Love lies in the Constriction as well as the Expansion

As light diminishes and dark increases again on the wheel, I find the balance to be magnified in life

Dreams again are taking on a bigger feel

Synchronicities are more prevalent

As the balance of light and dark are magnified,

I have been made more aware of how this manifests in life

We thought we’d have to put Chewey to sleep but instead had a costly and challenging surgery – now he has no l eye but seems to be more well again.

My husband Dewell had a power sprayer stolen from his paint trailer, but at least he didn’t have anything worth thousands of dollars stolen.

We got a leak upstairs to top of our week but at least we didn’t have to pay anyting but ~ 40 for the part and Dewell will trade the labor.

We have been reminded that in the balance of events for the past week, although the challenge was great, we could, in each case, count our blessings.

We were reminded of the Taoist fable and we say "We'll see..."

As such, as my dear friend Patricia reminded recently,

in this Libra energy, we can be tossed about on the ends of the teeter totter or we can walk closer to the center balance.

Finally, as the year moves into ever greater darkness once again, I am reminded:

Love lies in the constriction;

It means that suffering comes without bidding or reason

We cannot control the context, or the initial feelings we have when the wound of suffering is inflicted

However we can move in quickly to triage the suffering- buffering with analgesic comforts of loved ones, binding with the transcendence of Love and Meaning. We can administer in a disciplined manner the healing potions of ongoing supports, meaning making, pushing through to do what needs to be done in the moment, and the equal task of attending to lower level needs without judgment until we are released to again attend to those higher level needs.

And then the healing begins.

The pains of illness, wounds, financial setbacks, and the like, are surely challenges. However in the scope of the depths in Life, they are illusory in comparison to the invitation that Live and the Divine makes:

To focus on Love, on Meaning, on not judging but being Aware, on attending and protecting but not harming.

These are the themes on the Journey, whether it be a portion of the Journey filled with vacations or whether it be into the depths of Mordor to bear the ring unto the depths of the Earth.

Articles of Transformation

Since about April of this year, I have been engaging in further exploration of gratitude as the motivation for my creations. I have been privileged to take part in a gathering of women who meets monthly for sharing in process, content, mystery, creation, and the transmutation of things. They have provided profoundly present and loving supports for my own work and recapitulation. This moved in me a sense of gratitude to give to them something in turn for what they have given me.

What I have done with each is to take something/s that the woman loves but is at a loss to use it in its current incarnation.

Mary had a bunch of beloved shirts that I transformed into a sexy sporty hippie ensemble.



The women have given me wonderful feedback: amazement at the skill/ideas, appreciation of the aesthetics, and reports of the compliments the work elicits.

For Deborah, I took a necklace that she didn't wear anymore, dismantling it and refashioning it with copper, lapis, carnelian, mother of pearl, amazonite, garnet, chalcedony and glass (and other?) beads as well as with some copper wrapping and hand made findings. This piece is a tryptic and can be worn as necklace/s and/or bracelet/s or as a belt.


This work has enabled me to recapitulate issues I have carried with me about art, creativity, what to 'do' with my abilities, and how to develop them (among other things).

For Janel, I took a dear purse of her grandmother's and painted on the metallic art nouveau flower and swirls, then adding silver leaf to the gold for a 2 tone effect.


Right now I am on a sabbatical, having created a couple of things for myself, and in the process of altering a couple of Indian Peasant clothing items.
I will soon resume my work for these ladies. 3 to go! After which, I plan to offer my service in energetic exchange to others. Anyone interested in some heirloom alchemy?