25 October 2009

Elfin Dreams

From Dream Moods: "To see an elf in your dream refers to some imbalance and disharmony in your life. The elf often serves as a guide of the soul. Alternatively, it suggests that you need to be more carefree, worry-free, and light-hearted."

That's the truth.

Last night, I dreamed of two elves...a male and a female. Both were injured and couldn’t walk. Hundreds of people, including us were attending a seminar at a place that boasted regenerative techniques, but we knew better having been evicted from the place years before. Chad, Blue and I had previously lived at this place which was sort of an intentional community. I walked into the house one day to find all my stuff gone. When I asked Chad, he didn’t give me a reason to our eviction except that it was something between the head lady and me. I sensed tension from her while living there, but never found out what I did “wrong” to get our family evicted and made homeless.

So now, Chad and I are back. I recognize the two elfin friends. She reveals to me that she and her spouse can’t walk. I tell her that we will carry them. The way to enter the seminar is through the house we used to live in and out the backdoor, but it’s a ten foot drop with no stairs. The woman in charge is pushing people out the back door one at a time. I jump out, than realize that my elfin friend will be greatly injured. I catch my elfin friend as the women shoved her a little too hard from the house.

We walk down to the area where the ‘leader’ is giving a talk. He tells us to focus on the light and tell what we see. The elves don’t listen to him and focus on the earth, specifically a two creeks that merge. The man ‘leader’ is responsible for some bad development and has steered the ‘foundations’ mission away from the original intent which was Earth restoration. The elves had been involved years ago with the restoration of the creek…a vital thing for their survival.

In the dream, the creek ran clear. New plant life grew. Regeneration was happening.

Once the man saw what the elves were trying to bring attention to the water, he disbanded the seminar sending people off with group leaders to other areas like young students leaving an assembly at school. It began to rain, and we were outdoors. I carried my female elfin friend to shelter when we realized that her male counterpart was missing. We knew that he was back in the marsh area unable to walk.

He was lured into the marsh by a group of boys. They didn’t know that he couldn’t walk long distances when they quickly fled as the rain started. As I held my female elfin friend, interviewing the boys, one asked. “Is that an…?” I replied, “Yes, and elf. And he’s an elf. We must go get him.”

Their teacher lets me choose one male pupil. From the eager volunteers, I pick a boy with red hair.

I wake up.

13 October 2009

Circle Dancing

I saw a flyer at the Food Coop today promoting Sacred Circle Dance, and I wonder if this is something I may like to try.

The end.

09 October 2009

Art! Art! Art!

My son attends an inner city magnet school geared towards art and music. Every eight weeks, the school shows off the students' art work in an extravagant exhibit. The students work very diligently to create the pieces displayed. The parents and teachers work just as hard to create each exhibit mounting pieces in frames and on the walls so the school is like a gallery. Each piece of work is also labeled with the child's name, grade level and teacher (I have edited, to the best of my ability these names off the pics so as not to post any child's name online.) The artwork hangs for the next eight weeks when we do it all over again.

I am continuously proud and amazed at all the artwork and the students' interpretations of famous artwork. These kids come up with some beautiful pieces. Not only is their artwork displayed, but also throughout the school, there is dancing, singing and instrumental music. You can find something going on in every corner of the school.

The children are from all kinds of backgrounds and socioeconomic classes. On any given exhibit night the crowd of parents, grandparents, siblings and extended families range a wide diversity. It is not uncommon to hear several different languages spoken. While admiring the art work, I heard Spanish to one side of me and Chinese to the other as scores of people with all different skin colors came together for the common theme of honoring our children and their hard work.

This is a brief photo journal of only a small portion of some of the artwork. Lighting isn't always the best, and working with a flash often didn't work well, so some of the pics are blurry...that is solely my fault. All the artwork is beautiful and amazing, and these are a few that caught my eye.

Enjoy.

A study of Van Gough's Sunflowers (Fifth Grade)...

First Grade studied pioneer days and made blueberry jam (which was on display to eat), and an American Flag and many other aspects of pioneer life and East Tennessee history. During the last eight weeks, they took field trips to the Ramsey House, McClung Museum and the East Tennessee Historic Society which further enriches the learning...

I love Kindergartners' art work the best. They are still so inhibited and use the best colors. The first series is an interpretation of The Peale Family by Charles Wilson Peale


Kindergarten again...a study of color and emotion (I remember when Blue did this study, it still hangs in our dining room.)...

Fifth graders working in groups painted the next two...there are more group paintings, but I didn't have a chance to document them all.

Third graders completed the next series. I don't remember the subject because I was so amazed at the art...I think it was actually a science study. I'll post details tomorrow...







Second grade study on indigenous masks...

















Miscellaneous drawing...Fifth grade.














Let me know if you would like to see more. The photos that I took don't even begin to scratch the surface of the many pieces displayed.

End.

07 October 2009

Harvest Moon Drum Circle

I feel no need to document Saturday's drum circle when BBMumblings did such a fine job over at Dither in her post pa-rum-pa-pum-pum.

Very few of us had any experience at drumming, and somehow it all came together. We kept a beat. We danced. And somehow 5 hours slipped by before we realized that we needed to take the kids home. I really think that we went through a time warp.

Babies were sleeping everywhere...and eventually many adults were sleeping where ever they could find a spot.

Can't wait for the next one.

Thanks BB for inspiring the best in us all.