Spinning. Magical moments. Poem Challenge. Nature's Beauty. Original Photography

I remember.
Spinning. Spinning. Spinning.
Spinning in the garden of my childhood.

Spinning with my whole body. Spinning until I could spin no longer.
Nothing mattered except how giddy I felt. How good it felt then.
To collapse onto the earth. And just lie there. Just lie there.
Body totally relaxed. Still. Feeling my head whirling.
Being totally at one with that whirling.
As it gradually came to a stop.

Feeling the coolness of the grass on a hot summer's day.
Smelling the freshness. Hearing the bees.
I want to feel that magic always.
I cry. Where is that child.
Who spins. And simply.
IS. HERE. NOW.
~Ally.

We come spinning out of nothingness. Scattering stars like dust. ~Rumi.

Photograph: ©Alison Lee Cousland.
SONY Mark2 A7: ISO 400: 35 mm: f/3.5: 1/60 sec.

---

Background of this work.

This heart-shaped 'rockpool' in the sand was originally designed as the background for 'Deep is the Ocean of Love.'

'Deep is the Ocean of Love' was created for @everlove's 'Collaborative Art Journey' and was built up from one of her photographs. The process inspired me to experiment with a new assemblage 'method' which I have continued to 'play' with.

So that since then, this same 'rockpool' has featured, often undetectably in:

• 'Rainbow Light.'
• 'Silent Geatures.'
• 'Octopus' Garden.'
• 'Blue Faceted Light.'
• 'Playing in the Sand.'
• 'Winter Blossoming.'
• 'How Blue the Ocean.'

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. ~Rumi.

Photograph: ©Alison Lee Cousland.
SONY Mark2 A7: ISO 100: 35 mm: f/3.5: 1/50 sec.

---

Adding a few very ancient, broken and cracked seashells that I collected from Shellharbour.

Although these shells have been worn away by water and bear the markings of other sea creatures, they still maintain their cosmos-like spiral formations.

The world changes when we change. ~Marianne Williamson.

Photograph: ©Alison Lee Cousland.
SONY Mark2 A7: ISO 250: 35 mm: f/3.2: 1/60 sec.

---

Adding a single white Australian wildflower: Rhodanthe chlorocephala: Commonly called Strawflower or Paper Daisy or Everlasting Daisy. I like to call them 'Everlastings.'

I'd bought a bunch of white and pale pink 'Everlastings' from the Sydney Flower Market, Australia's largest flower market for fresh cut flowers. The flowers lasted for several weeks in water, in a vase and then I let them stand in dry sand to dry out. And last forever.

I selected this particular dried 'Everlasting' for the centre of the heart-shaped rockpool because of its pronounced outward spiraling.

The world softens when we soften. ~Marianne Williamson.

Photograph: ©Alison Lee Cousland.
SONY Mark2 A7: ISO 320: 35 mm: f/3.2: 1/60 sec.

---

Adding two more white 'Everlastings.' Love working in 3's, 6's and 12's.

The world loves us when we choose to love the world. ~Marianne Williamson.

Photograph: ©Alison Lee Cousland.
SONY Mark2 A7: ISO 320: 35 mm: f/3.2: 1/60 sec.

---

To complete this work some pale pink 'Everlasting' buds were added.

I ask myself: Where is that child. Who spins. And simply. IS. HERE. NOW. ~Ally.

Photograph: ©Alison Lee Cousland.
SONY Mark2 A7: ISO 400: 35 mm: f/3.5: 1/60 sec.

---

About my ephemeral art work.

In my studio, I create small ephemeral pieces from flowers and plants combined with other natural materials that I find in the bushland, ocean or surrounding urban streets. ~Ally.

During the creation of these pieces ~ The process is incredibly magical. Thoughts of anything else are silenced. ~Ally.

Photographs are taken at the different stages of any arrangement. Sometimes a song or quote or other ideas/thoughts/words come to me, as I look at the resulting images. Giving form to new expressions ~ Short 'poems' to accompany the images. ~Ally.

A fuller description is in my introductory article: The Heart of Immortality. ~Ally.

---

My recent articles.

---

Gallery: Magical Moments

---