Creativity Challenge Day 30- End

Where some see endings,

like dead, decaying leaves,

I see beginnings,

like new unfurling buds.

The old giving way to new,

like saplings growing in 

forest debris.

Loss,

Death,

Grief

Provide a foundation for

Growth,

Learning,

Life.

Self Portrait (#2)

Creativity Challenge Day 29- Self Portrait (#2)

"Seven Year Wedding Anniversary"

Under

Creativity Challenge Day 28- Under

"Under the Newport, OR Bridge"

Morning

Creativity Challenge Day 26- Morning

"I Will Rise But I Will Not Shine"

Dancing

Creativity Challenge Day 25- Dance

Tap Class- Spring 2013

Hold

Creativity Challenge Day 24- Hold

Hold me close, my sweetheart,
the man who swept me off my feet.

“Let the Boy fix it,” he says,
and he does,
smoking dishwashers,
cold ovens,
an old Subaru,
my damaged heart

Hold my body, my sweetheart,
the man I got to marry.

“That's my mofo” he says,
when I
ace the test,
endure the pregnancy,
write a poem,
live authentically.

Hold my soul, my sweetheart,
the man that shares my world.

“You're my best thing,” he says,
as we
head to work
pay the bills,
attend soccer,
build a life.

(note to reader: "mofo" is the highest of compliments despite it's sketchy origins.)

Young

Creativity Challenge Day 23- Young

I was a young girl once,
an old soul in a small body.

Big green eyes and a button nose,
on my little girl face.

Snippets of thoughts and memories of that girl reside in me.
While at the grocery store,
"Marry a girl with eyes like her." instructed a man to his son.
Solid Gold dancing with my best friend,
who had a Kick 'n' Go.
Wondering what would happen,
if I were only part of a dream.

Now, I am a middle-aged woman,
an old soul in an older body.
Big green eyes and a button nose,
on my slightly lined face.

Snippets of thoughts and memories of this woman will reside in my elderly self.
I married a man with eyes like mine, it seemed like good advice.
A daughter who dances with her best friend,
who has bike.
I know that in some ways my life is just a dream.

I will be an old woman,
and old soul in an old body.
Big green eyes and a button nose,
on my deeply lined face.

There will be grandbabies, with eyes like mine.
Little boys and little girls who will dance with me.
I discovered that life is a beautiful dream

Full

Creativity Challenge Day 22- Full

"Full of Color" Silk flower bouquet designed by S. Clark

Parallel

Creativity Challenge Day 21- Parallel

"Pretty in Parallel Patterns"- Table runner sewn by my daughter and I

Black

Creativity Challenge Day 20- Black

"Black Masked Dinner Thief"

Reverse

Creativity Challenge Day 19- Reverse

Alive

Creativity Challenge Day 18- Alive

I am still alive-

By S. Clark. Gouache paint on sketch paper

Major Depressive Disorder, no wait, that might be Bipolar Affective Disorder, Type II.

Sleep Apnea and just for extra fun, Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome as well.

Environmental Allergies. Pretty much anything that grows. And dogs. And cats. And dust mites.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum. What is that you say? Severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy to the point of being life threatening. I had meds and I lived but the last time I threw up was during delivery.

Approximately 10 hours of dental work to repair the damage to my teeth from Hyperemesis, when you are starving, like I was, the body will take nutrients from your teeth.

Food Allergies. From the constant vomiting ruining my stomach. There are only 5 problems foods now. I used to be allergic to 20.

Got a divorce, that was easier than you might think. A “good riddance to bad rubbish” sort of scenario.

Blended family issues growing up, but in hindsight that isn't much of a thing.

Crazy step-mom, that was a thing.

$40,000 in debt from medical bills and living on credit cards when I was pregnant. That really was a thing.

Ex-husband ruined my credit, had to get a legal separation from my current husband to protect him from the consequences of my bad credit. (Don't worry, we are still married, it is all good.)

Diagnosed with MTHFR. No it is totally not an abbreviation for a curse word, it is a genetic disorder that results in inadequate removal of toxins from the body and results in fatigue, allergies, Hyperemesis, to name a few.

I have dyslexia. I have dyscalculia. I have an auditory processing disorder.

So, what have we learned here? Life can knock me down. I get back up. My body can malfunction. I get back up. My body can malfunction again. I get back up. My finances can fall apart. I get back up. My finances fall apart again. I get back up. My marriage can fall apart. I get back up. My second marriage can be strained. I get back up. I have learning disabilities. I get back up. I am fatigued a lot. I get back up.

Not because I am amazing or better than anyone else. I am simply persistent. Persevering. Determined. Unswayed. Stubborn as all get out.

I complain. Occasionally I want to give up. Occasionally I give up for a few moments. I throw tantrums. I completely malfunction.

Then I get back up.

And because of that, I am still alive.

I love my daughter, I love my husband.

I have a house full of animals.

And plants.

I have gardens. The tomatoes were awesome this year.

I write and draw and paint. Although the drawing and painting are not always so impressive.

I've started taking photos.

I am learning to cook and I am a pretty good baker. Makes it easier to work around the food allergies.

I volunteer at my daughter's school.

I read lots and lots and lots of books.

I call my grandma.

I text my mom or my brother or a cousin.

I drink tea. When it is warm I drink tea on the deck.

And I live. No matter what I live.

Touch

Creativity Challenge Day 17- Touch

"Touch of Sunlight"

Awake

Creativity Challenge Day 16- Awake

"Awaken my sweet girl,

The night has given us snow."

She hears her papa's whispered voice.

"Find your scarf and give it a twirl"

Out they went into the street light's glow.

Her heart could do nothing but rejoice.

"See how the snowflakes swirl?"

he asked as they felt the wind blow.

The 2 am expedition was a perfect choice.

(based on a true story from January 2012!)

Hands

Creativity Challenge Day 15- Hands

"Holding Freckles' Hand"

I have a memory of me in my great-grandma's bedroom with my great-grandma.  We were standing next to her bed and light was shining through the window next to us.  I noticed that she had spots all over her hands and arms.  I must have been only three or four years old and in my little mind, those marks looked like freckles.  From that moment on, I dubbed her Grandma Freckles.  Because my great-grandpa was married to her, he became Grandpa Freckles.  By the time she passed way, she was simply know as Freckles or Freck by the grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and even great-great-great grandchildren. Looking back, I am pretty sure those are "liver spots," the marks elderly people get on their skin as they age. She was in her early 60's when she was assigned this nick name by her first great-grand child.  

I remember this, and many other things about my grandparents.  Grandpa Freckles would pull quarters out of my ear.  I used to walk from my maternal grandparents' home, Bob and Belle Esau, to my great-grandparents home, to eat lunch with them. I rode in my Grandpa Esau's semi-truck when he had to haul things a short distance. I gardened with my Grandma Esau.

I spent a lot of time with my maternal grandparents and my maternal great-grandparents.  I had a connection with my grandparents.  They were not just old people I visited on holidays.  These were people that I spent time with, who knew me and loved me.  I even knew my great-great-great Uncle Jake.  He lived with my great-grandparents. 

And, unlike many people, I had the privilege of having grandparents well into my adulthood. My great-grandma,"Freckles," Anice Ida Leach, passed away when I was almost 35.  It is her hand I am holding in this picture, on the last day I was able to spend with her before she passed away.  Grandma Esau is still alive and lives in rural Nebraska.  When I call my Grandma Esau, chances are it will be a two hour phone call, because we know each other.  She is not an acquaintance I happen to be related to.           

How lucky am I to have this multi-generational connection?  How wonderful is it that I know in many instances that I am the way I am because of the influence of these special people?  How can I ever explain the way that these relationships have shaped me?

This was a gift from God and I don't think it is given to many.

Taste

Creativity Challenge Day 14- Taste

"Tastes Just Like Grandmas"- Taken on a Motorala Galaxy and edited in Google Chrome

Indirect

Creativity Challenge Day 13- Indirect

Melted Crayon Art

Soft

Creativity Challenge Day 12- Soft

"A Soft-Hearted Man"

Pair

Creativity Challenge Day 11- Pair

"Pair of Pears" Scap Book Paper on Watercolor background.

Shine

Creativity Challenge Day 10- Shine

The Spruce Goose & Glass Window

By S. Clark on a Panasonci DMC-G5 Camera, Edited in Google Chrome

Cold

Creativity Challenge Day 9- Cold

Creeping cold sunlight-

Winter's frigid rays grasp us,

unrelenting chill.

Photo by S. Clark, Photo taken with a Samsung Galaxy Phone, edited in Google Chrome.

Sound

Creativity Challenge Day 8- Sound

Rockin' Little Drummer

taken by S. Clark, on Panasonic DMC-G5. Edited with Google Chrome

Alone

Creativity Challenge Day 7- Alone

Alone in the dusk-

with sound of the cat's purr.

Comfort for my soul.

Picture taken by S. Clark on a Samsung Galaxy phone, no editing

Away

Day 6 Creativity Prompt- Away

"Fly Away My Heart"

Water color painting by S. Clark, Photo taken on a Samsung Galaxy Phone.
Edited in Google Chrome by A. McNabb

Rip

Creativity Challenge day 5: Rip

"Rip Tide"

Photo of a painting using poster paint- picture taken with Samsung Galaxy Phone and edited with Google Chrome. S. Clark, 11/4/2014

Found

Creativity challenge day 4: Found

By S. Clark, Lincoln City, OR., 10/2014

Found

My self.

Finally,

At thirty-nine

Peace.

(Laturne, A Japanese poetry form: 5 lines, 1, 2 ,3 ,4 & 1 syllable format, centered)

Going

They are going to get that ball, one way or the other! 

I've spent a lot of time watching soccer the last two months, there is a lot of going, going on in those games, so this was the first thing I thought of for today's creative challenge prompt.

(Photo taken on a Motorola Photon and edited using Google Chrome)

Self-portrait

In the Beginning.

In the beginning,
there was only me.
In my little house,
With my PhD.

But, not forever.
Certainly not for long.
Soon there was him, with his t-shirts and guitar.
My heart knew his song.

We had a summer of joy,
Followed by autumn and winter, spring; nine more.
It is he who I love.
It is he who I adore.