This week, the Zentangle Diva, Laura Harms, challenged us to use the tangle ING in a composition. ING is an official tangle from the Zentangle mother ship.
This challenge floated over from cyberspace at the same time I was diligently writing another post, a movie review of the 2011 film, The Way, about walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain. (Yes, I’m a little behind in my film watching). Watching this film stoked a bucket list dream to undertake this 500 mile walking pilgrimage from the Pyrenees mountains in southern France and then across northwestern Spain to Santiago de Compostella where it is said Saint James, the patron saint of Spain, is buried. Okay, I can see the bubble over some of your heads. “Woman, why would you want to/think you should/could do that at.your.age?” The answer is a heartfelt “because”: because I love Spain, because I like to walk, because I’m fascinated by history, because the idea of walking what used to be a Roman road gives me goosebumps, because I’m not getting any younger, because the Camino is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because—just because.
Lest you think this is a total non-sequitur, here is what I came up in response to the challenge:
Given my musings about walking the Camino de Santiago, my ING became the Yellow Brick Road. The stars are AHH (or AHH tangleations) and I am blanking on the name of the sun tangle which is very embarrassing. I should have omitted the round “floaters”, but they were done with a dark gold sparkly gelly roll pen, so they look marginally better IRL (in real life).
“Not all who wander are lost” is a paraphrase of a line from a poem by J. R. R. Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings. Given the wanderlust gene I inherited from my father, I find that an attractive thought. Indeed, notwithstanding my being part of the generation that brought you “sex, drugs and rock and roll”, I’ve pretty much stayed on the straight and narrow my entire life–college, marriage, law school, career, marriage, motherhood (in that order). Wandering, in a non-lost sort of way, has added some spice.
If you have any interest in walking the Camino de Santiago, a/k/a the Way of Saint James, please read my movie review. You never know, maybe we’ll run into each other along The Way. 😉
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
How fun, love the way the Zentangle process reflects what’s going on in your life.
A very nice and sunny tile and I like your “brickroad”.
I did not do the Santiago do Compostella pilgrimway but I know many people who did that and they all were satisfied afterwards? There are all very enthousiast of the special atmosphere during the evenings in the little hostals but they also say: it is very hard to finish the trail. But you don’t have to walk the whole trail, it is the same as the Inca trail to the Macchu Pichu (which I did) you can choose for shorter trails.
love all the color and the happiness
That sun is Molly Hollibaugs’s “Arukas” if I’m not mistaken. And your brick and mortar is very fun, very bright, very happy making.
Yes, Arukas. That’s it. Thank you!
Me again. I completely spaced your musings about the Camino de Santiago walk. Being older than you, I do believe, my feeling is GO FOR IT – YES! Sounds like a wonderful a fulfilling journey. And say hi to my Basque relatives while you’re there.
Such a delightful composition. Sunny and bright. I do walk to my community mail box. Lots of people have crossed that path. Does that count?
Watching that film would be jumping ahead in media…. We’re up to season two of “Northern Exposure.” But it’s a fabulous concept. There are no pilgrimages on my “LIST,” but I have made many a hike that required fortitude and dedication. If you’ve seen, “127 Hours,” then you have an idea where we’ve been…next canyon over with no water and no company. Ah, a story for another day.
I’m full of ’em.
I like the translation of your thoughts, and that of JRR Tolkien; you even managed to add the bits of gold. COOL! Cheryl
Suzanne, love your colorful, lively DC tile with ING and your saying (from Tolkien) is also on one of my favorite Life Is Good shirts (along with a pair of sandals ). You are a woman after my own heart…loved the movie, The Way, which I also saw just recently. Camino de Santiago is now on my bucket list as well and I have just spent the better part of the summer trying to convince my husband, sister and brother-in-law that it is a must do for all the reasons you listed! Have some girlfriends that I enjoy hiking with so this very well could turn into a girl trip. Mac’s Adventures has lots of options to do the trip in sections. Hope you get there! It would be a wonderful experience I think!
I love your tile Suzanne. I think we’ve all got roads we’ve traveled. They may not be very long or far off, but I know I do wander. Been doing that all my life. And I love your quote from J. R. R. Tolkien in “Lord of the Rings”. I read that the summer I was 19. Ahhh, the memories. I’ve heard of the Camino de Santiago in Spain and it is fascinating. And you don’t have to do it all at once. One step at a time, even over a few years, would get you over it. (If) errrr, When you do this, I will love to read about your adventures. But this is about ING. I love how you made it into a Yellow Brick Road and I really like your AHH! stars, including the “floaters”. The Arukas sun makes the whole thing full of light and warmth.
Great tile and great sentiment! See you along the way 😉
Very happy!
This is amazing!! Both your zentangle and your post 🙂 Great fun!! I have been sick for months – that is why I have been away. Good to see you!!
~ Diane Clancy
http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog/2016/08/diva-tangle-study-ing-entry
I like your tile! If I was younger and my lungs were better (no drama, just a light form of COPD) I would absolute try to do the Camino. Do you know a lot of people go by bicycle nowadays? If you really want too, I’d say GO FOR IT GIRL!!!!
Happy, sunny tile ánd thoughts 🙂
Wonderful post and a happy, colourful tile! I like your “brick” ING a lot!
What a great post! I love to walk and wander. I’ve done a lot of solo travelling with and without plan. I research the crap out of a place, throw the book away, pick a direction and explore. Thanks for the thought provoking post and your tile is lovely!