thinking bout changing my blog...

lately,
I have been thinking about changing my blog name. The title, I mean.
When I first started the blog,"earthensoul" I was in a full-time pottery degree class. I also had a tiny Lilly grant that funded my first semester, so, I wanted to write about the connections with clay, earth, and my soul, spirit, faith.

I love that. but did you know that "earthensoul" is some weird character on some weird witchy (don't get me wrong, I love Wiccans) game site...and also a new-agy name for spirituality and childbirth site....
anyway.

So, this is my question. If I switch to a different blog, do I go away from Blogger? Can I still be a revgal? How does that work?
Is there a better "blog" program that I would like? Would I know the difference?

I am thinking of two names: Broken Bowl and con Alma (which means with soul) or La Tierra con Alma which is earth with soul in Spanish, but I don't really speak Spanish.

I am not good at this naming stuff.

Opinions?
Opine away!

national art day at my house!

it is monday.
it is my day off.
it is not yet 10 o clock am
and I have done all I really need to do for now--
(o.k. not true, but the kitchen is mopped, scrubbed, and cleaned, bed made,
living room picked up, and the professional junk removers have already been here to removed a pile of dirt in our driveway that was growing flowers --don't ask--and the dead fridge in the basement. so what about those other errands...and exercise? don't ask)
in any case, after I take my dear doggies for a spin through the neighborhood, today becomes officially national art day at my house. I am going to make some tiles and bowls and platters in the basement and I am going to collect all my sources that inspire me and put them in a beautiful scrap book and I am going to make a bracelet or two and maybe some earrings.
just because I want to.
and because the floors have been mopped,
and the dirt is gone.

I love days off.

this whole enough thing is working....

literally.
I might not be getting all the nitty gritty chores done,
but choosing to not do one more thing before I...whatever, fill in the blank....is lovely.
I might be making myself too "calm" though....;-)

My other thought for the day.
Beloved was out of town for five days. When either of us leave the nest, it is a lot of work to keep up with the menagarie, but that is a given.

What isn't a given, though, is that by about the end of the third day, I am deplorably tired and lonely--even though I interact with friends, talk with neighbors, catch up on emails, whatever. Not tired from the work, but just feeling like a piece of me has been missing too long. It's like I can't do anything except what I have to...(which is plenty). Monday and Tuesday were LOOOOONG, and I felt depleted. Less than five minutes after picking up Beloved at the airport, I felt like I could take on the world. Sigh. I am so amazingly blessed.

That's it for now. Off to order Sunday School Curriculum.

wet and soggy

Today
I spent way too much time at the studio. Well, I loved it, but I had a few other things to do. Beloved is out of town for a day less than a week, so there are many chores, not to mention my work, to consider getting done. In any case, after tearing myself away from glazing and clay, I did a few errands, and by the time I got home it was time to offer all animals an early supper. So, I did.
After I cleaned litter boxes. Yes, boxes.

Usually after they eat, the doggies expect their walk. I had not exercised yet, so I got all my gear on--you know, my "frog bra" from Title Nine that guarantees no bounce (which is true, it is a major masher, but I need it), the right socks, wicking shirt and capris--I decided I would jog again today, because it felt so good yesterday. (jog, not run--we are talking 11 minute miles here folks). I have been alternating days between Shredding and jogging, but I felt like I needed a jog today. The skies were threatening and the wind was picking up. I really wanted to do my exercise first, to avoid a possible storm, but then, the doggies were looking at me with those puppy dog eyes....

So we walked. 'Round the block. A bit of a shortchange, or compromise--depending on where you are sitting in stadium.

When we returned, I popped on my ipod shuffle and took off. Wind picking up even more. Dark Skies. More wind. Me, jogging to Natalie Cole...thinking," oh this will blow right over me, I am invincible, I will go the whole way, I don't have to stop at the track and do some laps and go home, I can do the whole route I have mastered twice this week...." and BOOOM!!!! A powerful downpour, rain whipping into my face so now I am jogging with my eyes closed because I can't keep them open because the rain is slicing into them....

And I get drenched. And my little shuffle, soaked and expired. Dead. Sigh.

And there is no existential meaningful point to this story.

It is just a report on what I did today, and how I figured out that God is not going to stop the wind and the rain for me so I can go jogging. Not that I expected that....

Jus' sayin.

easter monday...

just checking in..
am definitely fighting something deep in my chest....but lots of tea and liquids and low key activities and pets from the furry friends should do the trick. please, please, please....

it is cold, windy, and studded with sunshine today.

I have so much to get done before Wednesday evening.

But then, Thursday...off to warm and sunshine to the BE2 in Arizona. Gotta find my plane reservations. hmmmm.

Mostly, today, I am thinking about Fiji, and the military coup there. I have seen nothing about this in our news...and to think an entire land is being held captive and censored--most Americans, I dare say, think of Fiji as this elegant place of dreamy beauty, heavenly beaches, and gorgeous paradise. Which I am sure it is. But my blog friend Wendy, reminds me that the world, while it is so small at times, is so unconnected because of power and wealth and what they deem important. She doesn't write that, I do. Please, visit her blog, and say prayers for Fiji. And while you are at it, visit her other blog where her artwork is posted. She does some marvelous images--some by scanning in actual rocks and branches and pebbles straight into her computer and then playing with color and texture.

may peace be within you today...

Easter Blessings...

We had a lovely service today...
beautiful music, balloons, lilies and tulips and hyacinths (sp?)...
happy people, squirmy children, cooing babies...
even some humour....
and a wild story from my colleague about a statue named "Jesus Scourged" that made the rounds of pranks while he was a novitiate in a monastery.
At the end, everyone who wants joins the choir (EVERYONE, including 5 year olds) at the front to sing the Hallelujah Chorus. What fun. And, they even sounded great!
The coffee was fellowshipped, the eggs in the park hunted, prayers were offered....
and then on home.

We took the dogs to Revere Beach (pretty urban, not really pristine, but does lay claim to the oldest public beach in USA). It. Was. Butt. Freezing. Cold.

The poodles had a blast running around the waves, but of course, Venus and Fenway were surfing for beach snacks. Venus even decided to put a clump of ylechly soggy seaweed. Slimy.

We drove around a little...and then home for the Great Resurrection Nap. I slept over two hours...am a little concerned as my throat is scratchy, my body achy, chilly, and a cough developing. I have too much to get done before Thursday a.m...please please please please please please just let this be tired-ness.......

Now...
Am thinking about Easter Supper.
Hmmmmmm.


Anyway,
Hallelujah!

lefse--or norwegian burritos?

Lefse is a norwegian potato bread that sort of looks like a soft tortilla. You spread butter on it and brown sugar and roll it up and eat it. My mother has made this every christmas every year of my life and beyond--and she has probably eaten it every holiday season of her life. So, I thought it time for me to start learning. It requires all sorts of special baking items like a pastry board, lefse stick, lefse griddle, rolling pin with a stocking. I have never really been a pastry maker.

A good lefse is very thin, and round.

As you can see from the pictures, uhhhh, well, my first try wasn't exactly round or thin....



Lefse balls



Pastry board and rolling pin, without its little sock.



The griddle and lefse turning stick, ready for action!



Final six. Then the electrical element died. Now, what I am going to do with all those left over balls of dough?

smiles

This has been, in a word, a happy week.
When I am happy, rested, content,
I tend to smile a lot. Without really being conscious of it.
What has been fun this week,
is the surprise of returned smiles.
Seriously.
I have had so many people smile at me--returning my content expression...it has been so sweet.
and dear.
and lovely.

cold out now....

I know.
It's not snowing.
The sun is even shining.
The wind is breezy and bold.

But it is starting to feel like November. When everything is really dead and grey and cold, but no snow.

I don't like the inbetween time of the transition. When it isn't fall really, any more, and it is not quite winter.

Makes me restless.
and my toes are cold.

my mon-Day

so today after I took my beloved to the airport for yet another business trip...I went to the studio and made
1. test tiles
2. 3 little bowls, also to be tests.
3. put one vase and one oval plate on the bisque cart.
4. slathered slip on another larger oval plate that I hope to carve (if it doesn't dry out.)

Then...I went to Target and bought four long sleeve t-s to wear under sweaters and a diet dr. pepper. ($40)

and to Ulta to get gel eyeliner and a brush ($30 bucks!)

then home, where I cleaned the kitchen--washed dishes, comet-ed the countertops, scrubbed the stove (all sparkly now) and swept and mopped the floor and the front entry way (why don't we pay someone to do this??...oh, yeah, can't really afford that right now)

then ate lunch and finished Augusten Burrough's book, "Dry"

watched two episodes of Entourage on demand as I worked out on treadmill and elliptical.

took shower.

talked to beloved several times inbetween all this stuff.

fed dogs, fed feral cat living in basement. Her name is Spooky. I have never really seen her. long story. for another time.

wrote a piece for newsletter. checked email.

went out to grocery store.

walked big doggies around the block--second time today.

cleaned up pee-pee in hallway from one passive agressive 5 pound poodle that did not get to go on second walk.

and am currently procrastinating editing a paper for a dear friend of mine.

all in all, a lovely day off.

am grateful.
for all I got to be today.
amen.

peace day

The original intent in the establishment of Mother's Day was that it was to be a day for women to call for Peace. Julia Ward Howe, in 1870, wrote the Mother's Day Proclamation to unite women against war...inspired by the work of Ann Jarvis, who organized Mother's Work Days (beginning in 1858). The purpose of the Work Days, or Work Groups were first, to improve sanitary conditions in military camps for both sides of the Civil War, and then later, shifted focus on the reconciliation of Confederate and Union neighbors. In the late 1850's! How progressive and edgy!

Howe wasn't sucessful in her attempt to get formal recognition for Mother's Day, but we still have her prophetic call:

"From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
...Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace..."

Wow. These words are better than bouquet of teleflora flowers or a box of chocolates. (Don't get me wrong, I love flowers, and someone dear to me is a florist who is one of the most generous and loving and committed people I know.) But, let's get to the root of things....let's celebrate Mothers Day in its orginal intenti--not the way that Hallmark hijacked it...by working and talking and creating our dream of peace for the devastated Earth and the great human family....

I love you Mom~
You ROCK!