Ah, a Canadian. Cool. The few times I visited Canada I thought it lovely. The people had much better manners than a lot of folks here. Okay, I’d love the eggnog and your dogs. I miss dogs. My husband is allergic…he likes to breath, so I don’t have any dogs.
It would be nice to see a picture of your mom with her braid. My mom didn’t go to a hair dresser. She had short hair and she taught me to give her a permanent. I did that every three months for years.
Mine was a family of poor, hard working folks. Some of them came to the west coast via wagon train. My great grandmother Sarah, Aunt Lottie’s mother, was a midwife. She rode on horseback to reach the people in need. I think she was born in 1872. She was a strong woman. Aunt Lottie said there was nothing her mother couldn’t do, if she had to. I was just a kid when Grandma Sarah died at the age of 85.
I’ve painted a picture of Aunt Lottie, a couple actually. When I sent them to her granddaughter after Aunt Lottie died, she said I had captured her grandmother’s sparkle. She’d had such a hard life, and yet, she still sparkled on the inside. Yes, that’s what makes people attractive or not.
On the days when I think I look ancient and awful, it’s not because of the lines or sagging. It’s because something has happened to strip me of sparkle. I used to say, “When I grow up to be 85, I want to be like Aunt Lottie.” She was my hero. She stood by me when others in the family pulled away because of the awful things my brother did. I miss her. She’s a character in one of my fiction novels about some crazy old women. Three of them were loosely based on family members. They are all deceased, and I wrote that story to draw them close to me at a time I needed the strength that only comes from being successfully old.
I’ll see about posting a couple of my paintings of Aunt Lottie in my album here.
It would be nice to see my mom with a french braid but she cut it herself recently and it’s not as long but I’ll try it @ Christmas time. She even let me add some pink to it and it looked lovely.
I wouldn’t have a clue how to do a permanent and I’ve never had one but one year my brother asked my mom to give him one and she did. Oh goodness! It looked hideous.
Wow! A midwife from 1872 who rode horseback to get to her patients. Now that truly is history and something to be proud of.
I’d love to see one of your paintings of Aunt Lottie. That’s another thing we have in common is painting. I paint also but not people: just nature scenes.
That’s one thing I wish I had was more family and some family history. We had no aunts , uncles , cousins or grandparents growing up so had no other family role models to learn from but there were certain people that stood out who I remembered and admired.
My parents had some fabulous friends.
One particular woman I was always in awe of was also a painter and she had such exquisite artistic taste that everything in her house looked fabulous. They had a fancy beach house with all custom made ( by her husband ) kitchen cabinets and coffee tables cause he was an experienced carpenter and their place always looked so clean, colourful and stylish.
She was a delightful petite woman with sparkly eyes, was very soft spoken and had the ability to make others feel really special. She’d REALLY listen with genuine interest and ask questions. When I was a kid I sometimes secretly wished she was my mom.
Eleven books published is quite the accomplishment! Congratulations. You must be really good. The fact that you create your own book covers is very cool.
You truly are gifted. Are you an Aquarian by the way?
My husband has always thought I should write a book but I get far too distracted and can get far too descriptive to get anywhere.
Did you study writing in school or is this just a personal hobby? What type of books do you write?
AS Hyacinth Bucket would say *got to keep appearances *, I like to put on Some makeup even if not going out ,and do my hair nicely, just feel better , so much part of my routine TBh.
Plan to, till I fall off the twig.
I like my eye makeup and always wear it if heading to town or for a night out, It’s not so easy to look glam living on a farm and mucking out stables or feeding sheep while being blown to bits. I usually wear jeans or leggings around the place and nice dress trousers if going out. One thing I do take great care with is my long hair, I am at the Hairdresser every couple of months and have my platinum streaks put back in my darkened hair. If my hair looks good I feel good. https://i.postimg.cc/8zB4tr57/fb0fc68d9d2874c7b835515372fa94e9.jpg
It’s amazing your mother agreed to having pink hair. I wouldn’t. One has to have the right product to give a good permanent. Some of them are awful. And it takes time to learn how to do it right. Since Mom told me how to do it, I didn’t have a problem. I haven’t had a permanent in thirty years. Like dying the hair, it basically dries it out and makes it brittle. Some hair handles it okay, and some doesn’t.
I have two paintings of my aunt in my album here now. If you want to check out my paintings you can go to my website. I have a link on my profile page. Once you reach the home page, page down to see the paintings. Click on them to enlarge them.
To see descriptions of the books I’ve written, you can find that by clicking on Vi’s Books on my website. I began writing because of a horrendous tragedy triggered by my brother’s instability. It nearly destroyed my family. I had a story to tell, so I learned to write. I took classes, I went to writers’ conferences and I just started writing. The only way to do it is to live and breathe it. I did that. The publisher butchered the first version of it, so I rewrote it years later. It is now available for free. The message is more important than the money. After that I turned to literary fiction…literary is just regular fiction where the characters are developed. I don’t care what a character is doing, if I don’t know who they are. If you want to know more about some of this we can address it in a private message, or you can send me an email through my web site.
Large extended families are not wonderful. When I needed my extended family during the period after my brother committed his crimes, even though they were highly religious they had no compassion whatsoever. I had to help my parents through it, on my own. I wasn’t around my aunt Lottie as I was growing up. She lived a goodly distance from me. I only got close to her when I was in my 30s. The other old women were not close to me while I was growing up either.
We can learn and grow from each thing that happens. That’s what I chose to do. Otherwise I would have drown.
The pink I added to my moms silver hair was only a stripe and its temporary so washes out with one shampoo. I use it in my hair all the time and I’m very fussy about what I put in my hair. My hairs never been coloured with commercial hair dyes. Even when I coloured it I used henna which is a natural herbal powder that colours hair. The Indians use it on their hands for Ramadan. I know; more info than you needed to know.
I wouldn’t have the slightest idea how to do a permanent and clearly my mom didn’t either. She always had her hair done at a salon and never did her own.
I assumed that anything that changes the texture of your hair from straight to curly would be damaging which is why I never experimented with it. Besides which , my hair is thick, coarse or curly so it tends to be naturally dry already.
I took a look at your paintings and you are GOOD. That painting of your aunt and you is fabulous. You really pulled out the characteristics in both of you and you two are equally feisty. Nice legs by the way. I left comments in your profile about them.
Ok I can read between the lines. We have something else in common, although both my brothers were great. Everything happens for a reason and makes us the people we are. You swam alright.
I’ll look through your website at a later date.
My husband’s a Taurus. Stubborn lot you are. Lol j/k:lol:
Bratti, I have two paintings of my aunt in my album. The one that is the better likeness is the one with the other three women and the dog. I didn’t paint the dog. I added it to the cover. Thanks about my painting ability and your comments on the one of my aunt and me and the old woman holding the earth.
I believe that things happen to us and we have the option to learn and grow. A lot of people don’t unfortunately.
The couple of times I died my hair when I was a teenager, once I washed it the first time afterward, it turned red. So I stopped doing that. I used henna when I was in my twenties. It’s a good product. I still don’t understand why people want pink hair in any way at all. My stepdaughter dyed her hair neon blue when she was in her early 40s. For her it was all about “see me.” People like different things.
Is the person with the pink strip in the hair you?
I’m not sure how I missed that picture.
You really are good at painting people.
You’ve portrayed each of their characters very well indeed. I’m the real live version of your aunt Renie cause I do grow pot in real life as I have a licence to do so and have been doing so for years. Your book sounds like so much fun.
Nobody in our family makes moonshine though. That’s fascinating ; especially knowing it’s non fiction. There is a show on television about just that; families that branch off on their own to hide cause they make illegal moonshine. It’s quite interesting.
Yes! If things happen to us for a reason, we either have the chance to learn from them or grumble and complain that we are life’s victims.
Accidentally dying your head red must have been quite the shock to you. I did similar things as a child. I once used a product called ‘sun -in’ which was a spray to add natural looking streaks of blonde through your hair. I used it and then fried myself in the sun. My sun streaks were verging on greenish highlights. I fried my hair so badly. Needless to say, I didn’t do that again.
Another time I read that mayonnaise on hair was a great conditioner so I tried it and it lightened my hair by about two shades. There was even a distinct line so I never did that again either. My hair is so porous it soaks up stuff readily.
Henna really is a nice product. Especially the ones that are skin and body safe since the henna is grown preservative free. Some of the preservatives can react with other chemicals and cause unpredictable results.
Yes the picture with the pink stripe is me.
I wouldn’t dream of doing my entire head of hair. I’d look like a flipping clown. There are some who really love to stand out in a crowd. They are the ones with the bright orange or lime green hair. I’m not one of them. I’m a ‘bit’ of a rebel but not one of these over the top ‘rebel’s without a cause ‘ types but when I was a teenager I WAS!
How long is your hair exactly and what texture is it? Straight , wavy or curly?
Yes, the red hair was a shock. When I first dyed it, it turned out to be dark brown with auburn highlights…the color of my older sister’s hair. But like I said, it washed out to be red. I had to let it grow out. Can you tell me the name of a good henna product and where I might find some on line? I’ve been looking for it off and on, actually.
I didn’t do the mayonnaise. But I did try lemon juice on my hair and sat in the sun for fifteen minutes. I think I was seventeen. It actually added blonde highlights and wasn’t harsh on my hair, but I only did that once. Since lemon juice is acidic, I didn’t want to take the chance. I have a lot of hair, but it’s not course. It was completely straight. I’d set it and the curl would go away. So I stopped doing that. Right now my hair reaches my armpit. I had it longer in the summer, but had my husband cut off three inches, to cut off the spikey ends. Hair on top of my head it shorter and feathered like my bangs. I have a little shorter stuff along the edge of my face to break the straight down lines.
I live in Oregon. Growing pot is legal here for both medical and recreational use. So a lot of people are growing it now. Grin. It’s much less damaging than alcohol and provides a better way to take the edge off. I’m the boomer generation…so you know what we all did.
I’m impressed with your plants. Is that lady I see from behind, you? I’m not a good gardener. I have no skills, even though my mom, grandpa and sister were good at it. My husband has skills in that department. My nephew used to grow pot so he could make a tincture to help the symptoms of his wife’s Lupis.
You’re an attractive lady. I always wanted hair that was wavy the way yours is.
No one in my family makes moonshine now. My dad’s uncles made it when Dad was a kid. Renie was his mother. It was her brothers who made the moonshine. I just borrowed it for my little story about feisty old women. I’m working on becoming one.
Thanks I about the paintings. I like to capture the person inside. That’s my goal. Here’s a painting of my husband when he was young. I didn’t know him at that time.
Bratti, since you said you would look for the book in your comment on the cover, and since I tried to send you a private message with the link, and was prevented from doing so, here is a link to the book. Temporarily it’s available for free - a marketing thing. It’s in digital format. It is not available through Amazon. They have despicable business practices when it comes to authors.
Tater’s Maters of Hootenanny Flats.
Ha Sage. I had REALLY red hair at one time. I started experimenting with adding hibiscus to the henna and tweaking it and it was bright. This isn’t photoshopped but looks it.
This is a really nice henna with 9 other herbs added. It’s twice as much though but it also is a nice copper red.
Many henna instructions say to add lemon juice but you are better off just adding hot tea instead with a few drops of peppermint or tea tree oil to terp it. The colour with stick to your hair better.
It’s the lemon and vinegar in the mayonnaise that lightens hair but since your hair is straight it wouldn’t be as dry or coarse as natural curly hair so that makes sense. There’s a plus and minus to having curls.
My hair is hip length now but since it’s curly it sits at about waist. It’s all one length except for my bangs and is now a silver / cherry cola ombré. Here’s a pic of it drying naturally. It’s a bit longer than this picture. I cut about 5 inches off last year.
Well way to go Oregon. I had no idea you could grow also. That’s awesome.
I’m liking you more & more. I like making oils and tinctures. It’s way better for you than alcohol. I don’t drink. This is my only vice.
Yes that’s me besides one of my plants. Thank you for the compliments. I’ve growing for years now and enjoy it very much.
I didn’t presume you were referring to your current relatives when you were talking about them making moonshine. Besides which , that would be ratting them out. And you ARE already a feisty one for sure.
That’s a great picture of your man when he was young. You really are talented Sage and you especially did a GREAT job on his arms. Good stuff.
Oh that’s very cool. I will read it if I can download it.
You can’t send pm’s until you’ve been here for 3 months which is why it didn’t work not that my pm box was full because it was. Lol. I’ll ask my husband to help me if I get stuck. He’s far better at computer stuff than I am.
Wow Sage. When you say you’ve had an unusual life, you aren’t kidding.
I saw the book about your brother. Oh you poor woman. That must have been horrendous. I’m so sorry you had to deal with that. A while ago I registered to that Book Site and have saved 2 books in my library. I’m not sure what to do now.
You have tremendous hair. Looks like you’ve really been into changing it’s color at times. I don’t want to change the color of my hair. I only want highlights. When I used henna years ago, it only gave me highlights. At this point I use a silver shampoo which makes the white hair shiny. I don’t want to lose that. Thanks for the thoughts and the links relative to the henna.
While pot is legal to grow in Oregon, it is not legal nationwide, and the federal government could still crack down on everyone. Given the jerk in power, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did, even though he does cocaine. So a lot of people are still hesitant to be open about growing pot or using it.
Yes, it’s been a hard life. In addition to the murders my brother committed, I had a boyfriend suddenly die of pancreatic cancer.
The book about my brother is free. So are the first and second books in my series with the old ladies. The second book is called Resurrection Rose about a gal who paints people’s pictures and they come back to life. She doesn’t know this until they start showing up. The old ladies are in this one too.
As for visiting…I don’t travel. My husband is not well. He had his colon removed nearly five years ago, and although his cancer is gone, he does not travel well, and has little emergencies. So I do not leave him alone.
Hi Sage,
Yes at one point in time I went a bit too bold. If you only want highlights and want to keep your silver part shiny then henna is definitely not for you. Henna diluted turns brassy and orangey and if you were to add highlights you’d have bleeding colours in your hair from the henna. You might wish to consider Cassia. It’s a powder similar to henna that produces golden/blonde tones.
Yes, your legalization is by state only which isn’t as stable as being legal federally. You can’t travel with any of it from state to state. Here in Canada we can’t even go into the US if we have admit to ever having used it in our life, which I think is overkill. I am exempt since I’ll legal for medical marijuana but it truly isn’t fair for all others.
I’m so sorry to have read about your life with your brother and how tragic that was.
I can’t even imagine Sage. It’s no wonder you wanted to write. You’d need some form of expressing how you felt and artwork and writing are the perfect outlets.
I have an ereader so have something to read it on. I’m just not sure how to download it but I’ll work on it. I have the book about your brother and the book about your aunts in my library ready to download and I can’t wait to start reading them.
The visiting part I was merely joking about. I don’t expect you to want to visit someone you just met online. That would be crazy and of course you want to look after your husband. I do the same with mine. It’s called loyalty and we practice it.
Thank you Sweetie Pie. What a nice thing to say. I haven’t been on here much until recently because I’m always busy writing my books. Still writing. I often get on here when I’m not sure what I want to happen next in my book. I wait a little, then an image appears in my head and I start writing a scene around it. I look forward to getting to know you, too.
@ apricot
j/k:lol:
