Under the canopying trees, in a garden that I have decided is enchanted, my Gypsy dreams come to life... Of course, the word Gypsy is formally used to describe a people (Romany). However, we have grown to use it more commonly to describe their way of life, their dress, their music...
I have had a tiny teensy taste of the world of a traveler. For five days now, I have been living in a little out door home, under the twinkling stars, where owls visit and birds sing... I think I even thought I might be living in Carnivale. Although they were not Gypsies, but circus travelers...
It has been utterly dreamy living outside for a few days. I am grateful for warm days and incredible cool blissful Arizona nights... For the first time, I am embracing a warm November...
Would you like to visit me? Peek into the little world that tickles me so?
Come in through the striped curtain...
Perhaps, if you were a bird, you could fly up into the trees and peek down...
What would you think? What might you catch a glimpse of?
Well, since the sun is going down, and I suspect you are not a winged creature, I shall invite you in, to sit and have a sip of something warm...
Take a seat. I will call my handsome Gypsy Gentleman in to play us a tune on his guitar...
I can't even describe how magical I found it to be outside, living under the trees... In a cozy little space, that I created all on my own...
A wild idea in fact... Something I dreamt up to do on all Hallow's Eve. It turned out to be so lovely, I kept it around. And quite honestly, I am not ready to come inside...
In the morning, I open my eyes, the air slightly brisk and so clean, you can breathe it in, and get a jolt of freshness, infused by the mint growing all around...
I reflect on life. On simply being. On happiness. On purging anything from my life that brings me the faintest negativity. And, I revel in the joy of the moment...
I recall all the people who have called me Gitana (Gypsy in Spanish, pronounced Hee-tan-a) throughout my life. I giggle to myself... I think it was all the coins and dangles I wore, and wear... Perhaps it was the billowing skirts. Who knows? Then I remember a verse to a song... It makes me sway my shoulders and snap my fingers in rhythm, as I look up through the trees...
I listened to that song in cassette form, in my cabriolet, back in the day, until it got wobbly and could no longer be played... Through the warm air and desert hills... Driving faster than I should have been... Top down, hair flowing in the wind... Memories...
I then decided I had better get up, and see what outdoor living mornings have to offer.
(I get oodles of e-mails asking me where I found my quilt below, so I wanted to let you know, it is from India. It is made from hundreds of antique saris. I am not sure where one might find one like it?)
I was prepared...
Laundry? Wood Chopping??
No way! Hee hee ;) I am going back into my cozy lil' platform bed (which I built myself, mind you), and taking with me, books and drawing accoutrements...
I am reading a lovely book titled "Letter's of a Woman Homesteader." I find myself alone often, and since I can remember, I have been taking on huge tasks on my own. Building things, moving things, etc... Although, nothing I have ever done or endured even comes close to the life of Elinore Pruitt Stewart. I am enjoying the book enormously. And admiring her so much, working hard, living off the land and finding comfort in solitude...
I love that. I will let you know what I think when I am done reading it...
So, as I read, the laundry line dances in the breeze, causing me to lose myself in a day dream...
I cheat, and run inside for coffee ;)
Then it is dress up time...
And now to work...
Perhaps, I should also get to that laundry?
Now, here's the tricky part... Because I cheated a bit, on outdoor living... On Halloween when I built this little room to surprise Mr. Lovee, I also brought out an old television and DVD player ;). So we could watch spooky movies. And, I have to say, it got a lil' scary out there. He did his part by picking up Chinese food. It was the best Halloween I had ever had. We opted out on costumes and dancing, and it turned out just delightful (we always dance at home, so we didn't miss out in that area)...
So, if you need to find me, look out in the garden. I have some botancial studies to catch up on...
But before I go, as promised, today we talk about giveaways and the voyages they will be making....
From left to right. The mermaid skeleton musician is going to live with Melissa . The painted skull in the middle is going to live with Lori Anderson, annnnd the palmistry hand is going to live with Miss Chris!! YAY for you lovelies!! E-mail me your addresses please!!
All, and I mean all giveaways, are being packaged today and shipped off this week. I was adding and adding to the Halloween giveaway, and making the treats less Halloweenie. So those are on their way too!!
I also must tackle my outdoor Gypsy Theater, which is a mess.
My friend Dino and I made grand purchases to build our own Gypsy Wagon 2+ years ago, that would sit in this area, and we would make it open up into a puppet theater... Well, more like a Marionette Theater...
Dino was a master Marionette maker, and he also, used to have a toy store that was like Gepetto's magical workshop. This was in the late 70's I think... Anyhow, he makes beautiful wooden toys and such... Wouldn't they have been fun in an out door theater??
I think we had visions of little faces looking up at us like this, while we performed...
Alas, he moved, and the gypsy theater is turning into weeds... But it is a good dream to hold on to... And I have all that beautiful filigree wood & architectural salvage...
Needless to say, I could go on and on forever. So I will zip it and be off...
I will leave you with a video full of beautiful vintage Gypsy photographs ... Oh and if you like documentaries, you will enjoy a movie called Gypsy Caravan. I happily saw it on repeat a couple of months ago...
See you soooon!! ♥, V
ps: Although quite romantic, my outdoor living has brought me into a whole new world of fragrance. I am thinking of creating a love potion scent, perhaps titled "Dirt No. 5" hee hee. Or maybe even Tree bark No.12 ? Mesquite leaves & Mud No. 7 ? Anyone? If I were famous, someone would buy them... haha!
pss: A beautiful e-mail I just received about this post, made me think of something I wanted to share...
I almost felt downright guilty yesterday, lounging all day, drawing and enjoying the room outside, on a Monday no less... Then I remembered what my Dad said, when I was in awful jobs I hated that were gut wrenching... He would say, you are just paying your dues.. One day it won't be like this...
