Coming Around Again

 After ‘graduating’ from the program of learning The Zentangle Process, I was entitled to use the initials CZT after my name. And I was also entitled to teach this process to others. But I didn’t feel ready and I set myself the goal to learn the 100-plus patterns that are part of the Zentangle experience. 

Here I am now, 14 months later, and I can call myself a teacher. I have a small group of women, friends of mine, who were eager to have me show them how to learn various patterns and so, on most Thursday afternoons at tea-time (4 p.m.) we gather on ZOOM for “Tea n’ Tangles” for about an hour of friendly tangling where I teach new patterns, new techniques and tips that I’ve been learning.

The restrictions of the COVID-19 that started back in March 2020 were actually helpful to me as I could easily grasp on-line teaching. I found an inexpensive camera and in a few weeks figured out the basics. Now my three friends are each moving forward with their art skills and I couldn’t be more proud that they are advancing and building their confidence.

My watercolor skills have been utilized as well, but I don’t do as much scenic watercolor work these days. Instead I use both tube colors and watercolor pencils to bring color into my Zentangle art pieces.

I find that with the stress of the various “rules” or “restrictions” (changing daily in some cases) that having the relief of drawing something that requires ALL my focus helps me to relax. Watercolor doesn’t do that for me as much and thus I do more tangling these days.

The uncertainty of this time needs a little more structure and interestingly enough being challenged to put particular patterns in small spaces is just such a structure (as shown above). The idea for this design was created by Deb Bowyer, CZT, a teacher at the CZT: AE2020, an on-line creative learning platform for CZTs - a kind of training for the teacher event. I will do this one again because it is so challenging.

Finally I managed to be at the sunset-watching place in time tonight, capturing the brisk departure of El Sol. We are now in the phase where there will not be any long and late sunsets. The last 8 p.m. set was over yesterday. But this was a clear and lovely event and I got my panorama to work on the camera!

So I conclude my return to blogging with this great view of Moses Lake in Washington State on this August evening. Wishing all my readers near and far good health!

Life in Moses Lake ~ February 2019

One of our first sunsets from our front porch.

"Amigo" is a Pug-Chihuahua cross that
we got in January.

As we complete our second month in Moses Lake, we both still agree it was a good move. There were (and are) challenges to be solved with the house, the grounds, but overall that part of our new life is progressing nicely.

A totally impulsive move was to add to the 'farm' animals by getting the closest thing to a sheepdog that we will ever see. Little "Amigo" (friend in Spanish) sticks close to Wayne's heels when outside and is under my feet almost all the time when inside.

Purriwinkle has one safe spot from Amigo...

Purriwinkle, our cat, thinks we purchased Amigo as her own wind-up toy, and Amigo thinks we provided him with a cat purely for the fun of it. They take turns chasing each other around the living room until one or the other falls down panting.

Peaches was a little annoyed at this small intrusion into her life, but as time as gone on, she has taken the high road to be the dog-nanny and teach Amigo what is what.

Peaches and Amigo on a walk.

Putting the finishing touches on a quilt to be
donated to a worthy cause.

It was a challenge for me at first to find like-minded artists as they are not 'front and center' like in Sequim, but now that I have my weekly art group (on Wednesdays) and a connection for instruction on Mondays, I am feeling less isolated from my creative 'flock.'

And I've found a quilting group that adds to my developing skills in that realm as well. It is a group connected to the Mose Lake Senior Center that makes quilts for donations to various organizations.

Wayne has made his connections to the Grant County Fair (They will find out just how lucky they are to have him in August!) and to local gardeners and a Master Gardening group.

His children, for the most part, have been involving us in their activities and we had the great joy to watch two of the grandkids in their Christmas pagents in December.

Zentangle is the art of drawing one line at a
time to create these little bits of art. It's both
a meditation and a creative process I find easy
and fun. I think I will like teaching others.

When we arrived we knew we would have to replace some appliances, but the stove turned out to be a major headache earlier than anticipated, so we replaced it right away. As I spend time in the kitchen I can see that some modifications will make it much easier to work in for the long run, so we are planning to make a few changes in the spring when cooking and eating outside is an option.

We have plans to go back over to the North Olympic Peninsula for the weekend of the 15-16th of February to go to the Blues Chaser square dance with old friends. If the weather is nice enough and forecasted to stay that way, we may take the RV. We haven't been anywhere in it this winter and I think Wayne is getting itchy feet.

At the end of February I head off to Sew-Expo in Puyallup for a couple of days to connect with my pals from last year's event, and at the end of March I have made a commitment to get trained as a teacher of Zentangle (CZT) so I can offer classes here in Moses Lake. That will mean a week in Rhode Island, leaving Wayne to manage the household on his own.