30: A Post Every Day #13

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #13

Something FOUND.

The inspiring contemporary illustration of Nate Williams:

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Something WRITTEN.

I overheard this today at a playground (girl talking to boy):

“Let’s pretend I’m the girl and you’re the boy, okay?”

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Something MADE.

Have a wonderful day!

30: A Post Every Day #12

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #12

Something FOUND.

I love this piece by Kristen Donegan so much!

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Something WRITTEN.

Some things I found in a recent “journal dive.”

1. Hodgepodge. Works for me.
2. Overheard not long ago (two younger women talking): “I act like I care but I really don’t.”
3. Circus trains are not P.C., but I love them.
4. “E” is for Elephant in the Room.
5. I write better with my eyes closed.

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Something MADE.

Collage made in Oaxaca, Mexico in 2016.

Have a wonderful day!

30: A Post Every Day #11

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #11

Something FOUND.

Coney Island Seattle

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Something WRITTEN.

We live in downtown Seattle and our “porch” is Occidental Square, a no-grass city park just across the street and around the building. It’s sunny today so I decided to go there to try and write this post.

I had just sat down when “Michael” asked if I wanted to play chess.

I’m pretty horrible at chess (I can beat my grandsons sometimes), and I’ve never played a stranger in a park, but I said “yes” before I could stop myself and proceeded to almost get checkmated in the first three moves.

“You want to protect the middle,” he told me good-naturedly. “No one in the history of tournaments has ever made that move [the one I had made to start the game].”

He checkmated in about 8-10 more moves… schooled! But somehow he didn’t make me feel stupid. Thank you, Michael.

Then he asked if I would like to play again.

I didn’t — getting pounded once per day is about my limit. But I just MIGHT try again another time, as the pounding was a surprisingly pleasant experience.

I might ask him to handicap himself, though. Such as letting him start with only his king and the pawns.

Oh. Never mind.

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Something MADE.

Someone shared a link on FB a few months ago about an artist who made her own paintbrushes with items from nature, and she inspired me to try it today. (So sorry, I couldn’t find that artist, but I did find THIS POST with some cool handmade brushes! The artist is Lorna Crane! Thanks, Laura.)

Have a wonderful day!

30: A Post Every Day – #10

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #10

Something FOUND.

Aren’t these abstracts by Karine Léger beautiful?!

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Something WRITTEN.

First line of my next* novel:

The eyeballs were a hit. 

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Something MADE.

Have a wonderful day!

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*I don’t really have a first novel.

30: A Post Every Day #9

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #9

Something FOUND.

Fantastic pigeon drawings by Hazel Terry.

 

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Something WRITTEN.

A – Art. I like it.
B – Blogs. Blogs can be wonderful and/or a waste of time.
C – Cowboys. Not sure how I feel about them.
D – Deer. I miss seeing them in my yard.
E – Everyone. Everyone is so different and so alike. So weird.
F – Fleas. Have had them.
G – Galoshes. Don’t have any, never have.
H – Hilltop. Mountaintop’s little sister.
I – Ice Cream. Can’t have any.
J – Joking. Sometimes in the mood, sometimes not.
K – Kelly. My little sister.
L – Little. The name of my son’s pet chinchilla when he was 9.
M – Muffins. Bane.
N – “No.” No explanation needed.
O – Owls. I like drawing them.
P – Peanuts. I like eating them.
Q – Queen. I think I would play the part well in a play.
R – Rickets. Not really sure what these are.
S – Steve. Husband and friend.
T – Turbulence. Related to “S” sometimes.
U – Umbrellas. Ridiculous things…
V – Vegan. Sounds good and horrible.
W – Wet. I don’t like it.
X – X-rays. My bunny got x-rayed once.
Y – Yellow. Wonderful layered atop other colors.
Z – Zoo. I’ve been to one recently.

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Something MADE.

Have a wonderful day!

30: A Post Every Day #8

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #8

Something FOUND.

Found at my sister’s house a few weeks ago, when I was 3:

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Something WRITTEN.

Greeting Cards to People from my Past

Dear Diane,
Thank you for the hours of Barbie® and horse statue play. I loved your long straight hair.
Love, Carla

Dear Natalie,
The giant’s shoe that you said hit the window was really a bird and I know that.
Love, Carla

Dear Mrs. McCloud,
I feel vaguely guilty about things but, frankly, you were the adult in that situation.
Love, Carla

Dear Ed,
Sorry you broke your ankle on our sprinkler head.
Love, Carla

Dear Kelly,
I’m sorry for every single fight we had growing up. I truly am.
Love, Carla

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Something MADE.

Have a wonderful day!

30: A Post Every Day #7

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #7

Something FOUND.

This wonderful portrait by artist Andrea D’Aquino.

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Something WRITTEN.

This post is coming late today because I was sleeping during time I had planned to work on it. So tired! So tonight, a haiku:

Suddenly sleepy
New motto: TGFC —
Thank God for Couches!

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Something MADE.

Detail in sketchbook.

Have a wonderful day!

30: A Post Every Day #6

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #6

Something FOUND.

At a garage sale today:

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Something WRITTEN.

 

Yesterday Steve and I took our grandsons swimming. Liam (5.5) and Ethan (4) have just started lessons this year it has been wonderful to see them learning so quickly.

After about 45 minutes of bobs, kicking and floating around on their pink and purple “noodles,” we decided to warm up in the hot tub.

Steve started a “Which is Scarier?” game:

“Which is scarier, a monster with one eye or a monster with five eyes?” (A: Five Eyes!)
“Which is scarier, a hairy monster or a scaly monster?” (A. Hairy monster!)
“Which is scarier, a monster who lives in the sea or a monster who lives in the basement?” (A: Sea! No, basement!)

Then it was Ethan’s turn. “Which is scarier, a monster playing in a box of eyeballs or a monster playing under the bathtub?”

And less than 24 hours later, I happen to find a jar of eyeballs.

I know!

So tomorrow we’re mailing the boys a box of eyeballs.

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Something MADE.

Have a wonderful day!

30: A Post Every Day #5

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #5

Something FOUND.

 

The beautiful work of British artist Shelagh Wilson:

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Something WRITTEN.

Menopause

Feeling hot and sticky
(my new normal)

There is vindication
in a hot flash though—

I made it to here!

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Something MADE.

Have a wonderful day!

30: A Post Every Day – #4

A 30-day blog project: Something Found, Something Written, and Something Made.

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Day #4

Something FOUND.

A question found in my sketchbook/journal on 12/7/15:

“It’s okay that I just sit here, right?”

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Something WRITTEN.

On Sunday I stopped drinking coffee and and replaced it with copious amounts of cinnamon tea. This is Day 6 and it has been surprisingly easy.

But then yesterday my friend Jason shared a sense-filled mini essay about his first cup of coffee in the morning. He used words like “earthy” and “rich, “holy” and “communion.”

Thaaaannnnkkkks, Jason! Super great timing, friend!

(In my experience, “Rich” is not really a word to describe tea. Perhaps I’m missing something?)

“Wake up and smell the coffee!” is a phrase usually used when one wants someone to stop being so naive about something or other.

Well this morning took it literally.

I woke up and smelled the bag of coffee.

And it was good.

 

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Something MADE.

Have a wonderful day!