365 Creativity Project–Day Fourteen

My journal entry and a poem:

A few pictures:

Sticky bush…

Rainwater on fronds…

Bear Alex gave me for Christmas 2010. I call him Mountz…

Gumby…

Another shot of Mountz…

I hope you will remember although forgiving others is hard it brings great benefits to you. When you forgive you let go of bitterness that eats away at you. Love is what we are designed to share and that does not mean abandoning others, it means living in relationship. People are not perfect, but we can respond to those in our life with generosity and love.

May you find energy to create something of beauty.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project–Day Thirteen

My journal entry and a poem:

Today was a rainy day, so Hope and I did not go outside to walk. My pictures for the day come from inside the house. The dogs are going to be groomed on Wednesday so I took some pictures of them with their long hair.

My sweet Hope…

Ko-Ko…

Penny…

Mom with Penny…

Some few of my books in teetering stacks.

You can see I have plenty of material to read and that is only a small number of all my books.

I hope you enjoyed your time spent here. May your day be full of creative energy.

Smiles,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project–Day Ten

Mom had an appointment with her neurologist today and we were gone for hours. I did not have as much time as usual to work on creating something. However, Hope and I did walk our mile this morning. I took the following photograph:

I wrote some haiku this evening:

I am tired tonight so I am not going to write much more.

I hope you find joy in the moment and imagination enough to make something lasting.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project–Day Nine

Today’s entry is a poem on a subject very dear to me:

A few pictures from my mile walk with Hope:

A plant green despite Winter.

These were experimental shots of our shadows.

Mom and I are doing Read The Bible For Life every day, and we are working our way through Genesis. Mom commented today that she did not realize how much violence and immorality went on in biblical times. She has read the Bible through before, but she read the King James Version and the stories did not communicate to her as clearly. We discussed how everything we experience in our society today was present in olden times. Technology has changed, but people are much the same as ever. The same challenges to faith and belief we face today were there for people of the past. We can learn from their examples.

Today, many sites on the internet went black to protest SOPA and PIPA, which are bills under consideration by government here in the United States. These two pieces of legislation have the potential to bring widespread censorship to the internet. I encourage you to let your representatives know that you want the internet to remain a free place for the exchange of information. Tell them you do not agree with SOPA and PIPA.

I talked to Alex, my son, for almost an hour this morning. It was wonderful hearing his voice. He is currently training in Hawaii and will be going to California before returning to his station in Okinawa, Japan. He seemed very upbeat and our conversation was enjoyable.

I hope there is peace and love wherever you are. May you be inspired to create some beauty in the world today.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project–Day Six

This has been a productive day. I have drawn and painted a picture, created a song, taken some photographs, and written a journal entry. I have also finished up the week’s Bible study with my Mom.

First, the picture I finished early this morning before going to bed:

The song I created while walking with Hope and my handwritten journal entry for today:

The photographs I took today:

A different angle on the Radio Flyer. This image haunts me.

Hope sniffing…

Hope hurrying toward me with her tongue licking her nose.

Wood and rocks with Radio Flyer in the background.

Hope in profile.

Hope relaxing after our walk.

As I work toward doing something creative every day it seems to get easier and feel more rewarding. I encourage anyone who is contemplating doing one of these projects to go for it. It stretches your abilities and gives you practice to help you move forward with your artistic pursuits. My only regret is that I did not begin earlier.

I hope you are following along and will continue with me on this adventure. Your input is priceless to me. If something touches you, or amuses you, please let me know. Even if you have a negative comment I am interested in hearing what you have to say. This is a journey on which I hope to improve my skills, so all opinions are welcome.

I hope you are having a wonderful day and that you are inspired to do something creative.

Always,
Jo Ann

Creative Project–Day Four

With reading less I am accomplishing a lot creatively. However, I am still doing a decent amount of reading daily. I am glad to have lessened the pressure on myself to complete so many books.

My hand written journal entry for the day:

This morning Penny, Mom’s fourteen year old dog, was sleeping in a unique place:

These are some pictures from our walk:

There is something fascinating to me about equipment sitting out waiting for use. I think it is the sense of stored power.

Boat, dock, and pond.

The field growing back toward forest, because my brother, James, is no longer here to fight the trees.

Big rocks…

Vegetation…

Swing and picnic table, abandoned for Winter.

Cane Mill…

No drawing today, because I have been rather busy.

I do have some thoughts about grief. When someone leaves the world, or even exits your life, it leaves a empty space that you always feel should be filled by your loved one. There are marks left not only on your heart, but in the outer world, by the absence. Things change because the work they did is left undone. Often I have heard no one is indispensible, but I tend to disagree. Our loved ones are forever missed where they once smiled, laughed, and walked in our lives.

I hope your day is full of joy and creativity. Make something, no matter how small or to your mind insignificant, and impact the history of the world.

Always,
Jo Ann

Creative Project–Day Three

Firstly, it is Thursday, thankful list day.

I am thankful:

1.   I have some awesome books to inspire me.
2.   Mom brought me lunch from Applebee’s today and it was very good.
3.   I am excited about working creatively this year.
4.   I have not had to go to town this week.
5.   Jeremy, my nephew, has a treadmill that Mom and I can try out here to see if we really want one.
6.   I still have an Amazon gift card from Christmas to use for books.
7.   I was able to set my old laptop up for Mom’s use and she is spending time playing games.
8.   My new coat is very warm and comfortable.
9.   Reba may be able to buy a house.
10. I was able to get our watch warranties extended to five years as advertised.

My journal entry:

The picture of a unicorn that I created on the Wacom tablet:

The photographs I took while walking a mile with Hope this evening:

I thought some of these shots turned out extremely well. I am so fortunate to live in such a beautiful place.

Be creative and enjoy your wonderful life.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Project–Day 2

I am very excited about this project and so far that is providing motivation to continue. I only hope that I can sustain the willingness to do the work over time. I want to share a picture of my work area with you all. That way you will know where at least a portion of the work I do is accomplished.

Not the most organized space, but it works for me. The computer you see to left has now primarily become for my Mom to use to play games and enjoy. We share the space very well and she likes having me near her.

I wrote the following poem in the wee hours of this morning. It is an unedited first draft:

I have to share a picture of my puppy dog, Hope. She is my sweet companion and loving friend.

Here is a little whimsy I came up with today in response to one of my friend’s works:
Life is just the story we tell ourselves. Truth is the perception we retain of what goes on around and within us. The observer, so they have proven in science, has an effect on the outcome of any situation by virtue of simple presence. So we are creative actors in all we witness.

I thought that quite clever, like some of my 140 character postings to Twitter. What astonishes me is how one person’s creative work can provoke creativity in another person. My contact with others through the internet helps inspire me. It is so wonderful that those of us who would otherwise live quietly isolated lives can communicate with people worldwide by simply using connected devices. I am so glad that I have this ability.

I usually do my creative work during the late hours of the night into the early morning, but am hoping to accomplish some of this project during daytime.

That is all I have currently. I wish all of you a fantastic day filled with productivity.

Always,
Jo Ann

Beginning A Project For 2012

I am hoping to accomplish something creative every day forward for the year. Much of this will entail writing, but there will be some artwork, photography, crafts, and whatever else I come up with.

For today I took a picture of the books I am reading daily:

The two at the bottom I am reading aloud with my Mom as a Bible study. Our church is doing Read The Bible For Life this year, and although I do not attend, we are participating in the study. The other five I chose to read this year for personal edification.

The following is a scan of the hand written journal entry I made this evening:

I mentioned my new Invicta watch and I guess I should show you what it looks like:

I chatted with Alex a bit today and learned he is enjoying Hawaii. He has begun writing again, which I think is marvelous because Alex is very talented.

I am running out of time so this will be my creation for today. Stay tuned for more as the days go by.

Always,
Jo Ann

First Blog Entry of 2012

I am thankful:

1.   I made it through 2011, and accomplished much in the year.
2.   Mom is doing fairly well.
3.   I was able to get a new laptop, Wacom tablet, some artistic programs, and Office Professional 2010 for Christmas.
4.   I have designated my old laptop for Mom’s use and she is learning to use it for playing games she enjoys.
5.   I have lowered my reading goal for 2012 to encourage more creative pursuits.
6.   I chose to do the Read The Bible For Life study with my Mom this year and she is enjoying it so far. I read all the material aloud to her and elaborate on the answers to the questions asked in the study.
7.   I was able to pay my cell phone bill for this month and my car insurance.
8.   We do not have any appointments in the coming week and our shopping is done for a few days. Maybe it will not be necessary to go to town until late in the week.
9.   Winter has been mild and I have not even had to put on a heavy coat this year.
10. We were able to help Laura, my daughter-in-law, by giving her the mattress set from Alex’s room.
11. My dog, Hope, is a wonderful companion and very sweet.
12. The gift cards I was given for Christmas helped me survive December.
13. Jana gave me a Kindle gift card that I have not used yet.
14. Our Christmas and New Year meals were delicious.
15. I took all the library books back and am now reading books I own.
16. I have found some excellent resources on the internet for writing, art, and free eBooks.
17. I have adequate shelter, clothing, transportation, and nutrition.
18. God blessed me with intelligence and talent.
19. I have experienced love in my life.
20. I have survived the ravages of pain and hate.

I am enjoying my new computer a great deal and am so glad I can share the older one with my Mom. It gives her something that challenges her mind and keeps her entertained. I am hoping to use my new equipment to further my artistic endeavors this year as well as my writing. Cutting back on my reading goal should give me more time to use creatively. The only thing I lack now is inspiration and I am hoping that will be in ample supply. I have some books that should help with it.

I like doing the Bible study with my Mom. Her attention motivates me to do the daily readings. I probably would not do the study without her involvement. Making her happy makes me feel I am a success.

I have been watching the Republican debates and though I am not happy with everything President Obama has done, I do not see where any of these candidates would be a superior choice. I am afraid there is still a long process before our economy will recover and I do not think one man has the power to do all that is necessary to accomplish effective change. The people of our country can not make things better when they are so divided in their resolve. Working together is the only effective way to improve our nation’s problems.

If anyone is lonely and sad I highly recommend acquiring a puppy dog to provide companionship and lift the spirits. My sweet Shih Tzu, Hope, is a wonderful addition to my life. I do not think I would be nearly as happy without her presence.

I hope everyone has a wonderful year full of blessings and happiness. I encourage each one to take time to be thankful. Gratitude adds satisfaction to life.

Always,
Jo Ann

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: