moon

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Tonight is the full moon for the month of November. Looking on-line; there are some who call this the True Blue Moon... although a "blue moon" generally refers to a full moon that happens for the second time during the course of the month.

According to one on-line source:..."This Taurus Full Moon, the second in our current series at 29 degrees, is asking you to look at what is of true value in your life. It is about your material environment and how that enhances your sense of self or diminishes you. It is about your sense of self worth and how you feel empowered in your life. It is about identifying what your inner talents are and releasing any blocks that prevent you from expressing your creative gifts. Ask yourself am I ready to release whatever stops me from being fully my Soul Essence Self? Am I ready to release what no longer supports my Divine Path?"

And yet another source; refers to this full moon as the Full Beaver Moon. Historically, this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

In any case... it appears (at least for me)... to be a time of reflection... a time for releasing all the unnecessary things from my life (perhaps even this damned pneumonia?!)... and embracing the fully creative person I am becoming.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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My son is now married... to a wonderful girl...
It is the beginning of a new chapter for them... and for us... as we get used to not having him living with us anymore. It is a strange transition... and I know it is the best for all of us. But I miss him... and today I was thinking of my son and my daughter when they were little....


This beautiful wisteria lives in a yard about 3 blocks from my house. It is stunning. Simply stunning.... and late this afternoon I was able to get a couple pictures of it just as the moon was beginning to rise....

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Today was an odd day. I've been sicker than I thought... and not really getting much done. Makes me feel rather useless....and so I edited some older photos. ... this one is from Feb 2009, taken through the windows of Off Broadway on Central Ave.... I love the way the colors create a mood...


I contemplated this.... when I discovered this photo in my archives... taken 12-08. I love the weathered and worn church pew... and the contradictions it evokes with the book....



I spent alot of time on the phone today ... different family members & friends are not doing well.... and I was reminded of this photo, taken 7-09... somewhere in the midwest when I was traveling.....



And I thought about life and death issues as a very close family friend is passing. I took this photo last summer at Eulalia Cemetery in PA. I love the old look to this place... the feel... the colors... in what most people consider to be a dark place....


And got excited when I found this one.... a photo taken December 31st, 2009 on the first full/ Blue Moon. It makes me feel like there is still hope and a brightness to the future. A bit of majik.... a bit of sparkle....
And so... til tomorrow.....


(all photos by Elaine A. Russell)

once in a blue moon... Happy New Year










*all photos by Elaine A. Russell


I went to bed last night around 2am ...only to awaken at 4am. Not sure why...except that I got to see the most beautiful Blue Moon staring back at me as it settled behind the volcanoes to the west.


I am not a morning person... as those of you who know me KNOW. So... this was a rare event...as well as a gorgeous photo opportunity for me. And while my little kodak isn't professional by any stretch... I think it did an awesome job.

Welcome to the New Year. Welcome to a gorgeous Blue Moon. It's all shiny and fresh, exciting and new... waiting....just for you.

Sketching

-------------------------------photo and art page by Elaine Russell

I have always loved to sketch. As a kid, it wasn't that I was discouraged from doing art things... but it was rather well known that my brother was the artist in the family.. so it was implied that if I did anything art related, I was copying or sponging off of his "glory."
weird I know. Personally, I am of the opinion that you could give the same 10 people the same materials and inspiration object, and you would still get 10 completely different results. No copying involved... no stealing anyone else's thunder. whatever.

So -- today's photo is of a page I embellished for a friend. It was just a quick sketch, but I really like it. I need to do more art.......

Bamboo and Zen

------------------------------------------------photo by Elaine Russell

"The name "Zen" is Japanese. It derives from the Chinese Chan'an-na, which is a corruption from the Buddhist Dhyana, meaning Meditation. Zen means waking up to the present moment. That is, perceiving this moment exactly as it is, rather than through the filter of our ideas, opinions, etc.
You can learn from an ordinary bamboo leaf what ought to happen. It bends lower and lower under the weight of snow. Suddenly the snow slips to the ground without the leaf having stirred. Stay like that at the highest point of tension until the shot falls from you. So, indeed, it is: when the tension is fulfilled, the shot must fall, it must fall from the archer like snow from a bamboo leaf, before he even thinks it. "

I've been thinking a lot about peace, zen...openness of being. Not being trampled on by other people and their ideas, and yet being open to possibilities. Which brought me to thinking about the bamboo plant I have in my meditation area.... which led me to the passage I quoted above.



restless

------------------------------------------------photo by Elaine Russell

My neighbor's little dog keeps getting out of his yard. He's a very cute little guy.. but restless. Today he was trying to chase after the garbage truck, and most certainly would have gotten lost or hurt. I grabbed him, he urinated on me. I took him home and patched the fence where he got out.
Sometimes I wonder how God/ the Almighty/whatever name you choose....feels when He tries to save us from a more dangerous fate, and we pee on him. We are restless beings.. too focused on what we want; and not necessarly what is in our best interests.
So -- today -- I am trying to listen more closely to what would be in my best interests...what is the best course of action from this point on ? What would the Almighty choose to direct me towards if I just listened more carefully ?
Time for some reflection.....