Friendly

Mosaic sculpture group, Friendly House.

(SOOC, cropped and collaged in Pic Stitch.)

STAR: DDW September 27 challenge

Acknowledgement: Without Mollymay's reminder that our sun is a star, this blip would be a kookaburra.

I watched this mosaic sculpture being made last summer over a period of weeks. It was a collaboration of many hands including those of children. The sun is on the back of the family group, along with this saying: A HELPING HAND EXTENDED, A BRIGHTER PATH PRESENTED (visible here). The family grouping is appropriate for me today, since my parents were married on this day in 1935. Friendly House is a non-profit providing many services to people of all ages, including the yoga class where I first met Jennifer, whose ministry helps me keep body and soul together.

Yesterday Jennifer came to my home to give me a yoga lesson, and then I gave her an art lesson. It was great fun to turn the tables on her, to be the one who had all the expertise. Very sweet to be reminded, by sharing, just how much I've taught myself about appreciating and making art over the years. Interestingly, this very thought was repeated to me this morning at the pool by Suzanne, a poet. A book of her poems was published last year, and she has been under the wing of the Oregon poet laureate. She had been invited to a poetry workshop in Ireland recently and said it was satisfying to discover just how much she knew.

We don't often come face to face with our own expertise, we just draw on it without thinking about it; it's nice to receive a pat on the back once in a while, even if it's from ourselves.

Speaking of pats on the back, huge thanks for your generous response to my recent blips. I'm very grateful for the comments and stars and faves and views and laughter and tears and prayers.