To me, and to many others, four-leaf clovers have always symbolized luck. And I am lucky. Almost every time I am near a meadow of clover, I will look down and find at least one clover with four leaves. I have even found one with five, and six! (Does that make me even luckier?) If I find them when I am with someone, I give it to them and if I'm alone I stick them under my desk blotter or in a book. Sometimes I find them again (in books) and I feel like I get a second bit of luck! They also symbolize love to me*. So today, I have done a zen-doodled version for Mr. Toast's Creative Tuesday challenge on the LUCKY theme:
*So why do four leaf clover symbolize love to me? First of course are the heart shaped leaves. They always make me smile. But mostly it is because of a story a friend told me about his father who was always lucky in finding four-leafed clovers. When he (the father) was older and in seriously declining health, he wasn't outdoors much (and probably wasn't feeling very lucky). So on his wife's birthday, he had his sons take him outside to sit on the grass. He sat there and found enough four-leaf clovers to present his wife with a lovely birthday bouquet! A bouquet!! I have always thought that to be the most loving and romantic gesture I have ever heard about! And one that only the lucky could have given!
This zen-doodle is also inspired by a lucky little boy, Artoo, the son of I am the Diva. Her Weekly Zentangle Challenge (#9) asks us the incorporate her new tangle "Artoo" into the design. While not strictly a zentangle, this little sketch and pen piece of mine plays with that. I'm so happy Artoo is recovering well!!
To Kat and any of my other blog friends who have noticed my absence/missed me - I'm baaaaaackkkkk! But busy, busy and I haven't had much of a chance to visit anyone yet or do anything creative (other than business presentations) until now. I hope to get back to normal and visit you all soon!
In the meanwhile, I wish you LUCK!
xoxo
EVA
I love your doodling style! :) I read this week that four leaf clovers are only 1 in 10,000 clovers! If you can spot them that easy, I would say that you indeed are lucky!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great four leaf cover. It's so fresh and crisp and your story..just precious. What a loving bouquet.
ReplyDeleteI love your doodle!! And people who can find those 4-leaf clovers are awesome. I looked all the time when I was a kid, and never found one. Eh. And the story is sooo sweet!
ReplyDeleteWonderful, love your four leaf clover.
ReplyDeletePerhaps not a cookie-cutter response to a challenge, but oh! the story behind it! Thank you so much for taking the time to share; it adds so much to the experience. And my goodness, both a true romantic AND incredibly lucky? His wife was very fortunate indeed!
ReplyDeleteWow, you have a knack at finding those clovers. The clover shape is ideal for a Zen Doodle, too. It's lovely!
ReplyDeleteEVA--so glad I could actually sign in here and leave a comment. You should know that sometimes you can't leave a comment when coming here as its not possible to click within the comment box for whatever reason? I actually had to try several times.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I love your stories here--thank you for sharing those, and your fun diagram too. Yes, so true about covers too. When I was a kid I used to find 4 leaf clovers all the time too. Ha, now, 5- or 6- leaf clovers meaning more luck? I certainly hope so, as opposed to meaning something dreadfully wrong.
4 leaf clover......they are lucky for sure and this is a fun tangle!
ReplyDeleteI ♥ the 'chained' Artoo.... it's beautiful. It took me a minute to spot it... subtle and delicate. Groovy. :)
ReplyDeleteEva and Friends,
ReplyDeleteThe story of my father's gift to my mother on her birthday is absolutely true. He loved her so much and in his failing health this was perhaps the only wonderful skill he had left. It was, in fact, all that he had in his power to give her.
Making the story extra sweet is that my mother was Irish and loved shamrocks--especially the four-leaf kind. In truth, she really loved the funny and romantic guy who could always seem to find them for her. She, above all, understood how magical and loving his gift was. She pressed a few of those clovers and sealed them in plastic, keeping one for herself, and giving the rest to my two brothers and I, which we treasure.
My father passed away a few months later. My mother lived a few more years and joined him on 17 March, 2005 (Saint Patrick's Day). As I concluded her eulogy, I told everyone that I can imagine my mother being greeted inside the Pearly Gates by my father, who had been waiting impatiently. In his hand he'd be holding a bouquet of four-leaf clovers picked just for her. There was dancing in heaven that night.
Today, 16 February, is my mother's birthday. She would have been 88. It is the 14th anniversary of my father's gift to her. (How did you know it was her birthday? Or is this a bit of the magic of my father's gift???)
Rose Lillian Smith, Loved forever by Vernon Everett Smith, their three sons, five grandchildren, and all who knew her.
I am going to print your clover, Eva, and put it on my own refrigerator, like my Mum used to do for me when I brought home art work as a kid. Thank you soooooo much for this!
Love to all,
(From a coyote shedding happy tears)
I love this "doodle" it would make a great greeting card! :-)
ReplyDeleteMMM - I've had those problems too - yesterday and on other days, and on your blog, too. (It took me three tries last night.) I couldn't reply here last night so I saw what you meant!
ReplyDeleteI can only guess that Blogger had problems as no settings had changed here. Thanks for being persistent!!! It seems to be working now!
Eva what a wonderful sketch and story. Then to have a reply from one who knew the story even adds to the magic. Thanks for such an inspiring post. Blessing
ReplyDeleteQMM
After I turned in my doodle this week, I SOOOOOO thought of doing a shamrock very like this one! Strange! Must be that "great minds" thing ;) This is very cool.
ReplyDeleteAlso the story about the bouquet of 4 leaf clovers is AMAZING. It's given me a happy spot for the day!
Another fabulous zen doodle...great story, too.
ReplyDeleteHi Eva,
ReplyDeleteYes, so good to see you back! Of course, I love your Zentangle work. What a sweet story, too...Now i will always think of love too. luck and love combined is a very good thing! enjoy your day! xxoo
Hi Eva!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to see you're back - I have to admit I was starting to get a little worried.
Love your lucky clover & the beautiful story :)
xo
Kristin
great little zentangle. i find this art form so facinating.
ReplyDeleteWhispering luck is in the air ~ Say after me: I feel lucky
ReplyDeleteI like how you used artoo as a filler design. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteSo creative and fun!!!
ReplyDelete