3-22-2022 Fun At The Zoo

 

3-21-2022 Meditation Mandala Painting...Layer 5

 

3-20-2022 Goddess of Gratitude

I am terrified of using acrylic paints!

I've only used watercolor paints for the past 3 years.

To try something new is very scary to me!

This is my "Goddess of Gratitude" project.

She has been sketched and sitting on my desk 

staring at me for at least a month!

I was beginning to think that she would be the one

that stops me from moving forward with my art studies.

Then, I remembered...

1) I can do very hard and scary things!

2) It's only a piece of paper and some paint.

3) I can always throw it away if I hate it and try another one.

So, today, I worked up my courage

(Art takes a LOT of courage...

because it makes you feel very vulnerable!)

and I began mixing my 

white, black, red, yellow, and blue acrylic paints,

and started slapping the paint on the page.

She is now started...at least...but has a long way to go!

So, here is the foundation layer...layer one of many to come:

3-19-2022 He's Got Skills!

Check out these Mandalorian helmets

and Iron Man helmet

that my son MADE for his boys!

The eyes even light up!

My son has some serious skills!

They will have so much fun at Comic-con this summer!

3-18-2022 Catapult

D and Papa spent some time in the workshop

creating a working catapult...

then we spent half the day

catching what she was throwing!

3-17-2022 Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to my dear Grandsons!!!

Thank you dear D-I-L for being so good about

sending us pictures of the boys!

We miss you all so much!

3-16-2022 Moving the Garden

 

3-15 2022 End of Soccer Season

 

3-14-2022 At the Omaha Zoo

 

3-13-2022 Losing Teeth

I can still remember what it felt like

to lose my baby teeth.

Now it's my Grandkids losing theirs...

3-12-2022 New Refrigerator

Our new refrigerator finally arrived

after three (3) scheduled deliveries that were no-shows.

We were almost ready to cancel our purchase

and go buy it elsewhere!

3-11-2022 Playing in Papa's Workshop

 

3-10-2022 New Refrigerator

Our 16 year old refrigerator 

has finally ceased to function properly

so it is time to replace it.

Thank you for your faithful service

these past 16 years!

Goodbye.

3-9-2022 Layer 4

Today DD and I painted layer 4 on our meditation paintings...

Mine...

DD's...

Today's painting...Autumn River...

3-8-2022 First Robin Sighting!

First Robin sighting this year...

a sign that spring is coming soon

though you wouldn't know it from today's 

8*F temperatures outside!

3-7-2022 Breakfast Chef - and - Birthday Party

Youngest GS made breakfast for the family!

 Birthday Party at the Trampoline Park for Charlie

 

3-6-2022 Chicken Pox Machine

My GS's recent drawing 

reminded me of my son's drawing

when he was about that same age...

GS's drawing:

My son's drawing (a Chicken Pox Machine):

3-5-2022 Shoring Up the Foundation

After 15 years of the dirt settling around our house foundation

it is time to put more dirt around the foundation

so that the water drains away from the house.

Our front sidewalk 'flower bed' is clay and rocks

and pretty much useless for flowers,

so we are digging it out and putting it around the house

and replacing with garden and potting soil

so the flowers the GDs plant will actually thrive!

3-4-2022 Another Sleepless Night

Another sleepless night...the hours pass by, one by one...

and I'm wide awake...texting with my friend in Australia.

This is the 4th night in a row I have not slept AT ALL.

I end up taking a 2-hour nap each afternoon 

in order to be able to function.

We are a week into Putin's war on Ukraine.

It has brought up feelings from old woundings in my past...

that the world is NOT a safe place,

and that I am not safe,

that powerful men take what they want

with no regard to the human suffering it causes to others,

that I am not strong enough, that I am helpless.

I'm back to hypervigilance and intrusive thoughts and anxiety.

I'm back to grounding and meditation to try and discipline my emotions

so I can stay balanced and composed and calm during this stressful situation.

I try to reach down into the well of compassion and wisdom within.

I try to see the best in others...the helpers (thanks, Fred Rogers!)...

and trust in the goodness found in human nature.

But my body remembers...it remembers not being safe...

it remembers the feelings and thoughts and emotions 

and anxiety on a cellular level.

And it will not let me sleep.