a near perfect day

sweet illustrations from the enchanted gardens of Anne Julie

and be sure to check out her blog here.

7:30am chilly mornings and a 2hr drive in a car with heated seats, a pit stop for coffee and perfect conversation • Value Village an upscale, well organized (by item, size and colour) second hand store for more fleece and WNTW attire • The Italian Market for bags and bags of imported Italian pasta, a big jar of capers, anchovies and hunks of cheese to take home • The Hydrastone Market - for sweet tiny mercury glass ornaments from the Henhouse, almond croissants and a baguette to take with from Juliene's, a spin through an amazing yarn store - LKYarns and on to Topiary - a gardeners delight • big fat snowflakes falling on snow covered sidewalks and holiday spirit, in the air - everywhere • A rendevouz planned with best gal pal and city girl MLou to meet at Bark & Fitz - most excellent doggy boutique, a treat or two for Missy D and next door to Sweet Jane's for all things confectionary • a wee stroll, all three of us - MLou, Harry & I, down steep snowy streets to nearby Deserres for art supplies and all things creative - tres overwhelming choice and selection for the girl from the tiny seaside village (new brushes, kneaded erasers, drawing pens and gouache) • hugs, holiday wishes & see you soons exchanged on snowy sidewalks and Harry and I left MLou to her downtown shopping and off we went over the big bridge and out of the city for our final round of errands at Mall Land • Lush for oohs and ahhs and wonderful smells • Chapters & Starbucks finally for books, magazines, coffee, bottled water and a twisted peppermint mocha Frappucino YUM ! all set for the drive home • snowy snow covered roads and slow driving home with much more perfect conversation • Masstown Market and half way home, Brothers bratwurst sausage and sauerkraut to have with pierogies and hot mustard some night soon • darkness and the final leg of our journey now off of the highway and onto country roads, houses lit up beautifully with twinkling sparkling holiday lights and big giant snowflakes • 29 Black Street and into the house for spinning & twirling, jumping & leaping and oh the sweet kisses covering my face - and how I missed her too. Sweet Oliver following me around like a little shadow kitten, seeming to ask And did you miss me too ? • My down parka with a hood donned along with snowboots, mittens and a leash and Miss Dixon and I rush out into the evening snow and our walk in a winter wonderland. Sigh.

Carols on the radio and snowploughs are the sounds of this early morning.
Coffee and bubbles and snoring black dogs.

the city

autumn early morning sunrise

More images from la photo vault. Photography is so much about the light.

It's a rushed morning this early morning and you know how I feel about rushing. Wink. BFF Harry is picking me up curbside at 29 Black Street at 7:30am sharp for a day in the city. Shut Up ! It's true ! designer gal is leaving this little village for a day of big city shopping and browsing. Last evening (and through the night) I hummed and hawed about going at all and decided I would call him early this morning and cancel. I managed to conjure up a whole raft of excuses and reasons why I shouldn't treat myself to a wee adventure. I have lots of work that should and could be done today and I shouldn't be spending any money - No's 1 & 2 on that list and also the well worn theme of this life. You know those moods, that frame of mind that can sweep over you where you know that you're bored, in a funk, a change would do you good, some fun, some frivolity yet you can't seem to get out of your own way to allow it to happen. An opportunity presents itself and you work hard to come up with a reason(s) to push it away. It's that well practiced game of self sabotage I've mentioned. But this morning, in this moment anyway, I am preparing to go to the city. Harry is one of those, (very few) people in my life who I always feel totally safe and secure with, I never tire of time spent with him, I always enjoy his company and could listen him talk and tell stories endlessly plus he's a really good driver (it's a 2 hour drive each way). He and I have made this trip many a time and it's always great to be trapped in a car for 4 hours with him, we can chat up a storm and get all caught up.

So ... this early morning indecisive, funkalicious and tres moody girl must go off to the land of bubbles and scent, Miss D and I need to walk in darkness early this morning, oh what will you wear ? Miss What Not To Wear and of course, I mustn't forget ... la list must be made.

a monday

still contemplating crafting merry & bright felt ornaments

The little reindeer is an ornament I made years ago from a kit. Love that ric rac.

Monday
7- 7:45 - walk around the village and along the harbour's edge in darkness and warmth (mild temperatures prevail) with my girl Winnie
8-8:30 - breakfast of high fibre twigs, granola + banana at the teak topped desk
8:30-12:30 - gradually tick off a list of small but important tasks, drawings scanned and sent, correspondence tended to, Christmas cards to write and address, a fairly big list of little things - done.
12:30 - embarrassed drive to the post office in the teal coloured '97 Ford escort wagon which now sounds like a tank (or worse) - no point in slouching down in the seat because in this village everyone recognizes my car. Pick up the mail and post Christmas cards and packets.
1:00-2:15 - 5 minute drive to the golf course in the car that sounds like a tank (or worse) for a happy, twirling, zooming, running, smiling big long walk with Deb & Maggy Sue in balmy temperatures. Happy, happy dogs.
2:15-4:30 - a phone chat with my nephew Michael (Uh Uh ! he loves to chat and I'm so glad). Thank goodness for cordless phones and multitasking. I made Miss D a big batch of lean beef, carrots, lentils and rice and did some very mild tidying while catching up with Mr. University student, all round great kid and my own personal apple computer genius bar. I'm so happy he calls his Auntie S. Smile.
4:30-5:30 - Make my own dinner and purposefully and mindfully do the dishes and tidy up the kitchen. It's another secret to this living in the moment business - to Do what your Doing while you're Doing it. In other words to not be doing the dishes while planning your grocery list or thinking about the next item on your endless to-do, must-do list. You just Do the dishes and it makes it so much nicer. Simple tasks can become a pleasure To Do.
5:30-6:30 - reruns of Jon & Kate +8 - I can't help myself, those kids are so sweet
6:30-7:00 - a previously taped episode of Martha Stewart - ginger shortbread and meringue treasure chests with French countesses.
7:00 (Bing !) and finally the hour these days that I allow myself to turn out the lights on the main floor (except for our twinkling, sparkling kitchen Christmas lights) and move on up to the second floor followed by les gang of furry ones, to retreat to the nest, to puff up the pillows, a big mug of spiced orange tea and a stack of new magazines by my side, with a bit of CBC radio ... and the end of not a bad day.

This early morning rain is pelting against my windows and the air outside is as warm as a late spring day.

continued

pink & red holiday coolness from yee haw industries

• continued lack of holiday spirit ... continues • the hole in the exhaust of our teak coloured '97 Ford Escort wagon now is so large that you can hear us comin' a mile away • repair appointment slated for Wednesday • Errrgggghhhh ... it's another Monday • balmy temperatures forecast all week - good news ! and tres balmy today & tomorrow. Smile • continued & ongoing smiles and joy provided daily (hourly, minute-ly) by the wonderful cast of furry ones that share this old brick house with me • Christmas is next week but I guess you probably knew that - how can that be ?? • continued playing of much practiced game of self sabotage ... continues • 2:50 am this early morning my coffee machine began brewing coffee. I got up, set the carafe on the counter, climbed back upstairs, crawled back into the nest of down & flannel and this morning, as I sit at the teak topped desk - I'm drinking microwaved coffee. Sigh • sequins & beads, felt & embroidery floss = sweetest octopus ornaments • amazingly beautiful and tres fun hour long walk at the golf course yesterday in sun and sparkling snow. My girl Miss D she's such a dog's dog, unlike most retriever's who are people dogs first and Missy J also falls into this category - Winnie loves other dogs and she especially loves Maggy Sue. Lots of twirling and spinning and dancing and big doggy smiles. We have another date today at 1pm • no matter how shité I may feel when I first open my eyes I always feel better after I've been here awhile each early morning. This blog is very much a kind of therapy for me. Get all that yucky off of me and onto this white space, tool around a bit in the always amazing land of blogs, be inspired and cheered, read and reread kind and supportive comments left here for all of us, upload a few way cool & colourful illustrations and poof ...

... things don't seem quite so bad.

We're off now to stroll around our little seaside village in darkness - Missy D and I.

More way cool letterpress stuff from Tennessee based yee haw industries.


fishing bear - yee haw industries

pas de plan

lavender & blue holiday ornaments

An illustration from the archives this chilly early morning. Yesterday I retrieved all my containers of crafty stuff from their storage places. Bundles of brightly coloured felt, embroidery floss, glitter, sequins and beads, ric rac (oh how I love ric rac) and all things of an embellishing nature. The plan - to spend an afternoon curled up by the fire, assorted cats and one perfect scraggly black girl lounging around with me, sipping hot spiced orange tea, holiday tunes playing for our listening pleasure or perhaps back to back episodes of WNTW with Stacy & Clinton on the television (I so get those rules, now if I could just put them into practice) making sparkly sweet home made ornaments. Sounds perfect & lovely.

Well ... it's still a plan. I needed a pattern, a direction, or a concept for these sweet embellished ornaments much like a painter with her palette of paints and a large blank canvas staring back at her ... I had way too many options, possibilities and ideas bubbling around in my brain. A sure recipe for disappointment. Crafting without a plan. I wasn't in this exercise just to enjoy the process (the road being just as important as the destination). I was definitely in it for the destination (that being to successfully create a few ornaments to give as gifts that I would be happy with. It's a very tall order. Maybe it's why I don't craft often - it looks so easy ...

So ... you'd find me mulling this morning. Mulling as I pour my second cup of coffee, pondering while readying the land of bubbles and scent and doing up the few dishes on the counter. Still mulling and pondering la plan for these crafted ornaments. Sigh.

We're off again this morning to the golf course Miss Dixon and I. We hope to meet up with our friends Maggy Sue (a golden retriever and Miss D's best girlfriend) and her Mom Deb. This early morning as I continue to mull about I'll be cheerily singing to Miss D (dogs love when you sing to them) ... We're goin' to the golf course and we're goin' zoom around ... sung with a twang to the tune of Goin' to the Chapel. She loves that.

Happy Sunday.

flux

twinkling sparkling

Zigzagging temperatures. Way up and way down. We're in the middle of a wee plunge at the moment but then right back up to balmy spring like air by Monday. I'll take all the balmy I can get. Bitter cold most definitely increases my blahs, in fact I recall that last winter, a particular frigid one, the girls who Jake, Winnie and I walked with would comment (often) that they'd never known me to be so grumpy. Normally I'd be the one always oohhing and ahhing at the smallest little natural details on our treks through frozen pastures and along icy shores. Ooh look at the colour of those berries or Wow ! the sky is spectacular but put me outside in the very cold, even wrapped well in down & fleece – and it ain't pretty. People in the line at the grocery store lately are complaining* that these fluctuations in temperatures are the reason people get sick - flus, colds etc. However Ahhhhh do declare that to be an urban myth and old husband's tale I'm sure of it. Fluctuations of the upward variety definitely add some spark to my step.

Windy still, and temperatures dropping. Today I am continuing on a housecleaning thang which I began yesterday. Shut Up ! No you Shut Up !! 'Tis true. Well, Nessy's just arrived here atop the teak topped desk ... so you know the drill.

* a sure fired way to recognize the Canadian in a crowd - they'll be the ones complaining about the weather. It's a national past time.

SALE in la shop - 2 for 1 -Buy any photo art print card and get the second FREE. Just mention your second choice in the comment section when purchasing.

and ... thanks so much for sharing your medicinal lists yesterday.


not at all a surprise - Oliver is also the most helpful of housecleaning assistants

tonic

Michael Sowa - Penguins

a brand new day
a brand new chance
penguins
a hot face cloth and Tramp bubbles
mild temperatures
poached eggs & english muffins
a sweet calico cat and most excellent design associate
shaggalicious black dog
freshly laundered anything
the new issue of Domino
a fire in the fireplace
that girl
twinkling Christmas lights
the nest of down & flannel
the nest of brick & mortar
a fat black velvet chicelet
a trim tabby ocelot
a tidy desk
clementines
unexpected visits from friends living on magical far away islands
laughing
soup of any kind
being nice to the girl who lives here
darkness
sweetest memories
hot spiced orange tea in a favourite mug

blah

how's this for spectacular !

The back back shore as seen from atop the bayberry and wild rose pasture this year in early spring. An image I found last evening while strolling down this year's memory lane and through the now thousands of images (some spectacular and many completely mundane) in my computer's iphoto library. Hunting for inspiration for today's blog posting. I'm most happy when I retreat to the nest each evening knowing what the image(s) is that I'll be posting the next morning and I almost always try to have that to-do crossed off my list before bed. I don't worry so much about the words but I do like to have the image figured out. I did take a few photo's yesterday of my Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree-esque kitchen window's twinkling, sparkling, multi coloured mini lights and if you're patient and keep reading you may get a peek.

I have a hole in my exhaust (so the drive to pick up groceries sounds like I'm driving a dirt bike which is tres embarrassing) I do have an appointment at the garage Friday morning for the teal coloured '97 Ford Escort wagon. My laundry room roof leaked (again) yesterday in the driving pouring rain. Last night I burnt soup ? I was making in one of my new super duper stainless steel pots. Very large sigh. My desk is completely covered with black drawing pens and pieces of tracing paper and drawings in various stages of completion and it's official ... this week is and has been ... totally blah.



Grumpy, messy, un-enthused. Sigh. Two weeks until Christmas - even bigger sigh. Last week at the height of my spinning, twirling mad at-the-teak-topped-desk-all-the-time, oh so productive Hello ! this is the new me girl I really was convinced that maybe blah girl had packed her bags and left for good. No such luck. Fortunately Ache, Sadness & Tears have all gone out west to work in Fort McMurray for the winter, they do call me collect every now & then and often when I least expect it but they're not here, underfoot, day in and day out. I'm sure this blah-ness has a lot to do with the fact that Christmas is only two weeks away. Another reminder of all the things I wanted to do, meant to do, would have been so nice to do. Cookies to bake, gifts to create, packages to bundle up pretty and send off in the mail. Reminders of who I wish I was. Kinder, gentler, more thoughtful and with oodles more social skills - 'tis the party season after all. My whole life I've wanted to be that Christmas girl. But I'm just not her.

I don't feel like doing any of it, I'm quickly running out of time and this happens to me every year.

Yesterday I ordered myself a customized version of this sweet Christmas gift (I'm having the letter J stamped into the back of the tiny gold heart). Best gal pal and designer MLou called and we talked for ages. She made me laugh so hard that I was afraid I'd get the hiccups and/or pee my pants. I haven't laughed that hard in ages. They say laughter is the best medicine ... and I do believe this to be true.

I'm kind of getting the hang of this living in the moment business. In the moment I've found, lately at least (and I'm continually testing this theory - much like the smash hit Can you hear me now? ad campaign for Verizon OK Susan how do you feel now? an hour later what about now? I try to sneak up on my feelings ... How 'bout now ? ) the worst it ever is, it seems, in that very moment ... is blah.

Blah passes ... blah's not so bad.


guess who ?

cheese love

Blanchie's homemade cheese spread

Well it's another wild & windy early morning here in this little seaside village. Rain is pelting sideways and tap tap tapping on my office/studio windows and the temperature has climbed (yeah !!) to +10 - virtual balminess for nearly mid December (did I say yeah ? Yeah !!). I stopped at the hardware store yesterday afternoon to pick up a new ice chisel/snow brush apparatus for the teak coloured 97 Ford Escort Wagon (it was so cold yesterday and my windshield had such a thick layer of hard frozen ice on it that my old one snapped in two while I was deep in the act of chiseling). While at the hardware store I also picked up a new string of 100 sparkling, twinkling (but not blinking - blinking is never good) multi coloured mini lights. The tradition here at 29 Black Street is to zig zag mini lights, a bit haphazardly, a bit Charlie Brown's Christmas tree, around and across my big front kitchen window - looks terrible in daylight but absolutely lovely in darkness. When Miss D and I came home last night from our evening stroll the little path from the street to our door was now cheery and bright, lit with the magic of Christmas. I leave them on all night and this early morning I poured my coffee in a kitchen dark but for the glow of these sweet little lights. Sigh.

And who said she wasn't a Christmas girl ?

Another favourite recipe from my other grandmother Blanche. Both my grandmother's were incredible strong, independent, women (perfect role models for young girl's growing up) and both were fantastic cooks. I guess I come by my love of cooking quite naturally. This recipe is for a homemade cheese spread perfect for Christmas giving - a kind of adult cheese whiz. I'll write out the recipe as I have it written down and then in the notes I'll suggest a few possible alterations, additions, etc. These recipes were recorded way before we had the kind of access to the gourmet ingredients that we currently have.

Cheese Olive Spread

1/2lb old, nippy sharp cheddar cheese*
1/3 cup of butter
1 cup of white sugar
1 bottle salad olives (drained well)**
1 cup of cream/blend
3 eggs (beaten well)
1/2 cup vinegar****
mix the next three items together well before adding
1 tbsp (dry mustard)***
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp flour

Using a double boiler blend flour mixture, sugar and cream, stir well and gradually add beaten eggs and butter. Continue to stir and cook until mixture seems well combined and then gradually add in the grated cheese and the chopped olives. Cook until thick. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Pour into jars. Keeps refrigerated 1-2 weeks.

You can substitute a container of *Imperial cheese. I use the **best olives (quite finely chopped) that I can get from my deli section, a combination of big fat pimento stuffed olives along with a few Kalamata olives and/or a small can of well drained chopped roasted red peppers (pimentoes). I'm sure 1 tbsp of the best ***Dijon would be a great substitution and you could also experiment with flavoured ****vinegars (white wine or cider might be nice) and even adding a tbsp. of sherry at the end. Or just enjoy the recipe as is.

Very delicious spread on a thick slice of toasted Tuscan peasant bread (with a special holla to B. Vee who has become la Queen of the Tuscan peasant bread) a few crumbles of bacon on top and under the broiler 'til bubbly or as is avec knife for spreading and a tall stack of saltines. Wink.

Bathos bubbles from Lush this morning and (sigh) my second cup of java awaits.

baby it's cold

holiday wrap

from Lab Partners available at Hello Lucky and found at most favourite daily haunt - Canadian design blog - Poppytalk.

Baby it's cold outside, it's really cold, frigid, freezing, bone chillin', cheek chappin', long john wearin', brrrrrrrr cold ... outside. Winter has officially arrived here in this sleepy little seaside village. This is the kind of cold I hate. Even fleece and down can barely do their thing in this wind chill kind of cold. Yuck. This old brick house is very close to the harbour (a much appreciated feature three seasons of the year) but in winter most often those chilling winds are coming in off the water. Brrrrrr. The kind of cold that even my wood stove fire place insert with the fan cranked to high can't heat the whole house. The kitchen and laundry room feel like I've gone outside and I have to burrow down deep into the nest of down and flannel at night, holding my book delicately with as few fingers exposed to the cool bedroom air as is possible. I'm tres frugal with the furnace/oil heat. The good news is tomorrow we're in for one of our Eastern Chinook's and temperatures of +12 - fantastic !! As long as we continue with this up/down, cold/warm/cold I can bare winter. Throw me a (mild temps) bone every now then and I'll survive.

Same ol' same ol' here at the teak topped desk at 29 Black Street today. More cute thumbnails. Listening to Twilight (unabridged audio CD), and the soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas my most favourite holiday music, and of course always my beloved CBC radio 1.

I plan to mix up a jar of this today. I'm not normally a Tang kinda girl ... but this is delicious and super easy. My grandmother Flo used to make this concoction and it reminds me of her - it's a perfect hot beverage for cold wintry days or if you're coming down with the sniffles.

Hot Spiced Tea
1 1/3 c. Tang flavor beverage crystals
1/3 c. instant tea *
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Mix together well and put in canister. Put 1 heaping teaspoon per cup of hot water. * I think I will change this to 1 cup instead of 1/3 cup - making it more tea-ish.

Feeding the birds and a few stray neighbourhood cats (and Jessie who has a lovely warm home but seems to like the food better here) and realizing that yet again Christmas will be here before I know it and I've yet to begin the very few holiday preparations that are on la list. This happens every year ... I'm not sure why I can't come to terms with the fact that I'm just not that Christmas girl. Sigh.

howling wind

Mr Sweetness himself Oliver cuddled up with the L'il Man Gussie

I'm up early this morning. Drinking coffee at 4:30 am. It's wild outside. Windy, and heavy slushy frozen rain. Too messy for Nessy to go out this early morning, one sniff out the door and he scurried back inside to go and lie on his sofa by the fire. Parts to the North of us are a having a wild winter storm with a heavy snowfall advisory so we can be thankful that's it's just rain here. Sorry ski folk.

I kind of goofed off this weekend. I really didn't do any drawing/design work to speak of (although I meant to). It's been so crazy busy here at the teak topped desk it was kind of nice to have two entire days with really no plan ... no list. The weekend just passed me by with long walks avec my girl Miss D at the golf course, light tidying, lots of laundry, puttering (I'm such a good putterer), and buried in the nest of down & flannel with a good book for a few hours yesterday afternoon. Sigh. And of course we had the drama of Sweet Oliver MIA along with the thrilling and heartfelt happy reunion. So today I must make up for that lost creative time - 3 new children's themed photo frame groupings must spill out of me and onto tracing paper. Cute, sweet & whimsical the themes for this stormy windy Monday.

More Lush goodness this morning. Bubbles with Patchouli etc ... I'll stoke the fire and then back to the nest with my second cup of coffee and Missy D to lie in the dark for a while and listen to the howling wind.


Miss Winnie Dixon enjoying an afternoon snooze acec les garcons

Heard this playing in our local grocery store the other day. 80's Canadian pure pop greatness The Spoons

awol

Oliver second floor hallway windowsill looking out onto Black Street

I lost Oliver yesterday ... gasp.

He escaped. That Oliver he's such a doesn't want to miss anything, always has to be where there's somethin' going on, people cat (or Susan cat) he's always hangin' around. It occurred to me early last evening as I sat in the living room enjoying the fire and watching a little television that I hadn't seen him in awhile. Things seemed unusually quiet. I quickly scooted upstairs to see if maybe he was sleeping on my bed. Nope. The guest room? Nope. Down into the kitchen I went and into the cupboard to retrieve the never fails kitten calling apparatus - a bag of Whiskas Temptations kitten treats - you shake the bag once and kittens come from miles around running, dancing, chirping - they LOVE those kitten treats. Shake. Shake. No Oliver. My heart sunk and I could feel my blood pressure rising along with the anxiety that was begin to sweep over me. Where could he be ?

Of course Mr. Mr. (Gus) that handsome, tawny, tabby, ocelot cat came rushing out of his hiding spot, and Bleet prefers his kitten treats delivered to his spot on the sofa near the fire - so I delivered Bleet's treats while thinking to myself - OK - don't panic, retrace the events of the afternoon. When did I last see Oliver ? I was in and out of the house (the back laundry room door) often during the afternoon hanging and retrieving laundry from the line outside and Miss D was having a busy afternoon working in her rawhide plantation out in the big fenced in dog yard and I was letting her in and out often through the sunporch door. Winnie likes to take her rawhides out into the yard and bury them, all over the yard. She uses her nose and comes back into the house with her scraggly little face completely covered with muck, dirt and bits of leaves ... but that's another story.

After thoroughly searching every nook, cranny, closet, drawer, dryer, washing machine and crawlspace inside this house I came to the conclusion that sweet Oliver must be outside. He slipped out and trust me I'm very careful ... as anyone with inside cats knows - you have to be careful.

By now it was dark and I was really beginning to panic (as is my nature) quickly spinning toward doom & gloom. What if I can't find him ? What if he's gone forever? I began imagining what my life would be like at the teak topped desk with no Oliver. I couldn't go on. He's my joy. He's my buddy. I'm totally crazy about him. So outside I tromped, bundled up in down & fleece, with kitten calling apparatus in one gloved hand, and a flashlight in the other.

Shake, shake. O-l-i-v-e-r. K-i-t-t-e-n ... in my softest most alluring kitten calling voice ... wait ... listening with strained ears ... nothing. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat ... No Ver.

An hour passed I was in and out, I even spent some time just sitting out in the back yard darkness, on a tree stump quietly listening intently hoping to hear the sound of little paws on crunchy dry leaves, some tears and a few prayers, more in and out of the house strategizing and planning my next search party of one manuever and much more lying down on the grass and shining the light under and into every outside nook and cranny I could think of. No Oliver. Anywhere. Finally I was walking around the house and into the front yard and I thought maybe he's under the front porch. Down onto the ground again and I aimed the flashlight into the darkness under the stoop. Bright little eyes shone back at me. Heavy sigh. Thank you God and M. Universe and anyone else who's been helping out !!

Shake, shake. O-l-i-v-e-r. K-i-t-t-e-n ... the softest sweetest little chirpy mew called back to me. He was scared. That's the thing with inside cats - they're all so brave and brazen and far too curious for there own good, always trying to make the big dash out into the big wide world and then they get out there and they spend the entire time hiding somewhere (under the porch in this case) thinking to themselves Holy Shit - this was a bad idea. Someone come and get me please.

I kept calling him and he slowly, slowly crept out of his hiding place and into my arms. Scared kitten. I smothered him with kisses, pats and hugs and life became good again ... here at 29 Black Street.

pale male

a spread from the children's book Pale Male

Yesterday just before I left for my (little seafood diner place a short drive up the coast) lunch out with my friend Helen Customer Uno called. She frequently calls on Fridays and often late in the day on Friday - with another (potentially even two) new children's themed photo frame project(s). Yeah !! Stop working on your tech/production drawings please and switch to new sweet and cuter than ever new thumbnail sketches. OK Boss Lady I say with pleasure.

For inspiration I am constantly cruising the amazing (couldn't do this job without it) world wide web and Google is one of my best friends. I plunked children's book illustrators - into the blank search bar, hoping to find inspiration- new illustration styles and/or to possibly discover new themes or subject matter and I came upon this link to the New York Times 2008 10 best illustrated children's books. And amongst those 10 best - this book Pale Male the story and romance(s) of an urban NYC red tailed hawk who caused quite a kerfuffle by building his big beautiful nest high atop one very expensive 5th Avenue apartment building. He eventually won the hearts of the city and has become a much loved avian celebrity. His story is one that I was familiar with as I watched an amazing documentary on the PBS series Nature about this dashingly handsome hawk a few years back. He now has his own web site here.

A perfect lunch out and for those enquiring minds I had a fish burger (a battered piece of haddock on a squishy toasted white bun with lettuce and a tomato slice, a thick smear of mayo and a side of spicy fries). Wink. Helen gave me an early Christmas gift of homemade preserves (the best kind of gift) spiced crab apples and a jar of both black currant jam & jelly (my favourite) made from currants from her own garden. Back to the teak topped desk, where yet again inspiration mysteriously and magically bonked me on the head like a 2 by 4. I quickly put fav red mechanical pencil to tracing paper, sent 4 little thumbnails out into the ether and received the call back early in the evening. 3 new groups of frames each group consisting of 5 or 6 new frames. So potentially 15-18 new frames. Uh huh ! Uh Huh !

Oh darn ... that big day of housecleaning I had planned is gonna have to be postponed once again. Where is that team of invisible, mute valets when you need them. Wink.

other noteables
- I won a 50.00 gift certificate from our grocery store earlier this week. Every time you use cloth bags you get to fill out a ballot and I always use cloth bags ... so I fill out a lot of ballots -this is actually my second win).
- the yellow throated warbler boy is still hangin' around the Black St. Bird Buffet
- Miss D wants you to know that (yeah !) it's a golf course day.
- while rooting around yesterday in the infamous crawlspace trying to find the ever elusive twinkling, sparkling string of Christmas tree lights I happened upon a previously stowed (and long forgotten) bag filled with fleece What-Not-to-Wear attire all purchased at my favourite clothing haunt - Francoise. Bonus !
- and here's a little video that best girlfriend and designer gal MLou sent to me earlier in the week that so perfectly illustrates our (she's afflicted as well) penchant for planning rather than actually doing. Happy Saturday y'all!



* had some technical difficulties avec blogger early this morning so my apologies to any of you who may have stopped by early and had to read accidently posted very rough and full of typos first draught. Oops. Hate that.

christmas trees & warblers

sparkle, a Noodle and cookies & tea

Yesterday I was busily putting my coat and scarf on late in the afternoon, getting ready to run a few errands around this little village when I heard an unusual bird sound from the kitchen window bird feeder station (or giant kitten flat screen television). I was thrilled to see a small grey, black and white bird with a very long sharp (insect eating) black beak and a vivid yellow throat flitting from feeder to feeder as if it was not familiar with these backyard buffets that we provide for the birds. Black sunflower seeds ? No not to his taste. Niger seed ? definitely no. Suet ? ahhh that's what he was looking for. I quickly memorized all the details of his appearance so that later I could look this bird up in my trusted Peterson's Eastern Bird Guide, I put Miss D's leash on (she likes to go for the drive) and off we went.

Earlier in the day a fellow dog lover and someone I've known well from her years working at our local bank called to tell me that she and her husband said goodbye to their sweet 15+ year old diabetic and blind senior dog Penny just the day before. She wanted to donate all Penny's special food, medications, syringes etc to the shelter and I had made arrangements to go and pick these items up. They have had Penny since she was 8 weeks old, she came from the same, way out in the country, shelter that the Noodle dog came from. Penny was their child. Winnie and I walk by their place each morning on our stroll around the village in darkness and Penny always greeted us with her lovely deep senior dog bark and we had noticed lately, that she was becoming especially thin and frail.

It felt like it was all meant to be - that she called me, that I had a chance to write a note in a card for both of them, and to drop it off in person. That I could be the one to give comfort and to stand in her entryway for a time as she reminisced and told tales of life with Penny, how much they loved her and how they can't believe that she's gone. Penny lived a long and incredible life and was loved as much as it's possible to be loved. As I carried the bags of donated things to the car I turned and said if you ever need someone to talk to ... I'm your girl.

Back home to dishes and kitchen tidying and I sat down to study my bird book. The mystery bird is a yellow throated warbler, extremely rare to Nova Scotia and this time of year he should be basking in the sun and humidity of Florida. If you remember this time last year I was feeding fat red grapes to the beautiful Lady Baltimore another bird far from home. Peanut butter and suet are this little guys preferred feeder foods so today we'll be sure to get a little PB out there at the bird buffet. If he's going to stick around these parts he'll need to be well fed.

Lunch out today with a friend, more frame tech production drawings and working out the details of new etsy shop items ! Happy sigh. Some photos from our little village by the sea tree fest, cafe and entertainment (from a local senior's chorale group the Traveller's).

and ... the word of the week - proroque - Canadian politics just became exciting.


café - Harry in the front leaning in chatting with the girls


the Traveller's - before their program began

still

looks a bit like a yell ... but it's actually a big giant yawn

It's tedious and tiring work keeping up the constant kitten-company vigil here at the teak topped desk and it's a job Oliver takes very seriously. He's here beside me right now, his extra soft calico self ... purring up a storm and waiting for his first assignment ... maybe he could do a little scanning for me this morning ... or perhaps some filing and of course his opinions and critiques are always invaluable.

Blue Skies Lush bath bubbles this morning. Sigh. Another patchouli blend and I do so love a patchouli blend. The big, fat, black, chicelet (Nessie) has just arrived atop the teak topped desk. Madly purring and smelling fresh of outdoors after his 15 minute I must go outside at 4:50 am sharp to prowl around in darkness every morning routine. I must pause here ... as a big fuss has to be made.

My lunch date has been bumped to tomorrow - this morning before I begin work I'll make another cabbage roll casserole - did anyone give it a try ? It really was delicious and I find when I'm busy with lots of work it really helps to have food prepared - lest I eat potato chips (probably my No.1 favourite food - are chips a food ?) right from the bag here at the teak topped desk.

I haven't watched any television in days. I always imagined a scenario where I was so happily into my creative endeavours that I would just spend all my time in my little studio/office, at my desk, listening to CBC radio or a good audio book, working away on some new scheme, plan, collage or illustration .... and it seems suddenly, kind-of out of the blue - like those days have arrived. I find myself opening my eyes in the wee hours of the morning and thinking to myself before I glance at the lit numbers on my bedside clock. I hope it's time to get up. Lately I can't wait to get out of bed in the morning and to begin my brand new day.

I know that much of my free & easy, calm & cool demeanour has to do with the two big fat invoices that I've just sent out into the ether. For, alas, it's sad but true $$ = safe and secure feelings to me (one income, self employed gal with a severely dwindled nest egg) knowing that my bills will be paid for another month or two allows me the luxury of enjoying these moments. And for right now I'm just going to go with - everything is OK.

I feel like the real me ... has come back. She's shooed away Ache & Sadness ... along with Guilt and the big and bad Grief. I still miss him, I still think about him every day, I look up at the sky while we're on our walks and I talk to him. I still wish with all my might that he was still here and I still get a catch in my throat when I mention his name out loud ... Jake.

Love ... I'm so glad I met you.

Can't get this beautiful song out of my mind - by yet another fantastic Canadian singer songwriter Royal Wood. He wrote this song for his brother's wedding.

peace

lavender peace - 8.5 x 11 art print

Yawn. Lately I have been sleeping like a baby - which is so fantastic. My days have been full, busy and fun which I truly believe is how life is supposed to be. Days spent mostly here at the teak topped desk following my bliss and slowly, step-by-step working toward building that darn ol' CE (creative empire) which I began building, in earnest, this year. Stopping only for breaks to lure a few ocelots out of hiding, make myself a snack, or to walk around this little village in darkness with my best girl Winn, to stroll and to stop and wait (while she enjoys her intense sniffing business) and stare up at the clear evening sky and the billions and zillions of stars or to gaze out into the harbour, the water so still and calm it shines like glass and feel so thankful for the life that I'm living.

My dance card continues to fill up this week. I'm finishing up all the technical/production drawings for this last big bunch of frames (39 in total), a lunch date out tomorrow with a friend at the little seafood spot that sits smack on the water's edge a few miles away along the coast, more tech drawings to do, and finally some free time to spend catching up with a little tidying and a few organizational chores.

I stopped yesterday to see my printer guy Carl in town and what a sweet, extremely helpful man he is. I've ordered new paper and new envelpopes for both my cards and my illustration prints. Incredible beautiful paper, super heavy, super smooth 130 lb cougar bright white and a new bright white larger size envelope. This new lavender peace print is printed on the new paper and also watch soon for some 5x7 greeting cards with envelopes also printed on this new paper. Sigh. This etsy stuff is SO much fun.

6 new photographic prints also in la shop. A larger size, 8x10 ready for framing and all 6 from my collection series - I love to gather and collect things on my walks, bring them home with me, spread them out on a white background in natural light and photograph them - always with the help of my trusted photography assistant Mr. Sweet himself Oliver.


things I found on the beach 24/09/08 - 8 x 10 photographic print


striped pebbles No. 1 - 8 x 10 photographic print

holiday card {No.2}

a three dog winter wish

Don't you love {french brackets} ? - that & ampersands.

Holiday card No. 2 was inspired by our many, many wonderful winter walks at the golf course - just me and my pack of three - Emma Jane Louise Em, Jake (you know him also as Noodle) and Winnie who has so many alternate names it's a bit hard to keep track - but our current favourite seems to be Miss D. (that would be Dixon - Miss Winnie Dixon).

This card is also 4.75 x 4.75, printed on heavy, smooth, bright white stock, inside reads wishing you joy and each card comes with a perfect 5 x 5 red envelope in a cellophane sleeve and ships in a sturdy card mailer. $ 4.00 US per card and if you buy 4 I'll throw in the 5th free ! (photos later tonight with la shop update).

Also look for 5 new 8 x 10 photographic prints ready for framing and a new surprise 8.5 x 11 illustration print that I'm quite tickled about.

I'm going to town today - literally. I have two appointments and a billion zillion errands to run, big shopping and provisions to lay in, in time for the upcoming holiday season. I really don't enjoy driving that much so I end up waiting and when I finally do decide to make the 40 min. trip to town I'm usually laden down with places to go and people to see. Such is today's itinerary. So ...it's back to the nest this early morning with my coffee, Miss D, pen and paper. A detailed list avec la stop-by-stop plan must be made.

I can't wait, honestly, to return here - back to my teak topped desk. Sigh

holiday cards {No.1}

red on a white ground

Better late than never ... as they say.

These holiday greeting cards will be in the shop late tomorrow evening and I promise to ship any cards purchased out promptly the next day ... as I do realize it is late-ish in the season to be shopping for holiday cards. These 4.75 x 4.75 cards are printed on heavy smooth bright white stock, inside each card reads peace on earth and each card comes with a perfect 5 x 5 red envelope in a cellophane sleeve and ships in a sturdy card mailer. Two styles available - red on a white ground (above) and white on a green ground (below) $ 4.00 US per card and if you buy 4 I'll throw in the 5th free ! (photos tomorrow with shop update).

It's miserable here this morning. It's chilly and absolutely pouring rain. The scent of patchouli, lemon & orange is wafting around the second floor of this old house, that and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Sigh. Another busy day is just beginning here at the teak topped desk at 29 Black Street.

hey ... the hearts and berries made the cut after all ...


white on a green ground