Summer Retreat
Good Morning!
With so much news to share, its been really challenging for me to choose which topic to begin with since my return from summer break.
Summer
Summer? Yes, well, it is a wild and wet, brisk, winter here in Perth.
Refreshing, shall we say.
But it is summer, in Seattle.
Summer, conveyed through art
The summer retreat at my sister’s was an opportunity, I couldn’t waste.
We don’t see each other often. Living across the pond, as we do.
I wanted to spend her birthday with her.
It was a shorter holiday than planned.
But we can infuse lifetimes, into an hour, if needs be, can’t we?
We both made the time count.
Moment by moment. Mindfully.
35 days. To fill a well.
And so we did.
LIFE Is Art. and, Art… is Life.
As an artist, and an instructor, this is a message that is important for me to share.
The two, are one. All of us, seem to be forgetting this. (more on this, in upcoming posts!)
Most of the time, we had a fabulous summer retreat vibe going on, keeping it low key, staying in her lush green gardens.
The lawns and gardens were filled with ponds, flowers and trees.
Oh! and the most delicious raspberries, that I pilfered early each morning. Yum.
Flowers… blooming right beneath my window. Incredible!
Below my Window …. copyright debiriley
Mornings – Dawn Breaks
My mornings were… oh wait, I’ll take you there!
first light, early morning dew
Before the sun arose, I watched the night fall away sliver by sliver, through my bedroom window.
Until the light came streaming across the dew kissed lawn for a magical few seconds, and leaving me little time to snap a photo.
I think I was more focused on the experience, than the ‘capture’ on those mornings.
yes… more on the Process; less on the Product.
I was mesmerised with the peek through view of looming ranges of the Cascade Mountains, that I could get by standing on my tip toes and looking east.
For me, it seemed to add a touch of morning zen.
Thoughts of, “oh yeah…. I remember now, the way it was in those early summer days in the Pacific Northwest!”
Sunshine and Roses
Sometimes in blogs, we get carried away.
Making it seem as if we’re living the life of Riley.
No pun intended.
But, I’m going to admit…. that, “No. Not All, was not sunshine and roses on my summer retreat!”
It never is.
Dilemmas, injuries, interrogations, all the usual suspects and then some, came out to try to cause mayhem.
But the overriding fact is “Love does, leave a memory No one can steal.”
Love sign from my sister’s garden
A Rose for Love
Below a rose.
Lisa’s Rose just outside my bedroom window
Rose given in love
Hints of subtle context, perhaps so.
Only the tips of the closest leaves are clearly seen, visible and identifiable.
The rest of the rose is so softly diffused and dissolving.
What mysteries the artist, could…. infer if we were,
to pause and reflect a moment?
Perhaps about the person who gave, or the person viewing, or even as a metaphor for some other and deeper things?
Who knows?
Summary on Summer Retreat
As artists, we dig and delve.
We think.
We retreat.
We fill our wells so that we may create with restored vitality, fresh imagination, wild creativity once again.
There is of course more to come about this summer trek, including cobalt teal rivers, rainbow waterfalls, and demon hordes of thirsty mozzies set to drain us within 5 minutes of reaching our destination. Should be entertaining. Cheers.