Tag: 30 day blog challenge

An Accomplishment I am Proud of

I studied French for a year in 11th grade and fell in love with the language. I didn’t even know at the time that I am of French descent. I took a national French test, Le Grand Concours, and scored 7th in the nation!! I was so proud of myself.

Then, in the Fall Term of my Freshman Year at Oregon State University, I took French again, but it was basically a review of the year of high school French I had already taken. I didn’t study French again for 11 years. In 1996, I had the chance to study abroad during the summer between my Sophomore and Junior years at Southern Oregon University. I went to CIDEF in Angers, France for a two-month immersion program. You take a placement test first and I couldn’t believe I placed in the second year! I didn’t even finish my first year at the college level, and I had not studied French for 11 years!!

How did I do it, you might ask? Well, to get prepared, I went to the library and checked out all the travel cassettes and videos they had in French. I also checked out any children’s books and music they had that were in French. Children learn language by singing all those silly songs, like “Alouette” and “Frère Jacques”, so I thought it was worth a shot. It really improved my listening comprehension and helped refresh my memory before I left.

Within about 2 weeks of immersion, I was starting to think and even dream in French! One time, when I called home, I spoke to my Mom in French without even realizing it. By the time the summer was over, I had completed the equivalent of my whole second year of French, and got Straight A’s to boot.

But the best part was when I went shopping in downtown Angers and the store clerk that was helping me mistook me for a native! I am a talker, and I had been just jabbering away with him for a good fifteen minutes when I must have made some kind of gaffe. Up until that point, he told me, he assumed that I lived in Angers. That, I think, really is an accomplishment to be proud of.

My Earliest Memory

When I was little, about 5 years old, my brother and I had one of those little inflatable pools.  Well, they are not the sturdiest things to start with, so it eventually got a hole in it and sprung a leak. We were living in Phoenix, Arizona at the time, and it gets as hot as Satan’s armpit there in the summer. 

In our front yard, we had this huge agave plant and on the tip of their very long leaves is a needle.  My mom was very crafty and I had seen her sew things dozens of times, so I got the bright idea that I could fix the hole in our pool by sewing it with that agave needle.  My mom came out and asked what the heck I thought I was doing and I told her I was trying to sew up the hole.  She just about died laughing.  Needless to say, it didn’t work, and we were stuck running in the sprinkler after that.

An Old Photo of Me

I joined the Navy after my divorce in 1989. I went to basic training at NTC Orlando, Florida. I completed 33 weeks of Data Systems A-School at Mare Island, California, and achieved the rank of Petty Officer Third Class. I then completed another 29 weeks of C-School to get advanced training on a specific computer system.

An “A” School is actually short for “Advanced” school, and that’s where you learn your rating field beyond Basic Training. A “C” School is a “Continuation” school. That’s where you learn specialized skills that are in high demand in the fleet.

After completing my training at Mare Island, I was assigned to the Emory S. Land (AS-39). This is a sub-tender, which is basically a floating repair ship. I maintained and repaired mainframe computers, magnetic tape units, monitors, printers, and other peripheral equipment. I spent a total of 3 1/2 years in the Navy before getting an Honorable Discharge due to an injury.

My Heritage

Our family always joked about being Heinz 57, which is just another way of saying our ancestors came from a lot of different countries.  Some might even say we are “mutts”.  Before starting my family tree, I had been told we were mostly English, Irish, German and Potawatomi (a tribe of Native American).  My grandmother used to tell stories about her mother being Native American and that her family was on the Baker Rolls, which was a kind of census of the Native Americans.

A couple years ago, I did my Ancestry DNA test and my results came back with the following ethnicity estimate:

After working on my family tree, I discovered that my family has been here a long time. Some of my immigrant ancestors came to this continent during colonial times.  My French ancestors came to New France, which later became Quebec, as early as 1648.  And my Dutch ancestors came to New Amsterdam, which later became New York, as early as 1656.

I have many patriotic ancestors.  They fought in the American Revolution, fought for the Union during the Civil War, fought in WWI and WWII, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War.  They were pioneers, farmers, fur-trappers, shoemakers, carpenters, and barrel makers.  Some worked for the railroad and some were ministers.

My ancestors have lived in states from coast to coast.  My fifth-great-grandparents died in a cholera epidemic in Maryland in 1832 leaving 6 orphan children. 

I am glad that I started researching my family tree.  I find the stories and history of my ancestors very fascinating.  I think it is a good thing to know where you come from.  I am proud of my ancestors and their patriotic, pioneering spirits, and hope to pass that spirit down to my own descendants.

Meet My Pets

What is My Zodiac Sign and How Well Does it Describe Me?

• My Zodiac Sign is Cancer the Crab
• Birthday: 22 June to 22 July
• Ruling Planet: The Moon
• Ruling Element: Water
• Birthstone: Pearl

Strengths: Cancers are incredibly sensitive, intuitive, and empathetic.  They are very emotional and are ruled by their hearts more than their brains.  They are protective, compassionate, maternal, and nurturing.  They make great confidants.  They are tenacious and loyal to a fault.  Cancers are artistic and creative.

Weaknesses:  Cancers are too trusting and often get taken advantage of by people they think are their friends.  Like the crab itself, they do not like to meet adversity head on, but will come at a problem from the side.  They tend to be temperamental, moody, clingy and jealous.  Cancers are also stubborn and bossy and worry too much.

Famous Cancers: Julius Caesar; Debbie Harry, lead singer of Blondie; Nikola Tesla, inventor; Princess Diana of Wales; Alexander the Great; Erin Brockovich, Environmental Activist; Ariana Grande, Singer and Actress; Alan Turing, Computer Scientist; Liv Tyler, Actress; Robin Williams, Comedian; Estée Lauder, Businesswoman; Harrison Ford, Actor and Film Producer; Malala Yousafzai, Youngest Nobel Prize Laureate; Gregor Mendel, Scientist and founder of modern genetics.

There is a book I have had since I was a teenager, Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs.  It has chapters for each zodiac sign that is further broken down into sections for the Man, Woman, Child, Boss, and Employee.  I really love reading this book as it is eerily accurate.  It is also very entertaining because she sprinkles in quotes from Alice in Wonderland throughout the book that fit with each zodiac sign. 

How well does my Zodiac Sign describe me?  Pretty much to a tee!  The positive and negative traits. I don’t read my horoscope, but I do find that I am the stereotypical Cancer Girl.

20 Facts About Me

1 – I was born and raised in California but have lived in a total of 8 states and 2 foreign countries.  The other states I have lived in are Arizona, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, Texas, and Washington.  I have also lived in France and Germany.

2 – I have played clarinet since 4^th grade, though I am not as good at it as I should be.  I have been in orchestra, concert band and marching band.  I have marched in half-time shows during high-school and college, and marched in the Pear Blossom Parade in the Rogue Valley, Oregon.  I even won a solo competition in 10^th grade, playing “Little Fugue in G-minor” written by Johannes Sebastian Bach.

3 – A couple years ago, I bought a ukulele so I could play and sing lullabies to my grandson.  His favorite song for me to play is “You Are My Sunshine”.  Ukuleles are a lot of fun and it’s easy to learn how to play them.  I watched a lot of tutorials on YouTube, LOL.  My son started playing around with mine and liked it so much that I bought him an electric acoustic ukulele for his birthday.

4 – I served in the Navy during Gulf War.  My Rate was Data Systems Technician, which is now called Information Systems Technician, and I was a Petty Officer, Third Class.  I served aboard a Sub Tender, the Emory S. Land (AS-39).  I joined the Navy to see the world and instead spent two years at Mare Island, California, and the rest of the time stuck in the mud in Norfolk, Virginia.

5 – My family tree is full of veterans.  I have ancestors who served in most of the American wars going all the way back to the Revolution.  My ancestors fought for the Union during the Civil War, served in the Army during World War I and World War II, my Mom and Dad both served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. My sister and I both served during the Gulf War and my nephew is currently serving in the Army.  We are definitely a family of Patriots!  And because of my Revolutionary War ancestor, I am applying for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution.

6 – I am a Francophile.  I love everything French.  I love the food, the architecture, the art, the language.  I am descended from one of the early French pioneers to New France, Nicolas Paquin.  He was a carpenter and he emigrated to what is now Quebec in 1672.  He and his wife, Marie-François Plante, had thirteen children, and they are the ancestors of most of the Paquins in North America. 

7 – Speaking of France, I spent the summer in there during college.  I lived with a French family in a town called Angers.  I completed my entire second year of French during the 2-month long immersion program and got straight A’s.  I was even mistaken for a native once while I was shopping! I was also able to visit many beautiful châteaux in the Loire River Valley, including Chambord, Chenonceau, and Azay-Le-Rideau, and spent three days exploring Paris before coming back home.

8 – I took belly dancing classes for a while.  Belly dancing is no joke.  I was sore in muscles I didn’t even know I had!  It’s a great workout.  In fact, I got interested in belly dance after coming across the exercise show called Shimmy on Fit TV.

9 – I love animals, but dogs are my favorite.  I currently have 4 dogs.  I have a chocolate labradoodle named Bisou, which means kiss in French, so she is my chocolate kiss.  I know, I’m a dork.  I have a white terrier mix named Stella, a red Italian greyhound named Lola, and a little black chihuahua named Trixie.

10 – I am currently working on a Temperature Afghan. You crochet each row with a color of yarn determined by the temperature that day. Some people do one row each day for a whole year. I am making mine for my grandson with the temperatures every day of his first year of life. I went to the Old Farmer’s Almanac website (https://www.almanac.com/weather/history), got historical temperatures and then chose my yarn colors. I am crocheting each row with the moss stitch. Each afghan will be different because the temperatures are different based on where you live and whether you are using current or historical temperatures. Below is an example from The Crochet Crowd’s website.

11 – I have ancestors that have been in America since early colonial days. My earliest Pruyne ancestor in this country, Johannes Pruyn, was from Holland and was in New Amsterdam before 1657.

…to be continued

The Meaning of My Blog/Business Name

Owls have been regarded with fascination and awe by many cultures throughout the centuries.  They are associated with wisdom and mystery, witchcraft and medicine, birth and death.  They are found throughout folklore and mythology.  They are beautiful, majestic creatures, and I have been fascinated by owls for as long as I can remember.  I even have a small owl tattoo.

A handicrafter makes things with their hands.  These items might be simple or complex.  They may be utilitarian or of purely artistic value.  I create using all kinds of media.  I paint with oils and acrylics.  I sew quilts, dolls and doll clothing.  I weave baskets and create items out of leather, metal and clay.  I also crochet, knit, and do needlepoint and macramé.  I have even dabbled in woodworking.

Strangely enough, I am also a nerd.  I have been a computer programmer, and was an Information Systems Tech in the Navy.  I play video games, and love sci-fi books and movies.  Most people favor either the left side of their brain, or the right side.  The left side is all about logic and analysis, while the right side is the creative, artistic side.  I am both and I love that about myself.

When deciding on a name for my business, I wanted something that had meaning to me.  And, of course, I wanted something catchy and easy to remember.  Alliteration is common in brand-names.  Think companies like Best Buy, Coca-Cola, Krispy Kreme, Lulu Lemon.  So, add in my love of owls and the name HootOwl Handicrafts was born. Come on, let’s do something creative.

Introduction – Who I am

Deborah is my full first name, but I usually go by Debi. According to the Urban Dictionary, Deborah means:

A truly beautiful and charming person who is intelligent and the most fantastic lover. The name Deborah is of Hebrew Origin and means Queen bee and the beholder of beauty. Her intelligence might overwhelm you at first but you’ll soon be reeled in by her sophistication and charm. The name Deborah is generally given to those who sustain beauty throughout their lives and live life passionately.

Sounds about right to me, LOL 😛

There are many kinds of poetry out there.  Some rhyme, some don’t.  Some are simple and some are more complex.  Poetry deals with emotion and is often full of symbolic language.

An Autobiographical Poem, or Autobio Poem, is personal.  It may or may not rhyme, but it follows a simple pattern of 11 lines that reveal the following things about the author:

1. First name
2. Four descriptive traits
3. Son/Daughter of…
4. Lover of (3 items)
5. Who feels (3 items)
6. Who needs (3 items)
7. Who gives (3 items)
8. Who fears (3 items)
9. Who would like to see
10. Resident of
11. Last name

Hello there and welcome to my blog! My name is Debi Pruyne. I’m an artist and the owner of HootOwl Handicrafts. I started this blog in the hopes of sharing lots of interesting and useful information related to art and handicrafts.

I am new to blogging and thought a 30-Day Blog Challenge would be a good way to build my own blogging habit and also for my readers to get to know a little bit about me. So, this month, I am hosting a 30-Day Blog Challenge.  What’s that, you say?  It’s a challenge designed to give you a jump-start and get you (and me) blogging each day.  I have compiled 30 topics or questions, one for each day.  If you are like me, and need a little nudge, then join in! You can jump in anytime.

Blogging should fun and relaxing.  This challenge is meant to be motivating, not stressful and there are no judgements here.  My rules are simple. 

1. Write a blog post every day.  It can be as long or as short as you wish.  It’s up to you.
2. If you miss a day, it’s not the end of the world.  Don’t try to catch up, just pick up where you left off the next day.
3. Have fun.  Add pictures, videos, songs, poems, whatever you like.  It’s your blog.
4. Leave me a comment below, along with a link to your initial blog post.

Here’s my list, so let’s begin!