Friday, February 28, 2014

Spring all of a Sudden! and DLP Weeks 5-9

Dear Perusers:
Today was a wonderfully warm day - about 20C or more in the bright sunshine and above all -
The Snow is Melting! 
My Diane Witch Hazel withstood a good couple of feet of snow dumped on top of her and today showed me she still had life and a bit of colour, though her party dress is now fading.
When we went downtown for breakfast brunch at the Doghouse Restaurant this morning, people were wandering around in shirt sleeves and light jackets and I saw them pausing at corners and letting the sun soak into their bones.
We go here for my favourite: french toast with either blueberries or apple cinnamon slices.
This brunch was a specal treat as it was a 'thank you for helping me get a tax return' from our friend Mr B.  He said if he got money back he would treat us to breakfast and he did and he did.
The Documented Life Project  (you can find link on sidebar if interested in details)
I know I am also a bit behind in posting my DLP pictures, so to 'catch you up' here is -
DLP WK 5 - Doodle Border
DLP WK 6 - Pinterest Inspiration: (in this case - Brighid)
DLP WK 7 - Repeat Pattern:
DLP WK 8 - Add a flap to your  flap
DLP WK 9 - Collaged recycled items: envelope and earbud tube:
And now that we have thankfully come through an unusually heavy snowfall with no power outage and plenty of wood, we are truly grateful.
Blessings to all those who shared this Island Snowfall with us.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Roses in the Snow

Dear Perusers,
In the midst of all this:

Mr Bear went out shopping and came home with these:
with the words: 'because you deserve them.'
I could not help but remember a similar incident some 30 years ago...
ROSES IN THE SNOW
It has been said, ‘how do I love thee, let me count the ways.’
But I would respond, ‘let me count the ongoing years, not the days.’
This  poem is dedicated to the most amazing man I know
Who magically on our First Anniversary, gave me Roses in the Snow!
Regardless of what this or any other Winter-tide may bring-
Truly when I’m with you, in my heart, it’s always Spring.
As Immortal Rumi has written (and his wisdom I cannot disparage)
“I am out of words to describe how spirit mingles in this marriage”
For my Beloved from his Beloved.
Blessings to all those snowbound : May you have fuel for your inner fire and fuel for your hearth.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

The February Fest continues...

Dear Perusers:
After my birthday break away at the Kingfisher Spa, I am now almost a week into the 2nd year of my (x) decade and on this rainy windy day here at Quail Hill I can feel it in my bones. What was it that Kathyrn Hepburn said, "Growing old is not for wimps!" - 
Agree. wholeheartedly.
We are now back to the grindstone (Mr Bear is mumbling about how much he hates computers and bills)...typical welcome home stuff. lol
But for those of you who want a catchup of my mini break: 
Here are some shots of  the Kingfisher Spa and etc.
WELL of course, wouldn't you know it..it SNOWED on my birthday morning! but in the afternoon the sun shone and the snow melted. It was only slush by the time we had to pack up and leave for home.
Good thing too as we had invited my lifelong friend Linda M to have dinner with us at the Kingfisher’s Breakwater Restaurant and she was texting all day: is the snow gone?, how is the weather? etc. This may seem a funny thing to do as she is only an hour away, but we have micro climates here on the Island  and the weather can be like day and night depending on where you are.
So there I was all tucked up, nice and comfy with a hot beanjuice by my elbow (lovingly prepared by Mr Bear) and I got down to the Serious Business of Unwrapping my BD gifts! The most precious was Mr Bear’s – he gave me a BlueJohn ring, to replace the one that I had bought in Wales years ago and subsequently lost during our various moves. It is now quite comfortably encircling my 3rd finger on my right hand on top of my silver pandora ring.
Mr Bear calls this next shot my ‘dive and delve’ photo. My mean nasty evil tricksy cousins, knowing full well I hate to wait, gave the package to Mr Bear with Strict Instructions I was not to open it UNTIL THE DAY! NO peeking, no shaking, no poking, no prodding! So he did. and I waited somewhat impatiently for it to be plunked on my lap.
All in all, it was great break away and I even managed to get some‘arting’ in, on the first night there. I have joined in on an ‘art journal page’ swap and I have to make a dozen of the darn things. That night I was able to get two done! Only 10 more to go! Yay!
I have found that I am happiest when I can work with my hands other than typing! For me the best vacation will be someplace I can either take a workshop in mixed media or sketching. I have fallen in love with Derwent’s Inktense pencils as I like the fact they are permanent when dry. And o my heavens. o dear, somebodysaveme, WASHI TAPE! I think I may have to resort to doing my own to save $$$. Those things are addictive.

As for the Kingfisher Spa itself: if you book through booking dot com to save bucks be aware that you will be put in the ‘old’ section. No heated tile bathroom floors, no kitchenette, only a barely working bar fridge in need of defrosting, (good thing it was cold out, we used the balcony to keep our yogurt and beverages cool) no sink other than bathroom sink to wash up your cups and spoons and something surprising HARD HARD water (obviously this part of the hotel is on well water) I have no problem with that, but for pete’s sake get a water softener. There was NO way I was taking a shower in the room. If you stay there (and it is cheaper) you can use the showers at the pool I suppose. 
However The Breakwater Restaurant though pricey has good portions and the food is EXCELLENT..they even had a REAL crème brulee on the dessert menu, not your substituted scrambled eggs with a brown sugar topping (caramel flan) which I detest. 
I do recommend that when you go, you put a small flashlight in your pocket,  as it may be a bit hard to read the bill when it comes round - squinting at it by candlelight is a tad tricky! lol.


Well that’s all for now from me (who like the hobbit is celebrating her 111th birthday), Mr Bear with Sidney happily waving at you from Inside and of course Quentin and his Court of around 2 dozen quails here at Quail Hill.


Bright Stars and Blessings to all who read this.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine's Day!

Dear Perusers!
Bonne Sant Valentin!
This is one of my first digital artpieces that I did for the Queen of Heart's Challenge over at the Quietfiredesigns site.
Goodness, was it really back in 2010?
I dusted it off and put it on here so you could have something to look at while I get my collective scribblings over the past week or so together and mangle it into some sort of a later post.
I have just been informed by Mr Bear that the weather is just too dam glorious to be indoors at the 'puter and we are to take my new baby (a canon powershot a1400) for a walk.
How can I disagree with that?
So with that order, I wish all of my readers the Blessing of a Glorious Sunny Valentine Day to you where'er you may be. May you have a warm heart.

Thursday, February 06, 2014

February! And the Documented Life Project/BOD2014 continues..

Dear Perusers:
I have finished doing January's weeks in my Planner and it's a good thing that I moved everything over to my trusty Green Leather 3 ring binder as there was NO way that a simple composition book would accommodate all the 'extra bits'  I have shoved (and will be shoving) into it! As it is, I am only keeping 3 months at a time, so it is much lighter and easier to handle. Nothing is more annoying than bits and pieces falling out when you try to open it!
I think my Planner is related to Fibber McGee's Closet!
As Part of the BOD2014 project (see previous post or click on the Effy Wild badge on the sidebar) the phrase 'What Was Beautiful About Today' was added to our Journaling prompts.
During the day I may not remember to scribble down all the minutiae of my happenings, but so far I have managed to (star*} the 'Daily Beauties'.
At the end of January I had a sheet full!
I am hoping to take the time during my upcoming Birthday Retreat Weekend to make a nice colourful insert; perhaps along the lines of what Valerie Sjodin does.
(photo of Abba's Love Weekend (c) Valerie Sjodin)
I had taken her Edges and Embellishments course a while ago and have been wanting to put what I learned into practice.
February this year has started out with amazingly bright sunshiny days but bitter cold temps as the thermometer hovers around 0c during the day and then plummets to -5 or more during the night.
Since it is too cold to venture out unless we honestly have to, I have been happily arting and creating birthday gifts for my two cousins, whose birthdays 'shoulder' mine: February 8, 10 and 12 respectively. I will show you what I have done once they have received them (I think at least one of them reads this blog so Mum's the Word). In the meantime here is what I have been up to, in my Journal Planner:
BOD2014 Week 4  - Be In It: I titled this: Striding Towards My Year and
BOD2014 Week 5 - What Feeds My Soul
A photo collage of Brighid's Well in Kildare Ireland. Brighid is very special to me especially since She and I share February Feast Days.
DLP Week 5 - Doodle Border  and
DLP Week 6 - From my Pinterest Board Brighid Goddess of February: Inspired by Brighid - a photo collage of my Kildare Ireland shots.
Brighids Brightest Blessings to all on here who view this, especially during Her month of snowdrop strewn February!