31 Day Blogging Challenge Day 7: Silent Saturday

see you tomorrow.

31 day Challenge Days 5 and 6

OOPS!!!!! I got busy yesterday and I forgot to Blog, Whoa is me.....  So I am combining day 5 and 6 today.  there are a few cool things to tell and show.

First.  I am taking some free online classes this year and made journals for two of the classes.  The first class is an online devotional that happens every January and is presented by Jeanne Oliver.  This is the third year that it has been offered and I have participated each year.

The devotional for this year is called Salt + Light: Impact the world right where you are.  It reminds me of a phrase I happen to love, Bloom Where You Are Planted.  Below is the cover I painted on my devotional book which is a Composition book

Devotional book

The second is a year long project called Come To The Fire: a year long art journaling journey to your sacred self.  Since I really want to spend more time journaling and doing art in my journals, this is a great opportunity.  This journal is also a composition book; however the cover is painted christmas wrapping that is then used to cover the book like we used to cover our school books. The ribbons are used as page dividers.  The cover for the journal for this class is below:

Art Journal

I have changed the ribbons for this book because I did not like the bulk.  I love painting composition books and taking a $1.00 dollar store find and making it beautiful.

Next good news......I have been EXTREMELY blessed.  How you might say?  Well I will tell you. I won two giveaways.  You know there are many giveaways on Facebook sponsored by artists as they advertise their classes and products.  So let me tell you what happened.

I signed up for the Strathmore Artist Paper giveaway in December.  I did not hear anything so I forgot about it.  Well, let me tell you. Yesterday I was checking out the Strathmore Facebook page because i was trying to find out when/if the yearly free classes would start.  As I scrolled the page I came across the post that said CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS.  I always comment and congratulate winners of giveaways.  So as I am reading the names I come across Glenda BH.  Oh my goodness that is me I thought Glenda Barber Hoagland.  Then I realized that this was announced around Dec. 20th.  Oops, I never saw the email (how many want to be the notices went to my junk folder and I cleaned them out).  Anyhoo, I started a blanket notifications to Strathmore asking if I was still eligible.  I was ok I had missed my opportunity.  Well this morning I got a response from Strathmore (in my junk mail) and I paid attention this time.  They said there were glad to hear from me and yes they were going to send me the Package.  I am so excited and happy about this.  I am going to do a show and tell post when the package arrives.

The other prize I wan is a class taught by my friend Tracy Verdugo.  Tracy has an online class called Paint Mojo and she had an end of year giveaway for 6 artists to win a place in the class.  There are three days of giveaways and I won on the first day.  Oh boy, I am so happy for this.  The class begins on January 20th and lasts for six weeks.  2017 surely is off to a great start,

see you tomorrow.

31 Day Blog Challenge Day 4: Agawa Canyon Snow Train

Agawa Canyon Snow Train

March 2003

I retired from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan in February of 2003 after 33 years.  It was an exciting time and I was thinking of things to do.  I had taken the Agawa Canyon Train during the summer of 2000 with my husband.  It was a very beautiful trip, but I wanted to try the snow train.  I looked it up and there was a weekend trip at the beginning of March.

The tour started with a drive from Detroit to Sault St. Marie, Ontario Canada.  On the way we stopped in Frankenmuth for Lunch and did some shopping.  I found a yarn shop and bought some beautiful yarn and some needles.  I figured I would spend the time on the ride knitting a scarf.  You see, I did not know a soul on this tour.  It was just something I wanted to do.

We arrived in Sault St. Marie in time for Dinner.  By the time we arrived I pretty much knew everyone on the bus, we laughed and talked.  Another tourist was knitting and we gabbed about yarn and patterns, it was fun.

Saturday we boarded the bust to go to the train Algoma Central Station.  The trip is 228 miles round trip.  During the summer you can de-train and walk trails for an hour.  Winter is much too cold and dangerous so you cannot de-train; however, the scenery is so beautiful it does not matter.

This was the second trip I took by myself and I just loved every minute.  I say little bunny prints in the snow, a train trellis covered in show with the train chugging along, families laughing and enjoying a really good lunch; guides giving us a complete history of the area and the train.

This tour was a retirement present to myself and I still smile at the wonderful memories.

see you tomorrow

31 day Blog Challenge: Day 3 the trip that started it all

Washington DC

My husband Donald died in January 2001.  It was very sudden and a shock to the system.  We had spent years traveling to Toronto, Tennessee, and on various Caribbean Cruises.  In fact we had plans to go to Hilton Head in at the end of February of that year.

I tried to find ways to fill in the time and space that was left with his absence.  I started writing poetry again after many years.  I submitted one of the poems to a "vanity" book.  The one where your poem is picked and published in a book along with thousands of others.  I was invited to attend the National Poetry Conference in Washington DC in July 2001.  I decided to stretch myself and go.  I would be traveling by myself for the first time.  I took the train because I absolutely love train travel.  We traveled the Shenandoah Valley and it was breathtaking.  As I departed from the train I heard someone call my name.  I look around and thought how ironic is this to travel all this way and see someone I know.  A friend from work Teedie Richardson and her grandson were traveling by train to the same event.  So we spent the whole time together and it was so much fun.

I was so proud of myself.  I had traveled many miles from home on my own.  Spent 4 days among thousands of strangers, got a blue ribbon, became closer to a co-worker I had know for years and toured a City that I have come to love.

Here is one of the poems I submitted:

Life's Highway

Life's highway is tricky; full of pot holes and curves.

I trudge along dodging dead ends and detours.

As I  make the journey, I look over my shoulder,

Just a quick glance

to make sure you're still there.

Because as I travel this long road

I often think how lonely the trip would be

without you.

Yes, this trip started a love affair with travel and stretching myself.  Providing wonderful memories and happiness.

see you tomorrow