My Morning Routine

     I am not a morning person, never have been. However, being the mother of school age children, I must put on a "morning face" and enter the world hours before I would care to.  The way I am able to do this is by getting up obscenely early.  If I am able to have my breakfast, meditate or read, and watch the sun rise, all before waking my children, I find that I am much easier to be around. 
      Summer has lessened this burden a bit, though, since our time constraints are not as rigid.  Now I get up around 7:30 and eat my breakfast, perhaps do a bit of writing.  Then I go outside and water that plants.  This is one of my favorite times of the day.  Here I can see all the changes that took place as I slept.  It may not seem possible, but new worlds can open over night.  In fact, I recently scattered some loofah seeds, on a whim.  My friend was clearing out some boxes and happened upon a plastic bag of these seeds that someone had given her years ago.  I thought they were likely goners, but decided to scatter a few to see.  This is what I discovered this morn:  

     There are several spots where the loofah seeds are sprouting.  I am pleasantly surprised.
    
      I have also found that my beloved Aloe is doing well after the last rain.

       She had babies!!

And remember yesterday?  I mentioned that I LOVE chocolate?  Well my chocolate mint plant is taking off, and I am absolutely thrilled.  I planted her below my kitchen window so that I can catch a whiff of her sweetness each time I open the window.

Sketch #3 - Favorite Food

 

     Chocolate is most definitely my favorite food, though I don't eat it very often.  I try not to, so that it remains a sacred, treasured food.  I only eat the finest of dark, bitter chocolate as well.  This also ensures the maximum amount of enjoyment.

     Have you ever eaten anything you love so often that the thrill and pleasure of it no longer holds the same intensity?  I have, and I want that never to happen with chocolate.  Practicing restraint allows me to always feel that charge and mouthwatering goodness as I bring the first piece of chocolate to my lips.....

Favorite Animal - Sketch #2

There simply aren't enough Giraffes in my life.  They live so far from my own residence that I only have wee stuffed versions of them about the house.  *sigh* 

Sketching

I have been working on my sketch challenge.  I have finished 3 to the degree that I am ready to share them.  Today I will share the first; it is my self portrait.  The face may not be mine, but various symbols in and around my hair are me.  Let me explain a bit. 

In my hair, at the bottom right, I have done my best to mimic the drawings of my daughter.  She is, quite honestly, one of my favorite artists.  Her characters have such style and whimsy. 

Up from my daughter's drawings are expressions in Arabic.  These expressions are not only common phrases in Arabic, but they are also mottoes I live by and through which I navigate the world.

The animals (frog, owl, giraffe, and bee) are my totem animals. 

On the opposite side (left), you will see the stars and moon.  I am a night person and stargazer.  I look to the heavens constantly.



The tree is one of my favorite subjects in my art - drawing, photography, etc.  I feel most comfortable in the mountains amongst skyscraping trees.

I am holding a book, of course while wearing the jade necklace that my beloved gave me when he first professed his love, and my throat chakra is glowing because I love to express myself through language and by singing.