Encouragement Only!
Art, Uplifting Words and Life Lessons
Today, I began my morning in the CALM ZONE creating a tranquil time, a meditative mood, a serene state, before the busyness began—with the image of Joan of Arc in my head!
I peek at texts from loved ones and only read if reassuring—and save the rest for later!
Our hearts need consoling, nurturing…
Guard your heart like a quiet garden. Nurture your heart, an amazing muscular organ, and it will keep beating the rhythm of life. The heart is mentioned throughout sacred writings: in the bible, as mindfulness in Buddhism, as an important chakra in Hinduism, and throughout poetry. It is not to be ignored.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
My heart leaps up when I behold
A Rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man; (or woman)*
So be it when I shall grow old….
*my addition
William Wordsworth – My Heart Leaps Up
Set your MIND on good things. Read, reflect, relax, rejoice and then perhaps, like Joan of Arc – resist as you go out into the world cheering on good things!
“MIND BODY SOUL SPIRIT” has been my mantra for my Substack version of my Newsletter/blog for 14 months.
BODY - Most of us understand the need to move and for fresh air! I enjoy a walk outdoors, a few moments on the yoga mat or gardening. I appreciate the free classes on YouTube: Yoga With Adriene - YouTube. I want to give a shout out to our local Aquafit Center (760) 365-9661) in warm salt water! So good for sore muscles! Special thanks to my favorite water aerobics instructor, Donna!
SOUL/ SPIRIT - The often-interchangeable terms can be pushed to the back shelf, and I propose that they really are the most important!
In January 2024, I reflected on my own definitions:
“Spirit (Many interchange soul and spirit - and some have distinct opinions on which is which.) For me, it is - what sends your spirit soaring! A mountaintop view? An exceptional piece of music? a painting? a child’s face? and as we are different as the molecules of water in the sea…our preferences differ. I will share what inspires me, art lessons, travel and stories of humanity.
Some very simple things I love:
a good cup of coffee, sunshine, a walk with a friend, getting to know a new city….
Some of my favorite painters: Matisse, Bonnard, Picasso, Sargent…and many more!
Soul Uplifting words come from Scripture and as a former literature teacher —I enjoy a wide range of literature. My nightstand is stacked with works by diverse authors. We all need to hear good words!
Some favorite authors: Madeleine L’Engle, Frances Mayes, Louisa May Alcott, John Baxter and James Bryan Smith”
Just meditating on these concepts is boosting my spirit. It’s been a rough start to 2025. I am sure that you, as I, have friends struggling to stay afloat emotionally, spiritually, financially and physically. Each day we seek to lighten the load of those around us. Whether you invite a friend to coffee, an art event, a walk or call or send a card or email, I encourage you to set a goal to nurture the spirit of one person each day.
March will be here soon, and it’s already been a full year:
ENCOURAGING OTHER ARTISTS
2025 began with our Art Dialog Exhibit an opportunity to encourage each other and the community! – You can read more about this January exhibit at the Hi-Desert Artists in my post Impressions on the Timeline of Our Lives
DEVELOPING A PRACTICE
Some of my friends are faithful about completing art challenges. These usually keep me on track for about 3 days! So, this year, as I am planning a variation on my France Sketchbook Calendar – I created my own challenge. It will evolve as I progress and my project become more defined, but so far, I am enjoying it because it’s about things and colors and places I love. If you are in need of an art challenge, I encourage you to create your own! Consider materials, technique, colors and the pace that works for you. I began with a color for each season – sunny yellow seemed like a perfect way to brighten up my midwinter studio and potentially next year’s creative sketchbook calendar/diary.
GATHERING INSPIRATION
We are fortunate to live close to Palm Springs/Palm Desert which hosts first class events. If you are able to see or do something that you really enjoy, make the opportunity. Ask yourself, “Is this something I will remember and appreciate?” It may be a high school play, a sports event – but if you feel you will regret not attending—I urge you to make room for this event. Memories can never be taken away from you. Long ago, I missed a performance by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton together on stage together in Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes! A few years later, when I had the opportunity to take our four-year-old son to see Hal Holbrooke in Mark Twain Tonight, I jumped at the opportunity. He remembers attending!
This month, I attended the 60th Anniversary Tour of the Twyla Tharp Dance Company performance at the McCallum Theater - and for one magical evening, I was carried away to a place with no cares and total enjoyment of movement, form and the joy of live performance! What a remarkable group of dancers!
(Above) Diabelli (1998)
SLACKTIDE (2025)
New Work with Music by Philip Glass
America’s most enduring and lauded living dance-maker, Twyla Tharp, celebrates her 60th anniversary with a coast-to-coast tour featuring her award-winning ballet set to Beethoven’s “Diabelli Variations.” She also brings us a new piece with music by Philip Glass. Tharp’s use of music to create works of startling originality and beauty defines this important milestone performance.
The Palm Springs Arts Museum features excellent exhibits, and this week I saw David Hockney: Perspective Should Be Reversed | Palm Springs Art Museum. Again, when friends told me it was good - I did not want to miss it. It is excellent! The exhibit encompasses works from many periods in Hockney’s life. He is ever-evolving and highly inspirational. The brightly colored walls, his art and quotes are a feast for the eyes and soul. This is not a critical review – but an endorsement to see this exhibit. And a very fun note. Our Joshua Tree community has many talented artists. David Fick of About Idavid Graficks - Idavid Graficks printed the Grand Canyon photos in the current exhibit.
And I had a delightful day with a friend - friend therapy and maintaining friendships is crucial to nurturing your soul and spirit!
MAKING FOOD FANTASIES A REALITY or how to budget food in Paris
Keep your France dreams alive. Food is always a part of a trip to France! In 2018 (and I had not been in France in 30 years) I discovered how fresh eggs and poultry taste! Most of the vegetables I bought were fresh and in season. This is changing a bit – and I noticed a few imported vegetables in the supermarché. However, most Parisians shop for groceries several times a week, if not daily, as did I. Refrigerators are small. Mealtime is an event. Most French do not believe in eating between meals. Add this to lots of walking - and the French model a healthy lifestyle.
Yes, the French love to visit a boulangerie each morning for a fresh baguette – to read more about why the lower gluten in French bread and pasta allows me to enjoy it, read my Substack newsletter Lessons From a Pause: - by Janis Commentz
Since 2018, I have made four trips to France, increasing the length of each visit. There is so much more to see, taste and learn! My trips have included parts of Normandy, Brittany, the Dordogne, Toulouse, and, of course, Paris.
As I reviewed the costs of food during my most recent Paris visit – a five week stay, I was quite surprised to find my daily food expenditure was $20.04 (dollars on my credit card bill). I ate well and had delicious food- visiting the places that were on my wish list such as the well-known Le Train Bleu Le Train Bleu | Restaurant Bar at the Heart of Gare de Lyon | Paris 12. I travel solo and enjoy cooking in my flat. I generally eat out once a day and sometimes splurge. I love to eat locally and when I see a crowd, I am confident that the food will be good and the company lively! If I am in a museum, I often eat at the cafeteria – such as in the Louvre on a snowy day! While it looks like all I did was eat- it is 3 times a day event!
Adventure Dining (above) Eating out - for coffee or a meal: La Favorite in Le Marais, Paris (with the pink floral decor!) where I met a friend for coffee; Galeries Lafayette, famous shopping mall built in 1893 where I sketched the incredible central Christmas tree ; Le Train Bleu - yes my splurge! And worth it. Beef wrapped in kale with stew. Yummmm; La Palette Cafe - This must’ve been my funniest meal! I ordered tuna and should have realized it might come in the tin as sardines do. Believe it or not, this was the best tuna and toast I have ever had with a delightful blend of chopped herbs and lemon served on the side; Le Hibou, a nearby favorite! ; museum “cafeteria” at the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, which features the indigenous art and cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.
As you can see it is fun to cook at home in a tiny kitchen!
Substack is telling me I am close to the length limit, which may mean you are as well! Let’s call this Installment One of food in Paris! In this crazy world of 2025, carve out some quiet time, design your own creative challenges, grab opportunities to make memories, and remember vacation eating - even in Paris - does not have to break the bank.
And as I said above, set your MIND on good things. Read, reflect, relax, rejoice and then perhaps, like Joan of Arc (who will also be featured in future posts!) – resist as you go out into the world cheering on good things!
Inspired by all of you,
