I’m glad you joined me on Wordless Wednesday and I hope to see you again soon.
Melinda
Category: Art
Daily Writing Prompt
Daily writing prompt
Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.
I was traveling to the airport to fly to Russia the day of 9/11, the airspace was closed for two weeks and as soon as it was lifted off I went to St. Petersburg, Russia. Traveling alone wasn’t anything new to me but it’s unusual in many countries, I stood out as American but everyone was so gracious to me. I didn’t know the language or anyone who lived there, and I liked it that way.
Walking everywhere, visiting the Hermitage twice, two other museum’s, street artists, went to the ballet, visiting a couple of restaurants outside of the hotel. When I was lost communication was difficult but often a point in the right direction was all that was needed.
I observed the Costra Nostra, mafia, up close since most nights there were enjoying life in a separate lounge area by the bar. One day I stopped into a small restaurant for lunch, a man and women were the only two there. While I was eating my soup and the man walked past when leaving, he looked at me and said American. I guess you had to be there to get the vibe. It was such a joy for me because I’m fascinated by the Mafia.
I remember going into a fur shop, it was freezing cold and I had not packed for the weather. We had no verbal way of communicating but by showing her the type of furs I liked, I left with a beautil silver fox coat. I’m not a fur wearer but as I struggled with the cold, I wanted the warmest coat I could buy.
I could talk for hours about my trip especially the Astoria hotel, one of two five star hotels in the city. From the moment the Mercedes picked up at the airport, the entire staff welcoming me when I arrived to how they helped and protected me. I’ve never experienced a city like St.Petersburg and look for the day I can return.
My trip of a lifetime to date.
Melinda
Wordless Wednesday-Picasso
I’m glad you joined me on Wordless Wednesday and I hope to see you soon.
Picasso, Washington, D.C. 2015
Melinda
Blogger Highlight-Bridgette Tales #2
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series. I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week, we highlight Bridgette Tales. Bridgette was one of the first people I wrote about in the Blogger Highlight series on 11/14/2022, you can read the post here. Her photography blows my mind, she can capture every feeling of every subject.
Bridgette Tales
Everybody has a story. Here’s a little of mine.
I started this blog in 2013 with the words: “Once upon a time there was a mother who wanted to do something other than dishes and laundry.”
This version of myself feels sort of familiar.
It ended with the words: “She took a deep breath and just went for it.”
This I recognize.
I’ve spent the last nearly decade breathing in and plunging forward.
I’ve been as transparent as I can, exploring motherhood, depression, and body image. There are things I withhold to protect my friends and family, and I’m attempting to explore new territory with my fiction writing. The blog, like me, is a work in progress.
If you are new here, you may want to read my top blog posts:
- Exposed by my children for what I really look like
- Top 10 reasons I hate Costco OR sometimes people suck
- This mom wants her kids to keep fighting
- The hardest dance of my life
- Top 5 ways to make your minivan stand out
- Love lessons from my girl
- What to do when your tires hit the dirt
- Home, broken, home
Questions I Asked
M. Who drew the picture on your blog’s banner and what is the story behind it?
B. The header banner on the blog was drawn by my son when he was 8-years-old. He’s 20 now. It’s me as “Super Mom.”
M. Tell me more about the word show Listen to Your Mother. and how it sparked your creativity.
B. Listen to Your Mother is a spoken-word show on Mother’s Day which features women telling their stories. The audition process itself was a big leap forward for me and made me consider myself a writer/performer more seriously.
All of Brigette’s content and photography are copyrighted and not available for use unless you’ve been given permission.
One of my favorite posts is Photography: Mountain Retreat Like many of her posts, there is a collection of photographs and you’ll find beauties like these in this post.
As always, all photos were taken by me with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW. Let me know if you have a favorite and have a wonderful week.
Be sure to say hello and while you’re there check out her archives.
Melinda
Meditative Painting to Heal Your Life Course
With all the discord in the world today, maintaining a positive and hopeful outlook can be challenging. So, how do you rise above it, maintain your positivity, and hold space for a world with more peace, love, and abundance? You have a choice, and it will require that you go within yourself, to your inner artist, and create what you desire, then radiate that inspiring energy, taking action that is in harmony with your dreams and deepest intentions. Painting has the power to bring you into the present and become a transformative and healing experience. For many, this is also one of the easiest ways to meditate, because you are allowing the “doing” of painting to guide you into the meditative state, rather than sitting still and trying to stop the mind.
Tap into Your Creative Spirit and Transform Your Life
In this empowering, 8-week course by creativity coach and mentor Whitney Freya, you’ll be guided into a new kind of meditation practice, meditative painting, which will help you become present to the part of you that is tapped into the frequency of love, possibility, and infinite abundance. You will activate your inner creativity, and empower yourself to be the change you want to see in the world through the act of painting your own sacred mandala. Mandalas have guided generations of healers, philosophers, shamans, and visionaries to their own sacred wisdom. With interactive lessons and video tutorials filmed in majestic natural locations, you will be transported to a peaceful place to process your feelings and experiences. By the end of this course, you will have a clearer vision of the life you want and move forward with more serenity.
What is included in this course:
- Eight transformative lessons with videos that will teach you a powerful form of meditation to express your inner artist.
- Step-by-step instruction on how to paint sacred mandalas through a process that is fun and playful.
- Guided meditations and practices that will connect you to Mother Earth’s wisdom and nourishing energy.
- Mindfulness techniques for getting centered and ways for setting your intentions to manifest what you desire.
- Insights on how to raise your vibration in order to be a part of the collective that will help heal our world.
- Artistic practices to help you release judgment and boost your creative confidence.
Who should take this course:
- Individuals who want to experience deeper healing and balance in their lives.
- People seeking a spiritual practice that is imaginative and playful.
- Meditators looking for a different way to meditate that will deepen their connection with their inner vision and dreams.
- Those that might have insecurities about their creativity and want a non-judgmental, safe environment to tap into and release their creativity.
- Artists that would like to expand their skills.
- Everyone that wants to work with their intuition and spiritual, creative energy.
In this course, be prepared to have fun, tap into your imagination, and let your creativity run free!
$55.00 USD Value • Pay What You Want
$19.00, $35.00, $55.00
This is the total amount for all lessons.
Pay extra to give more to our instructors and to help create new courses. No matter how much you pay, you’ll get the same course as everybody else.
What a great opportunity to invest in your life and learn new skills.
Melinda
Reference:
More Awesome Art From The Mayo
One of the greatest things about The Mayo Clinic’s awesome artwork collection is that it’s all donated by families or artists. Every possible type of art you can imagine is on display, and unfortunately, I could only capture a few. My husband took a few photos and I hope to provide them as well. The architecture in Rochester is very diverse so walking is a great way to capture great photos. There are many skyscrapers in the downtown area so catching a glimpse of them from an adjacent building with windows you can access is the perfect way to get a great shoot.
Even the lighting looks like art.
Melinda
Huge Glass Art Installation At The Mayo Clinic
Melinda
Beautiful Art From The Mayo
Mind-blowing! I can’t even fathom the hours spent making the installation and the hours and people if took to install it. It’s breathtaking.
Melinda
Wordless Wednesday-Dragon Flies
I’m glad you joined me on Wordless Wednesday and I hope to see you soon.
This is a beautiful piece of handmade leaded glass of Dragon Flies. The first photo is hard to see becaue it mosted coved by a tree outside my office window but as you look to the sides of the galls the colors shine through. Seeing Dragon Flies always make me smile.
Melinda
The Treasures On My Bookcase
The bookcase in my office holds many treasures including travel finds, books, photos, candles, and an antique camera. The items bring me joy, and memories of travels and adventures. Here are a few photos.
lookingforthelight.blog 