Just me...Journaling

sometimes I think about Spring

 beginning new and fresh every year

and a teacher's school year

and a new class every year

beginning

ending.

Life

beginning

ending

and how I am just passing through.

beginnings and

endings.

ends and new beginnings.

those soft white petals

blow away in the wind.

there are things I can't hold onto

because I just shouldn't.

~k

Journaling :: A Fun-Filled Weekend!

Lots of collage and stamping and writing.

It was a weekend of news, love, and travel, as

we went to an out-of-town wedding...

Best to you, friends!

Have a great new week!

 

~k

Journaling and My Little Friend

Pastel background, and writing IT ALL OUT. Release.

And this is my Ellie. Love. I LOVE my Ellie.

Have I told you lately,
how much I LOVE my Ellie?
Unconditional love,
cuddling,
hiking,
and devotion.

'Haven't been around as much this past week,

but I thought of you.

I am off to the Farmer's Market for a little while,

for the new season,

to unwind

after a too-busy, too-crazy

week

that has left me exhausted.

IT'S OFFICIAL!

My MOM went HOME today!!!  After 5 1/2 months of trying to be healthy and stronger again, mom is home. BIG DAY. Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, love and hugs over these months. Your support for my mom and me made this possible. Big hugs back to you!

Mom, six days ago on Mother's Day!

Three generations: Me, Mom, and my daughter, Mia, in back!

LOVE,

Kath!

Lily of the Valley!

They're here and the scent is overwhelming.

They always amaze and thrill me, every spring.

They remind me of my Grama, too.

She had solid perfume with this scent.

Little tiny fun bells, with a scent that carries for acres.

Me and my laryngitis sat outside for an hour in the sun.

I found them a bit difficult to draw

but I had a great time.

Wishing you all a wonderful

sweetly scented

weekend!

~k

Gratitude :: Journaling

 Gratitude. A choice.

Background collage

TGIF friends!

~k

Journaling

 

I was forced to stay home from work today.

Laryngitis.

I can't get a sound out of my vocal chords,

except for a whisper-squeak.

Even though I am somewhat of a quiet person,

I am a teacher and a lover of words,

so this isn't easy.

I'm getting teased.

And all I can do

is smile.

oh well.

~k

Sketching Tulips

 Michael gave me a bunch of peach colored tulips

 for Mother's Day.

So I just had to sketch them

and then add a bit of the pretty color.

~k

Stretching a Bit...

 

There's something I need to get out of my head.

About two months ago, maybe three, my doctor

called me "hyper responsible".

'Don't know if this is more toward negative or positive (!)

but it bothers me.

Kind of a lot.

Today I felt the need to s t r e t c h

and maybe just scribble

and

not

be

quite

so

responsible.

Maybe.

And though my journal / notebook shelf

looks truly inviting to me right now,

I don't want to look back at my life

and feel I stayed the same,

I stayed on my Shelf,

or

was so darned responsible

that I didn't just let loose more.

I am trying to breathe more deeply

more slowly

and sing louder

laugh more

look ahead

let go of the things I worry about

~ that usually never

happen anyway.

And I've even stopped to smell the flowers along the way

and to close my eyes

and

just

  be...

I am learning to meditate again.

Much love,
~k

Drawing...and Drawing

After devouring beauty and drawings

from Danny Gregory's book, Everyday Matters,

I quickly began The Creative License. 

My first assignment: Draw a chair,

 a mug,

a table (oops, sorry, I didn't want to),

and draw a person.

This was really, really fun!

I highly recommend Mr. Gregory's books...

 What took me so long to discover him?

 

I used to draw all the time

 when I was in high school. Hours everyday.

I need to find my old portfolio...somewhere in the rubble.

So, my next assignment includes drawing

every day.

I may move out of my art journal

and into

a Moleskein

sketchpad.

Oooooh.

I think I'm in love.

Always,

~k

Beauty :: Journaling

I've been finding lately,

 that I do not seem to be writing 

and journaling as much as I used to.

Do you remember a couple of weeks ago, 

I told you that a close friend passed away?

Well, just a few days ago, I stumbled

 upon an old writing journal of mine...

...and in it was a four-page entry I had written

 about the day I met her. 

She was the mom of an old friend of mine.

 I was so struck by her. 

She was a second mom to me. 

But, I was surprised, as I read these words I'd written years ago,

by how much I had forgotten.

The details.

 My memory isn't as wonderful as I'd like,

but thank goodness I wrote...

and that I continue to write.

Everything happens for a reason.

I believe this.

I was meant to stumble upon these old four pages...

perhaps a message for Mother's day...

and as a reminder to me

to keep on writing.

Words.

Beauty.

memories.

Cherish.

Love.

Words.

Beauty.

Art.

Create.

Record.

Remember.

Feel.

~k

Round and Round We Go...

Being a sensitive person can be a very good thing

when you are a teacher.

  Being a very sensitive person

can be very difficult

 and often painful...when you are a teacher.

Sometimes I think I need thicker skin.

Sometimes I just wish that everyone

would follow The Golden Rule.

Isn't it really all about Respect?

...

Around and around we go...

~k

The Journey :: Journaling

 I had such a nice weekend, the best in a long time...

I got a lot done, but I also relaxed and played.

I spent all of Saturday afternoon with Mom.

 

Mom is preparing to go home at last,

 after 5 months of...trying.

Everything happens for a reason.

I think Mom has changed a lot.

I don't know if she realizes it yet

.

 I think I've learned more.

And I think that by being able to help Mom,

I got closer to her,

like I've always wanted.

It's been scary,

it's been hard,

but it was necessary

and some of it was really, really

good.

The Path.

Being aware of the Journey.

~k

PS. Thank you for your thoughts & prayers.

I will be sure to let you know when Mom goes Home!

Journaling

Got through one of my worst types of day

as an educator: the formal observation.

It's me.

I have such incredible

Anticipation Anxiety.

My lesson was 50 minutes long,

on Compare & Contrast...

and I think it went well,

and once I'm three minutes into it,

I am myself again

and go with the natural flow

of doing what I have always done...

Teach little children.

We described two fiction characters,

compared & contrasted them,

and drew conclusions to answer the Essential Question:

Are they more alike, or

more different?

They both turned out to be kind, 

responsible,

 respectful,

and caring to animals...

Even though they did different things

with different animals.

Such goodness.

Love,

~kath