter that came part and parcel with my densely furnished casita.....

This is a longer story and I wish I had posted on it,  however the energy began to move so fast I could not keep up with it!

Within days of clearing clutter at home.....

I moped into my 'new' space at the metals studio.....

which changed from 

this.....

to

this.

and I learned just then that the studio across the hall

which was

 this.....

was waiting for a new tenant.....

and now 

it is

this.

My new space.

I've been busy.

For the very very very best advice on how and why to clear clutter

follow the work of Karen Kingston

who has revised her great little book

(of course this is always a work in progress...)

Reality check..........

...I've just arrived home from an amazing experience in California......am listening to Andrea Bocelli.....while stitching 'magic feathers'.......anticpating a journey to the petroglyphs at 'Abo' in the morn......with friends.....

and it's........

SNOWING......

in the high desert of New Mexico........

Building momentum............

As I begin the dauntless task of packing.........

Read Give Me One Reason lyrics here

ox

Reality check..........

Wow.......I just realized it was 6 months ago, November 18th that I arrived home from my epic trip down under........It was a spur of the moment,  just say 'yes' journey......that lasted over two months.

I started this blog..........to document that journey.......and a time that seemed to be a turning point in my life.

A year ago, last spring, I finalized my plans to put my house on the market........ and the ensuing months were filled with the stress of that and moving to a smaller place. The  journey to OZ offered an escape from all of that activity.  And a glimpse of a life I want to live........filled with adventure, travel and art.......

Arriving home in November was a let down, as one can imagine.  I came home to my new digs with boxes still to unpack.....and memories of a trip filled with magical synchronicities.......  The reality was that I was in the same place as I had been before my trip.......and my move......just a few blocks west.......in the same town.......doing the same things, minus all the back breaking work it takes to maintain a large aging home.......gave me time on my hands to think.........which resulted in a lot of reflection.......

And what I mainly reflected on was that my life was not feeling very expansive.  And it was not evolving......I was learning for sure.....new things and new concepts.........and I was gaining an amazing support group of friends in all the areas of my interests.........artistic and spiritual..........

But still I was not happy.  And as I looked at that flow chart on Happiness I posted some weeks ago.........and then read the words..........."To live is to change, to live well is to change often" in a book that was recently placed in my hands........ Living An Authentic Life, by Thomas E. Legere, Ph.D......

I made my decision. To move. To change. At least for a while.........

It turns out the leases are expiring on my studio and my townhouse at the same time, the end of June.......and since I am not really happy with either..........I mean they are fine.......but I'm looking for better than that now..........

I have decided not to renew them.  So my plan is to pack up my things.......put them in storage.......and head...........

West..........









To the High Desert of New Mexico........

To be continued............

I AM SOOOOO............HAPPY!!!!!......................

Today I met the loveliest young woman named Sheri.............


and guess what?


SHE BOUGHT MY PRESS!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to my good friend, and talented printmaker Celeste Roe who teaches at our local art center, and who also put out 'the good word' to her students.........turning this tale very quickly into 'happily ever after'......

I am so happy because my press is going to a very very good home and I feel as though a raft has been lifted from my back.........which reminds me of this Buddhist Proverb......

The Great Crossing

The Buddha said: "A man beginning a long journey sees ahead a vast body of water. There is neither boat nor bridge. To escape the dangers of his present location, he constructs a raft of grass and branches. When he reaches the other side he realizes how useful the raft was and wonders if he should hoist it on his back and carry it with him forever. Now if he did this, would he be wise? Or, having crossed to safety, should he place the raft in a high dry location for someone else to use? This is the way I have taught the dharma, the doctrine - for crossing, not for keeping. Cast aside every proper state of mind, oh monks - much less wrong ones - and remember well to leave the raft behind!"

More on Happiness.........

The work of Alex Koplin found here................

I stumbled on this lovely diagram (rendered in my favorite colour) while surfing for decluttering tips and 'mantras' and found some here.........and make sure to scroll down and watch and listen to Steve Job's Stanford Commencement Speech........I almost posted it several weeks ago.......so worth the time to listen.......or just make it easy and go here .....really if you have not heard it.........please do