{Posted from} Home

The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest ~ Sir Thomas Moore ~


hOMe is where the heART is …


Wednesday, January 29, 2014

seed saving ...

At the end of each  Summer
I go about the garden with little glassine bags gathering the spent seeds. As
I always have an abundance of Morning glory seeds, I like to make up small "Friendship Garden" Seed Bags.  Not all of the seeds end up being saved however as I love to run my hand across the tendrils and toss seeds back into my garden
 (which is probably the reason we find Morning Glory blooming in the most unusual spots) :-D
but I always manage to  have enough to put a dozen or so seeds in each little bag.
 For the past few days,  I've  traded in my usual watercolours for coloured pencils and ink ...
an have an abundance of shavings to show for my work ♥ 
I often receive e mails asking me what paints, paper and pencils I use,
for me it is simple,
 nothing like a freshly sharpened #2 HB Graphite pencil, a rainbow of Prismacolor pencils, and
lots of Micron pens 01, 02, 03, 05, and 08 ... 05 being the most used.
 ~happiness~
 I made some little sparrow ♥ seeds
labels to attach to each bag ...
 I ♥ sparrows ...
and butterfly wings ...
 inspirational words ...
 and nests ...
  filled with
 hedge sparrow eggs ...
 looking through pages of old gardening journals ...
 reading about Morning Glory ...
Happy Gardening Memories

Friday, January 24, 2014

sun streams ...

Another cold and windy day
but
the sun streams lighting up my painting desk make it feel warm and cozy inside ♥
working on a new garden journal
& thinking of new plants to attract even more birds
in Sparrows Garden ...
looking through photos of birds  visiting  now
{all taken in the same tree, from the same kitchen window at different Seasons} :-)
colour matching for sketches ...
my favourite Angora Water Colors made in Germany ...
not much left of them now ...
well used & loved ...
inspirational rocks ...
and tiny stones...
sitting in a bowl of sand
memories
from a special holiday ...
Each year, as soon as the Lilac is in bloom
I know the Finch will return to our garden ♥
I dream my paintings,
and then
they paint
my dreams
~Vincent Van Gogh~
~Have a wonderful weekend~

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

baking day ...

starting the week
making homemade granola
and almond topped walnut/banana loaf
simple ingredients
when mixed together
make lovely, simple meals ...
toast made from homemade bread
topped with our jam
tastes
like home ♥
a small dish of Greek yogurt
with a tiny sprinkle of peanut/honey granola ...
 
my husbands
cheese & onion loaf
~YUM~
Seek a sanctuary.
Respect it,
as it is  holy.
Walk into it
with a bare mind,
bare feet,
and plain clothing.
Nurture
your body, mind and spirit.
Through a healing ritual,
leave it
with a pure heart
until you find your way to it
again.
~Master Jin Kwon~

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Weekend walk ...

Archer
deep in thought on our walk today.
 
It's been a few days since I've been able to bring my camera with me on our walks.
I really missed having it with me, but walking was tricky with ice under snow.
 
A
Grapevine covered, snow capped nesting box
caught my eye ...
and two sweet little nests I hadn't seen before :-)
Listen to the compass
of your heart.
All you need
lies within you
~Mary Anne Radmacher~

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Thankful {things I love} Thursday ...

~flowers in January~






From December to March
there are
for many of us
three gardens
~ the garden outdoors
the garden of pots and bowls in the house
and the garden
of the mind's eye
~Katherine S White~
***


Saturday, January 11, 2014

puddle wonderful ...

A teeny-tiny snowman sits on my kitchen window ledge
with seed eyes & sunflower nose.
Yesterday, we spotted both Mr & Mrs Cardinal in the garden
that splash of red in the snow ... stunning!
Soon afterwards a loud squawk was heard...
we were surprised to find not one but two
Blue Jays letting the Cardinals know that they had spent enough time at the feeders.
The Sparrows of course, always share ♥
It rained all through the night and it's been  sloshy - walking today.
Thinking of e.e. cummings words & preferring to think of it as "puddle wonderful" :-)
The world
is mud-luscious
and
puddle
wonderful
~e.e. cummings~
***