Tales From The Labyrinth

A Wee Woodland Elf

Do you ever wonder...
what would happen if you caught that
little movement,
right there at the corner of your vision???



If time stopped
and you could really see the world
as it is...
beautiful in every shape and color imaginable...

And... if what you thought about reality,
wasn't really real???

 

I do.
And, sometimes, my imagination takes a photo
and I get to enjoy endless possibilities...

This wee fellow was begun over two years ago... but while recently visiting my dear friend Mo'a, I was inspired by one of her incredible creations, entitled "The Awakening"... so much so, that my ears unclogged from the din of the fastness of life, and I could hear this little woodland elf whisper that he wanted to come fully into form and go and live with my dear friend Elizabeth... so ready was he, that he traveled all the way into the big city on the bay and presented himself to her on her birthday...

Tribute

To all our heroes and sheroes...
past, present, and future...
and all that we hold dear to our hearts...
may beauty grace this path we walk in life...

Sweet Desert, My Cousins, & Dewar's 100 Year Celebration

This past weekend... my husband and I made a road trip to attend the 100 year celebration of my cousins' candy and ice-cream shop in Bakersfield ~ Dewar's...







It was the best time you could imagine...

 

here I am with my aunt Rosina...



I am so proud of my cousins...
(some of you met them when you voted for them to become the Greatest Thing About Bakersfield)



For they have continued their family business, a rare thing in this day and age... Creating a place where their community can come together and share in the delights of all things sweet and delicious... and with their mail order service, their confections can travel around the world! Here are fourth generation Michael and Heather Dewar with Bakersfield Mayor Hall...



There was lots and lots of ice-cream to cool the over 100 degree heat!!!



And, there was a chew tasting! My cousin Michael, chef extraordinaire, created eight new exotic chew flavors for people to taste! From PeanutButter & Jelly to Hot Chili!



There was a Dewar Museum... where my husband Milt, checked out some of the antique candy making equipment...

















And there were awards and certificates... from the mayor of Bakersfield, declaring May 16th Dewar's Day! A representative for their assemblywoman and their congressman attended, ice cream in hand! Heather and Michael accepted those awards on behalf of their family and amazing employees along with their father, my uncle George...



And here we have a picture of the Dewar's generations, three, four, and five!!!



It was a sweet time indeed... yum says Marley Dewar...



and when we were not celebrating... Milt spent time by my aunt's pool...



We also went hunting for giant magnolia trees, for my dear friend Constance of Rochambeau, who used to live in Bakersfield and knows how goode those Dewar chews are!!!





and my uncle Frank took us to the beautiful Democrat Hot Springs Resort for a view of the renovations they've made over the past thirty years and to see his cabin...



It was such a sweet time, a real desert you might say...



Thank you Rosina, Frank, Heather & Steve, Michael & Tonya...
We love you dearly, my sweet family!!!

Here's to the next 100 years!!!

Air~Pleiades Conjunct The Sun 2009

~AIR~



Stars singing through me
As I dance around the sun
Stars dancing through me
As I sing around the sun
Stars dreaming through me
As I weave the web of life
Stars weaving through me
As I dream this dance called life
Dancing, weaving, dreaming,
Singing stars around me shine
Beauty does surround me
as I move among the stars
Ancient ones stand with me
As I sing this sacred song...
by Marilyn Larson~1989

Right now, follow your breath... Where does your breathing take you? When something is empty, do you realize that it is full of air? If you could fly, on your own, would you? Where would your breath of air take you? Do you allow your breath to give you a voice that speaks from your heart???

~Air ~ Fire ~ Water ~ Earth ~
Above ~ Below ~ and Within ~

Thank you for celebrating these four elements and days with me... as I join, from a distance, my dear friend and labyrinth colleague, Marilyn Larson in marking and celebrating this four day period of time, May 16th through May 19th, when the Pleiades are directly overhead and conjunct (next to) the sun during the day. Click HERE to view the original post about these four days and suggestions for joining in. And, if you are just finding this post, you are not too late! Let your imagination take you on a time travel journey and see where these four elements and the questions posted for each day, take you!

Photos: Air rising from the heart-space into the center of our backyard Santa Rosa Labyrinth. And spinning gratitude for bringing pinwheel delight into my awareness to the inspirational Debi Kermeen of Labyrinths In Stone.

Earth~Pleiades Conjunct The Sun 2009

~Earth~



Stars singing through me
As I dance around the sun
Stars dancing through me
As I sing around the sun
Stars dreaming through me
As I weave the web of life
Stars weaving through me
As I dream this dance called life
Dancing, weaving, dreaming,
Singing stars around me shine
Beauty does surround me
as I move among the stars
Ancient ones stand with me
As I sing this sacred song...
by Marilyn Larson~1989

How well do you know the earth of your body? How often do you feel the "souls" of your feet connecting with the earth beneath you? Do you garden and let your fingers get dirty? Do you yearn for mountains, desert, wide open plains, or the rich soil beneath a thick forest???

Joining, from a distance, my dear friend and labyrinth colleague, Marilyn Larson in marking and celebrating this four day period of time, May 16th through May 19th, when the Pleiades are directly overhead and conjunct( next to) the sun during the day. Click HERE to view the original post about these four days and suggestions for joining in.

Photos: Rich, dark earth in the heart-space of our backyard Santa Rosa Labyrinth.

Water~Pleiades Conjunct The Sun 2009

~WATER~



Stars singing through me
As I dance around the sun
Stars dancing through me
As I sing around the sun
Stars dreaming through me
As I weave the web of life
Stars weaving through me
As I dream this dance called life
Dancing, weaving, dreaming,
Singing stars around me shine
Beauty does surround me
as I move among the stars
Ancient ones stand with me
As I sing this sacred song...
by Marilyn Larson~1989

Do you thirst for a creative life? Do you flow around obstacles that you encounter in life or get caught  up in the undertow? If you get caught, can you let go and allow the water to carry you once again? What kind of water calls to you? Do you yearn for the ocean, or deep mountain lakes, or rushing streams, or glacial majesty?

Joining, from a distance, my dear friend and labyrinth colleague, Marilyn Larson in marking and celebrating this four day period of time, May 16th through May 19th, when the Pleiades are directly overhead and conjunct( next to) the sun during the day. Click HERE to view the original post about these four days and suggestions for joining in.

Photos: Seven-sister-stars shining up to us in water in the heart-space of our backyard Santa Rosa Labyrinth.

Fire~Pleiades Conjunct The Sun 2009

~FIRE~



Stars singing through me
As I dance around the sun
Stars dancing through me
As I sing around the sun
Stars dreaming through me
As I weave the web of life
Stars weaving through me
As I dream this dance called life
Dancing, weaving, dreaming,
Singing stars around me shine
Beauty does surround me
as I move among the stars
Ancient ones stand with me
As I sing this sacred song...
by Marilyn Larson~1989

Where is your creative fire? How can this passion assist you in life? Do you tend the fire in your heart? Is it a bonfire, a smoldering ember, or a match in a box, waiting to be lit???

Joining, from a distance, my dear friend and labyrinth colleague, Marilyn Larson in marking and celebrating this four day period of time, May 16th through May 19th, when the Pleiades are directly overhead and conjunct( next to) the sun during the day. Click HERE to view the original post about these four days and suggestions for joining in.

Photos: Fire in the heart-space of our backyard Santa Rosa Labyrinth.

Pleiades Conjunct The Sun 2009

For the past twelve years, I've joined, from a distance, my dear friend and labyrinth colleague, Marilyn Larson in marking and celebrating this four day period of time, May 16th through May 19th, when the Pleiades are directly overhead and conjunct( next to) the sun during the day.

Marilyn says that it is an "auspicious time of the year, when the feminine and masculine energies, and the union of spirit and matter, are made more conscious to us all." She reminds me each year, "to just show up, pay attention to my dreams, and use this time to come more fully into my path in life."

Marilyn has marked this time of the year since 1988. In 1994 she started doing four day retreats, taking time out of time to do ceremony and honor this portal of Spring. Distance and my busy life have not allowed for me to physically join her, but I do every year in my own way. The symbols, of fire, water, earth, and air, one for each day, are incorporated into my daily labyrinth walks. I will have a post for each of the days, to provide inspiration and a touch stone should you wish to join in your own way.

Marilyn shared the following song with me, singing it to me over the phone. She wrote it in 1989. This year, for the first time in this form, her labyrinth walk will incorporate the symbolism to be found in these words...

Stars singing through me
As I dance around the sun
Stars dancing through me
As I sing around the sun
Stars dreaming through me
As I weave the web of life
Stars weaving through me
As I dream this dance called life
Dancing, weaving, dreaming,
Singing stars around me shine
Beauty does surround me
as I move among the stars
Ancient ones stand with me
As I sing this sacred song…

Let me know what comes to you during this time... what feelings, emotions, thoughts, and dreams visit you? If you would like to find a labyrinth near you, use the Worldwide Labyrinth Locator, or go HERE for instructions for drawing a three or seven-circuit labyrinth, which can be used as a finger labyrinth. True noon (1:00 pm where there is daylight savings) is the most auspicious time of the day.

Photos: 1) The heart-space of our backyard Santa Rosa Labyrinth with stones from the Pacific ocean marking the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, as I like to call them! 2) Marilyn dancing with her shadow at the Walker Art Center & Sculpture Gardens in Minneapolis. 3) Marilyn walking the mowed Chartres labyrinth at the property of labyrinth and meditative space designer William Frost.

Haiku Festival~ My Offering

One, I can not choose
so offer here melodies
of word and image

*****

Steps, one at a time...
this path unfolding here, now...
star flowers open

*****




Yes, petals open
no history, no future
tiny seeds for all time

*****




Warrior rides on
spear lost in the fall of time
love, will bring him home

*****




Meadow, joy blooming
in this city of cement,
the wild calls the heart

*****

Haiku Festival hosted by Tracy of Pink Purl and Elizabeth of About New York. Please visit their sites for more haiku and a list of participants! Thank you Tracy and Elizabeth for the invitation of  tuning our focus of word and image to 5-7-5!

Haiku 1:  Introduction
Haiku 2:  Blue Star Creepers in our backyard labyrinth
Haiku 3:  Buddha and pansies in our backyard garden
Haiku 4:  Antique Mongolian Warrior and horse atop our piano, photo by our dear friend GB
Haiku 5:  Our wild front yard meadow in the heart of the city of Santa Rosa

Mandala Monday

I'm supposed to be headed for bed...

But just one quick peek on the computer
and I've fallen into eb's mandala monday
and found myself wanting to join her...
linking mandalas everywhere,
portals to the soul,
the heart,
and desire of dreams taking wing...
playing with stones and carvings
and marbles...
just the joy of having friends around the world
making
and be'ing beauty...

eb responded...

sharing
and walking
through
the portal
together
is
a sign
of
synchronized
sisterliness
let us
spin
dervish-like
along
the path
of the labyrinth...

xox - eb.

I say yes, eb... let us spin...

 

Whirling dervishes from the music and poetry of Rumi,
Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, CA September 2008.

What inspires you???