"Let your life lightly dance

on the edges of time

like dew

on the tip of a leaf."

Rabindranath Tagore

Indian Poet & Novelist & Philosopher

(1891-1941)

What could be nicer than a holiday to celebrate love?

Lovely Hearts: On Saturday, we went to the Lovely Hearts exhibit at artstream gallery where more than 100 artists submitted work for the event were on display. One half of the purchase price of the art work was donated to breast cancer research. The show was a good success with many visitors and lots of purchases of one-of-a-kind art work. Sister Donna, husband Tim and daughter Sarah drove up from Massachusetts to attend the show with us (Donna had two pieces on exhibit). What a treat to spend the evening with them!

And, best of all: The show is still on via the gallery's website: www.artstreamstudios.com ~~~ you still have a chance to support breast cancer research and an artist.

CLL Forum: Yesterday was the first anniversary of an international forum designed to provide support and information for people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In just 12 months time, the CLL Forum, has attracted over 1,000 members from all around the world. It was a life-saver for me last summer when I was diagnosed with CLL. There is just no way that I could have learned so much so fast and felt such warmth and encouragement without the Forum. It was started by volunteers who are also living with the disease; it is operated and moderated by folks from around the globe. www.cllforum.com

A Nor-easter today: A powerful winter storm blew into the northeast today and it has been snowing and blowing all day long. In fact, the weather advisory says that blizzard conditions will continue throughout the night and into the daylight hours. A definite problem for florists, restauranteurs, and others who were standing ready to help lovers celebrate.

I always find myself at odds during a stormy day like today. At 6s and 7s as the British authors say. It was difficult to concentrate on projects. I kept up a vigil on the weather .....

Valentine Evening at home: We were snow-bound today in New Hampshire. Literally didn't move an inch as the snow continued falling all day long and winds up to 50 miles/hour blew it around and around making visibility beyond a few feet nearly impossible.

Anticipating the storm's arrival, I brought in all the ingredients for an Italian spaghetti feast for tonight. The sauce simmered all day long. The aromas were fantastic! Larry made Bellini cocktails before dinner; the wine was a Spanish Rioja and the food was sublime.

Love is in the air.......

Collections: bit and pieces

4x6

Silk

lace fragments

antique buttons

and new

a scrap of antique text:

assembled on my worktable

a miniature art quilt

Today's Quote from Anais Nin

The years march ever forward through the decades
it is absolute and concrete

but we are as infants
attempting
faltering
stumbling
through life's lessons

Expecting completion with chronological benchmarks

Beautiful
Turn-of-the-century White Work

A wedding dress of white batiste
fragile, soft, feminine
Embellished with heavily padded white work

We were at an auction preview when I saw these fragments of wedding fabric. They were in an old, not very attractive frame. Just sitting on a non-descript bench among other relics from other folks' past.

The framed fabric pieces did not seem to be generating interest. Except for me: I was drawn to it ~~ captivated by its untold stories.

The fabric did not come up for bid until late in the auction. When the bidding opened, there was no competition. It had, I suppose, limited extrinsic value. But for me its value was not monetary. Its value lies in its past and the questions it evokes.

Who wore this dress?
What happened to the rest of the dress?
To the marriage?

I was the only bidder and purchased the fabric for a small sum.

I don't know its truth but I know its essence.