Henri Matisse was a masterful artist who is credited with being an essential contributor to modern art. When Matisse decided to leave his law studies for art, his father was bitterly disappointed.
Good thing he did it anyway!
Matisse
Author: chungwipff
Practice Daily
In a few of these, I was afraid of too much space and added graphics. The result was a non-uniform crowding of images, which is not pleasing to the eye.
In relationships, space is even more critical. “Caring” and “parenting” are not about invading space, but respecting our teenagers as their own people. Crowding and controlling them is not pleasing to them!
This is the exact opposite of how I was raised.
But I can choose to question that thinking and do better.
Black Flowers
I only ask because your face is bloated
and you’re distracted much of the time –
you don’t enjoy the things you used to
and the pep in your step is gone
You say you’re happy
and it makes you relax
but the TV and booze glaze your eyes
and your spirit is in the bottle
Beholden
I am grateful for the early morning intention
To feed my daughters earth’s fruits
At lunch when I am absent
my love is omnipresent
I am grateful for the pesky wind
That musses “perfect” hair
And shouts sweet nothings in my ears
All are signs that I’m alive
I am grateful for the cuts on my fingers
They scream silently as I work
scabs, wrinkles, dry cuticles –
My hands are marked with ravages of time and labor
Function of Fury-A Haiku
Ursula Le Guin:
Anger’s useful in combat
otherwise, caustic
Hungry No More*
We cry from hunger pains
yearning to fill the void
but after we’ve eaten – with “bellies” full –
we’re left dissatisfied – a bit annoyed
Listless and sleepy,
we roll on to our side,
hoping to rest and feel content,
but conscious of the divide
No longer desirous, for
we ate the bread you gave,
but we’re bloated and numb
It was far better to crave
*Inspired by Mudcrutch
The Root of the Matter
I’m going to sound like a terrible mom, but I packed raw carrots in my daughters’ lunches a few weeks ago for the first time this school year. After the first day, one of the teens said, “I love carrots! I felt so good after I ate it.”
With all the pre-packaged foods available now, (Lunchables, anyone? – ick!) it’s so easy to overlook the simplicity (and goodness) of washing, cutting and packing fresh fruits and vegetables for lunch.
It’s so easy!
It’s so good for you!
“Today, strong evidence exists that some of the vital nutrients found in many root vegetables — including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber — can help fight cancer, diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory-based disorders like heart disease and arthritis.”
Did “Ewe” Know…
A few facts from ScienceKids.com:
- There are over 1 billion sheep in the world.
- Sheep have a field of vision of around 300 degrees, allowing them to see behind themselves without having to turn their head.
- The digestive system of sheep features four chambers which help break down what they eat.
“A 2002 Oxford study found that insomniacs who counted imaginary ewes actually took longer to nod off. ” Mentalfloss.com
Funny How the Mind Works
I’m taking painting classes through Creativebug.com (Lisa Congdon!) and last night, right before bed, I painted this:
I went to bed and when I woke up, I thought of a vintage dress a friend gave me over twenty years ago. It’s stored in a closet in my office – and I never look at it. Yet something evoked a need to look at the pattern:
Voila!
It makes you realize how your brain is working while you sleep. I notice that whatever I think about right before I go to bed is clarified somehow when I wake up. This is why watching informative and inspiring programs before bed is better than watching news…this is why reading a good book is better than arguing…and this is why asking yourself “How can I solve this problem?” is a better question than “Why me?”
Doodles + Four Facts
Mosquitos – Malaria, transmitted by mosquitos, kills nearly one million people in the world every year. www.Nature.com.
Fruit Cocktail (the Del Monte variety) used to include alcohol (!) but Prohibition er…prohibited that. Frugality led to fruit cocktail as “spoiled parts” of fruit were cut around to save the good parts. Voila! Fruit “cocktail.” www.thekitchn.com
Peg Leg – The first use of peg legs go back to the 1500’s: Francois le Clerc, known as the first pirate with a peg leg. (www.thepirateking.com)
Spigots – Invented as early as 1700 B.C.! www.plumbinghelptoday.com
Kismet 