Thankful {things I love} Thursday ...

for my ears

**

sparrow serenades

for my eyes

**

Watching the birds/squirrels/chipmunks eating treats on their own little picnic table.

My daughter Kate & her partner  Kevin designed and built this sweet table which we attached to our fence.

While we enjoy a meal on the sunporch we can watch them enjoying theirs.

for my soul

**

finding heart shaped nibbles on the honeysuckle leaves

they forever make me smile

for my mouth 

***

homemade cornbread baked in tiny little loaf pans (oh yum)

and apple slices that look like little Owl faces :-) 

Archer loves cornbread and apple slices too!

for my hands and feet

***

long woodland walks picking up leaves/pinecones & acorns

"... and then, I have nature and art and poetry,

and if that is not enough,

what is enough?"

~Vincent Willem Van Gogh~

 

that Fall feeling ...

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous lately. Cool mornings, warm afternoons and even cooler evenings perfect for staying home and being cozy.  I've filled a large wicker basket with crocheted afghans and a few favourite blankets to snuggle up with in the evening watching a bit of tv or reading.

I've got that Fall feeling!

Putting away some of the summer garden items and bringing out the Scarecrows.

I can never resist picking up leaves as I walk. Our Maple tree will drop lots in the next few weeks so I won't have to go far to have leaves to twist into little leaf roses.

Our garden has been filled with birds and birdsong. We've had a variety of Sparrows, Crows, Black capped chickadees, Yellow Finch, Woodpeckers, Carolina Wren, Nuthatch,  Blue Jays and  Doves.  Found the nest sweet Dove abandoned on a vicious stormy night, inside were 2 perfect little eggs. She made the nest in the eaves and was totally exposed. She'd nested there before and we could not believe that she was able to fit inside let alone babies, but that time all was well and when I would head out in the morning to walk with Archer, I would see tiny little heads poking up as I said my Good Mornings to them.

Our garden is looking pretty wild at this point - which is how we love it! Watching the bees and birds at the still blooming flowers and nibbling at the dried seeds is food for the soul. 

 "I acknowledge my feelings 

and gratitude for life 

by praising the world

 and who ever made

 all these things" 

~Mary Oliver~

Celebrating *everything*

Life

should not only 

be lived,

it 

should be

Celebrated!

Celebrating my Vintage Sparrow Studio Etsy shop's Birthday this month

((from my Etsy shop listing description)) 

***
I've chosen my One - of- a- kind woven wall hanging ~ Sparrow~
Woven in Shabby Sparrow style ♥ offering *FREE TRACKED POSTAGE* on this special item only.

For your serenity corner * above your altar space * bedroom * yoga studio * family gallery wall

Created using a variety of yarns of different textures, weights & colours, and a variety of weaving techniques.

A watercolour image printed on high quality Hahnemuhle archival paper printed from one of my original paintings has been hand cut and stitched (with a sewing machine) to the front.
A small piece of vintage sheet music has been layered with a quote and stitched to the front.
12 small beads have been attached to a small fringe above the watercolour image.

white * gold * navy blue * pale blue * orange * green * grey * brown

Wooden dowel with 2 small beads and "Sparrow brown and white" twine are attached for hanging.

Measures approximately 5" W x 9" L
Measures approximately 5" W x 11.5" L with fringe

Will be posted as a tracked package.
I will give you the tracking number once posted.

woven with love ♥
deb & the sparrows

Little did I know when I opened up my  Etsy shop that I would meet so many lovely people through my Art. Over the years I have received the kindest, most wonderful notes and photos showing where pieces of Art I have created now call hOMe and it is humbling. 

The Covid 19 pandemic has thrown us all for a loop ... changing the things we "took for granted".  As a small shop owner, I chose to put my shop on stay-cation mode for a few months as I wanted to avoid as many trips out as possible. Now, I still keep my shop visits to a minimum and trips to the post office are normally once a week. Shipping delays are inevitable and packages may take longer than normal to arrive. Things that are unavoidable. 

So, in celebration of my shop's Birthday and postage delays :-) I have chosen a one of a kind weaving with my Birthday gift of Free Tracked Postage xo  Link to my shop is on my blog side panel.

Happy Saturday

Spirit & Sage ...

I keep a piece of (recycled) cardboard on my Art table to sit underneath the paper I'm painting.

It's the cardboard backing from the art paper pad, saved once all the paper has been used.

Over the years, the cardboard has picked up lots of brush strokes.

They always looked like little pieces of art to me, so I saved them.

At one time, I thought about framing them just as they were.

Looking at two of the pieces, I could distinctly see images of horses.

I seem to be thinking "horses" lately!

Not wanting to loose any detail gathered, I simply and organically painted ...

no sketching, very little use of a paintbrush, preferring to use my finger tips ...

simply following what I could instinctually see already there.

I love that within the image, you can see all the "imperfections" gathered over months and months and many, many paintings that have been on top.  This particular piece of cardboard had a crease in it. It looks as though Spirit herself caused it as she galloped! 

Spirit

***

She is a wild one

they said

Has crazy thoughts

dancing in her head.

Doesn't go softly

runs, never walks

Will only tell you the truth

when she talks.

She's her own 

kind of breed.

Not a follower ...

only wants to lead.

In her chest

beats a heart of gold.

But as kind as she is

you know, she won't be told.

Never stays

where she doesn't belong.

If you don't treat her right,

she'll be gone.

Her wild mane

dancing in the night.

Mind, body, spirit,

guided by moonlight.

~deb dunn~ 

And then I painted Sage

A print for those who are loving and embracing their crone years (as I am) will enthusiasm, gratitude and joy! Loving the freedom being in my 60's brings!! 

Sage

***

They call her

by the name of Sage

She's reached

that magical, crone age.

A mane of silver

flows down her back

Along the way,

she's left many, deep tracks.

Never would she have imagined

the freedom she'd have at this time

Walking the smooth path now,

no more mountains to climb.

Wasting no time on regrets or disappointments

there's nothing to resent.

Her mindset now is to focus

on what makes her happy and content.

Youth felt still

within her heart

Wisdom of age

Sets her apart.

~deb dunn~

~happy long weekend blessings~

d xo

from paper to stone

welcomed visitor ...

I hadn't noticed this little sweetheart resting on the ledge of our bedroom window when Archer and I headed out for our morning walk.

It was only until we reached the road and I looked back at our home that I spotted him/her.

When we returned home, I went inside, grabbed my camera and took a few photos.

I initially thought Owl, but after going through the Audubon Guide, coloring, shape, size, feathers etc ...  I'm thinking  Common Night Hawk.

"Primarily solitary* medium/long tail* small beak* perches horizontally on a roof (or ledge)

well camouflaged * with grey, white, buff and black feathers

Nature is not a place to visit.

It is home.

Thankful {things I love} Thursday ...

for my ears

*

The sound of the waves is always music to my ears.

The lake was calm but there was still a distinct whisper coming off of her.

for my eyes

*

the last plant to bloom in our garden is the Hibiscus ... always worth the wait!

Each year the blooms are a different size 

Some years, they are the size of dinner plates, no exaggeration! ... this year, more like saucers :-)

for my mouth

*

Freshly baked cinnamon rolls with pecans & the slightest drizzle of vanilla icing...

perfect with a cup of coffee mid day, still warm from the oven. Oh Yum

for my soul

*

this sweet little heart shaped nibble in one of the honeysuckle leaves. 

I spotted it a few days ago having a cup of tea and brushing Archer 

sitting under our garden pergola.

I think it looked even sweeter when I took the photo yesterday after a rain.

 

for my hands

*

I have a bowl on my coffee table filled with heart shaped stones picked up on lake walks and created a few "Soulful day" bead strings.  Each one is different with  it's own name & sat by the window during the Full Corn Moon to absorb it's energy. Such a beautiful moon!

~ sacred connection beads with a Lake Ontario heart shaped stone~ 

available in my Etsy shop

Vintage Sparrow Studio

{link in sidebar}

Soul of a gypsy

Heart of a hippie

Spirit of a Fairy

for my feet

*

barefoot wandering 

in my happy place

treasures at my feet

*

"I want to age like sea glass.

Soothed by tides

but not broken.

I want my hard edges to soften.

I want to ride the waves

and go with the flow.

I want to catch a wave

and let it carry me

to where I belong.

I want to be picked up

and held gently by

those who delight in my

well earned patina and

appreciate the changes I went

through to achieve that beauty.

I want to enjoy the journey

and always remember that if

you give the ocean something

breakable it will turn it into

something beautiful"

~Bernadette Noll~

how I adore this quote! My BFF Chris in England sent it to me years ago knowing how much I love sea glass. I now happily follow Bernadette on IG and she follows me too :-) It's pretty amazing how many wonderful people we "meet" through social media!

***

happy September

x d