..warmth & wisdom....

....on Thurs. April 23, my older son Ryan arrived home...so good to see him.....(pictures later)... Friday, Ryan, my first born turned 26...where have the years gone... he was off to Ottawa to pick up his girlfriend, Lindsay (yes, the same name as my younger son)...they are apartment hunting ...yea!!!!!moving closer for the next year......Lindsay is doing an internship at a new museum in Ottawa...Ryan, graduating with with Masters in Anthropology....?????sometime this spring?????...whenever his thesis is completed.....anyway, Sat. was perfect....warm....27C...the daffodils are in full bloom...other things in the garden bursting forth...almost before our eyes.

......we worked outside in the gardens all day....limped around and took pain medication at night.....as we were soooooo tired and sore from the unaccustomed hard physical labour...but got lots done...
...the Yellow Shafted Flickers were flying in their characteristic undulating patterns from tree top to TV antenna, to barn roofs etc. (any tall structure) drumming....calling "wick...wick...wick...wick...wick...drumming....calling -all day!!!! It is their way of looking suitable mates!!! Pretty birds...welcome harbinger of spring...but ALL DAY ...give it a break!!!

....I was beneath this one way up in the sugar maple...note the buds swelling!!!!....

....the day ended...still warm...but the weather forecaster says rain is on the way...good for the new grass seed I just sowed I guess....rest for the weary muscles too......

....an e-mail from a fellow artist....I think this advice applies to any "creative" endeavor....

The private lives of keeners
April 24, 2009

Dear Eileen,

Yesterday, Sara McManigle of Luverne, ND, asked: "How does an artist maintain the energy levels, motivation, and passion to realize her dreams? As hard as I try, I still get bogged down by others' condescension, the financial aspects, and time management. How do you keep the fire burning when you're so fizzled out?"Thanks, Sara. Artists need to be self-sustaining, private, "follow-your-bliss" islands unto themselves. Self-directed and independent, they make their own fizz. But artists need to realize that there are more than a few ways to become enthusiastic and motivated. One size does not fit all. Not surprisingly, artists with obsessive-compulsive tendencies and an addiction to work appear to be the keeners.One way to understand motivation is to look at the symbols represented by the things we do. A passion for kayaking, for example, might represent a desire for freedom or escape. That of dancing, for romance and love. Among other things, painting can represent a desire to re-order the universe or simply to fill the beauty gap. Nothing wrong with those. These passions, whether intrinsic or learned, are integral parts of our natures and need to be honoured. When we begin to understand our symbols, we can get on with the more mechanistic of the ploys--head down, focus, shutout or postponement of impedimenta, pump priming, multitasking and the wisdom of time-management.Furthermore, amateurs have a wisdom that professionals know not of. One can learn from amateurs. Successful self-motivators at any level are able to regularly return to their beginner-minds and rekindle earlier enthusiasms. Never underestimate your inner kid. Artists also need to be aware of their personal blockers--people, places and things--and be prepared to substitute positive over negative. Without trashing the wonderful mothers of our world, a frequently reported situation is the demanding, impossible-to-please mother who derails daughters and sons. Oh yeah, dads can do it to you too. Critical, failed, or bitter themselves, they are the kernel of a rolling, generational snowball that is difficult to stop. Stealthily and unwittingly a keen edge becomes dull and jaded. Artists so afflicted need to give thought to re-sharpening with alternate role models.

Best regards,Robert

PS: "If you can give your child only one gift, let it be enthusiasm." (Bruce Barton)

Esoterica: From my perspective, every situation, every human being, is unique. While the loving input of true friends is certainly valuable, more than anything, each artist needs to work out private ploys that beat back the unique bugaboos. I appreciate this is not always easy, as circumstances can run powerful interference. But if I didn't know it can be done, is being done, and will be done, I wouldn't be tapping on this laptop. The word is "character." Character is built, not granted.

Well....this came today......after a wonderful Sunday spent with my brother, his partner, Ryan & Lindsay and JJ. My brother is a wonderfully talented artist......who, # 1 is an infrequent visitor, and # 2, is that talented individual whom Robert describes... whose mother and father unwittingly (????) discouraged the "artistic" talent that my siblings and I possessed as not being "important enough, worthy enough....???? whatever......most of us have found our ways....but I feel my brother is still looking for that confirmation,.......yes.... it is good enough, yes.... he is talented...yes.... continue to follow that passion.......is he still haunted by that critisim/disinterest from our parents????

We went to a local art show this afternoon ....developing artists showing their work...maybe there was nothing there I'd buy to hang on my walls, but I like to go such local events ...to talk to the artists...to tell them what I like about their work...to ask questions of their techniques....to freely give out compliments....perhaps that is the teacher in me.....I'm not sure the others in my family felt the same.....???? not professional enough for them??????

Anyway, great day...great conversation....great shared information about computer programs....great stories...great food and wine shared.....what a lovely way to spend a Sunday.....

Earth Day Bouquet

Today is Earth Day, and the first Daffodils opened along the bank of the creek...how perfect!
We had a bit of sun this afternoon......still cool....but now as the sun sets, a massive front is moving in quickly....rain again overnight.........

...birds & bags

......it was another cold start to the day...one that promised rain....lots of new birds this morning on our walk......I noticed more Loons out on the river (likely migrating north)....lots of female Red Winged Blackbirds (males have been back for some time), Blue Herons and Purple Martins
.....there have been 4 Merganzers hanging around for a week or more.....always together.....the male is so completely different than the female.....in the previous shot those are the Merganzers flying toward me -enlarge the picture to see them....

...this afternoon was very windy and I noticed bags...wretched plastic bags.....caught in trees, along the fence lines, in the creek, along the river bank....just recently several major grocery store chains announced they will start charging 5 cents per bag at their stores...all I can say ..."it is about time!!!"....perhaps soon they will eliminate them altogether.....I do use them as dog pooper scoopers however when walking Nellie on the local streets or in the park, etc....but they are recycled plastic and tiny hand size bags...

......it rained this afternoon...we do need it to green things up......cleared somewhat....clouded over again after sunset and is raining heavily right now with temperatures dropping to freezing later.......love the pastels of the sunset this evening......makes me think of the Northern Lights.......

Spring

Quite a delightful morning -still cold in the morning (near freezing), but calm, with the promise of a warm day. The birds are everywhere.....ducks.....

.....migrant snow geese that spent the night on the island.....

.....seconds away from sunrise, a Common Loon has flown up the river calling, for several days now. I heard and saw him in the evening as well. Years ago we never saw Loons on the river, now they nest somewhere close by and can be heard calling every morning and evening.
Amazingly - the previous 3 pictures were taken just minutes apart -just in different directions.

This afternoon, more crocus had opened......

...the Hazelnut bushes were full of bees on the catkins.....

...Chinodoxia carpet the ground....love that colour!!!!!

Finding Beauty

Nellie was a trifle dirty after our walk in the woods today. The sun was shining, but the wind made it too cold to work in the garden today so we went for a walk in the woods. This is the result....big mistake....no...I'm not bothered by dirty dogs or kids....I used to have to hose my kids off after playing outside in the spring...in the mud, in the water, in the creek, in the woods....they had FUN so what if they got filthy.... Nellie...I just sloshed her legs around in a bucket of warm water and pulled out all the leaves and twigs, toweled her off, then told her to stay on the sunny porch for awhile till she dried......she had fun too.
The woods are so dreary this time of the year....mostly grey/brown....until you look closely for signs of life...like this moss...

....woods at first glance.....treasures waiting to be found......

Wood Ducks are quite common in our area -if you frequent wooded swamps!!! Otherwise they are not commonly seen. As we walked along the creek today, I spied a male Wood Duck.....didn't see the female.....he was beautiful......he dove beneath the water when he heard Nellie then flew up the creek. What a beautiful jewel we found in the dreary woods today!!!!

Atmospheric Moisture

The atmosphere has been laden with moisture since the last week of March around here. We've had rain or snow almost every day for weeks. The temperatures have remained low with just teasing glimpses of the sun's increasing warmth. The sunrises and sunsets have been spectacular most days however.......a few glimpses......

......pink morning skies reflected in a puddle in the garden.....

......sunrise seen from the lane through the hedgerow.....

......sunset mountains in the mist......(actually just clouds).....

....finally some clearing evening skies......

.....Easter Sunday promises to be sunny....not warm....still below freezing or slightly above.......the long range forecast is for increasing sun, increasing temperatures this week...finally hoping to begin more clean up in the gardens....daffodils are progressing nicely...perhaps some in sheltered areas might even bloom this week......wishing.......

WARNING!!

Warning!! Strange long eared creatures have invaded my world!!! They are everywhere!
Some of them have 2 legs, some of them have 4 legs!!!

They come in many colour variations and seem friendly....actually very friendly....they kept following me around as I was trying out a borrowed camera. Perhaps they hatched in all the water we have lying around after days and days and days of rain, then snow, then more rain?????? Lucky for me (????) they only seem to be in my neighbors yard although some time after this picture was taken the white creature seemed to molt, then with a shake of her body "the ears fell off!!!" ...and then the creature followed me home???? She is awfully cute ...the long ears seemed to have been replaced with shorter floppier ones. Have you ever seen anything like it????

Sunshiny Morning

I was cutting some pussy willows from our "Curly Willow" yesterday, turned around and the yard was bathed in this glowing yellow misty light, with sunbeams shining through some Pine and Yew trees -luckily I had my camera (I always have my camera) and took two pictures before it faded. How sad for the people who aren't up and about as the sun rises each day and miss some of the most most magical moments that mother nature gives to us .....

Red Skies

As the red skies promised, the rain soon started again....it has been raining for 4 days now. On the brighter side -it is not snowing! Actually, the rain melted the last snowdrift today......poor Nellie, she will miss the snow...but now she has water puddles and a swollen creek to play in. The east wind was very cold this morning so I was glad I still had ear muffs tucked into a pocket for our morning walk -I soon needed them!
On the way to school I saw the first ship sail by....the Seaway system officially opened as of midnight last night so I suspect that this ship has left port in Montreal in the night.

Green things are appearing everywhere, even the mosses are beginning to green up but it has been too wet and cold to do any gardening .

It was muffin mania at school today as my "crew" made about 170 Banana Muffins. The Grade 10 students must write a half day Literacy test tomorrow. It is very important, as schools are judged on the results. Anyway, since I run the Breakfast Program for the school, we were asked to prepare something special for these students writing tomorrow, for their break -muffins, cheddar cheese and fruit juice. They are all ready and waiting for tomorrow -the kids did an excellent job!!! (and they didn't mind not doing math or geography today to bake all day!)