GAIL!!! What a gorgeous, gorgeous post! I love, love, love your paintings - wow, three colours and three lines - absolute genius idea, and beautifully executed - and what you moved on to do with the craftermath of your projects is wonderful! I'm so thrilled that my post had moved you in this direction - and thank you so very much for the mention. 😘
I'm sorry to hear that you've been going through such a lot - I'm sending smiles and sunshine your way. In the last months, and over Christmas in particular, I've been using art and reading for support in my own situation, and those - and reminding myself that 'this is now, and this is fine' - have been really helpful. 'Self-care hibernation', as you put it, is my new best friend! ❤️
The people on substack have become my new community of best friends. The creativeness of their writing and artistic endeavors have inspired me to keep pushing myself to even get out of bed some days.
I love your “this is now and this is fine”. All we ever have is now so we may as well be “fine” with it. However, as an ex alcoholic, in rehab they told me that “fine” for us was the acronym for “Fearful, Insecure, Neurotic & Emotional”. So I’ve been using the word “OK” for the last 29 1/2 years. 😉
Whatever works and gets us thru our daily moment to moments is now ok, or ‘fine’ by me!
I just read your “old Gold” post this morning. At first I wasn’t going to but so glad I did and was thrilled to see you gave me an honorable mention at the end, along with your original craftermath essay. Love that post! Thank you again! 🤗🫶🏼
Oh Gail! Thank you for reading it again - I’m really glad you did! I was so proud to link to your gorgeous post - I’m so happy that one of mine had inspired you! I really appreciate you! 😘
I love this!!! I always love my pallet mess to see what things I can see in them— like cloud scrying. Your craftermath looks like a telescope pic of planets and outer space! So beautiful!
I enjoyed seeing your artistic process, Gail! Totally awesome! Happy thinking of you up in Maine, being creative!! Sending you abundant blessings! xoxo Susan
Great job on every one of the paintings Gail . I won't say anything about the start of the post except we all goof up at times , I am happy you are working through it . Looking at the paintings you shared , you improved on every one .I really love the Circles Ensquared ones . It reminds me of different planets yet to be found . Great job and welcome back . Hugs and peace to you
Sitting quietly is something I keep trying -- and not succeeding -- to do, Gail. I love the yoga classes I have access to at the local Y, and I'm not at all averse to meditating or journaling or any other practice that brings me to more mindful focus. My problem is that I don't make the time for enough of it. I'll keep at it in 2025. I'm sure I will need it more than ever starting tomorrow. 😫
My form of sitting quietly is looking out my studio window at what’s going on under the bird feeders. But being that I am of the ectomorphic body type, I have always been the kind of person that as soon as my feet hit the floor I’m in motion.
I started a yoga program on line in 2017. 19 days later I was rear ended while parked in the breakdown lane on a 2 lane country road. We were the only two cars on the road. Geez. I attributed the fact I only had a mild concussion, (8staples in back of my head) a fractured left rib and some bruised intercostals on the right side to that 19 day yoga practice— and the fact I am always in motion. Two days later I was outside pruning a small, snow flowering weeping cherry tree. (have a high pain threshold.)
In Early Nov of late 2022, I had an invasive surgery on my lower left ureter tube to cut away some offending tumors that kept growing back. The following month before my doc at Mass-General had a chance to take out the ureter stent, I tripped over my own damn feet trying to get to the bathroom to pee, and broke my right hip. Shit. I was 70 yo.
I wrote about these journeys on my substack. I spent most all of 2023 in recover mode. Lots of walking and lots of homework exercises from PT. OH, and I had a Tree Frog as a support therapy pet! Her name was “Freida” and I wrote about her along with pics on my substack also.
I had lots of fodder to write about during my “sitting quiet down time” to start a Substack and write posts.
By last spring of 2024 I was hellbent on getting back to gardening and did so with a vengeance! LOL! But I slacked off on my writing. So now, winter being in full swing, and no more “support pets”, I’m always on the lookout for “writing about what’s next”. So with the advent of “Notes” on substack, which I’m still maneuvering my way thru and around, I’ve been able to read about and meet new friends like you with similar interests and backgrounds. I am so done with hearing things, or reading about that trumpasaurus!
I stopped watching TV during the OJ Simpson trials, so I sure as hell can quit tuning into what passes for news these days too.
Sorry I got off on a tangent, I just wanted to say that I am now doing home “Essentrics” classes from a post I joined online. I really like them so far. They target your age group, and I get a little bit of cardio, Tai Chi, yoga, and I even break a bit of a sweat upon occasion. So I personally feel there are other ways to “Meditate” or be still without doing the closed eyes and Ooooooommmm thing. I apologize again, my but I can get a little long winded. “Back in the day”… I had quite a few pen pals—remember them, or am I really that much older than dirt? 🤭
I hear and appreciate your version of quiet, Gail, and now that you mention it, that is something I very much enjoy, too. Maybe what's needed is for me to acknowledge what I do rather than what I *don't* do!
I am so sorry to learn of your various health challenges. That car accident must have been horrible, but I'm glad you were up and at it so soon after.
I remember reading about Freida and the lovely little set-up you created for her. You are a true helper!
It will be good to have a community of like-minded people as we move into the next four years. Thanks for being among them!
The car accident was interesting in that I saw the car coming in my rear view, but I never felt the hit, never heard it and didn’t see the impact. So grateful for guardian Angels to have taken me out of my body and put me back after I was in the ambulance.
Do you still have chickens? I’m thinking of getting more this year. A small flock! Oh sure! 🤭
GAIL!!! What a gorgeous, gorgeous post! I love, love, love your paintings - wow, three colours and three lines - absolute genius idea, and beautifully executed - and what you moved on to do with the craftermath of your projects is wonderful! I'm so thrilled that my post had moved you in this direction - and thank you so very much for the mention. 😘
I'm sorry to hear that you've been going through such a lot - I'm sending smiles and sunshine your way. In the last months, and over Christmas in particular, I've been using art and reading for support in my own situation, and those - and reminding myself that 'this is now, and this is fine' - have been really helpful. 'Self-care hibernation', as you put it, is my new best friend! ❤️
Thank you for all the kudos!
The people on substack have become my new community of best friends. The creativeness of their writing and artistic endeavors have inspired me to keep pushing myself to even get out of bed some days.
I love your “this is now and this is fine”. All we ever have is now so we may as well be “fine” with it. However, as an ex alcoholic, in rehab they told me that “fine” for us was the acronym for “Fearful, Insecure, Neurotic & Emotional”. So I’ve been using the word “OK” for the last 29 1/2 years. 😉
Whatever works and gets us thru our daily moment to moments is now ok, or ‘fine’ by me!
FINE… Finding Interesting New Energy
🤗🫶🏼
😊 Hurrah! I get soooo much inspiration from Substack. I’m not able to read as much on here as I used to, but I’m getting back to it slowly, I hope.
Your FINE acronym is so interesting - and I love that you’ve got an alternative for the word. Hugs, Gail! x
I just read your “old Gold” post this morning. At first I wasn’t going to but so glad I did and was thrilled to see you gave me an honorable mention at the end, along with your original craftermath essay. Love that post! Thank you again! 🤗🫶🏼
Oh Gail! Thank you for reading it again - I’m really glad you did! I was so proud to link to your gorgeous post - I’m so happy that one of mine had inspired you! I really appreciate you! 😘
I love this!!! I always love my pallet mess to see what things I can see in them— like cloud scrying. Your craftermath looks like a telescope pic of planets and outer space! So beautiful!
Thank you Jamie, that’s why I also save my brayer roll offs from Gelli printing for collage.
It does look like an inter planetary convention! LOL!
Love the artwork Gail!!! Hope your health issues resolve soon.
I am well on my way. Or I could say, I am on my way quite well thank you! 🤗
I enjoyed seeing your artistic process, Gail! Totally awesome! Happy thinking of you up in Maine, being creative!! Sending you abundant blessings! xoxo Susan
Thank you Susan,
It felt good to “get back in the saddle” after so much time away.
I’m finally getting around to painting my Scotland “sheep in the pasture” scene! The green is there, now I just need to find my white out! LOL!
Great job on every one of the paintings Gail . I won't say anything about the start of the post except we all goof up at times , I am happy you are working through it . Looking at the paintings you shared , you improved on every one .I really love the Circles Ensquared ones . It reminds me of different planets yet to be found . Great job and welcome back . Hugs and peace to you
Thank you! I may be posting more on my art journey as I “sit at my own feet” in my quiet studio during this self care hibernation period.
I hope you do post more on your art journey , Gail . No sitting on feet , yet we all need some hibernation now . hugs and peace
Sitting quietly is something I keep trying -- and not succeeding -- to do, Gail. I love the yoga classes I have access to at the local Y, and I'm not at all averse to meditating or journaling or any other practice that brings me to more mindful focus. My problem is that I don't make the time for enough of it. I'll keep at it in 2025. I'm sure I will need it more than ever starting tomorrow. 😫
The artwork you've shared here is WONDERFUL!
My form of sitting quietly is looking out my studio window at what’s going on under the bird feeders. But being that I am of the ectomorphic body type, I have always been the kind of person that as soon as my feet hit the floor I’m in motion.
I started a yoga program on line in 2017. 19 days later I was rear ended while parked in the breakdown lane on a 2 lane country road. We were the only two cars on the road. Geez. I attributed the fact I only had a mild concussion, (8staples in back of my head) a fractured left rib and some bruised intercostals on the right side to that 19 day yoga practice— and the fact I am always in motion. Two days later I was outside pruning a small, snow flowering weeping cherry tree. (have a high pain threshold.)
In Early Nov of late 2022, I had an invasive surgery on my lower left ureter tube to cut away some offending tumors that kept growing back. The following month before my doc at Mass-General had a chance to take out the ureter stent, I tripped over my own damn feet trying to get to the bathroom to pee, and broke my right hip. Shit. I was 70 yo.
I wrote about these journeys on my substack. I spent most all of 2023 in recover mode. Lots of walking and lots of homework exercises from PT. OH, and I had a Tree Frog as a support therapy pet! Her name was “Freida” and I wrote about her along with pics on my substack also.
I had lots of fodder to write about during my “sitting quiet down time” to start a Substack and write posts.
By last spring of 2024 I was hellbent on getting back to gardening and did so with a vengeance! LOL! But I slacked off on my writing. So now, winter being in full swing, and no more “support pets”, I’m always on the lookout for “writing about what’s next”. So with the advent of “Notes” on substack, which I’m still maneuvering my way thru and around, I’ve been able to read about and meet new friends like you with similar interests and backgrounds. I am so done with hearing things, or reading about that trumpasaurus!
I stopped watching TV during the OJ Simpson trials, so I sure as hell can quit tuning into what passes for news these days too.
Sorry I got off on a tangent, I just wanted to say that I am now doing home “Essentrics” classes from a post I joined online. I really like them so far. They target your age group, and I get a little bit of cardio, Tai Chi, yoga, and I even break a bit of a sweat upon occasion. So I personally feel there are other ways to “Meditate” or be still without doing the closed eyes and Ooooooommmm thing. I apologize again, my but I can get a little long winded. “Back in the day”… I had quite a few pen pals—remember them, or am I really that much older than dirt? 🤭
I hear and appreciate your version of quiet, Gail, and now that you mention it, that is something I very much enjoy, too. Maybe what's needed is for me to acknowledge what I do rather than what I *don't* do!
I am so sorry to learn of your various health challenges. That car accident must have been horrible, but I'm glad you were up and at it so soon after.
I remember reading about Freida and the lovely little set-up you created for her. You are a true helper!
It will be good to have a community of like-minded people as we move into the next four years. Thanks for being among them!
Thank you Elizabeth,
So glad you got to meet Freida!
The car accident was interesting in that I saw the car coming in my rear view, but I never felt the hit, never heard it and didn’t see the impact. So grateful for guardian Angels to have taken me out of my body and put me back after I was in the ambulance.
Do you still have chickens? I’m thinking of getting more this year. A small flock! Oh sure! 🤭