Suburban Sanctuary: It is what you make it

So much can be said for those islands of refuge known as inner city gardens. One of the most appealing I have ever seen is le Jardin des Plantes in Paris. It has an almost pre-historic feeling to it and the garden gives a sense of peace and tranquility within its tree and plant lined walkways. Very far away from Paris, I have recently moved to a suburban neighborhood. While being someone who appreciates antiquity and organicity I find my new ‘hood clipped, efficient but overall visually pleasing. I have discovered my own suburban retreat about midway around the block. While it does not begin to approach the scale and depth of Paris gardens, it does offer a breather from the sidewalks and houses all around. I even look forward to stepping into the shady path, taking a breath and feeling closed over as I drop into the woods for what is literally five minutes of walking pleasure.

Where is your mini-retreat from the urban/suburban scenery?

Go to www.aviewoncities.com/paris to see Jardin des Plantes

Butterfly Limoges: A lifetime object

Now I use my lovely Crummels butterfly Limoges as a pill and vitamin carrier when needed. But when I was a child I used the tiny vessel to safely house the British pounds and other coins my father brought me from his travels. I remember taking it out of my sock drawer every so often and carefully opening the top to reveal the money. I can recall a fascination with the places the money and Limoges represented and more personally, I imagined my father and what he was doing in those places. Some things never change. I am still fascinated with objects from other countries and I am still wondering what my father was doing.

What object have you had for many years and how has its function changed in your life? Why do you still have it?

Feeding the Appetite

I think by now we all get how important it is to eat a balanced and nutritious diet. There are tons of books on the subject and an enormous array of cooking shows on TV. Have you noticed how absolutely gorgeous the dishes are in the photos and at the end of the shows? The food designers set the visual scene for the reader or audience by selecting the right shape, texture and color of serving dish and placing it on the just perfect table top adorned with a glass of wine or some other appealing item. A simple heirloom tomato sliced neatly on a beautifully glazed pottery square and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil is enough to inspire poetry.

In the same vein, think about offering yourself and your family this layer of richness. Collect visually pleasing serving dishes and eat-ware. This type of collection can begin at Goodwill and end at Prada. Anyone can take part in feasting to the fullest and creating an atmosphere of plenty which goes a long way toward creating satiation so necessary in a healthy diet.

Livin' in the Skin

A very good friend of mine lifted the phrase ‘livin’ in the skin’ from a former acquaintance of ours many years ago. Over the years she would toss this phrase out after explaining some complex living circumstance that befell someone she knew. Eventually I picked up the colorful expression.

‘Livin’ in the skin’ suggests some acceptance that what we go through in life is simply a part of bringing more soul into the body in our lifetime. It gives a solemn and artful nod to that which occurs that we at once withstand and which expands us all in the same moment.

A Contemporary Painting Tale

Cundy’s Painting

The painting of Cundy by American sculptor and painter Stan Mullins is one of my most beloved objects. The funny thing about this painting is that I am the self-appointed steward of the painting. My desire is to give it to one of Cundy’s children when they are of age and would like to have it. The painting itself is not for the feint of heart. It is a somewhat distorted and harsh portrait of a woman, who in real life is tender and soft prone only, when called for, to a sharp angle or two. I have moved it from place to place giving it prominence in many small spaces in which it tended to suck up a lot of air. Guests not used to this type of display often remarked some more kindly than others.

I love it because it reminds me of my young adult years in Georgia. It also reminds me of that aspect of my own beauty that is less than sunny. It is as if I live comfortably with an uncomfortable image in order to demonstrate my own acceptance for myself. The painting also comes with a fantastic story of ‘boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy and girl marry others and then finally, divorces all around, boy and girl marry each other’ coupled with ‘the painting that would not stay away’. That’s right. The painting made the circuit until it landed in my safe hands. Ahhh, I love art.
To see more of Stan Mullins' work go to www.stanmullins.com

Evocative Objects

"We think with the objects we love; we love the objects we think with" says Sherry Turkle, author of Evocative Objects. She writes about the way in which objects inform our daily lives in this series of essays written by scientists, humanists, artists, and designers. "These essays reveal objects as emotional and intellectual companions that anchor memory, sustain relationships, and provoke new ideas." The book, published August 2007 by MITpress was written by Turkle who is Abby Rockefeller Mauze Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT and Founder and Director of the MIT initiative on Technology and Self. A release from the MIT Press says that she "pairs each autobiographical essay with a text from philosophy, history, literature or theory, creating juxtaposition as once playful and profound."

Check out this blog for more info on the book and other topics, http://www.newscientist.com/blog/shortsharpscience/2007/05/evocative-objects.html

Congestion Reflection

Congestion Reflection

Don’t let stuff pile up. Don’t do it. Keeping the corners, attics, closets and under-bed areas free of unattended stuff is a key to keeping the flow of life energy moving through your home successfully. The home is a literal reflection of the human psyche. Wellbeing requires the same type of diligence in the emotional and psychological realm. From your home’s perspective, know what you have and why you have it in a general sense. If you identify an area of unkempt flotsam, spend a little time thinking about it and then take action to make an improvement. Pay attention, it is very likely that the action you take will bring to consciousness some aspect of yourself that has been somewhat congested and needing the light of day to improve.