Just Say Yes!

Months ago,

I gave a little boy a hula hoop,

tonight, I drove four hours

to see him perform with it...

and was amazed!

My paddle board friend and I,

send texts back and forth

in the a.m.

Paddling? The P word

no one can resist,

when, where, who?

Then one that's states

she's bummed to be missing

Caden's (her grandson)

talent contest that night!

Hmmm?

A tug, a pull

having been the one to give

this cute little guy

the hoop in the first place.

This is a no brainer.

Well, actually it was

a gift to his mom

for the hospitality

of a May stay at their

lovely accommodating home,

while doing a show.

But when Caden got a hold of it,

and created his own moves

without instruction or help,

he was a natural,

I was enchanted.

We smiled a lot at each other

over that week end

for our mutual "hoop fascination."

(And the last time I had

something in common with

a eight year old boy?

...I was probably,

the same age and trying

to beat him up a tree...)

So, yes, enchanted!

Later that month, he decided to

hoop for his 3rd grade talent contest

but "mom" was concerned...

(like most moms would be)

Was it just for girls...?

(well, it was when we

were growing up)

Would he get teased?

All valid and common concerns,

according to my hoop instructor!

So I looked around

and found the coolest male hooper,

who hoop dances blind fold...

now there 's an idea!

Secretly, I was cheering Caden on.

I wanted him to perform

and was certain

he would show the school

hooping is cool for boys too!

He's that kind of little guy!

That was the last I heard

of it until this morning's text!

My immediate response was

"I don't want to miss it either,

Road trip? Let's go!"

Hours later, we are on the way

to Henderson (two hours away)

to a third grade talent contest,

My new friend,

(his grandmother,) and I,

(okay...so when, did this happen?

That my friends now have the

title "grandma"

attached to their names?)

Tho, its a lifeless trek across

the hot landscape

we manage to jabber

every mile away,

with colorful, insightful

and unending subject matter...

a perfect adventure...

Caden doesn't know we are coming

...and it's his mom's birthday!

Even Better!

Now, it's been sometime since

I have been to any kind

of third grade event,

let alone, elementary anything.

What a surprise...

the presentation was cute, hip!!

Not the stuff I remember ours being,

with yawn worthy dance numbers

and dusty old songs!

This was cool kids doing

cool dances

and singing cool songs

(okay, I have overused the word, cool)

Lady Gaga, a big favorite.

The teachers doing a

fantastic job making sure every kid

got a chance to shine.

We don't see Caden

until he's on stage,

No one has seen his routine yet,

...not even mom,

all his own idea!

We sit in nervous anticipation.

His dance is to a popular

country western song,

with cowboy hat and the hoop

whipping lasso like around his waist,

there's even a couple linedance moves,

and his cowboy hat waving in circles,

rodeo style.

It is so COOL!

(promise, thats the

last time...well maybe not)

and the crowd thinks so too...

cheering uproariously.

I have to turn away

cause, geeeeez,

my eyes are watering.

(What a Baby.)

But so proud to be a part of this!

The best part is his face when

he sees his Grandma Lou Lou

afterwards,

so lit up and pleased!

Makes me think of the

10,000 Maniacs song

These are the Days.

these are days,

you'll remember,

never before,

and never since,

I promise,

will the whole world...

be as warm as this.

And as you feel it,

you'll know its true,

that you are blessed,

and lucky,

its true that you

are touched

by something

that will grow and bloom!

We had to pull out

our reserve stories

for the return trip

back across the desert,

its late and staying awake

a challenge

but for fairly new friends

there's still so much to say

while agreeing over and over

how glad we were

that we went,

how important it is to

at times to say, lets go!,

to give into things that pull,

make it an adventure!

If I hadn't...

If we hadn't...

we would have missed out

on something

that made us both cry and beam

this young man's shiny moment

on taking a chance,

doing something

so cool,

other boys will want to do it too.

( I am hoping so anyways)

So if you get a chance

to go across the desert late at night

for something out of the ordinary,

attend something elementary,

or try something unconventional

feeling a tug...?

just say YES!!!

Cause these are

the days to remember.

Pam Piper Rain

100 blogs later...Art or Art of Life?

This morning, as I sit to write

a blog about a little boy and a hoop,

I notice this is my 100th blog

Really? Really?

How DID that happen?

Last June, when I started this,

it was intended to be about art

and primarily to create a following

for the Wild Women picture book

I was creating and would

"someday"publish.

(hopefully, while I was still

walking the planet.)

My first entry was the "what and why"

of "Heart of a Wild Women."

A playful fable written lyrically

in a Dr. Seuss style about

a women's transitional adventure

and search for the wild heart

she once had...

and the women she meets

along the way who guide her.

Illustrated (of course) with the widely

popular stick figured

Wild Women series.

(Once just one design,

now numbering

at last count... 60!!!)

This idea came to me

about nine years ago,

but it was missing the characters,

the friends, the teaching women.

I needed real life inspiration.

Then... I became a part of a

paddling team and there they were...

Mismatched Mollie, Joyful Jill, Captain Clair

Humble Hattie and Dashing Deliah.

Colorful, wonderful women

with tons of material to work with.

(and outfits, I couldn't resist copying!)

Lucky me!

The words had to rhyme

I decided, in a whimsical

and silly language

but with hidden meaning!

A book women could give their

own wild women friends

and read a out loud

at wild women gatherings.

(Okay, I was getting carried away

but my vision was big.)

I wrote for two years,

not much of a rhymer

I had to get a rhyming dictionary.

Many chapters later

with the rhyming books'

pages tattered and taped together

from over use... I was done.

(sort of.)

Just when I thought I had finished

the story,

a few more significant women

come along

So Seamless Sue and Princess Piper

were added.

Next the illustrations,

which I labored

over and at times came very easy,

until here were 24 of them!

(Which I nearly lost in a taxi

one year, after a flight from Kona!

Thanks to Captain Clair,

who I was traveling with...

I got them back! Whew!)

Next was the question.

Would I paint them

(to have an original painting of each

to show in a special showing after the

book was published and wildly successful

...again getting carried away)

or do them on the computer?

Both tasks daunting...ugh!

The paintings required cutting the wood,

blowing up the sketches,

priming and papering the surface

gluing, sealing and painting

and painting!

Another year or so later

I had twenty five 18 x24

paintings lining my studio

(finishing the last one this month!)

Here are some pics of the technical process!

Starts with a sketch!

After I blow it up with a projector onto the wood piece,

I redraw image in marker.

The Thai banana mash paper is glued down,

over the marker drawing!

After it is sealed, the image is drawn for third time

faintly visible thru the paper.

Then painted in acrylics and sharpie outlined!

Then digital pictures taken,

imported into the computer,

cleaned up and another

couple months pass by,

pages are laid out in template form,

and more and more word editing!

Finally, it comes together,

and my heart pounds with excitement.

for the first time print run

in a loose book form!

The words and illustrations

on 48 pages together

is beyond what I thought

it would feel like!

Sadly, most of the women in the story

have all moved on and away,

for one reason or another

(reason and season stuff)

so...I show and read it first...

to my dog,

she is mildly impressed

until she sees a rabbit

run by the window!!! Geez!

Don't know what this will bring,

but it feels important,

my most significant work to date

and such a project of love.

Dedicated to Dashing Delia

who passed away before

I could show her the finished product!

Next step?

handing it over to my editor

who happens to be

Princess Piper in the story!

I am sure there will be

some debates over words and length

but I will hardly notice...so close now

I am catching my breath

at every turn!

Although my blog was supposed

to be about art

it became more about the "art of life,"

and living the adventures

of being a wild woman,

sweet, funny and trying.

In this, I have found a new voice

and a storytelling quality,

I didn't know I had.

100 blogs later

I return to the original intention

and discuss the art of the wild women or...?

About a dreams taking shape

and the energy it takes,

the work and the devotion

that often goes beyond

the measure of time

cause when its time

...its time and everything is in motion!

Can't wait to see what the ride brings!

Happy Birthday, Blog!

Pam Piper Rain

also Cosmic Cathy

Living the Dream?

In a smoke shop for the evening,

the music is old and great,

the sing along kind...

the songs, you can instinctually

retrieve the words to,

and remind you of back seat

high school romances

long forgotten.

The air hazy with smoke,

people conversing

with a glass of wine

in one hand

and a cigar in the other

An unlikely place for me,

I suppose (according to

some of the friends

surrounding me.)

Something about cigars

I sort of like.

It reminds me

of smoking sticks in

the Minnesota woods.

Musty, earthy, rich!

Which is all I ever really did.

My lungs fairly pristine

and okay with an evening

or two like this.

There are many I know and greet,

and it seems this place

is a place smart people gather

to speak of important things...

(and some not so important things

like...whether to get cable

or not for Shark Week...

which was one, such conversation.)

A day of frustration and heat

gives cause for an attitude of

whining and sweaty

complaints accompanied

by a dismal

questionable outlook on my

continued life as an artist/writer.

A day where there is more

creative energy going out

than resources coming in.

A day where paintings

are taken down from a space

that was intended

to be a portal for dreams.

Studio Seven!

A space, in which I watched poets,

realize they were poets and cry.

A space for an idea that took

on energy and life

where people learned to dance

and hoop and breathe and bend.

But all that's ending now

and the wall of mirrors,

reflects the fading moments,

the empty space?

Smells like a 'memory',

moving on to wherever

these things move on to.

Bittersweet and wondering...

does the end of one dream

precipitate the opened door

for the next?

We hoped so and discuss this

(and the power of gratitude...)

over wine and cigars.

Four friends and a stranger.

He flies helicopters for a living

has loved it from early on,

his destiny,

his dream, he says,

Would let NOTHING...

get in the way of it!!

What do I do?

Artist and poet, I respond

rather grimly.

(Remember, its 121 outside,

with bills mounting....and

it seems I had already forgot

the conversation about

being grateful.)

"How long?"

"21 years!"

"Wow, that's wonderful!"

"I guess"

(but whoopeeee, I think)

"Its hard waking up wondering

who am I today...

poet or artist, which hat to wear?

Work 14 hour days

and schlep stuff

around the west coast,

setting up a portable shop

every weekend,

I drive hours, worry about weather,

spend money on show fees...and I..."

(Oh shut up...surprised,

at the blah I am extending,

really, THIS is a problem?)

Gratefully, it invites this....

The pilots says,

"Aren't you living the dream?

Doing what your

most passionate about,

and meant to do?

Using the gift you were awarded!

And you get to spend every day

following that,

what does it matter how

the universe responds

tho I imagine it has many ways

of encouraging you in

your path of passion?"

I am quieted,

this is true!

Recalling the morning dog walks,

when I need to race home

because the words are coming

around the corner,

and too fast.

The 'freedom' of will I paint

or write today? Or both!

The many e mails that arrive

from someone saying, thank you

for being courageous enough

to write that down,

for making me smile

with that silly drawing

about turning fifty!

I get to sell my thoughts and

silly doodles...

to receive compensation

however modest,

for being creative and...

I get to occupy an office

surrounded by Dr. Seuss books

and a chalkboard

for scribbled ideas,

and if I want I can hoop

in the middle of a boring project

...have lunch whenever I want,

dance clothes-less

on my patio and

take a morning to paddle the island

or rebuild a stone temple...

I am surrounded by beauty

in every moment, which is my home

(also humble and modest.)

Only cleaning or sweeping

what I want, when I want.

I may be the head

of every department

and its only employee but....

my animals get to sit next to

me all day long!

(not so pleasant when it is hot)

Hmmm...I AM living my dream,

it seems!

I do what I love...

How did I forget to be

YAAY about this?

Thanks to a helicopter pilot

in a smoky room,

some smart people

discussing smart things

(except for that Shark Week

conversation,

which was hilarious)

When I woke up...

I was excited to be both

writer and artist

and to write this...

again running home

to catch the words

as they came...

Marlo, of Studio Seven?

She's still the pint sized gal

with gallon sized dreams,

with great success around the corner

and new ideas for future

collaborations.

John? Flying overhead,

I imagine,

being the sky?

Me?

I will spend long hours

marrying the illustrations

and poetry

of a nine year dream on my

computer screen,

heart pounding with excitement

as they take shape in book form!

Not caring that

a panting cat needs

to lay on my lap the entire time

or that for lunch...

it's saltines and peanut butter!

Cause Living the Dream?

is just that simple, sweaty, salty,

maybe even smoky...

when nothing else matters

but doing "your job,"

living the gift you were given...

and running to follow it

wherever it leads.

This is my pleasure, my job,

my humble blessing, my dream...

I don't have a choice!

And I, don't GET to quit!

And what about you, my friend?

Pam Piper Rain