Just Saying, "Boo", A Safe & Happy Halloween To You!

Wind Full Traditions-

From one of the fortunes, which states-- "Avert misunderstandings by calm, poise & balance."

I first began listening to the CD CUSCO, Ancient Journeys, over a decade ago when my then, new ongoing art project, which I established in my father's memory back in 1995, Ahava Art Works, had moved into it's very first artist studio. I hadn't listened to this CD for several months, & since I was feeling "inspired" as I was about to work in the kitchen, it seemed just the right music to listen to, & I was right.
In the process of forging for fortune cookies, what should I find was this container of sea kelp, which was purchased some years ago, & is pre BP biggest oil spill ever, since ocean drilling, era.

Many of us have seen the photographs of prayer flags streaming in the wind from the monastery in the mountains of Tibet. It has been said that as the fabrics unravel, & the threads of the prayer flags go forth, they carry with them to the far corners of the world, their prayerful messages.

As I was neatening up our kitchen late this morning, I was inspired by what a dear friend, [actually my former boss], posted on facebook today. She shared-- "peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no voice, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things & still... be calm in your heart." [unknown]

How true, how true. It made me think, of oh so very much, of how thankful I am for having worked this past decade with such heartfelt & meaningful people in my life, & also of what I was doing with myself a little over a decade & a half ago, & how I am gratefully evolving back to that very place, but now so much wiser, & therefore, even more grateful.

I've been wanting to share my accumulation of fortune cookies with the birds. I have quite the batch, never wanting to really throw them out, for they do also hold a certain form of wisdom. If I were to share it with the birds, & let the crumbs satisfy them & if the tiny bits of messages of advise & wisdom were to also go forth, it will be another way of sharing positive messages to all four corners of the earth, even microscopically.

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On this day sixteen years ago, October 30, 1994, my father, Samuel Myron Kapelner passed on from this earth. I think he would really be getting a kick out of my various cookie adventures, of both his mother's, & now the fortune cookies. It all makes sense, as my father though a true Renaissance man that he was, was a really sweet "rocket scientist", kind of guy.

Seasonal Thoughts & The Nature Of Nature

It occurred to me today as my husband & I were out raking leaves--

We had a super large pile of them, which we needed to rake down the driveway, into the woods. A heavy gust of wind blew up our way & carried a bit of the pile right to where we were raking them. "That's good.", my husband said. A few minutes later, much to our surprise, [why it was a a surprise I really can't say, as it happens all the time], the direction of the wind changed. Now the leaves were no longer being blown to our assigned spot in the woods, but more like, up the driveway, & not quite in our face.

"That's about right." I added, "Only nature creates it's self, in one gust, & destroys it's self in the other."

I thought of the devastation's & tragedies brought on by natures wrath, how we as humans can only do so much to prevent or lessen the impact of such forces. How some human beings wrestle with both the good & not so good within. Their natural forces of nature. How we human beings, many, thankfully have the ability to "think" before acting [or as the mental health professionals would say "act out"], but not all do.

These are the human tides, & the tides of time. As human beings we do have the obligation & responsibility to keep trying, not only for ourselves, but as Emanuel Kant would say--

for the "greater good", of what is far larger than each & every individual.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Cartoon characters remain some of my favorite things....
As does this simple & basic recipe,
Because--

Favorite things can be hard to narrow down. One of my very favorites, is to reach out & connect with extended fam*, near & far.

Speaking of "near & far", our grandmother's special batch of cookies have been arriving at their assigned destinations. Last night after returning home from a meeting, & doing my last check of the day, I received an email from my cousin Deb, in Florida, & then a few minutes later from my cousin Arlene, in Texas. Last word being "yum".

That's all I needed, just to know that these special packages have been arriving, & so far in a rather timely manner. As of yesterday, which of course was Thursday 10/28 , & the mailing date was Tuesday 10/26 , it had just been two days.

A sugared confection traveling a few thousand miles. Yes, I certainly do agree for--

"When sugar kicks in", we're there!

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As of a little while ago, I received emails from two additional cousins, my cousin Penny

from N.J. She requested the recipe, so she & her Dad could make them together. My Uncle Marty was a professional baker for decades, so I'm sure their batch will be *excellent.

Also, our other cousin from Texas, just logged in & reported the delivery of their batch, was of the "yummy" category. My cousins Missy & Burt have the photography gallery in Dallas, Texas.

PDNB "Photographs Do Not Bend", a most *excellent experience into the visual world of art. Can't wait to go back.

Indonesia Oceans Away, Our Heartfelt Prayers

Our prayers & thoughts go forth to the people of Indonesia. We are saddened by the recent news of a tsunami/tidal wave, in your corner of the world.

As vast as the oceans & as far away as we are from one another, our hearts are with you, ahava.

*Amen*

It's Much More Than A Cookie, Cookie--

I must say, as simple as these cookies are, they are really "perfecto" & go with everything!
The good ole Post Office, where the old is morphed & becomes the new, the improved. Quite the roof line.
There it is our little bundle, posing one last time until they arrive at a Post Office near "yaz".
Some beautiful symbols of our great country--

The love of a dedicated & devoted grandmother travels near, travels far--

Our grandmother born & raised in Yonkers, N.Y., was the cornerstone of my father's extended family. Her cooking skills were legendary. My father would often say something to this effect, "Boy what my mother could do with a potato, that was really something!"

I certainly don't have that talent or skill, but what I do have is a tremendous place in my heart for the love she gave all of us, which continues to transcend our generations through place & time.

"From generation to generation, love is the soul."

At 2:15am yesterday morning, after I "disasterized" our kitchen with, oh so much flour, on the counters, & even on the floor, I taste tested my own sampling, addressed padded envelopes as the remaining batches cooled, then packed up nine batches of our "Grandma Anna's Newly Twisted Coney Island Rugulla", into consumption safe containers, & then stuffed these containers into the proper sized padded envelopes. At 12:40pm they were hand stamped "perishable" by a U.S. Postal worker, & off they went to our extended family across the country, "from sea to shinning sea", literally.

When our extended fam* of-- Aunts, Uncles, & Cousins receive these packages, the one & only note, on the back of each, says it all---

"Grandma Anna's Newly Twisted Coney Island Ruggula"

Have arrived!

[I hope so, & will keep you posted.]

More From Real Art Ways

I wanted to be sure you had a chance to see a small sampling of Cary Smith's exhibit which is titled: "We are The Dollars and Cents", & can be viewed up until December 12, 2010.

Mr. Smith will be at Real Art Ways, 56 Arbor St., Htfd. Ct., on November 11th, at 5:30pm for an Artist Talk.

[realartways.org//860-232-1006]