The Count and I....

When Caleb was only about 18 months old, like most little ones that age, he loved to watch Sesame Street. Each day there was a number of the day and a letter sponsor. We started watching because of his attraction to the adorable little red toddler, Elmo. But soon, Caleb began to recognize his numbers thanks to the feisty "Count" who made learning numbers fun. He looked forward to the lively sessions in which The Count would take him on a musical number encounter.

Sometimes The Count would do a dance that was choreographed to a catchy tune that included the lyrics "doing the batty bat"... Scooping Caleb up in my arms, I would bounce/dance him around the room in at a waltz-like tempo keeping time with the music. Laughing all the while, we did this dance each time The Count did the "batty bat" and we would count our way through the numbers one through fifteen each time.

When it was time for a commercial break, the segue was "this portion of Sesame Street is brought you you by the letter ___ and the number ___." Yet one more opportunity for Caleb to have numbers and letters reinforced. Yet one more opportunity for me to laugh and smile with genuine joy as I watched my precious babe.

Today, as I was counting the number of days until I leave for Tennessee (and Caleb) I arrived at the number six and from somewhere in my memory bank, a flashback of Caleb and me waltzing around the living room to The Count singing his number song and the two of us "doing the batty bat". All day I have had an echo in my head: "The number of the day is 6." And another echo: "This portion is brought to you by the letter "T" (that would be "T" for Tennessee!!!)

Tomorrow it will be the letter "P" for Pack and the number of the day will be 5. There's precious little of that left to be done, actually. But every time I turn around I think of something else that I want to be sure to take with me.

Monday's sponsor is the letter "R" for remembering the awful day five years ago when our whole world changed right about the time Sesame Street was airing on PBS. Even the huge amount of joy I am feeling about the upcoming new life I am mapping out for myself cannot overshadow the deeply emotional feelings each time 9/11 comes to mind. Monday's number of the day will be 4 - for the 4seasons that beckon me.

Tuesday's number of the day will be 3 and the letter sponsor will be "F" for friends who want to have one last cup of coffee or say goodbye.

Wednesday will bring with it the number 2. Two more day until I am Tennessee bound! And Wednesday will be sponsored by the letter "G" as in "Getting ready to GO" - GO to Tennessee!

Thursday, I will be mentally waltzing around the room with the number "1" and the letter "C." "C" for Caleb - I will be on my way soon, dear little one! MY little ONE and only ONE more day until I start my trip to be near you once again.

With Friday, the letter of the day has no choice but to be "J" for the sheer joy that has been bubbling up from the very bottom of my heart as I have prepared for the day. And, the number ZERO will lead me to my new life!

With each day full of anticipation, I am amazed that the memories of Caleb, The Count and Me came rushing back with such strength today... But I am oh so glad that they did. It seems rather fitting actually. Caleb is one of the reasons I chose Tennessee as my destination. Caleb is the reason for so much joy in my life. Tennessee promises freedom, joy and Caleb... in just six more days!

Teapot Tales

When I used my teapot collection as the basis for a story in my Story Circle Network writing e-circle, several of my writing sisters suggested that I consider writing the stories of specific teapots in my collection.
After their suggestions, I went so far as to assign names to some of them (and am still working on names for others) Teapot Rose, Teapot Grace and Teapot Belle are all here with you as you read this entry - as are some of the yet to be named teapots.

My pending move to Tennessee seems like the perfect time to act on those suggestions and begin the teapot tales in earnest. Why now? Well... As I mentioned in a previous post, I am not taking all of my belongings with me on the first pass. Some of my belongings are staying behind for now. Some are going to be packed and sent to me. Some will be packed safely for my daughter to keep til she comes up to visit later this fall.

Because I am heading directly into autumn, I feel fairly certain that I will have plenty of opportunities to steep a nice pot of tea and enjoy it in the cool night air. What better way to do so than with one of the teapots from my collection? And, of course, what better vessel for enjoying that tea than from one of my bone china tea cups - of equally sentimental value?

But how to decide which one will go and which ones will stay behind? Now that is a tricky question! It's like asking a mother which one of her kids she wants to take along if she had to choose. Her natural instinct is to want to take all of them - keep them close to her - protect them from others who might not care for them in the same loving way she would. But, in the case of my teapots, it just isn't practical to take them all with me.

Afterall, I am not going to be settling into one place and staying there for more than three or six months just now. And, I certainly know that the more times I pack and unpack those china teapots, the more chances there are for breakage or loss.
And so, it seems as though I find myself standing in front of my teapot collection on a daily basis. Remembering how each of them came into my life. Pondering what their beauty brings to my soul and my kitchen. And reflecting on times shared with others in the enjoyment of each teapot. How to choose? Perhaps letting their stories guide me to the selection will also result in the creation of the teapot tales... I'd like to think so!

Some days it seems that a few of them are shrinking back into the recesses of their display... hiding... not wanting to be wrapped in old newsprint any more... not wanting to be uprooted from the comfortable nitch they have found for themselves. While others seem to be shouting "pick me! pick me!"

My days here in Florida are numbered. ELEVEN to be exact! During the next few of those eleven days, I need to listen carefully to what each of those teapots is telling me. I need to choose wisely so that I can spend those "honeymoon days" of time in Tennessee with the one that will bring me enough comfort to last til I can have the whole collection with me once again.
And, I need to jot down a few notes so that I can continue with the teapot tales once I am at liberty to while away my days and nights entertaining my muse - with tea of course! (Stay tuned for the teapot tales as they unfold to my muse and she whispers them in my ear on the cool autumn nights!)

Cabin Fever

It happens every year about this time - the Florida version of cabin fever. For the most part, I have always attributed it to the fact that, by September, it has been three months or more since it was pleasant enough to have the windows open. Fresh air seems like a figment of my imagination by this time of year here. The stale air of air conditioning is a way of life. And the outside air at nearly 100% humidity most days is so thick that it is beyond oppressive.

This year it's different, however. This year, it is just as hot and humid. The long stretch of closed windows and air conditioned rooms is real. But, this year, I am on the verge of escaping this September cabin fever and my tolerance is tempered by knowing that in a matter of two weeks I will be in Tennessee.

I searched on line today and discovered that it is only in the mid-70's in Kingsport these days. More importantly, I read that the humidity is only in the 60-70% range and the temperatures reportedly are dipping into the 50's at night. I can almost feel the air blowing through open windows, a feel of freshness to the air and nighttime temps that are ripe for "good sleeping weather."

I'm in the process of packing to make the move. And, since this is the first step in the process of creating a new life, I am limited as to just how much I can / should take with me this time. Some things will need to stay behind permanently. Others can be sent to me later. For right now, the essentials and a few things to help me create my own sacred and creative spaces (and of course my two kitties) are about all that are going to fit in my car.

As I sorted through my clothing, I realized that I was choosing some items to take based on the fact that I know the temperatures will be changing to the cooler fall weather soon. Other items were picked to stay behind because for the first time in nearly 30 years I found myself thinking that I won't be needing sandals and white clothing because it is after Labor Day! Honestly!

When I first moved to Florida, it took me a few years to shake that notion that my Gramm had so well ingrained in me as I was growing up in Pennsylvania. And once I got used to the idea that shorts, sleeveless tops, sandals and WHITE could be worn year-round it became second nature. But there was always the longing to wear sweaters, fall colors, and layers for fashion as well as comfort. I know that some will find this to be an odd sort of longing but from a 'fall gal at heart' it is as real as any longing I have ever felt.

In another month or so, I may be shivering under those fall clothing layers. But the one thing you won't find me doing is closing all the windows and throwing on some unnatural way of climate control. Nor will you find me complaining about the cooler weather. I look forward to it with all the enthusiasm of a child waiting for Christmas!

Of Weddings, Hurricanes, Contracts and Resignations

Alot can happen in ten days! Just ask me, I know!
That's about how long it's been since I last posted to creative4seasons. But, believe me, it was not for lack of desire to do so. Things are going at warp speed here all of a sudden. For so long I felt as though I was stuck in mud - well, maybe quicksand because I felt as though I was being pulled down, down, down. And now, in the matter of a few days, change is all around me.

Last Saturday (August 19th) my youngest daughter, Mandy married the love of her life - her Lee (Scott Lee Lewis) - the young man who has been by her side for eight years now... the father of Miss KelseyRose... one of my 'sons' for far longer than he has officially been married into the family.

They rented the upper deck of the Naples Princess for a sunset dinner cruise with the captain to marry them. A gutsy move for the middle of August which is also the middle of hurricane season. And, while they did have some rain, they didn't let the weather dampen their spirits. It was a delightful evening. Even the dolphins came out to wish them well. Several of them romped in the water, riding the wake created by the Naples Princess. A couple of them jumped up as if to wish the bride and groom a lifetime of happiness.

There is an old Florida wives' tale that says that if it rains on your wedding day it means good luck. And the Florida fishermen say that dolphins accompanying you on your journey mean safe passage and good luck.

So, I'd say that Mandy and her Lee have been dealt a double dose of good luck as they start their lives as husband and wife.

About the same time I was finishing up the final stages of contract negotiation for my job as a travel nurse. My contract with the agency and its client in Kingsport, TN officially begins on September 18th. That means I will be in TN before the leaves change and will get to enjoy fall like I have not been able to do in thirty years or so!

I have turned in my three-week notice and have already worked one of those three weeks. I have begun to make lists of things to do, people to contact, items to pack or discard, loose ends to tie up... there is no end to what my mind can wander to these days!

There's a new bounce in my step - a lightness of being. It is called contentment. It is called anticipation of changes that can be nothing but good. It is called taking care of ME for a change!

Even the threat of a visit from Hurricane Ernesto cannot dampen my spirit right now... Of course, if Ernesto decides that Southwest Florida is his intended destination I may change my tune. I had so hoped to be out of Hurricane Alley before a major storm came through the area. Now it appears as though that may not be the case. Time will tell. Hurricanes are fickle. Weather patterns are unpredictable. Mother Nature has a mind of her own.
And I have my sights set on Tennessee in the next two and a half weeks no matter what comes my way between now and then. As I said, alot can happen in a matter of days!

Tennessee Bound

Did you know that the fastest way to get to Tennessee is by cloud 9? Or so it seems to me this morning!



Yesterday I got a life-changing call. The call I have been dreaming of and wishing for for quite a while now...


"My new best friend Jim the Recruiter" called to say that the hospital in Kingsport TN has offered me the travel nurse position. Do I even need to tell you, my dear readers, what my answer was? Of course not! I said "Yes" - with barely a second thought! The answer was out of my mouth before I even had the time to really process what was happening.

Only after I hung up did I actually FEEL the impact of that phone call. Heart pounding out of my chest, joy rushing through my veins, mind racing with any number of thoughts, tears of happiness trying to surface. But wait! I was at work - at the job I am trying to put behind me.... Quickly, somehow or other, I put myself in check and carried on with "business as usual" But, believe me it was NOT easy!

I could barely contain myself. I wanted to open the window and announce it to the rest of the world "I'm going to TN soon!" But, I couldn't. I had to act like nothing had changed. And I have to continue to do so for another day or two at least. Until I get an actual start date, I cannot plan my departure from Florida. And until I know that, I cannot give my notice at my present job.

Do you think I am going to be able to cover up my joy? Doubtful. I am going to have to dig deep and find some of those acting skills I used in high school plays so many years ago... at least for the time being.

But, even while acting the part at work today, my feet will NOT be firmly planted on the ground - for I am floating on Cloud 9 and my heart is already in TN - because Caleb is already in TN.

When I stop to think that in a matter of a month or less I will be in the same state as (within an hour's drive from) Caleb AND be in a place that will allow me to experience Mother Nature's splendor this autumn it is almost more than I can stand! It seems too good to be true - but this time it IS true! Proof that dreams DO come true and that good things come to those who wait... And boy have I been dreaming and waiting! Now I am about to start living - like I have never lived before! I hope you'll share in that life with me! Stay tuned for the next chapter in my new story.


** Can you find Kingsport on the map above? Right up there on the northeastern state line... right near Virginia... "Nestled in the Great Smoky and Appalachian Mtns" that's what the website had to say about it... And so, I am about to be nestled in those mountains as well! I can't wait!

Dominoes - Part 2

If you have been reading my blog entries, you'll recall one titled "Dominoes." It addressed the steps in the process to getting myself to Tennessee and a new life...

Well, as of yesterday a couple more dominoes have tumbled down - slowly but surely we are whittling away at all of them and before you know it, the game will end and I will have won!

Tuesday, I gained a "new best bud" in the form of a recruiter (Jim) at one of the travel agencies. He offered me the opportunity to interview at two locations in Eastern Tennessee - "nestled in between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains" Now, doesn't that just sound like the greatest location for someone who is wanting to experience nature and the 4 seasons?!

The "official" Tennessee nursing license arrived in the mail Wednesday. Now, I am 100% legal. I can practice as an RN in Tennessee until April 30, 2009 at which time I can continue to do so as long as I renew the license. No more waiting for the TN State Board of Nursing to process any paperwork. It has all been processed and I am holding onto the most precious paper of all.

Then, yesterday (Thursday) afternoon I received a phone call from one of the nurse managers in a hospital in Kingsport TN. She and I spoke briefly. We are to talk again today at which time we will both decide if a position on her unit is a good fit. She is from one of the hospitals the "Recruiter Jim - my new best bud" referred to when we spoke previously.

And, today (Friday) I had a followup with my oncologist who has given me the "all clear" to go from a health standpoint. The latest PET Scan is stable. The bloodwork is normal and best of all there is no evidence of disease ("NED" in medical jargon)... So, NED means no MEL (melanoma in Lee's jargon) and with NED but no MEL to hold me back I am "ready for take-off."

And just a moment ago, as I was typing this entry, my phone rang. Expecting it to be the nurse manager from Kingsport I was disappointed (but only for a moment) to NOT hear a distinctly southern accent. The caller was another recruiter from another travel company. She now has a position in Knoxville that she would like me to interview for if I have not yet taken a position elsewhere!

Two weeks ago, they were acting like I was too old and too far removed from acute care nursing to even give me the time of day. But all of a sudden things are moving along at nearly warp speed. Just one more reason to believe that this plan is absolutely the right thing to be doing right now! Synchronicity is alive and well and is pulling me towards Tennessee.

Choo-choo me home...

Just like the people standing on Lookout Mountain in TN, I have been standing on the spot that allows me to look out and see new horizons in all directions. They say that from atop Lookout Mountain a person can see seven states. I hope to one day soon be able to write an entry for this blog that will attest to that fact - and showcase a few of my own images from what I imagine to be a most spiritual spot on this earth.

But for now, I have been passing my days looking out from my own pinnacle - waiting for the moment when I know that my views are no longer dreams but realities. In every direction, I see signs that the plan to move to TN is the right plan. In my dreams I see the seasons changing and the creativity abounding. In my most precious dreams - the ones I savor each day and wish to relive each night, I see Caleb and I exploring the place I plan to call home soon. Today, some of the dreaming can come to a halt and real life can take over... I have been waiting for an all-important piece of mail that will give me the signal to put all those dreams and hopes into actions NOW!

The envelope arrived today! The prize that I have been waiting for! Opening that envelope was better than being told I'd won the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes! Its contents are more precious to me than a million dollar prize...

It's official. I am now the proud recipient of a Tennessee Board of Nursing Permit allowing me to practice as an RN in Tennessee! YES!!

When I saw the return address on the ordinary business envelope I found myself holding my breath. After so many starts and stops and "hurry up and wait" sessions, I fully expected to find yet one more bit of unfinished business that I needed to attend to before they could consider granting me the permit.

For a moment, as I slowly opened the envelope, a mix of emotions surged through my veins. The emotions were not totally unfamiliar - they were just ones that I hadn't experienced in a very long time - over 30 years to be exact. Once I had the envelope open and the contents were in my hand, I realized that I was reliving the same feelings I had the day my first nursing license arrived. The day I officially became an RN and could start to fulfill the dream that had been mine for so long.

And now, more than 30 years later, here I am, opening an envelope that holds the opportunity to start yet another new life that will allow me to fulfill my most passionate dream yet: The dream to live once again where there are 4seasons...the dream to live a creative life and be healthy and happy in the process...the dream to live closer to Caleb once again.

I probably stared at that permit letter for a good ten minutes or more. Carefully reading every word for a second, third and fourth time - just to be sure I really was now permitted to be an RN in Tennessee... Making sure I didn't misinterpret something. But, sure enough - No catches this time. I am "IN"!

Now I can work at securing a job and a new address - one that will have me seeing the turning leaves of autumn and the first winter snowfall I've experienced in a terribly long long time.

As I flitted around the house - and that is what it was - flitting! I don't remember feeling this light and care-free in quite some time...
As I flitted around the house, a tune started running through my head. I can't shake it... "Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo-Choo?"

Now, I don't intend to get to Tennessee by train... and at this point, there is no telling which town or city I will call home next - perhaps Chattanooga, perhaps somewhere else in Tennessee... but for now, I close my eyes and I see the fantasy of the Chattanooga Choo-choo springing to life in my mind's eye. I see it (me) as the little engine that could. I see it (me) crossing through the same area where families fought for opposing sides in the Civil War. I see it (me) winning the battles of my own sort of civil war by standing up for myself, for being who I am and not apologizing for that. I see it (me) marking progress toward the state of Tennessee by the cities and towns that dot the map between here and there... I see my "train station" - the place I will embark on a new life - as a place to shed tears of joy and to announce that I am finally home...

"Chattanooga Choo-Choo won't you choo-choo me home...."

Rosie, Gramm and Me

For as far back as I can remember first hearing of "Rosie the Riveter" I was fascinated by her. That feisty look in her eye. The bold stance and that "can-do-attitude" of hers intrigued me.

The American icon for women in the workplace, and eventually the femininst movement, Rosie has a special meaning to those who happen to have their very own "Rosie the Riveter" in the family. Rosies were the women who did a man's job while the men were off to war during WWII. Across the country, factories turned out munitions thanks to the tireless efforts of American women in the workforce.

Despite my fascination with "Rosie" it never dawned on me that I grew up in the midst of one such Rosie. Not more than a few years ago, I was telling my mother about some kitchen linens that I had purchased in the Rosie the Riveter theme. Upon hearing this, Mom announced "Your Gramm was one of the Rosies, you know."

"No Mom, I didn't know." Gramm was a very private woman in that respect. For all the years that I was growing up and visiting my beloved Gramm, I only knew her to be a homemaker - a very good one at that. I had no idea she ever worked outside the home and I certainly had no clue that she had helped in the war efforts by doing night work at the Army Depot that was at the far end of my childhood town.

I credit Gramm with much of what I know about homemaking, practically all I know about cooking and baking, and every last bit of what I know about being a good grandmother to my own grands. She was a wonderful Gramm - I loved spending time with her. My playtime was actually love time and learning time - I just didn't know it while it was happening.

I am not much like my mother but I am a lot like her mother - my Gramm. From my love of cooking and baking, to my enjoyment of African Violets on the kitchen window sill and especially in my passion for being a grandma the kids will love to spend time with as they grow older, I am my Gramm.

Now that I know of her work as a Rosie the Riveter, I see that she and I share yet one more trait. That "can-do-attitude" of Rosie's. It was Gramm's attitude too. She was a simple woman who loved the simple joys in life and knew deep within her being how to make the most of life no matter what hand she was dealt.

The Rosie trait skipped a generation. My mom doesn't possess it... or at least I am not aware of it. She is not the "can-do-gal" that I am. And obviously she is not the can-do-gal that Gramm was. But, I am ever so thankful for the fact that Rosie's attitudes rested deep within me!

Without Rosie's traits, it is possible I would never have been able to face some of the obstacles that have been thrown in my path. Rosie's can-do-attitude was surely there when I fought to go to nursing school against my parents' wishes. Her attitude was there when I announced that I was moving out of Pennsylvania back in the early '70's. And it was definitely what saved my life when I decided that I could make it own my own as a single mom of three young girls - but that I couldn't survive if I stayed in the abusive relationship. Throughout the years, Rosie's self-confidence and empowering message have woven a thread through my very core.

It is Rosie's attitude that has helped me deal with the recurrent melanoma and find a reason to go on. It is Rosie's attitude that gave me the necessary strength to face raising my premature grandson, Caleb for the first four and a half years of his life. And Rosie absolutely must have been there when I mustered up the courage to hand him over to his birth father when the courts sided with him instead of me.

And now, as I prepare to start a whole new life as a woman in mid-life, I find that Rosie's strength, can-do-attitude and empowering images buoy me up when the roadblocks appear and they greet me on the other side of the roadblock when I have turned that power into action to move forward.

Rosie will be my companion as I venture into the land of 4seasons - I have no fear or doubt. With Rosie (and my Gramm's spirit) to guide me, I know that my future life is destined to be "the time of my life" - or is it "the time of my living" ?

Thanks Gramm!
Thanks Rosie!

Dominoes

Monday's mail finally brought the nursing school transcript I've been waiting for! That was the last hold out for the State Board of Nursing in TN -
I do believe. Now they have all that they need (and probably more) to verify that I am, indeed, an RN who has been practicing as such for over thirty years. Once they deem me worthy - ummm - qualified, I should be on my way to TN!

I need to have their "temporary permit" in hand before I can negotiate for a job...

I need a job before I can negotiate a start date...

I need a start date before I can negotiate a resignation date from my current job...

I need a resignation date before I can negotiate a moving date....

One thing depends on the next but at last I feel as though the dominoes have been put in motion and it is just a matter of time before they all come tumbling down!

Seems like it is time to start turning my attention to things like packing up non-essentials, down-sizing, etc.

I'm already excited about the prospects of the new life that awaits me in the land of 4 seasons! Imagine how much more excited I am going to be once all of those negotiations have taken place and the dominoes have all toppled!

Check back often for the status of this all-important domino game that is my life and my future!

What Took You So Long, Girls?

Maggie and Callee have been my little feline companions for quite some time now. Each has a unique personality and temperment. Each is precious to me in their own way. But neither one has been very tolerant of the other... until today.

Maggie, a long haired domestic cat, was a little feral kitten when I brought her home. Those first few days had me thinking that I had made a huge mistake... That there was no taming of a feral cat...That I would have to make a decision between keeping a cat who didn't want to be near people or letting her go back into the wild (or give her to the animal shelter where she was sure to meet her demise as a feral cat).

But, after a few days of patience and hopefulness, Maggie climbed up into my lap and wormed her way into my heart. She has been the best little lap kitty I have ever owned. Her six years with me have been bliss for both of us! Short for Magpie, Maggie is appropriately named because she chatters constantly. Her role in my creative life is that of "My Kitty Muse"
When typing at the keyboard, Maggie is there to observe and keep me company. When searching for just the right images to create a SoulCollage card or do some altered book project, Maggie delights in being in the center of the papers, ribbons, and other colorful arts and crafts materials.

Callee (a combination of my name and that of my grandson, Caleb's and my pen name when I choose not to write as myself) was a gift when I was recouperating from the second surgery for melanoma - October 2004.

She had been found wandering the streets when she was barely old enough to be away from her mother. After a brief stay at the Emergency Pet Hospital where my daughter Mandy works, she was declared healthy and ready for a new home. Mandy thought perhaps the little siamese kitten was just the pick-me-up I needed at a very difficult time. Mandy was right - but Maggie didn't agree!

For nearly two years, the two cats have tolerated one another - barely. They share the same home and the same human mom but that has been the extent of their willingness to be 'together' -- until today! I happened upon a very unusal and delightful sight just a bit ago and was fortunate enough to grab a shot of it before they change their minds about this thing called togetherness.

Here they are, curled up on top of the recliner -- not bothered by their close proximity for the first time ever! I didn't think I'd ever see them this close unless they were wrestling or hissing at one another.

Maybe the lazy rainy day has them feeling as mellow as I feel. Maybe the fact that I have been playing music and doing all manner of creative work today has added an air of contentment to the house. Perhaps they have finally figured out what I have tried to teach them all along -- They really are fine together. They each are sweet in their own way. They both mean the world to me. And, it is okay to curl up and be lazy together. That's what rainy Saturdays were made for afterall!

Snail Mail

Snail mail is alive and well ! If I had any doubt about that, this week's mail wiped all doubts away... Well, almost all ...

True, there is still one all-important piece of snail mail that eludes me. (The Tennessee State Board of Nursing License) But, after today, I have to believe that it won't be long before I hold that elusive envelope in my hands as well.

Over the past several months, the contents of my mailbox have become my lifeline... There are the individual packages from my altered book round robin friends. These packages hold the most marvelous gifts of personal art and inspiration...each book entrusted to the rest of the group AND to the postal service. Each time I post my own art work or that of my "sisters-in-altered-book- projects" I hold my breath. I can't rest comfortably until I receive word (via e-mail NOT snail mail) that the book has reached its next destination.

At the moment, I am waiting for two such altered book projects: the final one in this round robin which belongs to Susan who lives in Germany & my very own slated to come home after its trip around the world: Germany, France, and the U.S.

Then there are the myriad of "Swap-bot" mailings. I was recently introduced to Swap-bot by a new cyber friend who does SoulCollage cards. In responding to one of my SoulCollage posts, I found a link to her blog, visited it and saw an exciting opportunity to share some of my own craft bits and pieces and perhaps get some new/different items in return. The swap process has offered a previously untapped resource for supplies for my various altered and collage art projects. Each day is an adventure in the mailbox when I am in the midst of another great swap! Postcards from around the world, plastic bottles filled with various and sundry "stuff" for creative projects, envelopes filled with ribbons/trims/papers .. you name it, there's a swap for it. And, in most cases, the only cost is a bit of time and the price of a stamp! What a bargain and so much fun!!

An unexpected card or note from one of my two dear friends, AnnMarie and Judy, always manages to brighten my day. They seem to somehow know just when I need to find them waiting in my mailbox! Sometimes I chuckle because their mail arrives just about the time they should be receiving a similar item from me. We are so in tune with the rhythm of life - but then, that's what soul sisters are all about, right?

But the prize this week was the letter from Caleb. My dear sweet grandson (who is turning SIX on the 27th of this month) moved to TN about six weeks ago. It has been a very L-O-N-G six weeks! It seems like an eternity since I last snuggled up with him on the couch to read a book. And even longer since I was able to hug him while telling him how much I love him.

My emotions rode the proverbial rollercoaster when I saw an envelope bearing his return address earlier this week. I was elated. Tearing open the envelope, I couldn't wait to read the contents. And, as anyone who knows me will attest, in true form, as I read his sweet little letter, I was moved to tears. Grandmas are like that, you know - we cry for all sorts of things both happy and sad. This was one of those times when the tears were bittersweet. I was thrilled to get a letter from him. I was touched by the sweetness and innocence of his words. I was saddened by the geographical distance that separates us right now. I was up and then I was down and then I was up again... All over the map as they say!

Chasing down the hall, I couldn't wait to share the letter with anyone who would take the time to read it and share in my joy. Secretly, I counted the days that it has been since Caleb and I were together... and the years that I was with him all the time... and weighed the enormity of the hole in my heart that has been created by his move.

Then, in the next breath, I reminded myself that I am working toward an eventual move to be closer to him and to be in the midst of Mother Nature in all of her glory each of the four seasons.

After raising Caleb for the first four and a half years of his now six year life, it is hard to be so far away from him. But, after raising him for all that time, it is also very comforting to know that he and I share a very special bond that no time or distance can erase.

I am thrilled that he and I can continue to stay connected - whether it be in the form of email, snail mail or phone calls until we are once again in the same location. And, in the meantime, I will continue to go to my mailbox in hopeful anticipation of another reason to smile and laugh and cry all in the same breath.

Passions Breed Other Passions...

If someone had told me that becoming a writer or a mixed medium artist would alter the way I saw and experienced reading and art, I would have laughed at the thought! And if I had been told that, in fact, I would experience my whole world through a new set of eyes and ears, I know I would have dismissed the idea in no time at all.

But... 'tis true indeed! When I began writing in earnest, I discovered that I was still a voracious reader. But, my choice of reading materials has changed. And worse(or perhaps it's better?), my "writer's eyes and ears" are in overdrive throughout most of my reading experiences. I search for voice and place in each book. With little to no effort, I find myself picking up on errors in syntax, grammar and spelling.

Likewise, my favorite "public pasttime" of people-watching took on new meaning once I began writing. I listen to the way people communicate with one another. I watch body language. I memorize physical characteristics and mannerisms... All in an effort to become an observer of the obvious and the subtle differences in people -- so that my characters will one day be real... alive... vibrant.

A walk in the park or along the beach is a delight for the five senses ... I find gifts of Mother Nature that lend themselves to my art. I see, hear, smell and feel things that weave their way into my stories: the feel of the ocean breeze, the smell of spring rain, the shrill cry of the gulls, the colors of the rainbow. Life is more alive and every ounce of me is aware of that as I walk. No matter how many times I walk the same path, each time is a new experience that holds the potential for more story lines or artistic renderings.

When I became involved in creating SoulCollage cards and doing altered books, my artistic eye changed from an admirer to a "dreamer and a do-er". A trip to the craft store for one item now finds me always alert to new items or concepts that might be tried in one of my altered books. A stroll through the fabric store has me spending most of my time admiring and/or choosing unique ribbons or buttons for embellishment of my art.

Visits to the used book stores now become adventures for not only reading but for art use as well. My grandmother would shudder at the thought of my altered book activites. "Books are our friends." "We never ever turn down the corner of a book or write in a book." How many times did I hear those comments as I was growing up? Now, I look for books to turn into works of art. But, let me say right here and now that I do not take books that have value and life in them and destroy them... I rescue books that are doomed for the dumpster and revive them! So, Gramm can rest in peace and I can do my art in peace and the world is a happier place for it!

And forget EVER viewing a magazine in the same fashion ever again! Now, as I read a journal or magazine, I do so once for the content that is of interest to me. But that experience is only a prelude to the time I spend reviewing the images in the magazines -- looking for the one or two that seem to jump off the page. Sometimes they speak to me immediately and I know exactly what I am to do with them. Sometimes, they capture my attention or my imagination and I have no earthly idea how or when they will come in handy. All I know is that I cannot let them go by the wayside. Who could have guessed that I would one day find it necessary to have a pair of scissors handy each time I sat down with a magazine? Certainly not I!

Today a friend asked me if all of this doesn't make my passions less enjoyable to me now. I guess she was thinking that these changes in how I approach life make what I love more like work and less like play. But, that is the farthest thing from the truth. In fact, the way I approach the books I read, the art I do, the trips to the art and fabric stores has made each of these more enjoyable ... more enriching... and best of all, it has opened up that creative spot in my soul that is a thirsty sponge waiting to soak up every ounce of creativity that comes its way. Maybe that is what passion is all about. I'd like to think so.

Summer Reading Comes Full Circle

It's no secret to those who know me - I love to read! Most times, I have at least two or three books going at the same time. Sometimes, however, I find that a book is so engaging I simply must lend all of my available reading time to that one 'great read'.

I have just experienced one such 'great read' - "Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee" by Charles J. Shields. Who among us has not read "To Kill a Mockingbird" as an assigned reading for school?

For me, "To Kill a Mockingbird" was one of those books I took out of our small town library one summer - long before it would become required reading. I read it all day under the big oak tree out back. When the sun set and 'lights out' was imposed, I continued to read it - under the covers by flashlight. But I always had one ear listening for the sound of a creak in the steps which would signal Daddy was on his way upstairs. That creak was my signal to (temporarily) turn the flashlight off and feign sleep until the coast was clear.

There are only a few books that I feel compelled to re-read multiple times. Charles Dickens' "Tale of Two Cities" runs a close second to "To Kill a Mockingbird." Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon" and Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "Gifts of the Sea" follow close behind the two classics.

I can't tell you the number of times I've read Harper Lee's classic. I've lost track. "To Kill a Mockingbird" is one of my all-time-favorite books! And, while I am not usually a fan of movies based on books, the movie version of Harper Lee's tale of life in a small Southern town ranks among my favorite movies as well.

This being said, it should come as no surprise that when I saw "Mockingbird" on the shelf, I couldn't resist. From the very first page, I was 'had'! Too bad if anyone or anything required my undivided attention while I was reading "Mockingbird"! That just wouldn't be happening because I did not want to pry myself away from the pages of this wonderful read.

It must have been an incredibly daunting task to undertake - the telling of Harper Lee's life. A task made even more daunting because she is still alive and did not participate in the telling of her story. I cannot imagine how great the desire to please and to "get it right" when crafting a book about someone's life. But I really cannot imagine doing so for a person who looms larger than life to many in the literary world!

Reading "Mockingbird" has not only left me in awe of the woman behind one of my favorite books of all time, it has conjured up a host of nostalgic memories of a childhood long gone. Reading it has sent me to the video store to search out the movie once again and caused me to pull my well-worn copy of Harper Lee's book down from the shelf so that I can re-read it. Doing so will no doubt bring another flood of childhood memories. But one thing's for sure! This time around I won't have to hide under the covers with a flashlight - but perhaps I will anyway! Just for the fun of it! Once more for old time's sake!

Just Once Before I Move

How many years have I lived in southwest Florida? Nearly 30! After such a long time, you'd think I would have seen and done all that I ever dreamed of doing here in the land of perpetual summer. But, now that I am thinking of relocating to a place with 4 seasons, I find that I can name quite a few places I've "always wanted to go but just never made time"...

There is the Big Cypress Gallery filled with the black & white photographs of Clyde Butcher - the Ansel Adams of the Florida Everglades. Finally, just over the July 4th weekend, I made time to go there. And believe me, I was ever so glad that I did! What I would have missed had I not made time to go see for myself what the books and website can only elude to in the way of exquisite photos of the Everglades wilderness. You can get a taste of his work by visiting his website at www.clydebutcher.com.

Then there are places that are a bit farther away but still within the driving distance: St Augustine and Weekie Wachee where the mermaids live - no lie! Oh! Let's not forget the Coral Castle in Miami or the butterfly garden in Ft. Lauderdale. One more trip to Disney's Epcot Center would be nice and I hear that the Cypress Gardens has changed completely since I was there back in the '70's.

When my friend Judy came to visit recently she remarked "How great it must be to live so close to the beach and the water!" I didn't have the heart to tell her that until June when I had two rounds of company I couldn't tell you the last time I walked on the beach at sunset.

It isn't that I don't like to do such things. No, far from it. I draw great peace and strength from the pull of the tides. It isn't even my melanoma that prevents me from feeling comfortable about daytime visits in the intense and harmful sun. It is more about working hard, going full tilt- all day, every day- and never taking the time for renewal. It's about believing (no matter how erroneous that belief is) that the beach and gulf are always going to be there and that I will have all the time in the world to go back "some other day."

Why is it that when we live in a place we begin to take its attractions and its natural beauty for granted? Maybe we just figure that we have all the time in the world to get there. Maybe we just never seem to be able to make time in our over-scheduled daytimers. Maybe we never truly appreciate what we have until we are on the verge of losing it.

Once a person has been through two bouts with a life threatening disease such as I have, you quickly reassess your views on what is important and what can wait. You learn that you should never put off til tomorrow ... and you realize that our time in any one place is temporary. For that reason alone, we should all make time in our busy schedules to be UNscheduled and to do the things that bring us joy and fill our souls with goodness.

One thing's for sure - for the rest of the time I live here in Florida - no matter how many or how few those days may be, I am going to do all of the things I said I would do when I first moved here all those years ago. When I get to the place where 4 seasons abound, I don't want to have any regrets about the list of places and sights I never made time to go see.

Embarking on another new adventure

Entering this first post to my new creative4seasons blog is yet one more new adventure for me. For some reason the idea of setting up and managing a blog was a bit intimidating. But, as my creative network expands, it seemed as though it was time for me to step up to the challenge.

And so, here I am with my own blog - a place that I hope will provide others with a window on my creative world. I hope that you enjoy what you will find here as the days, weeks and four seasons pass by. And, I hope that you will come back and visit often.