EAT,PRAY, LOVE, CREATE

So...the other day my friend Paula and I decided to have an "art" day. We've done that many times before. We work together on a current project each of us is involved in and offer each other feedback, chat about life and eat. I was working on my current altered book round robin project. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to show photos......so I am offering up my palate as my creative piece. Sorry!

Paula, who is a multi media artist (check out her website here) was working on a Ketubah for her brother, who is getting married. I googled the definition of a Ketubah .... The ketubah is a Jewish marriage contract between the husband and wife. It may
be printed; more often, it is hand written in beautiful calligraphy
and illuminated by a sofer, or scribe. Much of the traditional Aramaic
text is over 2,000 years old, and the present form was fixed in the
eighth or ninth century. The ketubah formalizes the groom's commitment
to protect and care for the bride. The ketubah has two signatures from
close friends or respected teachers as formal witnesses to his
commitment.

Traditionally, a ketubah is a legal lien on the husband's property
which he gives his wife-to-be in the case of his death or their
divorce, to ensure her maintenance and well-being. There are some
options that a woman can negotiate. In traditional Judaism, the
ketubah is signed by the man, read under the chupah, and given
immediately to the woman. The ketubah belongs to the woman.

In the liberal movements, the text of the Ketubah has been modified to
be more egalitarian, and provide equal protection for both husband and
wife. Some Ketubahs also include language to address the issue of
husbands that refuse to provide a get, or bill of divorce, when
requested by the wife.

There is another way to view the Ketubah: think of it as the first
prenuptual contract!

Here is her "almost finished" (she has to frame it) creative accomplishment to our day. I think it's beautiful!


On another note.....


Recently, Philadelphia Magazine had a tiny little mention of the fact that Elizabeth Gilbert (of Eat, Pray, Love....one of my favorite books...if you have not read it pick it up now. I've read it 3 times!! ) and her husband had opened an imports wearhouse in Frenchtown, New Jersey about 45 minutes from where I live called "Two Buttons" . I had promised my mother that we would have an outing. She wanted to go to New Hope, which is not far from Frenchtown. So off we went....so if you have read the book, Felipe, her Brazilian "boyfriend, now husband...whose real name happens to be Jose (pronounced Joe-say) was there running things. Needless to say I was thrilled. He was delightful to both my mother and myself. We were the only ones there and we spent some time looking over all of the goodies.

While I was there, "Liz" called . She had him GIVE me a set of those beads you see above that are on the cover. I also made a purchase that I love. The faces that you see below were painted by Wayan , an artist in the village where they lived in Bali. It is a box that, depending on what side you are looking at, has a different expression. He also made and painted the puppet below.

TIME FLIES

This quote was just one of the many that were written on a daily basis when I was at "the ranch" a few weeks ago, on blackboard type mosaic sculptures around the property. I just loved it. There are so many of us that just live it to the fullest. Not a second wasted. Not even in our dreams or thoughts or imaginations.

I've been feeling very strongly today that I wish I had grown up with parents that were educated. My father had only reached 6th grade and then had to go to trade school. He was born in 1902...that's what happened when the family needed money. My mother, 8th grade and then to work. She is now 93. ........yes, they were OLD when I was born.....:-). Therefore, when I was in school, I had to fend for myself in many ways and tended to not be inclined nor encouraged to study (in my early years). Anyway, I read so many of your blogs and am so in awe of how most of you compose your posts. The writing is so well thought out and inspirational in so many ways. English was a subject that was frightening to me. Words do not come easily. Blogging has become an extraordinary learning experience .


Bear with me while I figure out a more dramatic and creative approach to the written language.


Here you will find the Shechtman family. My maiden name. Helen, little Karen and Louis (or Louie, as most people called him). This photo was taken in the spring of 1955.....yikes!!! .....on a stroll down the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It was "proper" to get dressed up in those days to go strolling. Now you see just about any form of dress...mostly the kind of clothing that you see in the "don'ts" section of a fashion magazine. I was just at a beach near this spot this past holiday weekend, so I know this for a fact..........LOT'S of "don'ts".

The photo inspired me to do something creative. I decided to go the ceramic route and rolled out a slab, used slips (a type of underglaze that is matte) to paint my interpretation of the photo and added a textured clay frame and fired it in my kiln.



The following two photos I just found of my mother. My cousins got together last week because one of them is putting a family tree, of sorts, together and we were all sharing old pictures. These were new to me. My mother was not particularly interested in talking about them either. She insisted that it wasn't for Halloween. More family secrets? Oye! She is 15 in the first and the next was in 1933.

I decided to share these for the benefit of my friend Constance at Rochambeau.
See Constance, you are not the only one with a costumed family!!!



So what are you waiting for? Go grab your life by the lapels and GO!

SIEMPRE MEJOR-ALWAYS BETTER

The door to the future......glorious wellness. Siempre mejor...always better. This is the philosophy of Rancho La Puerta. What a wonderful time we had.

WARNING-this is a long post.
APOLOGY- I have to admit, I STILL have no idea how to link the people and places I mention in my posts to their sites and blogs. So if I mention you and there is no link, I'm sorry.
GOOD NEWS-this post is mostly photos. Once I start downloading photos...it' like eating potato chips....I CAN'T STOP. I could probably have a dozen posts out of this one...but here goes anyway.

Pastel drawing of door above by yours truely. Reason for drawing for those of you that don't speak spanish....Rancho La Puerta means "Ranch of the Door".


First impression....incredible natural beauty....and THE SMELL OF ALL OF THE ROSEMARY BUSHES........mmmmmmmmmm.


Cross the bridge, turn left and you will find my room.



I bow to all of the surrounding mountains, the flowers, the wonderful people that I was lucky enough to meet, the FOOD...all grown at their organic farm....and so much more....oh yes.....all of the sculpture.


Thanks to Nina at Ornamental, you get to see my feet walking the reflexology path. There is also a beautiful labryinth to walk on and meditate.



One of the many beautiful scenes we saw on our 6am 4 mile hike to the organic farm and some of the great people we met and had breakfast with. Yes, that's me in the STUPID hat(at the end of the table).


The incredible MARIA CARRASCO, one of the finest flaminco dancers in the world. She was there doing a special class and performance. I took her class. No, I will not become a flamenco dancer, but it was an eye opening experience to see the dance broken down into parts and put back together. I will never not "swish" my skirt again when I wear one!! Other classes I had the opportunity to take...Pilates, Yoga, African Dance, Broadway Dance, HOOLA HOOP!!!....seminars in everything from nutrition to writing.


Another wonderful artist, CECILIA GARCIA AMARO, there to collaborate with Maria. To combine spanish and mexican music,dance and art. She paints, she sings...and it's all amazing.



Yarn painter, TIMOTHY HINCHLIFF. The ranch is filled with his beautiful intricate yarn paintings.




The new cooking school is just about to open, LA CUCINA QUE CANTA.....oh boy....does that kitchen ever sing!!!! We were given a free cooking class and made so many delicious things. You get to see the guacamole and the chocolate cookies (healthy ones, I might add and they were dam good despite that!).


YUM!!!



The last night they have a fabulous dinner by the pool, a band and plenty more dancing.

What more can I say?

P.S. Somepinkflowers.....put this on your list!!!!!

Don't we all need a bloggers convention?

TEENAGE ANGST/ART AND A BEAUTIFUL ENDING

This could be a very long story but, truthfully I don't have the time and you probably don't have the patience to read it all. This has all has to do with teenagers. My daughter, inparticular.

The adorable little pastel sketch, done by yours truely, was done when she was three. She loved sitting still while mommy sat to draw her picture. Just giving a little background here.

In high school, let's suffice it to say, she didn't like sitting still for mommy anymore. I was constantly worried (yes, I am a "worry wort") there were some reasons to be worried....but mostly not.

One reason was how she ended up decorating her room. She is an artist. Her room became her canvas where she showed me and the world how difficult it was to be a teenager. It was dark. Black everywhere. Sad faces. Happy faces, too. All of the walls were covered with images she cut out painted and altered....yes she was altering objects LONG before many of us were.

The room sat for the last 7 years as a shrine of sorts. No one touched it. It became a dumping ground for "stuff". Well, she is 25 now. Has moved back home to attend graduate school and has decided to redecorate. Before we started to take everything apart however, we both documented each and every inch of that room, in memory of what was. Below are just a smidge of the photos we took. I don't have time this morning to really get in to showing you the whole story.






The image below is a little "shrine" I did in celebration of her growth into womanhood and to remember those days of constant worry. She and I are leaving today for a mother/daughter trip to Rancho La Puerta Spa, south of San Diego., which I miraculously WON at a charity event a few years ago. Yup, a week for two, including airfare. So off we are going together.

How beautiful an ending is that?

HOW TO HAVE FUN AT THE BEACH AND MORE FUN FACTS

The charcoal and graphite drawing above is called "Resting". Along with the photos I usually post, I always like to include at least a drawing....just to let you know that, in fact, I am an artist but, with limited time to actually create anything....so where does the "resting" come in? Well, that's what I am attempting to do now that I'm home from the beach. Odd you say? We did have fun but don't you find that you need a post vacation, vacation?


I find it so interesting the signs that are placed at the walkway to the beach. Are we here to have FUN????? What CAN I do at the beach? I've come up with a few things other than just sitting and reading (love it), swimming (love it), people watchiing (love it X2), walking.



Have your friend bring her adorable one and four year olds and watch them have a blast! Just sitting and playing with my sandy feet was fun. Plus, YOU don't have to get the sand off of anyone but yourself if you don't want to.



Explore. You never know what you'll find. Like the stem from the sandy grapes that you just ate.





Explore some more and if you look closely, you'll see that the baby clams that get caught in the tidal pools are really beautiful. Not just something to take a walk around.




Bring your daughters boyfriends dog, Samantha, aka "Poopiehead" (it's her breath ,that's all). She' the sweetest most lovable creature. Interesting fact, she's half dachshund and half labrador retreiver........YOU figure it out.




LOOK COOL!!!! Especially, if you are headed to the boardwalk at night to go on the rides and be "SEEN".



More interesting facts-

In 1935, the police in Atlantic City, New Jersey, arrested 42 men on the beach. They were cracking down on topess bathing suits worn by men.

At about 200 million years of age, the Atlantic Ocean is the yougest of the world's oceans.

Have a great day!!!!

TEXTURES AND A FOGGY MORNING BEACH WALK

"I must go down to the seas again
for the call of the running tide is a wild call
and a call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flying spray and the blown splume,
and the seagulls crying."

-John Edward Masefield

I am at the beach this week. I started freaking a bit because I didn't have the time to get a "see ya later" blog entry together. However, my daughter brought her computer and I somehow have figured out how to post here as well. It's kind of like driving another car for awhile.....it takes a few moments to figure out the different configuration of everything but, you do it AND OFF YOU GO!!

I'm in Ocean City, New Jersey. It's about an hour and forty minutes from home. Atlantic Ocean, for the geographically challenged. Someone has offered their home and we grabbed it. We usually go to other beach towns...Long Beach Island, or Longport/Margate. Being so close to so many metropolitan areas ( Philadelphia ,New York and Washington) it becomes quite crowded in the summer at the New Jersey "shore". I do love the ocean, though.

One of the best things that blogging has taught me, is to find beauty everywhere. I love seeing everyones photographs of just about ANYTHING and go "WOW". It "BLOGGLES" the mind. So here goes....with my crappy little camera. Not sure if this will be a mind "bloggling" experience for you but I had fun.









Recommended beach read this week. I'm half way through and enjoying it immensely. The descriptions of Venice are a treat. I'm .... breathing the venetian air and smelling the smells and.......

NEW "GRANDPUPPY"

"A dog owns nothing, yet is seldom dissatisfied". -Irish Proverb

"A dog is the only thing on earth, that loves you more than he loves himself".
-Josh Billings




We got our first dog, Daisy, a Golden Retriever( above with my son Daniel), when the kids were small. I thought my husband was crazy, Two small children to take care of and now we had a puppy. In the end, Daisy turned out to be a wonderful addition to our family. She lived almost 17 years, which is extraordinary for a large dog. We got Maggie, another Golden, when Daisy was about 10. Boy did we ever love those dogs!!! Maggie has been gone for about a year and a half now, and I still come home from work everyday looking for her to greet me.

Bob and I have contemplated getting another, but we are away so much , we decided it would not be fair to any of us.

"IT"S A BOY"!!!!! ...were the first words I heard this past Sunday morning when Daniel called to let us know that he and Jordana (below) finally pick up their new puppy, Dakota. We are very excited for them and can't wait to see our new "grandpuppy".




ART????
Well this week I'm busy working on my pages for the altered book round robin I'm involved in and am not able to share those images at this point. boo hoo.