ruffles dance graceful
beneath bower and sunshine-
spring waltz and hurrah
pink snowfall gently
whirls, flutters, pirouettes, rests
ethereal gown
spring waltz by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
Haiku Moment: spring waltz
Category Archives: The Writing LIfe
Haiku Moment: unfurl
unfurl fuzzy ears
listen, what says the forest?
breathe, exhale, relax
unfurl by Angie Quantrell
Saint Edward State Park, WA state
Happy Earth Day!
It’s Earth Day 4 22 24! Earth Day with a palindrome!
Here are some pictures of a day trip we took yesterday to see Palouse Falls. These gorgeous falls are located in southwestern Washington state. Plenty of people had the same idea, but it did not feel crowded. The remote roads were not busy, the parking lot had room, and it was easy to wander off by yourself.
It was slightly windy, but that kept it from feeling too hot. Because the sun was on full blaze. The 2-mile dirt road drive from the paved road was dusty and had sections of solid washboard, but other than that, perfect conditions.
I recommend a spring trip. We loved seeing the green hillsides (soon to be brown, dry, and filled with wildfire potential) and wildflowers as we drove.
How many marmots can you see? There is quite a colony! See below for the answer. They are quite unafraid of people, and apparently used to being given treats. If you go, watch the bottom of the fence (to keep you from falling off) to see little entrances they’ve dug to access the grass of the picnic areas and the people. We did not feed them, but a few approached to see if we reached out their way. When we didn’t, they toddled back under the fence to their edge of the cliffs.
We also enjoyed watching the swifts who flew all about the waterfall, grabbing bugs and chattering to each other.
Sadly, we were unable to take the trail down to the bottom of the waterfalls. Due to multiple tragic accidents, those trails are blocked off. That fall is a long way down!
What a beautiful way to celebrate the amazing earth our God made! I am in awe.
If you go, know that this is remote desert rattlesnake country. Several warnings are on display reminding people to be careful (and advising them that the nearest hospital is quite far). Be prepared for dry desert conditions and follow the rules to stay safe! This is a day use state park. Not too far to the east is Lyons Ferry State Park where you can access the river. There is also camping nearby.
Happy Earth Day!
Note: There are 4 marmots in the photo.
Haiku Moment: secret roads
tiny lives scramble
tunnel secret roads beneath
mystery bark world
secret roads by Angie Quantrell
Cowiche Canyon Trail, Central Washington
Now what?
I have these great ideas, inspirations, kernels of dreams. If possible, I jump on them right then, or at least scribble down a note to remind me of the idea so I can (hopefully) look back later and recapture what I was thinking.
Like the beginning of this card idea I started on my carefully rinsed and dried teabag. The sepia tone is perfect for making a card. The leaves pop off the teabag. I love how it looks. But now what? What should I do next? How can I amplify the idea into something beautiful? I am currently stumped on this project, so it sits on the table, waiting.
It’s like that in the picture book world too. I have (what I think is) a great idea, an inspiration, a kernel of a story. A brilliant idea. I jot it down. My mind plays with it, seeking a path to follow, wandering from this to that. My ideas often come to me as a title, a play on words, an interesting character, or a wishful suggestion of a setting or event. And then what? What should I do next? I have file folders and notebooks full of ideas. Waiting.
The creative struggle is real. It’s time consuming. It’s messy. Just ask my honey. But should I let the challenges stop me? When I hit that block-that wall-should I stop? No. Maybe I need to see the wall as the opportunity to take a deep breath, let my mind wander, do something else. Perhaps the wall is just a good resting spot to dream, pray, and let the “now what?” follow its course.
Haiku Moment: mine
this lap is mine, mine,
mine, mine, mine. I will not share.
go away. my lap
mine by Angie Quantrell
Monet claims her favorite lap. And her beloved human. (Not me).
Book Share: Fussy Flamingo by Shelly Vaughan James and Matthew Rivera
Fussy Flamingo
Words by Shelly Vaughan James
Pictures by Matthew Rivera
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2020
Fussy Flamingo is a tasty, delightfully pink picture book just right for little flamingos. Thank you, Shelly Vaughan James for sending me a copy of your lovely book! It is so sweet!
I love Lola! Lola is a shrimp eating flamingo. Except she does not eat shrimp. So she is not pink. Lola eats other things and looks beautiful. But she is picky (quite like several young ones I know). Shrimp are not her thing, much to the dismay of her beautifully pink parents.
Fussy flamingo Lola is adorable and funny and perfectly like a picky eater. This picture book is a FUN read!
Why I like Fussy Flamingo:
~Adorable Lola
~Lola tries several ‘other’ foods, which make her turn different colors. But not pink.
~The simply shared facts about flamingos (eat shrimp and turn pink, wade in water, etc.)
~The humor
~The repeating refrain after each of Lola’s (not shrimp) meals
~The satisfying ending (which I will not spoil)
~The gorgeous illustrations
~The fantastic flamingo back matter
Thank you, Shelly and Matthew, for creating Fussy Flamingo.
Haiku Moment: worn
what were you before
the elements had their way
worn mystery rests
worn by Angie Quantrell
Cowiche Canyon Trail
Central Washington
Honey Note: My honey was looking over my shoulder at this post and contributed, “OH, Cowiche CAN-yon!” He is a part of my writing and hiking journey, yes he is. 😉
Haiku Moment: moss carpet
winter sun highlights
creeping verdant moss carpet
plush launchpad to spring
moss carpet by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
Let’s Talk Hobbies
Hey, friends. If you’ve been checking out my blog for any length of time, you may know a few of my hobbies. Gardening. Photography. Books. Reading. Cats. Tote bags. Grands (though they are not this far down the actual list, were I naming things in order of importance). Bible. More books. Art. Chocolate. Travel. Exploring. Seahawks. Oh, wait. I don’t post about the Hawks. But I LOVE watching them. (And it’s a LONG time until football season.) RV living. Hiking. Heart rocks. Beach time. Food. Thrifting. Reading. And books.
Let’s not forget-rubber stamping-the topic of this post.
Last year was an anomaly for rubber stamping. Because of surgeries (2), planning for and enjoying a lovely trip to Europe, taking my grand to the beach when he turned 10 (a Nana tradition for the grands), work, writing, and so many other things, my rubber stamping time was cut to the quick. My stash of handmade greeting cards is in the red. My creative muscles did not get much exercise.
Friends, it’s already the middle of February! This year will probably go as fast as last year, but I hope to exercise those creative muscles much more in 2024. Time to get this hobby in shape!
To kick off the year, I spent a part of last Saturday making a huge mess with my stamping supplies. Those rubber stamping muscles are so rusty! It took me quite a bit to get going. And I have to admit, I create better in the company of fellow creatives-the stamping buddies. Hobbies with friends is best.
But I persevered. I managed to make 8 cards. The struggle was real!
We watched the Super Bowl. I continued my personal Super Bowl of stamping by creating as I watched the game. Ended up with another 20 cards. All one basic design, but I will count each one as a win. My honey uses my cards in his job as chaplain and celebrant. Due to lack of rubber stamping exercise last year, even HIS stash is super low!
I wasn’t going to make valentines. But then I was inspired with one more idea as I was playing with a set of stamps I recently found at a thrift store (see above list of hobbies: thrifting). For one, I’m so proud of myself for actually USING a new/old set! For two, I made 12 more cards!
The mess is real. It’s still spread hither and yon. All worth it.
What hobbies do you enjoy? Let’s hear about it. Maybe I will find a new hobby!
Love, Laughter, and Life 