If I were a Road Map

I cut off a bit of the bottom, but after coming home from work with a terrible head cold, I sat down to read through some of a new book I recently bought called “Journal Spilling” by Diana Trout.

Doing my own bit of “journal spilling,” I came up with the following.  I hope it helps some of you as well.  Call it a poem, call it whatever you like!  ENJOY!  J

If I were a Road Map!

If I were a road map…there would be lots of hills and valleys with a few damn potholes along the way.

There would be twists and unexpected turns and plenty of blind spots that create the occasional havoc: crashes, dents, flat tires…

There will be mistakes made on the map.

The roads would be lined with trees and shrubs and pretty wild flowers

But as you can well imagine;

You will occasionally see the road kill.

There will be cliffs without guardrails

And winter weather advisories that you consider ignoring.

There would be the stone that flies up and cracks your windshield and there will be nothing you can do about it

And NO – Insurance will not cover it.

There will be rest areas; some you will even stop at; but there will be those you pass by – wising you had not and wondering where the next one will be.

There will be traffic – heavy, backed up traffic when you are late and

There will be lonely quiet country roads with plenty of deer and moose crossings.

It will NOT be a straight road!

But let’s face it = aren’t those boring anyway???

-      MamaM

-      February 7, 2012  ©

I'm back!  I'll be posting later today.  It's important.  I needed a break for about 5 months when my Mom passed away.  I needed to regenerate and get back into art journaling.  I've now got back into it.  I started a 365 project; even started a new blog, but I'm back to what is important to me for so many reasons.  I'll post a little art work tonight.  Anyone for collaboration?  Lets do some collage together and post our results.  Be well and Take CARE!

Now for a 365 project

Hello any of you out there......I'm taking a break so to speak from art journals 4 cancer.  It was a tough thing to start and an even tougher thing to finish after my Mother died.  I still want to do ArtJournals4Cancer by creating art journals to give to cancer patients, but for now, I need a mental break from cancer.  Something a bit more light hearted after this summer and autumn.  I'm be back at some point, but for now, I'm going to try doing a 365 + 1 project...barefoot.  It should be fun and maybe will bring my spirits back.  My heart goes out to all of you with cancer.

Happy Thanksgiving Mom!

Happy Thanksgiving Mom!

"Enjoy the simple things in life and draw."


It's the day before Thanksgiving and this will be one of the more difficult Thanksgivings with my mother's passings.  I just started journalling again.  It took me a while to get back into it when my mother was so very sick and now; nearly 3 months after her passing, I have begun to journal again.  My mother would have wanted it that way.  Mom and I created a journal while she was getting chemotherapy.  It wasn't a really artful journal, during the chemos, but it was what we needed.  I sat there with her and we drew silly pictures, played tick-tack-toe, wrote down her appointments and any notes that the doctors or nurses had for us.  My mother wrote in one of the first cancer journals "Enjoy the simple things in life and draw."  She liked to draw the simple things that made her happy; usually a frog pond with cattails or a flower or something like that.  I loved my mother's drawings.  So I hope if you are reading this, you will "Enjoy the simple things in life."  And if you are interested in starting ArtJournal4Cancer - just let me know.  Write to me at artjournals4cancer@yahoo.com and I'll help you start your way to journalling!  Be well!  and....HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

My Mom and I in 2008 at the Primative Biathlon!

Yesterday was Mom's birthday.  She would have been 73.  It was a strange day without my mother.  Dad stopped by for a hug and a cup of tea.  My cousin Sheila and I met for lunch with Ted and a friend of Sheila's.  That was awesome!  Lunch at Penny Cluse!  I bought a flourless chocolate cake - lit a few candles and Ted and I "celebrated" her birthday.  It was a bit of a sad event.  Miss you Mom!