On the Road Again

Goodbye, Puget Sound!

Spunky looking out at Lake Cour D'Alene

Leaving the Key Peninsula was even harder this time. After a gloriously relaxing summer amongst splendid garden offerring,  we enjoyed reunions with many of our loving friends and family . We spent some much needed time worship as a family. We had spats and struggles, to be sure, but with support systems a plenty, the loneliness I struggled with while we were traveling earlier this year abated. 

We were able to work-something that's incredibly fulfilling to us both. Our kids froliced on a darm, swinging from a lofted rope swing, letting catfish nibble their feet, and foraging for their snacks with a new forever friend.

I walked through twenty year old memories with my parents and shared those special spots with our children.  My best friends both devoted hours to chatting (solving all the problems of the world over good food and better coffee). 

There were many people and places we didn't visit, I'm sad about that. My grandmother continues to age and her memory comes and goes; I worry thst I'm missing out on time I can't get back with her. Will she remember me? My heart aches with love thinking of her.

I console myself with thoughts of the adventures yet to come. Of friends we have to make and family we have long wanted to spend time with.  And the knowledge that, wherever we may roam, we can always return "Home."

Silver Lining

I see a lot of memes on facebook that I totally identify with, and usually just save them to my phone. Occasionally I even print and scrapbook them! This one is just SO the way I feel though, I had to share.
Have you ever struggled with how you are seen by another? Like, it seems so unreasonable, their "take" on you? Boy, I sure do. I think most of my acquaintances see me smiling, a lot, and though I have my beachy moments, in my heart, I am trying to be patient and understanding above all else.
So why does this post strike me... well, I used to be so closed off. I've chosen aloofness and to distance myself more many years, in many instances. But when I met Jaime, I felt it was time to change. I was inspired by her positivity. I think God placed her in my life to show me that, people can change. I know I did. That I continue to evolve. And some people find my kind of cheer irritating, sure. But I'm just going to keep on keeping on, and love them all the harder lol. "Nobody puts baby in a corner," right!?
Since being blessed by so, so many relationships I might not have pursued if I'd remained the same, I've come to appreciate my friendships all the more. I may seem overly optimistic to some, but I'm just trying to share the good news of this life, my meaning of life. Love others, lift them up, look on the bright side. Learn from mistakes, from misfortune, from unbearable sadness. God has a plan for each of us! We know not how each moment impacts the next... if you're ever feeling sad, lonely, unheard, not worthy, please, reach out and let someone like me help you see that silver lining. We all need a little sparkle in our life ♡ #whenindoubtjustaddglitter

Wrapping up our Dog Days

Reason to want to live in Del Mar number 515: Dog Beach. 516:Rock Stacks 517: its Del Mar, Hello!?!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Run off

Hmm, this paint pouring thing might be overly addictive... even the drips that fell onto my scratch paper surface look interesting enough to want to keep! I see an animal dipping his head to drink from a stream of water, how about you?

Sent from Del Mar, CA on my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Colorado Orange

After a scorching few days on the black top in Laughlin, it sure feels good to be down by the Colorado River cooling off. This color really popped across the background, and its pretty fun to heighten that effect with an app overlay... or two. The perspectives highlighted in each photo will surely need to be scrapbooked in the future "-)

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Subject Sunset

Thought it would be fun to try to capture this sunset with watercolor paper. Had a bit of trouble with getting the water black enough, but in the end I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.


Then I tried my hand with some Crayola watercolors while we were parked out in the Quartzite desert. Let me tell you it sure was nice, sitting in my lawn chair in a tank top and shorts watching the sun set and painting with a daughter!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Technicolor Travel

With opportunities to create art coming in small batches, Ive found a lot of fun waiting to be had with a few finger flicks. Even the most mundane photos become masterpieces of travel momentoes once I run them through an app filter or two!

My go-tos are PhotoGrid, PhotoLab, Vinci, and Picas, with a little Color Splash Photo and Snapseed thrown in for good measure ;-) Did you know these are all available for FREE!? Sorry, even the best Michael's coupon doesn't compete with that price...

 

So what are your favorite ways to get creative quickly? Must have app(s) to fun-up your features?

Photos are from Joshua Tree National Park, Knots Berry Farms, our indoor #RVLife, & Quartzite BLM land.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone