Light.

I cling to this autumn afternoon light glowing through my windows, spilling across the floor, and try to catch and capture it with my camera. It is the best I can do, but it is an exercise in holding a spirit, Tinkerbell, something utterly insubstantial. And yet, sunshine is the one thing that makes the world substantial, offering the shadows of depth, the shimmer of reflection and the vibrancy of color. I love this afternoon exhibit, that drench of sunshine's golden syrup as it settles into dusk and downs to dark because that light holds the promise of another brilliant day to follow, another chance for joy, another angle of hope.

Forgotten but not forsaken

I had totally forgotten the concept of "brain brushing" and not even sure if I remember it accurately; I think it has to do with clearing your brain by cleaning it out each day, clearing it of the debris that makes it rot. My worst debris is when I do not tend to business either by holding onto negative ideas or not being grateful for the beautiful ideas and gifts that I stumble on every day. This chair is one of them. It isn't extraordinary, but its white arms and legs beckon to me to sit among my flowers, hummingbirds (see the little feeder to the right?) and the trees. This painting gave me tremendous pleasure even if it is primal and folksy. I loved trying to get the details of the lighting right, the shadow from the tree on Wanda and Dave's house, the shadow from the grasses and the glisten of the reflection on the edges of the white chair handles. I didn't really capture what I'd hoped, but I felt some depth beginning when I intensified or lightened the colors. How lucky I am to have colors, to want to SEE the way things work even if I cannot replicate them, and to find joy in the process and the standing back and feeling that I have at the very least "spoken," which is all I really hope to do - speak in a way that can be recognized or heard. I am beginning to believe that we are all here on this earth, yearning not just to speak, but to be heard, and I wonder if that is what tools like Facebook, email and Twitter are all about - getting a witness!