Hello everyone! I'm back!

I've been on a hiatus of life but I'm back. I'm hoping I can continue to post.  I'm going to school to get my BSN, I've been small time farming. I have found I love farming.!! I love chickens!!
I met my future husband, love of my life and soul-mate. I said i would never marry again, but I never thought God would have plans for me, but He did! I've never been happier.

Here's one of my favorite Polish Top Hat Hens! That's an Ameraucana Rooster in the background.

I just wanted to stop in, put up a post and hopefully start blogging again.

Lynda

It's been quite a long time since I have blogged. It seems like every now and again I get into this funk and can't get out. So many things have happened in the almost year that I dropped off. I quit a job and started a new one in March. It's with hospice, its on call so I work out of my home but then visit patients as needed. I actually have a life again. And I absolutely love my job. The saying "find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life" is so true.
There *is* one problem though - I go many days and never have to leave the house. After awhile, you get in this mode of not wanting to get dressed to leave the house.
My mom passed away 2 years ago and I still miss her more than I can tell you. I truly feel like she is still around me. I get a scent of her - perfume, hairspray, just her "smell". I dream about her - the last week or so I've gotten a whiff of her and have dreamt about her the last week at least 2 -3 times.

I need to get back to zentangling, and with winter coming, I'm sure I'll be getting back into it. I actually tried to zentangle some sea shells the other day. In doing so, I realize that having not zentangled in quite awhile, I forget a lot of the patterns and feel like I need to practice all over again.  Does anyone else do that? Here's my first seashell attempt: ok so it's not 100% zentangle, but it was fun!

ok, so I am going to start blogging again and drawing again. It may not always be zentangle but we'll see!

Weekly Challenge #98: "UMT v. XI: Keenees"

This week has been a busy one for me. I finally have found a job and I think it will be a good fit. It's home health, which means no shift work, no weekends, no holidays, no call. I have had enough holiday and weekend fights with co-workers to last me a lifetime. I really do prefer Monday - Friday work. I don't mind working nights and really I don't mind working, period....weekends, holidays, etc.  but I get really tired of the whining of "i always have to work" yet they get called off, leave early when possible, do very little while they are there....

Ok, so bottom line. God is good and has graced me.

This week's challenge is Keenees...since "winter" is here I thought I would try something different, but I'm not sure if I like it. However, I don't have time to redo or do anything else and so I'm just happy I was able to do it and participate!

Blessings to all!!

Lynda

Weekly Challenge - No Strings Attached

Well, it's been a crazy week this week. It's amazing how busy one can be even when they're unemployed! Glad to see the weekend here. I've been running this week on job applications, interviews, appointments.... I went to church on Wednesday night for the first time in a long time. Someone I know there asked me to come. Then afterwards, gave me a referral for a job - they're looking for RNs. I went and applied....I have an interview on Monday with a Home Health place locally. I need to feel worthy of being a nurse again. <sigh> too long without working makes one doubt themselves. God provides..I just forget to ask sometimes. I am strong in my faith but have difficulty with "church" in the normal sense. It was nice to have the fellowship though.
I'll be so glad to get back to work.
So this week is no strings. I have done this before and the first one I did, somehow I still feel like there must've been strings - I kind of did lines of zentangle, one after the other.

The second one, was a little better in being scattered.. with no strings...

These are some older pictures I did without any strings....

Notice the 4 leaf clover? I picked it one day, taped it on the paper - I'm amazed how it's still green!! then I started tangling around it.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Log Cabin Challenge

Well, another week has gone by and Thanksgiving went by with it. I can't believe how fast time goes. I have had fun this week as I have started quilting also. It's been awhile and it took me a few days to un-bury my machine etc.. and have begun!! I'm happy with my results so far.. it was a challenge in a month back in October, but like always, I'm a day late and a dollar short in my life. I figured I would do it anyway.  I've enjoyed it. It has kept me busy during the day rather than sit around and feel sad, as I usually do at holidays since I lost my mom.....and now my job. Sorry, I digress, that's a whole different story.
Here's a link to the Challenge: Log Cabins from Ellison Lane

Here's what I've done so far this week!

This is the first color I completed and in 9 blocks...I'm going to try to make it that I can fit it on the top of a Queen - it's a "double" size though - it will be 9 X 12 blocks. (Blocks are 8.5 inches square)

So that'll be 9 blocks of 12 colors....or if I can't figure that many colors out, I'll do 12 blocks of 9 colors. LOL!!!

This one is in honor of my mother who loved all things Strawberries and the color RED!! She loved to wear red and looked great in it, and her red lipstick. She, if anyone, could always get away looking so classy in red lipstick and red nail polish... Then, above it are the paws that are of her cats that she loved so much... Also it says on the white fabric to the right - Life is like a bowl of Cherries... it's so true ! We used to laugh and say "we always got the pits" ROFLOL I had to stick that in there, mom would appreciate it. I want to work so that this block will be the center one, or close to...

I'm starting on green next - must be the Christmas coming out in me!

Stay tuned!

Sew full of Blessings!

Lynda

Weekly Challenge #96 "Zinger"

So this week's challenge from the Diva is "Zinger" and I have to say  I was excited to see it was the challenge. I use this a lot in my drawings, although I found that in looking at how to draw it, that it wasn't how I was drawing it. Funny how that happens.
So I practiced re-drawing it how it was supposed to be drawn. Once I went and did it the old way I was doing it, and found it was actually easier to do it the correct way! Imagine that!
So here is my take on Zinger. I always associated it with weeds, and bees. Which is funny when I found out what it was actually called...like a stinger...a Zinger..  I will be interested to hear what everyone's take is on the pile in the center of the drawing...once you formulate your opinion, then below, I will tell you what it is....in my mind that is!

                      


Well, I don't normally do a second try on a challenge but decided to try anyway!
So here's my 2nd take on the ZINGER-Hope y'all like it!!

Another week has gone by and Thanksgiving went by with it. I can't believe how fast time goes. I have had fun this week as I have started quilting also. It's been awhile and it took me a few days to un-bury my machine etc.. and have begun!! I'm happy with my results so far.. it was a challenge in a month back in October, but like always, I'm a day late and a dollar short in my life. I figured I would do it anyway.  I've enjoyed it. It has kept me busy during the day rather than sit around and be mopey.
Here's a link to the Challenge: Log Cabins from Ellison Lane
Here's what I've done so far!

This is the first color I completed and in 9 blocks...I'm going to try to make it that I can fit it on the top of a Queen - it's a "double" size though - it will be 9 X 12 blocks. (Blocks are 8.5 inches square)

So that'll be 9 blocks of 12 colors....or if I can't figure that many colors out, I'll do 12 blocks of 9 colors. LOL!!!

This one is in honor of my mother who loved all things Strawberries!! the paws are her cats that she loved so much...

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I tend to fight depression, so for me this whole job thing has left me in limbo fighting that deep hole that is so easy to fall into. I feel like I'm wandering, looking for something, but I don't know what that is. Lonely wanderer. That describes it.

I feel, though, like maybe I'm a bit closer to something. I've applied to 2 jobs in particular that interest me. I know someone's saying.. take anything! But I am at a point in my life that I don't want to take anything. I know it is crazy because I don't have money or insurance, which BOTH for me is a major issue. However, God does manage to provide money in strange ways, and I haven't had a problem yet. I have a place to live, food on the table, clothes. Gas money, it's a little harder but I tend to not make any unnecessary trips.  I've gathered my quarters for the next fill up. LOL God will provide. I know He will. He has never abandoned me. He never will. This too shall pass. These are the things that keep me going every day. My faith. (Also my lovely daughter - my friend. She cheers me along!)

So, as promised, the above was supposed to be a bee hive, hence the bee. I didn't want to just draw a plain hive, so I thought I would put some design on it. Afterwards, it looked like a snake with the zinger coming out the top - like a rattlesnake.
So, you can make it what you want. That's the fun of Zentangle, it seems you start out one way and end up another. Just like life. You have to open to it though. If you're so rigid that you can't change midstream, then you'll miss what could've been...
Blessings!
Lynda

Weekly Challenge #95-Mickey

Weekly Challenge #95: Guest Post - "Mickey Challenge" 

From "IamtheDiva" website explaining the challenge:

Courtney from Texas is the guest challenger this week.  She writes "On November 19, 1928 the Walt Disney Studio released the animated short film "Steamboat Willie".  This was the official debut of Mickey Mouse as well as his girlfriend, Minnie.
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Here's the link if you want to watch the video:
Mickey's Steamboat Willie
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So a few things about the challenge: Mandala, (I have issues with them, I have a problem with the circle but forced myself to do it) Black and White (as the film is), and I took things from the film that for me, were translated into my mandala:
The whistles on the boat, the notes from the music, the hearts - love between Mickey and Minnie, the boat wheel (the mandala too) and waves...

And of course, because I have problems following directions, I colored the next one without thinking about it. I thought if I did that it would show the W for Walt, and the M for Mickey....I almost colored the "bow" with the dots pink for Minnie, but decided I should stop!

Oh well, I never have done well with directions...

On the job front, nothing yet. I kind of had to put things on hold this week.

I had a family member pass away and this week he was buried in Arlington Cemetery. I am the only relative that lives close to my aunt and so I helped her prep for the upcoming company, funeral, route to and from the cemetery and the club at Ft Myers for a "dry run" of that day. He was a retired Lt Col, served in WW II and Vietnam, earned the Bronze Star. A full military funeral is the most awe inspiring thing to witness. To know this was how they pay tribute to our soldiers, it is amazing. We looked at the differences in the funerals (from Private to General), what things mean (the lone, riderless black horse that followed the Caisson with the boots turned backwards) and it is amazing. 

This is a link to the site to learn about the traditions. 

THE OLD GUARD

It was good to see all the family and meet new ones, but it is sad. However, I know he is in a MUCH better place because he had major health issues in the end. My aunt is a VERY SPRY 90 year old and I have no doubt will miss him, but will be ok. She's a strong one!

We were lucky, it was an incredibly beautiful day, no clouds, sun and relatively warm (low 50's). God smiled down on us yesterday.

R.I.P. Ret'd Lt Col Clarence G. Simon, Jr AUS

"Uncle Buddy"