Album cover ...

The fabulous musical duo Christine Yandell & Steve Waite of Sweetbird

have just released a new album "Mockingbird" and I am thrilled and

honoured to have my painting "Sangtuary" as the album cover artwork!

Music is a piece of art

that goes in the ears 

and straight to the heart

My wonderful, supportive family sent me this gorgeous bouquet

to celebrate.  What a wonderful surprise to hear the doorbell ring and find this beauty waiting on

the front porch. 

***

"Perhaps there was an unstoppable magic

 inherent in music and art"

~Sarah J Maas~

Thankful {things I love} Thursday ...

for my ears

***

I have carved out a little nook at the bottom of the garden, next to the pond for meditation.

Tucked into a corner, with lush trumpet vine shading me, I can sit quietly and listen to

the trickling water, birdsong and the windchimes that hang in the flowering pear tree. This little

windchime is especially special as it was painted by my eldest grandson when he was 3 for Mother's Day 

"the earth has music

for those who listen"

~Shakespeare~

for my eyes

***

the month of July was a month of Owl painting ...

lots of fine, delicate brush strokes which themselves are meditative 

and give me a sense of serenity

"I am a lonely painter ...

I live in a box of paints'

~Joni Mitchell~

for my mouth

***

walking the garden and picking some lettuce and a few cherry tomatoes

tossing with a few walnuts, sprinkle of raisins and a simple squeeze of lemon

makes for a delicious lunch

"In this plate of food,

I see the entire universe

supporting my existence'

~Zen Blessing~

for my soul

***

I have little altars throughout my home

each one holds flowers and candles

"whatever is good for the soul

do that ..."

for my hands

***

it was my son's 31st Birthday last week

he and I are probably two of the few people who don't like chocolate :-)

so every year he gets a homemade double layer vanilla cake with buttercream frosting.

Delivered this to him with a knife and forks to share/celebrate with his co-workers.

for my feet

***

walking with Archer, I've been noticing subtle changes already ...

not only are the nights drawing in, but I've been finding lots of skeleton leaves

(which I love).

***

I hope your Thursday is filled with lots of things you love too!

with a hushed awe ...

Be selective

With your time.

Your energy.

And who you let in

to the doorway of your heart.

The soft soil of your inner life

is not a stomping ground.

Not a place for the curious taker or thief.

Not a place for the envious or judgmental. 

Or anyone who wants to keep you small.

It is a place only for those

who breath in your radiance,

vulnerability and brokenness

with a hushed awe and reverence.

Who bow before the glowing scars

and silvered shards of pain.

It is a place only for those

who intimately understand 

(and deeply honor)

the (whole) divinity

you are working to reveal.

~deborah anne quibell~ 

***

found this wonderful quote on IG

looking out the window of  Sparrow Studio at the trumpet vine below...

it is full and lush and it's blooms are filled with happy bees and wasps and ants

and if I am really lucky ... a hummer or two will stop by ...

I watch with a hushed awe ... 

happy Wednesday

xo

d

Sunday Serenity ...

"May my heart always be open to little birds

who are the secrets of living"

~e.e.cummings~ 

I find myself checking in on Mama Robin throughout the day .

Watching as she flies off for food, returning in a split second to feed her brood.

Tucked into the tall stems of Yarrow

and directly below her nest, we have a shallow dish that sits on a stand

filled with fresh water daily. I love watching her as she sips the cool water.

~life~

winged beauties in our garden

"She decided to free herself,

dance into the wind,

create a new language.

And birds fluttered around her,

writing

"Yes"

into the sky"

~Monique Duval~

I must have flowers ...

happy Friday from my garden 

It's another hot and humid day here.

As Archer and I walked around the garden 

we spotted bumble bees, cabbage white and monarch butterflies. The two cabbage white butterflies followed us. For those who have followed my blog over the years will know that spotting  2 cabbage white butterflies flying together always make me think of our two beautiful, much loved black labs Bentley and Ernest xo

 I wanted to clip a few flowers and leaves for the flower press, but first I needed to water plants, add some cool fresh water to the bird baths,

top up the feeders, sprinkle coffee grounds around the vegetable garden (I was told by my daughter that radishes love coffee grounds, so trying her trick) and pick cherry tomatoes for tonight's salad.

"Flowers are the music of the ground.

From Earth's lips 

spoken without sound'

~Edwin Curran~

Good Morning

 Morning Glory

I love Cosmos  ... started in our garden many years ago with a handful of seeds

randomly scattered through the garden to land where they may.

Even now, we never know where we will find them   :-)

I love that!

"She wore flowers in her hair

and carried secrets in her eyes"

~Arundhati Roy~

After the garden was taken care of, it was time to snip some leaves and petals.

A few rose of sharon * coleus * pansies * trumpet and honeysuckle vine leaves *

leaves from the dogwood * 

Between the squirrels walking over the pergola

and birds pulling at the vine for nests, there are always bits and pieces of vine on the patio .

I always pick up a few of the pieces and twist them into little wreaths.

They make very pretty napkin rings.

There is something very relaxing and meditative about laying out petals and leaves

in the press 

Some of the older pieces that were in the press are now on tags

... a little bit of calligraphy and twine and they will be finished.

Even  petals that have broken off get added ...

"I am in awe of flowers.

Not because of their colors,

but because even though they have dirt in their roots,

they still grow.

They still bloom.

~D. Antoinette Foy~ 

Have a beautiful weekend

xo

d

Thankful {things I love} Thursday ...

for my ears

***

the soothing, centering hum of my singing bowl

I have a little ritual that I do when I enter Sparrow Studio in the morning...

I light a candle, place my singing bowl in the palm of my left hand and let it sit there for a moment or two to warm to my body temperature. Holding the mallet in my right hand, I gently strike the rim of the bowl and outstretch my arm around the entire room.

Namaste 

for my eyes

***

reading

in a quiet corner of the garden

(mama Robin is nesting just behind me and I find myself glancing up from the pages

to check on her and smile)

for my mouth

***

freshly baked cookies

for my soul

***

making wishes

for my hands

***

clipping flower heads and leaves of all shapes and sizes

and adding them to my flower press

This week I sat and wrote out letters & made a few little pressed flower tags to slip inside

for my feet

***

walking

walk and touch peace every moment

walk and touch happiness every moment

each step brings a fresh breeze

each step makes a flower bloom

kiss the earth with your feet

bring the earth your love and happiness

the earth will be safe

when we feel safe in ourselves

~Thich Nhat Hanh~ 

~carve out time for reflection~ 

xo 

d 

4 natural sanctuaries ...

4 natural sanctuaries

***

silence

solitude

stillness

simplicity

In a world of constant change

some things stay the same ...

I'll be there 

Blue Sky

***

Walk along the river

sweet lullaby

They just keep on flowin'

they don't worry bout where it's going.

Don't fly mister blue bird

I'm just walking down the road

Early morning sunshine,

tell me all I need to know.

You're my blue sky,

you're my sunny day

Lord, you know it makes me high

when you turn your love my way

Turn your love my way ... 

~Lyrics~

Forrest Richard Betts

Thankful {things I love} Thursday

for my ears

***

today's choice... Gordon Lightfoot 

for my eyes

***

this lovely little wooden tag was attached to my birthday flowers in January from my grandsons.

 I keep it hanging from one of the cupboards in the kitchen

next to the sink so that I can look at it every day!

"If you are always trying to be normal,

you will never know how amazing you can be"

~Maya Angelou~

for my mouth

***

the cherry tomatoes are ready for picking

I simply walk onto the deck, pick a few, rinse and sprinkle with S & P ~ yum

I like my products

like I like my people...

non toxic

for my soul

***

watching the prayer flags in our garden dance in the breeze

I visualize them taking all my positive thoughts, love & well wishes to the heavens 

xo

for my hands

***

a love letter written in Italian found in a box I had forgotten about

... Painting a little bird for the envelope

so he can carry the love on his wings 

"Forever

is composed

of  nows"

~Emily Dickinson~

"I will not give up the flowers in my heart for stones

just because the world is a hard place.

The world is only hard because it needs more flower hearted people"

~Nikita Gill~

for my feet

***

barefoot walking/grounding/earthing

and ((hugging)) beautiful wise old trees

reflecting

***

"There is no controlling life.

Try corralling a lightening bolt, containing a tornado.

Dam a stream and it will create a new channel.

Resist, and the tide will sweep you off your feet.

Allow, and grace will carry you to higher ground.

The only safety lies in letting it all in -

The wild and the weak, fear,

fantasies, failures and success.

When loss rips off the doors of the heart,

or sadness veils your vision with despair,

practice becomes simply bearing the truth

in the choice to let go of your known way of being,

the whole world is revealed to your new eyes"

~Danna Faulds~ 

week in reflection ...

my 'thankful  {things I love}thursday' post … a day late ;-) … but just as thankful!

for my ears

***

the sound of sweet baby Robins who have been splashing about in the tiny dish of water

that sits at the edge of the pond. Nice and safe for little ones just finding their way in the world. 

for my eyes

***

the daisies are in bloom in Sparrow's Garden.

They have always been my  favourite flower .

I've cut a few stems for the kitchen table 

for my mouth

***

homemade spinach gnocchi

with roasted tomato sauce

for my soul

***

finding a heart 

it just feels like a little love note from the Universe

xo

for my hands

***

the joy of holding a paint brush

~bliss~

for my feet

***

an open field … just for us! 

somewhere only we know

"... I walked across an empty land.

I knew the pathway like the back of my hand.

I felt the earth beneath my feet.

Sat by the river and it made me complete …"

~Keane~

reflecting

*** 

"Don't underestimate the power of thinking

about someone kindly,

singing a song,

putting flowers in the corner as an offering of beauty to life;

of creating a beautiful dinner table,

treating your body kindly;

of making art,

playing,

or creating ritual and ceremony.

All of these actions create our world"

~Chameli Ardagh~ 

{I've done all the above this week}

xo d 

Have a wonderful weekend