….thanks to Cee for hosting On the Hunt for Joy Challenge
What makes you feel small? Standing under a very tall tree, sitting inside a very large church, looking up at a dinosaur or sitting in an oversized chair?
…thanks to Rainee for introducing me to the 30 Day Creativity Challenge
Last week I started piano lessons. I have a beautiful baby grand piano sitting in my living room that no one has played in almost 20 years. Last year I had it tuned but I finally found a piano teacher who comes to my house for 40 minutes on Thursday mornings.
Gerry is also teaching my neighbour across the street and that is how I got to meet him. Little did I know last week that I would be starting my first lesson the same day. I am a complete newbie and he’s started me on scales and reading simple music. Luckily I know how to read the treble clef notes and I know where middle C is. I’ve been a good girl and have practised every day. I even went out and purchased some beginner piano books from our local thrift store.
Anyway I need to warm up before he gets here this morning. Wish me luck.
…thanks to Rainee for hosting the 30 Day Creativity Challenge
Last week I had an opportunity to go to the McMichael Gallery in Kleinburg and see the Maud Lewis show. I’ve been interested in her art and life for a few years now but have never had an opportunity to see her work up close and personal. To be honest I was always a bit curious about her success as an artist because her work is so simple and somewhat primitive.
Maud used to sell her work to tourists who would buy her pieces for $3.00 to $5.00 and later she got as much as $7.00 for one of her oil paintings. She used to paint right from the tube and never mix her colours. This was very evident when I saw her work last week. The colours are very bright and fresh and the scenes of the countryside in Nova Scotia are delightful. I can now understand why the public liked her work so much.
Anytime I go to an art gallery I’m inspired to make art. Here are a few of her wonderful works of art. The larger pieces are done on wooden shutters.
…thanks to Cee for hosting On the Hunt for Joy Challenge
People are such hams when they get in front of a camera. It doesn’t take much to get people to smile but sometimes you find yourself saying ‘say cheese’. It works about 90% of the time……
…..and sometimes it doesn’t
…thanks to Cee for starting a new challenge Hunt for Joy
The theme for the first week is to Get Outside. Seeing how much I like to walk this was a pretty easy one for me.
As you can see it’s been a bit overcast lately and the weekend calls for lots of rain.
But these two fellows brought me joy on my walk.
….and Happy Birthday Onkel Günter, Winnie and Brendan
It’s been a busy weekend. Not only did we celebrate Thanksgiving here in Canada but we had four birthdays in the family on the same weekend. In fact in October we celebrate birthdays for my husband, my father, my granddaughter, my son-in-law and his brother, my father’s brother and my cousin. I’m sure I’ve missed someone.
This weekend our granddaughter turned four. Andrea, our oldest daughter volunteered to host Thanksgiving and the birthday party at her house. I was most grateful for that, especially after spending five hours in emergency with my husband on Friday. Before you become too concerned let me just say that he’s much better and gets better each day. Thankfully I had made my contribution to the dinner the day before.
The other thing that I did before going to Andrea’s for dinner was volunteer at the Inn to help with the outdoor oven for a workshop that was being put on by George Brown College. At the workshop the students were instructed in baking pizza in the wood fired oven. Everyone got to make two pizzas, one to eat and one to take home. I couldn’t stay for the whole event because I had to be at the dinner. After I left they also baked pita bread and a cranberry loaf. Dale manned the oven and took the pizzas out when they were ready.
Dinner at Andrea’s and Josie’s was spectacular but the highlight, especially for Winnie, was celebrating Winnie’s 4th birthday. Seeing all the presents was too much for her so we decided to let her open her gifts before dinner.
All in all it was a wonderful weekend, with way too much food and drink. I gained about six pounds but I’m determined to take it off as quickly as possible.
….thanks to Jez Braithwaite for hosting Fan of…..
I’m a big fan of the beach down from my cottage on Georgian Bay. Last weekend the beach was quiet. It was a beautiful weekend but most people stayed in the city. I’m not complaining because I loved the solitude and spending time with my dog, Frances.
