To See Ourselves As Others See Us!

BOTHER!! I WROTE THIS POST YESTERDAY AND THEN COULD NOT GO IN AND EDIT IT AT ALL...SO HERE IT IS AGAIN
 Yesterday I got distracted...by the garden...I was on my way to the pool for warm water exercises and just stopped for a second to look at the cutest little white flower in the front garden.  It was all soft and furry and fuzzy and I wanted to capture it for the Garden album.  I tried and nothing I could do could get a clear picture of her.  All I heard was "I WANT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PICTURE TOO!!"  It her neighbor the bright orange marigold and she was talking to me loud and clear.  WHAT???  OK...here you are...a together portrait.  It's a lovely combination - bright - vivid - warmth - exuberance and soft, gentle, peaceful.  As the day went on, I ketp thinking about those two flowers and their differences and realized that they had chosen to be together in the garden and share in my visions.  OK.  As usual, I reflect on that for more meaning and relate it to a message for my life!!
  Here is my very early morning take.  It's about me - the issue I often write about - self acceptance and belonging.  It's not just about me but probably resonates with most of you too - truth???  There's an old issue that keeps surfacing - wonder howmany of us have the same experience - over and over again until we 'get it right?"  This is who I am - or who I think I am.  This is how the world sees me - or how I think the world sees me.  Then there is yet another reality.  There is another way to see myself and to understand how the world truly sees me.  The amazing thing is that the other way is much the more positive wayand in my subconscious that give messages of 'not so good' yet I hear loud and clear, "When can we get together?"  "I need my Martie time"  "You know so many people"  "You have so much to share"  "Your work is so creative and beautiful"  "You are talented"  I continue to look over my shoulder and wonder who these people are talking about?  I need to come to the realization that she is NOT over my shoulder but within.   Am I the cute frilly white flower or am I the marigold.  Do I need to compare? Or do I need to choose which one I am cause I am NOT one or the another but both are a part of me!!  Does it really make a difference?  NOT AT ALL...the challenge is to know that within lies the pot of gold - not over the next hill or in make self look "better'in relation to others. Within is the pot of gold and the rainbow - the gentle spirit that is full of zest and life and love.

  Now consider the hydrangea - we could think it strange that there are both purple and pink flowers on the plant and no blue!  For a few years, this plant gave us nothing but green leaves.  Bill was about ready to take it out and I begged for another year.  Now, she produces and is prolific and gorgeous.  Another lesson huh?  Mom always called me a late bloomer - is the hydrangea too a representation of something within me?  Maybe so.  So I am multifaceted and brightly colored and gorgeous like the hydrangea.  These are all BE STILL moments and on reflection, there are sooooooooooo many lessons that come from the flowers and other plants in our garden.  How to really recognize,learn and pay attention to that?!?  Simple, just stop and PAY ATTENTION!!   (NOTE: for those of you who read the original - these words were just blank white lines...now they are real)
   Now it is time to go and settle in and read The Element by Ken Robinson - friend Bob just sent me "IT" and a laundry list of possibilities as I discover my Element and begin to manifest it.  Hey - think about it - aren't I already engaged in the process with this blog and facebook page.  Fancy that!!

Perfection...or not...Acceptance...YES!!

The only perfection we have in life is the imperfection and beauty of Nature that we are gifted with daily.   Recently, a quilting friend and I were gifted with a weekend stay in Villas,NJ.  We were spending our days at a Quilt/Fiber show at Cold Spring Village.  After a full day of fascinating conversations with most interesting people - adults and children alike - we were relaxing with our Key West Tacos and watching a Hallmark movie.  I looked at the clock, looked outside and realized that we knew how the movie would progress and end - so predictable - but would never be in this space and time again with a beautiful evening to watch the sunset on the Delaware Bay!  Hey, want to come?  And my mid 70s friend had her shoes on and tied before I finished my question!  Off we went.  We found a path to to the beach amidst all of the big private houses with their private walkways.  This view is what greeted me as I walked the path tothe beach.  I could have stopped there and headed home but I just knew there were more gifts over the ridge and down the steps!  Onward!!

Careless abandon!!  These flip flops said just that to me!  The sun was shining on them and agreeing with me.  I sat on the step and watched the families come down to the beach and immediately kick off the shoes.  That's more of the perfection of imperfection.  They wanted to romp in the sand and feel it between their toes and they had to be barefooted!  Just did!!  I love what these shoes represent to me - the life lesson they shared.  Just do it - don't think about it - just do it.  Kick off your shoes and go for it!  The sand, the water and the freedom were so there for the taking!!  WOW and if we had sat and finished watching the Hallmark movie, we would have missed out on so many of the synchronicities of life's learninig laboratory!  As an aside, we watched another one when we got back after dark - yep, we could have written the script for that one as well!!

Nature, beauty, sunset and now a QUILT?!?  It's connected folks and that the beauty of life - everything is so connected - you just have to have a mind like mine that creates those scenarios all the time.  A few years ago, I found these hearts and flowers patterns on the Internet (always a great source of inspiration) and decided to just stitch/embroider them.  There were 12 - monumental task to be sure, but in the spirit of life and Lao Tzu, I decided to take the first step and JUST DO IT!  Wow - I finished them and had them at a quilt meeting.  "Friends, what should I  do with these?"  Oh crazy quilt to be sure, Martie was their response. Then I asked the group to share pieces of red materials for me to use and they did!  With the combination of my stash and theirs, forward momentum continued.  Then I finished that part of the twelve squares.  Again, back to the friends - what to do - and since we were meeting at Quilted Treasures in Atco, NJ, Lynn just happened to have the perfect fabric to pull it all together! 

   Why am I sharing all of this?  Well it is about ACCEPTANCE!   I do some crazy quilting because I like to stitch.  This past weekend at the quilt show, I received so many compliments and affirmations for my work that it totally gave me pause and filled me with lots of amazement ...and gratitude.  I reflected on some of the work I have done over the years and realized that I have my style and I do nice work!  Why does that surprise me?  Well...it's about acceptance - self acceptance huh?  The realization that I take wonderful pictures and love my photography and now the knowing that I have some really great and creative quilt work as well - all hand stitched.  One ending to the story, although the chains of connections could well be never ending.  My friend Pat was working on a red,black and white quilt as she lay in the hospital last Fall.  I loved her and her work.  We did a tribute to her and her work at the quilt show.  As we set out the quilts - finished and unfinished, we realized that her last pieces were both finished and unfinished.  The unfinished squares - can you believe there are TWELVE of them - just the same amount as my red work squares and the same size too ?~?  Now, they will be the back side of my quilt and my memory/connection to a dear friend.  Isn't life amazing in its perfection/imperfection and our acceptance of it all??

Intensity...or Flowing with Life?!?

It was a HOT day as my "Little Friend" and our friend "Little Light" explored the U of PA campus yesterday before an appointment.  Hot days make for slow walking and quiet times.  This creates lots of BE STILL opportunities IF one slows down enough to pay attention to everything around us!  The fascinating thing is that we each have our own BE STILL...or not...style and what we see comes from our own hearts and perceptions of who we are...and where we are.  Case in point.

I had never seen calla lillies as totally awesome as these - selectively planted for our viewing - the first thing I saw was NOT the plant and all of its leaves but Little Light tickled my heart and sent me right for her dance and the patterns of one leaf!  When I showed the picteure to "Little Friend", she just hadn't seen the flowers.  She's not sure what else she was looking at, but there we are in our unique differences!!  Fascinating to pay attention to that as well.  Bill and I often rediscover the same thing when we are out and about.  We are in the same space physcially but NOT in the same head/heart space.  Just is....

Then our wanderings took us to a little plaza with a half dozen or so food trucks.  My eyes were immediately connected to these fruits and the soft, gentle colors.  Felt like it would be really refreshing to bite into one of the mangos.  "Little Friend" was immediately attracted to a young couple and their DOG.  Oops I don't have a photo op of that!  She talked about the dog and the heat and did they have any water - yes, the dog was panting and his tongue was hanging out - did I say it was HOT?!?!?  My point - you guessed it already - we SEE different things based on our perceptions and our  interests.  "Little Friend" has 4 dogs and does dog rescue!!

     Here are a few things we saw exactly alike...and one of them gave us pause - have you heard of someone losing their head - well, this person lost all of her hair!!  As we stood looking at the bicycle rack, the shadows disappeared...and then reappeared.  "Little Light" was playing with us!!

One last thing we both feel LOV in our hearts  Robert Indiana has been to the Penn campus and there, sitting on the grass and framed by trees was one of his LOVE statues.  Wonder how many of them are in Philadelphia, let alone around the country.  After all, isn't this the city of  brotherly love??  So much to see...so little time.  "Little Friend" as alike and different as two people can be, realized that we are good traveling companions who just want to set out to see EVERYTHING we possibly can!!  Watch out world...here we come!!  BE STILL and we can always see what we are meant to see from our own hearts and eyes!!

Who is Your Picture For???

This rose presented herself one morning - just standing alone and peaceful on the vine.

When I am out and about with my camera - engaging in photography you might say - WHY do I go out and whom are the viewers of my photos - where do they fit into the picture of my photography??  That's an interesting question and has recently presented dialogue from several different perspectives!!  When I think about BE STILL and SEE Photography - contemplative photography - I think about seeing the gifts in my world.  Although I do often post pictures on Facebook and on this blog, my real reason for taking the pictures is for my peace, stillness and enjoyment.  It is rather mindful for ME!  If others enjoy them, lovely but not primary.  Another photo buddy recently posted on Facebook about using Light to take pictures.  My comment - it was rather technical - and I will admit often an issue for me.  I think that the technical takes away from 'seeing from the heart'.    That brought another photo buddy to say how she loves the technical - actually there were two of them!!  I came back and said that if we get into the technical, then we are not into the BE STILL mode. 

   Then she said, "Learning the technical stuff creates BETTER picures!"  My rebuttal - who/what defines better or well done?  Her response - "the viewer will have a deeper experience looking at a 'well done' image.  Again - how would you define well done?  And my other question - who is the picture well done for???  Then I would have to ask - would every viewer define a more technically precise picture as more 'well done'?  OK - I could beat this horse for a long time but what I have to learn from it all is that each of us has his/her own perspective and philosophy.  We have to learn to listen and respect one another - and neither person is right!!  Lesson learned with wisdom and maturity.  I ended the dialogue because in my mind's eye - there couldn't be a concensus.  Maybe an understanding...maybe...

    In our BE STILL discussions, I strive to share that what matters in being mindful or contemplative - to me at least -and it is the ability to NOT have a preconceived notion of what I am going to shoot or HOW I am going to set the camera up to take the 'perfect picture'.

      Another friend calls this picture a 'belly up' photo.  He gets down on the ground and views from below.  My Canon camera with the flip screen allows my non-working knees to see the same thing in a different way.  There are so many angles to enjoy and a picture like this allows me to see what I might not have been able to do otherwise!! 

Still thinking about the 'how to use light' article.  My last comment about that - IF we are still and see, then my best friend Little Light just comes out to play and we use her natural light to expand our perception of the beauties of nature - and again the flip screen is a valuable ally!! 

It's gratifying to be able to share my thoughts and would love to have a dialogue with some of you about what you might think is 'the perfect' picture.  Talk to me and Thanks.  martiemol@aol.com

Rainy Day FUN...and Memories

Yesterday we had some really torrential rains - feels rather like we are living in the tropics with a daily thunderstorm.  The upside is that the garden is lush and for this we are grateful.  Hopefully there will be no drought this year.  Just talked with friend, Beth , in Iowa and she said they have rain daily for months - almost to the point that farmers can't plant because the ground is so wet.  Somewhat of a blessing because they have been in a drought for a few years now.

   For Photoschmoozer and 'Little Martie'- the rain is a gift for SEEING - a new view of the world through the lens of the car windshield.  I was driving home and splashed through a huge puddle - that gave me pause and brought back a memory when son, Jon, was young.  He loved for us to out driving and splash through the puddles.  So for Jon, I did just that!!  It was great fun though a bit challenging.  I had to create the splash and hold the camera up to capture what I could.  SUCCESS!  

   Then I just sat for a minute and saw what the world looked like through the heavy rains on the windshield.  I felt like I was in the midst of an Impressionist art gallery - distorted but still capturing the colors.  I had to move slowly because I was choosing to drive along the road (no cars in sight) without the windshield wipers to get the full effect.  The rain and the driving created some amazing BE STILL moments for me.  I was so into the PROCESS of what I was doing and that was the joy of it.  It made my little girl's heart jump with joy!!  And I had just finished an acupuncture treatment, so the chi energy was really flowing!!  Here are a few more of my favorite 'paintings' from yesterday's rainy day adventure.  Have you ever done this?  It's no fun to stay in - except maybe when there is thunder and lightening.  Then it all brought me back to growing up 'down the shore' in Wildwood Crest.  When it rained, we put on rubber boots and slickers and went out and played in the puddles.  Oh the joys of childhood...and memories!!

YOUR CAMERA, MY FRIEND.  NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT.  Oh and one other thing - Make sure you have extra charged batteries!!

Schmoozing Companions!!

Today the smile is a glow and as my friend, Judy Dingler from NJ Spirituality wrote, I am letting my light shine!!  When Jim called me the other day about interviewing "Photoschmoozer extraordinaire", I was thrilled and without a moment's hesitation said SURE!!  It's come past the point where I would say "Why me" and believe that it is totally cool!!  Today the article appeared in the Gloucester County Times and on Gloucester County Times on line.  As I read it to Bill this morning, he laughed out loud - several times - and I asked WHY?  His comment, "It is like you wrote it!!"    Yes, Jim picked up on my words but it wasn't until just a few minutes ago that I truly realized why?!?  See, Jim is a fellow Schmoozer and it takes one to recognize the other and value what is happening!!  He does - I do - WE do!!  His closing point about me in the article was about SYNCHRONICITIES and isn't that what I often write about in this blog?  Life is one giant synchronicity - just keep your eyes and ears open, be still and recognize them!!  YEAH!!!  YAY!!! or however else you might want to spell it - it's said the same!!!

 

So for those of you who don't know him...yet...meet Jim Six - he's a writer - to me, he is best with the human interest stories and he's been doing it for years.  For that same amount of tiime, he has been a singer/songwriter - songs about vultures for the Vulture Festival, songs about bull riding at the Rodeo - though you will not have the complete expreience until you hear the loooooooooooong story about what happened before and after the bullriding - have to go to one of his performances.  Last week, he played at the New Dodge Market in Elmer.  He's been at the Bus Stop Music Cafe, Coffee Works in Voorhees, Bogarts Books in Milville and the Barrinigton Coffeehouse.  Probably more, but that is a good indication of where you might look for him.  When he plays with my son, Jon and Greg Potter, they often tease about "Jim Six, just like the number!!"

No matter folks - it takes one to know one and I am honored and pleased to be a Jim Six friend, buddy and groupie too!!

Watch for his appearance at the Uptown Pitman Farm Market this summer - catch us on Facebook     Uptown Pitman Farm Market   

A Long Story with Many Chapters: Connections

It's a long story with many twists and turns in the road - we could say it has a happy ending, but the chapters are still being written!!  More than 25 years ago, Bill has a sign business and Bev Benson, for the Glassboro Cerebral Palsy Center, contacted him to make signs for a gold tournament at Ron Jaworski's Eagles Nest - then in Sewell, NJ.  About three years ago, Bill and I were in the Bus Stop Music Cafe and we saw a woman who looked totally familiar.  Yes, I asked her who she was and how we knew one another.  We got to the tournament and the signs and then began to catch up!  Well, somehow we got to talking about family and I mentioned that I had a niece, Rebecca Rother, who was a student at Goucher College (yes, was because she has now graduated!!  You go Becca!!)   She said she did too - Jen Schollin.   We talked abour small worlds and then the world got smaller when we each talked to our respective nieces and found out that they were really good friends!  From that time on, we have been planning a niece/aunt visit to Pitman and yesterday that happened.  We all met at Carolina Blue for a St. Paddy's dinner and a meet and greet!!  What total fun and Bev's daughter Amanda joined us. The world got smaller and more connected when Amanda told me where she lived and we discovered that her father in law is Bill Datz - an old ham radio buddy of Bill's!!  Talk to everyone...hear their stories...and know that more and more Kevin Bacon is right with his six degrees of connection!!   Happy days for all and more to come!! 
PS:  Becca and Jen have a friend Maggie who lives in Absecon, NJ.  She came to Pitman and joined us!!  Maggie and Becca spent a semester abroad in England last year.

Completion...Satisfaction and Crazy Quilt Projects!!

This weekend is the Quilts in the Village show coordinated by Garden Patch Quilters at Wheaton Arts in Milville.  Our group, South Jersey Crazy Quilters (see more quilts on our facebook page   SouthJersey Crazy Quilts) had a double booth display at the show and it is the best ever!  We spent hours and hours on Friday between drama and display to get it right!!   I am so excited because the photographer from the Vineland News Journey was there to showcase the quilts and quilters and two very special photos were in his gallery on line...my favorite - me and my crazy quilt drum!!  You know we make sonotube drums, but I decided to do a crazy quilt one for the show!  It looks and sounds great (though the more traditional folks thought is was a hat box?!?!??!)   Then as I looked at the pictures, I saw the other  one of the crazy quilt vests that Martha Gullo and I had made and the woman in the picture is pointing to mine!!  What a proud moment!!  Always a grand time to be out among people, schmooze and learn and do new things!!