The Day after Thanksgiving

"You will be assimilated."
(Perhaps July saves the human race from the white cap Borg collective.)

Wetter

I ask Lori if all this rain has caused any flooding down on her farm.

Lori replies:

If you mean do we have rice fields instead of pasture YES!  Is there more water around the water tubs than in them YES!   If ducks would be more comfortable living here then YES!  However we are not living in a boat yet!

Home

Made it after an unplanned (Un-planed) overnight in Toronto.  Airline paid for hotel and meals.  My body is here but my mind is still back in Dalmatia.  Very strange.

A Night at Apartment Jerko

I sense a joke there somewhere?

On my way, one step at a time . . .

Thanks to Slavko and Mate for making this first leg of the journey painless . . .

Here ...... and Gone

Milna, My last full day here

Sveti Martin's Day

I feel a certain resonance with St. Martin, or at least his moment/ method of illumination.  And of course, the 900 year old church of Sv. Martin, perched a couple of kilometers above Milna, is one of my favorite spots on the island: tiny pre Romanesque stone church, a small windswept stone courtyard on a lone hill top,  fronted by a tiny grove of pines, sacred since Illyrian and then Roman times, looking out in all directions to stone, mainland, sea, islands, sun, sky.

Today was St. Martin's day, so in the afternoon after mass in the village church,  about 13 people, 2 nuns and a priest, climbed the rocky hillside for a service at this small, old stone church. 

The Jugo was blowing in full force, moaning, howling, threatening every foot hold, surging and  threatening again and again to blow you off your feet.  And at the top, the wind was magnificent, unrelenting, powerful, triumphant and mighty and sublime.   Tree limbs cracked,  the sky was a turmoil of gray with sun breaking through here and there.

Inside the tiny church we huddled, vulnerable but safely out of the wind.  Candles were lit.  Before a 14th or 15th century stone altarpiece depicting the saint at the moment he cut his cloak to share with the beggar, the priest donned his vestments. a nun handed Slavko a prayer book to read from.  Ancient magic, faith, mystery was re enacted, safe under the small barrel vault.

After the service, the priest led us in several choruses from the Battle Hymn of the Republic, especially for their visitor from America.

Later,  I enjoyed a cozy Sunday dinner at Slavko and Nada's.

Glory, glory hallelujah.

November Attention

I picked olives today up  on Mlin with Ivo, L., and Pavle.  Green, red, black, they all went into the bucket, into the tub, fill with salt water.  The day was lovely, sunny, warm and the fruit were just beautiful.  Good company.  Sore muscles.

Blessings any way you can, can ...

Last week Slavko and Nada drove a nun into Supetar to return some bottles for refund.  I contributed about 40 or 50 beer cans to the cause, 'coz you never know the straw that could get you into heaven!  Even beer cans maybe!  The nun could not believe an American donated the beer cans to her.  Tonight I met her at Slavko and Nada's.  She said," Thanks. Maybe next time it could be 150."

I said "I'm working on it."

Hey, No. 1 Eldest Son!

Happy Birthday, Eliot, happy, happy birthday.  I hope you have a wondrous year ahead and have many happy returns.  Love, Dad

My First Dream after Reading Some Jung

THe Dream

I was driving a black van northwards towards home.  THere were 3 men and 3 women in the van with me.  WE had just completed a series of dangerous tasks and I felt that I had played a major role in us all surviving.  I had "saved us."

I left the freeway and drove parallel to it through fields and trees towards some mountains and home.  I remembered that I had somehow and for some reason placed a major detour on the road ahead, diverting us around a city, I believe.  ANger broke out in my passengers when they realized that I was driving towards it, anticipating a traffic jam or some more significant issue.

FIne, I said, I'll just pull back onto the freeway. 

"YOu can't get on this way," one of the women said, "you need to go back."  THere was some arguing. 

FInally I pulled the van over in a wide dirt spot and got out.  I started walking north.  I was surprised when someone took the wheel and drove past me, also heading north.  THe van did not go far before it veered sharply to the right and drove -- as if nearly out of control -- across a small patch of grass and through some saplings and disappeared from my sight.

I didn't know if this was accidental, or what had happened.  I continued walking and then followed the path of the van. 

I found it half-submerged and sinking in a lake beside a grassy bank.  THe 3 women were on the grass and acted distraught.  "WHere are the men?" I asked.  ONe woman answered, "They are still inside and won't come out."

I managed to get the side door opened and pulled the men out.  AS I did so the van began to rise and float in the water.  WHen I thought that all was well I became aware of a great hairy bear trapped in the rear of the van and holding a pet  - a black dog - firmly between its legs.  "LEt me out," it said, "or I will kill the dog."  SOmehow I succeeded in tricking the bear and leaving it trapped in the van which was now on dry land while freeing the dog.

WE were all then at a reception celebrating our success.  I began to feel that I was not being properly recognized for my part and began to quarrel with one woman in particular who seemed to be the loudest, taking most of the credit, and minimizing my role.  IT seemed that people were taking her side.  I finally interrupted her and the group around her, apologized for the quarrel, and told them that I was tired and I was leaving.  "HEre are some books that I checked out from the library," I said, "Use them if you like but then perhaps someone can see that they are returned."  I held out several brightly designed books on Native Americana, I thin.

I went outside and sat on the grass in some sort of inflatable lawn thing, shaped like a donut or tire inner tube.

I  was very tired and I knew they were looking for me.  THere was a disturbance or some movement in the sky and I awoke.

Happy Birthday, Brother in Law

Many happy returns, John W.

Studio Update

So,
I 've been stuck on this Black Madonna for weeks!  Anyway, check out the views from my studio and paintings.  Got a week to move on ...

Boo!

Eliot says that Eason is top left. 

And Thanks Lynne for the wolfie Halloween card!  Full Moon, made to howl!

Update: Earlier this Summer

Some photos you won't find elsewhere.  (Who is that he-man in those blinding yellow shorts?) And that sexy English teacher?

The he-man is Almir and the sexy English teacher is his girl friend Dragana.  Just a clarification for anyone, ahem ! Julia, who didn't understand.

All Saints Day

Nov. 1st, national holiday of remembrance here, little markets have been selling flowers and graveside candles for the last week or so.  I have bought a candle and lit it for us and ours.  Church bells are ringing all day long.  I read a little Jungian text and remember.