I love the thought of an empty highway that stretches through the open landscape. It speaks to me of our amazingly scenic countryside, the beauty of nature, the great outdoors and an escape from the ordinary where a route to freedom lies on the horizon. Next time you need a change of pace, take to the road and make sure you buckle up for an adventure to infinity and beyond – for the road, it is certain, is where you venture into your deepest self.

Fulfillment of a dream is one of the most delightful experiences, especially when that dream is a journey of a lifetime with the ones you love. For many years my husband Kent and I have wanted to take his son Johan on a cross-country trip but for one reason or another the timing was never right.

In 2010, Johan decided to move from his home…

Spring is in full swing here in Florida and I have been one busy bee!  I have been painting lots of commission work and my print sales are at an all time high.  I just spent a few days with my daughter in Sarasota for her Spring break which was fun and relaxing.  But today it is back to work for me. We’ve been cleaning and doing some upgrades in our home.  I do not comprehend the concept of “light” cleaning. It’s always “deep” cleaning because once I see funk or dirt, I MUST clean it!  I cannot turn a blind eye.

How does this tie into “zen”?  The urban dictionary says:

I am continuing to work on my map series and England is my next offering. Why not the United Kingdom?  Seems Scotland is working towards independence so who knows what that map will look like in the near future.  So I just chose England as a stand alone.  It’s a beautiful shape for an artist to work with and I am pleased with the finished image.

Some fun facts about England:

1. Big Ben does not refer to the clock, but actually the bell.
2. London has been called Londonium, Ludenwic, and Ludenburg in the past.
3. French was the official language for about 300 years
4. The shortest war against England was with Zanzibar in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.
5. There is nowhere in Britain that is more than 74.5 miles from the sea.
6. The first telephone directory published in England contained 25 names.
7. While…

Canada is “from sea to sea”.  That’s their motto and it is quite fitting.  There is so much to see in this huge country.  From gorgeous coastlines to wooded mountains it has many breathtaking views.  Ontario is so big that it is “yours to discover”. Their major cities such as Quebec and Montreal just to name two have World class dining, theater and more.

My knowledge of Canada is limited to what I’ve seen in pictures, movies and hockey.  My daughter is a die hard hockey fan and we watch every Tampa Bay Lightning game.  With Canada boasting 7 teams we have watched them played many times as well.

I have been creating colorful maps lately and was delighted to work on a piece for Canada.  The country itself has an interesting shape with all of the inlets and islands.  Vivid and alive just as the Canadians I have had…

I am talking about MEDITATION.  Can you meditate?  For years I tried to bring this practice into my life.  After all, I am a type A personality.  And I am not talking an A- either.  I excel at motivation and drive.  I do not stop until I get the job done kinda gal.  I always knew it would be good for me to learn how to mentally “check out” and just “be.  I just did not know how to accomplish it.  I read books, watched videos and listened to tapes.  But I just could not relax and I certainly could not just observe my thoughts and let them pass through like leaves in the wind without attaching myself to them.  It was frustrating which did not help me feel better.  In fact, it did the opposite.  Every time I’d try and fail I would feel like something was wrong with…

If you are unable to find the truth right where you are,

where else do you expect to find it?

Dōgen