Gaian Tarot Artist's Journal

Epiphanies from the Readers Studio

(Note:  I started writing this blog entry last Wednesday, May 6th but didn’t finish it until today.  It’s long!)

I’m still in recovery mode from my two weeks on the road and especially from the intensity of the Readers Studio.  My body thinks it’s still on the east coast and I’m craving unhealthy foods — yes, I even started eating french fries and ketchup Sunday evening in the bar. (It’s all Thalassa’s fault. Not.)  I’ll make a green smoothie in a bit and my body will thank me for it.

Once the rain stopped, the lush Northwest landscape (the proverbial thousand shades of green) took me to its heart and wrapped me up like a patchwork comforter.  Home.

For the moment, I am not noticing all the weeding and yard cleanup that needs to be done.  Just drinking in the green.

I think this was my favorite Readers Studio of all, so far.  I had a lot of fun socializing, made a pretty penny at my merchant table, and had a number of personal epiphanies.  What more can one ask for?   (For those of you who haven’t seen my photo albums of the RS on Facebook, you can click through here:  Thursday, Friday, Sat/Sunday.

Travels East: Maine, Brooklyn and the Readers Studio

(Photo:  Grandma Joanna & Gracie)

Last week I headed to Maine and spent several days with my son Steve, daughter-in-law Jenn and granddaughter Grace (age 15 months).  Craig came too.  We are both just totally nuts about that little girl.  We went for walks, played with crayons and read books, went to Saturday morning story time at the local library, went to playgrounds, went to a big sandy beach . . . and soon it was time to leave again.  We'll be back in the fall.  I put up lots of photos from our trip on Facebook — you should be able to see the photo album even if you're not on Facebook.  

(Photo: Joanna & Kris at the Cafe Clinton)

On Monday, Craig flew home and I headed for Brooklyn.  I visited with Kris Waldherr and Diane Saarinen.  I've known them both online for years but this was the first in-person visit.  They gave me the grand tour of their town, and what a beauty it is.  My friend Debbie Lake came over from Manhattan and joined us at Kris' gallery and studio, where we had a grand time talking art and publishing.  More photos of my Brooklyn visit here. 

Earlier today I made it over to Debbie's apartment in Midtown and shopped for a few necessities, like green juice.  And now I'm at the Newark Sheraton, sharing a room with Julie Cuccia-Watts and resting up for the big event, the Readers Studio.  The excitement is building!

Registration now open for PSG

I'm attending Pagan Spirit Gathering for the first time ever this summer, and — lucky me! — I'm one of the presenters.  Craig will be performing an acoustic set, too.  I'm looking forward to this experience — my mermaid sister Nora has been trying to get me to go for years.  And now it's finally happening.  Will any of you, dear blog readers, be there too?

Carolina on My Mind

From the cool crisp autumn woods of Maine, I traveled to the warm summer woods of North Carolina last week as the guest of Beth OwlsDaughter and her husband John.  Their home felt like a cross between a retreat center and a B&B. So comfy! I loved the solitude and downtime after such busy days with the kids in Maine.  Beth and John's house is filled with antiques, witchy paraphernalia and Deadhead mementos.  I felt right at home.  

John took me for a walk through the woods, which had just begun to turn color.  I was excited to meet so many new trees — hornbeam (two kinds!), beech, tulip poplar, hickory and a species of cedar that seemed like juniper to me. I also saw my first cardinal ever outside of a Christmas card, which was a real thrill.  And once as we pulled out of Beth's driveway, we stopped in amazement to see five wild turkeys run across the road.  (Beth said that was a rare sight.)  I walked their stone labyrinth too, and later learned how to check for ticks. !!

On Wednesday night I was the guest speaker at the Raleigh-Durham Tarot Meetup. 

Home from the Readers Studio

I’m home from another deeply satisfying Readers Studio.  This is one Tarot event I will just not miss, even though the ten-plus hours of travel to and from the east coast is exhausting.  (Yesterday was my rest, recoup, and reconnect-with-my-sweetie day.)   

Even now I have a collage of mad images and snippets of conversations, faces and readings dancing around in my head.   I realized on the way home that the folks I connect with at the Readers Studio are becoming another family for me and these events are our family reunions.  Even though we may only see each other once or twice a year, our bonds are strengthened each time and go a little bit deeper. 

I love being with people who really “get” me and value the work that I do.  I love being able to share my unique gifts with others and be appreciated for it.  (Who wouldn’t?)

I’ve been involved in a number of spiritual and mundane groups over the years, and I’ve found that the people of the Tarot tribe are some of the warmest and most generous people anywhere.  There is a significant lack of superiority/ego among the Tarot luminaries — the authors, teachers and deck creators.  They are accessible and totally down to earth.  Is there something, do you think, about a lifelong study of Tarot that helps people maintain this balance of self-confidence and humility?  I wouldn’t be surprised.

Home from Wisconsin

(Photo: Rue and me at my vending table)

I'm home from WATTS -- the Tarot conference in Wisconsin. I had a fabulous time. It was my first trip to the Midwest (outside of Chicago hotels and airports), and I was enchanted.  Green rolling hills, rivers, lakes, and . . . fireflies!!  I travelled with Rue, one of the sister priestess-initiates of the Silver Grove, who lives in St. Paul.  She was a wonderful hostess and took good care of me, even going so far as to make green smoothies for us every morning, which I deeply, deeply appreciated.

Travelin' and Visitin'

Seattle was in the midst of a heat wave (96 degrees!!!) Wed night when I spent the night there and caught an early-early flight to Minneapolis.  I've been staying with my friend Rue in her beautiful country-in-the-city home in St. Paul.  What a beautiful city.  Large, old trees everywhere -- cottonwoods and maples and spruces and more I can't identify.   Mmmm.  Lovely old brick buildings.  Parts of the city remind me of Portland, Oregon and parts of it remind me of Portland, Maine. 

Rue is a wonderful collage and paper artist, and I got to spend the night in her studio/altar room.  How lovely to sleep surrounded by such creativity.  It's the heart of the house, this room.   Rue is busy making green smoothies for us to take on the road.   We'll drive to Madison, Wisconsin today, find a co-op there to pick up more green smoothie makings, then head over to Watertown in time for the party tonight that kicks off WATTS - Wisconsin Area Tri-State Tarot Symposium. I'll be vending and doing readings with my deck-in-progress.  I'm so looking forward to seeing my Tarot friends, and meeting new ones too!

Report to come!  Enjoy the summer . . .

Shopping for Carbon Offsets

Now that I'm home and getting caught up on work, paying bills, laundry and sniffing the sweet spring rain, I decided to go shopping for carbon offsets to neutralize the "cost" of my recent airline travel.

I completely missed Earth Day as it took place the same day as the last day of the Readers Studio. (Thanks to Kim and Cate for reminding me of the Day.)  But the Saturday before (April 14th) I went to the Step It Up demonstration in Maine with Craig and the kids. I was pretty darned impressed, BTW, by my son and daughter-in-law who have become eco-conscious while I wasn't looking.  They buy only organic, local food and shared their handbook for conscious consumerism with me — "Every time you buy something, it's like a vote, Mom!"  Wow.  I think I raised a good man.

Home (or: There, and Back Again)

It's always great to leave on an exciting journey and sometimes it's even greater to come back home.  Craig and I arrived in Seattle Sunday about midnight our time, 3 AM on New York time.  Our bodies were still definitely attuned to the east coast and we slept like the proverbial dead at Craig's sister's house that night.  By mid-morning we headed north and made a stop at Terra Organica in Bellingham to stock up on fresh greens and veggies.    

As we crossed the Passage on the ferry, I nearly cried for the sheer peace and beauty of the scene.  Clear blue skies, sparkling water, a warm breeze.  As we drove off the ferry we realized that the island had totally greened in the eleven days we'd been gone.  When I left for the east coast I could still see water and a neighboring island through the bare trees from my studio window.  Now the woods have leafed out and all (!) I see is that luscious, living, thousand shades of green.

Just before the conference begins . . .

It's been a crazy couple of New York days.  I'd forgotten how stressful it can be to travel (good stress, but still).   Craig and I packed a lot of adventures into a very short time.  A highlight for me was seeing Van Gogh's "Starry Night" at MoMA, and also seeing Les Miz.  We had a sweet time together.   

Still, the best time I've had so far on this trip was in Maine reconnecting with my son.  He has grown into such a fine young man.  I am so proud of him.   We talked a lot about his memories, and mine, of his growing-up years.  We talked about his brother and our times together as a young family.  I heard a bit about his life on the road in his late teens.  He's 30 now and he and Jenn will be starting a family soon.  You can bet I'll be traveling to Maine fairly often once that happens.

And starting today, I'll be immersed in the world of Tarot for 3 days!  Take a deep breath . . .