"Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

Max Ehrmann, "Desiderata"


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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Secret Society Of Oaks - No.11

Queen Nymph Marie!
Marie loves Halloween!
(and her Little Princess Grand Baby Madi who takes over her blog sometimes)

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Did you ever have a friend who is quiet and does not make a whole lot of fuss, yet when you turn around she is there with a smile and what a comfort it is to see her. She’s the kind of friend who when you make an ass of yourself for example when you scream at your professor in front of the whole class, everybody else but your best friend abandons you and then you both walk out of the classroom and there she is waiting for you and your best friend and she asks, “are you okay?” and what a great comfort it is that she stayed behind. She is also the kind of friend who remembers your birthday and sends a birthday present but does not own up to it so you thank your other friends who may have pulled the stunt and they tell you they did not do it. I have a sisterfriend like that, always reliable and dependable, never attracting so much attention, never causing any problem but is always there to lend you a hand, comfort you, say something gentle, does not tell you she is having a tummy ache because you are so excited and so full of yourself that she smiles and listens to you and then you notice that something is amiss and you ask “are you okay?” and she replies “Oh I just have a little stomach upset.” You just want to envelop her in your love because she let you celebrate your joy first. She reminds you of the little things that mean a lot and reminds you to slow down and look around, be aware. And then you sit down with her and her sensible side contrasts your goofy side but she says something that sends you howling and cracking up and you do a double take, “did you say that?” When you finally slow down and listen, you find she is a lot of fun and she is funny. When you are tasked with a project and it’s time to build a team, you choose her because she is very good at what she does and is always positive. You can depend on her, which is why today I am talking about her because I just chose her, my dearest, sweetest Marie!


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I want to see and touch Marie’s hands. I want to see the hands that create the most delicate, fine and refined whimsical clay sculptures. They are fantastic, beautiful, and I don’t know why, but I want to lick them. Yes, I licked Count Dracula’s fingers, that beautiful sculpture draping the bud vase you gave me for my birthday which you said came from Renee and Bella. Your work is top-notch! ,
Marie you are a beautiful soul! You are artistic, creative, inspirational, giving, loving and caring. You do it with quiet dignity. Please don’t leave my side, you make me look good and feel good, I hope I do the same for you. You are my dearest sisterfriend and I love you! Thank you very much for being my friend.

48 comments:

  1. Ooooooo.....a Halloween Nymph! Wonderful wonderful Ces! How you keep comning up with these is beyond me....completely.
    And they are completely BEAUTIFUL!!!
    I have to go back and stare at the details till my little eyes cross and I can't see straight....which requires small effort! :)

    XXOO!!!
    Anne

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  2. OMG!I am short of words but not emotions.
    My world opened up wide the day I met you.
    This, my dear, does feel like me, before I got old and gray. The nymph still resides inside.
    Bless you, my dear sister friend for showing me her again. I had forgotten what she looked like.
    I have to look some more and see all that is there, but my eyes are full of love tears and I can not see the picture now.
    Thank you Ces, thank you!!!
    I love you!!

    You really licked the Count's fingers??? WTF???

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  3. Ces... you are a goddess!! Thanks for bringing us sweet MarIe!! She is the friend we would all like to have!!
    I hope your day has been wonderful twin sisterfriend!!

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  4. I have printed the picture out and I am so in awe of your talent.
    I love the witches and the tombstones and the moon and the birds (madi and I talked to birds yesterday)the owl, and the black cats, oh, and little Madi, she is so precious. Madi likes it too, when I showed it to her, she started laughing and cooing, oga boogoing.
    Remarkable.
    Ces this is so perfect for me. I love the curls around my face, the colors and the autumn feel, everything is wonderful and I am sure I am going to keep finding more and more everytime I look at it. You are so good to me, I love what you said, how good you made me feel, thank you again. I am so honored by your art and your mind!!
    I am going to print out the words now.
    Did I say thank you??

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  5. Ces, what a lot of wondrful friends you do have, it reads like a list of heart string connection.
    One more beautiful than the next. You certainly are bringing all their great beauty out of the closet.
    As always, you amaze me.

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  6. Anne! My dear! Marie loves Halloween. have you seen her incredible clay sculptures and jewelry? She is a pro. I think you will like each other very much because you have the same tenderness and you tilt your head alike except you are blonde and she is a redhead. xoxoxoxxyz!

    What?! You have forgotten what she looks like. Open your eyes and let her out. She is dying to come out. She is gorgeous, beautiful, sweet and kind. Let her out, let her out! AAAAHHHH! You are welcome. I am so happy to hear you are happy!

    Yes Manon, She and you peas in a pod when it comes to sweetness. Say hello to each other. You will like each other. All my friends are wonderful YES! How are you sweetheard. I'll see you soon.

    Marie, I only said what I feel when I think of you. Yes I kissed Dracu's fingers, licked them with the tip of my tonge. He is a cutie pie. I may lick his nose tonight. He is on a dresser by my bedside. I think of you everytime I see him.


    Yes! yes! I know how to spot them, great wonderful, loving, magnificent, brilliant, talented, big FPOTted mental ninjas - all of my blog sisterfriends!

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  7. First things first, who is the hottie on the boat???

    Now your art. This is SO Marie!!! I would know it without you telling. I ran out of words several nymphs back. I love your words about Marie...I love that you see the best in people. I love how much you value friends. I love you more for bringing us all together. Not so long ago I was very lonely...now there are not enough hours in the day. Oh my dear sisterfriend, how did I live without you? **kisskiss** Deb

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  8. I took one look at your awesome drawing and I KNEW it was our dear Marie! The kind face, the red hair and the wonderful Halloween flair - it couldn't be anyone else!

    And when I read your words about Marie, not just about Marie but all of your/our sisterfriends, I wonder how I ever lived without knowing you.

    I am beyond grateful every day!! Love, Silke

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  9. Hahahaha! I laugh everytime I see the platter French toast! HAAHAHAHA!

    Silke, giver of joy and mirth. Don't forget you too are my sisterfriend and I do not use that title very lightly. You and Marie and all of my sisterfriends are all beautiful. I am so glad you are getting to know each other!

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  10. Ces - I don't know Marie very well, but your words are EXACTLY the sense I get from her. That she is steady and faithful, and loving. Your picture of her captures her lovely Halloween art, and her sweetness, too. I don't know, but maybe you are a genius! Are you?? xo Pam

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  11. So lovely to meet these strong sisters of yours. They are stunningly beautiful, all of them, and unique in their own way.

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  12. Hi Auntie Ces, you like my two teef?
    I am working on getting them other teef in and it makes me very crabby sometimes. This teef thing is hard.
    I look so good in your picture of me, I look very good in yellow and I have leaves around my head like my Gramma. Does that mean that I am an oak nymph in training? I like that. I love my little curl too.
    What is gramma holding, an acorn punkin?? Do they have those?
    Gramma says to tell everyone thank you so much for all the nice things everybody said about her, and now she is crying again. But boy Auntie Ces, she has been in the best mood!!
    You are the besty westy!!!
    Big hugs Auntie C

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  13. HAHAHAHAHAHA! Hello Baby Madi. HAHAHAHAHA! Oh this is funny. Tell everyone I am your favorite Aunt Ces, More favoriter than Auntie Renee, yes, Most Favoritest.I just made up that word , it's better than some of the words your Auntie Renee will teach you! HAHAHAHAHAH!

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  14. Hello Pam, I am so happy to hear that. Marie is sweet indeed!

    Hello Rosaria, thank you. More to come!

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  15. i like the baby in the back

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  16. Holy smokes sister!!! you are getting these out so quickly I am blown away!!! CES you rock!!!

    I know Marie!!! she is so much fun and I love all her Halloween inspired pieces...She will be so thrilleddddddddddddd!!!

    Hugs
    Diana

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  17. Another great nymph! I love the jack-o-lantern acorn, he he! Thanks for the introduction to Marie, she sounds wonderful.

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  18. Aaah, my favorite nun! Those beautiful red locks. It could be none other than Sister Marie. Oh, Marie, you may say that your hair is no longer fiery, but this is not a representation of your hair. It is your vibrant, youthful spirit. You are everything that Ces has written. You are the most humble and kind nymph, easy to laugh, and eager to share all those delightful clay creations. Your art, quite literally, is finger-lickin' good.

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  19. Tsup*!* Me thinks you must have a magic wand instead of pen for all the magic you are weaving into these little treasures*!*

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  20. Wow, Ces, temper, temper tsk tsk tsk! LOL! I am totally just kidding. Well, if you did scream at your professor in front your whole class your friend sounds like a sweetheart. I think we've all done things to make a total @$$ of ourselves from time to time and a friend like that is indeed a treasure!

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  21. Hello Buckram and Bembo, that is Madi. Tsup!

    Diana, not fast enough. In fact slowly because a lot of emotional baggage with it, but it's good baggage still I have to lug them.

    Hello Lisa, hello dear. Yes, she is!

    Bella, yes, yes and "finger-lickin'" why did I not think of thant!

    Bimbimbie, I wish I had a magic wand instead.

    Tatting Chic, no no no. I was just saying that if that happened, Marie and my best friend would be the kind of friends who would not abandon me. Hello!

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  22. I was waiting for Marie's. Ces, it is so wonderful, and you described her so perfectly. Just beautiful. A friend who comes to stay.

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  23. Hello LD! marie is wonderful. She is a loving, loyal and gifted friend. My life is richer because of her. Thank you.

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  24. and I love you more. Thanks so much for your encouragement Ces. I send you many tearful hugs today. I love you.

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  25. and I love you more. Thanks so much for your encouragement Ces. I send you many tearful hugs today. I love you.

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  26. Ces you are such an amazing and giving friend.

    Once you were under my skin I would never ever let you go.

    You have nailed Marie to a tee.

    Oh I have to go tell her how much I love it.

    Ces I don't even know what to say to you really. Except that you are an incredible person and the world is so much better by having you in it.

    Beautiful job done here Ces and I know that our sweet Marie will be over the moon.

    Love Renee xoxox

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  27. these images that you are creating from love are absolutely beautiful.

    thank you for sharing them.

    best wishes
    Ribbon :)

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  28. This is so fantastic Ces.

    Now I am not going to be satisfied until I am the favourite nut after Bella of course. Afterall I am not asking for miracles.

    xoxoxox

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  29. Vanessa dearest, you are most definitely loved!

    Renee oh you are such a sweetheart! Tsup! Thank you. I will say the same thing about you regrading your presence and effect on everyone you touch.

    Hello Ribbon, thank you very much!

    Renee you and Bella could be a pair of nuts. Two nuts are better than one! A pair of nuts looks more impressive!

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  30. A pair of nuts is much more than I could have ever hoped for. Especially to be paired with that particular nut.

    Would you like to wear us around your neck or around your waist?

    I'm cracking my self up. har har

    Love Renee xoxo

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  31. Where do you think you and her would look best?

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  32. Honestly Ces as a perfect round/ovally set of nuts I think that you would have fun wearing Bella and I however you see fit.

    Like if you have a yearning for having us tightly around your neck and ever so slightly pressing on your breast, well that would be fine.

    If on the other hand you are in the frame of mind where nothing will satisfy like a set of nuts around the waist, well we can oblige there too.

    Love you kook.

    Love Renee xoxo

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  33. As Bella and I are complete full nuts even on our own; Palin is a miserable quarter broken nut that winks and screams 'fucking coo coo nut.'

    Love Renee xoxo

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  34. Hello Ces, from my heart: you fight like a lion and you love like a lamb. In this beautiful ode to Marie you tell a whole lot about yourself. Beautiful description of a woman. And beutiful drawings too. Do you ever sleep, by the way ???
    Bless you
    Godeliva

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  35. Hello twin sisterfriend!! I hope you had a fantastic day!!

    Thanks for the awesome video compliment!!!
    Ces....do you think I could take over for Martha Stewart? LOL! oh no.... she's way to perfect and I'm full of mistakes!! Way too many mistakes..... sooooo many of them....lol!

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  36. How beautiful, both the artwork and your words!
    Darla

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  37. Hmmmmm, still no answer about who the hottie in the boat photo on your sidebar is...or is he on your sidebra?

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  38. LoVe the speedo!!! Does he still wear it? Seriously hot. No wonder he got you...that was the when you were wearing those leg warmers as the Filipino street dancer...
    **kisskiss** Deb

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  39. First thing first: Deborah, please pardon me. I must have been lost in space I did not see your question about the hottie. Thank you for asking Deborah. That's the Viking at 16, same age as our first epsilon now. I was so overcome by your last sentence I completely answered you silently in my mind and heart!

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  40. Manon, seriuously, you should be teaching. I thought about your art process intermittently all day and marveled at how fast you paint! Oh my gish, talk about instant gratification. YES!

    Godelieva, what a beautiful and generous compliment. Thank you very much!

    Thank you very much Darla.

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  41. I come here to look at look at these all of the time. All of them are so wonderful. I love mine.
    I love you!
    Madi says HI!

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  42. I have a friend like that--how well you explained her--I wonder if your friend is my friend? Or perhaps there are those in our world who, like oak trees are strong and beautiful--ever loyal, loving and persevering, ever warm and huggeable.

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  43. Oh, she looks so serene and beautiful and you write about her with such love in your words - I must immediately go and meet her...I am compelled to do so by both your exquisite drawing and your description of this most lovely of nymphs. Oh, and Cesarino my darling sisterfriend, today I will play a little toon for you on my flute-a-toot...listen hard and you'll hear it on the wind.

    And yes, you're right.... our Renee is a cussin' and swearin' bundle of sheer fun and mischief - and all the other wonderful things that make up that particularly precious sisterfriend. Gotta give her Mama a picture...aaah now, which shall it be...

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  44. Renee's mouth is way worse than mine.....lol! Canadian girls.... we're bad!!

    My laptop is safe!

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  45. So great that you could find something to draw while you heal!!

    I love instant gratification in art!!! Mosaics are a test of my patience...lol!

    BTW....you are a nutologist....... one who has vast knowledge of nuts!!

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  46. OK... Ces DN!!!!!
    Get your fresh pj's on and spend some time with the Viking!
    Thanks for making me laugh tonight.... it's great for my abs....lol!
    au revoir mon amie..... a la prochaine fois
    (translation..... goodbye my friend..... until the next time)

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  47. wow!.. i just love all these nymphs! and a troll!

    and the nuts..
    amazing

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  48. Oh Ces, Marie is so beautiful, a beautiful friend and beautiful curly hair. Beautiful inside and out. What an amazing friend to have and she clearly loves you too, as do we all, you know. xxx Your portrait is stunning.

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