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Showing posts from March, 2012

rocks, the VW and a moment

port townsend beach, washington Port Townsend beach, Washington I found these and added a part of a poem I wrote yesterday. old red car And here's one from 2010 when I was in Mexico.  I have a thing for old, classic cars:)  Maybe it's the nostalgia or maybe it's the solid features these cars always have.  Whenever I see a classic car or truck, I think of all the stories the car must have.  And then there is the human, the owner.   And I imagine the owner has just as many stories to tell. Growing up, our family car was a VW bug.  For years that car took us everywhere and then it became the car that my sister and I drove. My Mom loved that car, and if she could have, she would have kept it as a fixture in the yard.  We sold it to someone who would care for it and rebuild the engine and that VW's life continued.

nut and bolt, fort ebey watertower

nut and bolt I've been enjoying hiking around Ebey's Landing on Whidbey island. Most of the trail names have no immediate meaning for me. However, for my husband, they do. He knew what to expect with the "watertower trail" and kept a lookout for it. Me ... when we came upon the watertower ... I thought ..."oh,  but of course."  I am useless with maps and have actually gotten us lost because I was the one with the map.  Ha!   Do you ever watch the  U.S. t.v. show called the Amazing Race?  Would you want to go on that show?  Over the last few years,  I have been coaxing my husband to agree to apply to be contestants.  I haven't gotten a "yes" yet.  Hmmm,  maybe I need a different angle? joining up with  Snap It .  

Deer III

Deer III, pen on paper I'm gradually getting back into my art. The wildlife that I see almost daily has influenced my recent drawings. I've seen deer that roam near the trails that I've hiked.  Today, I saw one walking down the road from our rental house.  I got a photo of one which I used as the basis for the above portrait. Wishing everyone a good weekend, and I look forward to catching up on everyone's Sunday sketches  .

Fear Not

I found this message last Sunday on a wall in one of the lookouts when we were out at Ebey's Landing.

Whale Watching and Hiking

When we arrived on Whidbey Island, I learned that we are right in line for the whale migration that begins in March.  Even though we aren't near the spots where the whales typically feed,  I have seen a whale twice in the last two weeks. Today was the second time and the whale was swimming on our side of the shoreline!  I saw the whale's back and then nothing.   A couple of seconds later, the whale appeared again  and  stayed swimming close to the surface, so I knew I was really seeing this glorious creature.   I didn't have time to grab my camera, but this photo by Carla Dyck on etsy captures the beauty and grace of the whale perfectly. Fine Art photo titled Home - 8 X 10 by Carla Dyck On Sundays, we go hiking somewhere on the island. I love how everywhere I go there are tall pines to greet me. Yesterday, we saw two Eagles singing to each other as they were flying above us. We also saw deer grazing nearby. And in the ocean below us, we spotted a seal.

Peace

I liked the clever way this message was put together along with the vibrant colors. Wishing everyone a good weekend.

let it burn

For the past couple of weeks, I've had no music and no art.  I've sat by the window most of the day and looked out at the water.  I've also done a lot of blog hopping. Knowingly,  I've been avoiding thinking about the reason behind my transition.  There are moments in the day when the feelings rise up uncontrollably.   I know grief is a complicated maze. Tonight I bought the  Hans Zimmers Inception Soundtrack and "Time" set me in this mood for thinking. Guilt is what makes me most vulnerable right now.   ZenDotStudio reminded me in her post that I need to show myself compassion. Beth Witrogen McLeod writes, "Yet no matter how much we have done as caregivers, it takes time to feel we did enough, especially when we were trying to balance our complex of roles."  Her book, The Aftermath of Loss: Guilt vs. Relief ,  is specifically for caregivers in mourning. Years ago, I had a dream of a burning house.  Inside was one person;   Outsid

Mukilteo - Clinton Ferry, Whidbey Island

Driving off the Ferry and onto the Island When my husband and I embarked on this transition, we decided we'd move forward in a general direction. That direction was to drive North from California as far as Washington. After deciding what to keep and what to give away, we crammed our remaining possessions into our car. On the third day, we arrived in Seattle and by the third day, we secured this rental on Whidbey Island. Above is the photo I took as we drove off the ferry onto the island (I was the passenger in the front seat). If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.     Martin Luther King Jr.

Transit

Sunrise Yesterday morning it snowed and I was happy to see everything covered in white. Surprisingly, the day was sunny. By afternoon, the snow had melted. That was fortunate as I needed to drive into town. The snowcapped Cascade Mountains were gorgeous at sunset and the night gave us the shimmering reflections of the moon over the water. This morning as I was stumbling out of bed, I could hear my husband calling me into the sunroom to watch the sunrise. I went outside to get a better look. Absolutely stunning and the only sounds I could hear were the birds singing. The photo above is from this morning. Over my coffee and biscuits, I went blog hopping to gain inspiration from fellow artists. I came across Cheryl's blog filled with thought-provoking poetry and imagery.. She also led me to another blog series called The Burning Question . Both series are a perfect fit for this journey that I've started.

Pata Floja

Much has happened in the last two months. Some of you know that I had moved home April 2010 to take care of my Mom full-time. I am grateful that I had that opportunity. She was always there for me when I was growing up, and I wanted to be there for her in return. She is now out of pain and at peace. Her love, strength and inspiration will always be with me. I have never been one to stay home for very long, so I knew I would be traveling again. My Mom's closest cousin understood this need of mine and even had a name for it: Pata Floja. Which I guess is one way of saying a loose foot or Foot Loose. My husband and I drove all the way from Central California to Seattle, Washington and found a rental house on Whidbey Island.  We crossed from mainland onto the island by ferry.   This feels symbolic of where I need to be now: neither here nor there, surrounded by water ... rebirth. It's absolutely quiet and I spend the day looking out the window at Possession Soun