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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Day 2 2026 Good Morning

 Hello beautiful souls I woke up to a cold morning and of course still a lot of snow. The sun is shining, yay!!! Today is Day 2 of the Sketchbook Challenge with Susan Yeates. She also has a book with all kinds of awesome prompts. It’s early this morning but I spent most of the night up with leg cramps so severe that I couldn’t get much sleep. Good thing there is coffee. 

Baker and Brooks eating the most delicious dump meal that Cody made for our Christmas dinner. A dump meal is a seafood dish some call it a seafood boil. It consists of corn on the cob, potatoes, shrimp, crawfish, crab meat, sausage, and oysters. One could just make it with one type of meat. The boys enjoyed too. They are very good eaters. Baker can be somewhat more picky than Brooks. 

Levi, Dakota and Clarissa happy to see Santa. 

Samantha and Levi with Samantha’s boyfriend. Jake. ❤️

Rosie telling me to get that tennis ball out from under the ottoman. She will tell me whenever her toys find their way under the furniture. 

Kenso with his Christmas photo. I can’t wait to see him real soon. I’m so excited. 

These pictures this one and the one just below are taking by the MRCD Photographer at the Marine base. We bought the disc/jump drive so we could see all the photos. They give you little tasters to see so of course you will buy them. Which it worked I did. I also ordered the dress pictures. They are over a hundred dollars each but they do have a payment plan option. Which makes it so nice. That is Cooper in the picture. 

Cooper and his battalion. So excited to see him soon. 

This is a watercolor painting I made with my class in 2025. I enjoyed it so very much. I hand drawn it and painted with all watercolors. This class was with Tracy Lizotte at Tracy Lizotte Studios. She is an amazing teacher and artist. Next with her I am going to paint a swan. 

Well better close for today. So glad I could share a little bit with you guys. Much love and good vibes. 

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Dawn Gallop 

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Day 1 of 2025 Happy New Year 2026

 I spent the day creating art. What a great gift to be able to create and share. 

Thing proud of for the year of course there is so much more but the paper size was limited. It’s about sharing your thoughts and feelings for 2025. 

I’m in the sketchbook challenge for 30 days and today was day 1 grass. And on my calendar it was green for the color of the day. It’s a very small sketchbook. I would say 4 x6 idk for sure but very small. It’s about learning new skills and techniques and start a new habit of making stuff in your sketchbook I loved it. 

So the 

Day it snowed us in, not really but it felt like it being so deep and cold. This hibiscus bloomed inside. 

I have had this hibiscus for three years now. It blooms inside just as much as it blooms outside. 

The cardinals show up I always say they are our ancestors or visitors from heaven 

They just make me feel so special to see them 

Brooks and Cody 

Brooks and Briar 

Yes, baby it’s cold outside 

A painting I did in one of my classes I loved making this not what the teachers looked like but so enjoyable to paint 

I am always changing out my alters but wanted to share them with you. Special meanings and thoughts and ideas to the universe. 

I use oracle cards and candles I make. 

Much love and happiness for January 2, 2026 

That’s hard to say 2026 whatttttt unbelievable. 

I can remember when it was the Y2K and I was prepared and ready and thought will this really happen and here we are 26 years later. I was 32 years old and a mom to five children. I would find out the next year I was pregnant with Colten. I was making and selling my soaps and lip balms. Painting all the ceramics and selling chihuahua puppies which I loved so much. If only I had a few of them today. My dogs are my babies and have always been so. I have big dogs now but miss my little ones. I always ask the universe for another one. One I can carry around with me every where. Hopefully it will happen. Sending messages to the universe. 

I love you guys 

Have a wonderful new year and I wish all the best to you. THE BEST!!! 

See you tomorrow ✨✨✨✨

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New Years Eve

This came about from a class in A Year of Magic from Delight Rogers. It was absolutely amazing. This is what I have spent my life making art with collage papers and paint. I had so much fun with it. Delight brought back so many memories and inspiration.  So much of my collage stuff is still in boxes in the storage unit. I have no where to put it. I sneak a bit back each time we go. Delight provided the papers to print. In the process of digging out the lace we found one of my journals that was missing. So it was truly magic. This little fairy made my day. Thank you Delight. I really appreciate and enjoyed your class. I plan on making more of these. When I was finished I told Bruce I needed a visit to the storage unit. It’s snowed in right now. It’s 10 degrees outside today. 

This was the back of it. I had the young fairy in my stash as well as the other pieces. I did print a poem off the internet. 

This morning with the young doe jumping when I got to the window to take the pictures. 

Today yes can you believe it that icicle is touching the porch. 

The only one word for 2026 is Voice 

Baker loves playing in the snow 

She is finished now but a fairy I loved creating her 

This was from the sketch box for December 2025 

The 

Art bag I bought off of Amazon. The white tree in the art room area or as Cody calls it my knicky knacks 

Baker and Colby 

Cooper just finished the Crucible as of right now I know no new news but if everything went well he is now a US Marine. Congratulations Cooper 

The crucible was 54 hours long little to no sleep and only a few MRE’s I know he could do it. I’m so proud of him. I was later at getting this post out to you. The book I am reading now is the Poisonwood Bible. Happy Bew Years Day. Much love. 

 Hello waving to you. Bye ……. Love you guys 

See you soon 

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Another Year is Ending A New Year is Beginning We Welcome 2026 with Open Arms

 

A new grandchild a beautiful Granddaughter!! Briar. She is beautiful born this November of 2025. Brooks and Baker are quite the attentive big brothers. I love her so much. These boys have been my inspiration all year. I have enjoyed every single moment I am with them. They keep my full of Joy and happiness. Congratulations to The Gallop family. Cody and Amelia are such wonderful and very successful parents. I am so proud of them. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to spend so much time with them. You guys are such a blessing!!! 

Look at how beautiful she is. Briar Reese. Reese is Cody’s middle name. She is such an angel. A blessing. We will be attending her Christening service soon. 

Kim and Bruce Jr. have been so good to us from the cruise 🚢 in June/July to the Bahamas on MSC. Which I highly recommend!!! They were so good to me the whole crew. I am serious they treated me like a queen!! I am gluten free and they outdid themselves. I loved my whole trip. It was our first time ever on a cruise. We had a blast with the grandkids. Just being able to watch them play and grow has a special place in my heart. I am so grateful. Then Kim, Jr., and all the kiddos came for thanksgiving. A wonderful family week. 

Kim and I went to the thrift store while we were together and bought the whole family Christmas sweaters it was a lot of fun. 

Kenso our little King was born the end of March. We saw him this summer before the cruise. Now look closely as that is Skylar YES!!! 🙌🏻 whattttt!! My granddaughter has grown into a young lady. Crystal amazes me. Her husband Billy is awesome he a motivational speaker and teacher. I will be seeing them real soon. Love you guys! 

Brooks and Baker once again my little loves. They love apples. Granny and PopPop own an apple orchard and they spend a lot of time there. It’s a beautiful place. Apples the trees the fresh sweet smell. They make the best cider. They have a great place they sell all their products in Michigan. They are even in the Michigan Fresh Market finds. Those boys love apples, uhmmm did I mention that. Smiling. 

Brooks and Baker came over last Friday and played in the snow. 

I took these pictures yesterday while we riding in the gator to check the property out after the 19 inches of snow we received a 

The snow is beautiful 

Colby took this picture goofing off I just love Dusty’s smile. 

Ok I think I added too many pictures lol more of the Christmas sweaters. I really loved the dresses they were so soft. 

Ho ho ho!! Did you know last year Bruce got asked to be a Santa. He was like nooooo! I told him he could do it. 

Skylar and Kenso, I would be safe to say Kenso doesn’t like the Grinch or Santa. Haha don’t we all have these baby pictures of our children or ourselves crying at Santa. I have one to of myself from 1970. 

These are milkweed pods. I love to take nature photos. They are just gorgeous. It really reminds me of a winter day. That even nature in its dormancy is so spectacular. 

Our Bigfoot we have had since the Cranfest. Everyone wanted to buy it from us. I had bought basically before the event started and the man only had three there. We gave him a hat this winter. Bruce said he needed a bag in his hand with a bottle of tequila. I said let’s start with the hat. Haha 

Cody and Amelia with the kiddos in tow came to cut their Christmas tree down this year on our driveway he picked a giant one. Love it. I said Cody that’s mighty big. He told later they had to cut it down to size like three times. 

This was the night they cut the tree down. Bruce wasn’t here so I rode with Cody and the fam in the truck. 

Always love different perspectives in photography. It certainly tells the story. 

Some more of my paintings. These paintings bring me so much joy and happiness and peace. I have so enjoyed all my classes this year being with other students in the classroom. It has been such a pleasure and privilege for me. I take time for it and the other students and teachers keep me motivated in my art. If not something else will only take its place. 

The mermaid was all done in ink. Sumi ink. I loved every minute of working with this medium. I will continue my work into the liminal with Connie. 

This one at first I was like I don’t like it…..then the more I looked at it I did. It’s all done intuitively. I used a quote from Gifts from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I also wrote a poem with it to on the left side. The papers with the flowers is the Kuratake ink in gold. The papers with the flowers is mulberry paper . I would highly recommend that class.  I had never touched Sumi ink a day before this class. 

Well I better close but I wanted to put out to the Universe that Cooper is doing the Crucible today and will finish tomorrow morning. Please keep him in your thoughts, prayers and good vibes for him, please. He will be a Marine at the top of the mountain tomorrow morning receiving his eagle, globe, and anchor pin. A United States Marine. Cheer everyone on that is in this crucible. We have been burning candles for this event. More tomorrow. Much love and hugs. If you have a chance leave a comment of what you would like to see for the future. 

I love you guys……. 

See you soon 

Stay safe always 

Dawn Gallop 

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