Last weekend I had folks in the garden for our annual CANCERAMA!

I know, odd title - but we're astro geeks and we've got a lot of wonderful, watery crabs who live in Chicago.

I used the event as an excuse to make my best cake, a triple chocolate layer cake with chocolate butter-cream frosting (recipe credit to Cedar of NM who gave this to me during Feri training). I got creative and made a little crab out of fruit as decoration. I was particularly pleased with myself and secretly gloated over his cute little raisin eyes.

Hey...it's the little things.

See the cake and gorgeous crabs ( behind the cut )

One thing I've loved about FB and LJ is that folks are posting lots of pictures of their gardens. Perhaps it is not exciting for everyone to take in shot after shot of brazen tomato plants, coy carrots and slinky bean vines...but I love it.

GARDEN PORN! YAY!

Visit my little green peep show ( just behind this curtain )

It's always curious to be in a corridor phase. One door has shut, so what is opening?

As some of you know, I took a pottery class a while back. I REALLY enjoyed it and am debating saving up for the next level of wheel work in the fall. I had decided to hold off making my decision about pottery (to pot or not to pot) until I finished all of my pieces from the basics class. Given how much I loved the process, I felt pretty sure that I'd want to go on with this art form if I liked the outcome and I was eagerly anticipating a set of sexy coffee mugs the likes of which the world has never known!

Erm. Well. That's not exactly what happened.

I do have several finished mugs...and it's sure that the world has not known them. They are, after all, 100% unique...lumps, dents, flaws and all. I would not exactly call them "sexy", though some aspects of them are pleasing. They are much too small for my aesthetic (though I tried to account for shrinkage when building them I don't think I really understood the wet/finished proportions).

In some ways I am disappointed not to have created works of astounding beauty and in other ways I am still in love with the process. I guess that makes pottery a lovely metaphor for my life. While I'm usually hoping for "more" from myself, I still can't help but be in love with the process and the "shaping of mud" that is me...

If you're interested, you can see my lumpy work ( behind the cut )

I had a lovely (albeit busy) weekend. The weather here in Chicago has become idyllic; the rains are coming less often and are leaving behind sunny-but-temperate days. This is some of my favorite weather but it has a strange effect on me. Somehow my body still thinks "summer! yeah! we're on vacation!!!" and suddenly I have a hard time being indoors, especially when the sun goes down. It's as if my circadian rhythms are set to "open all night" and I tend to stay up well past midnight until I literally have to force myself to go to bed. I wanna walk under the stars. I wanna drink in the scent of blossoming trees, warm soil and our tangy lake. I wanna play with the wild things and kiss the moon...I can't help it.

Throughout my life I have gone in and out of cycles of sleep dep but I know it's not good for me. It affects my sitting practice (makes me want to nod off in meditation) as well as my dream work (because I stop recalling dreams when I'm not getting good sleep). It is a bit ironic then that as these seductive summer nights are setting in, I attended a dream workshop facilitated by Anne Hill. I've been lucky to have had access to a few workshops/dream circles with Anne and I am always amazed at her knowledge, skill and intuition. If you're curious about dreams at all, I encourage you to check her out. If you don't have access to her workshops, you can contact her for dream consultation, listen to her radio show, and/or read her book What To Do When Dreams Go Bad.

I really enjoyed getting to see Anne again and to participate in her work. After a year frequented by some intense nightmares it is exciting to be invigorated about holding onto my dreams and looking at them in more detail again. I believe I got a lot of personal insight and many tips for using future dreams to support health, expansion and self-knowledge.

If nothing else, Anne reminded us that our dreams about needing to go the the bathroom are sometimes actually about creative urges and the need to release that creativity into the world. Given that I am known in some (small, odd) circles for my "pee dreams"...this makes me feel nuch more artistic and slightly less warped. ;>)

As most of you know, I love food. I love the sensuality of it. I love the artistry of cooking and the joy of eating with loved ones and community. I am also fascinated by the ethics and politics of food so I read a lot of food-related literature. I also follow quite a few food blogs (somewhat haphazardly) - from decadent recipe sites to discussions of the farm bill, I like perusing it all.

In my toothsome readings, I ran across these Foodscape Posters which are designed to encourage young folks to eat more healthfully.

I don't know why - but they enchanted me a bit. Especially this first one which features black-faced sheep (black-faced sheep are one of the cutest things ever to me...even after I found out how they smelled!).

These are marginally less cute to my sheep-loving eye, but are some impressively creative and edible tableaux vivants.

I just received an invitation for a grade school reunion which is coming up in October and I'm confused. Does one have reunions for grade school? I thought we only tortured ourselves in that way for high-school buddies.

Actually there are a few folks that I do remember from grade school whom I would enjoy seeing but I cannot afford the trip and really, I don't feel like being on display as the only non-Christian, non-married, childless freak in the room (and based on facebook, that does appear to be my role in the group).

Up early to garden. Have not had coffee and therefore opened a door into my face. I now know what they mean about having a "goose egg" on your head. Above my left brow I have a lump that is quite stellar (or perhaps more lunar)in it's size and roundness.

Owie *sticks out lower lip, then shuffles off to coffee maker*

Today I met a friend for lunch at the Farmer's Market. It was a beautiful, warm day; a blue and golden caboose on a train of gray and gloomy. cubsgirl68 and I walked about the stalls and despite my better judgment, I bought a liter of strawberries, though it is early in the season when they can be hard, pale and bland.

But how could I resist? It was a glorious day and I wanted that taste of the season. I needed a burst of something scarlet and sweet and though it is still spring here, these Michigan berries smelled like summer; like being 16 and driving a convertible to the beach to meet your first lover.

Luckily, I was not disappointed as they were quite good. Perhaps they were not as perfect as those upcoming rubies of late June but they hit the spot and choosing them was a wonderful symbol for my work in the world right now. It has been a long, hard year and though spring has come - things are by no means resolved or easy. "Complicated" has become a catch phrase for me but I've decided to take a risk. I've decided to chose hope and sweetness. I've remembered that I don't have to swallow the bitter medicines being pushed at me; I don't have to dwell in depression, anger and fear - I don't have to meet everyone's expectations of me - I don't have to be liked by people.

yezida often reminds us that we are in process and it's a good thing that she does because it's something my thick skull has a hard time absorbing. I still want to be perfect. I still want to be liked. I still mourn the things I have lost on (and because of) my journey - though I do not regret them or it. I know that this path may become more and more isolating. But even when it's hard, even when I'm so scared that I just want to curl into a ball and disappear, I still have choice - and I can still choose sweetness.

And I do. Today, I choose sweetness, hope, and love. Today, I choose that which is beautiful, warm, ripe and delicious. With a shrug that eloquently proclaims "fuck it!" I move; I push against the grain. I stand out in the crowd and even alone, my berry-stained lips smile in triumph. I clutch this daring choice to me...I do not want to lose it in the chaos nor forget the tang of joy on my tongue.

I've had the fortune of doing dream work with Anne Hill in a few small groups and she's an incredibly talented person. If you're interested in dreams, dream interpretation and how you can work with your dreams for growth and healing, then you might want to check this one out. Anne has uncanny insights and it will be a fun day as well as a fascinating peak into the mysteries of our lovely brains!

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8th House Productions presents...



Working With Dreams to Strengthen the Soul
with Anne Hill

We all have questions we want answered, and fears we need to resolve. The great wisdom expressed every night through our dreams is our best guidance for all these concerns. Bizarre and troubling dreams especially bring healing energy for us, if we know how to access it. Understanding our dreams puts our worries to rest, builds wisdom, and helps strengthen our souls.

Dreams also open windows into the future, and help us see things from startling new perspectives. In this workshop we will use group dreamwork and shamanic dream techniques to dive into the world of dreams, find the treasure waiting there for us, and emerge stronger and more confident. We will create dream allies out of disturbing images, and learn how to be bold dreamers. All levels of dreamwork experience are welcome. Please come with an old or new dream to share, a journal, and a small object that evokes your dreams.

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Anne Hill, D.Min., is the author of What To Do When Dreams Go Bad: A Practical Guide to Nightmares. She teaches and speaks internationally, has a private dream practice, and hosts a weekly radio show on dreams. Anne writes about dreams and culture for the Huffington Post, and also writes the award-winning Blog o' Gnosis, http://gnosiscafe.com/gcblog She co-authored Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions, is a Reclaiming and Feri priestess, and a faculty member of Cherry Hill Seminary. Anne’s website is http://annehill.org.

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When: Sunday, June 28, 2009, 10am–4pm
Where: Lifeforce Arts Center, 3148 N Lincoln Ave., Chicago IL 60657, www.lifeforcearts.org
Cost: $50 - $75 sliding scale, a $25 deposit is required to hold your space by Wed. 6/24.

To register or for questions, contact River Roberts at 773.506.1099 or river.roberts@gmail.com.

I was at a coffee shop and appreciated their policy on unattended children:

Cool offerings for the Chicagoans! I highly recommend Nancy's walks and workshops.

............

WEEDS as Foods.
WEEDS as Medicine.



A Series of in-depth URBANFORAGE classes

In this series we will meet and learn from 25+ common weeds as well as many local trees and wild perennials. We will cover techniques that include: elixirs, infusions, decoctions, energetics, pickling, pestos, pates, dips, spreads, salves, tinctures, infused oils, flower essences, drying, vinegars and wine.


May 30, 9am – 1pm class 3 – HERBS AS FOODS
Pickles, pates, dips, spreads and sprinkles


June 13, 9am – 1pm class 4 – HERBAL SKIN CARE
Infused oils, salves, creams, linaments, compresses


June 20, 9am – 1pm class 5 – TINCTURES & ESSENCES
Medicinal tinctures, glycerites and flower essences

PRICING:
$65/single class
$60/class if 3 or more taken
$275 for entire series ($55/class)

class price includes: light meal, tastings and handouts

- Registration is required 1 week before each class without exception.
- Classes are intentionally kept small to facilitate learning. Maximum/class=10 participants.
- All classes held at 2446 South Sawyer Avenue – Little Village, Chicago.

more info/registration: nettlesting@yahoo.com

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Public URBANFORAGE walks
Sundays 3-5pm (rain or shine!)
$10-$20 donation/person (young kids are free!)


June 07 - meet at Gold Dome building entrance at Garfield Park

July 12 – meet at train tracks Kinzie and Racine streets

August 02 - meet at Japanese tea house in Jackson Park

For the past few weeks I have been taking an introduction to pottery class at Lillstreet Art Center. It has been an experience and I have a new appreciation for ceramics as I now understand how damned difficult they are to create. I took the class because it was a b'day gift from my roomie, and I thought I'd waltz right in and start cranking out works of art with ease. After all, it's clay and clay's fun to work with right? And I'm creative, artistic and have a great sense of color and form, right?

Well...erm...not quite right.

Clay is fun and I do think I have a nice aesthetic...but this is not an easy skill. What's more, while I liked the instructors at Lillstreet, I did not find them particularly effective. They're all nice and would likely be fun if you wanted to go out for a beer but as instructors they seem to only have two offerings: 1) "gosh, I don't know what you did wrong and I can't really tell you how to do it right because pottery is all about muscle memory and you just have to learn to do it by feel" or 2) they take over and do it for you. Neither is a particularly effective learning model for me.

After the first few weeks I was frustrated and angry at myself for not "getting it" (and being perfect, let's face it). Hand building was okay, but not as interesting to me as the wheel - and I didn't seem particularly good at it. I hand built "the drunken-footed bowl" and a kala cup - neither of which is pretty. You can see pics of the drunken-footed bowl ( behind the cut )

I had even worse luck with the wheel and at the four week mark was sour-graping to people that I didn't think this was a craft for me, and that it was much to expensive and time consuming anyway (so there! humph!).

Then I went in to work alone on a sunny afternoon when the studio was quiet. I had my headphones playing mellow tunes and there was not an instructor in sight. I wedged six pieces, determined to craft at least one vessel on the wheel - and what do you know? I did it - and I loved it!

They are by no means perfect (and my phone takes crappy pictures) but you can see my wheel thrown pieces ( behind the cut )

Our class ends this week and I am torn. Part of me wants to try to continue with this art form, part of me knows that would difficult for me financially (if I did go on I could repeat this class, or could spend more money for a longer class with different instructors, or I could just pay for studio time to see what I can learn by doing). Lillstreet also offers oil painting classes (which are cheaper and I have more experience with oil painting)and I wonder if I should sign up for a painting class instead. I'd love to do them both, but due to time and money that's really not possible. Really, I don't have extra money for classes at all but it's so nice to be inspired, to meet other artists and to have a creative outlet with set goals and deadlines (which makes me work more regularly).

To pot or not to pot...that is the question...

I'm sending out much birthday lovin' to thegreencall...I hope your year is blessed (and I look forward to working with you through much of it...woo-hoo!).

Kisses to you on your gorgeous, gorgeous lips!

Birds. Photo by Andy Rothenberg.

Hello dear ones -

TUTA Theatre Chicago is hosting our annual benefit and I'm hoping some of you might be interested in attending. If you follow my blog then you know a bit about TUTA; about the uniqueness and integrity of our work. This really is a special group of folks who are manifesting truly special work and as you can imagine - we are struggling in this economic climate.

If you believe in art and its ability to challenge the human mind, to inspire and to bring change into the world, please support TUTA as you are able. This benefit will be a blast (and I actually mean that - we know how to throw a good party) and/or you can catch our upcoming production of Uncle Vanya by A.P. Chekhov. It's a stunning show that was heralded as the best local production in the last year by the Chicago Reader and was so popular in its first run that we have remounted it.

This ain't your momma's Chekhov and you won't see this anywhere else in town. In fact, you may want to buy your tickets now since last year's run sold out so quickly and 2009 shows are already filling.

If you can't make it to either event but would like to support us (after all, we're very lovable as well as skilled), you can go to our website and make a donation. No donation is too small, every dollar and bit of love can make a difference and because we are a 501(c)(3) your contributions are tax deductible.

And to those of you who are able to make the benefit, I'll be there, whippin up tasty finger foods in a fabulous dress and dancin' shoes. Care to cut a rug with me?

.........

TUTA Theatre Chicago is proud to announce our annual fundraising event, Worldwide TUTA: 2009 Gala, benefiting the 2009–10 season (Young & Restless Brecht) and the continuation of our training center.

Step into an international festival full of desserts, wine, music, prizes, and much more.

Guests will be treated to a non-stop evening featuring: live music by the eclectic Balkan rock band Eyes Manouche, a classical violin performance by members of the Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, a wine tasting sponsored by House Red Wine, mingling with the cast and crew of Uncle Vanya, a video history of TUTA, an exclusive silent auction, access to Mars Gallery’s collection of artwork, and plenty of dancing.


For full event details, ticket purchase and auction items, please visit us at
www.tutato.com

Worldwide TUTA: 2009 Gala
Sunday, June 7, 2009
6:30 – 10:00pm

at Mars Gallery
1139 W. Fulton Ave (in the West Loop)
Ample free street parking is available.

Today was the first Farmer's Market in Daley Plaza. It was lovely to stroll through and take in the beautiful, young plants and the first produce of the season. The purple-tipped asparagus winked suggestively and a few early tomatoes made a surprise appearance. Last year the season got off to a poor start (with low temps, little sun and too much rain). This year seems much better; there appear to be some new vendors and all the tables were much more full.

So it begins...I will fill my backpack with canvas bags and each Thursday will march down to the plaza to get produce for our household. While we like to grow our own food, it will be quite a while before our yard will begin to yield much beyond greens. The sunshine will kiss me, luring out my freckles. The plaza fountain will sing like a thousand ladies rustling their silk skirts while The Picasso looks on cryptically. Though commuting home with pounds of produce on each arm is not always a thrill, it is well worth the joy of living a little closer to my values.

One of the best milestones of my year has come...now I begin counting days until the blueberries arrive. :)

To find a Chicago Farmer's Market near you click here. Folks outside Chicago can track markets through Local Harvest.

Well I've been meaning to post about the garden for a while now but early spring has been delightfully busy. There's not all that much to tell (unless you're a gardener and like the dirty details but I won't assume that is the case for all of you). Suffice to say that we've learned quite a bit from last year. We've started things much earlier, paid more attention to companion planting and have much better soil amendments (we have compost and worm bins but we also bought supplemental amendments). There are now structures around the keyhole beds to keep out the squirrel gangs and we've had fun greeting all the perennials that came back (hello sweet raspberry patch!).

We also have chickens. I named mine Tallulah, which is an Irish girl's name meaning "abundance"...it seemed fitting and I thought it went well with "Virgina" (which is what Pam named her chicken, though she's being called Ginny). You can see pics of the chicks and their cute coop here. I want to paint the coop red, but appear to be the only person who finds this desirable (some folks just don't know what's good for them). ;>)

I've included some pics that I took of the garden about a month ago. This was before things were getting nice and green but it is interesting to see them in comparison to the back yard last year.

To keep things neat I have put the pics ( behind the cut. )

I'll try to better shots when things get more established later in the season...it's so much prettier then. In the mean time I am dreaming of basil and other herbs, tomatoes, berries, root veggies, Brussels sprouts, greens, peppers, melons and so much more.

May our summers be blessed and full of joy.

Happy Birthday to blue_sky_48220! May your year be filled with love and joy...

Even in the city
the trees are whispering,
rustling closets and pulling out
their finest for spring's grand cotillion.

May rains leave them mumbling
at torn lace, scattered;
bits of pink and white flutter,
petal-hints of the ball to come.

I'll be enjoying tea and Anton this Saturday...care to join me?

Yours, A. Chekhov, May 9, 2009

“Let the sons of bitches read and find out about things that happened a long time ago.” -Anton Chekhov

Join TUTA Theatre for an afternoon salon featuring the letters of Anton Chekhov.

Complimentary Russian tea provided by Tea Gschwender

Soviet censors are gone and their Russian counterparts have come to terms. The humorless, decorous, and chaste image of one of the world’s greatest writers is exposed as a fraud. Follow the life and career of this most insightful, funny, and rather decadent man of the world through his own words drawn from letters in his own hand to his friends, family, colleagues, and lovers.

Where: Chopin Theatre lounge, 1543 W. Division St.

When: Saturday, May 9th at 3:00pm

Parking: Complimentary parking ½ block west of the 90/94 Division exit at Division/Noble or paid parking at Division/Bosworth just diagonal to the theater.

MASTER CLASS: Chekhov Monologues
with Zeljko Djukic, Artistic Director of TUTA
Tuesdays, July 21, 28 and August 4 (3 weeks only!)
3 weeks, 6:30-9:30pm at TUTA Theatre Chicago
This 3 week master class will focus on active scene analysis and study of Chekhov’s monologues. Students will work on individually assigned monologues with a focus on structure and movement. Using TUTA's approach to devising a unique process for each project or workshop, this class will help you learn the language of theatrical space and discover how an impulse triggers movement, and a movement expresses emotion and tension.

To Register:
Admittance by instructor approval only
For consideration please submit H/R to jackie@tutato.com
Class Size: Limited to 10 students
Price: $65 for three weeks

MASTER CLASS: Body, Space, and Movement
with Jacqueline Stone, Company Member of TUTA

Mondays, Aug 3 - Sept 28, 2009 (No Class on Sept 7)
8 weeks, 6:30-9:30pm at TUTA Theatre Chicago

This 8 week master class uses TUTA's unique physical approach to explore the power of your own body on stage in relationship to space. Using both improvisational exercises and simple pieces of text, you will learn the power of rhythm, responsiveness, emotion, and trusting your gut. Each student will have the opportunity to work in both groups and pairs, with scripts and without.

To Register:
Admittance by instructor approval only
For consideration please submit H/R to jackie@tutato.com
Class Size: Limited to 12 students
Price: $250 for eight weeks

Psst, refer a friend - get a $25 discount on your own class tuition!