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 …..yes once again,  not enough time in the day to get most of everything done………  I keep promising myself to write here every day,  and once again …….  I’ve had friends, personal and across the country who have said I should tell their stories sometimes …… so that’s what will happen from now on ….. either in their own words or as told to me from a wide variety of experiences in their lives……… always push forward!

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I remember waayyyyyyy back in the “olden days !”,  I was about 10.  One of my classes — did we have an English class at that age ??   Whichever it was,  one assignment was to write a short story,  X amount of pages, etc.    So sitting in bed one night, for privacy in a room shared with my sister four years older,  I got comfy with my pillows behind me and one as my desk with my spiral notebook.  We had a week to get the project done.  So I sat there till I got sleepy and just scribbled different things I could write about.   I remember it took a few days before an idea hit me.   Well I loved horses,  so there would be a horse.   Then instead of making a character a girl, afraid someone would think I was pretending it was me, I make it a young boy.  For some reason he was living in the woods by himself and one night while sitting by a fire alone and cooking hotdogs on a stick,  he is frightened by some odd noises in woods in the dark.  Oooooo spooky!    The horse eventually comes out to meet him,  also alone, and becomes his friend.  I cant remember all the details now, but the story just flowed from my head through my pen!    I discovered the  JOY of writing and creating!!!    I was so proud of that story and that it had an ending!

  I don’t know why,  but I asked my sister to read it to see if it was “ok” to turn in.  Well, she loved it and said it was great!    I was so excited and nervous and a few days later turned it in for grading.   Several days later, the teacher walks up and down between the desks returning everyone’s papers.   I picked up mine and see the grade of a B+.  Well, what the hell is this??     I really expected an A- at least!!   Then I see several words through the pages circled in red pen and comments.  They were all about not using a proper “preposition” or some shit!  And in a few spots,  she felt I should’ve used semicolons ( ; ) instead of commas ( , ).  Well you bitch!!!    That comment on the front page of “Good story idea!” didn’t mean shit to me once I saw the circled words and comments.  A red pen can crush hopes and dreams.  I still remember that feeling __________years later.   HAHA      

When I used to always write rough draft in notebooks,  when re-reading I would still make notes of what to add or drop or change in red so I wouldn’t forget.  Even now over the years, I tend to work more on the laptop, while it’s easier to go back while reading to add in something or remove.  But printing the pages out are usually easier — and then there comes that damn red pen again!     As writers and artists in different mediums, we do what we love.  For me, I want people to enjoy whatever I do, yet there is always that fear of a “red pen” correction, or rejection because it isn’t one person’s cup of tea.    And in reality, all artists of whatever their chosen field ,  are creating because it makes their hearts sing and souls soar !  🙂   

…….  I mostly juice, eat a lot of veggies and occasional fruits.   maybe once a week will have meat — IF I’m craving it.   Problem with traveling by plane,  cannot take my juicer which #1 is expensive but #2 weighs a ton.  Its one of those low wattage masticating juicers.  #3- nor is it easy to take prepared juices thru security.  That is a double edge sword anyway, cuz fresh juices are best.  Last night my hotel recommended a restaurant so off I trekked.  Most of the veggies listed had added sauces, etc.  While I only use real buttah or coconut oil at home, it’s hard eating out!  So I asked the waitress if  I could order off the menu with veggies broiled with a baked potato on the side.  She was confused so out came the chef.   He understood right away and while it would be a wait for the very nice plate of broiled squash and sweet potato, carrot and onions (!), I was served a small 4 oz portion (my choice) of local sourced bison steak.  It was melt-in-my-mouth awesomeness!!    A small fresh salad on the side of spinach, cherry tomatos and local made goat cheese — while I do have cheese on occasion I went with his recommendation that had a very light vinegrette and IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!    The bison and salad would’ve been enough to satisfy me, but the broiled veggies pretty much served as my dessert.   I told him no processed sugar, just real honey, so those veggies were served with a small bowl of melted butter and honey I drizzled over the plate.   Thanks to the Hardware Grill for a great dinner!  Definitely on my list next time I am in the area!

Friday the 13th is traveling home with a side trip to Oregon for a few days to stop in a few quilt stores I’ve been wanting to shop in and visit with any quilters hanging out!   🙂    Then back on a plane to home.   I am lucky I can work on a plane writing, or planning, or planning to write, making notes,  making lists, and LISTS OF LISTS!   And checking emails from friends and those who I co-own dogs with to see who is winning where and when new babies are expected.   Happy 13th and safe travels!

Well quite possibly my favorite place.  My perm home base.  I’m lucky to have a few weeks here in one stretch before back on the road for business.  Or off to dog related activities.   I vowed to write everyday on this blog and between trying to plan and explain what I wanted where in the gardens, finalize plans to fly out early this morning,  AND laptop crashing yesterday ……. well sometimes life just happens, in more ways than one!    

Just goes to show, plans are not set in stone and you just have to go with the flow, like water over stones in a stream.  Letting your “stones” / problems build up just overflow in your life till you feel like you’re drowning.

Now waiting for flight to be called and heading north to Canada.  A country unlike no other!   🙂  

Flowers are nice but this is one freaking awesome chicken !! 

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I’ve always loved quilts my whole life.   In grade school I taught myself how to make cross-stitch  and embroidery needlepoint patterns.  I never attempted a quilt until just after high school.  So I bought three different fabrics in white & navy blue print.  Proceeded to measure and cut into 3 x 3 inch squares and sewed together into a top about 3 x 4 feet.   This of course was having no clue what I was doing.  There wasn’t INTERNET back then!  *GASP* !!   So I made the same pattern for the back,  sewed 3 sides together, turned it inside out and then stuffed it lightly with batting ~~ the kind used for dolls, etc.  I didnt know there were rolls of sheets of thin batting made for quilting!  Cuz you need to be able to sew and pull the thread thru both pieces of fabric and thru the batting.  I patted it as smooth as I could and sewed up the end.  Then used a long thick needle to sew doubled thread, thru each corner where all the squares met.  Then it was called done.   I proudly gave it to my dogs to pay on.  And yes, with the bodies taking turns laying on all the time,  their weight flattened the polyester down a bit.  

It wasn’t for a few years before I started buying magazines etc to learn more.  I tried a few times, but I am what I call “ruler retarded”.   When making traditional quilts with patterns,  all pieces must be measured and cut just so !!   even an eighth of an inch off one piece can throw a pattern off a little.   So I used to just cut and sew by eye, and loved to sew beads and buttons on, etc.    Years later a craze came out called ART QUILTS.  Well, lookit this!   This is what I had been doing on my own!!!    With art quilts, you can make them very small or large enough to cover a big wall.   There are no rules ~~ you make it how you like with colors, beads, buttons, fancy threads, lace etc.  

The photo above, I named AMERICANA.   It was the first ever art quilt I did, during a period when I was in a bad marriage.  I would take my fabric, thread and doo-dads out back to sit in the shade with my dogs and work;  my getting away from shit and spending quiet time with my Goldens.  AMERICANA is about 7 x 10 inches.     Heart and star buttons adorn the sides and the red stripes are thousands of red seed beads hand sewn on three at a time.  There are also those tiny beads within the heart shape. The back fabric is that tan trim fabric around the edges with red and blue stars.     I was very proud of that little wall quilt.   I’ve had people over the years offer to buy it,  but it means more to me than $$$. I just happened to pick that fabric in a store because it appealed to me as a theme.  After all these years, it stands for my many memories, good and bad,  of four years in an abusive marriage.

 Discovering my love for the comforting process of handwork in art quilts, has saved my soul at times.   This little flag that just happened to be born in a time of physical and emotional pain, became my symbol of a personal freedom.  May we all find our own “flags of hope or survival” in our journey……….