chosen

.


i was walking along today
in the ripe afternoon light
trying to make my mind up
if i was choosing the right thing.

and as i walked down the hill
my shadow fell on the golden leaves
and i gasped ~
the way i held my scarf along my arms,
the way my shirt floated out ~
there in my shadow was a goddess in a medieval dress

arms out, i wafted down the rest of the slope
gazing in awe at my shadow
i'm a goddess i'm a goddess i'm a goddess

then, as i walked under the tree (the mother of the fallen leaves),
it dropped its leaves on me
golden leaves falling on my head, my cheek, my feet
i felt blessed

and as i continued walking out from the tree
a gust of breeze collected the leaves
and raced them swirling around my ankles,
walking with me for metres.

there was a voice in my head:
you've been chosen.

all these things ~
:: my shadow :: leaves falling :: leaves following :: words spoken in a soft voice
all these things reassured me. moved my heart two inches to the right.
i knew then. i knew what i needed to know.



abundant autumn magic,
love,
leonie

the poetic autumn

.


"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.
Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart.
Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.
Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.
One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or
bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or
raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."
~ Mary Jean Iron

i don't know why
but autumn is so preciously poetic
that in the afternoons
when the light is ripe and golden
all i can do is inhale the autumn
eat it mouthful by mouthful
with my eyes

leaves larger than my hands
gold yellow orange red
hues between
i imagine them threaded into necklaces
pictured their colours captured in superhero necklaces

when i got home
i dropped my bag
kicked off the boots and suit
dragged on an old tracksuit
ran barefoot into the backyard
camera in hand
just to capture ::the light:: the leaves:: the jet trail::the sunset

as i write now
my toes are snug in purple uggboots
chris is playing his didgeridoo at the other end of the couch
and charlie dog is peering into the didge's end, thoroughly intrigued.

everywhere there is autumn
it touches me and it teaches me
everything changes, nothing stays the same
but all is precious. all poetic. all perfectly now.

YES blessing flower

.


i created this YES blessing flower for my dear friend andrea's birthday today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREA!

I adore her for many reasons ~
:: she is sweet and unassuming
:: when she asks people how they are, she is genuinely interested.
:: she has the most beautiful open heart
:: her aura is the most striking turquoise blue at times
:: her laughter fills rooms
:: she is an elixir of hope, gentleness and warmth

When I painted this, I thought of her. The way she approaches life.
Her beautiful family. The ancestors which surround her.
The way she shares.



i am so very grateful for the beautiful women which surround me, and share the stories of their lives and days.


People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the
sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed
only if there is a light from within.
~ Elizabeth Kubler-Ross