Filters

Ending Spring Break here & it's been a hard week.  Great to be off in a way, but the more time I have, the more my mind spins.  Work somewhat preoccupies me.  It would be great if my brain could just stop for once.  Stop replaying, stop analyzing.  Over & over again, it drags me back to places I don't want to be.

We went to a museum & a teahouse earlier, the kids & I.  I was driving & listening to them chatter all the way there.  Lost in my own thoughts. Wondering how things are ever going to change in my life.  Right now the sadness is, that I don't see a way.  

Having these kids helps me though.  They give me a reason for everything in life.  For them I got up and went out today, talked about teas & art installations.  Smiling, even though my heart wasn't in it.

I got some pictures of today's stuff, like I often do.  If you look over my Instagram feed, like most people's, my life looks pretty awesome. What can you really tell about someones life by the pictures they elect to put out into the universe? For that matter, how much do we really know about each other's hearts from what we selectively share?  I think most lives look pretty colorful when you put enough filters on them. 

Addendum:  What a dramatic whack-job?!?

Half

Half a year we've been in our new home.  No regrets.

Life is different though.  Not to sound like I am retirement home age yet or anything, but I kind of feel like this move out here, & this home may be our final stop.  Of course I don't know that, but I really don't picture myself moving all over the country.

I was talking to my friend Maya the other day, & we were kind of chatting about how when we were younger (& by that I mean youngsters in our thirties) life was about getting together with different people.  Meeting to exercise, parties, camping together, etc.....now not so much.

Kids are getting older, we are older & life has changed a bit.  In our case, we don't even know many people to hang out with out here.  So now it's kind of back to just me & Richard.  Good thing I like him :)

Anyway, I am hoping to continue to feel more settled & looking forward to new things in the next 6 months to come.  Grateful it has all gone so well, despite a few not so fun hiccups along the way.

Backyard skies

Hiking for my 43rd birthday

Skiing last weekend

*********************************************************************************

So lately I've felt a little like my art was having a Renaissance period.  I've sold a few more pieces.  Two clay pieces were bought for a television show set.  Mind you, I have no clue what they are doing with them, I had to sign a release.  For all I know they could be making fun of them on the show( I always go worst case scenario), but nevertheless it was kind of cool.  Also, I was contacted about putting my artwork in a new shop that is opening & was flattered to be asked.  I turned it down right now because the store/gallery is around 5 1/2 hours away, but it is nice to have the interest!  I've been back working with paper clay & below are a couple new things.

The March Pics & Thoughts

I've kind of been gathering my thoughts since the awesome Women's March in Denver.  It was a little over a week ago, & I've had all this stuff swirling in my head like tea leaves since.  

First off,  so cool to have my oldest girl by my side.  We had good talks on our drive there, & the way back.  She can talk my ear off, when given the chance.  I love that she is developing her own thoughts about things by observation, research & experiences.  I made up my mind a long time ago that I wasn't going to tell my kids how or what to think.  I try & show the type of person I am in how I treat others & the things that are important to me, but all of my 3 kids will have to decide for themselves what they stand for.  Anyway, very cool to have her experience so many women standing up for important causes in one place!

I felt over all the March was a positive, peaceful movement that brought all of us like minded people together.  Then I got home & saw some negative things on social media about us "protesters." So, I wasn't aware I was going there to protest, I considered it more of standing united with other women who don't want their rights taken away either.  Women who want to be valued, & Yes, maybe send a message to our new dear President that we don't take kindly to his many disgusting remarks about women's bodies.  

Something that makes me kind of sad is the silent disapproval I feel from some.  Here's the thing, when my kids grow up & if they look at the world a bit differently than I do, I still want to talk about all kinds of things with them & know what they are up to in life.  It's just conversation, no big deal. "How was the Women's March?"..."Oh, it was good. Really crowded, but I'm glad I went".

So bottom line to my rambling, we don't all have to agree on everything.  We all come at this life from so many different experiences & perspectives.  I guess I just want to say I am proud of myself for going, & I think I am turning into a pretty strong lady with a good heart.  Me going to a Women's March or not going to Women's March, or my political party, or any of that jazz does not make any less/more moral or right.  In my perfect world, all the people in my life would get that.

Ladies

I am excited!  I get to go to the Women's March in Denver this weekend with my soon to be 13 yr old girlie.  I think it's so awesome to show her that as women/girls, our importance is not in our clothing size,  bra size, or any of that other stuff we are so often judged on.  We have hearts that love, & voices to be heard...I'm sure it's going to be quite a thing to be a part of :)

So I guess I was going along with my pro-women theme, & made this lady the other day.  Who knows how she ended up shirtless, perhaps I was a little lazy about painting clothes?  Anyway, she's got a few words from the Maya Angelou poem I like.

Hiking, Llama Treks...just my yearly goals

Here is how I hope 2017 goes down...

1) I do the Rocky Mountain Half Marathon.
2) I check on what I need to do to get my artwork in a local store/gallery.  Even if it doesn't sell, at least I will have put myself out there.
3) We fix up our barn & make an exercise room in it.
4) I hike(with the husbo) one of the 14,000 foot peaks here(Huron Peak or Mt. Elbert).
5) Get my Alpaca friends or a Mini Cow.
6) Learn to weave on a loom.
7) Go on a Llama Trek(hike & picnic with Llama)...yes, this is an actual thing!


Happy New Year to you!  Hope 2017 is the year your try something new :)