delight

Some days are not really the stuff of extraordinary moments – the kind you’d write about in your journal and remember for years.

They’re just a series of ordinary moments infused with a kind of contentment that leaves you feeling at peace in your corner of the world.

Last Thursday was such a day.

Sleeping in an extra hour to make up for the hour I spent wide awake in the middle of the night. Starting the day with a vanilla flavored coffee accompanied by the NYT puzzles. Making six guesses in Wordle and still not solving it – but nonetheless admiring the word they chose.

Expending elbow grease scrubbing clean the kiln shelf for my husband, so it’s ready to refinish with kiln wash for his next glass project. Seeing Dave sharpen the kitchen knives and knowing how much we’ll appreciate his efforts the next time we go to slice a tomato.

Booking tickets for an upcoming comedy play at the Station Arts Centre so we have something to look forward to that will hopefully make us laugh.

Expressing my thoughts on FB about a change in our local newspaper and following the responses that roll in.

Watering the outdoor plant pots that are wilting in the sun. Stooping to sniff the first of the sweet pea blossoms each time I pass by the trellis on which they are climbing.

Enjoying a cool salad for lunch in the shade of the umbrella on the back deck, while reading a few pages of a novel I won’t remember two weeks from now.

Delivering four bags of bottles to SARCAN and tucking away the $20 to share with the young grandsons when they come for a visit later this month.  Treating myself to a Tim Horton’s Ice Cappuccino and honey cruller (thanks to a gift card from my sister for my birthday).

Dipping into the first few pages of Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Big Magic. Reflecting on the concept of eudemonia (the state or condition of good spirit). Seeing my husband out the door to his regular Thursday gathering with a group of buddies. Contemplating a late afternoon nap.

Yep…it was an ordinary day for which I found myself feeling inordinately grateful.

It’s a perfect September day for a walk – sunny skies, warm air, beautiful colors. As I round the corner of our house and head down the city walkway in the direction of the river, I meet a duo who are also enjoying the morning.

The young girl (maybe 5 or 6 years old) crouches over a pile of multi colored leaves that have fallen from the maple tree that leans out over the sidewalk. Her mother stands nearby.

We exchange greetings and I say how lovely the leaves look today. The little one tells me she’s searching for a red leaf to give her mother, explaining that red is Mom’s favorite color. I crouch down to lend an eye. (more…)

Perched on the corner coffee table in our living room is a digital photo frame.

It only comes out to play in December and it’s tucked away again in January.

Loaded on its SD card are 500 family Christmas photos spanning two decades. The frame is set to just keep cycling through the images over and over again.

Sprinkled through the collection, you’ll find the odd attempt at a ‘formal’ group photo, but most of the images are candid shots that capture the spirit of our holiday times.

You’ll see Christmas ornaments, trees, lights and decorations, tables set for brunch and dinner, and baking fresh out of the oven. But even more importantly… (more…)

Duplex For Rent

We’re less than a week away from the opening of our Artists’ Workshop 2022 Spring Show & Sale.

It’s been a fun adventure sorting through my work from the last three years to decide what I will present in the show.

Amazingly, I’m feeling pretty much ready for the big event.

Maybe that’s a result of having had the last three years to prepare for it.

If I had to choose one word to describe the work I’ll be presenting it would be ‘varied’.

Black Fox Flowers

All of the work is watercolor – nothing has changed there. Some is watercolor with pen and some without.

Some works are on paper and others on canvas. Some are matted and framed under glass; others are presented on stretched canvas with a varnished finish or mounted on cradleboard with a waxed finish.

The inspirations are wide ranging, too.

There aren’t quite so many streetscapes as in the past – given that my travel wings have been clipped.

There are a few landscapes, a few rural scenes, quite a few florals, and a large number of still life pieces.

Rural Roots

The sizes range from 6 x 6” up to 29 x 22” (which is pretty darn big for me).

I’ve got over 40 pieces in this year’s collection.

Just a few of them are featured here.

My eight colleagues in the AW group have all been enthusiastically creating art as well.

Ravello Terra Cotta

There will be plenty of work to enjoy and make your own.

So you don’t have to go digging for them, here are the show details again.

This year’s event will be hosted at Grace Westminster Church Auditorium (505 10th Street E here in Saskatoon) on these dates at these times:

• Friday, April 29, 5-8
• Saturday, April 30, 10-4
• Sunday, May 1, 12-4

Sure hope to see you there!

‘Rekindling Spirit – Moving Through Malaise’ is the title of a seminar I’ll be delivering next week to a group of financial folks as part of their upcoming professional development event.

Every time I work with this material, I’m reminded of the wide range of options we have for getting ourselves unstuck – shifting our experience from ‘ho hum’ to ‘woohoo’.

As part of the program, participants will be invited to reflect on their past – from childhood pursuits and skills sets to bold imaginings and deferred dreams.

The idea is to take a look backwards at things we used to enjoy and interests we may have discarded along the way – to see if there is something that might add a spark of joy and excitement to our lives today.

Along this vein, yesterday I helped my octogenarian Mom hang a newly framed cross-stitch that she recently completed. It was and is an epic piece of work.

Mom first started working on this piece of handwork in the 1980’s. As life grew busy in other areas,  (more…)

When it comes to appreciation, one size does not fit all, and a generic thank you falls short of the mark. This is a point that I often stress when I speak and write about how to boost the impact of appreciation and recognition.

Today, a prime example of this idea arrived in my mailbox.

For several years now, I’ve been a member of CARFAC – the association representing Canadian professional visual artists. Each year I pay my dues and in return I receive my membership card, a receipt and a letter pointing out the benefits of belonging to the association. Pretty standard and a tad ho hum.

This year, I found something extra tucked into the envelope. (more…)

As promised in my previous blog post, I’m sharing here the video tour of my ‘Care For A Cuppa’ art exhibit showing at City Perks Coffeehouse here in Saskatoon (807 7th Ave N).

At the request of City Perks, the show has been extended another two weeks until December 15/2021. So if you are in the neighborhood and would like to see the works in person, there is still time to do that.

Hope you enjoy the images whether you see them virtually or in person.

PS – For a closer look at each of the images, see the online virtual gallery.

Thanksgiving has come and gone and as I took my morning walk today, I remained thankful for all kinds of things. In particular, I noted how grateful I am to have my mind and my memories.

What prompted this line of thought was the news that beloved children’s author, Robert Munsch (I’ll Love You Forever, Mortimer, Thomas’ Snowsuit, The Paperbag Princess, and so many more modern classics) has been diagnosed with dementia.  This means that eventually his many memories and the stories he has created over the years will be gone to him.

This made me sad, and it made me appreciate my own memories even more. Many of my earliest recollections involve  (more…)

I could not resist! Driving home recently from a late afternoon appointment, I cruised by the kiddies’ rides in Kinsmen Park and thought to myself, “Why not?”

It was a stellar September day – sunny, calm and warm as could be – a beautiful day for a ride.

I pulled into the parking lot, bought myself tickets and hopped on a horse. When the merry go round rolled to a stop, I took to the skies on the Ferris wheel.

I ride carousels everywhere we go on our travels, and I hadn’t been on this one yet – this year!!!  I’m glad I took that little detour and a timeout to play.

When I posted these photos and reflections on my experience to my Facebook page, I was struck by the dozens of responses I received. (more…)