Happy New Year

from the the Pilot's Santa pumpkin (he's a little mad that he's still around).

Not Linear, Circular

The Pilot found this fallen branch while walking Copper.  He was impressed with the different colors of the three leaves---green, red, and brown.  Three stages of transformation on one branch.  Kind of like how we grow---some parts moving forward, some taking a step back, some staying the same.  The longer I live, the more I realize that life is not linear, it's circular.

In other news, I'm taking an e-class over at Chickadee Road on maintaining a "practice."  I hope to make this blog into a frequent practice. 

Springtime yard

I've got tulips, daffodils, and grape hyacinths blooming all around the yard, but what amazes me are the wildflowers in the yard. Amongst the usual suspects (dandelions and hens and chicks) these violets are really putting on a show. I get the purple ones every year, but the white with purple flecks are new to me. They showed up in a side yard a few days ago, and they make a nice display on the kitchen windowsill.

Color Amongst the Brown

On my daily walk I found this piece of birch bark. The photo doesn't do it justice---soft pinks and greens with a little yellow. Lovely to see in a world of brown and grey. This is the unsnowiest winter in my 5 years here in Chicagoland. (I love making up words).

The Sketchbook Project

I have joined The Sketchbook Challenge this year. January's theme is doodling. Here are two of my recent doodles.

Mom, Mandalas and Mid-life Crisis

Soon after I wrote that last post I learned my mom's lymphoma had come back. The ground beneath me shifted and time became slanted. The Big C has a way of interfering with life as anyone who's had it or had a loved one with it can attest to. All was altered. No routine, no art, no reading, certainly no writing. Just trips to Virginia and mandalas, lots of mandalas. I had never drawn mandalas before, but one day I just got out my pen and drew. And drew and drew and drew. Two sketchbooks full of mandalas. Obsession would be a good description. That and prayer helped me through a rough time. Mom has now been clear for over a year(praise God), but, meantime, I had to have a crisis about what to do with my life. After homeschooling for years, both of my children are in school. So lots of time to write, paint, and sew. But, no, I had to angst over everything a billion times. I think I've got it figured out, at least for the time being. Glad to be back to this blog.