the very best medicine

the lawn at Thinker's Lodge at sunrise / old poplars with their coat of lichen / ah the moon, the wisps of clouds / beach grass patterns / the grey & white of winter / winterscape / the wharf & dingy beach / my footprints in the freshly fallen snow / the crescent beach / snow capped queen anne's lace / a favourite vantage point looking out into the strait / cottages at crescent beach awaiting spring 

The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. Now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours. 

Alan Bennet 

I've been happily busily, bustling away at many lovely new & exciting creative endeavours. Sadly ones I can't talk about just yet … 'tis the nature of this beast. Licensing art, creating art for the stationary, gift & home decor markets. I'm used to the secrecy, it's always been this way - I've been doing this on my own (sole proprietor) since the fall of 2001. In February I start 2 brand new e-courses. Feb 3rd the fantastic & fabulous Lilla Roger's course - Assignment Bootcamp - an extension of sorts of the much loved by many Make Art That Sells A & B (I participated in both) & Feb 17th I begin Kelly Rae Robert's new e-course Mixed Media Mantra's - ya know I love me a good mantra & why not learn from les Queen of mixed media technique, art & style + I've taken Kelly's courses before and they're super value, chock full of content & goodness.

Miss Winnie Darlin' Dixon continues to be great ! hooray ! hooray !! coming down those stairs with ease, eating like a horse (and trying to chase the cat food rider), Monsieur Bleetito also turned 15 this past week and he's quite suddenly, in the past week or so become super affectionate, cuddly & has begun sleeping on the bed at night - when he can find a spot ;-) no one needs a king size bed more than we do.

There has been a ton of goodness in my life over the past 6 months, especially creative empire building greatness, but it's also been one of the most stressful upsetting times that I can remember (daily pain in my stomach stressful). I'll admit, far too many of those days, I resorted to using undesirable, fast acting, home remedy-ish coping skills (cupcakes & vino, cheesies, more vino) - but lately my very best coping tools* are practicing self compassion (those are the times when you need her the most), getting away from my desk for a walk with my camera - always a fast acting, trance inducing drug, or having tea on a tray with a biscuit and a cat in my nest (my most favourite room in this house - the chocolate brown bedroom) and/or best of all, when all else fails, reading a book. I find for stress, strain, anger, hurtful feelings, anxiety, and/or all manor of yuckiness…fiction is always the very best medicine.

Never trust anyone who 
has not brought a book with them 

Lemony Snicket

* Oliver reminded me that I left his name off my key badness coping strategies & it's true he should be top of that list for he is the most wonderful, comforting, psychic, loving, affectionate, loyal … cat ever. "if there are tears, he will appear … instantly" thank you sweet cat