Totally Cool! Heron Dance, handmade paper, and a magnet

Maybe the air conditioning and heating company wouldn't be too thrilled, but I got a bit of a charge out of completing this fun little project! The supplies used are the magnet, a piece of paper that looks like handmade paper (I got it at a yard sale and they indicated it was commercially made), a photocopy from Rod McIver's watercolors of Heron Dance (he emails a free weekly newsletter), industrial magic marker, and my sewing machine. First I did the sewing, then glued the pic, then pressed it overnight, then edged it with marker. Two more magnets to go! Then I'll have to wait for more phone books to arrive inour mail with magnets on them!

The Naked Sun~Rumi

Those who live in Union become pregnant with the feelings and words of invisible forms! Their amazed mouths open. Their eyes withdraw. Children are born of the illumination. We say "born," but that's not right. It only points to a new understanding. Be quiet and let the Master of Speech talk. Don't try to dress up your own nightingale- song to sell to this Rose! Be all ear. This pregnancy! So subtle and delicious, the way ice in July reminds us of winter, the way fruit in January tells of summer generosity. That's how the naked Sun embraces all the orchard-brides at once. - Rumi, Mathnawi VI, 1810-1822, version by Coleman Barks from This Longing

Monkey Wrench Quilt

I haven't contributed much to my blog lately. It's a very busy time for me, doing some fall housecleaning, catching up with outdoor and garden work after the hot summer, working on establishing social media links to my etsy stores, and getting into my sewing room when there is time. And we have acquired another little, black kitten from freecycle as a companion for the white rescue kitten. This morning they were laying on a porch chair facing each other with their front legs wrapped around each other in an embrace. That was a very sweet moment for me to observe and remember...very yin and yang! This absolutely gorgeous quilt was made by my friend Valerie, and is for sale at: http://www.ponderosaquilter.etsy.com http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33884419 These colors are a very nice compliment and juxtaposition to each other. Somebody is going to get a very nice quilt. Valerie has excellent workmanship.

Excerpt: by Amber Terrel, from prologue to Surprised by Grace

In Arthur C. Clarke's famous story 2001, A Space Odyssey, the HAL 9000 computer can be seen as a perfect metaphor for the human ego. In the story, HAL is designed to run all aspects of the space ship, including life-support systems. When the crew notices that HAL has begun to make errors, errors it is not willing to admit, they realize the computer will have to be disconnected and the ship piloted via radio signals from HAL's twin computer back on earth. But HAL is not so easily disconnected. Its own preservation becomes more important than the service to mankind for which it has been designed. It begins to manipulate and destroy anything and anyone that threatens its existence, anything that might expose the lie of its betrayal. The human ego operates in much the same way. It also is not so easily disconnected. Ego is pure illusion, created by the mistaken identification with mind and all its projections - mental, emotional, physical, and circumstantial - as who one is. Like HAL, it will put up a mighty defense to protect this illusion. Most people cannot see through the illusion, or the defense, long enough to really sever the habit of mental identification. It's like trusting HAL to sever its own misguided circuits. This severing is traditionally the role of the guru, meaning literally, "dispeller of darkness." The guru is not only someone who has cut through the illusion, but one who reflects so purely this limitless reality which we all are that our own infinite Self can be seen reflected there. An indication that one has met one's true teacher is in this seeing of Self in the teacher, as in a spotless mirror. This seeing is mysterious. It cannot be deserved. It cannot be bought. It cannot be explained or understood by the mind. The only word that comes close to describing it is Grace. It is a mystery how this Grace may appear in one's life and penetrate the dream of separation. - Amber Terrell, from the prologue to Surprised by Grace

Teddy Bear Cathedral Windows Quilt Fiber Art Drawing

For a chance to win this adorable little Teddy Bear Cathedral Windows wallhanging quilt enter your name into the December 16, 2009 drawing by leaving a comment for this post. A name will be selected from the comments on Dec. 16th. This Cathedral Windows quilt wallhanging measures 10 and 1/4 inches wide by 18 and 1/2 inches height, and has about 75% hand stitching, is made using cotton fabrics, with polyester batting, has a channel on the back for hanging purposes, and has a signed and dated label on the back.