Winter Holds On!

The first day of Spring was March 20. And, it really seemed that Spring had arrived in Montréal. I had already seen crocus and most of the snow was melted. How quickly that changed! On Tuesday, Winter stretched forth her frigid hand, coating the trees and bushes with a layer of ice and sprinkling snowdust all around.

After putting on my boots and layers of clothes, I went outside to take some photos. Here is a picture of the ice coating one of the trees in my neighborhood.

And here is the digital mandala I made from the photo. I call it "Winter's Last Stand." (I hope that's the last we will be seeing of snow!)




As I looked closely at this mandala, I discovered six of Winter's fairies around the center snowflake, each holding the holy seed of Spring, offering renewal and rebirth. I have enlarged the section so you can see them, too.

I LOVE making these mandalas because they always reveal shapes and identities I never expected to find.

--Vicky Lynn :o)

"Winter's Last Stand" Digital Mandala
Created using Photoshop
Copyright © 2010 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

Now about boundaries...

I have been thinking a lot about boundaries, especially in light of what I have named this blog.

While we all live within boundaries, are they real and where do they come from? We have all seen pictures of the earth from space and we know that there are no "lines" marked that indicate counties, states, provinces, regions, countries, etc. Yet, we all live by those "invisible" lines, don't we? (Just think about the last time you travelled outside your own country if you believe those lines are not real.)

And then there are the boundaries between us and other people or between us and all other beings or objects, animate or not, that share this planet. There are physical boundaries and emotional boundaries. Are there also mental and spiritual boundaries? Are any of these boundaires real or are they all imagined?

Do we define our boundaries or do we let others do that for us? If we define them, what does that say about us, our belief systems, our connection? If we don't define them, what does that signify for us and for others?

What about your boundaries? Are you in this world or is this world within you? Are you in your body or is your body inside whatever you are truly made of, that eternal part? Do boundaries even exist?

I have been thinking about boundaries lately...

The dwelling place of happiness

Where does Happy dwell?
Where does It reside?
Is there a quiet space,
A place, for It to hide?
From us humans
who seek It,
desire It,
make deals with It
so that It will always abide,
with US.

If Happy could tell
us where It longs to rest and dwell,
where would be that sweet abode,
that quiet, silent space
It could call Its own,
It could call Home?

Would Happy simply say
to each of us who struggles each day
to find It and make It remain;
Would It simply say:
"Your Soul is my domain,
my resting place,
my truest home"?

What would Happy say?

--Vicky Lynn :o)

"Happiness dwells" collage
Copyright © 2010 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

Wisdom Longing to Tell

Are we "longing" to listen?

--Vicky Lynn :o)

Collage Journal Page
Copyright © 2010 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

New Day, New Month, New Blog

In honor of March, events in my life, and just for fun, I am starting a new blog. As a theme for the year 2010, I picked the word "discover." And I embrace that word as the theme for this blog. I wonder what new vistas and perspectives will emerge!

My first discovery: this collage that I made almost a year ago and forgot. How perfect for this new blog with its baby angel, a nest full of love, laughter, and security, and the words "from small beginnings come great things." So when I made this collage a year ago, did I do it specifically for this moment?

--Vicky Lynn, Discoverer of New Landscapes and Inner Beauty

Miscellaneous Collage
Copyright (c) 2010 by Vicky Lynn Macchione