Finding my way back

This may be sad or triggering for some of you. If you find it to be too much, I don't mind if you scroll down to the dashed line and start there.

For over six years I was one of two caregivers for my mother who had dementia. Her particular dementia was Vascular Dementia.  That means that the blood vessels in the brain were damaged in some way leading to a lack of oxygen and nutrients in the brain. This eventually causes brain tissues to deteriorate and eventually fail to function.  
Toward the end of September, my mother passed away peacefully on a Sunday morning. She had been under hospice care for about a month. I will say that our experience with hospice was excellent. 

I am 'stuck' with the role of executor for the will at this point and it is stressing me out. My feelings about loss and everything else have me in a state of confusion and mixed feelings.  I thought that once mom passed I would be able to resume my "normal" life.  However, at this point I feel like a little boat adrift on the high tides in the middle of the ocean.  I am trying to get back into my creative activities, but they seem pointless right now.  

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I did join a brand new writer's group that is meeting at the Public Library here. Our first "assignment" was to describe ourselves in three words and expand on those words. The words I chose were words that I think portray my best side. Perhaps I should repeat the exercise and use three of my worst traits. 
Anyway,  I chose to use "songwriter" "creative" and "friend"'

Here is that piece. 

songwriter, poetry with melody

I try to live in harmony 

I share my words with you

the feelings here in heart and mind

always trying to be kind

I share my dreams with you

creative soul, creating art

quilting and painting are a part

of what I share with you

creative things come from within

happy things that make me grin

I share a smile with you

Friend, a companion I judge not

I try to do just what I ought

 caring for a special few 

I will share my life, my hopes, my dreams

but I won't push it to extremes 

you can trust me to be true

I hope you enjoyed that bit of poetry.  

Now let me share some gel prints

This was a gradient printed over the purple abstract tree shape. 

These are two gradients that will probably be used in collage. 

This is a nice almost neutral that should also work well in collage. 

And, for the Friday Face Off,  here is a very old photo from the family archives. 

I am not sure just who these folks are. 

My mystery ancestors.

I suspect that they are on my maternal lineage but I have had no luck in identifying them. 

Linking to the Friday Face Off

Until Next Time,  

Stay Creative 

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