Going Commando....

In the mid seventies, my best friend and I traveled through Mexico by train and hitchhiking. It was a 2 month long trip I could write a book about. Here is one story from the adventure. Carol and I did a lot of hitchhiking in those days. We followed our free hippie spirits wherever they led us. Those were different times, magical times and youth played a huge part in many choices I made. I still have that spirit inside me but nowadays I weigh things out before sticking my thumb out to follow a wild idea without proper safety gear---or attire. I learned a valuable lesson during that trip.

So with backpacks packed to max and my guitar slung over my shoulder... off we went.

My friend Steve took us to Mexicali where we needed to catch our train. We arrived early afternoon. I could smell adventure in the air, and wanted to ride it like a stallion. We parked the car and got out to explore the city on foot. Steve, who was a family friend, was nervous about our plans to travel unescorted through Mexico. Despite him wanting to handcuff us to him for safety reasons, he reluctantly followed along behind us.

People were lined up on the streets so we pushed through the crowd to see what was going on. A parade was heading our way. The circus had come to town, and they were seducing every man, woman and child to follow them to the circus tents set up in a large arena nearby. How could anyone resist an invitation as sweet as this? Loud music, clowns, acrobats, caged tigers and brightly painted elephants... sweet surrender.

It was a hot day and I was grateful I'd worn my sundress; a short, short sundress, a favorite of mine. Carol had on cutoff shorts and a halter top. We stood out in the crowd of locals, Carol being blond and Scandinavian looking, and me being tall, and wearing a dress that barely covered my tush. Steve noticed the Mexican men had no objections to overtly voicing their approval of two gringo senoritas. He almost growled at the lustful men gawking at us. Carol and I laughed off his sudden 'big brother' attitude. I think back now at how gallant, and caring he was. He was my brothers best friend, and felt responsible for us. He followed us, as we followed the circus, to the arena.

We climbed up the bleachers to get a good seat to watch the preview show of what we could expect to see inside the big tent. I'd never been to a circus before and was swept up in the excitement like dust on a Swifter pad. The men handling the wild animals and elephants noticed Carol and I in the stands. They began making eye contact, and gestures as if showing off for us. Truthfully I was more charmed by the elephants. I loved them since I first saw the Disney movie 'Dumbo'. My lifetime dream had been to ride an elephant so I was fantasizing about an elephant ride not a rendezvous with a circus worker.

When the preview show broke up the men motioned for us to come down from the stands to join them. Who can resist a man with an elephant? Not I! Down I came stepping over small children as if they were hurdles. I wanted to touch, pet, hug and look an elephant in the eye--directly. I fell into the arms opportunity with no reservations. My dream was coming true.

I suppose the circus workers knew an elephant had charms to draw women to them just as a puppy does. There was no hiding my joy and gratitude for being asked to see the elephants. I was putty in their hands. I marveled at the elephant's eyes so small yet so wise, and trunks reaching out to touch my skin and their huge feet shifting weight back and forth rhythmically, hypnotically. I was drunk on peanut breath and their giant ears that fanned my face in the sweltering heat.
A crowd had formed around us by now. One of the men invited Carol and I to take a ride on the elephants. I couldn't contain my joy. I squealed out loud like a monkey being handed a banana. The men used a stick to signal the elephants to kneel down so we could climb up. It was still a long way up even after they knelt. Carol accepted the boost up by a couple of guys and I watched as her elephant rose up graciously with her on its back.

I moved to the bent knee of my elephant, which makes a step at the elbow, to mount it just as Carol had done. The elephants handlers bent down, and cupped their hands for me to put my foot in for my boost up. I grabbed a hold of the side of the elephant's ear per their instruction when I noticed an alarming sight. Underneath the polka dots painted on the thick skin was some of the meanest, baddest, wiriest hairs I'd ever seen. They looked like porcupine quills or thick needles poking up everywhere. They felt like it, too. That's when I remembered an important item.

I was not prepared for an elephant ride that day.

Firstly the short skirt I was wearing exposed a lot of skin. Secondly, and most importantly, having a carefree spirit as I did... I went commando all the time. Yes, yes, yes, I know! What was I thinking by going without my panties wearing a short skirt???? Truth of the matter I never gave it a thought. I never once thought anyone would know I wasn't wearing underwear. My skirt covered my ass... well barely... now that I'm looking back on it with wiser eyes. (one day I'll tell you another story about wearing that same dress horseback riding.... Lord I just realized I may have been an exhibitionist. Holy CRAP!)

In my defense, where I came from was a large hippie community in Ojai, CA and none of my friends wore underwear either. Heck we hung out at the nude swimming holes, nude beaches and regularly participated in sweat lodges... sans bathing suits, too. HOWEVER... suddenly this was not so cool in another country, hundreds of miles away from the safety of my com padres back at the commune I lived in.

There was no blanket on the elephant's back. I thought of the hairs poking my... ummmm... well no need to paint you a picture at this point. I'm sure you have a visual now whether or not you wanted one. Next, I thought of the guys hoisting me up and the entire crowd of people seeing my 'woo-hoo' as I straddled the elephant. I turned a bright shade of yellow like the cowardly lion. The men saw my hesitation and started chanting in unison for me to slip my foot in their hands. It was then I also realized they must have know I had no panties on from their view of the bleachers as I sat there childlike (and probably unladylike unbeknown to me) watching the parade. Oh Lawdy... I'd only been in Mexico for an hour and I already had made some memories.

Inside I was so mad at myself for not having my cutoffs on like Carol. They were leading her around like the Queen of the jungle while my butt got a rash just thinking about rubbing against the coarse hairs I never knew elephants had before seeing one up close and personal. I didn't want my butt to know this kind of intimacy EVER and backed slowly away from the elephant, the now disappointed men, and chose to spare the small children the peep show.

The moral of the story???
If you want to ride an elephant
in the circus
you GOTZ to have your
monkey pantz on...

I now have this on my 101 list.
Ride an elephant...
with my monkey pantz on.

The End
(pun intended)

For those of you who are new to my blog or just passing through there's a definition of monkey pantz on my sidebar, and here is the link to my 101 Creative To Do list. 101 LIST

Daffodil Armor

This past week our weather turned
from perfect spring days

to what looked like winter again...
literally overnight.

I took this picture Wednesday morning.

See the snow covered daffodil?

My first few winters here in the northeast I would panic when a blast of winter arrived at my garden gate and covered my crocus, tulips, hyacinths and daffodils with a blanket of snow. I'd rush out to pick them then put them in a vase inside the warm house so I could at least enjoy the fairy-like flowers before the snowfall robbed me of their beauty. After a few winters of plucking the delicate blooms in fear of losing them I realized they were far stronger than I given them credit of being. The nearly transparent, dainty petals had an armor that was invisible to the naked eye. Underneath the seemingly fragile blossoms lived a warrior that was determined to survive no matter how harsh times got. When I gave it more thought I understood we'd have no flowers if flowers were that wimpy.

So this past week when it snowed over 4 inches and covered my daffodils, I thought of how my fears of being in a car cover me in a blanket of ice, snow and darkness. Fear covers me from seeing my future and freezes my hope of ever blooming again. This is what could happen to me if all I focus on is the snow instead of the flower underneath. I don't want that...

And then as if Glenda the Good Witch waved her magic wand on my world, the sun came out and melted the snow like it never existed.

Two days later.

The daffodil comes to life.

My desire to live,
to bloom,
to grow,
to shine,
to laugh,
to love,
to give,
to survive,
to believe,
to hope,
to know,
to be,
WHOLE....
Can melt my fears away.

My mission on Earth
is not over
It's just beginning
to sparkle
as brilliant as a snowflake
and as bright as sunshine
on a daffodil~

Woodstock Lily Meets Woody

Take a look at what I found in the woods.

Shhhhhh... we're sneaking.

Meet you there.....

I double dog dare you
Not to tap your toes to this.
A wee film from my friend
Who lives in the Scottish Highlands~

My New Keyboard Player

I can hardly wait to show off my new keyboard player to you all. I had no idea he had it in him. I knew he was clever beyond clever but this?!?! The new album is sure to be a huge success. I seem to attract just what I need at just the right time. We signed the contract last night.

I iz good....

Happy Spring!!!

Happy Spring Everyone!

I cannot wait to see what blooms
in your yard this year.
Plant seeds of joy, hope and love.
~Then watch them grow~

Mile Markers

Look. A mile marker. I am almost to my one year anniversary for my blog. I started it without knowing if anyone would even read it. I started it because I needed to heal, find something to do while I healed, and to lift my spirits. I started it to light my creative heart on fire, and actually create a list of all the things I wanted to do with my wonderful life. I understood I had been spared from dying and have been grateful beyond words to have another shot at living my dreams. But first I needed to heal, and I had no idea I would still be in the learning curve of how to get back into the game of life nearly 2 years after the auto accident.

I'm OK with that. OK with taking care of me. OK with what I've learned from the 'gift' of an unexpected life altering change wrapped in a package called... PTSD. This is a gift I'm learning from and hopefully helping others who have PTSD heal, too.

Art heals. Writing heals. Music heals. Having a good therapist (thanks Dr. Ed and Mary) helps me heal. Having supportive family & friends helps me heal. (thanks, Jake & Ash. thanks, Mommy. thanks, my dear Dylan. thanks to so many of you! I cannot list all of your names individually for fear I will omit someone special) Having a real live Superman in my life has helped me heal. Having Opie Taylor, errrr I mean Opie Wan Kenobi here at my side faithfully has helped me heal. Having met so many of you here online in the blog world has helped me heal. I started keeping track of how many people stop by about a month after I started my blog. WOW!!!

Over 20,000!!!!

And for those of you who fly by, read my blog without ever letting me know you were here. Thank you so very, very much. The numbers tell me you were here, and come back over & over to see how I'm doing. Thank you so much. I feel like you are angels popping in to bless me.

My 101 Creative To Do List is up if you'd like to see what I've accomplished this past 11 months. CLICK HERE TO SEE LIST

I'm moving into warp speed to complete a bunch more on the list before the official one year anniversary. There's a contest I promised you coming up, too. In fact several. I didn't forget the contest I mentioned when Lisa received her painting from the last contest. [insert HUGE smile here] You can read about it here. LISA's Painting

Opie has some tricks up his monkey pantz to show you, too. We are officially into the count down of the one year mile marker. Let's get this party started!

We need to let some of the party favors
outta da monkey pantz...

Eye Candy

This is what makes my heart race, pure and simple.

It's my drug of choice.

I love to see my art supplies when I walk into my studio. It's my visual eye candy. I love seeing paint on my sleeve or on the side of my hand when I'm standing in the store reaching into my purse to pay for groceries. I love peeling layers of glue, Mod Podge or some other gel medium off my fingers or palms. These are all reminders I'm living my dreams.

I love seeing my signature on a finished piece of art.

Or looking at a page in my art journal.
I carry it with me everywhere I go.

Or seeing an angels eyes looking back at me as she comes to life.

Eye candy....
This is my eye candy.
For you it may be a garden you've worked with your hands.
A tiny, soft green sprout pushing through the soil.
A masterpiece you've baked to perfection.
A smile in your child's eyes.
A droplet of sweat trickling down your face after
a bike ride or a Zumba class.
A steaming cup of hot tea shared with a best friend.
A perfectly balanced checkbook.
A clean house.
A racy sport car with the top down.
~*~*~*~*~*~
What is your eye candy?
What makes your heart skip a beat?

Embracing Today

I really do embrace every season. It seems we often spend more time waiting for or talking about the next season than really savoring the gifts of the current one. Soon it will be summer, and we'll be complaining about how hot it is... We'll be wishing for an icy, cool breeze to take us away from the sizzling, sweltering heat. We'll begin talking about how nice it will be to wear sweaters again.

How much time do we really spend here today?
Right now--in this precious moment.

Yesterday Superman took me for a winter walk. I had a doctor visit that was quite a distance away so to help me cope with the traffic [and my tired foot from helping him brake on my side of the car] he broke up the trip with a glorious reminder of the beauty in "today".

I am OK...

I can find my center and remember how to be here now.
My joy to be alive is bigger than my fear of being in a car.

And a great winter hat is always a reminder why I have every reason to smile.
Besides....
This hat goes great with a pair of monkey pantz.

Pink Lady

Here's a collage of my new art. The Pink Lady, Dragonfly Moon, and Butterfly Heart are water colors. The bottom right is colored pencil and ink.

I'm updating my 101 Creative To Do List and will have a link up for it soon.

My kid's are traveling through New Mexico right now. Emery has been a great traveling baby. Thank you all for keeping them tucked in your thoughts, and sprinkling them with prayers.