#spaceslitmag

Cyndi Lauper bringing us this prompt :-)  Create art with a River as the central image or metaphor.  Then send it to SPACES!

Coffee with a cinnamon quill uncurling in the heat  Herbs and spices are magical mythical things   -Cinnamon, along with grape vines and ivy, is a sacred plant of Dionysus, the Greek god of ecstasy. The Phoenix, the bird that rises from its ashes in mythology, uses cinnamon, myrrh and spikenard to build the magic fire in which it is reborn. Cinnamon was used as incense in Chinese temples, Egyptians included it in their embalming process, and its oil was used in ancient Hebrew anointing rituals.  -Basil was possibly first cultivated in India, where it has been considered a sacred herb associated with love and faithfulness. Basil plants are sometimes grown in the homes of Hindus to bring the family happiness. A basil leaf buried with a person was considered his passport to heaven. Ancient Romans called the herb "basiliscus", a reference to the basilisk, a very fierce and dangerous dragon that could kill a person by looking at him. Eating basil was thought to be a protection from dragons. Basil plants were also reputed to have sprung up at the foot of the Cross where fell the Precious Blood of Christ and the tears of the Mother of Sorrows. It is also associated with Erzulie, a voodoo love goddess worshipped in Haiti. -Dill, in ancient Greek and Roman cultures, was thought to be a sign of wealth, as well as being known for its healing properties. Talmudic records show that dill was valuable enough to be tithed. In medieval times, dill was both used in witchcraft, notably by burning it to clear clouds and thunderstorms. and as protection from witchcraft. A charm made from dill leaves or bunches of dill hung by the door was the remedy. Drinking dill water was also considered effective in removing a witch's spell. Other past uses include adding it to wine to create passion, or bathing in it to become irresistible to one's paramour. -Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean, its Latin name meaning "sea dew," The most famous legend about this plant has it that rosemary's flowers were once white. They turned blue after the Virgin Mary laid her blue cloak over a rosemary shrub while fleeing from Herod. It was also once thought that the long-lived shrub never grew over six feet tall, no matter how old, because it refused to grow to be taller than Christ. Ancient Greek students weaved rosemary into their hair to help them when taking exams. Rosemary is the herb of fidelity and remembrance. "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember," as Ophelia said in "Hamlet."  Create art where one of these beautiful herbs or spices is the central image or metaphor, weaving the ancient meaning in as subtext. Make us taste and smell it  Then send all that goodness to SPACES!

Feelin like a superhero? :-)  Don't miss Graphically Speaking in this issue of SPACES! Jeffrey Veregge is a Native artist hailing from Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, and has spent most of his life on the reservation locally known as Little Boston, located near Kingston, Washington. His creative mantra is best expressed, he says, through a phrase from his tribe’s language, “taʔčaʔx̣ʷéʔtəŋ,” meaning “get into trouble.” This sense of mischief and energy is easily seen in his work, which centers around characters from comics and sci-fi/fantasy TV and film, as are other strong Native influences.

It's about Listening this morning at SPACES, listening, not listening, the incredible gift we can give to another person when we are truly present and listening.  Create art around or inspired by Listening, a moment when someone is not heard, or a time someone wished they had listened.