Sunday, October 20, 2013

TOTEM PAINTING

So my last painting outside my comfort zone, but will you ever be done? I constantly see things that I could improve, change or add color to it. But its so much fun.

Sometimes I peak on other artist pages, but not to long....I noticed my confidence then goes done a bit. But people/artist with colors inspires me I want to be able to paint as them.  But most of the time I just love it, what a great way of not thinking for a couple of minutes...its a great pause in my hectic lovely days. And, it seems to be the only time my two kids doesn't interrupts me....hm, interesting.

That's Amore!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

UNIQUE LADY

                                                         Its nice to be different!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

WILL I GROW?

I asked my art/life therapist last Thursday if I would grow, from painting like a second grader to paint as a four grader?

I love playing with the colors, and I have no idea what I am doing. My inner child gets to come out and be creative.

I just paint and never have a clue of what it will become. I thought I started to paint a puppy, but obviously my love for Seniors took over my brush (smiling)

The tears came and I "asked" the painting why?

"Many are so afraid of adopting Senior dogs"

That's why I painted the crown with hearts, since for me...they are the KINGS.

I love Senior dogs.

That's Amore!

Thursday, October 3, 2013

WITH PAINT I CAN LET GO

I wrote earlier that I had recently started with paint therapy to escape the Lyme Disease pain. I had never before held a brush to paint anything but wall, but like many, I wished I could paint artistically. In school I had no imagination, or ....I didn't dare to let it out. We all have imaginations, and we all have the "inner voice." It's a different whispering to our mind and heart.
I have a talented friend who is a true Artist. You should see her paintings, they are amazing. We SKYPE ones a week, and she is my paint therapist/coach. Its amazing when she looks at my paintings and reads my "inner me" through them. Her statements are right on the spot, and many times really fantastic, totally incradable. Things I have been telling myself in the morning to do better, she then later confirms to me in her interpretation of my work.
Today we spoke about what scares us the most. I realized that I was afraid of showing others what I had made. Don't get me wrong, I love painting or rather "strongly like" is I prefer to say....I play with the colors.
So tonight, after one hour of mind-blowing and inspirational therapy with my coach Rita I challenged myself. I asked myself...."why the fear?"
Is it because my paintings are childish? Do I fear rejection? Afraid people will laugh at something I take seriously? Or.....
At least I know, and I am proud over myself....I dared to step out of my comfort zone.

This painting my beautiful daughter created. She is 8 years old and as you can see, we have the same paint technique :-) I am proud over her too; extremely so.

This one,  Olivia and I made together....she did the "AWL" which of course stands for Animals Without Limits, our organization, rescuing animals.

Now that's color fun with a lot of heART to it!

And colorful Amore!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Jewelchic/ Megan Castran is an inspiring woman in Australia. I like to visit her page to read about her inspiring projects--and designing colorful jewelry. That gives me inspiration to become more inspiring, in my own way.....

I love to write....as some of you already know I work in the rescue business, and many times its difficult and sad. But let me start introducing other Angels on Earth...that might be invisible for you.... I can see them and here are two, my friends Martina and Pio.


                               WORKING ANGELS ON EARTH


On our Earth there are many angels.  

Often, we don’t hear about them or know when we are looking at them.  One band of angles I can see are the animal rescuers and them working behind the scenes to save these souls.  They don’t seek out the limelight. They don’t put out pictures of themselves; for many of us, they can be invisible.

I know them, I see them, I follow them and I call them my animal friends.  I love being around them, watching them work their hearts.

The young woman had finished her human work for the day, and was heading to the coffee place together with her sister.  From the corner of her eye, she saw him.

Her heart stopped when she looked into his big, adorable, chestnut eyes that melted her heart.

“Oh no,” she thought.

The skinny little puppy hesitantly walked up to her, a little shy and resistant since he couldn’t read her eyes clearly.  
He saw that her eyes had mixed emotions.

The young woman felt as lost as he was.  Her heart was immediately taken with him! She bent down and said some few words in Italian to him.  On spindly legs, he walked up to her and felt her gentle, warm arms lifting him up.  He felt safe for the first time in what seemed to him as a very long time.  He was not scared anymore, and not alone.

The lady had so many worries of her own, but she couldn’t leave him on the street.  Not like that, in the cold nights and with a skeleton body.  
Many people don’t know that this is happening every day, sick puppies and sick dogs.  Those who live together with this view day after day, either harden their hearts to it, or their Angel hearts are hurt many times over.  
This lady has an Angel heart.  
Her heart hurts to lose so many beautiful souls to the diseases that are rampant there.  These angles care about the souls, take them in even with the knowledge that they will too soon leave.

She named him Rudolph, “Rudy”.

Back home, her other dogs gathered around him with curious eyes and welcoming tails, and sniffed his weak, little body.  He felt accepted, and felt safe to sleep inside the warm house. The next day the lady and her boyfriend drove to the veterinarian and had him checked and vaccinated.  Rudy sat up making sure the nice lady was with him the whole time.  In the car on the way back home Rudy, sat nicely and calmly in her lap, content to be someone’s love.

 Many people saw his picture and fell madly in love with him.  His soul was so fragile and beautiful, like you could see his soul-colors dancing around him.

But already the next day, his soul started to lose the brightness.  One could almost watch it, minute by minute, changing from being colorful to weak electricity, losing its power like a draining battery.  The lady was terrified again!

She knew about the horrible diseases endemic in the area:  Parvo and Distemper.
She cried!   
She was no stranger to this, she had found dogs that had been very ill before.  She knew the look of their soft eyes searching hers to show their thankfulness before leaving Earth for good.  They know what is coming, even as we humans are oblivious or deny it even to ourselves.

The pain escalated, she couldn’t handle having a loving soul die in her arms again. 
 “Life is unfair!” she screamed inside of her head. 
  But still she loved, comforted and protected Rudy.

She was tired of rescuing, tired of the feeling helpless she swore.  She was tired of so many people’s nonchalance and superficial problems.  So tired of hearing complainants about things that could be fixed so easily --- things that paled in comparison to a life like Rudy’s.  

Where were these complainers when you were holding a little life in your arms, one that would soon be gone forever?


For a long 48 hours she cried, beside her, her boyfriend felt helpless to ease her pain.  Both hearts were crying out to the Universe to help Rudy and ease their sorrow and pain.

But the Universe had other plans, and as unfair and cruel as it was, the Universe used this couple to help Rudy in another way. 
Rudy could feel safe for the first time in his short life. Because of their love, he would pass over to the Rainbow Bridge with light steps, with no fear in his heart. 
He would meet the other dogs our Angels have loved and helped, and together they would say, “ We meet the Angels on Earth, too”

Little Rudy wagged his tail, looked down on Martina and Pio and saw the pain in their hearts.  “Oh no!  Please don’t close your hearts.  It is because of Angels like you that we still have hope on Earth.  We send our broken souls to you since we see the glow of your special light.  For you it was a painful 48 hours; for me, it was the a warmest, loving lifetime. I didn’t die on cold, wet concrete alone without feeling loved.”

We can all be Angels.  Please don’t look away!  Our hearts have a special code, the code of Hope!  The code of love!

That’s Amore

Rudy.
(via Mia Mattsson-Mercer)



Monday, September 30, 2013

HEART TALKING


 I love my little man with the biggest heart. He makes me smile.

Yesterday; "Mom! I told my heart today that I love my heart...and do you know mom....my heart said; I love you too MAX"

That's Amore!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

SICK~HUMOR

When I am sick my humor follows that pattern too. You cannot help being...extra silly...or sarcastic.

My doctor told me several times during my visit the important to laugh....so instead of "one apple a day keeps the doctor away...I try; one laugh a day keeps the pain away"

That's Amore!

Saturday, September 28, 2013

THE COLOR OF YOUR BRUSH

Good morning! ..... Please forgive my big gap of silence on this, my blog, for quiet some time.   I am now back after a long summer with many memories of different kinds of emotions.  The coming autumn will be one full of Spiritual work.  When a challenge turns up in your life, its time for Spiritual work. Big challenges require big work --- imagine "Extreme Makeover - Spiritual Edition".  All the questions are turning up. I am going to write about them since it reflects so many different subjects in life.

With my Chronic Lyme Disease and my own stubbornness, it many times makes a kind of conflict within me. Stubbornness can be something good, if used in the right direction.  I used it wrong!  I stubbornly told my body I couldn't take it easy and relax when that is what my body was desperately asking me for.  My energetic mind wanted to do so many things, and constantly new things came up inside of me that I wanted to start. And of course in a big house with two younger children and twelve dogs, who was I kidding?

Unfortunately, I have now suffered a very bad relapse with the Lyme, and am back on square three out of ten.  I was so happy in August when I was on square seven it seemed, for quiet some time.  But I will be back, since I am a stubborn Swedish Viking, who has to learn to use my stubbornness in another way.  I must stubbornly eat better, relax more and deal with emotional conflicts more calmly until I get my new referrals to the Infectious Disease Klinikum at Tubingen University.

Meanwhile I have re-discovered painting.  I love it!  Standing outside in a wonderful atmosphere and just letting the brush take over the colors and the canvas.  When I do that, for a little while, my mind is floating away, and I cannot feel my pain anymore....

That's Amore!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

KIKI MAUS IS BY THE COLORFUL RAINBOW BRIDGE

 Today at 12.53 we lost beautiful soul. Kiki Maus  RIP

I was never scared of adopting a senior dog, quite the opposite. I saw so much more coming out of it. The maturity, calmness and peacefulness of an older dog, I found so appealing.

Kiki was a hospice client at my foundation Animals Without Limits. When she came to us, it was love at the first sight, we all loved that dog with the longest ears and legs. She was fast on those legs when she put her nose down to the ground and ran in circles in the garden. Kiki was 14 years old when she arrived, and had been on a short chain most of those years. She was an Italian Hound dog, with a long, slim nose and a long, seal-like neck. One day at the hospice a terrible accident had happened with her, and I couldn’t forgive myself. I rushed her to Dr. Damiani’s office where a long surgery had to be conducted immediately. I whispered in Kiki’s ear that when she survived, she would come home to me.

Four years of friendship and love she gave to me, this amazing girl. With the strongest heart and an attitude as being Margret Thatcher, she gracefully mingled around my other dogs. Kind and gentle to all, and all respected and seemed to love her dearly. Our Kiki Maus.

Some say it’s a short time to adopt a senior dog. For us the quality time was long, that is why it was easier to let her go.
Would I turn down a friendship because I know we wouldn’t see each other forever? Traveling and living 4 years here and some years there, would I turn down a new friendship since I know I won’t live there forever?
Memories and time are equal with the love that comes out of everyone’s heart. If you don’t dare to love and invest, so scared to lose and be sad, then you are afraid for your own love.

Kiki my wise woman, I thank you for these beautiful 4 years, you are my light and my wisdom. Go in peace and tell them across the Rainbow Bridge, that we are doing our best to be able to love as much as you do.

The power of unconditional love.

When my wonderful veterinarian Dr. Martina came, you hadn’t been up on your legs since last night. With your wise eyes you looked at us, wagged your tail and lifted your leg for a last belly rub. I cried and smiled at the same time, I hugged you, I kissed you and told you to run quickly over to the other side. Go now!

I could feel your joy, and excitement to be totally free. At 12.53 this afternoon, your heart stopped, but my heart will forever go on for you, my Kiki Maus. I love you so.

Shiloh spent the last weeks sleeping together with Kiki, seemingly guarding her and making sure she was okay through the nights. This afternoon Shiloh has been guarding her from the pack. She growls, she jumps out at the other dogs to stay away. She doesn’t want anything to happen to her friend. And, as she had done when our dear Labrador “Ranger” died tragically in 2007, she lovingly pushed the blanket around Kiki with her nose, as if tucking her in for her body’s long slumber.
That’s Amore!

Mia Mattsson-Mercer (c) 2013

Thursday, August 22, 2013

COLORFUL FRIENDS


Still I have "bad" days from having  Chronicle Lyme. Not as often as before and I am blessed/lucky that the days are not every day. But when they come and surprise me, it feels colorless.
My muscles stops to work, I feel nauseas and can only eat fresh spinach (Mrs Popeye ).
 I am like a zombie. Cannot think and work.
Its scary when the body shuts down!  And, I cannot plan--my doctors already told me that it will be difficult to plan vacations and trips. Yesterday, I cried and cried....even if I have faith in my heart some days I allow my self to be colorless. Then when I cannot get up from the dark whole it is wonderful to have friends that makes me smile. --

Something very touching was sent to me from a friend Kirsten. She had colored the post and re-wrote the text.

That gave me a big smile. Thank you Kirsten.
That's Amore!