Home again from the most wonderful time at the last ever Artfest. For 2 nights preceeding the big event I hung with friends at a cabin overlooking Discovery Bay, next to Fort Worden State Park. The wind and rain battered the little cabin on the bluff so hard that it shook but we stayed cozy and mostly warm and kept each other company. It was the happiest and most melancholy time for me. I don't know how the others were feeling about it. No one really wanted to touch on the subject. But there it was. Change being the one thing you can count on.
I took very few photographs. The memories will be enough. Of helping Stephanie teach and experiencing her forgiveness when I blundered. Of watching the people there love and share and cherish each other. It really has been like church for me; seeing this community grow and extend an attitude of inclusion to others. It's good to feel safe with others, to feel loved and to love in return.
Now I'm home again and getting my even keel back. Going through the last week of the online class with the journalers who are terrific company and who present me with new surprises and fun every time we meet on Facebook.
It's good to have friends who are near as well as friends who live far away. Especially if you live miles from the nearest coffee shop and long for a bustling city from time to time.
I have the Dalai Lama, Anais Nin, and this charming child though to keep me company. They are as real as can be.
Frida drops in from time to time. She urges me to wear more flowers in my hair. I like how she's not afraid to wear two at once!
Recently I've been obsessed with nurse's uniforms and those white uniforms the sailors wore in the 1940's. It occurs to me that men shoot holes in each other and nurses have to sew them back up. Or at least they did in that war.
I'm in a balmy mood here. John's planting every sort of tomato, pepper and potato crop. He bought 3 new trees yesterday (weeping mulberry, pear and hachiya persimmon) and caught a squirrel in a have-a-heart trap which he delivered to a park a few miles away. This is how it goes in our neck of the woods. As soon as the rain lets up I hope my mojo will turn up again. I keep looking for it. Until then, mildew is the watchword.
Take care. xo
21 comments:
Thanks for another interesting share from your great diary. Very inspiring. ♥Janine
Why did Art Fest have to come to an end? Did the Fort decide they could no longer host it? Or was it the artist's decision who ran it? Curious.
Your journal pages always sing such sweetness. Two flowers indeed, Freda! What wonderful Chutzpah she had!
You will be able to feed the town with that abundant garden of goodness!
And imagining sitting on the deck overlooking the water makes not having a coffee shop near by okay I think.
But who would I draw?
Judy, could YOU not find a spot for Seth to have a Reading at for his book near your neck of the woods? Wish it were so. I can only imagine so many in that area who would come to listen and buy!
I had a melancholy tear reading this. Love and inclusion.
Artfest ended because Teesha wants to move ahead with other projects. That's all anyone knows; we respect Teesha's decision to do what's right for her going forward.
And we worked to get Seth to come to Portland but his scheduling didn't work out for this year. Again, trusting all is for the best. xo
Yes, it was melancholy. Like you, I took few pictures. I keep telling myself change is good. You know how that goes.
I feel so happy to have spent time with you. I cherish that memory. xoxo
MB, we kept our chins up, didn't we? You are the best roomie. I'll also cherish our time at Squam. I couldn't have done it without you, really. That was a hard year for me. xo
i feel so very blessed to know you, to love you! thank you for being in so many of my cherished memories. i look forward to collecting even more and more!
xxooxo
aka donkey
I got to meet you briefly the first night of Artfest. It was so nice to grasp hands with you and get a touch of the Judy Wise I have so long admired. I am loving your class immensely, but dare say I haven't done a single page :( The flu and artfest have kept me quite busy, but I promise to dive in this week. Big Hugs from AZ!
I am sad that our online class is drawing to an end but glad whenever you blog, I am always delighted to see more of your journal pages, especially the one from Artfest above with Misty in her tutu and dear Stephanie and you laughing in front of the school house - it's fabulous!
Oh Judy, you put feelings to words like no other. Here is to some dry weather for John and his garden!
You have a way of telling/showing your days that makes me feel like I was there...
I love how you love life, every bittersweet moment of it. Thank you for sharing your heart and thoughts so beautifully here.
Much love, Judy-Blue Eyes !
Oh Judy,
Happy for you to have shared in the magic of artfest. I'm sad it was the last one...Maybe one of these days we can invite a few ladies for a mini artfest on the Oregon coast. Something wonderful is always just around the corner. :) Hoping for sunshine soon. Sending love to you my friend.
xoJenny
It sure was good to see you at ArtFest and hope to see you soon. Con muchos abrazos, Paula
i loved artfest and meeting you. it was pure magic in so many ways. wish i would have known about your class earlier! i will know the next time and sign up! much love.
You have penned my emotions perfectly. I tried my best to slooooowwwwlllly soak in every moment so that I would have a good long aftertaste. Church indeed...where the holiest of instances happen in a hug, a laugh, a walk along side another, in making art alongside a room full of other beautiful adventurers. That line about you blundering...it's not real. You didn't. You can't. Not in my eyes.
ox
sending you lots of love from over here - I would love to share tea with you in the gypsy tent - the sun is shining and I am yearning for renewal...
xox - eb.
SOO yummy to read your good, warm, heartfelt thoughts, and also to have a new real-life Judy to hold hands with and joke around with. You are everything I expected and more.
I got to see your nurse in person, didn't I?! She gave me a big smooch and I share it with you, now.
Judy,
Just want to tell you I loved the Mixed Media Journaling Class & hate to see it end. I remember a couple of years ago I emailed you & asked "what kind of paints do you use?". lol. The depth of your work & writing is amazing. Thank you for sharing and for your inspiration. I'm so glad I took the class.
Jane
Beautifully written as always Judy!
In this world of hustle and bustle, and all the things that fill our daily lives, I so enjoy your perspective and the sense of calm and peacefulness you exude through your writings.
Thank you for that!
your blog post vanished on my way from bloglines to here... but i wanted to say i really love the journal pages...and the friends over to paint session!!!
If you get a chance listen to the Julia Sweeny TED talks. She's pretty funny.
xoxo muah!
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