My Halloween Sweets

Posted on October 26, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
Sweet are the wide-eyed faces, painted white as skeleton bone.
Precious are the little forms, costumed bright in faux silk.
Humorous are the small heads, wearing pointed hats.
Innocent are the bowed lips, timidly yelling for treats.
Tender are the tiny hands, grasping, in the spirit of Halloween.

Thank you. Happy Halloween to those joining in the fun. May you dream of sweet treats and happy smiles.
Please keep West Africa in your thoughts.
Pumpkin Sweet penciled while on a subbing break.

When to Roar

Posted on October 20, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
Roaring every so often is good for the soul, the heart and the jaw muscles. One shouldn’t roar for things like children’s unkempt bedrooms or misbehaving technology. These aren’t roar-worthy concerns. Though I know better, I’ve been flexing my jawbone too much. When one roars for unimportant things, they burden the over-taxed airways and other critical roars can’t be heard.

Roaring is good, when there is great need. Roar for West Africa, roar for the sick, roar for the helpless…please don’t waste a healthy roar…

Thank you. May you dream of roaring among the waves and soaring among the stars…

Dragon Roar drawn a last week after housecleaning.

Chupacabra Terrorizes Giant Husband

Posted on September 30, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
All last week, before the giant husband and I began our daily 5 AM walk, we could hear the ‘local’ coyotes howling with abandon. Their sad, almost infant-like wails echoed through the woods at the end of our cul-de-sac. The raw cacophony was lyrically unnerving.

This morning, however, the coyotes melodic cries were too close for comfort. Though the giant husband and I probably outweighed their pack by at least two-hundred pounds, I gripped my trusty Swiffer and the giant husband carried his heavy-duty halogen flashlight. I guess our plan was to dust them off, then show them the light 😉

When I mentioned to the giant husband that the howling could be from the elusive Chupacabra, he howled like a coyote. I told him that in Puerto Rico, 1995, goats were found with lethal puncture wounds and their bodies drained of blood. The name Chupacabra literally translates to ‘goat sucker’ in Spanish. And since the discovery of the gruesome ‘vampiresque’ goat scene, there have been random attacks on all manner of livestock. Eyewitnesses have reported Chupacabra sightings from Maine, USA to Chile to Russia…

Some folks take Chupacabras’ legend quite seriously, while others believe they are simply coyotes with mange… Below is my version of the mysterious Chupacabra. So, what do you think: Are there coyotes with mange prowling about, or could blood-sucking Chupacabras be real? Or should I just continue toting my trusty Swiffer?

Thank you. May you dream of friendly monsters with fluffy fur.
Chupacabra created in 2009 for monster project
Blogtox injection – 5 days to go

My Dear Friend Simon from Liberia

Posted on September 7, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
Way back in the 1600’s, many Europeans believed the world had entered into the Apocalypse. There were cruel plagues, high mortality rates – and far worse – many who didn’t subscribe to a ‘common’ Christian belief system… These Europeans fervently believed the End of Days was closing in, but oddly, the Four Horsemen never materialized. Somehow the human race persevered in Europe and elsewhere. Ultimately, it was the selfless: the sacrificers, the healers, the caring brothers and sisters – who kept us believing in a good earth and the benevolence of mankind.

Today in my local paper there was a touching article about people traveling to Liberia to bring comfort to the afflicted. In West Africa: communities and neighbors, medics and health workers, caring volunteers are all selflessly giving – it is they who bring the lion’s heart and the healer’s shield into battle. The war against Ebola is far from over, but the brave are standing up. They’re challenging this virus and fighting it daily. The human spirit is a powerful healer.

I have a dear blog friend, Simon Tocclo who was born in Liberia. He’s a caring father, talented musician, but above all, Simon is a brother to all. I think of his family often and hope wherever they travel, they are well. Simon’s site is Liberian Me. If you haven’t visited, please do and let Simon know many hearts follow him, his family and his homeland.

SImon Says Peace

Thank you. May we all dream together for all those who are not well…

Tackle With Love, Son

Posted on August 19, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
The big son decided this year he’d like to give football a try. He’s a gentle soul by nature – a pacifist at heart – but, he’s discovered a love for mannish sports. I look at him, smiling with his gigantic football gear on and pray it keeps him safe from injury. Though, I know it’s impossible to ask for such a divine favor – so I’ll just ask that he has fun and that he’ll only require a bandaid from time to time.

We can’t protect our children anymore than we can make ourselves less vulnerable to life. What we can do is arm them with self-confidence. So when their young minds are conflicted or they find themselves in a precarious situation, they can remember the mantra, “I’m better than this…”

After I took this silly-faced picture of the big son, he said, “I’ll feel bad if I hurt anyone, mom.”

I responded quite motherly, “Then tackle them with love, my son.” Then I glanced up at the sky and thought, I hope you’re tackled with love too.

Love Tackle

On the way to the big son’s 5 and 1/2 hour practice today, we saw the sun’s rays peeking through. We both took this as a good sign…

Thank you. May you dream this evening of the world’s children being safe from harm.

Big Son with Goofy Face photo taken August 14, 2014
Blue Footballer drawn August 18, 2014 with Prism and fingers crossed (right hand only, needed left to draw)
Sun rays taken this AM, August 19, 2014

Moonskin and a Blue Monster

Posted on August 10, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
The saturday night moon… Something about soft blue light bathing parts of vulnerable skin, the bedroom window allows to be touched. So peaceful this moonlight. Smiling, forgetting my head sinking into the mattress because that old pillow has seen better days. Like a child – I was – in that satin light. Our dachshund curled under the comforter; a tunneler by trade. Shouldn’t he be howling or something?

A few months ago, the big son was perusing my high school yearbook. He found my senior picture, looked a few moments then said, “Mom, you looked pretty.” I smiled. He made me feel young like that satin moonlight, if only for a moment.

And of course, now that I’m lots older, more wrinkled and much wiser, the moonlight also inspires other things. I like to call this lovely birdie, Bluebell. He rises with the sunset and enjoys all things in blue moon light.

If you should meet him please don’t worry, he harbors a sweet disposition, but just to be safe, I’d let him be…unless the moon is extra bright…

Thank you and goodnight. May delicious blue moonlight guide you to dreamland…
High School grad photo taken 1981 yikes! Bluebell images created in 2010…

The Middle Kingdom

Posted on June 18, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
Today, I mistakenly left the Jonathan Tropper book I was reading at home. So for some light lunch reading I grabbed an Ancient Civilization textbook from the room I was subbing in. Since my mind has been on the Far East, I opened to Ancient China. I’d read this chapter before but hadn’t thought beyond the 12-point Times Roman.

Through no fault of their own and perhaps a tad bit of ego, the ancient Chinese believed they were nearly alone in the world. There was no possibility of other powerful civilizations like the Egyptians, Romans or Greeks existing beyond the seas and mountains that cut them off from the rest of the planet. Convinced they were the center of the universe, the Ancient Chinese called themselves the Middle Kingdom. Funny, don’t many of us think this way? If we don’t extend ourselves, we too believe we are the center of our universe.

I like the idea of a Middle Kingdom. I wonder what the characters – cut off from the rest of their world – might look like. I collected some older sketches that could be interesting springboards for, “Monsters in the Middle.” Hey, isn’t that already a show?
This gal might be a protector of a crystal cradle –

This guy could be a water/sand creature-

And of course there would be other creatures dwelling mountainside, possibly deep within caves-

Thank you and goodnight. May your dreams be filled with gentle space creatures…

Trapped

Posted on May 24, 2014 by AM Roselli

Dear Friends,
Once again, I was trapped in a dark room for seven hours. Keeping large classes focused on laborious computerized tests can make one quite mad. There were brief moments where student test takers dwindled. In these brief respites – white noise humming in my ears – my frazzled fingers sketched with a chewed pencil. There’s something lovable about printer paper.
I had time to doodle out two sketches, the woman above and the dude below-