Tag: hearts

Gratitude & Colorado November Nature Adventures…

The month of November I spent an enormous amount of time out in nature, deliciously walking in the crisp snow, drawing snow hearts along my path. Yes, even though it is still autumn here in Colorado, we have had a few snow days already! I enjoyed a heartfelt Thanksgiving with new friends, and am so grateful for the new memories created.

I have begun to gather many nature photographs for my first Colorado PhotoArt Calendar. I have taken so many photos, the editing process has become mind-numbing!!! So far I have chosen these 12 in the collage below, but I’m sure the final published calendar will include other favorites in the coming weeks. Many of these photos are available on my website at Fine Art America.

I have designed a collage of Denver street art/graffiti that a friend has shared with me from his many photo excursions. It will be a surprise gift as these have been photos sent over the past nine months, now incorporated into a collage.

Here are a few collages of more glorious nature walks in November and hearts that I am inspired to draw in the Colorado snow. I also find them created by Mother Nature!

I wish everyone a wonderful Holiday Season enjoying all the festivities with friends and family. I hope you get out and breathe the fresh air, take some nature walks, and if you are inspired, draw some hearts in the snow, or in the sand, depending on where you live! Keep an eye out for the serendipity hearts already designed by Mother Nature!

Namaste

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Colorado Cultural & Creative Fun…

I don’t know where this month of August disappeared to. Thankfully, I have a lot of photo art creations and fun memories to look back on. Much of the month had to do with learning my new cell phone and fun camera editing apps, causing many challenges, but also a lot of serendipity along the way! I’ll post some of my favorite photo art and a serendipitous video of my first rainbow sighting here in Colorado. I enjoyed so many glorious nature outings and of course taking photos along the way! I also enjoyed some fun cultural outings with friends. We went to a one-man comedy production in Lakewood, Colorado at their lovely Cultural Center. It was a laugh riot entitled: “My Mom’s Italian, My Dad is Jewish, and I’m in Therapy! It resonated with me since I happen to be all of those things! Also, with friends we enjoyed some live Americana folk music at La Dolce Vita, a cool coffee house in an eclectic part of Arvada called Olde Town. Just the other evening with one of my newest friends, we went for a walk along the labyrinth and out for dinner back in Olde Town. And last night a belated birthday dinner with my housemate, and girlfriend at my favorite sushi restaurant. My life has been so enriched during these almost 6 months of living in Colorado, making new friends and sharing in such fun cultural and creative activities.

Fun with photo filters!
A view of the Rocky Mountains!
The labyrinth with the Rocky Mountains in the distance! Another fun photo filter photo art creation!
Out for a lovely evening sunset walk in my neighborhood, with the Rocky Mountains in the distance! This was my first attempt creating photo art with my new filters!
Photo Art Creation – August Full Moon – Supermoon

I took more enjoyable walks in the neighborhood savoring the amazing clouds and sun after a few thunderstorms. The month of August has been extremely hot here with thunderstorms almost every afternoon it seemed!

Amazing clouds, sky and sun!
An afternoon of Meditation in Nature at Majestic View Park a few weeks ago.

My new cell phone camera surprised me with this video of a time-lapse rainbow, the first rainbow sighting I’ve had since I’ve arrived here! Apparently it’s just something my phone does if it finds a landscape photo that it can turn into a time lapse with music in the background! Quite serendipitous to say the least!

Serendiptious Rainbow Video!

I’ve also had even more fun with my new camera apps, experimenting with new techniques, and lighting, which I am calling painting with my camera!

I found a beautiful heart cloud in the sky and then I used my filters to create it into an ethereal looking cloud!

And last but not least some other interesting sites and new furry friends I found along my walks in the neighborhood in the month of August!

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Happy HEART’s Day & Thank You Universe!

Colorado Dreamin’ by Mars 2018

It’s Valentine’s Day, or as I like to say: HEART’s Day! Either way, it is a Happy Day, and is my favorite time of the year, since I am known as Mars “The HEART Lady” after all! Often I find myself going on what I like to call: Heart Hunts, where I find favorite heart shaped treasures, especially a few days after Valentine’s Day, when they are on sale! This year is a bit different though, instead of finding heart shaped treasures, I have found something that I’ve been looking for with all my HEART for the past 9 months, and dreaming about for the past 48 years!

I do believe in miracles, in divine timing, in manifestation prayers with the Universe, and synchronicity for sure! I like to say that the “best is yet to come”, and in this situation I could never have guessed the exact timing of it happening on my favorite day of the year, and on my nine month anniversary living in New York. I have found my next Home Sweet Home in Colorado! I will be starting a new chapter and adventure on March 1st! I feel as if these past nine months were a very challenging gestation period, and I have finally given birth to my dream. Living in New York was only a temporary plan, a bridge, a transitionary time in my life, due to the unfortunate circumstance of having to leave Sedona unexpectedly during the height of the pandemic. Some wonderful memories have been created during our nine month family chapter, but now we go back to our preferred areas. For 45 years we have lived miles apart, my brother on the East Coast and me on the West Coast, or in that direction! I’m sure there will be future visits to look forward to.

Ever since the summer of 1974 when I took a cross country trip throughout Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, I have wanted to live in Colorado one day. It found it’s way into my heart and never left. I visited many times, but the timing just wasn’t right for a relocation. I guess the Universe always knew I would live there one day? I have always loved the quote by Marsha Norman: “Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you.” and my own quote: “Dreams are flowers that bloom in your soul”. I have been Colorado Dreamin’ for so long, and now all is coming to fruition and blooming! I know it won’t be perfect, many things are not the same as they were 48 years ago, but the Rocky Mountains are still there in their majesty, and that is where my heart wants to be.

Thank you Universe & Happy HEART’s Day 2022!

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Remembering Zen Master~Thich Nhat Hanh…

This week I took time to remember Thich Nhat Hanh after his passing at 95 years old, by watching many of the beautiful ceremonies around the world, honoring his lifetime of powerful teachings on mindfulness, peace, and revered Buddhist principles.

My life has been enriched beyond measure after learning about and listening to a wonderful interview with Thich Nhat Hanh and Oprah Winfrey on Super Soul Sunday in May 2013. I have since read many of his books and wonderful quotes about peace, joy, loving-kindness and compassion. His teachings will live on in my heart eternally, and his legacy will continue to inspire many more hearts and minds worldwide. When you listen to him speak you can’t help but notice that his heart was overflowing with love, joy, compassion and kindness. His heart smile will live on eternally to remind us all that to love one another is of utmost importance in living a beautiful life.

I will include links to the interview that touched my soul, to his Buddhist centers at Plum Village and Dear Park Monastery, and a podcast that I enjoy listening to called: “The Way Out Is In” curated by his Monks at Plum Village in France, it is very enlightening and meditative.

I have shared some of my favorite Thich Nhat Hanh quotes designed with my original HEARTwork and a link to my book: Mars Mindful Moments that include some of his quotes and others.

Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful. – Thich Nhat Hanh
The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions. – Thich Nhat Hanh
We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize. – Thich Nhat Hanh

Here are some links to the interview, podcast, and writings by Thich Nhat Hanh:

A list of all books and calligraphy by Thich Nhat Hanh can be found on the Plum Village website at: plumvillage.org

My current favorite book is a thought provoking gem of a book entitled: TRUE LOVE ~ Here is a link to check it out on amazon: https://amzn.to/3HhxXp9

The Podcast: “The Way Out Is In”: https://plumvillage.org/podcasts/the-way-out-is-in/

The Oprah Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ9UtuWfs3U&ab_channel=PlumVillageApp

Dear Park Monastery in Escondido, California and Plum Village in France are mindfulness practice centers that are high on my bucket list to visit one day!

https://plumvillage.org/

https://deerparkmonastery.org/

Namaste

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Mother Nature’s Healing Gifts…

I have been inspired to photograph and digitally paint these lovely rock specimens compliments of Mother Nature! I discovered a sweet neighborhood park that has various sized rocks along the river bank, and began photographing them for their interesting and unique markings. I am used to the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, and these are nothing like them, these are New York grey rocks! I have found several that are heart-shaped or with heart markings that of course excited me, being Mars The “HEART Lady”!

I am enjoying the first week of this beautiful autumn season in New York, and continue to explore and become inspired by my new area. The trees are getting ready to show off their true colors of the season, but for now I paint these sweet rocks! I am grateful for this healing gift of inspiration from Mother Nature! Click on the images to purchase prints on Fine Art America.

Rock Art Abstract #493
Rock Art Abstract #513
Rock Art Abstract #525
Rock Art Abstract #490
Rock Art Abstract #469

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Serendipity~Sunset Heart~Heart-Soul

Sunset Heart

Today is the last day of August 2021, it doesn’t seem possible that summer is coming to an end already, and autumn will begin in 22 days! This has been a summer I will never forget, living on Long Island since mid-May, having to adapt to the hot, humid, and almost hurricane weather! It has been very challenging for me after living on the West Coast for 45 years and being accustomed to a very different climate. Somehow I have survived, and even at times thrived! In the past few weeks I have discovered a lovely nature area where I have been able to capture some amazing sunset photos. The best part about it has been seeing Heart Clouds in the sky each time I have gone there, reminding me that I am still the HEART Lady, just not of Sedona anymore! I am MARS “The HEART Lady” of NY! Heart clouds are still following me wherever I go! It brings such joy to my Heart-Soul, a word I have adopted as my own.

My Heart and Soul are one, so I have joined the words together to form a union, since for me they surely belong together. My Heart-Soul experiences many different emotions, sometimes joyful and sometimes sorrowful. This past summer has been filled with both emotions, but mostly sorrow, and feeling wounded to the core. But, I hang on dearly to the moments when I feel joyful and happy, knowing that I have the capacity to feel both, and hopefully will feel the later more often than not. For most people it takes a long time to adapt to major life changes, moving to a new city, adjusting to a new environment, and being out of your comfort zone, are all very difficult. Most of the time, these past 3 1/2 months since moving from AZ to NY, I have been in survival mode. I have been so very homesick most of the time, grieving the loss of my home, and feeling down deep in my heart-soul that I want to go home, but it’s not possible. I have good days and bad days, but at the three month mark I noticed I may have turned a corner, and now I feel much more accustomed to my new life and environment.

Taking it one step at a time, I have been getting familiar with the area, networking, meeting new people, getting my library card, and happily discovering neighborhood parks to enjoy moments in nature. I found a lovely bench, a tree that I will adopt for all the seasons to photograph, and a perfect spot to take amazing sunset photos. And best of all, the Heart clouds have found me! This evenings sunset photo with the giant heart cloud in the sky, was surely a moment of serendipity that delighted my heart-soul. I believe the Universe is always at work designing our lives with a touch of serendipity, it’s always there, you just have to look for it.

Serendipity
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