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Showing posts with label spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring. Show all posts
Friday, April 1, 2016
April Fool's Giveaway & Ebook Sale!
Monday, May 5, 2014
A Mother's Angel Visit
Can you spot the Angel in this photo? Okay, I'll admit it—I'm an Angel Junkie. I believe there are Angels all around us, nurturing us along & whispering in our ears, not only to provide wisdom & protection but also to lead us toward joy. I've lost track of how many times a song came on at the grocery store that was just what I needed to hear, or a book fell off the shelf that gave my heart solace or opened up a whole new journey for me. I've even seen strangers who seemingly popped out of nowhere to say a few discerning words or dispense almost unearthly advice—and I later wondered if they were Angels. If you've ever read my post "Angels Among Us" (you can click on it here), then you already know I believe I've had some direct contact with otherworldly assistance. Not because I was seeking it out (I don't attend Angel channeling seminars or meditate on archangels), but simply because my mother had always taught me, as Shakespeare once said, that "There are more things in heaven and earth...than are dreamt of in your philosophy." In other words, she encouraged us to be open to ideas that sometimes bypass the limitations of our brains & can only be understood in the heart.
And one thing my mother ardently believed is that joy not only attracts Angels but every good thing in your life. Where she got all this wisdom was a mystery to me as a child, but as I grew older and learned, bit by bit over the years, more about her, I found out exactly why she was so wise. My mother's father abandoned her family in the Midwest when she was a baby, and her own mother died at the age of 42 of alcoholism. My mother's childhood was spent in poverty being tended to by strangers in bars during the Great Depression, and life for her was very tough. Never once did I hear her complain about her childhood, however, because in her eyes, she saw her relatives as broken people who were doing everything they could—and not many people had it much better back then. Yet the one thing my mother learned early on to survive was to tap in to that "still, small voice" that always led her to a more positive journey. This was long before New Age philosophy entered the picture or you could watch Oprah talking to cutting-edge spiritual pundits on TV. As a result, my mother's "spiritual radar" was finely tuned. She was downright spooky in her ability to "read" everyone she met, and if she ever gave you advice you damn well listened because her perceptions were uncanny. The closest thing I've ever seen to someone like my mother was that wonderful woman in the kitchen baking cookies who turned out to be the great Oracle in the film The Matrix. Seemingly a benign housewife, she's the one who knows far more about Neo's (Keanu Reeves) situation & future than he does—and luckily, he's smart enough to recognize a highly-developed soul when he sees one.
So even though my mother's body was later in life racked by a debilitating auto-immune disorder & advanced arthritis, I wish I could impart to you the way her face SHINED. People came from all around just to be near her & to fill up their weary spirits. Our kitchen was always packed with visitors because every one who left my mother's presence felt stronger, brighter, and more able to see their path forward because of her strength & glow. Yet she was no namby pamby woman who spouted limp-wristed cliches like "Have a nice day." She was as strong as a military general with a soaring heart to match—because every day she talked to her Angels. Not in moans & complaints but in celebration. Yes, we were that peculiar family that ran around the house singing heart-bolstering songs and banging pots & pans & thanking God nearly every time we turned around for sunshine! Food! Health! And a fabulous new day! My mother didn't give a rip if anybody thought she was crazy town—she knew that like attracts like, what you say with your mouth will come to pass, and truly smart people invite Angels to their parties. Because above all, Angels love parties.
As you can imagine, life with my mother was a BALL.
And I have no doubt that after my mother passed away, she became an Angel. In fact, during her life she was always looking forward to it. And yes, I even had a vision of her once in her new role. She appeared to me while I was in the kitchen baking cookies for holiday guests (how appropriate!) & no one else saw her but me. Yet her presence felt so natural that for a moment, like an idiot, I didn't register anything was unusual, though she'd been dead for over a year. That's because she didn't feel like a ghost at all—she radiated light & warmth. And when my brain suddenly kicked in & I recognized that this was a unique & sacred moment, I suddenly gasped, "Mother! The kingdom of God?" Those were the only words my stunned self could spit out—I wanted to know what it was like for her in Heaven or whatever dimension she went to. My mother merely smiled & replied with gusto, "You're going to love it!" before she disappeared. The overwhelming feeling I got from her is that she's very busy. She's an Angel now doing what she loves best—helping other people endure & shine brightly, only without the health restrictions that she had in her earthly life. And it didn't go unnoticed by me that she appeared during a time while I was baking & experiencing joy. That's what my mother imparted to me—that the path of delight is indeed the path of Angels. As she always said, "Never underestimate the power of joy. Every moment of laughter & dancing holds the seed of triumph & victory."
So while I was on a walk on a sunny spring afternoon recently near Mother's Day, feeling particularly happy for the warm weather & the sun on my back, I happened to look up in the sky & see a spontaneous Angel image in the clouds. Of course, I had to smile and say "thank you" for the Angel's gentle visit—because for all I know, it could be my own mother. And one of the things I'm most grateful for as we approach Mother's Day is the way my mother taught us to be open to serendipity—those random moments of sheer delight—for these are the pearls that we string together to make our lives bright. I hope your Mother's Day will sparkle & be filled with those simple moments of sheer joy that open your heart to eternity.
If you would like to read my post about my mother's health miracle, click here.
P.S. Keep on the lookout this month for the debut of my new novel Stone of Thieves, the incendiary sequel to Robin in the Hood! After reading this post, now you know why I so often feature feathers & other reminders of Angels in my fiction <3
(Photo credit note: All images on my website are either my own or were gleaned from pictures in the public domains of facebook, pinterest, or other popular social networks. If you own the copyright to any of these images & do NOT want them used publicly, please contact me & I will take them down immediately! : )
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Dancing at the Crossroads
May Day, or what the Celts called Beltane, is one of my favorite days of the year. Ancient European cultures celebrated this day with fertility traditions that included feasts, dancing, and weaving bright-colored ribbons around a Maypole to encourage young men & women to frolic with one another.
With the plentiful sunshine and newly blooming flowers, it seems as though the earth itself erupts in joy, and we can't help but allow our spirits to follow suit by celebrating the color and vibrancy of the season.
One of my personal rituals this time of year is to take a "wildflower walk" in the woods near my home to catch a glimps of the earliest blooms. The photo above is of wild violets that sprout along my favorite path, and below are trout lilies that are always the first to blossom and herald spring.
One of the more rare and whimsical flowers along my walk is called the "toad trillium" because its leaves are so large that they're the perfect canopy for secretive toads. It's velvety blood-red color also lends itself to an abundance of fairy tale musings...
And then there are the spectacular white trilliums that often cover an entire hillside in the woods like a luxurious gift from nature hereself.
It's this gift of warmth & light & color that always makes my heart soar. And one of my very favorite expressions of spring joy comes from the Irish tradition called "Dancing at the Crossroads." Folklore maintains that if you grab a partner at the place where two paths meet and dance a jig with pure joy in your heart, fertility & abundance will soon be on its way. The more laughter the better, so particularly from the 18th through 19th centuries, travelers in the Irish countryside might suddenly stumble upon a group of young men & women singing & engaging in a winsome dance...
This photo from Ireland in 1891 shows such a dance about to start. Who wouldn't want to release all their cares in the warm sunshine & allow their feet to skip to the tune of a lively melody, flirting all the while? What a marvelous way to kick off a spring romance or to simply forget your troubles and smile...
Yet something that charming and potentially sensous would have to attract haters from one corner or another, wouldn't it? And indeed it did—by 1935, the practice of Dancing at the Crossroads was banned in Ireland by the Public Dance Halls Act, which forced these spontaneous expressions of joy to move to buildings that could be monitored & regulated. Open air dancing was considered "sinful" by the Catholic church, and the photo above captures one of the last "legal" crossroad dances in Glendalough, County Wicklow in the early 1930s before it was banned. Nevertheless, many scholars believe rural dancing was the basis for all forms of Irish dancing that are so popular today.
And I can't help it—every time I look at this sepia-toned photo of couples weaving into dance as shadows grow long and the day eases into twilight, I think about their brazen act of joy and defiance, especially on May Day. Because by the 1930s, Dancing at the Crossroads was already denounced in fire & brimstone messages from pulpits and by proper people of "high station". And yet despite the social censure, these country couples danced anyway...
Could there be a better testimony to the fertile power of Beltane? So on my wildflower walks, even when a sadness has invaded my life, or I face a seemingly unsurmountable obstacle that seems to want to crush me into submission, I often think about these dancers who were inspired by the sun & warmth & fragrance of spring, as well as the soft dirt beneath their feet. And for just a moment, out there in a natural setting, I refuse to allow cold & brittle thoughts or restrictions to dominate my soul. And sometimes—when no one is looking—I give a silent wink to the wildflower fairies and ask the universe to open my heart to all that is good & beautiful & abundant. And then I pick up my feet in the spirit of May Day and dance...
Monday, April 1, 2013
April Fools
Oh, the joys of spring! The air gets warmer, flowers bloom & we suddenly feel the urge to kick off our shoes & walk barefoot once again—and perhaps to take a few chances on merriment & love? After all, April Fool's Day comes during the spring season for a reason. Something about the long-awaited warmth & burst of color in nature revives our sense of vitality & adventure (even if it does lead to our embarrassment at times ; ). So just where did the term April Fool's Day come from? No one can say for certain when this capricious holiday began (isn't that a bit fitting?), but many scholars speculate that April Fool's Day (often called All Fool's Day) started with a mix-up due to the switchover from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar as ordered by Pope Gregory XII in 1582. The Gregorian Calendar called for New Year's Day to be celebrated on Jan. 1 instead of April 1, but according to folklore, many people either refused to accept the new date or didn't hear about it, so they continued to celebrate New Year's Day on the old date of April 1. In time, people began to make fun of these individuals by sending them on "fool's errands" to look for things that don't exist or by attempting to trick them into believing that something ridiculous is true. And of course, there's always the mischievous pranks. One prank that became common with the French (who call the date Poisson d'Avril or April Fish) is to tape the picture of a fish on someone's back and cry "Poisson d'Avril!" once the prank is discovered.
The only problem with this theory is that many historians contend April Fool's day has been around much longer than 1582. In fact, types of "spring fever" have been celebrated all over the world from ancient times to the present, particularly with an emphasis on silliness, mayhem & frolic. Even the ancient Romans had a festival named Hilaria on March 25 (rejoicing in the resurrection of Attis), and cultures all over the world have lighthearted holidays that come close to the vernal equinox. Could it be that spring itself ignites this merriment & whimsical view of the world?
To be honest, I've often wondered if the fragrances of newly bloomed flowers or their pollen might contain elements (which science hasn't discovered yet) that trigger our devil-may-care attitudes towards adventure & romance come spring. Without such subtle aphrodisiacs in the air, perhaps we might not survive as a species? Because love always involves an element of risk—especially due to the sting & embarrassment of rejection—so surely we require a little something to inspire our courage?
After all, it's not for nothing that the warnings against kissing for foolish reasons have arisen over the centuries, for everyone knows what the end result might be: the dreaded broken heart . . .
And yet, without a little foolishness, how would we ever be "crazy" enough to pursue love at all? We know it is rife with the minefields of hurt & betrayal & the vicissitudes of faithless emotions. But the rewards? Ah, to put it quite simply: everlasting love is most people's idea of Paradise (along with winning the lottery). So in this regard, an April fool who is bold enough to pursue love—and actually get it—might be the wisest among us of all . . .
With that thought in mind, perhaps that foolish kiss could be just the thing to break your life wide open & send you reeling through a meadow of wonderful possibilities—if only you'll take the chance. My teenage character Robin faces this exact situation in my YA novel Robin in the Hood. Her stale life at an elite, all-girl boarding school is devoted entirely to structure and routine. So when she hides her father in a run-down trailer park after she learns her family has gone broke & her father is wanted by the law, she is suddenly thrust into a whole new world where the same old rules don't apply. And one of those rules that has gone by the wayside is the prohibition against fraternizing with boys. Yet even though Robin admits she's "diamond wise and boy foolish," she knows what the stakes truly are: the giddyness & delight of a spring romance vs. the soul-crushing reality of rejection if her new love doesn't work. Dare she take a chance on love with Creek, the drop-dead gorgeous bad boy of the trailer park who commits crimes to provide for their neighbors?
It doesn't help matters that Robin's birthday is on April 1st, making her an official April Fool! But after her first kiss with Creek, Robin can't escape the fact that she's been bitten by the love bug . . .
Creek’s eyes arrested mine. They
were still that hard blue, broken by shards of glass in the middle like a guy
totally focused on his mission. But there was a softness at the edges as well,
as if maybe he wanted to . . .
Protect me?
And kiss me at the same time—
Both urges warring inside him.
Well, I decided, no time like the
present to test that theory!
I rushed my hands up his firm chest
and clutched his face, pulling his lips to mine for as much Heaven as I’d ever
been allowed on this silly, spinning planet.
And spin I did! Inside, I felt as
if I my whole being had gotten lost in a dreamy whirl. All traces of thought
evaporated, only the smell and feel of his hard skin and soft hair overwhelming
my senses. I was tumbling end over end, because no one had ever informed me
that . . .
When you touch someone this beautiful—
It’s like falling into a pool of
light.
And all of a sudden,
You’re
that beautiful, too . . .
And that becomes the biggest reward for Robin as she tests the waters of romance—the opportunity to fall into that "pool of light" & allow her soul to become bigger than it used to be with a love that might turn out to be the "real thing". Though Robin is young & doesn't understand everything just yet, the one thing she knows for certain is that the past is gone & she must forge a new future based on her own rules—even if that does sometimes turn her in to a fool. Luckily, she can always to return to Granny Tinker's gypsy wagon to ask her advice about life, love & everything in between. And in this season of April foolishness, I'll leave you with one of Granny Tinker's greatest pearls of wisdom: "Child, if you ain't makin' a fool of yourself once in a while, then you ain't got the guts to be truly livin' at all . . . "
You can find out all about Robin's magical journey towards love (and Granny Tinker's special brand of hard-earned wisdom) in Robin in the Hood, which is available at http://www.amazon.com/Robin-Hood-Robbin-Hearts-Diane-ebook/dp/B00AK3RCZS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1402409425&sr=8-2&keywords=RObin+in+the+Hood
And P.S. Would you like a little help to find a spring romance? Magickal Perfumerie has a delightful love potion called Gold that is expertly blended with vanilla, citrus, amber & patchouli to help ignite attraction. And no, I don't take kickbacks from this company—I just love their stuff! You can peruse their wonderful fragrances at www.lovepotionperfume.com.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Spring Equinox with Liza Lambertini
Hi Liza—thank you for visiting Bandits Ranch! I'd love to ask you about how you became an artist. How old were you when you began to get an inkling that you were artistic? And what were your earliest artistic influences?
I believe I fell in love with my first box of crayons the day they were introduced to me. From the moment I could “wield” my hands properly (which I dare say was quite frustrating when I knew what I WANTED to do, but my little hands just were not doing what they were told), I loved to draw. I do recall that because I was so enamored with the small box of crayons, and then I was given the BIG box of crayons (which of course sent me into a creative fury and out popped a fairy! :D ). Had anyone dared touch one of my crayons, I would promptly give that person a dirty look due to the fact that I did not have many words in my vocabulary. My grandmother raised me because my mother was a single parent and had to work to support us. My Nana encouraged me to draw once she had seen how happy it made me. I believe it was my mother who had gotten me the BIG box of crayons.
Did you always have an affinity with fairies and enchantment as a little girl, or did that develop more slowly over time? Do you have any favorite fairy tales or stories? Why do they resonate for the artist in you?
When I was but a wee baby, I would stop and look up & point in the air. My grandmother would look & not see anything, nor would my mother, but they both believed I saw faeries. Originally it was my grandfather who'd told stories about faeries, and this was passed on to me from them. The stories they told were about little people who are kind to all of nature, wildlife, and children. I just naturally gravitated to that because I loved nature from the moment I first opened my eyes. The faery stories my mother & grandmother would tell me will always be my favorite. They are not written in any book—they are in my heart. That was one of the best times of my life, and it also honored my grandfather as well who I have an uncanny connection to, even though I never knew him personally.
The nature faeries in the Disney film Fantasia felt right to me because it correlated with the stories I had been told as a child of little gossamer winged people who danced and sang while caring for nature. They are conveyed as having an integral part of nature's health. That is what I love most about the film. I can't remember a time when I did not have a love/affinity
for the faeries. I also believe I was switched at birth (and I've been trying to get
back there ever since!). Faeries really resonate for me because I know there is
real magic in nature. I have witnessed it time and time again—not only during
childhood, but even now in my adulthood, too. As a co-creator with creation, I believe
this is my calling. Thus far, many things I have created do happen in real life—undeniably and “naturally”.
What were your favorite mediums to create
art with when you began experimenting as an artist? Have your favorite
mediums changed over time?
I like all mediums and have worked with most of them with the
exception of oil pastels. Acrylics I tend to lean towards simply because they dry
quickly. I also love watercolor, and I dabble in sculpture now and again. But my favorite
medium is my art tablet and pen. I draw directly into my computer, and I find it
both relaxing and exciting both at the same time. I have been working in
Photoshop since the WWW came into popularity (give or take a year or so), and when
dial-up was the only option. I taught myself Photoshop.
When did you
begin to get interested in silhouette art?
I have always loved silhouette art
since I was a child. I recall going into antique store with my grandmother. She
loved “window” shopping. I remember seeing vintage silhouettes of nymphs and
fairies that I fell in love with. Dusk and dawn are so beautiful to me in nature—I feel captivated by the way the contrast of the trees and the sky boldly
accentuate each other. It is a magical time for me. As far as devoting myself to
becoming a silhouette artist? Gosh, so many years have passed since that first
day I mustered up the courage to even try. I had a vision that was insistent,
but I did not feel that I was good enough and I was so terrified I would fail at
it . . . especially because I was giving up one way of doing art that really
did not call to me (even though I made money at it) to do something that really
does call to me—it meant I had to start all over. It also meant taking a chance,
making a change, and facing fear to get past all that and to simply do what I
love. Today, I have a deep respect for
artists who have the courage to create what is truly in their heart and who seek not
just monetary gain but fulfillment & joy. As one of my fellow artists
says, "Art is bravery on display" (Victory @Victoryarts on Twitter).
Do you have any formal training as an artist, or are you mostly self-taught?
This question always sticks in my craw . . . or caw, caw, caw. (Um, clearing throat—raven popped out for a second!) I consider myself to be formerly trained by me. I believe I am born an artist & am learning all the time. Art is a life long journey for me. It is the path of discovery.
What has been the hardest part of your artistic journey, and what has been the most rewarding part?
The hardest & saddest part of my artistic journey is dealing with jealous people who saw my unique vision and wanted to copy it for themselves. When I first made my work public I was putting out more than just magic and a “good idea”. I put out there something that I truly believe is my salvation. The most difficult part of this journey is feeling used by people & treated poorly when what I have to bring to the table is filled with magic, positivity, and light. It's also very hard when I've been purposefully excluded by jealous or insecure people, especially when my art is healing—and I believe it really does have that kind of magic in it. My work is my soul bared and my inner-child’s greatest hope. It is the opportunity I did not have until I was old enough to give it to myself—the opportunity of healing and that of having a career. But the most rewarding thing is seeing growth within myself as an artist/human being and having what is truly in my heart show itself to the world. I love those moments when I touch people's lives with my work, or when something magical happens after I've created a piece. And when people inspire me, it is very rewarding since I am a social being by nature. Gratitude does not even begin to express how I feel about my customers, supporters, and kindred souls.
Every once in a while I hear you talk about your "muse." Can you describe what inspires you, and how you go about creating new pieces?
In addition, much of my art is born of gratitude. Gratitude is very inspiring : ) Children inspire me, as well as music, song, dance, literature, poetry—inspiration is everywhere! Sometimes it just pops into my head out of nowhere. When I did the piece below of my muse sleeping in a flower, it was because I had no inspiration and she was all tuckered out. I figured okay, I’ll just draw her sleeping! : ) I didn't create for a while after that. I think muses need a rest too, and I learned if I wake her up too soon, she is really cranky. WHO KNOWS what I’d be creating if I wake her up too soon!!! (LOL) So I learned to have compassion for my muse. She has been with me since that first crayon, and I hope will be with me for the rest of my life.
You also write beautiful poetry to accompany many of your
artistic works. What comes to you first, the lyrics or the artwork?
Thank you! The art always comes first. Sometimes it feels like I am in a trance-like state when creating, and once completed, I awaken to look at the art who then tells me a “truth” which often is in the form of a poem.
Thank you! The art always comes first. Sometimes it feels like I am in a trance-like state when creating, and once completed, I awaken to look at the art who then tells me a “truth” which often is in the form of a poem.
Hare Moon
That's so lovely! So how do you fill up your "emotional well" and put yourself in a mood to create your gorgeous artworks? Do you meditate, go out in nature, listen to music? Spirituality and a sense of the sacred just naturally seem to come through in your artwork—do you have tips for cultivating your soul & creativity that you can share with others?
My “well” is not something
that I can fill up by myself, so it is not something that I have control over. I
believe in a natural process. For example, one of the questions you asked me
above is what inspires me? I took a break while writing this and went
outside. Wouldn’t you know my opossum friend comes walking up my front porch
steps while I'm standing right there? (Talk about timing!) I had to say
something to her, lest she climb over my feet or up my leg. She sniffed my
slipper & was so relaxed, as was I, about the encounter. Nature is very kind
to me & I am kind to nature. I find being in this space is the best place I can be in artistically. It lightens my heart & my attitude changes as well. I believe that
nature speaks to me—experiences like this always happen, and because I feel
such gratitude inside to hear “the voice” in accordance and harmonizing with my
own, it inspires my work. I feel such compassion for nature, and I would say my art is my way of “scribing” & creating magic. Some people
pray, some use herbs and chanting, some people meditate. I do not think it is
the same for everyone, and I do believe that not everyone is born with these
abilities. I believe we're all chosen at birth by something sacred for
specific purposes—this purpose is also meant to support our lives &
contribute to our families and society. For how else can the journey continue
& be shared without support? That is what I believe in, because that is what I
have been taught by nature. I trust that. I have no tips to give anyone simply
because it is not the same for everyone. I do feel being unique &
different is a privilege! Diversity is beautiful to me—something that I take
seriously & honor within myself.That's so lovely! So how do you fill up your "emotional well" and put yourself in a mood to create your gorgeous artworks? Do you meditate, go out in nature, listen to music? Spirituality and a sense of the sacred just naturally seem to come through in your artwork—do you have tips for cultivating your soul & creativity that you can share with others?
Lovely Liza Lambertini with her winged friends . . .
Thank you for this interview, Diane. May the
Sacred shine upon you for giving me & the magical ones this opportunity. Faery
Blessings!
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