Author Archives: Old as Dirt & Proud of It!

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About Old as Dirt & Proud of It!

Welcome to Old As Dirt, and Proud of It by Karen Samenow. I named my blog Old As Dirt And Proud of It because that's where I am in life. You may find art or music, or inspiration included because, I'm an artist, a spiritual medium, and I'm always learning more and exploring. I hope you find us interesting. My focus for this blog is to bring a little levity to well seasoned women. Sometimes it actually may help!

Day Seven: Is Patience A Lifelong Lesson?

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Day Seven:  Is Patience A Lifelong Lesson?

YES!

For me I think it is!  Just when I think I’m a kind, loving, patient person I’m pushed  to the edge, and I lose it, taking away my self respect!    Are all of us like this, or am I one of the chosen few that constantly has to work on being patient?  I do so well for several days…. then….I  can’t help myself.  When I am patient, kind, and understanding, I feel like I’m giving myself a gift!

Is being tired something that takes away patience, or is it just plain old being ornery?  One can only guess.  Each and every day I have to remind myself to take a breath and be patient!

 

 

Going Back…

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Going Back…

This afternoon as I was thinking about writing a post, and most definitely struggling with content.  As I reread some of my old posts,  I was stunned to realize that I had actually written them.  The content was familiar, and I could feel the words, but I couldn’t believe I wrote them.

On one post, I wrote about our trip to the Island of Kauai, and on another the day we picked up my son, Dennis from the airport after he made his first CD.

So whats your point?

I sitting here wondering if my writing is getting better, or worse?  Just like the paintings I create.  If you go back and revisit old works of art, often it is unbelievable  to think you had created them in the first place.  They aren’t all great, some of them I can actually believe it was me who painted them.  That’s painful to admit!

 Who did those, it couldn’t have been me!

But in fact it was me, in both cases.  When I write I pour my heart out just like when I paint!  It may be good at the time, or a struggle at that time, it depends.    Sometimes we don’t even realize how much of an effort it is until it unfolds.

Art is different for me because when I struggle,  I always know it!  It’s great when it flows, but that doesn’t always happen.  Sometimes I struggle painfully with something, a concept, a start, or maybe even more than that!

The Abstract Dancer has already taken two or three sharp left turns.  I have ideas, and who knows if they will work, but it’s better to try something than nothing!  Right? By posting this online, maybe it will shake me loose, and drive me to work on it!  I’m trying to avoid doing the Jackson Pollock thing to it.

At least that is my hope.  So someday when I look back on prior posts, I can look at this one and remember how I was struggling to pull it all together, and make Abstract Dancer a real painting!  Someday maybe I can read this post, and say to myself,  I did pull it together, and that Abstract Dancer is exactly what I had envisioned!

 

Ramblings of an Overheated Artist?

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Sometimes on FB there will be surveys about things like, if you were a car, what would you be or, if you were an animal what kind would you be. One very early morning when I was feeling particularly fabulous, I started thinking about describing myself, all I’d been through in my life, and the resilience I have.
I’m strong, determined,  I don’t have to be right, but I’m not always wrong either. I have a sixth sense about me –  I know when I’m not being told the truth, I can feel it. I’ve lived long enough to have wisdom, some of it from learning experiences, some of it I just know!  I don’t do the FB thing very often, actually I really don’t care if they think I’m a fast car, or a lion, or what my color is!

Soooooo

That being said, I was thinking how I would describe myself, and this is what I came up with…..

I’m an Oak Tree!  A mature, sturdy, mighty oak!  I stand tall, yet I can bend, I am filled with wisdom, and the owl that lives in my branches provides me with whatever information  I don’t know!  You can’t have it any better than that!  I haven’t any idea what kind of owl would be living in my branches, but I do know we’re best friends!

I don’t know what the owl would have to say about that, I really haven’t taken the time to talk to him lately.  If truth be told, I haven’t seen him lately.  He’s tricky, and only comes out at night, probably after I’m in bed.  He also may be preoccupied with a lady owl.  What she-owl wouldn’t want to stay in a mighty oak with her dream he-owl?  I have chimes playing all night long, and they can hunt, and return to the safety of my branches.

Did I hear you say I was crazy?

Maybe!  I prefer to call it creative.  By the way this was not my intention to write anything remotely like this, but its way too hot to do much of anything else, even painting!  Maybe especially painting!

Back to the Owls!

Before my very eyes, and ears I think I have an Owl family in my branches.  There is a lot of rustling going on during the day, and this I know from going out to water plants, and check on my Matilija Poppy.  This is only about the sixth poppy I’ve tried to grow–without any success!  This time my son-in-law John  is nurturing it!  Good thing, because as I said, I’ve killed the previous five.  At least the leaves are still green, and in this 100+ degree weather too.  That’s another story though.

The good thing is that a few doors down for our home, there are abundant critters, so the owls will have plenty to keep their tummys full, and plenty to feed the little owlets after all that kissing stops!

 

You remember this…..

Mr. & Mrs. Owl sitting in a tree

k-i-s-s-i-n-g…..

first comes love, then comes marriage,

then come the owlets in a

Baby Carriage!

Ok Back to the Owls!

I’m not sure owls even have baby carriages, after all how would they push them, and how on earth could they keep them on even the sturdiest of my limbs?   If they pushed the carriages off the limbs  would it be accidental or would they really be trying to encourage the owlets to fly?   I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

Back to the Owls!

Now I’m positive it’s the heat!

I know it sounds like I’ve been smoking something, but you’re wrong!  I don’t smoke, and I told you it was the heat!

Any questions or comments, I’m more than happy to answer them for you.  You might have some additional thoughts on the subject as well.  If so, please comment, or email me!  I’d love to hear what you have to say….

Maybe you’re advice would to have those little buggies outfitted with magnets so they would stay on the branches, you know much like a San Francisco trolley.  Either way, the owls need your help, maybe I need your help as well.

Go ahead let me know what you think,  I can take it!

 

 

Day Six: A Most Interesting Character

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Day Five: Message In A Bottle

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Picture yourself on a very private beach in Hawaii. You have a new beach towel that is soft, colorful, it has warmed in the sun and sand of this magical place! Melted into the towel like warmed wax, you are barely aware of anything around you, but for some reason you open your eyes, spotting a small bottle bobbing in the surf just a few feet below where you are sunbathing. Realizing there is something in the bottle, you look around for a stick to help slide out it’s contents.
It only takes a few minutes, and the note slides right out for only you to see.
Once out, and opened, you look at it in astonishment as you read.
“ENJOY!” But that’s not all, along with this little note is something else.
Along with this note is a $100.00 bill.
“ENJOY”