J is for Jars

 

 *** Emily Dickinson

Jars make me think of my grandmother-yes, my gypsy Gram.  The one that moved a lot and I use to tease her.  "You have moved, more than me!"  Mom had picked fresh Raspberries-we have a few canes in our yard.  She had enough berries to make a small amount of jam.  It was my gram's favorite.   It was a humid day and the berries perfumed the whole house, especially the upstairs. I can remember all the windows were open and there was a breeze, off the bay.  She had strained the seeds,  so it was more like Raspberry jelly, than jam. I remember my grandmother being thrilled!  We had made muffins, the day before. I remember being thankful, we didn't have to light the oven. It was so sticky hot-a rare day in Maine.  What is your favorite jam or jelly?

 I  think jars are so versatile.  I have many filled with buttons, vintage flowers, old fashion clothes pins, all kinds of odds n' ends, even glue sticks.

Kerry did a Firefly jar challenge over in the Garden and I thought about creating my own jar. It was also around the time this blog had a challenge.  The challenge was to create an unique jar and submit photos, with a chance to have your photo published.  I didn't enter, I was in the middle of a few other challenges.


Kerry explained her jar, for us the poetry challenge:

  "Some may even recognize their writing in my jar, because it is crammed with extracts of poems and prose which have struck me as having the power to shine in the dark."

Words, poetry, art in all forms provide light on our path!

I also thought of Dezzy!   When I shared a Forsythia photo, Dezzy told me another name for this plant.  He said, where he is from it is called Golden Rain~  I loved this name! Thank you Kerry n' Dezzy you both inspired my jar!  

Thanks Walt ;D

 

   ― Walt Whitman

My Jar filled with golden rain :D

I am reading a book now called:  The Van Gogh Blues by Eric Maisel 
I want to share some thoughts from the book, so far.  I have only read an excerpt.

He talks about artists, "We embrace a life of solitude in order to embrace our creativity."  Some of us:  "....live outside the mainstream of life and struggle endlessly to survive both emotionally and financially.  And we wonder why do we do this thing that causes so much pain and also joy."    I hope it isn't like this for you...

Some of my  family would love me to give up, be their definition of normal.  The house would be neater, but it would be just a band-aid for me.

His words here say much of what I feel:

"For an artist, it is a driven pursuit, whether we acknowledge this or not, that endless search for meaning....   That is why I think that the attempt always feels, so important, for the answers we encounter are only partial and not always clear.  .... Yet, at its very best, one work of art, whether produced by oneself or another, offers a sense of possibility that flames the mind and the spirit, and in that moment we know this is a life worth pursuing, a struggle that offers the possibility of answers as well as meaning."

 Artist are always looking for meaning!   The authors says not everyone is like this, but creative types are!     I guess I am always looking for the golden thoughts in the rain~