My Mom & Me in either Florida or Ocean City
Photo & Art by Kristal © All rights reserved
I have been a Steelers fan since I can remember..
Just a wee bit of a girl. Thanks to my Papaw and Uncle.
Favorite Player #43 Troy Polamalu
~~Go Steelers~~
~~Here's to a sixth ring~~
Today I was appalled by the lack of consideration and respect for the funeral procession I was in for a dear friends mother who died of lung cancer. Even with police escort people had NO!! consideration what so ever and broke into the procession come cutting us off ...some so bad that we had to slam on our brakes and try not to hit the car ahead of us. Everything was in accordance with Va. laws that we were doing yet only 2 vehicles were considerate and respectful in the many, many, MANY vehicles that passed us. Such disrespect is disgraceful. No matter if you know the person or not showing respect and sympathy is good manners, not to mention a sign of being a caring human being. No vehicle that is not properly part of a funeral procession shall join, pass through, or interfere with the passage of any funeral procession under escort as provided in this section.
(1976, c. 361, § 46.1-224.1; 1981, c. 542; 1989, c. 727; 1994, c. 54; 2001, c. 359; 2003, c. 853.)
I am very much missing the peaceful solitude you get when you go outside either really early or late when the snow is falling and the ground is blanketed with snow. There are not words to truly describe that peaceful feeling that overwhelms you and you never want it to end. That moment when your thoughts are still and the world seem frozen in that moment. I long for this feeling right now. My mind races filled with so much and I so desire the peaceful solitude that right now eludes me. I will keep striving for this and hope soon it will be with in my grasp.
I had a dream the night before last.. To personal and intense for me to write here. However I woke up with a song and a question looming in my mind. The song is by the Bee Gees called
"I've Gotta Get a Message to You"
The chorus is as follows
I've just got to get a message to you,
hold on, hold on.
One more hour and my life will be through,
hold on, hold on.
So, if you could only write one letter to one person. whom, would it be and why?
Not an easy question to answer. It takes a lot of soul searching to answer this question.
I have members of my family that have Alzheimer's and I take after that side of the family a lot. So I always have said if I was ever diagnosed with this that I would take the time while I could and write letter to all those I love so they know exactly how I feel about them and I would also make a video and talk to them. Tell them with my own words how I feel and word of wisdom I want to leave behind. This is the person I want them to remember and the person I was not to mourn the person I will become. I would not be able to control the future but I can leave them with wonderful memories to hold on to long after my mind has left me.
But given only the choice to write one letter at those last moments is a very intense and personal choice. I am not asking any one who might stumble upon this entry to leave me their answer. But more to think for themselves and to reach deep inside yourself for an answer. Your ultimate answer may surprise you.
Have a wonderful and blessed day
~~A gift for my neice~~
~A gift for my sister~
~A gift for my other sister~This image is very special to me. It is one of the first picture/paintings I can ever remember seeing. My mother gave this image (One like it) to me and I have always felt connected with it. Growing up it has stayed with me and I've even been gifted with a few images of this print from dear friends because they know how much it means to me.
If anyone out there knows the artist of this image please leave me a message.. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much..
But my favorite is:
Orange and crispy, cooked or raw. Carrots are the best of all. Good for bones and eye site health. I love Carrots I can’t help myself. Baby Carrots, not babies at all there just cut and shaped very small. Sweet and crunchy good for me. I even love them with ranch dressing. In a crock pot with a roast or in a pot all by themselves. They are delicious every way. I could eat them everyday.
To learn more about Carrots follow this link: http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--873/all-about-carrots.asp
on this wonderful summer day. The sky is blue 
and the sun
shines bright upon me…Moving through the tall deep green grass
.. Closer and closer I come to my destination.. I can hardly contain my excitement. I’ve waited so long for this moment, so very long. Just a little further and I’m there. Finally I climb up your strong green stem
.. Crawling upon your soft pillow surface
.. till I stand upon your white snowy puffs 
where I can see the whole world. And it’s more beautiful then I could have ever imagined. I stand fast as the wind washes over me. I can not believe it.. The beauty takes my breath away. I can see the rolling green fields 
that go on forever.. a lush forest
so full of life. Fields of purple, red, yellow and blue flowers
as far as my eyes can see. There are birds
of every shape and size flying to and fro playing and singing merrily. I hear a whoosh and see the bright orange and black wings of a butterfly
fly over me, causing me to sway to the rhythm of her wings. Her delicate dance with the wind
is mesmerizing. I watch her till she is but a speck in the fields of flowers
. This is paradise; this is how life should be. This is where I want to spend the rest of my life atop this beautiful flower, looking at this beautiful world is all her glory and getting lost in a sweet dance with Mother Nature.
Once upon a time…There was a long path of soft green grass surrounded by a dense canopy of trees. The sunlight cascades through the branches, the light highlighting every tender blade of grass. A gentle breeze flows through the canopy and embraces a young woman who’s traveling this long path, she is lost and alone searching for a missing piece of her soul. She welcomes the silence around her like a long lost friend. For some time now she has felt an important piece of her soul was missing. She knows not where she is heading but something deep inside her tell her this is the path to find all that she seeks.
With every step she takes she feels the soft pillows of grass caressing every tiny toe, she smiles at the wonderful feeling of the tender blades of grass tickling the soles of her feet. The soft sound of a sigh brings the young woman thoughts back to the present, as she slowly looks up she is face to face with the largest animal she has ever seen. This creature is powerful and noble, he stands 11 feet tall on long strong legs. Skin as grey as a stormy summer sky. His tusks are as white as fresh winter snow. Yet his dark eyes are as gentle and wise as a loving father’s eyes. She smiles and bids the magnificent creature “Hello”. His large ears sway as he tilts his mighty head to see her better. He looks deep into her eyes, then ask her “What is it that you are seeking, Dear child?” . This catches the young woman off guard and it takes a moment for her to speak. “Wise Sir, I am on a journey of self discovery, trying to find a missing piece of my soul”. The wise old elephant smile’s a knowing smile “Dear child, Why do you travel such a long way to find what’s always been right in front of you?”. A look of pure surprise crosses the young woman’s face “Wise Sir, Do you mean you know the answers that I seek?”. The wise old elephant shakes his powers head. “Dear Child, You have always had the answers to what you are seeking, they lie in wait deep inside you, all you have to do is open your mind and heart and you will find all that you desire”. The young woman looks into the dark tender eye’s of the wise old elephant and she smiles “Wise Sir, I’ve been on this journey for so long, yet never once had I stopped and thought that I had the answers that I seek, that I can control my own destiny, That I make the choices to control my life and not to let life control me”. The wise old elephant smiles an even bigger smile “Dear Child, our eye’s are often closed to the power we hold within, only when our eyes are open can we accomplish all that we desire”. The young woman walks close to the wise old elephant and wraps her arms around his powerful trunk “Wise Sir, Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me, I will keep this knowledge with me always”. The young woman heads back the way she came a lot wiser with her eyes wide open and her heart filled with love and friendship for the wise old elephant. 5-27-08 by Kristal
Every since I was little I have had a place in my heart for animals, But one animal in particular has always had a special place with me. The elephant.. I collect them..When I was little I had an Aunt Evelyn and I couldn't say her name so I called her Aunt elephant.. I've had dreams with elephants in them.. Even one of a white elephant..
I feel most connected with the elephant. They are gentle nurturing creatures, yet very protective of those they care about. Family oriented.. Developing bond that last a lifetime. They build strong friendships (Herds) and defend both bonds even to death. They are intelligent, emotional creatures. They have strong communication and leadership skills. These are traits that I see in myself and there is no other animal on this planet that I would want to be then one of the most noble creature that walks the planet earth.
An African Elephant from the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk Virginia.
My Niece and Nephews at the Cleveland Zoo for the first time at a zoo and seeing an elephant (I love that they are waving at each other)
~~Drawings~~
Elephant studies - first one in pencil, second in charcoal and third in pencil.
All writing, drawings and photo's except for the topper photo which is a license free photo are © of Kristal and may not be used in any form without express written permission from me.
