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As we wandered the wetlands surrounding the Colorado river, I became fascinated by the unusual shape of the pods on this tree, and learned later it is a Screwbean Mesquite (Prosopis pubescens):
I finally got these flowers narrowed down to Asteraceae: Gaillardia: Aristata
I was having trouble deciding between Gaillardia: Aristata and Gaillardia: Pulchella. They are very similar in appearance. However, the pulchellas are smaller (2 in, 4-6 cm), whereas the aristatas are (3 in, 7 cm). Not only that, the aristatas are perennials, and so come back each season. Julia further confirmed my decision when she remembered seeing a map for the park, listing 'aristata' as one of the varieties.
close up of Asteraceae: Gaillardia: Aristata
Julia saw this hummingbird first:
There he is, full zoom, 100% pixels
(I added these photos to the gallery about West Wetlands Park.)
Friday, November 24, 2006
"Generic Greeting No. 2 B"
7:59pm
I played with the hue shifting on the cartoon I did earlier this week. The sunburnt skin is odd, but I like the red and green of his clothes, because it looks 'Christmasy'.
Last year I did "Generic Greeting No. 1".
Saturday, November 25, 2006
"Ankh Bearing Arms Grasping Was Scepters"
7:59pm
I had a very interesting time of study today.
Noting an unusual image in the Saunernon book of Horus and Thoth purifying Ptolemy XIII, featuring a Ptolemy with two left
hands, I went about on a search for a better image of this. I found one from the photographer which captured a very unique Was scepter I'd seen before. However on today's search, I found a better image of that Was scepter. An Ankh bears arms grasping the Was scepters. (The photographer has many others from the Kom Ombo Temple.)
(Later note:)
(As I return to this page January 7, 2007, in case that site doesn't work, here is another another site with the complete ankh.)
This inspired me to sketch the relief sculpture. I couldn't just leave it a a line drawing, so I played around with it a lot.
Sunday, November 26, 2006 A
"Ankh Bearing Arms Grasping Was Scepters II"
5:26am
I played around with yesterday's drawing A LOT. This is an earlier light version which I glitterized the ankh as I'd done in the dark version:
Sunday, November 26, 2006 B
"A New Adventure"
7:47pm
(I made an 'oops' on the description of the light one...)
I'm getting adventurous. I've opened up a small Cafe Press shop! Right now I just have three items in it, but
I plan on adding more. Also, it is plain, as I haven't had a chance to decorate it yet. But right now Jalicity's Felicities is open. I played around with ideas, and got caught on using 'JAL' in the name, as those are the initials I sign everything with. Jalicity rhymes with 'Felicity'. Here's the dictionary definition for 'felicity':
1 a : the quality or state of being happy; especially : great happiness b : an instance of happiness
2 : something that causes happiness
3 : a pleasing manner or quality especially in art or language
4 : an apt expression
So I like to think these products will cause happiness with their 'pleasing manner or quality in art'.
Update of 10:25pm
I picked a color template, the yellow and green that is on my main index page, or near enough to it, and put a small version of my logo. Then 'Jalicity's Felicities' makes more sense when they see the logo.
Friday, December 1, 2006
"Pleased"
6.06pm
My Cafe Press samples arrived today. I'm pleased with how the framed tile turned out:
Saturday, December 2, 2006 A
"Dark Arts of Immortality - a Book Review"
11:30am
The Dark Arts of Immortality: Transformation through War, Sex and Magic by Ross G. H. Shott is a look at Left
Hand Path possibilities seen in the context of Germanic mythos. It is easily readable, and I finished it in less than two
days. On the whole, it is quite rewarding. I disagree with it in parts, but in the whole, agree. A 48 year old fat
arthritic woman is not likely to achieve 'preternatural levels' in the physical arena. Putting her in martial combat with
some jujitsu expert would be stupid and fruitless. That woman (me, sigh!), would get thrashed, and what would that
prove? I would say, interpret this in your own context. Perhaps the 48, 68, 88 ... year old fat arthritic woman can summon enough
'fury' to keep herself from getting 'disabled', the fate of too many when they get old. That is the hope. Certainly, whatever state we are in can improve.
Also, I really don't agree with him that pain is necessary for mystical rituals. However, if it's necessary for Schott to have it, I won't tell him he's doing it all wrong. Each person must decide for themself what is the best blend of techniques.
I most like what he says about the Sal-Odr-Ond, ('dark shadow core, inspiration, divine spark'), "...focus your intent toward
manifesting your Sal-Odr-Ond triad and fetter that power to your Self in a process of self-deification." (pg. 150)
"Exaltation generally results in a form of awareness and clarity of understanding expanded to preternatural levels. It is an overwhelming sense of one's self and personal identity in relation to the greater Universe (to include all three
dimensions). For all that it elevates the Self, there is a corresponding relinquishing of bodily concentration and a dulling of the senses." (pg 144)
I would say, it's not so much that the senses are 'dulled', but that we are operating then with the inward looking eye,
rather than the outward looking eye.
For all that I quibble with, he nevertheless presents tantalizing proposals in his book, and anyone who is a student of Left
Hand Path will find it a valuable read.
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