I SPENT MANY EVENINGS HIDDEN UNDER MY GRANDPARENTS' CARD TABLE
LISTENING TO MY ELDERS CURSE AND DRINK AND GAMBLE AS A LITTLE GIRL,
IN SOUTH LOUISIANA.
THEY GOSSIPED , TOLD DIRTY JOKES AND CACKLED ALL NIGHT LONG,
MOST EVERY WEEKEND.
IT WAS LIKE I WAS ON AN UNDERCOVER TREASURE HUNT FOR SECRETS.
I LIVED FOR IT. TO BE INVISIBLE IN THE NATURAL HABITAT
OF THE ADULTS WHO TRIED THEIR BEST TO SHELTER ME,
WAS LIKE SNEAKING INTO A SMOKY FORBIDDEN GARDEN OF REVELRY.
IN THE 80's WE ENTERTAINED OURSELVES...
CARTOONS ONLY AIRED ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, THEN.
LOTS OF ART AND DANCING AND IMAGINATION AND GAMES.
I COULD SHUFFLE CARDS PROFICIENTLY BY THE AGE OF SEVEN.. WITH MY EYES CLOSED.
I ESPECIALLY LIKED IMPRESSING MY GREAT AUNTS,
BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT EASILY IMPRESSED.
THEY WERE MY ICONS.
WHEN I DISCOVERED CARTOMANCY, AROUND THE SAME TIME I DOVE INTO PAINTING, I WAS INSTANTLY ENCHANTED , BUT INTIMIDATED FOR SOME REASON.
I ADMIRED THE ART OF IT ALL FROM A DISTANCE
AND WAS CONTENT LETTING THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF
HOW IT WORKED REMAIN A BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY.
I NEED MYSTERIES TO KEEP ME IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF AWE AS AN ARTIST.
I HAVE LEARNED TO EMBRACE THE CHAOS THAT IS LIFE
INSTEAD OF LETTING IT RUIN ME,
BUT I CONSTANTLY SEEK OUT LITTLE WHISPERS FROM THE EHTERS.
THANK GOODNESS FOR DIVINATION GAMES.
THEY HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE SIMPLE NUMBERED CARD DECK,
CIRCA THE 14TH CENTURY.
MARIE- ANNE ADELAIDE LENORMAND WAS A FORTUNE TELLER IN THE
SALONS OF FRANCE IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY, WHO BECAME A LEGEND
WITH HER 36 CARD DECK, JEU LE PETIT LENORMAND.
SHE IS FAMOUS FOR PREDICTING HER CLIENT, NAPOLEON'S, DEFEAT ..
I WONDER IF SHE WAS FIRED FOR THAT HUNCH!?
THIS STRAIGHTFORWARD USE OF SYMBOLS TO GIVE LITTLE CLUES TO OUR CURRENT PATH
HAS PROVEN TO BE MY FAVORITE ADULT CARD GAME,
OFTEN CALLED THE GAME OF HOPE.
I AM A BIG FAN OF HOPE.
IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR A HEALTHY HEART AND MIND.
IT IS STILL A GAME OF CHANCE.. YOU SHUFFLE , PICK 2 CARDS,
AND FIND YOUR OWN INTERPRETATIONS WITHIN THE SUBJECTS YOU FLIPPED OVER.
I CHOSE THE EXACT SAME CARDS MY FIRST TWO ENCOUNTERS WITH THIS DECK,
BUT IN REVERSE. I WAS, IN FACT, IMPRESSED.
AS AN ARTIST BORN IN SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE ON EARTH,
I HAVE LONGED TO INCORPORATE MY HOME INTO MY ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS.
CREATING A DECK OF MAGICAL CARDS THAT FEATURES FAMILY MEMBERS,
NATIVE PLANTS, HEAVENLY FLOWERS, THE BIZARRE ALLIGATOR GAR FISH,
AND A BOAT BUILT BY MY FATHER,
ALL ACCOMPANYING SNIPPETS OF MY PAINTINGS,
JUST MAY BE THE COOLEST PROJECT I EVER CREATE.
WHEN I SHUFFLE THESE CARDS WITH CLOSED EYES,
I AM SWIFTLY CRAWLING IN MY CARE BEAR NIGHTGOWN TO THE SAFETY
OF THE LACY TABLECLOTH TENT DRAPED OVER
MY GRANDMOTHER'S ROUND WOODEN TABLE..
EARS AND HEART WIDE OPEN.
LISTENING.
THE RÊVERIE DECK IS MY WHIMSICAL CAJUN BELLE VERSION OF LE PETIT JEU.
THIS MYSTICAL GAME OF HOPE IS AS OLD AS THE TRADITIONAL DECK
OF NUMBERED PLAYING CARDS FROM THE 14TH CENTURY.
THESE ILLUSTRIOUS ORACLE CARDS WERE ORIGINALLY NAMED AFTER
THE FAMOUS 18TH CENTURY PARISIAN SALON CARTOMANCER,
MARIE-ANNE ADELAIDE LENORMAND
OR MADAME LENORMAND.
THEY CAN BE USED FOR LIGHT-HEARTED GUIDANCE
WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER ANY LITTLE MYSTERY IN LIFE.

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