participant....

I worked in a quiet studio to day on a small piece for a small exhibit for Marilyn Stocker and her love for the Licking County Players Theater..."Who's Been Sleeping with the Butler?" production. I had my small visitors...little ones who come in to see what I am doing? and why do I have a that funny light? and Is this a pillow? Adults often appear to be cool and slyly come to the gate opening to just gaze in casually...I assure them this is open and I am working in my studio...a relatively new concept for my community. Laughter filtered in from the central gallery and a young mother brought over five children...two were relatives visiting from New Jersey so their Dad could participate in the muzzle loading deer season. They assured me that the meat would be harvested and eaten ...this was not just for sport. The young girl with this crowd of boys was especially interested in my slow stitching...maybe if she comes back the next visit she wanted to come in and a lesson or two. The snows returned so I came home and put in comfort food...a pork tenderloin with vegetables and smooth broth to hopefully add to a soup recipe for later. Then I laid down under my quilts with my Rosie and fell asleep...the cold weather is kicking my butt these days. later we had a warm meal and contemplated what decisions to make about the washer situation...that damn laundry is breeding over night in my bedroom on the floor. We can wash the daily dishes ...Lord what did we do when WE all washed our dishes by hand? It can be a peaceful exercise when I just mindlessly gaze out my kitchen window through my familiar lace curtains and stand in awe as the quiet deer visitors walk across the top of our hillside. Gentle dance at the end of the day...I could never hunt for them because they are family to me and seem to know they are safe on our landscape even if they eat my day lilies when I forget to protect the lilies with a foul tasting potion.

I returned to my You -tube selections and realized the anniversary of the loss of an awesome man Howard Zinn is coming up soon on 1/27/11. He was a political activist / historian / fought for human rights for all and is famous for the quote.... "Democracy is not a spectator sport". Howard always seemed to be smiling and thought to be "To live now as human beings should live in defiance of all that is wrong or bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory." The Public Speak project will probably be shown on the History channel and is very inspirational collaboration with theater and artists reading the remarkable writings of our forefathers. Check this out and become aware of the importance of being a participant in your own life! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart