Fostering a new renaissance through creativity, authenticity, spirituality, and art
Polly Castor 
I have mostly been hand-building in pottery lately (see picture above of my pumpkin leaf), and it has been over a year since I have thrown on the wheel (with my most recent effort the vase seen below.) Anyway, since it has been so long, it was like starting all over again, and my teacher … Read more
I read this book because I had read another book titled The Beekeeper’s Apprentice a few years ago, also by Laurie R. King, and had really enjoyed it. I wanted to read something further by her, and this was the only other title by her in my local library. I enjoyed this book too, but … Read more
Yesterday in my blog there were close-up reflections of March here, so I thought it only fitting to offer today some reflections in context. These were taken in the same places as yesterday’s so you can give yourself the challenge, if you wish, of matching up locations with yesterday’s in depth photos. Enjoy!
I recently took these pictures of close-up reflections. View them as the abstract art that they are. Imagine any one of them wall sized in a contemporary art museum. Be amazed at the detail, nuance and layers depicted. Enjoy!
I read somewhere that effective abstract art should work from all directions. I had to move this around enough while working on it to get the arcs right that I have come to the conclusion that the rule holds true in this case at least. Look at the same painting rotated below; each has … Read more
I promise I won’t be doing this that often. I’m equally proud of all of my wonderful children. It has taken self control not to ramble on here about my son’s recent robotic successes or how great my oldest daughter was the other day as Lady Macbeth. The difference here is that while those accomplishments … Read more
I am my church’s representative to our local clergy association. We had our meeting yesterday and I wanted to share one of the things I learned there in case it may someday help someone. A woman woke up in the middle of the night and her husband was stone cold dead next to her. He … Read more
I enjoyed this book even though I’m only giving it three stars. It was a bit shallow but the setting was different enough to carry the reader through. In this book there are three estranged sisters who get together after the death of their father; my two sisters and I reacquainted ourselves with one another, … Read more
Our woods here are decked out in St. Patrick’s Day green. Check out these photos of March moss… Enjoy!
This page represents March 4 -15, 2009 in my Box-A-Day Art Journal. See some close-ups of entries below.
This is Me I’m a room’s golden glow paneled in luminous framed prints, refracting and shiny with a tossed, jauntily quilted pillow demanding attention. I’m the waxed wood floors, slightly gritty, a bright bouquet of yellow freesia beckoning buoyantly, and a tempting stack of books close by. I’m an empty rocking chair, inviting embrace a … Read more
I had a pleasant Friday evening last night interspersed with intervals working in my office, making a Lemon Cake and reading a wonderful anthology of American Poetry. The cake was made from a “Lemon Yogurt Cake” recipe in The Barefoot Contessa’s At Home Cookbook. While my family are definitely not cake people, I was after … Read more
This sounds like heresy and sacrilege in our society. But it is a foundational Christian concept that if correctly adopted would go a long way to solving all the ills that confront us, not only individually, but societally as well. I always thought Jesus sounded harsh asking people to follow him when he wouldn’t let … Read more
This book was a masterpiece. I give it five stars even though when I tried to read it in print a long while back I gave it up as impossible due to all the colloquial language. Listening to it on CD in the car was the ticket for me. The voice-over for this text was … Read more
I have a homeschooling friend that is frustrated. She said recently , “I don’t have enough creative time for me.” She is overwhelmed with responsibility, obligation, and admirable personal goals, but meanwhile, she’s running dry. This is not an unusual thing from what I hear over my spiritual healing practice line. The “shoulds” take over … Read more
This lasagna was delicious. As a base recipe, I used this one from Martha Stewart (click here for the recipe) but I substituted the individual dishes for one pan as seen above. I also substituted Gimmelean veggie sausage for the Italian sausage, rainbow chard for the Swiss chard, and whole wheat lasagna noodles for the … Read more
I frequently doodle. It helps me concentrate. I’ve always known this to be true but have read recently that this has been confirmed by official research. I often doodle in church to capture phrases that inspire me, but mostly to help me focus. I am delighted that this official research vindicates me in the face … Read more