imagination

Natural Sistine Chapel – Day 872

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Photo: L. Weikel

Natural Sistine Chapel

It’s been a while since I’ve written about the clouds on our walk. At least, it seems as though the clouds themselves have been rather tame, yielding their creativity to sunsets and lunar appearances. This afternoon, though, my sense was that the long cloud drought is over. The piles and platters and weird shapes and colors are moving in for the season. And kicking things off? When I took these photos earlier this afternoon, I felt a vague sense of déjà vu and a sense that I was walking in a natural Sistine Chapel.

I know my interpretations of clouds are sometimes ‘out there.’ And I guess that’s part of what I’m trying to bring into our collective awareness: our imagination’s power to see and embrace magic. Oftentimes this ‘magic’ is simply the process of giving ourselves permission to play with patterns and associations our brains and subconscious minds might make that actually point to pieces of a larger puzzle that is our life.

The photo above, as I said, reminds me of the Sistine Chapel – yes, the iconic work on the ceiling.

When I looked at these clouds today, I could feel the potential of conveying the spark of life. I could sense the reaching out, the effort to make a connection between one being and another.

Photo – L. Weikel

Close-up

Oddly enough, to my mind at least, I found the close-up of the ‘hands,’ so to speak, were almost upstaged by the splash of pure, brilliant white that seemed entirely out of place.

I’m not exactly sure what I make of the close-up. Or the splash of white.

But I do know I’m delighted to welcome back into our everyday experience more appearances by the Cloud Beings.

They are like pilates for my imagination. And imagination and creativity are the stuff – the spark – of life.

On second thought, maybe I’m seeing something from Monty Python?

(T-239)

Spark to My Imagination – Day 864

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Photo: L. Weikel

Spark to My Imagination

I recently had a chance to spend some time near a tributary to Lake Nockamixon, and – shock of all shocks – it wasn’t my favorite creek in the whole world, the Tohickon. I forget the name of the one I visited, and I apologize for not researching it before settling in to write this post. Despite not knowing its name, however – I do want to pay homage to its soothing, rippling presence and spark to my imagination.

Even though the photos I’m including in this post aren’t capable of conveying the ‘live’ feature that I so enjoy on my iPhone photos, I hope you can sense the gentle rolling waves (if you can even call them waves) that I saw. They were so mellow, they created no sound as they rolled to shore.

Perhaps it was the reflection of the blue sky on the surface of the dark water; I don’t know. It just felt…different.

Photo: L. Weikel

A Magical Tree

There was a tree nearby that seemingly grew out of the water – yet also seemed to be hovering above the rolling undulations of the lake. Long, sinewy roots grew parallel to the water’s surface, yet were protected by the grass above them. Darkness was the only thing visible between the roots and my imagination conjured turtles, snakes, and perhaps even an errant duck’s nest.

But in the crook of the tree was a dimple that called to me. It looked like a perfect potential portal – an opening that could be a viable entry point into another realm of reality. (You never know until you try.)

For whatever reason, the placement of this tree on land coupled with its hovering relationship to the water beneath it beckoned even more seductively than many other potential portals I’ve noticed recently. I’ve not yet had a chance to give it a try and see if it takes me somewhere…fecund.

Journeying

Of course, when I talk of portals and traveling to other realms of reality, I’m speaking of the practice of shamanic journeying. If you’ve ever journeyed  and would like to become more disciplined, join me – and kindred spirits – and hop on a ‘Wagon’ in my Shamanic Caravan.

Follow the links if you’re curious.

Potential Portal – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-247)

Natural Hieroglyphics – Day 857

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Natural Hieroglyphics – Photo: L. Weikel

Natural Hieroglyphics

Our walk late this afternoon yielded a remarkable observation that just begged to be photographed and shared. A branch of a tree had fallen on one of the back roads we travel when we go on our longer ‘walkabout.’ It obviously had been cut with a chainsaw and tossed on the berm to decay. While this is a relatively common occurrence, the mystery evoked by the natural hieroglyphics lurking under its bark was a welcome addition to our day.

Yes, of course. We know the markings are the result of insects living beneath the bark. But it doesn’t take a deep dive into the ocean of whimsy to see the designs created by these creatures resemble early efforts by humans to convey thoughts, ideas, and perhaps emotions as well.

I guess the markings probably resemble more the musings of our most ancient ancestors (those I referenced in my recent post about a Cloud Horse) – not necessarily the further evolved ideas of the ancient Egyptians. Nevertheless, one could definitely ‘read’ meaning into this discovery.

Signs and Symbols – Photo: L. Weikel

Intuition or Baloney?

I’m not positing that we drew any conclusions from our discovery today, beyond the fact that the natural world creates works of beauty filled with symbols recognized by humans for millennia.

And even though we didn’t ‘read’ anything into the figures and faces, spirals and meandering paths we could see as plain as day etched into this chunk of wood, I’m not reluctant to say we could have. We didn’t see messages or interpret signs because we hadn’t asked a question. We weren’t seeking answers to anything in particular.

Or maybe we were – and maybe we received exactly what we needed. Maybe we were yearning for a flash of creativity from Mother Earth or the creatures with whom we share our environment. Perhaps we needed to see some freeform artwork that would send our own creative juices into a state of demanding expression instead of always being happy to step aside for more practical and logical endeavors.

Photo: L. Weikel

Permission

When we give ourselves permission to imagine we unleash a whirlwind of potential.

Maybe that’s why, as a culture, we tend to instill in ourselves and our children (because it was instilled in us) a disdain for embracing our intuition. Actually, beyond disdain, it actually feels like a fear of embracing our ability to tap into the Unseen. There’s an incredible amount of power inherent in imagination, creativity, and making intuitive connections to signs, symbols, and patterns in our lives.

What happens when we give ourselves license to truly engage our imaginations? To read the patterns engraved in wood by insects that may have died months or years ago? Could it be possible that there is a web of connection between all beings we encounter – between us and everything else in our world?

Is it be possible that we can access insight and guidance from beings we arrogantly deem lack sentience?

It makes me wonder if the message brought by our natural hieroglyphics was to provoke a musing on precisely these questions.

In Context – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-254)

Oooh-la-la – Day 811

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Photo: L. Weikel

Oooh-la-la

It’s been at least four months since I’ve subjected you, my loyal readers, to the odd delight I take in anthropomorphizing the occasional vegetable. It’s something I fear I’ll never disabuse myself of; I can’t help but smile when these creatures reveal themselves, often from the depths of my crisper drawer. And let’s face it, tonight’s candidate isn’t shy about her bon vivant, “Oooh-la-la!”

Maybe it’s the soupy greens on her head that now remind me of a Parisian beret. Or her desire to recline provocatively against a conch shell. (Who wouldn’t?) There’s even a hint of batting eyelashes in her expression if you ask me…

Just Carrots?

I’m wondering if carrots are my unique weakness or if I just don’t buy enough other vegetables to discover their personalities. Or maybe I eat the other vegetables more quickly and therefore consume their individuality before it can be fully expressed? If that’s the case, I feel a bit sad.

Actually, that reminds me. I did find myself drawn to shooting a portrait of a tomato a couple of days ago.

My initial desire was to share the love – it appeared to me, at first glance, to resemble a heart. The commercial kind; you know. The hearts-and-flowers, Valentine’s Day type of heart.

But then, when I looked at it from another angle, I could see it as a face. A grinning, many-toothed tomato that could almost be a cousin to the Cookie Monster.

Time For Bed

I cut up Brussels Sprouts this evening before I steamed them and didn’t find a single one that made me laugh. Same goes for the broccoli rabe I steamed. Maybe they’re just not as photogenic, gregarious – or politically active.

Or maybe it’s just time for me to call it a night and go to bed.

Hey there! – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-300)

Odd Penchant – Day 674

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Photo: L. Weikel

Odd Penchant

I’m starting to wonder if somehow my youth was stunted or in some other way deprived. I say that because, clearly, I have an odd penchant for anthropomorphizing my vegetables.

I don’t know what to say. When I was a little kid, I was not one to play with dolls – at least, not the stereotypical or traditional ‘baby dolls.’ But man…I do remember Liddle Kiddles, though.

Wow, in the process of seeing if I could find a link to an image of Liddle Kiddles, I became completely distracted by and lost in memories from when I was 7 or 8 years old. Since my siblings were all significantly older than I was, and we lived ‘out in the country,’ I spent a lot of time playing by myself. Believe me, I grew up a long time before there was anything remotely called a play date.

When I found this link to Liddle Kiddles and see their little faces and accessories, I can suddenly still smell the bendy plastic they were made of and remember their outfits as if it were yesterday – or another life.  Of the ‘original ten’ Kiddles created in 1966, I definitely remember having Bunson Burnie, Calamity Jiddle, Howard “Biff” Boodle, Lola Liddle, and Liddle Diddle. Remembering this right now is just so peculiar!

I also played with Trolls. I loved their hair and their naked, androgynous little bodies. I’m pretty sure they, too, had that same rubbery-plastic smell that all dolls of that ilk had back in the ‘60s.

Today It’s Vegetables

What can I say?

I picked up our family’s vegetables from the CSA today and noticed we received a bounty of adorably provocative carrots. Ah yes, I’ve grown up and now instead of Calamity Jiddle and Biff Boodle, I see soft porn in my veggies.

Hardly even soft! But tell me these carrots don’t look just a tad bit risqué?

I don’t know about the middle one. It seems to be a little kid throwing a fishing line into a creek. The one on the left is just kickin’ back, chillin’ out. I could almost imagine it smoking a cigarette and reaching for a beer. And the one on the right? Hmm. It’s probably best if I leave that to your own imaginations.

I’m sure at least some of you know this tendency to anthropomorphize is a distinct part of my personality. You may remember this post. Or this one. Of course, this odd predilection of mine undoubtedly enhances my ability to read the clouds the way I do.

Provocative Carrots – Photo: L. Weikel

Makes Me Laugh

All I know is, my humor may occasionally be juvenile and my imagination may be abundantly fertile, but I’m often able to use those attributes to find something to make me smile in this chaotic, often depressing world.

If it’s anthropomorphizing carrots, so be it. Whimsy, fantasy, imagination, laughter…these are the things in my life that I want to cultivate.

Small seeds. I’m planting small seeds.

(T-437)