Tuesday, December 26, 2006

A Week Away with the Magpie Fairies




Magpie Fairies ... from Vicci to Anne , from me & Kimbies to Momma & Pam ... we, among others, are the fairies that wander
this land...

One week ago, I stayed up until just before dawn, packing & wrapping, making a list & checking it twice...not really caring who was naughty & nice, knowing that all is needed to have the spice of life.


By noon, the car was packed & loaded, the gas tank full & I had 80 lbs of dog food stock-piled for myneighbor when the mailman arrived with our final passed treasure, along with the moon, stars & paper...


As we headed down South, we passed a great tree with trunk & branches as vast as the sea. We scooped up my brother & posed for the lens, then continued down south to join family & friends. We came to cross-roads that we call home & found ourselves a far-cry from alone.


On break from college, on leave, on vacation and on a wish & a prayer... we all found ourselves together... both, lost & found in peace, harmony, love & momentary oblivion.


We had a small, young, spritely little Santa whose heart had great stature and an elf or two to add to the chatter. With magpie gifts under the palm tree, Great grandchildren & Babies-to-be...


Oh Yes...we were all twenty-one, if just for a while & we all had the time of our lives... by the end of the night, we were all truly beat... but even our eldest shared his peace.


Thank You fellow magpie fairies...
We welcome now a shiny new year...

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Santa Paws Is Coming To Town


I'm off for one week of family & festivities...

wish
ing you all the best of peace, love, laughter ...


On Ander and Brodie




On Marbeline & Smokie










On Vilulah... On Georgia, Romeo, Nay-Nay & Codie

We beleive...Do You?

Saturday, December 16, 2006

She Gave Me Some Cookies...

The house I lived in the longest (5 years) when I was a kid was on a small lake with about 30 other houses. Our road was a brick one & there were only a few roads that weaved their way around the lake...kinda forming its' own little community. As a kid, I grew to know every ripple & dimple of that road intimately. I knew it on foot, on board, on big wheels & bikes. I knew the houses, the landscaping, the world of docks & drain pipes that sat around that lake almost as well as I knew that road. And I knew some of the people even better.

Some of the people I would never know & some, I still know.
Five of the ten houses that sat on my little block contained girls my age. We formed gangs. We would do things, make dares, bets, challenges & sometimes war. We were all constantly trying to get on top, and when on top...we strived to stay there. We tested our strength, our fears, our determination & sometimes pushed it all to the limit.

But not always...sometimes we just hyped things up.

There was a house on the twist of road at the end of my block where it was rumored a witch lived. Her house was big & sat up on the top of The Big Hill looking down across & over the lake. There was a solid wall with vines growing over it all around her property. Likewise, the ivy spread like veins across the skin of her house. There was a black spiked wrought iron fence than ran atop of her ivy covered wall & the were matching bars over hew windows. I guess it was pretty creepy. We had a hard time accessing her land & we never saw her.

One day, we discovered that we could climb the concrete wall at its highest point on the outside & land at a much higher level inside her yard in a flurry of flowering shrubs. We sleeked through her yard, hiding, looking, pinching off wild flowers of the likes we'd never seen before until we heard her shrill hollering. Then the soles of our feet smacked our backsides as we ran to the same section of the wall we had dropped from just minutes before.
Standing atop that concrete wall, with heels tucked in between those wrought iron spikes... we realized we had to jump down from this, the highest section of the outside wall. I looked down, the sidewalk was all cracked up, like peanut brittle that had been smacked with a hammer. I imagined it was from all the kids who had crashed to the witch's delight over the years, as they attempted this frightening leap. I couldn't fight the hype anymore, I was scared & so I jumped.

The moment my feet hit the ground, my fear turned to anxious amusement.

'I was in the witches yard'
'I picked the witches poisonous flowers'
'I was chased by the witch'
'I had to jump from the witches wall'

The first time I ever saw her was a few weeks later... I saw her driveway with the gate open & there was car leaving. I looked & thought I could see her through a window on the backside of her house. I saw a cat in her yard & lost sight of the witch. I walked up the driveway towards the cat & scrunched down, as if being closer to the ground would lure the cat towards me& keep the witch at bay. Then she was there...right there, not making a sound but with one arm reaching out towards me.

She wore all black with a white apron & she sat in an old Alfred Hitchcock style wheel chair. He hair was dark & it was in a bun. I didn't even have time to stand or gasp before I got a whiff of the poison she was throwing my way... fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.

A plate full of them sat in her lap & her outreached hand held one towards me.

I ate it....mmmm, hmmmmm....so damn good.

I told her that everyone thought she was a witch & I told her why.

We became friends & soon we would meet in her driveway for cookie swaps.
I'd show up with two Oreo's I'd earned by taking Ms. Vicki's trash out & trade them for one home baked cookie from the witch.

Most of my friends wouldn't come around us...they told me that I was being poisoned slowly.

Then the witch died.

And she was gone & so were her cookies.

Oreo's alone were no longer enough motivation to take Ms. Vicki's trash out.

Years passed...

All grown up...years later, I lay on my back with excrutiating lower back pain. I close my eyes & although I was only hoping to ease my back-ache by laying down, I found myself slipping into a dream-like state. Realizing that I was falling asleep I popped my eyes open & the witch was there. She said 'Child, you go'own 'n clotz dem eyes. Izza awright now Child.'

I closed my eyes & could feel her breath hovering over me and then her hand , palm down began to root itself onto my abdomen. Then all fell still & I could feel the warmth from her hand radiating through my blouse, through my skin, through my stomache & down into my back where her healing heat seemed to spread out like butter in a hot iron skillet. The pain in my back seemed to melt away. She lifted her hand & I snapped my eyes wide open.

She wasn't there.
It must have all been a dream.
The Guess Who was playing on the radio & my back was feeling fine.
I got up & made some chocolate chip cookies.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Love Grows...This Much I Know


My Dear Sweet Sister Kimbies was distraught when her teen-aged daughter found out she was pregnant. She took a deep breath, gave a hug to her daughter, took one from her husband & they started making plans for baby-to-be.

When Kimbies was first diagnosed with Cancer, she told me that she felt like it was meant to be.... that she had spoiled & protected her children too much...that they needed this to develop more independence & strength of their own. She said that should she not make it, should she not beat this cancer that at least she would make it long enough to see some grand-babies born.

She wrapped up that dialogue by stating 'Paige, I gotta beat this...I've got kids in HS, grandbabies to help raise...you know, I just have got too much to do, I really don't have time for this.' She laughed and said 'I will beat this, I know I will...but for a few moments there, you know, I was really scared.' But she just took a deep breath & started making plans.


Kimbies spirit & attitude is ever-amazing to me. I beleive her spirit of love has been passed down to her honestly...traveling the long-line of strong women in our family, complimented by the supportive men in our lives...love grows. Generationally. From one passed down to another.
From Granny Lanier to Nana, from Nana to Mom & Kat, from Mom to us, from us to our children & from them to the latest generation...Love Grows!

This pic is a photo of Kimbies grand-daughter & my namesake...I entered her into the AmericanBaby Holiday photo contest. The pic was taken on Kimbies living room floor with some pink decorations from the dollar tree. Too cute, isn't it? (I know I am biased, but it looks professional to me!)

Since Kim(HandMeDownLevis) & Pam(TheHippieParade) are without computers to vote with, I thought I'd throw it up here...for you all to vote upon if you so choose! (She is # 1790800003 @ www.Americanbaby.com in the Happy Holiday Baby Photo Contest)

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE & LET LOVE PICK UP THE PIECES THAT FEAR DROPS OFF , AS PROPOSED BY MELSDREAM & ROUNDCIRCLE and somehow evidenced in this pic ;)

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Kimbies In A Sea Of Health & Love


Anne had created a beautiful piece of healing art, pictured in post below, of and for my Dear Sweet Sister Kimbies.
She posted this on her blog with words of well-wishes..."This is what I wish for Kimbies... All the joy, peace and love in the world... dancing in the sand, wind on her face and sunshine on her shoulders."
She also stated that she had never met or even seen a picture of Dear Kimbies. So, I thought I would post this picture...this picture of Kimbies rolling with the tide, toes dancing in the sands, wind blowing in her face & sunshine kissing her shoulders.
Although chemo has taken her locks of love for the moment & surgeons have taken her breast... her core is still just as beautiful as it has ever been & her heart, like mine, seems to grow daily.
Thank You So Very Much Everyone...As Always, P&L.

Monday, December 11, 2006

To Kim With Love


Anne, Dear Anne, brought tears to my eyes just moments ago with her beautiful words & well wishes for my beautiful & courageous sister Kim (aka Kimbies)

This is Anne's artwork: a prescription for healing.

Thank You Very Much Anne....You, too, are an Angel just caught for a spell here on earth.

(please check out link to Anne & Kim, above or to right...Imitates Life, KimsHandMedownLevis & the Serious Post) peace &love

Friday, December 08, 2006

'Tis the Season To Lose All Reason


Working in retail, I have found myself completely done with all Christmas shopping & nearly done with all the wrapping...just waiting on a few internet purchases to arrive in the mail. I really over-did it this year, as I often do, but I enjoy it. Co-workers, neighbors, friends & family are all bought for. I'm done. I've been shopping all year long so that the Holidays don't take too great of a financial hit on us & of course, there is Pass the Trash.

Pass the Trash...a family tradition that has been going on since the mid-seventies.

Pass the Trash...taking something from within your own home, wrapping it up & passing it along to someone else near & dear, with the hopes that they will 'get it.'

Pass the Trash...taking things from within your house, from your yard or from the streets & creating something else, something different, something unique & special to pass along with the hopes that the recipient will enjoy.

Over the years I have seen empty cigarette packs transformed into building blocks, nurses uniforms turned into quilts, balloons & newspapers take the shape of piggy banks, straws & eggs made into musical instruments, bullet shells, elephant ears & tin cans take shape of windchimes. The list goes on & on & on.

This years feature Pass the Trash item from me will be these authentic 1970's disco-mamma platform shoes. They have made the rounds from aunt to neice, mother to daughter, from sister to sister & now they may travel another generation from aunt to neice. they have been in our family since the 70's and hopefully they will continue to stay in the family. I have sat on them many years, waiting for the right time to pass them on to the next generation. I have worn them out probably 10 times & have loved them so I am hoping that this years recipient will be able to do the same. These shoes began our family tradition of Pass the Trash thirty years ago & I wonder (hope) that they will still be fluttering around us in thirty more years. (They are so cool)

Much of our Pass the Trash goodies are made from things around the house. One night I was talking to my DH about all the marbles we find in the yard & I had an idea. I asked him if he'd walk with me after supper through our old neighborhood in search of a good fallen oak limb. I wanted to make a coat/hat/towel rack with a branch of oak. He said no problem & we suddenly heard an unfamiliar sound. We jumped up, leaving our plates of warm food, to rush outside & identify the source of the strange sound. We didn't have to go far...one of our own large oaks had dropped a huge limb. We laughed, ran back in, gobbled our food down & raced back out front with saws in hand. 'Ask & Ye Shall Receive' sometimes rings true! I took marbles from the yard & found a drill bit similar in size. I drilled out notches in the wood & sank the marbles in with some help from elmers glue. I then mounted some Dollar Tree funky copper hooks & walla... the trash has been passed!

In our world, Pass the Trash is more valuable than any PS3 could ever be. In our World, we are careful what we give because we know that one day it may be what we receive. In our World, we Pass the Trash & love it.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Stolen Words Displaced & Maybe Even Misunderstood


Little pink houses for you and me (John Cougar)
But I want them to turn black (Rolling Stones)
When you build your house, call me home (Fleetwood Mac)
Baby, hold onto me, whatever will be, will be (Bryan Adams)
I'd love to turn you on (The Beatles)
Didn't I make you feel like you were the only man? (Janis Joplin)
I don't know where I'm running, but I'm just runnin', runnin' low (Jackson Brown)
Runnin' through the land of the ice & snow (Led Zeppelin)
If only you beleived like I beleive, we'd get by (Steely Dan)
But your thoughts will still be wandering like they always do (Bob Seegar)
Somewhere, somehow, somebody must have kicked you around (Tom Petty)
Were you born to resist or be abused? (Foo Fighters)
But sooner or later it comes down to fate (Billy Joel)
Strange brew, Kill what's inside of you (Cream)
Just let me know, if you wanna go to the home out on the range (ZZTop)
Sitting on an angry chair, angry walls steal the air (Alice in Chains)
I've watch the ripples change their sizes, but never leave the stream (David Bowie)
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly (Alannis Morrisette)
If you don't like my fire, then don't come around (Ben Harper)
Anger is a gift (Rage Against the Machine)
Momma said she's worried, growing up in a hurry (Heart)
See yourself, You are the steps you take (Yes)
Wake up Momma, turn your lamp down low (Allman Bros)
With the lights out, it's less dangerous (Nirvana)
She dreams in color, she dreams in red (Pearl Jam)
Yeah baby let your light shine down (Grateful Dead)
Yeah keep on shining your light, gonna make everything all right (Doobie Bros)
Little darling, I feel the ice is slowly melting (The Beatles)
Butterflies & zebra Moonbeams & fairytales, that's all she thinks about (Stevie Ray Vaughn)
Make a joke & I will sigh, You will laugh & I will cry (Black Sabbath)
Rulers make bad lovers, You better put your kingdom up for sale (Fleetwood Mac)
Come down off your throne & leave your body alone...somebody must change (Eric Clapton)
I've been waiting for this moment all of life (Phil Collins)
Lord my body has been a good friend, but I won't need it when I reach the end (Cat Stevens)
I feel the earth move under my feet, the sky comes fallin' down (carol King)
Cant you hear me knockin on your window? (Rolling Stones)
Do you gaze at your doorstep & picture me there? (Elvis)
I feel like this is the beginning, though I've loved you for a million years (Stevie Wonder)
And I's feelin' nearly as faded as my blue jeans (Janis Joplin)
But whenever I'm with him, something inside starts to burning (Joan Osbourne)
Like two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year(Pink Floyd)
And I'm just about to loose my mind, dontcha know? (Marvin Gaye)
It's the same as it ever was (House of Pain)
Lovers keep on lovin' Beleivers keep on beleivin', Sleepers just stop sleepin (Stevie Wonder)

A List of Lyrics from Songs I have Sang in the Past Few Days

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Ebay, Free Hugs, Peace Signs & Terrorism in the Wee Hours


Many of you are aware that I dabble some on eBay. I often sell my dear sister Singleton's artwork there & although we don't make much money, we do enjoy it. (In fact, the JustGiveMePeace Jesus is for sale now)

Now, really my time is very important & it does seem like I always have something...multiple somethings...going on, especially at this time of year. Ah, but not too busy to wander around the world of ebay in the wee hours of the night....
It amazes me the stuff people list & sometimes even more amazing is the stuff people buy.

I happened across this one seller & found myself trapsing through his world of tee shirts. I found one I want ('Free Hugs,' but in a tank top...some of you may even know why;) & I found a couple that make me think of other people...people over here in my virtual world.

This green tee shirt with the peace sign has words written in English... see if you can read it. I wish I'd found it last week, I would be sending it to the one & only Orhan Kahn

Then I found one of his listings that had me in stitches. His marketing skills may not be as great as the his nerve... but none-the-less I found this entertaining. I think it is really for adults only. Item # 110059316900

So here's a toast to all the dream-chasers out there...
even those that wear wigs, tanks and/or spandex with their work socks!