Pavo Art

This is Il Paveno (The Peacock).

Pavo graces us with his magnificent presence here on our Path. He enjoys lounging right outside my back door, near to the house for extra attention. He gets it any time he wants.

He loves to come to our door and open up that spectacular plumage and do this little twirly dance. He does it so I'll go out there and just BE with him. He is quite the entertainer.

{I tried to load one of those videos....to no avail. Still got some learnin' to do!}

His gifts are plentiful. Each year, at the end of mating season, he drops all those gorgeous feathers for me (and others) to find strewn all 'round the property. It usually happens near Summer's end. For me, it's like Christmas in August. I never tire of finding them. I still clap my hands and do my Happy Dance.

And thank him profusely.

You could say that I'm his biggest fan.

In addition to his beauty, he also serves as Protector to me and Sophie. He sleeps on our roof and will scream bloody murder should he hear something that's "not right". Each evening, before I turn in, I walk outside to wish him Good Night and thank him for his service.

Every single night.

For the past seven years.

Yes. I'm serious.

Peacocks are as noisy as they are beautiful. But ONLY during mating season. For about six months, the racket is loud enough to be heard from miles away. NOT exaggerating here. I'm sure it's so that all the Peahens can hear him. Alas, none has come to answer his calls. Poor guy. As for me...well, I love the "noise". Even at three in the morning. It wakes me up...and then the giggles ensue. It just tickles me.

What can I say? I AM his biggest fan.

Along with the beauty and the noise, Peacocks can also be quite messy. If you walk 'round here barefoot you're bound to wind up with Peacock Poop on yer feet. Sophie LOVES to roll in it. NOT something that amuses me. It stinks (and so does she) to the high heavens; if she comes in with it on her she is IMMEDIATELY dragged to the sink where she is rinsed off in cold water. It's my passive/aggressive way of scolding her. She is well aware that I hate it when she does it, but she does it anyway.

Stubborn little Scamp!

And then there's the Peacock Pee. It shows up as white blotches on the pavers or the deck. It's not as stinky as the Poop, but messy all the same. You can see the mess it makes on the roof tiles (in the photo above). And when it cakes up enough, it falls off the roof onto the deck where Sophie will snatch it up like some yummy little Peacock Pee Snack. Disgusting! I usually take a broom to the deck to thwart her snacking but sometimes she's too quick for me.

Anywayzzzz...

Yesterday afternoon, on a mission to clean up some of the mess, I opened the front door to find this:

(don't confuse the dark shade spots with the white pee splotches)

I stood there for a moment, staring at it and wondering why it bugs me so much. I mean...it's NOT Poop. It doesn't stink. So what if it's a big splotch on the brick?

And then it hit me.

PEACOCK ART!!! 

He's a Master of all things beautiful, isn't he? Why shouldn't his droppings be artful too?

I grabbed my box of sidewalk chalk and went to work. I giggled my ass off the whole time. I kept thinking about how there are SOOOOO many people who pay ridiculous amounts of money for "art" that I see as NOT art. I marvel at what some folks see. I wonder why they spend their money on "art" that often looks like a two-year-old made it. It's such a mystery to me. I thought all these things as I played with the shapes of his droppings. And then...I stepped back to look at his "work".

If there's anything to be had here it is that even Peacock Pee can turn into JOY. 

Because...

it's ALWAYS a CHOICE.

A Rare Sighting!

The rare and magickal Sweet Potato Piecock!

One must be ever vigilant if one wishes to catch a glimpse of this beautiful creature. And if one does, one can count themselves blessed! Also, said blessed "one" can count on a host of other magickal things happening in the days to come.

Keep your heart AND your eyes open.

Magick ABOUNDS!

Don't Ask, Don't Get

My daddy used to say this all the time. Mostly when I'd be all pouty about something my mom had said no to. Like the time I wanted a new Sting Ray for my birthday. Mom told me no. Said I already had a bike. I argued. She resisted. Hence, the pout. So daddy asks me what's going on. I won't tell him. He says, "If you don't ask for what you want, you'll never get it."

That's just one example of the many times he said those words. It stuck in my brain....for all these years.

After I moved away from home, and began navigating my way through the "real world", I relied on this little nugget. A LOT. If there was something, anything, I wanted and couldn't get on my own, I'd just ask. Whomever was in a position to make it happen. I'd simply ask. And you know what? More often than not, I got what I asked for.

Like this one time....

My husband and I belonged to a bowling league. (don't roll your eyes at me!). There was a woman there who was quite the snappy dresser. One of those gals who spent her husband's money on clothes and shoes and loads of jewelry. Most of the other women in the league disliked this little woman. I thought she was a HOOT. She made me laugh. And she was always very sweet to me. One night, as everyone was arriving for play, she walked into the bowling alley wearing this SUPER cool mesh shirt over a shimmery bodysuit. The shirt was the color of a sunflower. The bodysuit was black. She had on black jeans and these strappy high-heeled sandals. She looked aDORable! When she came over to say hello, I gushed over the outfit, specifically the shirt. Then I said, "I think you should give it to me!" And that adorable woman took that shirt off, right there on the spot, and gave it to me! I thought she was joking, so I handed it back. She said, "NO! You'd look great in it. I'll buy another one. Take it. Go on. Take it." I did.

(For the record, I still have that shirt. And I still wear it. No kidding. Makes me smile every time I put it on.)

Anyway, the point is this:

If you don't ask, you won't get.

Sometimes it's simply a matter of putting it "out there" for the Universe to hear. A vibrational invitation, if you will.

"OHHHHH! I'd really like to have one of those!"

Arms open, raised to the sky. Eyes closed. Smiling mugg. Trusting the Universe to deliver.

Other times....you just have to ask...anybody who'll listen. Pride aside. Just ASK.

So....here it is:

Christmas will be here in a snap. Shop early. Beat the rush. This wrap has my name all over it!


                               
{if you click the pic, you'll be taken to the NatGeo site, where it is available to purchase. and...if you need my address, you can contact me HERE. See how easy it is?}

P.S. I DID get that snazzy StingRay bike. For Christmas. That same year! Thank you, daddy!)

A Peeping Moon and Euphonious Frogs

That crazy moon is peeking through the trees right outside my window. The frogs that sing in the man-made pond behind my house are singing euphoniously. Until someone walks by. Then, instantly and all together, they stop. They are so loud that when they stop it sounds like that deathly still you only see in the movies. Very dramatic. I love that about them. Best watch-frogs ever.

{Aside #1: the previous paragraph is presented for your visual/audio enjoyment. Also to set the tone for the space in which I am writing. In short: it matters.}

A couple of weeks ago I had the great privilege of joining the marvelous Robin Rice for a little New Year's Day workshop. The purpose of this workshop was to help clarify our intentions for the New Year. One of the seeds she offered was to make clear our intention(s) and then watch for "signs" of the Universe's support. This resonated very deeply with me. Not sure why, but I've learned that knowing why is not nearly as important as that feeling of resonance. Anyway, I jotted this down and then proceeded to build on all the other wonderful seeds she offered us. 

{Aside #2: if you'd like to read more about all that, you can go HERE.}

As you can see (by that post), I called my list "Acts of Beauty and Balance". To date, I have managed to maintain steady, meaningful attention to that list. Among the things I listed was to really pay attention to what the Universe was offering. Really, REALLY pay attention. And while I have done this quite regularly over the past several years, I have not always been as acutely aware of those messages as I am right now. Whether or not it is because of my devotion or simply a matter of having honed that particular skill is neither known nor relevant. The point is that the Universe does, indeed, offer up all kinds of fun (and often eerie) signs of our team work if one is paying close attention. And there are few things that get me as excited as when those signs show up. Here's what I mean:

Yesterday I got the idea that it might be fun to have my hair colored like a peacock's feathers. As you may know (if you DO read this blog with any regularity), there is a peacock that I have named Pavo (short for "il paveno", which is the Italian word for "peacock") that lives here on the property. Each year as he molts, his feathers are scattered all around my little home. Needless to say, I have quite a collection of feathers. And the colors never cease to amaze. So...I was thinking that it would be fun to do this and spent a little time perusing the internet for photos to send to my stylist. I got pretty darned excited about the whole idea, thinking "with all this white, those colors are going to be BRILLIANT!" 

{see what I mean about "white"?}...

{now...imagine these colors, sans the crazy lashes, on that white hair.}

{Fun, yes?!}

A short while later I walked into Trader Joe's for some supplies. The very first person I saw was an employee with a Peacock Doo! I kid you not, I nearly fell over! I was so shocked I just stood and stared at her. The stare must have been pretty intense because she turned and asked, "Are you okay? Is there anything I can help you with?" I shared my idea and how I'd spent time searching for photos just an hour earlier. She replied, "Don't you just LOVE when the Universe supports you?"

Okay. Honest-to-PETE! I am not making this up! It really happened. Just like that. She used those words. Exactly. Made me want to weep with Joy. I didn't weep. But I did ask if I could give her a hug. And then did. It just made my whole flippin' day. 

So why all this fuss over a woman with Peacock colored hair? Back to the top. I was watching for signs. I had invested a great deal of energy into this sillyfun idea. And the Universe apparently saw fit to show me that it is, in fact, paying attention too. 

How can that NOT be enough to make a person weep with Joy?!

Hidden Gifts ~

It's such a surprise to realize just how much my Life has changed since we moved to our splendid new home. I am actually participating in my Life. Moving about, walking thrice daily, tending to the gardens. Watching the corn and tomatoes and blackberries grow, I realize too just how much more I am being nourished. The sounds and sights and smells of this place all fill me up, as much as the food that graces my plate, fresh from the garden. It is as if I have begun anew. And so I have.

Pavo, the spectacular peacock that lives on the property, has become accustomed to us now. Every morning he comes down from his perch high atop the tree outside my door, and does his funny little twirly dance; 'round and 'round he spins, shaking his feathers and singing his song. He has even stopped charging Bruzer, who seems completely unfazed by Pavo's antics. Such a magical exchange to watch. It is as if they have both decided that there is no reason whatsoever for any sort of discord. Let's just all BE, shall we?

And then there are the other creatures. The llamas and hawks and coyotes, the rabbits and quail and the puppies next door. So many creatures with so many gifts. Yes, even the coyotes have value in my world. Because if not for coyotes, there would be no crop. The coyotes keep the rabbit population in check. Of course, they also wreak havoc on cats and small dogs. But you know, they were here first. We have taken over so much of their space. What other choice do they have? But I digress.....

It would be ridiculous to stay indoors with all this going on outside. Corn is growing alongside tomatoes and squash. Roses and berries and grapes galore. Wind chimes in every direction, all with their own distinct music. Waterfalls and brilliant orioles, palm fronds rustling and swaying in the breeze that seems ever-present, up here on this mountain. How, then, could I sit indoors? Why would I forgo this magic?

With all of it comes yet another gift. That of a peace I have never known before. A kind of serenity that I'd only ever read about. A sweet and gentle calm; all so new to me. All so very welcome. I have found a place to call Home, surrounded by Beings who call me friend. I am, for the first time in decades, Home again.