Why I Love the Internet Social Connection.

It's safer than the horrible confrontational redneck majority you have to be around in "the real world".  Ah but indeed we created this hostile environment ourselves.......How?

When we as Americans voted for G. W. Bush we unleashed a can of deadly worms.  How?

When an entire country falls for the wolf in Christian clothing, then the worst ideals, the least humane ways of reacting to confrontation, and the grossest volcanic spew of paranoia spread quickly.  Now it's popular to be loud, rude, violent, small minded, and force religious beliefs on others.  Torture, harassment, false imprisonment, and complete lack of empathy are considered to be o.k.  for one's own protection.  

Never getting past a "mean girl group mentality" from middle school is way too prevelant in too many social gatherings, the work place, or even some family gatherings.  Why?

I believe, as Americans, we never had a chance to grieve, react with any level of intelligence, or comfort one another right after 911.

Instead we were thrown quickly into a war that forced us to become fearful for nearly a decade.

When Bin Ladin was found.......it got me, and I'm sure many others, thinking......

Could he have been found from the get-go, and in the process, possibly spared many lives?

Instead....here we are....A nation full of loud confrontational reality show people walking around looking for the next big fight to make us feared, looked up to, and sitting on the the highest rung of the show.

Therefore, yes the Internet social media thing can be a safer place to be....that is until we get our priorities back in balance.

I see these videos on YouTube from some individuals spouting off about other YouTubers and how ugly they think they are, how stupid they think they are, how they obviously are fake, etc.

It's such a small amount of tubers compared to the decent ones though.  Even the trolls in the comment section get very little attention from those of us who are real adults.  

So.....I think it's not bad still....this social networking thing.  

I'm just wondering though, what the next phase of society will be like....................

Warm Nights Bright Days

The chilly nights are finally over.  Summer is coming to take us away from the bone aching gray skies.

Now I can get a little painting done outside...just enough to finish my shop inventory.  

Just got through wolfing down a salad and planning to make some muffins for breakfast tomorrow.

For my next shop project I am looking up herbs, trees, and flowers to do in colored pencil.  My mission is to make Pagan greeting cards eventually but first the art.  When that's all turned into printed cards later, I've accomplished something.   

It kinda makes me uneasy since all the technology has exploded for others to get HD drop dead exact copies of pictures from the web. 

 Still, the artwork comes first.  Cards are a long way away.

Love it but Cry every Time I See it

The show "Nashville" is one of my favorite shows but every time I watch it I start crying.  I miss my home state that much.  Tennessee is a lot of things to a lot of different people but to me it's this:

1. Dried Apple stack cake

2. Beautiful trees

3. Beautiful clothes

4. Best coffee anywhere

5. Best restaurants

6. Best honey from the best clover

7. Good music

8. Laid back folk

9. Spiritually magickal Smoky Mountains

10. and Most of all the rest of our little family

Love it or leave it.  I came up here to be with my husband in his near retirement years but I can't lie.  It has broken my soul.

How do I make this o.k? 

Metamorphosis

I feel something wild budding in my soul.  I'm beginning to realize my true freedom as a crone.

Big changes are coming that will rock this place.  I have a prediction that has come to me in a vision.  It has to do with the state of Ohio.  I see things are turning around.  I believe the Republicans are going to dump the Trump and go with the governor of Ohio as their candidate for president. If this happens I believe he will be our next president and it will be the best damn thing that has happened to us in 60 or more years.  The return of the middle class my friend.  I feeeeeeeel it in my soul.

Finally! Shop is opened.

O.k.  So I don't have a whole lot in the Etsy shop yet but....we're getting there.

After all the painting, shellacking, etc. I realize I cannot, without a doubt stand that much paint fumes in a small apt.  I know I've bitched about this a lot but that was what held me back time wise.  

No more.  On to better things now.  I am working on 2 big projects currently that involve my daughter with the use of colored artist pencils.  The rest of my stash of goodies will be polished off with pretty shiny things and maybe some things from nature!

My beloved Goddess Cerridwen.

For some time  I have settled with one Goddess in my crone yrs.  Cerridwen.  She keeps me young and on my toes for sure.

Pencils VS Paints.....Hmmmmmmm

Well after much contemplation, we decided on Prismacolor colored pencils.  Living in a cramped city apartment has made "painting" impossible.  The winds off Lake Erie have made painting outside way too much of a hassle.  I don't know...Maybe I'm a wimp.  

Anyways. Valerie got us a pretty good set today.

I'm still working on things for the Etsy shop too.  I managed to get some painting done on those items but it was really a challenge.  

I'm also considering trips to the closest Metropark and possibly getting some painting going there.

Maybe if I surround myself with enough trees the wind will not be a big issue.  Who knows?!

Birth Of A Team

My youngest daughter and I, together, designed some images to form some crazy unusual art.  I asked her today if she would be interested in collaborating with me to do a series of works about nature.  She said ...drum roll...Yes!  We both felt like "o.k., now we're on to something!"  Starting tomorrow we will be drawing some sketches.

This will not only get us out of a bit of a motivation slump...It probably will help us both to focus on more proactive challenges.  

Ah, leave it to art every time to bring out the best in those who wish to make a difference.

Art can change your perception in a profound way.   LOVE IT!!!

Update to Last Post!

I woke up this morning to make an epic decision...."So what if it's grey sky ugly here in the city...The metro parks are great and I would def spend all day in one."  There, I said it.  I'm giving this region of America a fighting chance.  It's time to get PROACTIVE !!!

Ain't no Sunshine

Very little sunshine here in NW Ohio.  I have developed a lot of skin problems too.  I am starting to think there is a connection.  UV light therapy coupled with photo-reactive drugs are sometimes prescribed for the type of problem I've been experiencing but I'd rather avoid the drugs.  I'm sure I would get faster, maybe even perfect results, but I'm willing to give the UV thing a go.  I just won't over do it.  Besides it would also help me with seasonal blues.  Yes, I have that because I'm pretty much stuck here in winter.  I'm sure if we weren't living by so much water and the "Great Lake effects"  I could get out in this more.  Back in the middle of the winter I went outside to check the mail and fell flat on my face, bruised all over, and became immobile just because the viscous whipping wind threw my hair over my face and I couldn't see where I was going. I tripped and basically was body slammed hard.  Now I have to tie my hair back just to go outside for anything.  

We are definitely going to move away from this stinking lake.  We've all three had it.  Rent s cheaper here but it's not worth it at all.

So in the meantime I am purchasing the light thing.

Right now I'm having a drink and that's that. 

Total failure using E6000 glue with polymer clay today...uggghhh!

I made several spirit doll faces and thought I could use the strongest glue I know....nope.

The humidity not only jacked up my damaged hair but the glue on my projects never even started to dry.

It was a apocalyptic huge mess!

I'll start fresh tomorrow and work on something that doesn't involve cloth, clay, or polyester stuffing. 

Is It Real?

I just checked the weather and low and behold....drum roll....warm temperatures and solid weekend of sunshine!!!  Yes!  

O.k.  I'm calming down.  I def need to find a better way to get through winters here.

My son keeps telling me that we should move to Washington state where he is.  Nope ain't gonna.

Tennessee or bust and that's it.  Knoxville is a great city and its surrounded by great small towns.

Later this summer I'm going to start researching the area down there to see where we can find some property.  

In the meantime, I just purchased some new fabrics and full well intend on getting some new items in the shop.  With the drier weather I'll be able to get the paintings done and some gluing finished.

I'm excited.  

I ran out of Kahlua and won't be drinking for a while.  Let me tell you....I'm not an alcoholic but I ain't gonna lie.....it sure helped me get through these last couple of months.  

Stop Teasing Me!

Just let Spring weather get here already!  Geesh!  What kind of magick do I have to do?!

We're still hauling our winter things off to storage.  Filing our income tax today too.

I just need at least 3 days of warmer dry weather to get some painting and glueing done.....BUT!  No, that's not happening for at least another 2 weeks.  I will never live within 10 miles of another lake again.  It rains all the time, everything molds, ragweed flourishes, everything has a musty mildew smell, and it just plain sucks.  I'm not a water person at all.  I got burned out on fishing, the smell, cleaning fish, and dizzying boats in my younger days.  Sick of water.  I'm an Earth sign and my allergies demand that I get to higher ground.  Hubby grew up sleeping on houseboats and shit when his family belonged to a yacht club.  Fishing is the only real leisure time thing here.  O.K.  So?

Not ever going back to that.....period.  

I know I whine about it a lot but I belong  in either a hilly field, the woods, or top of a mountain.  It's in my blood.  My grandmother lived on a beautiful 300 acre farm with a couple of streams and an underground spring.  My father built our home with other contractors in a hilly subdivision.  My great uncles built cabins in the mountains, and of course my ancestors all came from the hills of Scotland, Ireland, and mostly Wales.  My 1/8 drop of Choctaw were the only wetland folk.

I spent many hours of my childhood sitting up high in trees in the woods behind our property.  I didn't care that I was ruining my pants with all the pine rosin.  I just needed to be caressed by nature....in the dry.  To me, rain was for gardens, sitting on back porches, and lazy Sunday afternoons...not everyday.

A Brief Return of Winter

Cold and wet....ick.  Not going to warm up until next weekend.  Just watched The Mists of Avalon....Not the best movie but what can I say.  Hubs is working, it's cold and I'm bored. Almost finished with my bottle of Kahlua...tee hee.  That bottle kept me warm for the past month.  Old man working third shift kinda sucks.  

We're fine though.  26 yrs of marriage beats the pants off most out there.  

Been trying to do some reading too.  

Started binge watching old Netflix shows while waiting on the return of "Bloodline" and ending off the season of "The Good Wife".

Well that about raps it up for today....LOL

Last Days in Gaia's Womb

It's hard to be patient in the last month of Earth's gestation. The false pains are teasing me with a day here and there of warmth and greening.  My longing to see the faces of tender blooms and sunlit colors is becoming overwhelming. 

Beltane will find me at a metro park here in the city along with others who are so anxiously seeking the rebirth.  This time I'll be taking my easel and paints..  

This morning there is a lot of sunshine in the apartment windows which gave me much needed extra light.  Now I can get back to my craft work for the shop.  We've had too much rain lately but hopefully this will give way to budding....the first step.

Positive Vibes

It's one thing to say to yourself, "I need to be more positive.".  It's totally another to actually practice positive proactive living. When I put it into practice the feelings I get are as follows:

I feel a sudden freedom from attaching negative thoughts and negative people.  I get a tingly joyous flutter in my stomach which I remember from my childhood.  My aches and pains lessen their grip on me. The sky and Earth seem clearer and prettier.  Others words become just that....words.  I am able to smile in the mirror.  All of my dreams start to seem possible.  Wow....All that just for thinking and active positive.

Getting a lot done!

This week s turning out better than expected.  I have started making new items for the Etsy shop and I have to say I'm pleased with the results.  After much needed rest and better weather my artsy brain is ticking again. Just got some brand new supplies today since my daughter has joined me in our little shop adventure.  She is so much fun to work with too.  We are both creative ninjas, LOL!  

It's Friday, March 18 and I'm feeling really excited to get the hot glue plugged in, the paints ready, and the embroidery thread picked out for today's items.  Hoping to turn out at least 6 new things half finished until I can get the embellishments gathered.

This Stupid Election Thing

Here here! For the country's primary. Not sure what they each represent because they dodge literally everything they are asked but it should be interesting anyway....right? 

I dunno.  I hear mixed messages a lot and they are way out of touch with struggling families.  Could that be because the hard working folks are too damn busy or drained to speak out about what they want?  

I say it should be a requirement that every candidate work a full week at McDonald's, another full week at a construction site, and another full week in an emergency room....with no cameras and no special treatment.  Then they would have to write a full 3000 word description of their work experience that would be publicly judged and graded by a panel of hard working people who have been supporting their kids with these kinds of jobs.  

I wonder if we might see who is REALLY qualified then.

Spring's Here and I'm on Fire

Ostara.....The Mother Gaia Cracks Open the Shells to Our Rebirth.  For years Easter and/or Ostara were dark times for me....Not any more.

The veil has lifted to a fresh start.  I always had faith that the sun would indeed return.  This year it feels very new and different but in the past 4 it felt very cold and sad.  

My beloved Mamaw passed on Easter Sunday 1981 and in 2012, on Good Frday, my Mother also left this realm.

After that I no longer could see the yellow, green, and pink life and couldn't feel the sun's gentle arms.  

Even though this passing winter was a warmer one in the NW Ohio region, it was the same dreariness.

And now that it's over.....Warmth, peace, and light reign.  

Letting go can be difficult when your belief is that the foundation of your being has fallen away.  I did not think I had the strength to build a new one.  When my youngest daughter got a full time job and I found myself alone in a space of family love with her absence.....I suddenly knew it was time to begin spreading the mortar and finding new stones.  My husband feels it too.

As partners and as individuals we each will be laying a strong base for better days with the sun on our backs.   

I always tell others "Blessings abundant".  It's time to accept it for myself....As the cup begins to overflow, so shall I be standing in it's path.

Humdrum Wednesday...

     Yup...A dull freezing rain has blanketed our area along with snow showers.  The rest of the weeks's forecast looks dreadfully bleak too.  I'm still struggling with artist block due to the gray dirty surroundings.  I so miss my home state and even Michigan.  Some parts of Michigan have the most beautiful trees and waterways along with so many species of birds and other majestic creatures....plenty to draw from for inspiration.  

      Soooo......all three of us are dropping money into a dedicated savings account to move back out of the city.   We'll get to a better place soon.

The Vast Inner Self

It's cold, damp, and dark tonight.  I just got through watching a guy on YT describing "knowing who you are".  If anyone wishes to alieviate their suffering, even for a brief time, meditate.  It has to be done right though.  It has to be a journey into ones true self where there is only a quiet vast universal consciousness of pure perfect love.  No alcohol or drugs or even weed.  Just a candle, some soft flute music, and maybe one of those ambient ocean tide sound CDs.  Let it all go.  The "noise" of the world.  Guess what!  That's you!  That ebb and flow water sound, that heart beat, that wind......That is who or what you really are.  It's perfect.  The life force that exists within and without.  Isn't it beautiful and soooo easy to understand, know, and love?  Indeed you are......perfect, beautiful,.....and sooooo easy to know.

So It Begins

Not everything here will be about letter writing but I'd like to stay within the realm of " writing and pen and paper as much as possible.  

     I've decided to form a list of pen pals to begin with.  As soon as my list is complete, I will post about it.

    Hello!  Welcome to my blog!
This is going to be a place for me to express my thoughts on the lost art of letter writing, reviews on pens and I will also be posting sketches and simple craft ideas.