perseverance

I've had this philodendron for over 30 years. It sits in a dark corner, needs about a cup of water every week and never complains. The roots wind around the old plastic pot as if in a dance. Periodically it drops a magnificently browned leave from its core. The stems are marked by the passing leaves with great sculptural detail. Then, in the Spring (how does it know?) it sends out a shiny new leaf that points straight to the sky. The texture is almost liquid, the color is from another planet of green. Time to wake up, smell the rain and reconfigure.

i love ironing

wrinkled, Paula Kovrarik, 2013

There is something very peaceful about ironing a large swath of fabric. In the past few days it has been a great calming device for me while balancing life's challenges and shutting down my business. Actually, I should say I am transferring my business to my able associate so there is some sense of continuity and calm. But still. It won't be me making so many decisions soon, just a tidying up and letting go...enough of a challenge to my control-freak nature to make my insides a little wobbly.

Ironing is a tonic to chaos. But when I saw this piece of fabric I thought I might preserve these wrinkles. The random pattern caused by the centrifugal force of the washing machine reminds me of my inner landscape.  Wrinkled, a little disheveled, moving forward, round and round and tossed into a new form. I may stitch these wrinkles and preserve them as a memory of this time.

too pretty

Paula Kovarik, 2013

As I was leaving the house a couple of days ago I snapped this composition of some weeds growing in one of the planters on the deck. The little snow-frosted hearts were too hallmark for my taste but did serve to remind me that we are surrounded by beauty. The swirls of grass have inspiring lines.

reaching

Paula Kovarik, 2013

I love how these tree shadows reach into the horizon. They remind me of how my mind travels down tributaries in exploration. Or how my memories get fuzzier the farther back they go. I'd like to mimic this in stitching somehow.

filipendulous

On Monday my daily word from Wordsmith was

filipendulous
an adjective meaning Hanging by a thread

A great word for the feeling I often have when doing these stream of consciousness doodles. What direction will they take me? Is it a maze or a path? What does it mean? Does it really have to mean something? What can I do with it? Where do I go next?

And, since I was taught to use each new word I learn in a sentence ...

These filipendulous drawings scatter a network of breadcrumbs for the journey ahead.

filipendulous, Paula Kovarik, 2013