Kinta traveled to San Francisco to pick up his person, Noriko. So happy to have her here for a visit.
Whimsday Bliss – Kinta meets his person!
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Category Archives: Uncategorized
Cox Bar School Visit
When I was 8-years-old I moved from Hoopa to Burnt Ranch, CA. The entire school, K-8, only had 48 students at the time. I was in 3rd grade and it only had five students. The school grew to over 60 by the time I exited 8th grade. I’m especially happy to make school visits to small schools in rural areas.
Sometimes we do science experiments related to my books and other times we read stories or do art projects. This visit was all about the stories.
Cox Bar Elementary is only about 15 miles from Burnt Ranch, and about 40 miles from Hoopa. I’ve made a few visits over the years. This year, the school has fewer than 15 students. The kids were pretty excited to know I grew up so close to where they live.
Make Yourself At Home, I Made Turkey
Apparently, Tim’s cooking today…
To show my appreciation for all of you out there, I made you a turkey. Enjoy, it’s a guilt free turkey with zero calories, it’s vegan and it won’t give you gas. Thank you all for stopping by.
On a side note I managed to loosen up my painting a bit with this turkey. After the attempt with the bluebird post I had to take drastic measures. The secret technique I devised involved a bottle of Petite Sarah and while watching Dancing With the Stars. Please don’t tell anyone. No self-respecting Forester Artist should be caught doing such a thing. However, it did loosen up my brush!
No turkeys were harmed in the making of this post. Sorry, I can’t say the same for dinner.
Hero’s Art Journey Class has made me FIERCE!
Meet one of my classmates from Hero’s Art Journey. Her brave heart is inspiring. Fierce bliss indeed!
I am ending a 5 week art course on Friday with Mira Reisberg and Maya Gonzalez called Hero’s Art Journey. For nearly 5 weeks, we have been studying, listening, watching webinars and creating art. The one thing not listed in the description for the class was the bonding that would take place with the other class participants and our instructors.
Daily, we create then post our work for everyone in the class to view and comment. I have no art background. I am a writer. So, I had nothing at all to lose and never compared myself to the well established artists in the class. It is a wonderful mixture of beginner and professional artists.
Maya kept telling us that everyone is an artist. We have learned to believe her. We post the art, many comment with kind words, encouragement and cheering, from this strange new world called facebook. Our…
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Thank You For Your Service, Veterans
There has been a magazine for everything. I was able to scan this one because a dear friend and World War II US Army vet provided it to me. Walter helped operate these big cannons in the Pacific during the war. He saved this magazine cover from that time, because this was his gun. The AAA or anti-aircraft artillery operated in a four gun configuration with all guns wired into a targeting computer. Walter ran the range finder for the operation, which determined how long the fuses were set to burn. Once the fuses were set and a targeting solution was set in the computer the guns moved in unison to find their target.
Seeing this meant a lot to me, because my Dad did the same job on the 90 MM version of this cannon. He was in a Marine defense battalion in the Pacific during WWII.
So today thank a vet for his or…
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Creative Bliss
It’s Picture Book Idea Month again!
Meet Percy
I’d like to introduce you to Percy. He’s a love. The poor little penguin is hatched to a pair of gulls. Don’t worry, Percy has heart, lots of heart.
Percy is hatched to a gull family. Character development for Percy Learns to Fly. ABTA Products and Publications. Schetter/Livingston 2013
I met Percy through author/educator Patricia Schetter. Patty is an all around awesome gal who has followed her bliss. She is a Behavior Analyst and Autism Specialist and she teaches fellow educators. You can find out more about Patty here.
Percy Learns to fly was the first book I illustrated. Lucky me! To study for Percy, I went to the San Francisco Zoo and observed the penguins. You see, we don’t have penguins in the wilds of Northern California, so the zoo was pretty much my best option for a hands on look at the movements and behaviors of a penguin.
In Percy Learns to Fly, Percy faces danger.
As I poured over the story and got to know Percy, I fell in love with his personality and strong heart. Percy teaches a lot about persistence and how in the right environment, we too can soar.
So how about you? What’s your environment for bliss?
I’ll have more to post on Percy in the coming days…yes, that’s a tease, so stay tuned!
Mrs. Hatcher comforts Percy after a long day. Percy Learns to Fly
On The Road To Smith River
Been enjoying some nice weekends away with my honey!
We have been on the road a lot lately, but it is now time to check in with you all. One weekend not long ago we took the Blitz and Teka to a hunt test in Smith River, California. Go a bit North of Smith River and you’re in Oregon. Here are a few pictures from our travels and a bit of pen and ink.
We stayed at a RV park with this ship in the front yard. I thought lumberjacks had big yard art, but I have to admit the sailors win the “BIG” prize.
Birthday Bliss
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An awesome start to the day – pure bliss! – Thanks to my wonderful family for these treasured birthday wishes!
I Ran Today, My Bones Did Not Hurt
It may not sound like something to shout from the rooftop, but for me, it is a day to celebrate.
I was born with an endocrine disorder called McCune Albright Syndrome. Along with a host of various endocrine abnormalities, part of this syndrome is a bone condition called polystotic fibrous dysplasia. Affected bones are replaced with a fibrous matter rather than healthy bone. An over accelerated osteoblast with a dysfunctional osteoclast cause an overgrowth of weakened fibrous bone.
The first symptoms of this disorder appeared when I was five. My first surgery was when I was sixteen. Five years ago, a bone scan showed accelerated involvement of my vertebrae, along with other increases in boney lesions. I was not surprised. I could have told them which bones were involved by the pain. Walking was becoming harder, I knew something was up, yet it is sobering to look at the hot spots on the scan and connect the dots of pain. It is sobering knowing the pain is just a symptom of a malfunctioning process destroying the skeletal structure. Clearly the infusion therapy I endured for over ten years was not working.
People live with the reality of losing mobility every day. Frankly, my case of fibrous dysplasia is mild compared to the ravages this disorder can wreak on a body. In facing escalation of the boney lesions, I thought about the future, a future different than I imagined previously. I was thankful we built a single story home. I was thankful I had my sons in my twenties and they were grown. My list of ‘reasons to be grateful’ was long. So was the list of ‘disappointments.’ Carrying my second granddaughter had become difficult. Riding in a car, excruciating. Walking on pavement, forget it. Walking on soil, I was too young for a cane, so I opted for a walking stick. Tim graciously carried my camera when we were out an about. I began preparing for that future.
Even though I was preparing for the worst, I sought a second opinion, and from there another, until finally I tracked down a physician who I hoped could stop or at least slow the boney deformations.
Late last year I began a new medication. Within a few months, my bones were quiet and I could walk on the soft soil without the aid of my walking stick. And today, six months later, I ran. Not far, only about twenty yards to and from, but I ran without wincing and without pain.
Blissfully, giving thanks.
Comparison: lower wrist has fibrous dysplasia, upper wrist is normal.
Sneaking Bliss 