Day 11

Stunningly Beautiful

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir from Canada at the PyeongChang Olympics.

Click here to watch video.

Day 10

Truth: A Rare Form of Beauty, these days.

Speech from student Emma Gonzalez on guns and NRA.
Click here to watch video.

“If all our government and president can do is send ‘thoughts and prayers,’
then it’s time for victims to be the change that we need to seek.” —Emma Gonzalez

Day 9

A Beautiful Day in Howarth Park
Santa Rosa, California

Day 8

The Sebastopol Center for the Arts put on a lively opening tonight for the show "Wise and Sassy," a non-juried salon-style exhibition for artists over 60.

By being non-juried, there was no consistency in theme or quality of work. But it didn't matter. That's not what the show was about. It was about having a good time and showing some work that normally wouldn't get seen.

The air was filled with the music of The Ray Walker Swing Band with 20 musicians on stage. The dance floor was active with those who had taken lessons in swing dancing and those just having fun. The rooms were filled. The food good, the wine poured.

One of my favorite paintings is by Carole Watanabe. I love her bright colors and exuberance for life. Her website shows more. And her book, The Ecstatic Marriage of Art and Life is a creative, fun-filled journey. Carole is one of the happiest people I know. And that, to me, is beautiful.

The show continues through March 4th at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S High Street, Sebastopol, California.

Day 7

Beauty

The world will be saved by beauty.

Not by guns

or politicians

or warlords.

But by hummingbirds

and magnolias

and evening serenades.

The sweet succulent fruit

hanging from branches—

that's what will save us.

Morning walks in the fog

a baby's smile

the first petals of spring

jasmine.

A glorious sunset

bringing with it 

the hope of another day.

©2016 Sherrie Lovler

Day 6

Being somewhat fascinated by these Little Free Libraries, I decided to set one up for myself; at least a temporary one for Valentine's Day. In 2011 Anthony Lawlor and I published a book of love poems. We each wrote six poems and I put them all to calligraphy. I wanted to give some away as Valentine's Day gifts. So I set out a TV tray with four books, autographed, with a sign that said, "Take a Free Book for Valentine's Day."

My neighbor was passing by when I was setting up the table. I guess he heard me through his headset, as he did respond. He was happy to take the book and offered me free lemons from his tree in exchange.

I left the table and later noticed one was missing—another person received my gift.

Then I went about my business, and took a shower. Still in my towel, I saw a woman in her bike helmet with her bicycle looking at my books. I spied on her through my curtains. She read it for a while, and put the two remaining books in her basket. Then she started taking the table! I had to risk being seen in my towel, but shouted out from the door, "Just the books are free, not the table!" She innocently looked at the sign. "Oh, free BOOKS!" Then she placed them back on the table. Looks like she was just taking the books so she could have the table.

by Robert Indiana, SFMOMA

Well, that ended my great day of give aways. I threw on some clothes and packed up my table. I did leave the remaining two books on the ground with the sign, and one more was taken.

I would like to offer you the same gift. For the next week, Two As One: Poems from a New Love, is free. Use coupon code: Free BOOK. No table. You just pay the postage.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Day 5

There are over 60,000 Little Free Libraries all over the world! I discovered my first one on the walk I take in the hills near me. There it is: a simple wooden box with a roof and a glass door with a handle, attached to a 4x4 stuck in the ground. The wood is already faded but the books inside are well protected. The sign on the glass says: Free books! So I take one.

This is obviously a hand-made library, but they can be purchased ready-made, too. Red ones are for sale on Valentine's Day (promo code: SAVE20). There is a Little Free Library website to get one started with a video on the hows and whys. 

I looked my neighborhood up on the map and there are two more I can walk to. This one isn't listed, so not all of them are hooked in.

I read that the proper protocol is to leave a book if you take one. So today I went back up the hill with my book in hand. The choice was easy—I have two copies of The Gospel According to Zen. I chose the one with more age-browned paper, hoping the remaining copy will last longer.

It doesn't really fit in with the other offerings but the paper in this little Zen book is browning so fast, maybe it will disintegrate before it gets noticed. 

Day 4

Abe Lincoln and I share a birthday. I also share it with Ross Robb, someone I went to grade school with, and that's the only thing I know about him. And my friend Kim. We even shared a birthday party when I was 50. Once in a while I meet someone new with the same birthday. It's a little club. What was cool about it, when I was young, was that the celebration of famous people's birthdays actually fell on their birthdays, and so I always had the day off from school.

What's cool about it now is very different. Now I receive about a hundred messages on Facebook. I hear from high school friends, college friends, my best friend from when I was 8, my Bronx gang (where gang was not a dangerous word), old crushes, new friends, people I actually see, art friends, calligraphy friends, people whose names I recognize, some that I don't, my students, my teachers. 

I receive texts and transcribed messages of birthday songs. Emails, voice messages, more songs. I see hearts and images of presents (and receive real presents, too). Family members call. Cards are opened.

Birthdays are a beautiful reminder that we are loved and liked and thought about. For that, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who have been in contact with me today.

For all the newness of birthdays in the digital age, my favorite thing is a traditional one: we get to make a wish to carry us into the New Year. I hope triple wishes can all come true.  

Day 3

The West Marin Review is a publishing collaboration of Neighbors and Friends—all volunteer designers and editors—with Point Reyes Books and Black Mountain Circle. The writers and artists are not only from West Marin, but also from around the world. Many hundreds of pieces of art, poetry and prose are considered for each volume. This year one of my paintings is in the Review. I am humbled and honored.

The book launch party was full of talented writers and artists. Listening to the presenters, I realized that I was among some very special people. Personal stories about life were shared. Hard stories, real stories. I was particularly moved by painter Toni Longfellow talking about her painting process, where meditation led her back to the earth. The paint on her canvas returns to its earth-like qualities. Her paintings, organic in nature, "came from the beyond," she said. "I was, and still am, in awe of them."

The opening poem in the book, by Tobi Earnheart-Gold, moved me:

We had prepared for all contingencies.
When we arrived the gate was open.
It became apparent to many of us
the gate had always been open:
the one contingency we had failed to plan for.

Day 2

I began collecting four-leaf clovers in 1970. I found one lying in Flushing Meadow Park in Queens. The next day I was in the park across the street from my house in the Bronx looking for one. I wrote in my four-leaf clover notebook, 

An old lady came over to me and said, "Look over here and you'll find one." I said, "Do you really think so?" and she said, "I hope so." Well, I did find one right then and I ran up her and told her and showed it to her and we were both so happy. 

Four-leaf clover collecting has added the feeling of magic to my life.

Since then I have collected dozens of them. I can often be found stopping at clover patches, looking at every clover while picturing a four-leaf clover in my head till I find one.

Today I stopped at my new favorite spot. A few weeks ago I found two there, and gave one to the owner who was on her way to visit a friend in the hospital. I told her to iron it inside wax paper to preserve it, so she could give it to her friend. I had been meaning to check back at the site to see if there were any more. And, yes, after some looking this morning and a request to the universe to help me find it, there it was. 

"Magic is hard to spot when we don't believe it exists." —Jim Nicolai from Integrative Wellness Rules

Day 1

Every year just before New Year's Eve I prepare to enter the New Year. I review the past year and make some amendments for the new one. These New Year resolutions never stick (I'm no different from anyone else), but instead of getting down about it, I give myself another chance on my birthday, which comes 6 weeks after New Year's Day.

My birthday is in 3 days, so this is a good time to start preparing for it. I have already not been painting every day (my first resolution), nor have I gotten on a steady exercise program. But something deeper is stirring. It began last night in a class I am taking by Francis Weller called "Living a Soulful Life." The lesson was on Beauty.

Francis said, "The world is meant to astonish us through its beauty."

This blog is the beginning of my truly appreciating the beauty around me. It is my own awakening tool. A promise to myself to live more consciously in the world. Today on my usual walk I looked at every flower and chose one to photograph. I will extend the photos beyond flowers and cats (I promise), but it is such a tempting way to start. I will let these pages unfold naturally. I will seek out beauty every day. This is my birthday resolution.

It will be fun for you to come along this ride with me. If in any way it can help you appreciate the beauty around you, I will have more than succeeded.

I'll end on another note from Francis Weller, "Let beauty become the basis or the ground for your life." And a final question from the class, referring to just about anything, "Does it lead to beauty?"