Shout from the Rooftops!

As different medications were given to me to try and put the Ulcerative Colitis into remission, I did experience some improvement. And when I did, I wanted to shout it to the world! When you’ve been so miserable, ANY appearance of possible improvement is so exciting!!

But it was very short lived. Only a day or two actually, before my symptoms would go back to what they were, or worse. This pattern continued even in the hospital, as high doses of IV steroids were administered and then a round of Remikade. We all really hoped the Remikade would do the trick. But my colon kept on swelling as the Colitis took over my entire colon. My doctor said the pathology of my disease was rare, in that it was so aggressive and fast growing. Many people who suffer from Ulcerative Colitis are able to manage it with medications and live somewhat “normal” lives, some even without it recurring for years and years. Others endure years of trying different medications, in and out of the hospital to put the disease back into remission.

In many ways, I am very grateful that I will not have to endure years of battling this. To have this disease get to the point, very quickly, where it was about to perforate my colon, was in many ways a mercy. My amazing surgeon caught it just before it perforated, saving me from an even worse ordeal. And now, the colitis is gone! Gone! I am so, so very thankful and relieved.

Now Genevieve can shout from the rooftops, “I’m cured! I’m cured!” Now it’s just a matter of healing from the surgery and getting used to my new normal with the ileostomy. These things seem minor in comparison to what I’ve gone through. There is so much to be thankful for!

*I was able to make my daughter’s oatmeal this morning…and I was grateful that I’m alive to do that.

*I was able to go to church yesterday, cry through the songs, hug people’s necks…and I was so thankful to be able to do that.

*I am able to walk a bit stronger and for a little longer each day…I am so grateful I’m seeing improvement.

*I am needing pain medications less and less…so thankful for that!

*So many little things each day…I try to record them, so I can remember on the days that seem like I’m going backwards in improvement. And there are days like that. They are hard. I try to just be where I am and remember that this too shall pass. And when it does…I have something else to be grateful for!

Buried

As if it weren’t enough to have an Art Show to prepare for, I’ve also dived, head first, into SEVERAL knitting and crochet projects! Add to that the drawcumenting of my days, the cooking for family, the shuttling children here and there, the everyday goings on of small town living…and I’m waving my white flag! “Uncle!”

I don’t think my cat, Lucy is too worried about me though! Truth be told, I’m sitting under that mound happily working at whatever my hands need to be doing at any given moment. Well, maybe there’s the odd groan of frustration from time to time. But in case I’m scarce around blogland in the coming weeks, you’ll know why! :0

Trumpet Call Announcement!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

An Art Show to help a Garden Grow!

Thursday, November 29th 4-8 pm

Featuring Artists from the Triad area

(one of whom is ME!)

Put it on your calendar to come enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres and music while browsing fine art & craft for your holiday shopping! Entrance cost is $10, and a portion of anything purchased goes to continuing the growth of our Ciener Botanical Gardens!

It has been a loooonnnngg time since I’ve done something like this and I’m soooo excited! I do hope to meet many of you at this lovely event! I will be featuring my drawings and paintings of downtown Kernersville, as well as offering Genevieve Cards and Prints.

This is a one evening event! Please come by and say hello!

For your invitation and ALL the details of this event, click below!

Small Works of Nature

**Several of my works created on location at the Gardens and downtown Kernersville area will be displayed and offered for sale!  The above drawing of Angel Trumpets was created while sitting at the Ciener Botanical Gardens drawing and enjoying the flowering purple basil next to it!

Give and You will Receive!

As a special thank you to ALL who have already given and to any who might wish to make a donation to Maddie’s Mission to Cure Diabetes…I will give you a Genevieve Print of your choice!!

Just click on the highlighted words Maddie’s Mission to Cure Diabetes and for any $15 donation or greater, I will send you one of the above Prints of Genevieve (value $12) to thank you!!  You choose which one you want!

This offer closes on Saturday, October 27th, 2012…the day we Walk!!

Knitting Brown

To the yarn currently on my needles:

I do not know why I chose you. I’m sorry to say it! Brown? Really? Brown yarn has never been something I gravitated to in the midst of luscious raspberry hanks, purpley-hued skeins, vibrant lime balls, sumptuously variegated twists of wool or cotton hanging in a glittering yarn shop.  But here you are sitting in my lap, being woven ever so cheerfully (for now) with two sticks.

Perhaps it was the rich chocolatey nature of your brown.  Definitely NOT the mousy browns I sometimes see and cannot abide. Maybe you caught me off guard with the ever so subtle flecks of red here and there, or the halo effect of wisps of wool that peek out of the stockinette. Still, you are dark.  I do not knit with dark.

Maybe it was the vision I had of you all worked up into the wonderful original sweater creation I have teeming in my head? Oh wait, no. Two years ago, when I bought you, I had something else in mind for you.  And through the last 24 months, that vision has changed numerous times to land here and now with what I feel is your destiny. Hmmm…why indeed did you find your way into my stash?

Was it the incredible deal of getting 478 yds of wool in ONE hank? And then only needing two hanks to make whatever I had envisioned then? The very thought of knitting a sweater for only $28 would’ve been enough to draw peels of glee from any knitter! Add to that the fact that I could use size 10 needles with you, thus allowing for a quicker knit and more immediate results.  But I failed to take into account this one thing:

No, two things: aging eyes and my lack of stick-to-it-iveness.  I did not take into account that my eyes were losing their ability to see clearly up close. And now that I have these new-fangled, totally awesome glasses which allow me to see my knitting better whilst also viewing a movie, I nevertheless have more issues with constantly looking at dark. And dark you are!  Perhaps a few cones aren’t firing anymore in my middle-aged eyes. The delightful little v-shaped stitches that are so fun to watch being made, are not as easy to see in the dark chocolatey brown.

I fear you may wind up being set aside. Or worse, stuffed in the back of my closet with so many other UFOs! My inner knitter is far to easily enamored with other yarns and projects that lie in wait in my stash of wools and cottons.  You need not fear being replaced by newly bought yarn, as I have severely curtailed my visits to any yarn selling establishment! But I do have enough yarn to tickle my fancy for at least a year, maybe two.  My stick-to-it-iveness wilts in the face of a new vision of yarn creation goodness.

Yet, I am resolving this day, even though I can’t figure out why you are here, to continue on this journey of bringing into reality the vision I have in my head. And to that end, I have drawn this vision and have posted it prominently in my home so as to remind myself of the goal before me.  I will endeavor to wear my blinders to all other delicious colored yarns and the possibilities they pose!  I will push through the sameness of brown for 956 yds. of knitting!  The real fun will be in the embellishments I have planned for you! Just you wait.

Please ignore all the mutterings and grumblings I may utter under my breath as I knit.  Please be patient with me. I know you did not want to wind up in the hands of a begrudging knitter.  If you will keep on alluring me with your red-flecked chocolatey goodness, I will keep on clicking those needles. And one day, you will be enjoyed on my shoulders for colder days.

Deal?

Deal!

With all due respect for your Yarnliness,

Jennifer

Once Again…?

Could you pop next door once again?

Or…as Stew Crother might say in a lovely English accent,

“Will you nip in next door?”

Or, as folks might say from my Southern region in the USA,

“Y’all come on over now, ya hear?”

Anyway, Genevieve would love it if you could visit her today!

Merci!

Why I Draw Video!

A new little video on Why I Draw…

Enjoy!

Check this Out!

Pop Next Door to read about the latest with Genevieve!

Who Are You & How Did You Get Here?

A GRAND GIVEAWAY & A QUESTION OR TWO!

So, I see these statistics on my WordPress stats page of increasing numbers of folks popping in to visit this little patch of blogland.  But the statistics aren’t very helpful.  It seems that some may simply visit the “Home Page”, the posting for the day; others may cruise around from post to post, and some may be brand new to my blog and are looking at the “About” and “Artist Statement” pages.  The stats page tells me there are 107 “Followers”.  The  meaning of this is not real clear to me.  My husband has reminded me there are any number of ways folks “check in” to a blog, and they don’t all require being a “Follower” as WordPress counts it.  Here’s just a few I can think of:

Everyday Matters, both the Yahoo group and the Facebook group.

Facebook & Twitter

RSS Feed.

Subscribing to the blog to receive an email each time I post.  This is a WordPress stat as “Follower”.

Google Reader.  This is how I “check in” to all my favorite blogs…but I don’t think any of the blog “owners” even know that I am checking in via this vehicle.  It doesn’t really land me on their actual site, unless I click to go to it.  I can just read/view the day’s posting.

Ravelry & Etsy.  Folks looking specifically for a pattern or an item to purchase may find me this way.

Pinterest.  I’ve had several links of late coming in from this site.

Direct click.  This might be someone like my mom, who has bookmarked my blog and just clicks on it to visit every so often.

Subject Searches.  Folks finding my blog due to “googling” particular subjects that direct them to my blog.  They may stay all of two seconds, or they might come back regularly…???

And there may be other ways I’m not aware of that folks come in for a visit.  But when I see the WordPress daily stats climbing…I have to wonder:  WHO ARE YOU & HOW DID YOU GET HERE?????

SO.  For this Grand Giveaway, I have three things I’d like to give:  a Zine, a pack of Genevieve cards, and a Genevieve Print.  So, that means THREE people will win something!!!  You won’t know WHAT you’re winning, but that might make it fun too!  Here’s what I’d like you to do:

**Place a comment HERE ON MY BLOG ONLY!  No matter where you come from, even if it’s Google Reader and you have to do the further “click” to land here on the actual blog, PLEASE comment as to How You Got Here!  If it’s your first time visiting, please say how you found this blog.  If you visit often, how do you get here? Facebook? EDM Yahoo? etc.  It would really be fun for me to know who you are and how you get here:)  Please feel free to participate if you live across the waters ANYWHERE!!  I’d love to know about you as well and give you an opportunity to win a little something from me.

***Final Day to place a comment and thus enter your name for the GRAND GIVEAWAY:  Sunday April 29th, 2012.  And tell me in your comment which item you might like best to receive.  I can’t promise it will work out, but I’ll do my best!! I’ll announce the winners on Monday, April 30th.

And a final THANK YOU to all who visit me here, whether you comment or not! I truly appreciate you stopping by my little blogarden.

P.S. If you’re trying to figure out the significance of the above drawing to this post…there isn’t one.    I just had this image in my head.  Something about Genevieve dreaming of paintings, of color, of blogosphere friends…????  I may be stretching it there.  But sometimes you just gotta draw what’s sittin’ in your head even if you don’t have anything of magnitude to say about it!!

Here are the goodies for the giveaway:

1 person will receive:

another will get:

and another person will receive:

The Grumble Blankie

Recently, I’ve realized a nasty habit:  I complain a lot.  You might be surprised at this.  But if you heard the tape that runs in my head some days, or if you asked my husband…you’d hear an awful lot of grumbling.  Laundry, dishes, dust, work, busyness, crazy drivers, not enough of this, too much of that, etc.  The list goes on and on. A couple of weeks ago I was freshly awakened to this wearisome tape.  Funny, how you also realize… that you’ve realized this about yourself before! Yeesh!

My thoughts went something like this:  Ugh! There it is again! Complain, complain, complain! I’m sick of hearing myself complain! And now I’m even complaining that I’m a complainer! How will I be rid of this? It seems like it’s part of who I am…  But surely not.  Perhaps it’s not woven into the fabric of my being…perhaps it’s like a blankie I keep carrying around with me, the way a too old child carries around his/her blankie from infanthood.  Well, if that’s the case…I can throw away the grumble blankie!!  And so I did!

It felt great! To visually and purposefully dump that nasty, sucked-on-forever blanket I’d been nursing.  But I felt I really ought to put something in its place…get rid of something yucky and replace it with something positive.  And this image came to mind.  I’ll trade my grumble blankie for a drawing pen!  Drawing enables me to refocus the grumbling to embracing the life that I have.  Yes. and Yes.

I went to sleep that night content with this little drawing and with the thought of that grumble blankie in the trash can.  But the next morning, I swear that blankie must’ve crawled out of the trash can and inched its way up to my room as I slept.  Oi! Darned if I didn’t start off…”ugh..it’s too early!…i didn’t get much sleep…how can anybody be expected to function on 5 hours of sleep????? grumble, grumble, grumble.”

And so, I’m finding I have to throw that darn blankie away every morning.  Truth be told, I have to do it several times a day!  Good Grief.  But at least it drives me to pick up my pen and draw…draw the life that I am really truly thankful for…

…even if I grumble about it.