Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Partners

thanks to Sue W and GC for hosting Weekly Prompts https://weeklyprompts.com/2023/04/15/weekly-prompts-weekend-challenge-partners/

Partners can me a number of things. I immediately thought of my husband and all the married couples that we know but partners can also be things that go well together, like wine and cheese, eggs and bacon, Batman and Robin, fork and knife, socks, twins, etc..

1-B81-F939-88-BE-4318-8-A50-56656-ADE7038
Partners for Life
E35167-E7-2-C6-F-4129-B640-9636-D868-B8-B2-1-201-a
Swans partner for life as well
5-B97-A1-C2-D9-BA-4-ED6-A77-A-5-D4223-A22-F36
Birthday cake and candles
6-C8-C0-D49-B6-D0-4024-8-ED5-0-CC9-EFFF2583
Father and Son
F916-A6-B7-0906-4-BC0-A66-F-F3737-DDEE76-E-1-201-a
Tea and Biscuits
D3-CB3652-4-FA5-48-A2-B9-D7-563-C663-F5102
Couple
9-AAD1-C84-F5-EF-4-BD3-B611-441648-C474-B4
Best friends

Happy Easter From Our Family to Your’s

this Easter weekend has involved painting, drawing, getting together with family and eating…lots of eating

Every family celebrates this time of year differently but it almost always includes food. In our house it also includes drawing and painting and getting outside to walk and take photos.

Food with Family

D2-B42-CFD-39-CA-4-CFC-8-CA9-6-C36-E6485573
E512-C0-CE-1-DEC-4996-B4-B7-6-BAFD64-FEC4-E
DA8-D779-C-C38-E-4-AE0-AB3-A-BA7-E4-EF00775
17-C15-B73-7-C2-D-4-CAB-8-B0-B-3-DA56-C76-BAC6
F3-ABC005-DC20-4-EEB-8239-EE88-E9-AB831-C
FB331172-E74-D-44-E7-9-A7-F-855-D127-EEB30
874-B8-CFB-92-C1-4-F78-B831-1-FDA73-DE305-E

Walking and Taking Photos

1-D345-D13-D2-AB-42-F0-B1-DF-5-F6294-C1-A2-F4
0-A708-EB8-D4-B3-44-E9-A602-3-C266853-BC0-F-1-201-a
64435-A45-A262-4-B57-8-C91-2-EE827988825
FC95-B1-F1-4261-4-C56-B600-61937-E9339-C3
E55213-D0-D1-D9-425-D-82-FE-BB60999-B7825

Making Art….to be continued

Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge – Neighbours

thanks to Sue W and GC for hosting Weekly Prompts https://weeklyprompts.com/2023/03/15/weekly-prompts-wednesday-challenge-neighbors/

Neighbours mean the world to us. Not only do we help each other out in times of need or to carry out a goal, we also have become friends and celebrate special times in our lives together.

Trish and I picked up garbage in the neighbourhood for a month when COVID first hit. It was her idea but I was right there with her for 30 days.

A102868-F-2-B4-B-4-F89-876-D-4726-D7-FA49-C7
4-BB38-E86-04-D7-4-A8-C-977-A-99-D202994-FC8
…she even got one her daughters and her friend to pitch in
5-F17-BE9-F-D587-4-ACC-AF5-E-DE7-A497-B8560
For years we shovelled snow for our neighbours and now they help us out when we’re not able
D3376-F57-7697-4-E75-989-D-CDB0888-BD4-DE
This is our neighbourhood lawn bowling club and many of the members are my neighbours. I’ve met a lot of great people
0-EFE3-F52-113-C-40-CD-9-A91-D4-C02191-A69-E
Friends since high school and neighbours at the cottage…always there to support me
670-D8-CF4-6-D18-4-A99-9538-CD6-DCA435753
Neighbours and friends helping me celebrate my ‘big’ birthday
B57-A2-A59-7-E1-D-4-EDD-95-F1-B0-F16-AD9-C9-F4-1-201-a
Neighbours pitching in to help clear the leaves on the corner lot

Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – Old

….thanks to Sue W and GC for hosting Weekly Prompts https://weeklyprompts.com/2023/02/11/weekly-prompts-weekend-challenge-old/

Getting old is not just a number but it’s a state of mind and declining physical abilities. We need to work at staying in shape and it becomes harder as we get older but the benefits outweigh the aches and pains that may come with it. Not caring how you look is not embracing old age or aging gracefully. Even though my husband is suffering with pain and discomfort he would never think about going out, even to a doctor’s appointment without showering first and putting on clean clothes.

26-EE9-D4-D-A763-4360-93-AC-1348-B59-E14-A3
Knight’s Armour
DC82-E5-E5-E399-41-AA-93-C2-24845-EE5908-E
Kevin’s 70th birthday
670-D8-CF4-6-D18-4-A99-9538-CD6-DCA435753
My 70th birthday with friends and our grandkids

As plants get older they wither and dry up. Our pets get grey around the muzzle and they slow down and sleep more. My grandmother was very wrinkled but she stayed active right up to her last three years of her life. She walked everywhere, rode her bike and travelled. My father was the same. He was less wrinkled but he walked every day, worked on his crosswords and at 90 he made one last trip overseas to visit his younger brother. He wasn’t without his faults and as he got older he said things that could be hurtful but in his mind he was just being ‘honest’. He passed at 94.

4-E333769-1-A98-491-C-9337-A494-D4-D8-F7-D3
Frances at 14 1/2 years old
C1514090-F200-488-A-96-C8-E05312-A2-DF98
Dad doing this civic duty right to the end
DEB25152-F04-C-4-D4-F-A865-945-F8969-C222
Dad on his 93rd birthday

Furniture and paintings fade as they get older if they aren’t properly cared for. Books and papers yellow and can get musty and brittle. Old things in museums are stored in carefully crafted atmospheres to slow down the aging process and skilled hands can bring masterpieces back to life for future generations to experience and enjoy.

27-FD72-CE-0-C75-418-C-B2-DF-ACB2-EA6-B0-A04-1-201-a
Degas’s Ballerina
1-F774-B12-602-A-4399-A36-A-F161923-FCCFB
The Mona Lisa
EF57934-A-D5-BE-43-D2-B1-AD-99-DF0-DFCE14-F
A Cathedral in Paris
40590-A42-FFD3-4-EF4-9-F85-3944-B2-D21-DCB
The Medieval section of Tours, France
BCB13-F05-3-CFD-473-E-894-F-79549800-E442
The Cathedral in Tours, France
2-E98-AFD1-7-F2-C-4-B0-A-B9-CE-6-E0-C8228-CB0-D
The Chateau Amboise in France
589-EA76-B-87-A8-4-A95-8457-663043244409
Furniture in the Chateau

Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge – Belonging

thanks to Sue W and GC for hosting Weekly Prompts https://weeklyprompts.com/2023/02/01/weekly-prompts-wednesday-challenge-belonging/

Before COVID I belonged to a group of bakers. Every week, twice a week, we got together to make dough and bake bread in the wood burning oven at Montgomery’s Inn, one of Toronto’s Historical Museums. When COVID hit in March 2020 all volunteer jobs were eliminated and bread baking ceased to exist for almost three years. I loved belonging to this group of men and women who came together every week and I look forward to the day that we can once again get together to make bread.

F50-EBF4-D-3936-4-C53-AA92-E86-CC8-F4204-C
44-C6-C359-E57-E-481-A-AABF-8-E15-B31-A9795
8-D974-B60-04-DE-4-D01-B3-EB-881-D618759-CC
6213-BED8-CB73-4931-8-E97-2653-CAFA9-DEA
670-FB789-17-ED-401-C-96-D9-59-E518-A96946

I also belong to an organization of mostly women artists but also some men and that too has reduced it’s in person activities considerably since COVID hit. I love belonging to such a creative group that shares knowledge and ideas so freely and openly. It’s given me the confidence to pursue my art journey and I even hosted my first solo art show in 2022.

9-FDF18-BA-5822-4-CD1-91-C1-8836159-D0057
F560619-A-3099-4-A4-E-A8-FF-B37-CA64-F4886
ABB2-A948-E61-A-4568-A94-A-2-D1998077-DFD

I also belong to a lawn bowling club and this past year we’ve been able to get together in person to play ‘normal’ games where we can have three people per side and use all the lanes at the same time. We were also able to celebrate Canada Day and we had a year end dinner. A great group of people that I’m happy to call friends.

4-D90987-E-25-B8-49-B3-A920-70-AE0-F3-F7-D5-E
D3376-F57-7697-4-E75-989-D-CDB0888-BD4-DE
D29-AAD91-EBC1-4-D33-92-BE-418472-EE61-BE-1-201-a

The most precious of groups that I belong to is that of my family and friends. COVID has been difficult but thanks to ZOOM and WhatsApp, I’ve been able to stay connected. In the past year we’ve been able to travel again to visit family overseas and on the east coast and we’ve even gotten together for celebrations to acknowledge milestone birthdays.

A857535-A-EB56-4-F41-8-AF9-5-D7-BD563389-D
5822-AE7-D-7-A42-4297-9-C6-C-D151-BF2-B0-FD2
94428-FBA-4121-4-B21-BFE6-88-D1-E3024-B67
10-D6-F93-F-5-AD2-4749-A1-DB-1-E1-E1-A2-D6-E6-F
670-D8-CF4-6-D18-4-A99-9538-CD6-DCA435753
DC8-AE97-D-4053-4-D6-D-862-B-18943959-D5-DD
2-A76-DBB7-E68-D-4376-B030-5-A04-B1-AD56-C2
0-CDAFF93-9193-4450-AC51-0-B97-FEB05-DE5

Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge – Home

….thanks to Sue W and GC for hosting Weekly Prompts https://weeklyprompts.com/2023/01/25/weekly-prompts-wednesday-challenge-home/

Home is where the heart is and my home and heart have lived at the same address for over 44 years. My favourite part of my home is my backyard where we’ve entertained over the years with family gatherings, memorials and milestone birthdays.

5-C3-BE1-E3-C832-4472-94-E0-5-E2-BF60-C7-D09
0-A9-C4372-7-AD2-4897-AADF-00-E61-FAD43-B0
B78-C1-F03-96-AA-4-FB1-87-C2-6-E14-ADDE160-F
DFE6-D7-AE-64-C2-410-D-9829-48-DA8-B43-F051
E6364561-DD70-4-DD4-A7-C2-7701-FF77-B1-A6-1-201-a
8-A44-D058-04-FC-4-BE5-9480-579545-FEE204
5-A1-E8-EE7-CD71-4-AD5-8761-2-C82-FFAFCB67-1-201-a
AC1-BBD0-A-E8-F5-4661-9-C1-D-DFBCCB4-B08-AD-1-201-a

Weekly Prompts Weekend Challenge – December 17, 2022

thanks to Sue W. and GC for the prompt ‘wish’ https://weeklyprompts.com/2022/12/17/weekly-prompts-weekend-challenge-wish/

What do you wish for this time of year? Presents, time with the family, solitude, Peace, good health…..?

My wish for all is whatever brings you happiness. Presents are nice and I love to give them but the other things on my list are more important to me. I loved spending time with my granddaughters and my family this year. That was my number one wish in 2022.

656-DFCFD-794-B-4-F5-C-BF7-F-85-B54-FBC7-DF4
My son, daughter-in-law in England

4-F90-B7-CB-B77-C-4365-AC9-C-351-FB80-FF1-DC
My Granddaughter in New Brunswick

9073-CEF6-10-B7-4295-9-DFF-80-D1-B7-AE4-FC7
Travelling with my husband when he was well

0533-C7-EC-6-D86-4-CCC-81-E6-6756-D51-FFF81
Walking on the beach at my cottage with friends

90-B08-F42-5-FF0-4-DFF-8525-17876-AE83859-1-201-a
Evening Walks on the beach with family
4-C9-D09-BC-FECD-424-E-B616-640-CF32-C2-F0-B
Celebrating with friends

Seventy Years and Counting

I can’t believe that I turned 70 yesterday

I don’t feel a day over 50, until I put out my back lifting a towel out of the laundry basket or wrenching my wrist trying to collapse some cardboard packing materials. That said, I’ve recovered relatively quickly and had a great day at my special birthday party in the garden yesterday. I’m always happiest when I’m surrounded by friends and family and 35 of them showed up.

The weather was absolutely beautiful, if not a tad too warm but when the shade came over the deck and patio, sitting outside was very comfortable. I was showered with love, cards, wine and flowers. There was lots of food and drink and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

For the rest of the week I’m spending time with my daughter and granddaughter before they return to New Brunswick and to get my birthday present from them I have to visit them in Moncton to use my gift ( a day at a Nordic Spa). I see a flight in the near future.

Thanks to my husband for my new patio furniture and thanks to Andrea for helping me put it together so that we could enjoy it at the party.

DC813-A36-0-F50-4-B6-B-B4-B6-659-EC6-E88114
9-CD3-AAEC-DEC8-488-B-99-E2-A5091182-B885
EA08-BCAA-8-E42-4374-8669-28-C85-D4-BB09-D
7482-A3-E5-64-D7-4-F7-E-B4-A8-F2378-D14585-F
C2-BF8-AB6-948-B-46-F7-A78-C-71378-DBC0774
4-C9-D09-BC-FECD-424-E-B616-640-CF32-C2-F0-B
03397-EA8-FAEF-49-CD-9-AAE-0-D702-A473-C94
F30-EF053-AC29-4-EF4-AD23-E923-E500-FE9-B
B788095-F-769-F-4-ACC-94-BA-156-C4219-E48-B
86-C1129-A-5195-45-A8-B788-A68442-E97689
03-A99-CBB-6-E67-46-B8-857-E-9-AD3-FFA4-B57-A
B65-A608-F-4-BBA-4-E7-E-B997-ACC927-FEEFA9

A Busy Weekend Starting With Canada Day

Friday, July 1st was Canada Day

Friday morning I started the day at the lawn bowling club where we had a fun time with a 4,3,2,1, game of lawn bowling. After a couple of hours we were treated to a BBQ of burgers, hotdogs and salads and of course cake. Everyone was instructed to wear red and white.

2184-B4-A7-7-AF4-4-FB4-9-F89-DAA677937-F87
C2372-BE1-6-C8-B-491-D-A50-F-87867-BDC0-A5-D

EB6697-A7-D76-F-4311-9-D04-4-EF8372-D86-DE AE9-A9-FA4-0838-4956-A851-8506-A1-DC4-AA5 7-E6-D82-E8-EA82-4-F84-BA60-58265620-AEA7 D3376-F57-7697-4-E75-989-D-CDB0888-BD4-DE D29-AAD91-EBC1-4-D33-92-BE-418472-EE61-BE-1-201-a BFC144-BF-FA4-A-4242-863-F-34-A4-A88-CC98-A

After lawn bowling I attended a garden bridge party with another BBQ after the game. Great company and great food. Thanks Mary.

On Saturday I went back down to the art gallery where my show is being held and I welcomed 15 more friends and family members to my exhibit. Another successful day with four more paintings being sold and lots of cards. I have one more week at the gallery starting tomorrow. Here are some of the paintings that have sold.

187-F6-E1-D-3-ECC-41-A7-8928-386175-DF117-D-1-201-a 49-ABC942-62-FD-4-FDD-AECD-1-C4-F274-E27-F4-1-201-a 9-DE21-E29-0831-43-BC-9-FFE-672-D3065-A139 EB02-A9-E4-0-D29-479-F-A5-FE-3-E44-F99-B4-BCB E5-F696-EA-EB7-E-4342-A38-D-572-EF72-A60-B5 5-ACA9-F9-B-A33-F-46-EA-8-DD1-2-F2707-D581-E4

On Sunday I went to visit a friend to pick up a book and we ended up having lunch together in her lovely backyard. I picked up some yarn from her to pursue a new hobby. I’m going to attempt to do some weaving to add to some of my new art projects. The rest of the weekend is pretty much a blur.

Plans for this week? Not sure but I am going to go back to the gallery on Wednesday with a friend who didn’t have a chance to get there earlier. I don’t need to be there for people to see the show but I’m happy to make the trip for anyone who’d like me to be there. Thanks to all who have already made the trek downtown to see my show. I loved seeing all of you.

Carol

At Last – My Opening was a Success

after months of work my show finally opened

Thanks to all who encouraged me to keep painting and then supported me with a visit to the gallery and/or messages of love. I couldn’t be happier.

Those little red stickers were the icing on the cake.

5-ACA9-F9-B-A33-F-46-EA-8-DD1-2-F2707-D581-E4
The first big piece that sold yesterday
F3125228-BA51-4930-9226-630-E94-D802-BE
DFDB59-A3-3-C3-E-4-B28-98-DA-5-BC32-AD26-EA5
The two pieces that made up this trio were sold
A7-BAC411-BDCC-4-CA8-9-E49-176-D1-A6206-C6
My curator, advertising designer and loving daughter
394-C95-E8-4497-4168-BBA7-70-F31-BE3-ED1-F
My wonderful daughter-in-law
A211-D5-CA-0288-43-DC-9-AEF-D42-FA3-D6955-B
My Biggest fan and supporter – love you to the moon and back