Tuesday, July 16, 2013

The Family Table

We are having a wonderful time here at Stiniel. It’s the first gathering of the family to include Sebastian and we are all delighting in his constant (well pretty constant) smiles and giggles.

It is so interesting to watch a baby observing things we can’t see. Both indoors and out in the garden, he follows the movement of things that are completely invisible to our grown-up eyes. We choose to believe that he is looking at faeries. Hopefully when he is old enough to talk he will still be young enough to see them and will be able to tell us about what he sees. Toby certainly did when he was that age (old enough to talk, that is).

We have been having the most beautiful summer in years -long, long, hot, sunny days that stretch into clear evenings with starry skies. Pure magic!

The flowers are doing their best to all come out at the same time so there are combinations in the garden that we’ve never seen before. A friend of ours is creating magic in the garden by weeding and shaping and coaxing it into something that looks graceful (and grateful!) and cared for and flourishing. It is easy to feel that the nature spirits of this place are extremely happy to see lilies being released from the stranglehold of bindweed and roses and other flowers being given the space to stretch and breathe again. Nurturing is just as important as planting in the first place and Brian and I are truly grateful to see it happening here. Maybe the faeries will reciprocate and plant new ideas in our heads for the book. Now, that would be a good exchange!

Toby’s kickstarter is just doing wonderfully well. If you’ve been following it, you know he reached his goal and is now asking for a stretch goal so he can add another character. Brian and Toby have been spending late nights at the dinner table (always the very best place for ideas!) with wine and cheese, developing a character and scene to be used if Toby can afford it. I love listening to the two of them talking things out and exchanging ideas. It’s not that Sarah and I don’t contribute  - it’s just hard to get a word in sometimes when Brian and Toby get started!  

It’s a very sweet and satisfying thing to know that Toby grew up sitting at that table, listening to the exchange of ideas between the two of us and the many friends who have come to join us there. He has always taken part (even before he could speak) but now of course he brings a whole new vision with him. Sarah and I have both sat and watched Sebastian following their voices as they talk and I believe that we both know that Sebastian too will some day sit there and bring his own ideas into the mix of discussions.  I can’t wait to find out how he views things.



It’s time to venture back out into the sunshine and the grateful garden. 


Monday, July 8, 2013

Just Too Damn Cheerful!


I’ve been sitting at my computer trying to think of a way to start this bit of writing. It’s not that I don’t know what I want to say  - it’s just that I’m not sure how to say it without sounding – I don’t know – just too damn cheerful!
But  - that’s how I’m feeling. I feel happy and hopeful and most of all, grateful.
After almost seven weeks on crutches, following my hip replacement, I am now walking , NOT limping and not in pain. I got the go ahead so really the fourth of July was my independence day! How fitting. I feel better than I have in years. It feels like a miracle. Really  - it IS a miracle that things like this can be fixed at all, let alone, so fantastically! So  - I’m very, very grateful indeed.

But  - that’s not the only thing that is making me happy. Toby just launched (as I’m sure many of you already know) the kickstarter for the short film he is making and it’s doing amazingly well already. It’s so exciting to see him making a “Froudian” film and it is also SO exciting to see how many people are enthusiastic about helping, contributing and encouraging this project. Brian and I are very proud of him and also again, very grateful that something like this will have a chance to be out in the world. If any of you don’t know about the film or the kickstarter, have a look at this link. If you like “Froudian” things (and if you read this blog you probably do!) then have a look and support it if you can.http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1401146961/lessons-learned-a-practical-puppet-short-film?ref=search
 
 

AND another reason I’m happy. Toby, Sarah and Sebastian are coming for a visit soon. We can’t wait! And (I’ll whisper this so the universe doesn’t hear me) it looks like we may even have summer weather for a while! Hard to believe but it just might happen.

As well as all of this happiness, Brian and I are continuing to work like mad on our new book. The faeries seem to be pleased by it so far. Brian’s paintings are just wonderful and the stories that I’ve been inspired to write seem to truly want to be told. Who knew? I guess the faeries did.

I’ve also been sculpting and fabricating again and really enjoying that too. Here’s a faery girl I just finished. I asked her how she would like to be dressed and she said that she wanted to wear gloves  - and so she is. Her clothing is made from a pair of white kid gloves  - wonderful stitching and shaping to use. I loved piecing this together and I think she’s enjoying wearing it.

 

All in all there’s a lot to be happy about and grateful for  - and I am.  Happy summer to you all!