On Being Mary Poppins

-
"Practically perfect people never permit sentiment to muddle their thinking." --Mary Poppins.

I was in the bathroom at my sister's house doing my routine of massaging in my face lotion, brushing my long hair, applying the little bit of makeup that I wear...and suddenly I felt very sad. I put down my brush and stared off into space in the tiny bathroom thinking about Mary Poppins, and how I felt like I have been popping in and out of people's lives, fixing things, making people laugh, nursing them back to health, loving them, making magic, and then leaving.

I cried a few tears thinking about new life and how death lurks near, about illness and health, and how I have tried to make things better and how love has given me strength, joy, and wisdom.

I wondered how Mary Poppins felt when she had to leave the people who's lives she had touched and changed?

I had come to my sister's house, befriended her animals, had a wonderful time with her 12 and 2 year old, kept up with basic house cleaning chores like keeping the sink and dishwasher empty, organizing toys, doing some transportation, and did a lot of laughing.

After Mary came home with her baby, we all had lunch together and I knew it was my time to leave. Peter had to put the swing and bed together, Helena needed time with her mother, Mary need to nurse the baby and take a nap. I knew it was time for me to head out onto the highway again and gain strength for the next life I might pop into.

Is that why Mary Poppins had to leave? To recharge for the next event? Did she too shed a tear before she took off?

Before I left I told them how I felt like Mary Poppins, and how I was sad to leave. They were sad too, but my sweet niece said "but Mary Poppins always comes back"....and with that I smiled, got into my car, and drove off with a smile.

And here I am, on the highway, shooting out the windshield of my car......welcoming the greens of spring, the mountains on my journey and thinking about whose life I would next pop into for a bit.

In magic, Patti

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

La Cucina

-
Image
Tonight my house had the aroma of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and candles. Keith Jarret was playing in the background, and I had just opened a nice bottle of reasonable red wine. (Osborne Solaz, 2004 Temranillo/Cab- 7.00) I needed it for the sauce, so why not have some while cooking! I took good care of myself all weekend, and felt like cooking for the first time in what seems forever. I am an excellent cook. A collage cook one might say, or better yet, a bricollage cook. I take what is in the house and make a dinner out of it. I think about flavor, texture, color and variety. Most of the time I would rather put this creative energy into visual arts, but on occasion I will push my fine art aside, and the art of the evening is cooking. Candles, music, wine, and a lovely table. I must think more like Monet, and not only make the meal art, but somehow make it my visual art too. The best I could do was a photo of the beginning of the sauce. It looks rather bizarre if you ask me,
Read more

Cape Painting

-
Image
My framing blogs will continue when I’m back in the studio next week. In the mean time, I am enjoying adventures on the Cape. Again I opted to not bring oils as the place I am staying is not conducive to oil painting, so I bought watercolors and my acrylics, although I have not used the acrylics yet. I have a small messenger type bag, that I can put in a few palettes of my Kramer watercolors, several water brushes, a few paper towels, a 6x6 watercolor pad, and a watercolor postcards. This time I bought watercolor greeting cards to paint on too. I can wear this light bag across my body, and hike for miles, plopping myself down on a bench, rock, or table, and paint the scene at hand in an instant. I got to experience the tail end of hurricane Dorian too, the roiling ocean and wind captured on camera and paper, etched in my dna now. I will be bringing home new ideas, new small pieces, hundreds of photographs, ready to settle in for a fall of painting and design work for m
Read more

Framing: Sources for Frames

-
Image
When I was primarily showing fine art collages, and framing antique prints, I collected a wide variety of frames for my work- rarely were two frames were ever the same. But over the years, I have whittled down that collection, as I find myself  using either white (for abstract work) or black floater frames for my paintings. It is more professional to have a "even" look in framing one's work, especially if you are showing several works, or having a solo show. On occasion you can find frames in places like Ikea, or the Christmas Tree Shop, or other such venues. If I find good ones, I will buy them up and keep them for future work. But most of the times I either buy them at Michael's , or American Frame .  On occasion if I am flush, or need a specialty frame, or it needs special care, I will gladly go to the local art supply or framing store. But I usually don't have the money to do that...so I order and frame myself. Michael's has their sales and 40%
Read more