New Butterfly Labyrinth

I created this for Sandy Nitchie, founder of www.themonarcheffect.org I'll also be painting a walking canvas for her. In the meantime, here's the labyrinth...the entrances are through the antennae.

We have a domestic duck that somehow was adopted by a local flock of wild ducks. Some neighbors dubbed him "Aflac" after that annoying commercial. I have taken to calling him Dobson, after Dave. It's such an elegant illustration of how all creatures find their own "herd"...or in this case, flock. Different, but not so different. At one time this Dobson was a stranger, but now he is a friend. As Dave says, "The definition of a friend is a stranger you haven't met yet." :-) H.

Designs for Dave :-)

I thought I'd feature my T-shirt designs for Dave Dobson here since he couldn't read the attachments I sent via email. It all started because when I was at his Funshop last May, he suggested that we ask the locals directions for the casino. There is no casino. For further fun, we could say that it was near a gravel pit...apparently there's been an island debate about what to DO with the old gravel pit...which incidentally is on the other side of Dave's fence. I think of Dave everytime I see gravel...or frogs...or dandelions.... & certain words like "conundrum" or phrases like, "I wonder what would happen if...." :-) He's having another FUNshop in June, so if you get curious you can find out more at http://www.excelquest.com/otcc cyasoon, Dave.

Labyrinth Seminar at Yoga East

The January labyrinth walk at Yoga East was WONDERFUL! THANKS to all who attended, especially my friends Vicky-from-NY & Dee. After enjoying such un-winter, Global-warming weather, it rained when it was time to set up the labyrinth outside the studio in the parking lot. So on to Plan B: paint a canvas for a walk inside. However, to fit my Cretan labyrinth on the the 11X14 canvas would not have allowed everyone to walk at the same time. On to Plan C: Create a new labyrinth that was still a single path that didn't require retracing footsteps to get out. I'd seen a Scandanavian/Baltic labyrinth apparently used by fishermen illustrated at Robert Ferre's site www.labyrinth-enterprises.com So I created a labyrinth based on that model, except this one is blocky-looking.

One of the participants was Sandra who has founded an organization to help the plight of Monarch butterflies. Apparently, illegal deforestization in Mexico is destroying their habitat at a rate that is going to put them on the extinction list. Her website: www.themonarcheffect.org

She was heading off to Mexico the day after the seminar & mentioned that she wanted to put a labyrinth on the (flat roof) of her house & suggested I could design a butterfly labyrinth.

Well. I did it! It's AWESOME & my contribution to saving the butterflies. As soon as she copyrights/trademarks it, I'll post a photo of it.

Out of the problem of not being able to have the labyrinth walk outside, came the opportunity to create something even better. Not only was a new labyrinth born out of this, but I have since gone on to create a few more free-flow labyrinths with double entrance/exits. AND out of all that has come "Personal Labyrinths." There are companies offering huge canvas labyrinths for churches & hospitals, but I'm going to create hand-painted, custom-designed, one-of-a-kind labyrinths. Stay tuned.... :-) H.

P.S. Some people have asked me what music I played before & during the seminar. It was Mike Zampi's The Chesapeake Bay: Reflections of Beauty which is v. appropriate because Kent Island is on the Chesapeake where Yoga East is. BEAUTIFUL music for meditation, yoga, etc. You can get his CD at www.cdbaby.com which is where I have my CD for sale as well.