Good-bye 2008

A snowy, blustery day had me reviewing the past twelve months. It's hard to believe how different my life is now compared to this time last year when I had an intense office job with wonderful people at a beautiful location and believed it would continue to provide a secure place to grow. Well, the job was eliminated at the end of April when my boss was transferred to another city. Several were released, then the whole division of the company moved to a new location and more people were let go. Change continues to require a different kind of confidence while looking for a new position and getting smiles but no job offers yet. It's been a time of strengthening on the inside. I look forward to a new year opening new opportunities for all whose life has taken a sudden turn. Time to cook a festive dinner and finish writing in my 2008 journal. Hard to believe the year is really over. I wish you a joyful transition into a success filled 2009!

Happy Holidays!

That's my wonderful Mom who celebrated her 89th birthday on Dec. 1st! My sister's and I celebrate Christmas Eve at Mom's home (which she shares with my second sister for many years now). The sister who lives in the Catskills brought along her two little chihuahua-mix dogs. They behaved so well during this first trip away from the mountains, we took them over to my brother's apartment in Manhattan for our Christmas Day family reunion. What a treat for everyone!

That's Pepe and Alco getting acquainted with new surroundings as my sisters Anna and Elizabeth reassure them after their 3 hour drive into the big city -- a new experience for 1 1/2 year old dogs which have never been away from their mountain home.

Some of the treats we enjoyed after a scrumptious dinner: sugar glazed gingerbread heart cookies (the only store bought item), a bowl of mixed dried fruit compote (my specialty), a ginger-spice cake (which I baked for the first time from a family recipe but had to phone Mom late night to clarify some of the instructions--turned out fine after all); beautifully wrapped green tin from my sister-in-law Krysia full of home baked Polish gingerbread cookies (she and her sister and family bake over 1,000 of these each year for the holidays) and next to that is my sister's delicious Walnut Torte. No calorie counting allowed during the holidays.

We gathered round the table and said a prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings of the past year and then offered individual wishes as we broke/shared the "Oplatek" (a thin wafer blessed by a priest, usually sent to us from our family in Poland) with each person at the table. The feasting began with conversation ranging from memories of past holidays with loved ones who have passed away to catching up on current adventures, then we paused the eating to sit around the Christmas tree and sing traditional carols in Polish and our favorite American ones too. Since we all love to sing and enjoy the three part harmony we manage for most of the carols, this part always lasts a while. The little dogs cuddled in our laps and listened quietly. We opened the presents Santa managed to deliver before his midnight trip around the world and than had our coffee and wonderful deserts. Another great Christmas!

Christmas Day morning started early when the dogs had to go for a walk. We then "discovered" stockings full of goodies and opened those together. After breakfast we went to Mass at a church which had a full musical program for the occassion. We drove to the cemetary to place a wreath on my father's grave and sang a few carols for him in the freezing wind. We were so cold after singing that we walked over to our aunt's grave and said a quick prayer and told her we'd sing for her in the car on our way to Manhattan to see the rest of the family. I'm sure she understands.

We always enjoy the family gathering on Christmas Day because we don't get to see everyone very often during the year. My sister brought her new video camera, handed each person a verse of the poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and filmed us each reading our part. It was a lot of fun and we're able to view half of it on Flikr but the second half doesn't want to load. Does anyone know what may be causing the problem? She's trying to compress the file but it's still cutting out at midpoint.

My Mom and sister Hanka came to visit me in CT on Sunday. As a respite from the Christmas flavors, I prepared a curried chicken with garbanzo beans and spinach stew served over Indian basmati rice. It was a long and wonderful visit, even though we'd just spent several days together in NY.

So, all focus is now on my continued job hunt and tomorrow's New Year's festivities. After a while it all feels surreal. I wish you continued good humor as the holidays continue.

Merry Christmas!

Light and Love

A child of Light was born this day, within my heart it came;
With Love it opened my own eyes to show we are the same:
In Heart and Soul we are alike, as children made by God,
When we are willing to receive and walk in Joy, not plod
Along with heavy hearts, unable to succeed
In trusting Source and sharing all with loving word and deed.

We each are Light, that is the truth of why our Spirits shine,
And why our faces glow with Love -- we’re Sun-kissed fruit on Vine.
The Vine whose root eternally deep feeds us through our days,
And helps us blossom to bear fruit in all our myriad ways.
We then can offer ourselves, for others to receive,
Along their way on Life’s long path, Light’s nurture and reprieve.

The Vine, the Love, again, it’s One -- the all-embracing Wonder
That changes form in constant dance whose steps can seem to thunder
Across the hiding, wounded place that shirks within our mind;
It shakes up old, constricting thoughts that only hurt and bind.
This shaking Thunder, radiant Light, releases us to learn,
And we, Life’s blooms, rise toward the Sun, ’til we by grace discern:

There is One Source, there is One Light; there’s only One--that’s Love.
It’s only on the stage called ‘earth’ Light seems to shine above,
But truly it is all around, above, below, within,
It has no limit, time or place, for Light and Love are kin.

Rejoice together, babes of Light, with Joy extend your hand,
The dawning day supports us Now, let’s walk renewed, let’s stand
In parts that we have come to play, appearing in Earth’s show
As Light’s fruit bearing seeds of Love to plant where’er we go.

We are all living Light, All One, there really is no other.
A dazzling Truth of boundless Joy:
Father is Light -- Love is Mother.

Olenka / Alexandra K Philippas
(C) December 22, 2008


Hoping you're having a wonderful holiday!

"AOK" Mosiac

"AOK" Mosaic 11 3/4" x 7 7/8"

(C) AK Philippas

stained glass & grout on wood panel

I mentioned in my last post that I finished a new mosaic. It was started quite a while ago and went through many variations, moving from one surface in the studio to another until it became clear that it's time to Just Do It. It started out as doodling with my name initials.

You can see above the progression from one to two colors below. In the current version, the tessare were moved to a horizontal format in the K.

Next, a sample tile was prepared using the glass colors of this mosaic with four different grout colors to see which would work best. The wrong grout can ruin a piece -always do a sample first!

Above you see the test tile being masked off into sections as each grout color is applied. Below, the final tile showing grout top L-R: in light blue, light green, then terra-cotta and creme.

Deciding the green would both tie the colors together and yet provide an accent, the grouting began...

Since these photo's were first sent to Flikr, I included one of myself "hard at work" for the family to see. It was late at night and I was glad to have finally finished this long overdue mosaic.

There is another one still waiting on the table...

May we all find the courage today to finally complete at least one of the projects that call us from wherever we hide unfinished projects!

Gratitude

While preparing to visit with family this week, I'm reminded of all the goodness in my life for which I am deeply grateful. Yes, I'm in the middle of a job search but I am willing and able to work. Yes, my apartment could use sprucing up here and there, but I have a cozy place to call home. Yes, I don't get to see my family very often because of distances to travel, but we talk over the phone, email and have a grand time when we do finally meet. I'm grateful for the joy of creating -- finished a new little mosaic this week! I'm grateful for the pleasure of photography, accented this week by evenings spent scanning old film negatives retrieved from my boxes in the basement. I'm grateful for the joy of song, as I began learning how to use my Mac to record melodies. I am grateful for old friends -- like the one who phoned this week from Poland after 23 years! We laughed together that at least our voices hadn't changed. I am grateful for the beauty of Nature right outside my door. I am grateful for my friends, old and new. For so much more to discover, so much to share, I am grateful.

Wishing you a warm, loving, joy filled Thanksgiving holiday!

Autumn Walk

These photos were taken on Tuesday Nov. 4th after voting in the presidential election. The sky cleared and then clouded a few times reflecting the many emotions stirred by the historic event taking place.

This is just one of a flock of seagulls that suddenly started flying and swooping up the small biscuits someone had tossed onto the marina path for them. Watching birds in flight always lifts my spirit.

A gentle landing while joining a friend..

During low tide this little peninsula is exposed and you can walk along a rocky ridge to what's usually a tiny island at the end of which you only see the rock and some of the grasses around it at high tide. It's a very peaceful place to visit.

It's always interesting to see who else ventured out for a closer look at the water. This morning there was a young fisherman.

Coming off the rocky path you proceed through sea grasses/reeds and a spongy earth that can be slippery. It's wonderful to watch the grasses change color and then disappear each season, only to renew their cycle once more.

From the infamous rock, looking back to the island cove.

Walking back, this tree was on fire with Autumn light. Today all the leaves are gone after the windy and rainy day that followed. Sigh.

Colorful memories carry us through the gray unknown of endings.
Wishing you a day to remember!

God Bless America!

I feel compelled to write: it was such an honor to vote yesterday; to participate in this vital ,uplifting shift in the history of our wonderful country, to which I came when I was six years old. I wish my father was still alive so we could have shared this life changing event.
I am filled with joy.
We did it. Together.
With all my heart, I am grateful.

Oprah.com #2 w/ Eckhart Tolle Tonight

That's the view from my office window. I love the daily changing panorama; it reminds me of this world's transitory nature.

Because I deeply appreciate the generous venture, I want to speak up in support of Oprah's special event. If you haven't heard, she is conducting a webcast with Eckhart Tolle, the author of "A New Earth", during which they discuss a selected chapter for an hour and a half and participants can email/phone in their questions. There were 500,000 of us who signed into "class" last week and even though there were a few technical glitches, it was worth it.

The book is a gift in itself. To have 10 weeks during which to delve deeper into it's topics is a blessing. Thank you, Oprah and Eckhart for your open hearts and for opening this avenue toward inner transformation to so many!

So, even if you haven't read the book yet, come on over to the classroom tonight at 9:00 pm EDT.
http://www.oprah.com/obc_classic/webevent_registration.html

Very exciting...

Alive and Well

I love the profusion of color on choleus leaves. Just more proof of how much fun God had with the crayons and paints while creating this world.

3 types of Hosta, 2 Choleus, Fern from the banks of the stream behind my sister's house in the Catskills, Choral Bells -- all blooming in pots along the driveway out front.

A little pot of miniature roses pickup up while grocery shopping one day has grown into a wonderful flowering rose bush in a pot outside the front door. The roses are orange as buds, deep coral-pink as they open and then turn paler with dark edges, until they fade as pale pink petals falling softly into their next life.

That's a partial view of the flowers growing on my little deck, outside the kitchen glass sliding door. They are so colorful and a joy to look. I've cut back the cleomes so that each stalk is now growing at least two more blooms.

The lower geranium is sharing the pot with an orange poppy which is still offering blooms one at a time -- one grows, fades and the next bud opens. I'm so pleased I don't let anyone mention around her that the poppy season is over. The upper pot has petunias, yellow marigolds, thyme, a petite petunia and rosemary.



This little fellow, below, was sitting so quietly on the bonsai maple leaf that I almost didn't notice him. A week later, again while watering the flowers, I felt a strange, light gripping sensation on my hand and looked down jsut in time to see the pale green grasshopper -- this time much bigger, before he hopped to another leaf. So beautiful!

Hope your Summer is flourishing too!

Merry Christmas!

"Stillness Flows" (c) 2005 AK Philippas

Before I start my travels to join my family in celebration of Christmas, wanted to wish everyone who stops by a joyful holiday season and many blessings in the New Year!

Happy Holidays

Having trouble uploading photos again, so I'll simply write an update & add them later: It feels wonderful to be home. I stayed late at the office yesterday to finish preparing 8 expense reports to submit before the end-of-year deadline. That was the last task on my To Do list and when the final PDF file was emailed to our Finance office, a wonderful feeling of exhiliration came over me. I'm on vacation! YES. It's been several years since the luxury of paid time-off was available to me and I'm very grateful for it.

So what did I do first? Came home, prepared a quick dinner of portabello mushroom ravioli with brussel sprouts sauted in butter with a bit of chopped ham & red onions, sprinkled with fresh Parmesan--a very tasty combinaton and then wrote all my Christmas cards. At11pm, drove to the post office to mail them, so they'd go out early morning. Unfortunately, chose the nearer PO and they don't pick up until noon. Oh well, at least their on their way.

This morning I slept in until 8:30am. Felt great. My 7am physical therapy appointment got canceled yesterday by the therapist so I didn't have to rush off to the Health Center, though I did want to keep the treatment momentum going. After breakfast decided to finish painting the mirror frame which has been on the kitchen table for 2 weeks now (with a first coat of sheer gold acrylic). I added a sponged copper and then scrub-brushed more old-gold color. Looks so much better than the harsh black which didn't look well on the wall in the living room. After a few hours of drying, I'll add a cover coat of clear acrylic to finish the project.

While the brush was wet, looked around and remembered the small, square, black wood frame in the studio, which I thought was also too harsh for the little photo inside it, so I got that down and brushed some gold acrylic over the black. Might change the picture inside, but the frame definitely feels better.

So, today is a day of preparations for Christmas. Gifts are already wrapped and waiting in their travel bag. Main tasks are house cleaning and a few items to buy for my sisters' and Mom's Christmas day stockings (a new tradition for us). When I stayed over last year after our Christmas Eve celebration, my sister hung up one of her socks for me, next to their official stockings. It looked "modest in size" but turned out to be quite stretchable and filled out nicely after Santa stopped by during the night. Lots of fun!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Soaring Together

When driving to work in the morning, my route goes through a lovely park which borders the Long Island Sound. Often there is enough time to park by the walkway and look out onto the water for a short meditation before starting a day at the office. Today there was a bonus, even though there was only time to drive slowly through and observe the silvery water with its soft gray/pink horizon, 2 joggers embracing the cold and a few, scattered geese heading toward the islands. I was humming various holiday songs to myself, feeling very grateful & glad to have seen the geese, because watching birds flying always inspires me. As I turned toward the last bend in the road, I heard a honk and looked up to the left, gasping at the sight of about 50 Canadian geese flying in a perfect V formation! Where were they a minute ago?! My heart soared out to greet them & their powerful, harmonic movement across the sky. BEAUTIFUL! I cheered, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!". As the holiday preparations gather intensity & stress begins to mount, I wish you quiet pauses to notice the beauty that still surrounds us.

One

A snowflake is one of the most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together!
-- Unknown


That came in my 'As A Man Thinketh' daily email. Another reminder that it's what you do with what you have that really matters.

Trust Courage

Whatever path you take in life

There will be joy amidst the strife.

Rememer always "Love is All"

And in your heart hear angels call:

You're held and watched

With Loving Care,

So trust your heart,

Get out there -- dare!

To live the fullest you know how

And let your mind

Rest in the Now.

- Alexandra K Philippas

(c) 2006

"Evolution" Art Exhibit - Review

“Evolution” is the name of the colorful current exhibit at the Greenville Library, showing paintings by Preston Hollow artists Elizabeth Hirsch and Anna Kostro. Sunday afternoon, Sept. 10, the doors opened to the official opening during which visitors from NYC, Connecticut, Washington, DC, New Jersey and the local area enthusiastically viewed the wide variety of works displayed. The two sisters’ paintings express their walk through life in many styles, providing interest for the viewer and a fascinating glimpse into their artistic ‘evolution’ as it has progressed through landscapes, portraits, still life and fantasy using oils, acrylics, watercolor, pastels and collage. The joy they experience in sharing their talents was felt by everyone who attended. I look forward to seeing more exhibits as their artistic journey continues. Since the show is up through the month of September, a visit to the Greenville Library gallery space is highly recommended.

***************************************************************************
My sisters put together a wonderful art exhibit--20 paintings each--of new and previously finished works. Above is the review I emailed to four local newspapers (Greenville, NY). Since I gave the memory card with all photos taken at the show to my sister, so she could print them out first, there are no pictures to post yet...sigh. It really was a wonderful event and I'm very proud of my sisters for accomplishing the goal they set last year. Bravo! Let's start planning the next one!

Finally! Kayla Quilt photo

"Kayla"

16" x 16" (21" x 16" w/ trim) fused cotton & silk, machine quilted

photo transfer on cotton, wood & glass beads, brass charms, sequins, rayon thread, silk ribbon

Didn't do anything differently today, just opened a new post and uploaded the same two pictures I tried to show this weekend, except this time they appeared. Fine. I think you'll agree the little wooden beads give the stark graphic design a bit of playfulness. Glad it all ended well.

I'm home with a sore throat and achey body today. Need to go to the doctor this afternoon for some meds. It makes me feel sick just thinking of the emails piling up at the office computer, but tomorrow is another day, so no need to worry ahead. It's a gray, rainy day here on the coast (I call them 'watercolor' days because of the soft, washed edges) which adds to the feeling of just wanting to curl up in bed and sleep. Good idea...talk to you later!

"Kayla" Quilt - Final Version

The quilt I made for my friend Sheena managed to return to me after I gave it to her as a gift when leaving my last job in December '05 because she wanted me to figure out how to hang it. Originally it was to be framed, but when we went together to a frame shop the man came up with a combination of matts and frames that ended up with a $350 price tag. No thank you...but a simple sleeve on the back didn't seem right and she wasn't too keen on putting it onto a plexiglass backing, but didn't really tell me what the budget parameters were, nor any preferences of what style would coordinate with her home (the piece was originally envisioned hanging in her office at the workplace). Too many possibilities, not enough information to make easy choices and there was too much going on with looking for a new job to deal with this unexpected puzzle.

While in itself it was an intersting design challenge, it was also frustrating because I did not want to undo any of the work on the finished piece and disliked the idea of attaching something else to it on the outside (back) of all the finished edges. I purchased two different styles of ribbon and another time some strips of beading that reminded me of children's wooden blocks and seemed like a playful addition, but again wondered how to attach it and hide it without doing a lot of extra work.

In the end, I sewed the beads onto the bottom and the ribbon loops on top, with a clean stitch edging, found a wooden bar at home to give her as a starting point so she can see how it would look hanging that way and took her out to lunch on Tuesday to give her the adjusted gift. These additions were conceived to open up the design if it was to hang on the wall by itself and to add some length to the original square format, so a standard size rectangular frame could be used if she decided to frame it after all. What a relief! She loves it! I'm glad she's happy and very glad to have that weight of expectation off my shoulders. Here's the finished quilt of little "Kayla"

Sorry. 4 attempts and Blogger still doesn't capture the photo's. Will try again a bit later.

Dove Delight

I came home from work earlier this week and found three little visitors on the deck outside my kitchen. I got the camera and took some photo's through the glass sliding doors, moving very slowly so they wouldn't be startled and fly away. On the contrary, feeling very safe and cozy these little birds sat around for a few hours!

That's my bonsai maple in the planter--it is six years old and came home with me as a 8 inch seedling, retrieved from my sister's forest. It's a joy to watch it grow and change colors with the seasons. Local sparrows particularly enjoy sitting on the little branches, using the leaves like umbrellas to rest from the bright sun. I can eat breakfast while watching them hop on, change branches and fly away, all the while chirping with delight. One of life's daily pleasures...

Tiny Potted Garden

Coral bells that remind me to peal with laughter and joy at the constantly renewing cycles of life. Hosta to remember that even the shady patches are full of beauty & potential. And the fern, which I plucked as a couple of fronds from the stream bank behind my sister's house years ago, has held for me the image of the entire forest scene, where others see just a plant. I keep these containers at the driveway entrance of the apartment to liven up the asphalt stretch.

Worked all day in the studio yesterday, with only a couple of breaks. One table is totally clear. The desk has only a few remaining papers to file. The drawing table now has only a few stacks of files to review. Sounds like a lot left, but there was so much more. Felt great to break through the inertia, that feeling of it being too overwhelming to even begin. Today is Sunday, a day of rest. I will re-energize beside my girlfriends woodland pool and work again tomorrow. Have a wonderful day!

Clean-Up... Again

An essential element for creativityfor me is a clean, organized working space. Right now, my studio is not that. It is the graveyard of withered ambitions, forgotten intentions, aborted efforts and a holding area for the many ideas still clinging to life, waiting for the chance to take form. It is dusty from lack of use, but filled with the energy of potential ready to be stirred into action. Yes!

I woke up this morning at 5:00 a.m. and decided not to turn over this time, to get out of bed right away and go excavate the studio, face the piles and half-finished artworks and clean it up. It's time to make a decision. Use it, file it, give it away or toss it. Everything must have an active purpose for being in that room. I'm pruning the tree of my life. I'm weeding the garden of my dreams. I'm tilling the soil of my future. I'd better get back to work!

"Every moment is an opportunity for another choice." Elias
What will you choose today?