Creative Cottage Dreamer

 The prompt at OSI this week is "lopsided"

(" Shortcut" is the prompt this week at OSI)

Yes- I am feeling quite stagnant lately and I don't like that feeling.  Could be the weather.  It's been such a hot and sweaty summer, I don't even like to be outside anymore (and I am hot and sweaty naturally inside).  It could also be the  Summer routine- or should I say lack of routine.  Don't get me wrong- I LOVE my summers but sometimes the lack of routine starts to take its toll on a person who actually kind of enjoys a routine.  It's been a great summer- somewhat weird with the impending college departure, but in the last 6 weeks I have stayed in 5 different hotels in 4 different states and that doesn't include the visit to our place in Michigan; I feel like I have literally been living out of my Vera Bradley duffel bag.  So I haven't just been sitting around.  And I've gotten back into blogging- that was a goal of mine.  But  in other areas  I just feel like I'm stuck.  One of those is my creativity.  I love my cross stitching; that's not going anywhere soon.  But I have a WHOLE room in the basement dedicated to art supplies and stamping and various paper crafts.  I still have the interest in doing all that and still get excited seeing new ideas and techniques and such, but I can not get myself to physically sit down and create and it is really starting to bug me! But I think  need a jump start to get going back into this, as well as a couple other areas of life as well.  I feel like the whole college thing has taken an emotional toll on me and has contributed to this feeling too. I feel so distracted and discombobulated- feeling one way and out of the blue an overwhelming wave of sadness sweeps over me.This is not fun.  I am hoping that with the upcoming school year (which is approaching WAY TOO fast), I will find the routine that I need and make time for working in my craft room and re-discovering the creativity that I need. So as much as there is such change coming  in my world, it may well just be what I need to get back to where I need to be; at least I am hoping that is the case.

Speaking of the drought... Here are a few pictures from the bike trail (on one of the few occasions I have even been OUT riding this summer- I prefer the basement bike these days due to the heat and humidity). There are swampy areas on both sides of the trail.  It's actually labeled as a "preserve" and it's a great place to pull over with my camera and take pictures of all the wildlife and birds and foliage.  Unfortunately, on the one side the water is almost completely gone, and on the other, the water level has gone down quite a bit as a result of the severe drought.  The pictures of the heron are obviously  from the side with water.




 The pictures below are from last summer and they are all from the side that currently has no water.  Devastating!

 Here is an update  of my Olympic Project.  It is fun to stitch- I love the colors and of course, the patriotic scissors help make it all that much more fun!!!  I feel like I am on track to finish by the Closing Ceremonies!  An update on my friend Chris's son Andrew who was in the Junior Olympics: He placed 17 in the Young Man category in the 110m High Hurdles and 12th Place in the Young Man category in the 400 Intermediate Hurdles.  That is quite an accomplishment- way to go Andrew!!!!  From talking to Chris, it was an AMAZING experience for everyone involved!

Today is Molly's 18th Birthday!  18!!!  How did she get so old so fast???  She celebrated with having some of her friends over last night- they hung out i the sun porch with snacks and music and laughter.  She got up at her usual 4:15 and left at 4:45 to pick up a friend for Boot Camp in Indiana.  A group of her girlfriends arrived at our house about 6:15 to decorate the front yard and surprise her when she got home (these are some of the same girls who were still here about midnight- lol)! Surprise indeed!!!!  They  had a scavenger hunt for her to follow for silly little trinkets and they even had little sparklers too!!!  They are the NICEST group of girls- Molly is very lucky to have them in her life!  They hung around for awhile talking, batting around the beach ball and CLEANED UP before they all left for breakfast at Panera.  What a great way for Molly to start her Birthday!!!






Happy Birthday Molly- you will ALWAYS be my Little Girl and "Forever Young!"

 (The prompt at OSI this week is "lump"- see what others have done with this prompt) This haiku is "inspired" by my daughter getting ready to leave for her first semester in college in about 2 weeks. I knew it was going to be hard but it really IS hard. I go back and forth between being excited for her and her new opportunities and knowing I will miss her so much (and as an added "bonus" she turns 18 on Fri.). It is truly one of the hardest things I have ever been through. She will be in Grand Rapids, MI, which is about 3 hours away; she is also on the soccer team which means that she is unable to get home much since she has Sat. games. We fully plan to get to as many of her games as possible but it just isn't the same. So...any "words of wisdom" that anyone can impart are all very welcome.

 I am including the video from Rascal Flatts of their song "My Wish." It truly embodies all my thoughts about what I wish for her in life. This song was played at her Graduation Mass and to say that I was a puddle would be an understatement (I was NOT the only one). We saw Rascal Flatts in concert on Sat. night and I didn't disappoint myself and ended up crying through the song when they played it- it's impossible not to. Hope you enjoy this and your week~~~ (By the way- Blogger is not behaving today so this is NOT the way I wanted this post to be.)