“Cycles and Seasons”

Fall Equinox

By Toni Truesdale

The recurrence of the seasons continue to encircle our lives,

 Just as it gave celebrations to our ancestors.

 Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice,

 Fall Equinox, and Winter Solstice

Mark those passages in a yearly cycle all over the world.

We have learned to plant food and medicines

According to the agricultural calendar.

We dance in a circle to celebrate the planting,

Harvesting, and the storing of food.

Buildings, monuments, and spiritual spaces have been built

To align with the celestial movements that determine

The four seasons at the point of each transition.

“Harvest”

Fall Equinox

Corn to the Americas is a sacred staple,

Native farmers cultivated over 500 varieties before 1492.

Tomatoes, beans, potatoes,

Chocolate, chili, squash, peppers

Avocado, vanilla, cashews, blueberries..

Are just a few foods from  indigenous gardens.

Foods of the Americas feed the world.

T. Truesdale copyright 2005

Migration

Moving is all part of our life experience for most of us. 

I am here in Maine 10 minutes to the beach, 5 minutes to the Saco river.

Water, I am drawn to it. The motion reminds one of the timelessness of the earth.

Moving so many miles with so much art was a huge challenge.

 (300+paintings, did not count the prints and drawings but lots)

Still living around boxes and house renovations in my 155 year old house;

This will be a process for a while.

The humidity and heat is now being remembered, wow

what a difference from 7000 feet and no moisture.

I still love New Mexico and miss my friends;

but it is a different beauty here, full of water

and lots of family to help me through this resettling.

The role of Auntie is so much fun

I treasure this new chapter of my life.

Still working on the books for Healthy Kids New Mexico,

Just finished book 6 in the Dinky Raccoon series.

"Everyday life" will embrace the shared activities of  women,

and I have several big works in the planning; will keep posting...

Website will reflect new thoughts, email me: tonitruesdale@gmail.com

welcome thought, questions and feedback!

  

The Eternal Spinster: Ties That Bind

Connecting each to each...

The clever spider Goddess of the Ainu,

Entwines her fabric into the threads of life.

The Moirae: Atropas, Clotho and Lachesis

Spin, measure and cut each destiny.

The Arabic Fate sisters, too:

Marat, Allat and Al'uzza

Bind us to all that has been.

Nordic Frigga ravels and unravels human existence.

Ana of the most ancient Mideast created the world,

Interlacing the woof and warp of the universe;

As is the duty of the Spider Woman of the Dine.

Binding and unwinding Penelope rewove each day:

 Arachne leaves her tears on the everlasting web...

Moon spirits thread the Dayak,

Nais, Sumatran, Objiwa, Cherokee, Chinese and Egyptian stories

From continent to the islands;

Across the Earth.

Teutonic Holda and Bertha sew

The Textiles of Life;

Separating, severing and repairing...

Artemis, Athene, Aphrodite, all

Telling the tales of the wisdom of women

Endlessly;

From land to sky,

Creator to child,

Leaves to the wind...

The Legacies of  the eternal Spinstress.

copyright T. Truesdale 1998

Mothers Day 2015

Mother’s LoveBy Toni Truesdale

The home of your MotherIs to remember her very presence;That reaches around in an embrace as you enter.The house is permeated by all the shrines of childhood.Memories of feasts, ceremony and celebration,Birthdays, holidays past and present;Little talks and meals together.Laughing with siblings, cousins at the children’s tableA mother’s place is love with kisses,That hugs away the scrapes of life.

Truesdale copyright 2010Truesdaleart.com

The Sacred Feminine

The Mothers, Grandmothers, 

Great Grandmothers, Sisters,

Aunts and Cousins of the 

Cultures of the world

Bring life not only to the generations,

but bring gifts of the spirit as well.

They nurture and guide, teach, and love.

Through these women, life continues,

 for without them

children would be lost.

The gifts of the female are without measure.

So, to them, and all the generations before and the ones to come,

we give thanks....

copyright T. Truesdale 2015

Welcome Spring 2015

The Awakening

By Toni Truesdale

The Equinox of spring signifies the return of life

from the dormancy of winter.

Everything stirs, sprouts, unfolds..

We smell the awakening

 Welcome the continuance of earth’s eternal cycle.

Persephone is the Greek metaphor of spring.

“Cycles and Seasons”By Toni Truesdale The recurrence of the seasons continue to encircle our lives,Just as it gave celebrations to our ancestors.Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice,Fall Equinox, and Winter SolsticeMark those passages in a yearly cycle all over the world.We have learned to plant food and medicinesAccording to the agricultural calendar.We dance in a circle to celebrate the planting,Harvesting, and the storing of food.Buildings, monuments, and spiritual spaces have been builtTo align with the celestial movements that determineThe four seasons at the point of each transition. 

Water Spirit

Women and Water:

Water Spirit

Inhabiting all waterways;

Each river, stream, ocean and lake

Contain the presence of female spirits

Whose stories of wet splendor

Mirror our reverent astonishment,

Waters permeate and

 Sustain all life on our planet.

Copyright T. Truesdale 20003

ToniTruesdale.com

 As water becomes a central issue, as in the droughts and rising oceans; We turn our thoughts to this and remember what once it was sacred.For water is essential to all life on Earth.