Covered Wagons

 

While my sister is preparing dinner I'm upstairs in her art room rummaging and pillaging.  YOu know...foraging.  Through her journals.  Snapping a few pics here and there, but also looking through her computer for blog post fodder.

Here's what I came up with:

This is her current visual journal.  It's more of an altered book.  I did a journal like this once and looking through hers reminded me of how much I enjoyed journaling right on top of the old book pages.  Another pot set to simmer on the back burner of my mental stove.  There's a few pots back there.  Hope I don't end up having to call the fire department!

She just paints right over the existing pages.  Then cuts pastes doodles & writes over the top.

I think I've posted some of these before but I'm too lazy to go check.  The weather in Kansas has cooled since my arrival.  I'm not having to suffer through any 100 plus degree days.  whew...

We've been taking it easy.  Lounging about, going on wild goose chases.  Today we headed out determined to find the wagon ruts from the Santa Fe trail.  After much circling through tiny towns and tromping through a field of sunflowers we found them!  They weren't petrified wagon wheel mud track things like I had imagined.  They were more like gentle sloping depressions in the land caused by all of those covered wagons.

I had imagined we'd find the remains of an old wagon.  The torn white canvas top rustling in the wind.  We'd get in, climb up on the seat and say, "giddyup horsey WESTWARD HO!"  Along the way we'd duck from flaming arrows, stop and repair wheels, ford rivers, steer our wagon out of the way of buffalo.  Maybe stop at a little house on the prairie.  Help Pa fix a fence or two. But all we saw was a field of little sunflowers, tall prairie grass, some blooming purple thistle.  NO covered wagons.  Not a one.
 

I guess the whole fun of a wild goose chase is imagining what you'll find when you finally get where you're going.  Having that story live inside you.   I guess it doesn't matter in the end if the real thing is actually there or not.  The chase itself is pretty nice. 

Dontcha think?
 
  
 

Comments

[Suzanne]

Hey, you Moss girls! How's it goin'? Carol, your journal pages are fantastic, too! I think there must be super great journal genes in the Moss family. Have a wonderful vacation in Istanbul. I think you're going to LOVE it!! Its so different from other cities you've been too. I think Turkey is like a European Mexico - it has the best of everything you like. And you'll definitely know you're not in Kansas anymore! Look for the diamond encrusted teacups in the treasury at Topkapi & visit the ruins of Aphrodisias (sp.??) Also, a warning: Don't be tempted - if you have any gold inlays, don't eat the halvah!
Buon viaggio a voi tutt'e due, S.

[Susie LaFond]

Hey Mary Ann
thanks for the peeky peeks at sis's journal pages...feel like a spy... marvelous...talent runs deep for the Moss sisters...here's the way it goes...tromping through fields... free..well maybe a stubbed toe or two....going on a few goose chases (cost to be determined later after all one never knows when a treasure or two might be found) and finding a few dreams along the way....PRICELESS... have a blast on your journey and enjoy each and every moment to the fullest, meanst while I will be sitting quietly in my MN corner and looking over your shoulders from time to time..

[Giedrė]

" I want this <- on my porch"
i also would like to have that.

[Shirl]

Wonderful journal---love the use of color and image placements. Well, you're off on a grand adventure//HAVE A GREAT TIME!!
I know that you will. Look forward to your next segments .
Peace,
sassi

[Molly Quigley Hughes]

love your sister's journals too. hope you guys have a great trip. thanks again for all the visual stimulation. - molly

[KateinCleveland]

...those are lovely! very inspiring ... thanks to Carol for th peek!

[ellen kelley]

Oh, pshaw!
I waited for you girls as long as I was able. I had a little repast of johnny cakes and beans waiting for you. My wagon was just to the left and under that giant sunflower, you know the one that had its face pointed away from all of the others. I am mighty sorrowful to have missed your company, but if I don't keep on keeping on, I'm terrible frightened I'll get caught in the mountains when the snow comes.

(beautiful journal...I agree those Moss Sisters overflow with creativity and specialness..love to both of you and have a wonderful journey, e.kelley)

[susan crane]

I read today's poem from The Writer's Almanac, "Midwest" by Stephen Dunn, and then came to your post and looked at the beautiful prairie photo.....it was as if they were companion pieces...Ahhh..I love mornings like this!!

[Nancy]

Mary Ann, Another wild goose chase for you... Somewhere west and south of Independence KS, on the road to Bartlesville, OK, is a Laura Ingalls Wilder site. I don't remember which "Little House" it is (it's been darn near 40 years), but there's a sign.
Have fun in Kansas and some serious planning time with your Sis for Istanbul.

[Debbie L]

Love your sister's journal pages... but is she going to kill you for posting them? Tell her you got LOTS of emails saying how wonderful her pages are (its true). Pssst.... does she glue her pages together so theyre stronger or just paints on top of each one as she goes???

Have fun!!

[Debbie L]

PS. Can you post more pics from her journal tomorrow??? :D

[Elizabeth Woodford]

Love taht Tall Grass Prairie!!! Have you been to visit any buffalo herds??/ that is an awe inspiring expirience!!! Your sis' journal pages are wonderful!
Have a BLAST!!!!

[Anne]

A graduate school friend of mine once painted a very vivid picture for me of his grandmother (great grandmother?) crossing the country in a Conestoga wagon...and then joked about how he imagined her managing the kids in the backseat on this very different cross country trip. The arm sweeping over the backseat, "Don't make me ask your father to pull over...)

Love the journal pages.

[Corliss]

Yes. Absolutely. The journey is the thing. And having the story inside you. Thanks to you for sharing yours.

[Brigitte]

thanks for posting your sisters journal pages. they are wonderful! also a good reminder that any book can make a great journal.

[Linda]

Good afternoon Moss Cottage, While you were searching for wagons and indain glimpes I've been reading your blog. Just as good as your journey new pages good reading just plain good. Your sisters journals are wonderful, the Moss sisters sure have wonderful gifts. Think about having a journal class like the pages your showing will be wonderful .....
Have wonderful adventures, Mama Moss is so bless to have daughters like the both of you!!!!!What adventures will we be seeing next my dear? Cant wait have a wonderful time,
Linda

[barbara]

Sisters pages are wonderful. Is her art table always so tidy? Tell her I want her to write a blog too. Chasing wild geese can lead to some wonderful surprises indeed. I know you two have a laugh riot where-ever you go!

[Tracie Hanson]

Grrrreat..... just great Mary Ann....now I've got another kind of journal to start....hard for me to keep those pots on the back burner!

[cheryl]

Sounds like you're having a good time in Kansas
I would say talent must run in the family but someone
already said it(Doesn't Make it any less true) Thanks for
sharing your sister's journal as well

[Rita Ackerman]

Where in Kansas are you? I grew up there. I have a picture of my daughter standing in the wagon wheel ruts outside Dodge City during one of our visits. She now lives in Washington State and I just got back from spending four weeks up there. Driving up and back I followed along the Oregon Trail. It never ceases to amaze me how those people managed to do it. I was exhausted driving in my car. Three full days from Washington to Arizona
Thanks for sharing.
Rita
www.tatteredpast.blogspot.com

[susan gilman]

oh lovely journal pages...thanks for sharing with (er, stealing a peek for) us!
and yes indeed on the wild goose chase...but seriously...would it KILL SOMEBODY to slap a wagon wheel or two out there in the prairie grass for wanderers like yourself to discover?

love your stories.

[Cynthia of Cynful Creations]

I was excited to see that little silver box in the bottom right hand corner of the photo of your sister's art table, as it reminded me that I have the very same box of lovely post-its and I should be using them!! Loved Carol's journal pages and the idea of just painting over an existing book, you are both so fabulously talented and inspiring!! Thanks for sharing.

[Dede Warren]

Just wanted to let you know, I was completely inspired to play in my own journals after seeing the wonderful pages here!

[Teresa Diaz Barriga]

Hermoso, me deleite la pupila.

[ginnycartersmallenburg]

Hey, Mary Ann,
Maybe it is time to read or re-read Michner's Chesapeake and /or Centennial. The latter has wagons, blazing arrows, fording rivers, Indians, sod houses and all that other stuff.
I re-read them this summer and was enthralled. Fortunately I am old enough to have forgotten all that I read years ago.

[Denita]

HI Mary Ann,

Love love that you share so much of your life and home, family...you do live in the moment and your joy of that is reflected in your writing here. I liked your sister's journal where she doodles and colors on the pages!! Does she use paint or markers and do you know what kind? As always, inspired by your art and you.

peace

denita