I colored this. Not only is the end result quite pretty, the hours it took to complete it were pleasurable and very relaxing.

Before I left on vacation, I ordered this adult coloring book. I also ordered a slightly different one for my sister, who was coming with me. I bought colored gel pens, which would not leak through the paper to the design on the next page. Now, we are both totally hooked.

Each image is different, and I never have a plan for how my colors are going to work. I just start with one and keep going. The thing about this activity is that you can do it while you are having a conversation or watching TV. My sister and I spent every evening on the cabin’s screened porch, listening to the night sounds, talking and coloring.

I started telling my friends about my new hobby, and many of them told me they had just been reading about the pleasures and stress-relieving benefits of coloring. Unknown to me, coloring has become quite popular – trendy even. It seems adult coloring books are so hot these days that many of the best ones have sold out.

I find that once I get into a design, my brain free associates and I go into a sort of meditative state. Carl Jung, the early 20th-century psychologist, used coloring as a relaxation technique for his patients. Jung employed mandala-type designs similar to the ones in my coloring book.

I am often surprised at how different each design turns out. That’s part of the fun.

I am now dating each one when I complete it, so I can look back and remember where I was when I did it.

I do end up liking some better than others. This is one of my favorites.

Here’s a design waiting for color. It will be getting some later this afternoon. Drop me a line and let me know if you color, or if you’re thinking about taking it up. There are so many different coloring books available online – many with garden themes.