January 05, 2026 The Polar Express in Green Bay

 

Hello and good day. Here we at January 5, 2026 in my neck of the woods. When I put these pictures up it is a bit backwards from what I am thinking it should be.  It’s like the first picture I pick should show up first but it tis the opposite. 

     This is what I call my ancestral piece. It’s all done intuitively. The flowers at the bottom came from holding the paintbrush at an angle. This is all Sumi ink and this was very first painting ever with Sumi. We left the zoom class that morning and when I was thinking of doing the basic stuff “practice using the Chinese calligraphy brushes. This is what showed up for me. I felt like it was my ancestors reaching out. Two little girls picking mushrooms. 🍄 when I was done I was like yes I like this medium.  Last night it snowed quite a bit again. No biggie here. It’s just that out gator is broke down right now. That has our snowplow on the front of it. Bruce is having to clear the snow with the snowblower. So we can get in and out of the driveway. Our driveway is about 3/4 mile long. He has also borrowed Garrett’s four wheeler with a small plow. You gotta do what you gotta do!!! Bruce has been working on our bathroom he had to put in a tub easy for me to get in and out of. I have new handles to hold on to as well. The kids are calling it the five year bathroom. Haha 🤣 not really it’s been six months since he started. It has basically been completely remodeled. He had to redo all the plumbing, replace the floor and floor joists. The other shower stall was leaking when we bought the house so it was a necessity to be replaced. Everything is so expensive now but he has done it mostly with the things we already had. The tub is new, the vanity, and a standard shower. He painted it too after replacing some drywall. I will show you when it’s completed. He also built cabinets and used doors from an old cabinet. Probably as old as the 70s. He added a light in the cabinets so I could see inside. It is a much nicer bathroom. It’s almost done. We hung up the mermaid Beverly gave me years ago. She’s up and showing her best self. 

I had made these for the weekend everyone was hunting. Potato rolls cut in half and filled with pizza ingredients. Cover and bake 400 degrees ten minutes then uncovered for another 10 minutes. The top has butter, garlic, and pizza seasonings. 

The first day Dusty got his glasses and the first day Riggs my grandson got his glasses. 

Riggs got his glasses right around Thanksgiving. He is so 

The park we went to with Kim and Jr the morning of the Polar Express. It was a quiet peaceful place. I enjoyed it so much. Manitowoc County, Wisconsin 

A tree I thought would be great to paint. 

Kim took the picture once again. She’s the best!!  

Kim had bought us PJ’s for every one for the Polar Express.

They brought their elves with them to the Polar Express. 

The grandkids with Santa on the Polar Express 

Look at Levi’s smile 

The bells Santa handed out 

The kiddos heading in the train. I love the colors in this picture 

Hot cocoa 

The hot cocoa machine 

A lot of beautiful trees at the Polar Express 

Mail for Santa 

It was a magical magnificent experience. We all enjoyed ourselves. I was very thankful that Kim and Jr. took us on this journey together with the grandkids. It truly made me feel like a little girl. 

    Today I am at Cody’s house sitting with my grandchildren. They certainly do love watching videos of themselves in the videos. I was showing them some of their videos from a year ago. They were so small. Briar is doing so well she is bright eyed and bushy tailed just smiling and looking at me. I will share those pictures tomorrow. Remember stay strong and keep your head up sending all the best of love and hugs with super sweet good vibes. 

Love you guys, 

Dawn Gallop 🏇 

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January 4, 2026 Sketchbook Challenge

Hello and Happy Sunday. Yesterday was a great art day. I am in a few classes and this one is with Toni Burt I love creating with her. It’s not really my style but it is still very engaging and entertaining all the same. It teaches a sketchy type art and simple watercolors. She makes her own watercolors, which are so vibrant and beautiful. She is living in Australia. The original photo is from Melbourne in the 1960’s but the people and dog all inspired by L. S. Lowryare from the early 20th century. Inspired by L.S. Lowry an English painter. I have enjoyed immensely learning art history. I watched two of his documentaries this early morning. I only wish I could have went to college (which I have said since my teens). 
I went to nursing school instead. I had a baby ( Jr.) and one on the way 

(Alexis) at 18. I finished nursing school graduating on March 31, 1989 and Alexis was born on April 2. I started working when she was two weeks old, Jr. went to day care and Alexis stayed with my best friend Bridget. Whom passed away a few years later from AIDS. Rest in peace Bridget. I miss her so much. Honestly no words can express how much she helped me and the things she taught me. She was almost 10 years older than me. It truly was a blessing to be friends with her. We did so many things together. She once even lived in the same neighborhood and she was at my house all the time. Good times! 

Day 3 of the Sketchbook Challenge a 30 day challenge by Susan Yeates. Everyone is given a prompt each day. This was day three “stationary” well I just started at it and then I watched the video that went with the prompt. That to was inspired by an artist whom I couldn’t quite find as I didn’t have the correct spelling or grammar. Someone graciously left me a message it is 

 Sir Michael Craig-Martin. That was not whom I searched for. Which my sketch has nothing or the sort inspired by his works of art. The prompt was to be colorful however I try to follow Susan’s advice about creating first and consuming later, and I did exactly that. As someone left a comment for me. Smiling here. 

Thought you might like my view currently as I drink my coffee and absorb sunshine watching the beautiful creatures. That bird camera my daughter Alexis and Amanda sent me last year for my birthday. I have greatly had the pleasure to learn more about the birds and see them up close and personal. Wonderful! Thank you Alexis and Amanda. 

Amelia sent me some pictures yesterday of the babies. Brooks on the snowmobile. 

Briar is already changed so much and doing so well. 

This was prompt #2 or day 2 a shell. Colorful however I had the idea to use a very small journal like shirt pocket size and I did two prompts in that journal and it just wasn’t for me. I don’t like that it’s not watercolor paper but we use what we have. 

I made some bacon it takes a week but this time I used the brown sugar that is sugar free (which is very good) and the redmans salt. Bruce smoked it and then we fried it up. One of the pork belly I added pepper which was very good. We froze the rest already sliced for a breakfast one morning. 

Baker they get in this window all the time. They love watching the birds. 

These boys love apples. 🍎 he was telling me that daddy put up the blow up Christmas statues. 

We went over to the Gladstone lighthouse while Kim and Jr. (kiddos) were here for the Thanksgiving holiday. We had a great day. It was cold and windy. 

We took Sophia with us as she is a car rider she loves to go with us anywhere. However when it’s super cold she can’t go. She tries by stalking me the whole time I am trying to get ready to leave. Like mommy please take me. Kim took the picture. 

We stopped at Meijer on the way home that day.  Levi and I sitting on the bench waiting while Bruce and everyone shopped. 

By the lighthouse 

The day Briar was born trying to share some of the best memories of 2025. 

Breathtaking Moments. Absolutely beautiful!!! Cody, Briar and Amelia. Congratulations. Each day I will try to add more pictures of the best of 2025. 
 

I have carried on a bit more than expected today. Happy Sunday everyone. Have a great day sending love, hugs and good vibes. Love you guys. 😘

Dawn Gallop 

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Day 3 January 3, 2026 Nature Photography

This is a pod from a goldenrod plant. Showing how beautiful nature is at any given time of year. It was 16 degrees out but as long as you have on the right clothing it’s all good. 

The sun setting out past the pond. 

The man to the left is Bruce in his brown coat. The snow is so deep in that area. See the moon. Remember we are all connected. 

Walking up to the house. You can see the high tunnel and the house. 

The moon is so bright and beautiful. 

More pictures of the milkweed seeds and their pods. Nature is one of my most favorite to take photos of. 

Milkweed seeds 

This is a girl I did back in 2012 however I never painted her. I have went back this year and painted some of the pages in my journals that were somewhat unfinished. People will ask me why were they unfinished “idk” what I do notice is my style is about the same color wise etc. My Only One Word for this year is VOICE. 

Sumi ink and one of my haiku’s. The picture below is another one of my haiku poems. I love writing them. There is even a haiku checker online. I learned haiku’s from Dandan Liu. She is amazing. Very informative and inspiring. 

 Good day,   So glad you showed up here. I am thankful for you. Remember you are loved and special. Today as I am sitting here drinking my coffee (Starbucks) yes I am partial to that coffee. I will drink any kind but if I have a choice it will be Starbucks or Black Rifle. So back to while I am sitting here I am going over The Artist Way by Julia Cameron. I have read many times in my life. There are times when you re-read a book you will find yourself with new thoughts and ideas and experiences, that really make you reflect or feel something meaningful. It is a good one. I am trying to make this blog happen again for me as I am not really much on posting on social media anymore. I do love posting to this blog. It goes back a long way I don’t remember the exact time but I had started one in 2005 but I deleted it. I slept in this morning so sorry for the delay. I have continued with these leg cramps so severe they wake me up and I run magnesium spray all over my legs. Then they will relax for a bit. 

Last night I had this bizarre dream that I was working in a ceramic factory. My first assignment was to paint this giant frog/man that was as huge as a man. I had come to tell the boss that she needed to see that it had a crack in it. She shows up with a can of spray and says all fixed now. In the dream I remember smelling a toxic smell and she had on no mask. I ran over to the door and got in a room until the smell was gone. I was staying with a friend which was one of my daughter’s friends from college. I finished the painting of the ceramic and as I was rolling it up to the storage area of finished pieces everyone was clapping. Then I woke up. So at least I know I got some good rest and a great dream. I used to paint ceramics in my younger days even poured the molds and had all the equipment. When I was around 24 a lady who had owned a ceramic studio passed away (I didn’t personally know her.) 

Her daughter called me and I told her to have a yard sale. She said she couldn’t do it as she had COPD. I told her me and Bruce would help her. She made enough money to buy her husband a boat a real boat. What was left in the ceramic shop we bought the pouring table and the pump. She gave us the trailer it was in a 1960 40 foot single wide. I was able to have my own shop. I poured and cleaned my ceramics in there up till Cody was born when I was 30. I would sell these pieces at craft shows and art shows every weekend. I had done this since before I had moved to NC in 1992. At that time I was also working at the hospital. Which was pretty good too as folks would ask me to paint things for them. As Cody calls them knicky knacks. Haha more tomorrow……… sending love and hugs and good vibes. 😎 peace ☮️ 

Dawn Gallop 

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