Thursday, January 12, 2012

Grounded, Illustration Friday


There was a time in my life when the thought of being grounded, as in being held against one's childish will, would have been sheer torture. Of course, the point of being restricted for some misdeed was actually an effort by our parents to keep us grounded, or balanced by the strong foundation provided by this tough love. At some point during my adult years, I eventually discovered that staying home really wasn't such a bad thing. (Could that ever be more true than the week after the holiday season has ended?)
Though any good Libra will tell you that there's always an occasion to celebrate, it was a little bit of a relief to finally return to my own home turf, a much needed rest with no social engagements except with the ones I'd been neglecting around the house. First visits would be with my barely living plants which had been struggling to survive on little water or care these past beautifully warm and dry weeks.
After spending a good part of two marathon days of this self imposed "torture" of hanging out in the backyard in shorts, my feet barely nestled in flip flops, the low winter sun bore down, almost challenging me to a sunburn. As the plants and dry soil in the pots gasped, I comfortably sipped on a cool glass of water. My hands in the dirt and my semi-sadistic gardening skills being exercised, I was feeling the smug satisfaction of having almost pushed these plants to the brink of the green waste facility, but not completely. Like all good parents whose child rearing skills were seemingly modeled by prison guards from the "Cool Hand Luke" school of discipline, there was a spark of conscience and eventually a limit to the amount of abuse I could inflict. Swooping back to rescue them with fresh potting soil, a sprinkling of bone meal and water, the growth cycle would be put back in balance. Besides, when spring finally comes around, they'll be stronger for the experience!

14 comments:

  1. Your painting illustrates your story well, great idea for 'grounded'.

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  2. Lovely = I like the sad eyes of the fallen pot. I've got a brittle brown thumb when it comes to plants.

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  3. What a great post Michele. Glad to see you have surfaced after the festivities and that your poor plants have been resuscitated! I am very jealous of anyone who can get sunburn at this time of the year...enjoy ;0)
    Jane x

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  4. That's a great, well-told story and interpretation of the prompt, Michele!

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  5. Great illustration - enjoyed reading that! I think I understand that kind of parenting too =)

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  6. At least you are putting those talented hands to work he he he he! Dirt is a good thing. So glad that you where encouraged through my blog. I wish you the very best for a wonderful and happily creative new year. Thanks so much for stopping by. Hugs
    V

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  7. Entertaining art and story. I've been out of it, haven't checked my IF friends or contributed. But I'm coming back. You are an inspiration!

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  8. Yes, Michele, you are an inspiration! (So is Ms. Moffatt, but that's another story.) I so enjoyed reading your piece! As usual! Lovely illustration with such a well told tale. Always a pleasure to see what you've created.

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  9. bon creation et bonjoour de france:)

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  10. This is wonderful, Michele! I hope you've been well..missed your illustrations and wanted to pop in and say hello!!

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  11. hi, Just thinking about you and missing your posts, so I thought that I would stop by and say hello. I guess Shirley had the same idea and beat me to it ;) Hope that you are well!

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  12. I am with k.h. - missed you around these parts. I was so great seeing you at my blog. Glad I could make you chuckle. I hope you are doing well and happily creating. Can't wait to see more of your wonderful work and I hope you are staying grounded.

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