All Hallows Eve

A little study of an icon from the Novgorod school: St. Nicholas Calming the Storm.  And what better night to imagine it may have occurred, then on All Hallows Eve, the eve of All Saints.

In fear the sailors prayed for St. Nicholas intercession as their tiny boat was about to be swallowed up by the storm. Saint Nicholas suddenly appeared to the seafarers and guided them to safety. But by their countenance, you wonder if they were just as terrified of his immediate presence as they were the storm.

I love our faith--there's always a Holy Day that calls our attention to God's loving activity in our life, whether we are aware of it or not.  And when you're most fearful, you can grab a hold of prayer--it's solid.  

Traditional Scottish Prayer:

From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy besties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us!

Family Wingchair

 Mom asked if I would like the old wing chair when she no longer needed it.  Inanimate objects can take on a life of their own, and like the family dog, they become loyal and comforting friends.  I didn't want to see the "family dog" tossed, so home it came. 

The armchair wings conveyed a sense of hiddenness when we were children.  With a blanket thrown over the chair, it was transformed into a tent, an undersea cave, a secret passageway. It was a garden landscape to amble through: the fabric is tapestry-like with pale fall roses framed within an octagon border. It was a place where you could imagine you were invisible to everyone who entered the room.

My husband and I keep the lights fairly dim evenings--tired old eyes I guess.  Immersed in a book, my daughter took no notice of the garden flowers and shadowy foliage that emerged.  The garden may be a little more faded and worn these days, but it's still there if you know where to look.