Luz

Lightning Strikes Twice – Day 369

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Lightning Strikes Twice

It’s the mountain.

There’s something in the water.

It’s the Nature Beings who inhabit this place.

Miraculous

Whatever it is, it’s miraculous.

I’m back in the wilds of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, at Amadell, and magic is unquestionably afoot. Remember my first astonishing attempt at painting back in August?

How else to explain the astonishing transformation of a blank canvas to this:

Step 1 – Photo: L. Weikel

To this:

Step 2 – Photo: L. Weikel

To this:

Step 3 – Photo: L. Weikel

To this:

Step 4 – Photo: L. Weikel

To this:

Step 5 – Photo: L. Weikel

To this:

Step 6 – Photo: L. Weikel

To the final product, which you see as the main photo of this post, all in the span of about 4.5 hours?

It’s the Teacher

I’m convinced I could not create in this manner if I were not here where I am and if I didn’t have my friend Luz standing beside me, painting, cajoling, giving me hints, and encouraging me every step of the way.

If you want to feel a startling sense of accomplishment and take a blasting cap to your creativity, come to Amadell and book yourself some Luz time.

You will be a-m-a-z-e-d.

(T-742)

Phoning It In – Day 278

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Looks Like Art – but is real; Photo – L. Weikel

Phoning It In

Well, no. That’s not actually true.

I’m not phoning this in. It’s actually ridiculously early in the morning (4:10 a.m. or thereabouts) (shhhh – don’t tell Karl!) and I’m only just now getting to bed. But I am not phoning it in. Nope. I’m sitting here perched on the covers of my bed writing this and will not allow myself to fall asleep until I post something.

As it happens, I think I’ve been riding a creative high and we got carried away, watching a movie and then even some comedy by Robin Williams. (Damn, he was hilarious. The world really is a darker place without his light.)

I was already running a day late – meaning even though I’ve posted every night (on FB), I was hitting <<publish>> right around 1:00 a.m. and the post wasn’t going out via the email subscription until the next night. So some of you have been able to keep up by reading me on FB and others of you have simply been receiving posts a day late.

That trend is obviously continuing tonight. Or I should say this early, early morning.

Late For a Good Reason

My friend Luz has been cajoling me for days to indulge my inner artist and join her in painting in her garage here at Amadell. Mind you – I do not paint. I do not draw. I’ve harbored fantasies of playing with color, but I’ve always known my focus was best placed on the written word if I were to indulge my creativity.

I have to admit, her enthusiasm is nearly impossible to resist. And how could I deny her this one single thingshe was begging me to do? I couldn’t.

It also felt like a greater test: I ask her to trust me all the time when it comes to listening and journeying and all sorts of metaphysical pursuits. The least I could do is trust her and her undeniable insistence that she could show me how to create a painting I’d love.

Never a Better Teacher

First and foremost, Luz is an incredible artist. Her paintings, which hang on most of the walls throughout the buildings of Amadell, are captivating and heartwarming.

And wow. Let me tell you: this woman can teach. My goodness. I’m simply astonished, not only by the fun I had but even more so by the actual results I achieved. I couldn’t be more delighted or astounded.

Luz: I’m a believer. And I’m completely smitten by the fun we had tonight.

Thank you!

P.S.: I was planning on posting photos of the two – TWO! –  paintings I created this evening with Luz. But I am so over-the-moon delighted with the fact that I actually painted these paintings that I do not want to post a photo of either before I sign them. And that – believe it or not – is what’s actually the reason why I’m not going to share my creations with you until tomorrow night.

I’m that excited. I’m that tremendously delighted with my work that I do not want to post a photo of them without signing my name to both of them.

Let’s hope they survive the flight back to PA.

(T-833)

Bookstores – Day 184

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Just some of the evidence – Photo: L. Weikel

Bookstores                

You know, if Karl and I only had $100 left to our names, we’d probably spend half of it on books. OK, maybe $75 on food and $25 on books. But still…

Notice that doesn’t include anything else. All we need is food for our bodies and food for our souls.

When my dear friend Luz (one of the owners and caretakers of Amadell) told me she wanted to show us some bookstores in Asheville, I tried to feign indifference, or at the most, mild enthusiasm. That’s because I was latching on to my denial.

The Last Thing I Need is More Books

I don’t know about you, but I occasionally find myself embracing an attitude within myself that eschews visiting bookstores, especially when I’m writing (or when the desire to create something bigger and longer lasting than a journal entry starts brewing). It’s a skittish place that rings of the self-talk, “I’ve got six books backed up on my inner tarmac, waiting for clearance, while I’m fully immersed in the act of cruising with my current indulgence. And that’s not even counting the thing that’s starting to taxi on its own from within.”

Yeah, OK. I’m mixing metaphors and making a freaking mess of this post.

But really. Who the hell was I kidding?

I’m going to blame Luz for the carnage that happened next. Not only did we go to a wonderful place called Malaprop’s, where I dutifully snagged a couple delicious finds, but we also went to Mr. K’s, a place I thought for sure I wouldn’t buy anything, because, let’s face it, as this post, this one, and this one would prove, I could probably provide them with half their inventory from my own home.

Darn it if I didn’t walk out of there with something like seven used books. Gah!

I Blame Luz

So yes. We saw all sorts of great places in downtown Asheville today. Eclectic shops, rock, gem and mineral stores, funky antique stores, and a plethora of places where we could indulge all our senses, gastronomic and otherwise. But where did we drop down and settle in?

The bookstores.

And if there’s one sure sign of an amazing place to be, whether on vacation, on retreat, or to settle in full time – it’s the quality of the bookstores. I can attest, Asheville passes with flying colors in that regard.

Being cradled by the Appalachian mountains doesn’t hurt either.

Hmm. Yeah… I’m starting to sense a plot. I think Luz knew exactly what she was doing.

(T-927)