creative living

Religious living is devoted living, and devoted living is creative living, original and spontaneous. The Urantia Book, Page 1097 (100:4.1)

Just Do It

All success, great and small, whether in spiritual or temporal affairs, derives from your stock of merit. So never neglect even the slightest positive deed. Just do it.

–Dudjom Rinpoche

Religious living is devoted living, and devoted living is creative living, original and spontaneous.

The Urantia Book, Page 1097 (100:4.1)

acrylic house paint on pole

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

rights and responsabilities

remember this tyrant?

'the snicker'

pen and ink on paper

today is voting day in lipscomb to replace district 19 state senator for the remainder of this term.

alas at 10:30 this morning 10 people had voted at the firestation in lipscomb. the rest will unquestionably gripe for the rest of the term. voting is not only our right .. it is our responsability. we have no other way to have any say so at all in how our country is run. we have seen what can happen.

be a part of america and vote..in all elections. your vote counts. hopefully voting will pick up here later in the day.

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

we are at the art feast in avondale park

birmingham alabama

see yesterday for 'today'

_______________

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

today

wasteland

16x20

mixed media

can be seen at art feast in avondale park tomorrow

______

Everything that Happens Will Happen Today

david byrne

i dont care for the song at all but the statement is true

___

yesterday is dead and gone

tomorrow's out of sight

kris kristofferson

___

'plan as if you will live foreverlive as if you will die today'

james dean

___

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

Lasting Happiness

Being sensitive and responsive to human need creates genuine and lasting happiness, while such kindly attitudes safeguard the soul from the destructive influences of anger, hate, and suspicion. The Urantia Book, Page 1575 (140:5.16)

mother teresa
9x12 block print
available



***
The Path to True Happiness
Everything in life changes. The path to true happiness is one of integrating and fully accepting all aspects of our experience. This integration is represented in the Taoist symbol of yin/yang, a circle which is half dark and half light. In the midst of the dark area is a spot of light, and in the midst of the light area is a spot of darkness. Even in the depths of darkness, the light is implicit. Even in the heart of light, the dark is understood, acknowledged, and absorbed.
–Sharon Salzberg

________________________________

Henry James once said to his young nephew,

"There are only three things important in human life:

be kind, be kind, be kind."

______________________________

***

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

It's Hard Work Being a Control Freak
We don’t need to control the world. We don’t need to defend ourselves against it. We don’t need to preserve anything. We only need to be here—totally, completely, freely—responding to the actual occasion.

–Steve Hagen, from Buddhism: It’s Not What You Think

_________________________

we will again be today at the baa space at magic city art fest..

________________________________

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

art

________________________________________________________________

i will be at the birmingham art association booth at the magic city art festival at linn park today.....space 349

_________________________

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

No use fretting over gold, beauty, or fame;Nurturing these, how can we calm our Fluttering heart? Non-attachment brings deep truth, And a truthful nature brings immortality. Empty your heart. Sit quietly on a mat. In meditation we become one with All; Tao billows like the vapors in a mountain valley, And its supernatural power wafts into our soul.

- Loy Ching-yuen 1879-1960’s)
________________________

hopefully i will be able to again update this blog somewhat regularly. we have/have had guests. i am trying to set up our [birmingham art association] space this weekend at magic city art festival in linn park.
of course always if it isnt one thing its another.....my mother said that often.

we [birmingham art association] will be at the magic city art festival this weekend at space 349 in the cultural district
________________________

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

sunrise

easter sunrise service

9x12

watercolor

my oldest daughter carrie at sunrise service

on the bayou in tarpon springs fl

______________

Be Gentle
"Be gentle; love even your enemies; be tolerant."

Jesus, To John: The Urantia Book

_______________

Not Just Wishing
I cannot help but observe that we often are content

with merely wishing and praying for the happiness of others,

whereas for our own purposes we do everything we can for our betterment,

not just wishing!
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from Becoming Enlightened

__________________

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

Transforming Misery
The difference between misery and happiness depends on what we do with our attention. Do we, in the midst of water, look for something elsewhere to drink? Transformation comes from looking deeply within, to a state that exists before fear and isolation arise, the state in which we are inviolably whole just as we are.
–Sharon Salzberg, from Loving-Kindness

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

Where Fear Ends
Fear is finding fault with the future. If only we could keep in mind how uncertain our future is, then we would never try to predict what could go wrong. Fear ends right there.
–Ajahn Brahm from Opening the Door of Your Heart

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

awake

awake

for morning in the bowl of night

has loosed the arrow

that puts the stars to flight........

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

it neednt be complicated


WAKING FROM A DEEP SLEEP
If somebody is waking for the first time from a deep sleep, she might see the midnight stars. But if she waits long enough without going back to sleep, she will begin to see not only stars but the dawn, then the sunrise, and then the whole landscape being lit by a brilliant light coming from the sky. She will begin to see her hands, her palms, her toes, and she will also begin to see her tables, her chairs, and the world around her. And if she is clever enough to look at a mirror, she will also see herself. Similarly, the truth of the cessation of suffering is a personal discovery. It is not mystical and it does not have any connotations of religion or psychology. It is simply your experience.

From "Awakening and Blossoming," in THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING: and the Path of Liberation. Forthcoming from Shambhala Publications.



________________________

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama

Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock

Flow freely

And the train whistle blows

fewer mistakes

How to Make Fewer Mistakes

We all make mistakes from time to time. Life is about learning to make our mistakes less often. To realize this goal, we have a policy in our monastery that monks are allowed to make mistakes. When the monks are not afraid to make mistakes, they don’t make so many.
–Ajahn Brahm, from Opening the Door of Your Heart

***********

"Defeat is the true mirror in which you may honestly view your real self."

Jesus, The Urantia Book, Page 1740 (156:5.17)

_____________
From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

dogwood
6"x12"
acrylic on canvas




painted from a tree outside my studio door







Unawakened, we continually encounter unseen difficulties, and compounding our problems, when we encounter such difficulties we curse and blame all those things on others.
When we awaken nothing really changes
This life becomes a good life when we realize that it is a good life, that we are given all that we need and that we are never abandoned by great compassion and wisdom.
Discovering that this life is a good life means waking up to the truth that both our difficulties and our gifts are opportunities, that even our deep karmic limitations are great teachers for understanding reality and experiencing the joy of liberation.
jeff wilson





From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

collards are planted

garden caretaker
acrylic on fencepost

he doesnt do any planting..just oversees it
he also calms any angry spirits and maintains harmony.

let us dig our gardens and not be elsewhere: Let us take long walks in the open air... Let us bathe in the rivers and lakes... Let us indulge in games... Let us be more simple: simple and true in our minds above all. Let us be ourselves. —Robert Linssen

__________________________________

yesterday i planted collards . they are planted to the left where you see the green rows. the green is rye which i grew there in the winter. rye adds nitrogen to the soil. what you see directly behind the post is all clay..i tilled it up but it will have to have some soil conditioners and manure and such added to it. lots of it is also shaded quite a bit by a pecan tree out of the picture to the right. directly behind the post is a row of onions. lots of pole beans grew in that row last year.
the flags you see further back are prayer flags. they have prayers for peace and compassion and well being printed on them. when the wind blows the prayers are blown out to everyone. i love to see them blowing.

***************from the promise land in lipscomb alabama; where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock flow freely....and the train whistle blows***************

the image is adam kadmon [jewish mysticism] .. primal man..the essence of man..before the garden..'everyman'

linoleum blockprint 9x12

______________________________________

"This world is only a bridge; you may pass over it, but you should not think to build a dwelling place upon it."

Jesus, The Urantia Book, Page 1735 (156:2.1)

****

we dont exist as separate beings but as 'everyman' .. like a piece of a hologram ..we have always/never been .. we will always/never be..we are .. now..this moment

we will do well to recognize what we all have in common rather than focus on our differences
****

When a traveler arrives at a hotel, he negotiates a price for a room and informs the staff of how long he will be staying. But as he gets comfortable there, he may begin to feel like the hotel is his home, and after a while he forgets about moving on. When the management tells him that he must give up the room, he refuses to leave. “This is where I live! Why should I leave?” There is some misunderstanding, and it leads to strife.
When we start to identify with our bodies and minds and think of this life as ours, then we are similar to the traveler who doesn’t want to leave the hotel. We have a wrong idea about this temporary stopping place, and we find ourselves always in struggle and conflict.

Ajahn Chah, from Being Dharma

from the promise land in lipscomb alabama; where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock flow freely....
and the train whistle blows

scratching my head again

this is so incredible that a few lines of it are enough
i have no paintings to illustrate this
_____________________________________

this is yesterdays news but has me so baffled that i must print it. im sure most have seen it in the paper.

the jefferson county commisioners have approved a recommendation to purchase 6 garbage cans ['chase park' litter receptacles] for the new bessemer county box...er courthouse .. at a cost of $8341 [$1439 each]....when in the same breath they say 'the county doesnt have the money to staff the courthouse'..never mind everything else they cant afford.
these are adult .. educated..men and women that we ...i sadly say... elected..and that we pay to make decisions for us.
_________

i dont generally write too much about politics but.......

i welcome comments and suggestions


From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

where tomatoes come from

here.. across the road from the house is the chicken lot
it is referred to as the chicken lot because it is where ..........




this chicken ....ahem ..rooster....lives
with......

these chicks...er..hens.....

******

in the spring there will be another garden in the chicken lot where just as in past years ...amongst other vegetables such as collards..squash..okra..beets..pole beans ..cabbage..and various peppers...will grow a.....

tomato such as this one ..which was........



painted in the studio


fin


as you might see i dont have much on my mind this morning.....
what a wonderful way to be


From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

compassion

Where Does Compassion Come From?
Seeing the suffering in the world around us and in our own bodies and minds, we begin to understand suffering not only as an individual problem, but as a universal experience. It is one of the aspects of being alive. The question that then comes to mind is: If compassion arises from the awareness of suffering, why isn't the world a more compassionate place? The problem is that often our hearts are not open to feel the pain. We move away from it, close off, and become defended. By closing ourselves off from suffering, however, we also close ourselves to our own wellspring of compassion. We don't need to be particularly saintly in order to be compassionate. Compassion is the natural response of an open heart, but that wellspring of compassion remains capped as long as we turn away from or deny or resist the truth of what is there. When we deny our experience of suffering, we move away from what is genuine to what is fabricated, deceptive and confusing.
--Joseph Goldstein, Seeking the Heart of Wisdom


From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

great backyard bird count

great backyard bird count

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html

Twas the night before the Bird Countand all through the house,the birders were sleeping,just dreaming of grouse.They had mapped out their dayto find a Blue Jay,or perhaps watching owls cathing their prey.Their scopes were all ready,their binos were toodon't forget your tripod, your camera, your guide,or your coffee, a sandwhich or your favorite hot stew.You can count from your window, our car or on foot,and if you get lost remember stay put.What this weekend will bring,may remind us of spring,Just remember have fun,as you are watching a Hun,and when the weekend has passed,we will tally our birds,in the hopes that we have massed,more species this year than years in the past.


**************


12th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
February 13 – 16, 2009
COUNT FOR FUN! COUNT FOR THE FUTURE!
Dear Great Backyard Bird Count Participant,
Only four days remain until the 12th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).
Here are just a few quick reminders and updates:
Ø To enter your bird count checklists, go to http://birdcount.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2a4ad41227581082052d3f85f&id=a553debcb4&e=eda1017db2 on the weekend of the count and click on the big “Enter your Checklists” button. Note: This button will not appear until 7:00 AM February 13.
Ø Don’t forget to upload your images for the GBBC photo contest! You can submit photos from February 13 through March 1 (a link to a page where you can upload photos will appear on http://birdcount.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2a4ad41227581082052d3f85f&id=31528193e5&e=eda1017db2 on February 13). A select number of photos will be posted in the online gallery during the four days of the GBBC.
Ø Check out the GBBC blog at http://birdcount.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2a4ad41227581082052d3f85f&id=cacc69de17&e=eda1017db2, run by Audubon’s Senior Scientist, Rob Fergus, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Science Editor, Laura Erickson.
Ø Don’t forget to play Eagle Eyes! Hone your birding skills as you wait for the count to begin.
**********************


From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

You are the Dharmakaya

Dharmakaya

Dharmakaya literally means the "body" (kaya) of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), the way of understanding and love. Before passing away, the Buddha told his disciples, "Only my physical body will pass away. My Dharma body will remain with you forever." In Mahayana Buddhism, the word has come to mean "the essence of all that exists." All phenomena--the song of a bird, the warm rays of the sun, a cup of hot tea--are manifestations of the Dharmakaya. We, too, are of the same nature as these wonders of the universe.
--Thich Nhat Hanh
************

photo

colorado waterfall with carol at the top

*********************
With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world. Dalai Lama



From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

chicken lot ponds and preserves

Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge, near Bessemer, Jefferson County, Alabama, was established by the Service in 1980 to provide protection for the endangered watercress darter

The watercress darter is a small, very colorful fish measuring up to 2.5 inches in length. The fish is currently found in only four sites in the upper Black Warrior River drainage near Birmingham, Alabama.

***
this is a ...small [4x6] watercolor ... i painted of a portion of a creek at the preserve here in bessemer as i sat with my feet in the water

****

not long ago at another local preserve for this fish a caretaker opened a dam killing off a number of this rare species. the damage has been repaired and a number of the fish survived....but that doesnt make much difference to the ones who were killed that day. and it doesnt make much difference to the goldfish in my pond.

for one reason or another goldfish in my pond over in the chicken lot began to die off a few months ago. i figured all of them had died. the pond developed a lot of algae....i mean the water was thick with it. thinking there were no fish in it yesterday i dumped about a cup of chlorine in it. i figured kill off the algae then start anew. alas this morning when ebbie and i walked over .. as we do most mornings .. we saw that there were 3 dead goldfish floating on the surface. i didnt feel very good at all about that.... after all i could have used a 'fish safe' algae destroyer designed for just that purpose... and i have some of it here. because i had no idea that there was anything living in the pond i used the chlorine instead as it would work faster.

neither me nor the fellow at the preserve had any intention of causing harm ..and .. i dont suppose the fellow who opened the dam on the darters was any dumber or less responsible than i was.........certainly to the fish it didnt matter.

****

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

time or money

water color of st joseph sound dunedin fl

the choice

A few years ago, a very rich businessman decides to take a vacation to a small tropical island in the South Pacific. He has worked hard all his life and has decided that now is the time to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He is excited about visiting the island because he’s heard that there is incredible fishing there. He loved fishing as a young boy, but hasn’t gone in years because he has been so busy working to save for his retirement.So on the first day, he has his breakfast and heads to the beach. It’s around 9:30 am. There he spots a fisherman coming in with a large bucket full of fish!"How long did you fish for?" he asks. The fisherman looks at the businessman with a wide grin across his face and explains that the fishes for about three hours every day. The businessman then asks him why he returned so quickly."Don’t worry", says the fisherman, "There’s still plenty of fish out there."Dumbfounded, the businessman asks the fisherman why he didn’t continue catching more fish. The fisherman patiently explains that what he caught is all he needs. "I’ll spend the rest of the day playing with my family, talking with my friends and maybe drinking a little wine. After that I’ll relax on the beach."Now the rich businessman figures he needs to teach this peasant fisherman a thing or two. So he explains to him that he should stay out all day and catch more fish. Then he could save up the extra money he makes and buy and even bigger boats to catch even more fish. The he could keep reinvesting his profits in even more boats and hire many other fisherman to work for him. If he works really hard, in 20 or 30 years he’ll be a very rich man indeed.The businessman feels pleased that he’s helped teach this simple fellow how to become rich. Then the fisherman looks at the businessman with a puzzled look on his face and asks what he’ll do after he becomes very rich.The businessman responds quickly "You can spend time with your family, talk with your friends, and maybe drink a little wine. Or you could just relax on the beach."

author unknown

*************************

i have never subscribed to the idea 'time is money' or that i could get ahead by working a lot of overtime. my theory is.....if you cant make it in 40 hours then you have either the wrong job or the wrong lifestyle. the only reason for working overtime would be if it would prevent the sky from falling. ive tried to live by this idea all my life. and ive never stayed on a job i disliked for very long. maybe ive done it wrong...but im happy..out of debt..and pursue my passion [art].

my objection to the idea of chasing every dollar thats out there isnt because im lazy or have no ambition. i work here everyday....im not at all a couch potato. the deal is that the lure of money is a carrot dangling before us from a stick. we never seem satisfied while occupying our time with the chase. we always seem to need more.... to keep up with the jones..to find financial security..its never enough.

there is a middle path which i try to travel...that is to be happy with my work..to be able to provide for my needs .. put a little under a rock ..and have a little for those in need. and i use a little for things i want while trying to remember that they will not provide lifetime happiness for me. i of course like the idea of financial security but i try to remember that it is folly to think we will ever feel financially secure and that even if we did we are subject to having the rug pulled out from under us at any moment....as has just happened to many.

this is not ingraind in my being but it is my ideal.

**********

"if you have the coice between time and money...choose time." anonymous wise man

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows