I just KNOW we are going to be ok. I do spend moments/hours/nights in terror about our political situation. I do. So I’m pulling things closer to me. My neighbors are the BEST. That’s not going to change. Even the one with the trump flag-a-flying will likely continue to slow down for me and my dog and wave as he drives by. My friends sustain me. A few even have trump-supporting husbands. Those are some STRONG women. I don’t think I could stand it.

I put my attention on Heather Cox Richardson’s wise words. Beautiful art books keep me sane. Robert Macfarlane’s poetry can cut thru any horrendous mood. Holy cow go on Pinterest and google colorful art, or watch a Seinfeld episode for 22 minutes. And turn off the news. I read mine, or get it thru the late night comedians.

Our government might break. But the relationships I have won’t. I’m inspired. And scared. But look at the beauty in the chaos of my Visual Medicine painting above. Seriously, it’s chaos, and it is gorgeous. We can do this thing. I love you all.

My job used to be graphic design/illustration. It was a great career for thirty-plus years but that job died its natural death and now I do a bit of this and that. THIS is one of my joys, making custom rosary/malas.

This lunar lapis chaplet was created custom for a friend. She knew exactly what she wanted and made this one easy. It fits my hand so nicely, is strung on cord so it rolls around and is very soft. Mother of pearl full and crescent moons and lapis beads with little gold sparkles. Oh so pretty. 

Making custom beads gives me so much joy. Write to me azro@madriver.com if you have an idea in mind, or see what I’ve got here on my website under the shop tab. What fun!

My son makes paludariums. A combination fish tank (water) and land habitat for local creatures. This glorious frog (my prince!) will spent the winter on our kitchen table. He’s got a buddy and a few fish friends in the water portion of his tank too. They watch me prepare food and ask for their dinner. He tells me he’d like tp learn to make chocolate chip cookies. They flop around and play and I get to examine their amazing moves. What a joy!

Clarisa Pinkola Estes says, “the doll represents la vidacita, the little instinctual life force that is both fierce and enduring.”
“The doll is symbolic homunculi, little life. It is the symbol of what lies buried in humans that is numinous. It is a small and glowing facsimile of the original Self. Superficially, it is just a doll. But inversely, it represents a little piece of soul that carries all the knowledge of the larger soul-Self. In the doll is the voice, in diminutive, of old La Que Sabe, The One Who Knows.

“The doll is related to the symbols of leprechaun, elf, pixie, fairy, and dwarf. In fairy tales, these represent a deep throb of wisdom within the culture of the psyche. They are those creatures which go on with the canny and interior work who are tireless. The psyche works even when we sleep, most especially when we sleep, even when we are not fully conscious of what we are enacting.
“In this way the doll represents the inner spirit of us as women; the voice of inner reason, inner knowing, and inner consciousness.”

I made this fiber doll maybe 2 years ago. She is my depiction of Black Moon Lilith who teaches me much. I had to rejuvenate her this past week because she was getting worn and floppy. My dolls mean the world to me, they remind me all day that my inner world is always there with stories and creatures and color and love. A reliable place I can go when the world is burning. 

I’ve got a new friend on my desk, a new doll in the works for a very magical human. I create dolls to remind you how strong or joyful or wondrous or sad or healing you really are. A talisman to empower. Check out my page in the menu above called Her Doll Way for more about dolls or send me a message at azro@madriver. Did you know they all are filled with M A G I C ?

Draconis. Did you know there are multiple dragon constellations and stars and asteroids in our skies? True! This painting is of the constellation Draconis, watching over us from the far far north. Next year will be the Chinese year of the Wooden Dragon. Right now, astrology is bonkers-full of dragon energy. I never knew I loved dragons but I found my way to them on a trip to Alaska. There are surprises everywhere! My son loved dragons and drew tons of them as a boy. Luckily I have kept them all. Maybe a dragon tattoo?
Dragons are about the divine feminine. I didn’t know that either! Like much in our culture, or any religious culture really, the divine feminine has been re-named, taken over, maligned, made frightening/gross and pretty much squashed. But the dragons are coming back. If you have dragons in your dreams, pay attention. She may be poking you for a reason.

Plus, in Chinese astrology it’s the year of the dragon. Exciting times.