our summer garden . . .

 July in our garden

"Flowers are the music of the ground.

From earth's lips

spoken without a sound"

-Edna St. Vincent Millay- 

Northern Flicker couple . . .

We have a new little couple in our garden and couldn't be happier . . . 

this pair of Northern Flickers are very happy to spend time here , hammering at the soil for ants while we admire them from the sunporch . . . 

And while we tried to be as quiet as we could as not to disturb/frighten them, with each click of the camera one would look up ;-) right at us!

Five photos later (not the best ones albeit) , we just sat and enjoyed watching them and their gorgeous plumage . . . 

Of course, I focused in on the heart! 

 

AWP #34 .....

Art in the Workplace  Exhibit #34

is on now at McMaster Innovation Park.

From June 22 - October 26 2022.

I am thrilled to have had two pieces of art accepted into this wonderful juried exhibition.

Always grateful to have an incredible space like the Atrium at Innovation Park to showcase and support the art of local artists!

The two pieces I entered are titled Knowing & Cinco.

Both measure 10"W x 8"H , 1"D

Painted on acid free paper with Acrylics, mounted on cradled board and varnished with a  UV protective varnish.  

They can be viewed in person at

The Atrium

McMaster Innovation Park

175 Longwood Road South

Hamilton, Ontario 

Knowing

 Cinco

Happy Monday!

d xo

Index card a day . . .

I've been participating in a fun little art challenge .

A creative on-line challenge founded by Tammy Garcia of Daisy Yellow in May 2011  although I only just read about it.

An index card a day for 61 days. 3" x 5" or maximum size 4" x 6".  I could only find the 4" x 6" sized cards and for me, they are ideal. I think I would have found the 3" x 5" cards a bit too small. 

I haven't been following any daily themes, just taking a card each day and painting intuitively. 

So far I've painted 25 . . .  36 to go :-)  flowers * portraits * landscapes * seascapes * bees * butterflies * hearts * nests *  each card has a favourite quote on the back.

Each day on my Instagram account, I post the card I've painted that day. Please stop by if you want to have a look! 

little one

"May my heart always be open to little birds 

who are the secrets of living"

-e. e. cummings-

you can't measure love

"We loved with a love

that was more

than love"

-Edgar Allan Poe-

take time to smell the roses

"The world is but a canvas 

to our imagination"

-Henry David Thoreau-

wild child

"live in the sunshine,

swim the sea,

drink the wild air"

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

Wild child is one of my favourites and it was only once I uploaded the photo that I spotted her elfin ears! What a wonderful, serendipitous find that was . . . 

 Sparrow

"I suppose I am a Sparrow,

a stay-at-home bird"

-Gladys Taber-

another favourite ... because ... well ... a Sparrow ;-) 

Thank you for stopping by.

Happy Saturday! 

d xo 

Inspiration boards .....

Have you ever created an  Inspiration/ vision board? 

Sat with piles of old magazines, scissors and glue sticks, tearing out images and words that spoke to you?  

I came across some images of a few inspiration boards I've created over the years as I was looking through photos this morning.  The first image was the bulletin board that hung above my computer desk in my studio years ago. Photos and quotes that spoke to me were thumb tacked on the board until there was no room left ;-).

I still have this board, created June 2010.

Each and every image still speaks to me! 

I started a new Summer Sketchbook yesterday ( in honor of Summer Solstice) and I think a little "inspiration" collage page will be added next to my Summer wish list. 

"You are never too old

to set new goals

or to dream

a new dream"

-C.S. Lewis-

Happy Summer!

d xo

 

June . . .

Such a lovely way to start the day . . . 

the serenity of  a lake walk noticing butterflies * bees * squirrels * swans * ducks and geese * a pair of red cardinals splashing about * wildflowers * and the sound of the birds

I followed this gorgeous tiger swallowtail for a while

The squirrels never fail to entertain . . .  this little love was enjoying breakfast and keeping cool :-) 

I've been on "peony watch" these past few days knowing that in the blink of an eye the Peony will go from tight little buds to big huge pom pom like blooms and the season will be over.

They are always worth the wait and never disappoint!

After a very heavy rain fall I switched the lens on my Nikon to the Macro and took some photos.

Once the sun came out and dried the flowers, I snipped a few to put in our sunroom.

They always need a good little shake to make sure all the ants leave the blooms and stay in the garden where they belong!

I'm not a crystal vase kind of girl . . .  it's jam jars for me and my favourite are the large Bonne Maman jars that I save. Nice and tall and perfect for the Peony.

 Happy Wednesday 

d xo

Mornings . . .

Mary Oliver .... I have been carving out time in my day for tea, sunporch sitting, and reading through my gorgeous Mary Oliver books - one of my Mother's Day gifts. Her words always speak to my soul & as I sit with the sounds of our garden pond in the background and birds singing, I  have a sense of peace, contentment and gratitude.

The bouquet of flowers I created at the DIY floral workshop at the St Jacobs farmers market smells so amazing.  In a few days, I'll start taking it apart, hanging the roses to dry and snipping the daisies and carnations down to put in little vases. I always make my flowers last :-) 

It's that time of year when we start to spend more of our time outside and eat most of our meals on the porch. I like to decorate the outside "rooms".

"Everything that slows us down and forces patience,

everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature,

is a help.

Gardening is an instrument of Grace"

-May Sarton- 

I love my vintage dresser - all chippie  and worn and well loved by many in the past I am sure.  She is mine now and there isn't a thing about her that I would change.  Big deep drawers to hold all my gardening tools and gloves, a spot for twine and ties, seed packages, gardening books . . .  everything at my fingertips.

Another drawer holds bird/gardening/she shed books. All ready for sitting with a book. 

Then there's the candle drawer & blanket drawer . . .  for evening sitting, star watching and moon gazing.

So charming, dove tailed &  the sweetest little key hole plate (and key)!

Windows draped in twinkle lights . . . 

my ideas of summer time bliss . . .  

Much like the Velveteen Rabbit poem by Margery Williams Bianco . . . .

"you become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or have to be carefully kept. . . "  

 Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder! 

The geranium cuttings I over wintered are now slowly making their way outdoors.

 First stop, the porch and then I will pot them up for the garden. 

I have *never* had any luck with lavender . . .  but that hasn't stopped me in the past and it won't again this Summer. I just love it so much & every time I visit the nurseries I seem to be drawn to them. I suppose it's because I  have visions of lovely lavender sprigs that I can clip and dry. 

So this beauty came home with me over the weekend &  I will try again. 

 Have a wonderful day!

d xo