Tuesday, 21 December 2021

A special day

Hi Everybody!

Today its a very special day, the winter solstice. It's the shortest day of the year, but from tomorrow the days will gradually get longer.

The light of the Sun begins a new solar cycle at Winter Solstice. Many people celebrate this day. In winter everything lies dormant in the silent earth, it is a sacred time of rest and reflection before the awakening and the slow build toward brighter days. The energy of winter is that of going within.

Last week I joined with Melanie Rivers and a few hundred others for a Solstice paint along session. Melanie's picture was superb, it really glowed, you can see it on her FB page or watch the repeat of the live event. I am never really happy with what I paint, but I know we have to learn not to compare ourselves with others. You can see that the light comes from the left side and the right side is still in the shadow:






And I made a Solstice portal for my doors challenge at AJJ. The painting behind the arch shows Stonehenge and the return of the light, which I painted a few years back:





This is specially for those who have birthdays near Christmas:


Have a great day, take care,
and thanks a lot for coming by!

53 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Wishes to you Valerie, enjoy your day.

    As always a pleasure to see your lovely art.

    All the best Jan

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  2. Happy Birthday Valerie! The 3 wise men one made me laugh, love it. Beautiful solstice art.

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    1. Thanks Christine, glad you liked the funny! Have a great day!

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  4. Happy Birthday and beautiful art and a Merry Christmas to YOU and your family. xx

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  5. Soon the days will slowly getting longer. I will lighting my candles on my winter(Yule) altar on Wednesday.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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  6. Hi Val, good morning and happy birthday! The kids are singing for you, it's loud enough for you to hear all the way from Frankfurt! Have a wonderful day, stay healthy, be happy! Hugs from us all, Sarah

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    1. Hi Sarah, I could hear strange noises, now I know what it was. Thanks so much, and also for the lovely present, much appreciated! Hugs!

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  7. So malst du du und es ist so wunderschön geworden die Farbe und diese Ausstrahlung liebe Valerie!!!Tolle Sachen hast du wieder gebracht in dienen Posting.
    Schöne Sonnenwende und alles gute zum Geburtstag bleib gesund!
    Liebe Umarmung Elke

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    1. Vielen Dank, liebe Elke! Dir auch einen schönen und sonnigen Tag, alles Liebe!

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  8. Beautiful painting. I like what you said about the energy of winter being a time of going within. My morning prayer times lately have been very self-reflective, examining the inner workings of my heart and seeing what needs to change.

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    1. Thanks Teresa. We need to have time to be still and reflect, and winter is the right time for it!

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  9. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, VALERIE! I think it's perfectly appropriate that for a luminary such as you, your birthday heralds the beginning of the transformation from darkness into light. I see that you have not lost your flair for creating strong, exotic women. It sometimes seems to me that you have blended the best of all the races of the world into one, and that's a fine thing to be sure. But, I am wondering if there is a little covert sexism going on here. I have yet to see a paragon of the male persuasion grace your pages, and goodness knows we are so, so worthy, strong, upright, resolute characters that we are. No doubt in the days and weeks ahead you will wish to give serious consideration to this egregious omission. Otherwise I may have to lodge a formal complaint (in duplicate) with the Civil Right and Equal Justice Board of Balconia-by-the-Rhine. If they rule against you, which they surely must, the penalty is confiscation of all crafting materials for six months. If compliance is not noted (with humility I might add) then coffee will be banned too. See how you get along then! In the meantime, enjoy your birthday, celebrate as you choose, eat cake, drink wine (whether the doctor says to or not - what does she know?), paint, sew, smoosh, photoshop and all the other things you do. I will be celebrating with you in spirit. Hugs and kisses. David

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    1. Thanks David! Yes, my birthday took place at the right time, I suppose that's something, isn't it!? But may I remind you that Balconia has only one leader, and that's me. Any people who complain get sent into exile, and they have to stay there. And recently I asked you to send me a photo of yourself so that I could start practising on men! ( I mean painting them!) And I thought I was doing you a favour providing you with new women almost daily. There's no gratitude these days! Nobody could confiscate all of my crafting materials, they would need a large truck and several big, strong men to transport it all! This afternoon I had 2 friends here, parties have to be very simple these days. but I made a delicious apple crumble cake, and we drank coffee and enjoyed each others company for a couple of hours. And I have been given a bottle of coffee liqueur, I'm sure it would taste good on vanilla ice-cream! Drink a bottle of wine this evening for me, perhaps sharing with Miriam, and I will be thinking of you both. Hugs, Valerie

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  10. Nice art with the shadow. Still working at becoming the person I want to be with. Merry Christmas.

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    1. Thanks Nancy, I think we need all of our long lives to complete the task!

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  11. Happy birthday Valerie. I hope you are having a wonderful day and your fingers are totally cooperating with you. I am loving your beautiful woman in gold. That sounds like a fun paint along, and your piece is amazing. I also love how you used Stonehenge and a door. It is one of those places that lines up with the sun on the solstices, isn't it? I hope you celebrate your day and have a wonderful birthday my dear friend. hugs-Erika

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    1. Thanks Erika, I have been celebrating with 2 friends and a home made apple crumble and lots of coffee. The paint along was wonderful, Melanie is a fantastic teacher. Yes, Stonehenge is one of the old, magic places! Have a great day, take care! Hugs!

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  13. As I write this , begin this, in one minutes time it will be the Winter Solstice.
    Love your lady, a very strong portrait and your portal is just perfect for the moment.
    I hope that as you wrote this blog post your fingers were a little better, wish they would be a lot better but a little at a time is what we hope for. Small steps to perfect healing.
    Take care, Hugs, Neet xx

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    1. Thanks Neet, glad you like my lady. My fingers are a little bit better but a bit more progress woud be good! Step by step! Have a great evening, hugs, Valerie

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  14. I always like your painting. I hope you have a Merry Christmas. I hope your hands are feeling better....

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    1. Thanks Debra, merry Christmas to you and your Family!

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  15. Hi Val, Bill here. Happy Birthday!

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  16. Wonderful painting, love it. Have a Happy Christmas. Anesha

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  17. Your Winter Solstice art is gorgeous. From the 1th Doctor's Christmas special "A Christmas Carol" the quote "Halfway through the dark" - Kazran Sardick

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    1. Thanks, that's a great thought. Have a great week, have fun!

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  18. Your funnies are fabulous! I don't know which I like best -- but I was laughing out loud! I love Solstice -- more light, even if it seems incremental for a bit!

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    1. Glad they made you laugh! A few seconds each day, slowly, slowly the light will return!

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  19. Well, you have to find your happiness somewhere somehow. Let it begin with you. Good post!

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  20. In the midst of all the Christmas holiday posts on Facebook and blogger I was pleased to see my friends posting Winter Solstice and Yule greetings. Yours is beautiful :)

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    1. Thanks so much, have a great week and watch for the return of the light!

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  21. All your posts and works are interesting and beautiful. I cordially greet you and wish you good days and good health :)

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  22. OMCod. The 3 wise men is hilarious.
    I liked your shadow light theme on the first piece and especially love your door piece.
    Happy Holidays.
    Hugs

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  23. Happy birthday, sorry to be late!! Am catching up here once again. We have just had our longest day, we still have the summer to come, don't want to think of the nights drawing in again just yet!! I think your painted lady glows, you did really well. Love your funnies.

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  24. Your Winter Solstice lady is beautiful, and I love your page Valerie!
    Happy Christmas Eve eve.
    Alison

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  25. Fabulous portrait Valerie and I love that view of Stonehenge through the arch! That last funny has a familiar saying!!! Hugs, Chrisx

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