Hydrangea "First Bloom"

 Spring 2022

Beautiful pink hydrangea. First time growing, very first bloom. I'm really excited and looking forward to plant directly in ground. I'm in zone 9.

First-time making Sirloin Top Cap Steak

 

Vivian's Garden

 Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted anything on my blog. The last time I posted anything was back in February 2020...the start  of the Corona Virus Pandemic. I'm a breast cancer survivor, so I  definitely had no problem staying home during quarantine. I continued being artistically creative, but winter 2020, I decided to get back to gardening. It's been years since I've garden. Yes, I've done container gardening over the years, but it's been a long time since I've grown vegetables. I thought I'd give it another shot. So, I got back into it. I had never grown a winter crop. I desperately wanted to grow one. It was quiet an experience, and I'm really enjoying it. From this post on, I will share my adventures in gardening. 

My son Bobby got me this beautiful plant for Mother's Day 2021

He also got me four hanging baskets. This is my beautiful purslane plant.

Hawai'i's Baby Seal

Kelly Monis' Coloring Hawai'i...Hawai'i's Own Adult  coloring Book. This piece was truely a labor of love. This coloring book was given to me by a wonderful friend. She's been to Hawai'i more than once. She was there to celebrate her birthday & her wedding anniversary with her husband February 2020. The Covid 19 pandemic was just a whisper to me or maybe I just had my head buried in the sand. We talked in March and caught up on gossip. She said she had a Wonderful time in Hawai'i and had purchased for me a few wonderful gifts, including three coloring books. Monis' coloring book was one of them. I love it. Hey, if I can't make it to Hawai'i, I'll color about it and day dream, right?, lol. A Stay Home mandate was just put in place, unless you were out getting necessities. When I went to go see her, in my mask and all. She suggested I stay in my car and park in her driveway.  She stood outside her yard about ten feet from me. Oh, I so much wanted to hug her. We don't see each other often. Our lives are so busy. You see, she's a cop with SAPD, San Antonio Police Department. She explained, because she's still out there working with the public and me being a first year Breast Cancer survivor, it be better if we kept our distance. That's when it hit me, It hit me like a ton of bricks and I just started bawling. After we exchanged or disbelief and anxieties about what was going on, we talked about her trip. She got me a few things that reminded her of me. I'm so blessed to have her for a friend. Before all was said and done, she demanded I stay home and safe. " Don't go out, especially since you've been through the rigors of chemo and radiation." "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you!" I smiled and saluted,  "Yes, officer Sandoval" then we both started laughing. "One more thing, if you need groceries, let me know. SAPD, first responders, are able to go into H.E.B. an hour before the grocery store opens to the public. Anything you need? Let me know." What a friend! I love her! This one's dedicated to her. 

The next post will be the first I colored from this book of Gekos, using, Crayola Super Tip markers. The first time I used super tip markers was Jade Summer's, Dragons, previous post. I'm in love with these markers. So vibrant and faster to color with. I then shaded with Prisma pencils & Faber Castell polychromos. The seal, blowfish, coral, urchins & rocks were colored with Prismas. This would be my third completed coloring page during quarantine due to Covid 19 pandemic.

 I pray for this world's health and safety. Hopefull, by next year, my friend and I can sit together and enjoy a cup of coffee and each other's company.  Who knows,  maybe we'll both take a trip to Hawai'i, lol.

Camilla Derrico's Pop Manga

• A couple of Camilla Derrico's Pop Manga coloring pages I've been playing with. 

Dragon Lady

Jade Sommer's  "Dragons." I purchased this coloring book at Half Price Book store. I used crayola super tips for base and prisma color pencils to shade.

Flower Power Wonder Woman

I Love this Flower Power Wonder Woman  coloring page. I'm a child of the 60's, so I couldn't resist coloring this one. I used Sharpie & Copic markers & gold uniball gel pen.