I grew up in Easton, Pa. home of Binney & Smith the company who makes Crayola Crayons. My earliest childhood memories include playing hide and seek and other childhood games behind piles of stacked crayon boxes in my next-door-neighbor's attic.

More than one afternoon was spent coloring pictures of kitties and doggies when I was supposed to be napping. I kept my coloring book and crayon stash under my bed.

When Dad came home from work, I'd show him my masterpieces and expect a kiss on the forehead while he raved about my color choices and how well I stayed in the lines.

One of my fondest memories was when my dad brought home gigantic Night Before Christmas coloring books he'd bought as a fund raiser for the Jaycees he was involved with. My mom had just taken my friends Barbara, Mary Jane and me to a Christmas party and we were still all dressed up in dresses, tights and patent leather shoes. We laid on the floor near the Christmas tree on top of those coloring books that were as big as we were, coloring for hours.

My friend Jackie and I would sit on her living room couch coloring while watching The Flintstones. We'd compare our work with each other's as well as those whose work was left behind from past visits. Our critiques weren't always as kind as they could be. Of course, our work was the best.

Sometimes we'd press hard for a dark appearance, others we'd press lightly for a less intense effect. At times we'd color in circles, sometimes back and forth. There were the pages where we highlighted every line and those we didn't. Mind you, we always signed our work.

Coloring has always had a calming, nostalgic effect on me. As I grew up, I'd take advantage of babysitting time and color with my charges.

When my niece Genesis was 3, we were on the floor together coloring in her Barbie books. She looked at me very seriously and said, "Aunt Tammy's always help babies color!" Apparently she'd caught on to my preference even at her tender age.

My mother-in-law made sure she had pictures of me coloring with my nieces. Shyanne was 5 and Samantha was about 2. Me? I was 35, but there I was coloring mice and bunnies on the floor of my in-law's living room.

During my brother's tumultuous custody battle for his kid's, circumstance had it that I was unable to see my niece and nephew. During the traumatizing separation, I'd often sit and color a picture that reminded me of either Jordan or Genesis. I'd color a dragon or knight for Jordan, a princess or flower for Genesis. I'd sign and date it to show them another time to let them know I was thinking of them.

My nieces are a bit older now, getting close to their teens. They're not sure it's socially acceptable to be coloring anymore. I still keep my stash and once in a while we indulge. We don't act too interested, of course. We must maintain composure and not enjoy it too much.

Imagine my surprise while working at my local mega-mart and saw a woman of 30 or so coloring on her breaks. She was coloring baby dinosaurs. Eureka! This co-worker was even willing to partake in public! What gumption!

This led me to search out coloring books to see if there were in fact coloring books for adults. To my delight I found coloring books on an abundance of subjects including, stained glass, seashore life, American Indian design, mystical beasts, Celtic designs, human anatomy, human brain design, Japanese print, and Victorian fashion. The list is endless.

There are text books on various subjects using coloring as a mode for learning. It seems anything you want to know, there is a coloring book you can use to help you study. You can find these gems from Wal-Mart to the internet.

Some excellent internet coloring sights I've found are here.

I also recommend Amazon.com and other bookstore sights.

In this age of electronic gadgets and video games, it's refreshing to have a simple, relaxing way to spend time alone or with the kids, and still enlighten our minds!