Gifted Gifting

Here is a little slice of my life for yall.

My indulgence for myself this month was 2 books on the PNW, the setting of most of my (full length) stories. A book about the flora and fauna and the geology of the area. The other was an adult coloring book of the same.

Do you know they don't have fireflies as we know them throughout that region? I'm so glad I researched that before I included them in a pastoral scene! I really was looking to see when they appear there, being that region is north of me, and happily saved myself from an inaccuracy. (So happy!)

Anyway, it made me think since so many of my stories are in that setting, I needed a good reference book at hand. (Google leads me down too many rabbit holes.)
I thought the coloring book would help me become more familiar with the wildlife especially if I use the pictures in the other book as guidelines. Easier for descriptions and environments and other details.

So, I ordered the books.

Now, you may know I have a granddaughter.
This beautiful child (while I can still get away with calling her that-- she's about to turn 15.) If you've followed this blog, or looked at many of my pictures on Facebook, you have seen this child's work.
She is as gifted in her art as I am in mine (I say modestly)
Her art is not the same as mine.
I draw my scenes with words.



She actually draws her scenes.

For a long time now, she has mostly drawn people. Anime to start. Actually it was Sponge Bob to start, almost as soon as she could walk and talk, and hold a pencil, pen, crayon, or chalk. But she has advanced past sponge bob, and even passed beginner's anime.

She drew a couple pictures of her mother, from photographs. So lovely.

She has tried landscapes.

She can't help what colors and lines flow from her fingertips any more than I can do more than direct the barrage of words that flow through mine.


She was with me this weekend, and I showed her my coloring book, and while looking through it she seems to have fallen in love with the pictures. You could almost see her mind adding in the colors -- with her alcohol based markers, specifically. So she instantly knew the medium she'd use, and was applying colors as I arrange words at such times.

It's not often our gifts arrange themselves in such harmonious fashion., and those times will become even more rare as we both age.

Perhaps someday she will illustrate my books.
Or create backdrops or CGI images for productions of said books.
What a nice family connection that would be for future generations.

So
Happy Birthday (early) Hailey, and ENJOY.
Enjoy using your Gift with my gift to you.




And I'm gonna buy another coloring book.

Hailey's thought

Warren came toddling across the living room with a jar of baby food in one hand, a spoon in the other, and a big grin on his face.
"Mammaw, I think he's hungry."

Hailey opened her eyes this morning, saw the sun shining in the windows and said "Mammaw, outside is back."

pappaw's tv

Warren came into the house, saw Rex's tv on the floor, walked over to it, hugged it, and said "Mine."

broken Hair

Warren cracks me up. Trying to get him to go to sleep, and he's running out of excuses. So he comes up with his hair is broken.
Told him it would be better in the morning.
In a dead serious voice he tells me " My hair is BROKEN. I need a doctor."

Too green

Storm woke Hailey at daybreak. After a lot of "whatzat? Whatzat? Whatzat?" she decided waking up that early meant she needed juice. Thank goodness Tracy had made koolaid after we went to bed, so I got her some
A few minutes later, she came to me and said, "Mammaw, I can't drink that. It's too green."

rough play with Josh.

Comment on a facebook post:

Josh O'Toole

I always remember one time I didn't want to play a big rough game and I thought I would make a big joke by making a "Roots" reference, saying that we would play a game called "Toby" - I told the girls you played by I would hit you and throw you and pummel you and keep asking what your name was and I wouldn't stop hitting you until you told me your name was 'Toby' - the only rule of the game was, you were not allowed to tell me your name was Toby.
Tammy immediately said "I don't want to play."
Tracy said "Well, just don't hit me too hard, ok?"

Missing Your Kids.

     I'm really missing your kids right now, kiddo.

Haven't seen or talked to them since Thanksgiving. They didn't even call me or text me to say Happy Birthday. (Christmas was sad, and they hadn't called me then, either, but there's no grudge there. I'm the one who had to cancel at the last minute.)Between the weather, my health, and my car's condition, I just haven't been able to get there. Seems like I'm farther away now than when you were in Georgetown and we were in Winchester.

    There's no "we" anywhere now for me, not in Winchester, not in Bethel, not in our 'hub' of Mt. Orab. Tracy's miles away (good for her; I'm proud), and you and your daddy are gone. 

    I miss you, but this last few months I've finally begun adjusting to that. It's been a long hard pull, almost three years, but maybe I'm finally getting on. I guess I hope so, anyway. 

    It's those strange weeks between my birthday and yours,(also known as February) with Valentine's Day smack in the middle. That's always been a pleasant time for us, although I can't say anything specific that we've regularly done or shared. It's just that somehow, the month of February, at least right now, seems like the time we have usually been closest, as a matter of routine. 

    That probably doesn't make much sense, because it's really hard to explain. Mostly because I don't understand it myself. Maybe because it's one of those delusions that sneak up when one is bereaved. I don't know.

    I miss you, but I know there's nothing to be done about that, except cherish memories and share photographs, I suppose.

    And try to see your kids. I want to hear them and hug them so badly.  Hopefully soon I'll be well enough and it will be warm and dry enough for me to make the drive.

    In the meantime, you know if no one else does how often and how yearningly I think of them. 

And you.   

Be happy, my dear, wherever you are, in whatever form your energy is in.

I love you and miss you still.