…..I finished the piece that is for the Exhibition at the American Visionart Art Museum.  The show opens in October.  We are going to wrap the piece tomorrow and it should be shipped out by the end of the week.  I spent a good amount of time on this piece and it was a real boost for my energy level.  I really needed to cook nice and hot for awhile.  I will be donating the piece as a part of their permanent collection at the museum…so this particular work is leaving home….this morning I had a deep insight into my relationship with this work.  I saw my love affair with the unknown and my desire to follow the clues that the piece revealed to me as I moved along in the creative dance.  It was quite magical…I am reminded of a drawing that a friend of mine gave me on my fortieth birthday…actually it was two drawings…on the bottom of the first drawing she wrote, "when the mind stops…." and on the bottom of the second drawing she wrote, "…the Mystery begins…".  She was so right on that one….Thanks so much Prartho for that divine reminder….

…after typing quite possibly the grooviest blog entry of this entire blog known as the Chapel of Jimmy Ray…my computer locked up and I was unable to copy what I had written about "The Importance of Being Groovy"…and how I tied it all together with a mention of our living in a post-Oscar Wilde world here at Casa de Las Ranas…so it is lost and I could never type that up again…So moving into the moment, there has been a tie for this week's pet of the Week Award.  The Award is shared by Slidell Schultz, the grooviest Labradoodle on the face of the Earth and dear divine Perla Groove who has often been accused of being a pillow…So congrats to our loving friends…their cat sister, Cielo returns home to the Groove en la mañana….such is the Groovy Life Richard and I share…

 

…or at least that is the plan.  But we know about plans and me…don't we?  I must admit, that I am completely stoked by the return of the Grooviest Cat That Ever Lived.  Cielo returned the other night after eleven days of being "missing".  My friend Kathy in Austin said, while Cielo was gone, "maybe she is on retreat".  I liked that observation on Kathy's part.  She imparted that to me on Facebook chat…so 21st Century in all the trappings…  I marvel at the tenacious spirit of dear Cielo.  Right now she is at the Vet's recuperating from a large wound that she suffered on her leg.  I would think that the injury was the cause of her retreat.  But quite frankly, she was skin and bones when she returned and that was sad.  I took this photo of her when we were feeding her the other night.  Check out how emaciated she appears near her back haunches…but our Dear Friend is home and I like to think that this is a pretty groovy situation…in the meantime, I am hard at work in the studio getting this piece ready for Baltimore…such is this Divine Groovy Life…..

 

 

…well I am busy at work in the studio on a project that is going to the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore…I am having a delightful laborious time riding this Groove Wave.  I hope to have it finished next week.  At the same time, Richard and I are grieving the loss of our missing divine cat Cielo.  We can not begin to tell you how deep this connection with our gatita is…Cat people know what I am talking about.  I just hope that she has not suffered…all I can do is shake my head and wonder.  We love her so.  This time in the studio equalizes the emotions.  Life is such a whirlwind and the Dervish let's it all in…non-attachment: in out flowing going arriving gone early late before and after….Now Until Forever….

…I heard that said many years ago but I was limited in my listening.  Still working on that one.  But every so often I am reminded of what lives in my True Nature.  Breathing while I work.  Not "going too steady" with my judgements. Slowing down and remembering myself….  Lately seeing all these old friends this summer, I am reminded of this extreme gratitude that I feel.  This gift of life and friendship!  May we all experience our Buddha Nature…that includes everyone….

…..I will be painting a mural at the entrance to the Chapel of Jimmy Ray.  The title is "El Tonto'…translated to "The Fool".  Such a perfect choice for the entrance.  I have always considered Jimmy Ray as the Fool…such abandoned wit and insight.  Here is a photo of an old Italian Tarot card for the Fool…of course, my interpretation will be different…I am also including two photos of the area where the mural will occur…I am extremely excited…I needed this!!!!  Of course…the mural will appear between the two entrances!