Sweet Freedom!

Took this shot while riding a roller coaster

with Darling Daughter this past weekend.

Aaaaah!

The feeling of sweet freedom.

What makes your soul fly free?

Capture it. Follow it. Do it.

Fantastical Fun!

A

weekend

full of

fantastical fun!!!

Ferris Wheels.

Fabulous Finds

 

Fun with photos.

What did you do with your weekend?

 (I searched for a good quote about weekends but found none worthy of adding. Instead I will search the comments to this post for brilliant weekend ponderings. Care to indulge me?)

 

Busy Days

Yesterday

Went to House On The Rock

Finally had the guts to walk out here...

Went hiking by a waterfall

here

You'll have to scroll down the link to see the waterfall.

I burned out my batteries at our first stop.

Long drive.

Body retaliating.

Exhausted family.

Good times.

Fun.

Today

Second born turns teenage!

Happy celebration day!

Received phone call from friend.

She was in a bad accident.

Young guy on drugs t-boned her.

She has a shattered pelvis.

Waiting for surgery.

Plates, screws, pain.

I'm worried about her.

Grocery Shopped.

Got in a fender bender.

Both of us backing out.

Both of us in blind spots.

Both our fault.

Decided we would deal with our own cars on our own.

No cops. No insurance.

Left each other with a hug.

No lie.

Off to the amusement park.

Praying for safe travels.

Life is strange.

Wishing all of you a happy and safe weekend

full of the good stuff.

Hanging On While Letting Go

 I've been MIA for good reason.

Bonding with the Big Boy.

This is a picture of his wheels.

After a summer of searching and test driving

he finally has his first big boy wheels!

It's been quite a ride.

An entire summer of searching. 

Small budget.

We have seen rust bombs, crap cars, a few with potential.

We have traveled hours in every direction.

We watched one car die!

I have dealt with honesty, highway robbery, sexist pigs.

We have met some of the nicest people and some not so nice.

We have laughed and we have pounded fists in frustration.

Searching, searching, searching.

Lots of lessons learned. 

Lots of fun had.

End result.

An awesome car!!!!

 Good looking, safe, reliable, sound.

A huge step toward independence.

It pinches.

Being along for the ride is an honor.

 

Adolescents are not monsters.  They are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves.  ~Virginia Satir, The New Peoplemaking, 1988

You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back.  ~William D. Tammeus

Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.  ~Elizabeth Stone 

Your children need your presence more than your presents.  ~Jesse Jackson

Success!

 

 

 

Living With An Open Mind

  This past week has been crazy busy.

This morning was calm and wonderful!

I spent the early hours enjoying a special phone conversation

with an amazing blog friend

who lives an ocean away.

After breakfast with the kids

I drove to a lovely little coffee shop

and spent hours chatting with a friend

whom I have not seen in some time.

 

  What does my morning have to do with the post title

'living with an open mind'?

Let me re-tell my story.

My morning phone call was a gift of a long distance tarot reading.

My coffee was consumed at a Christian coffee house

with an athiest friend

conversing about

politics

parenting

and life in general.

It was an absolutely lovely morning

spent with good friends,

good food, and lovely surroundings.

I would not have been able to experience all that goodness

if not for living with an open mind.

Is your mind open to all the wonderment

and possibilities in the world?

If not, what are you waiting for?

Open up Baby!

The world is waiting!

p.s. If you seek healing in your life, if you would like a tarot reading done, if you desire to read uplifting stories, please visit John at his blog

John The Healing Seed

or his website

Sunchi Healing

Both sites offer a plethora of information.

If you would like information on rates

and/or to seek further guidance

please contact John at

sunchihealing@yahoo.com

John also sells

wisdom art

and

abstract art

while his partner Helen sells clever

animal art.

Can't you just feel the love?

;O)

Happy Weekending!!!!

Question... seeking answer.

Short on time.

Had to post.

Seeking answer.

This is the sunset I watched the other night.

Photo is untouched.

Straight out of the camera.

Stripes!!!!!

I was fascinated.

I have many other shots.

All the same.

What could have caused this?
Have you ever seen a sunset like this?

What is it called?

It is a mystery to me.

Wordless Wednesday

Special Project

Darling Daughter has been wanting a secret room.

She's been scouring the house for possibilities.

We set up temporary camp in biggest brother's closet

(under the stairs)

but biggest brother was not amused.

Yesterday we went to the fabric store and bought this.

We are going to attempt to make this.

Lil Blue Boo patchwork tent tutorial

I own a sewing machine but don't know much about sewing.

This gorgeous play tent looks simple enough for the beginner.

What are your creative juices up to today?

A piece of fiction

childhood calling

Living in the deepest darkest room of her mind kept the world from intruding. It was safe and it was the chosen spot. Magical thoughts permeated the walls of the room originating from her imagination bringing a kaleidoscope of color which she played with and danced in. Rocking... rocking... back and forth brought comfort and kept the light at bay. Light was the enemy. Sarah did not dare face the light for that's where the voices were. The voices she once loved.

There was a time, a vague memory when the voices felt good. Inviting. Happy. She remembers happiness. Barely.

Then came the darkness. It enveloped her. There was bad. The darkness hid the bad. It hid the good as well but she was willing to sacrifice the good to cover up the evil lurking.

After the darkness, the occasional voice permeated the walls of her room. They had changed.

"Come back to us Sarah. We love you." said the voice who called itself mother.

"What's wrong with her? Why does she act so strange?" said the voice of brother.

Sarah knew that the voices lurked. She felt them trying to penetrate the walls of safety.

But the darkness moved over her like a cloak and she dove deep inside. Deep, deep in her mind where she had control. She found a safe place to rest. The room so deep and dark. Refuge. She has lived there a very long time now. Pulling magic and imagination in. Her own little world safe from the outside. It was lonely at times. It was then that she would turn to face a corner and begin to rock. Movement. Constant. Rocking, rocking, gently swaying. Reliable, secure, safe rocking.

Until one day. A noise. It was a most peculiar noise. Sarah would normally block all noise. The least little bit to make it to her dark place was rejected and expelled back to the life she no longer embraced. This noise was different. It was soft, gentle, angelic in nature. Almost as if it were singing to her soul. She had to strain to hear. She wanted more.

Leaving the dark room she slowly, suspiciously worked her conscious mind back through the path that led to her safe spot. It had been a long time. She wasn't sure if she would find her way. But that noise. That lovely noise.

"Follow the noise" she told herself. "It will lead you back. You must find what is making that beautiful sound. Capture it and bring it back."

She moved her body across the room to the open window. She turned her face toward the light for the first time in years. Glancing through her eyes at the world around her ever so briefly, the first sight she caught was the glistening of the dew on the morning lawn. The water shimmered so close to the beauty from her imaginary world she almost felt safe. Once again she forced herself to see. She looked up. That's when she saw...

I am leaving this piece of writing open for your interpretation. I'm not sure where it came from or why. It seems to be a combination of a memoir I am reading combined with recent happenings in my life all crashing together to form this fictional tidbit. 

The photo does not necessarily represent the story. I took it at the park last evening and fell in love with it. I'm calling it "Childhood Calling". It is unedited, though I may play with it at a later date.

Photo Friday

Darling Daughter's Hair Salon

Waiting Area

 Gossip

stages

start out small

growing

growing

slip and fall

back up again

gaining confidence

world full of beauty

danger

possibility

fear

climbing

growing

fighting to survive

had your fill

grown by leaps and bounds

seen so much

been through lots

survived

can't help but feel 

something missing

something more

must be meaning

yearning for change

but what?

slow down

curl up

reflect

rest

wait for what comes next

We had so much fun fishing a little over a week ago.

Found a monarch caterpillar.

Brought it home and created a habitat.

Success!

A cocoon.

The kids have been enjoying the process.

I have been enjoying the lessons.

Guerilla Art-a-flopagus

I finished my final assignment for the class

Experimental Art e-course

Buah ha ha ha!!!

What a flop!

Well, not a total flop.

I met a friend!!!

Like as in... met for the first time ever.

We've been chatting through e-mail.

I found her art at a local gallery.

The owner said she was painfully shy.

Naughty me snooped around the internet.

Found her e-mail address.

Approached her via e-mail.

Told her I am also a self-taught creator and lover of encaustic art.

Explained that I understand her discomfort with meeting new people

but thought perhaps we could be e-mail buddies.

We could learn from each other.

She agreed.

We chat often. Sometimes daily.

For my final assignment in the Experimental Art e-course

I was assigned come up with a guerilla art project.

I decided my theme would be 

Random Acts of Loving Kindness.

I chose some pictures I had taken.

Played with them in photoshop elements.

Added positive affirmations and a little note in the corner

(a gift for you - a gentle reminder).

Due to my physical struggles this past week they were not perfect.

I did what I could. I decided that was enough.

I would send them into the world as is.

The printing cut off a letter, cropped a picture too tight.

Some of the font is too small.

It's the thought that counts, right?

So I asked my e-mail buddy to meet with me.

No uncomfortable-sit-across-the-table-and-stare-at-a-stranger meeting.

An artsy meet-up with a project to keep us busy.

We would be placing my photo cards in a public place.

Little gifts for others to find.

Pretty pictures and positive sayings to brighten their day.

Perhaps they would find the right owner.

Someone who would take it home.

Someone who needed the message.

We decided on the library.

It was uber busy.

I spread the picture cards around.

One on the steps.

One on the bench. 

A book shelf here.

A movie shelf there.

By the computers.

On and on.

We parked our fannies, chatted, and watched.

Most people walked right by.

Some people looked.

A few picked them up but set them back down.

Afraid to take them?

Not understanding they were a gift?

Then.....

along came....

'dum dum dum'

THE LIBRARIAN.

She spotted the cards, walked around picking them up

and proceeded to deposit them in the waste basket!!!!!

Seems she did not find our idea cute in the least.

Litter. Solicitation.

Whaaaaat?

She totally crapped on my random act of kindness.

What a jab. Ouch!

Thank goodness my new friend was with.

We decided to laugh instead of cry.   :)

I picked them out of the garbage.

An afternoon in the library and not a single card adopted.

We left.

We went to a cemetery to take pictures of old headstones.

My camera died after a couple shots.

Luck was not on my side.

Time to call it a day.

I dropped my new friend off at her car.

Thanked her for her help and for a fun afternoon.

I headed off to run some errands and left the pictures in random places as I went, this time with no worries as to whether they would be found or thrown or simply blown away.

After all, it's the thought that counts.

That reminds me.

My surprise for today.

I wanted to send two sets of my 

"Random Act of Loving Kindess"

cards out into the world via my blog.

They're not perfect

but

they're filled with

Loving Kindess!

Possible uses

bookmarks

send via mail anonymously

give to those you love

give to total strangers

stick in library books

stick in random places around town

keep them for yourself.

If interested in receiving a set let me know in a comment.

If there are more than two people I will draw names by Friday.

p.s. Thanks to all my loving friends who sent well wishes this past week. My pain is receding, mind clearing and I am on the upswing. Hugs back atcha!

Patience

Patience Please

as my body kicks my a$$ in another major fibro flare.

I'm trying. I really am.

The patience thing gets hard when suffering with chronic pain.

Little things feel huge.

Annoyances become astronomical.

People still expect and want and need

not understanding that I'm not always capable.

I look okay.

I feel like I was in a major car wreck.

Don't know if it's the weather.

Don't know if it's stress.

Don't know what's setting it off but I know it's been a while.

Lost a follower this week.

Don't blame 'em.

I've been MIA.

I've been uninspiring.

I've been lost for decent words.

I'm working through it.

I have good ideas in the making.

I have a surprise for tomorrow.

Sometimes all we have to do is look around for gentle reminders.

My cats.

They remind me to live in the moment.

They remind me to have patience.

They remind me I am loved and needed.

I really don't remember where I was going with this post.

My mind is not working as clearly as I would like.

For now. I ask. Patience please

while I work through my physical issues.

I feel like I haven't fully been present here in the blog world for some time.

I've been lurking and learning and loving.

Be back tomorrow with a fun story.

Guerilla Art Assignment

Remember the online course I'm taking?
Experimental art e-course
Did I tell you I won the spot in the class? Yup. Over at Free Spirit Knits

Check out Shannon's blog.

She's talented, sweet, and full of positive energy.

She teaches a class that is starting soon called Inside Out.

Taking the Experimental Art e-course has been good.

Very, very good.

It has caused me to experiment,

play, broaden my horizon.

It has forced me to post art I would never have posted.

Forced me out of my comfort zone in many ways.


The class has come to a close.
The last and biggest assignment has been posted
and I am IN LOVE with it!!!!

Guerilla Art


I'd tell you more about what I have chosen to do
but when I think about it
I feel as if I'll explode!
To save you that sight,
I will wait to share
until the task is complete.


For now, here's a sneak peek...

confession

Hi.

My name is Lynn.

It's been six days since my last post.

Ooops!

Wrong group!

Tee hee! 

;)

I've been reflecting a lot lately.

It has me a bit discombobulated

which causes a lack of ability to form coherent thoughts.

The reflecting reminds me a bit of our neglected pool.

Pool / Life

looks inviting

but it's been neglected

pool cover / emotional wall

has a hole allowing water to escape / has a hole allowing inside out

 

figure perhaps it's wisest to remove

 pull off cover / break down wall

pool is green underneath / exposes buried feelings, dreams

what a mess

must clean up

how to start?

overwhelmed

give up

start drowning

see the ladder

it's just a reflection

wallow

desperate

fear drowning

remember I can swim

start swimming

swimming

swimming

all the swimming is building muscles

making me stronger

see net just out of reach

stretch, reach, fight

grab net

a tool

start sifting

that's where I'm at

sifting...