• Family Above All

    The day I am writing this is Monday, August the first! It is a special day because today I am celebrating the birth of my firstborn daughter, 23 years ago. What a precious moment that was! Early this morning I was so eager to sing Happy Birthday to her on the phone. I put comical pictures of her on facebook because I wanted her to know much we love her. She changed my life forever and blessed it in so many ways. Having children really changed everything about my life. Before that I concentrated on my own needs and my desires. I did what I wanted when I wanted and how I wanted…

  • Happy to be Canadian

    Never had I felt more proud to be Canadian than at yesterday’s Canada Day Celebration in Hatley, Quebec. Both Francophone and Anglophones gathered to celebrate this great nation called Canada. It all began with the parade. As I sat at my stand with my books and paintings, I watched some of the various representations of who we are as a free nation.  I saw laughter as the children rode through on their decorated bikes and a brightly dressed clown wove in and out on his unicycle around the floats. I saw community as the Hatley Outdoor Clinic passed by and the “nurse” squirted water into the crowd with his syringe. Candy flew to the spectators…

  • A Time for Celebration

    Summer has just officially begun and so far I have been to three weddings — all of which were beautiful and very different marriage celebrations. This past weekend’s wedding was held in a little campground chapel, with the reception held at the groom’s family farm. It was so homey and relaxing that I just wanted to remove my wedge heels and run through the long grass. Beautiful children all dressed in their Sunday best, farm pets, and special moments with my friends became subjects for my photos and possible themes for future paintings. When I first arrived at the farm, the refreshments-stand was being set up, so I walked around the farm and patted the heads of curious horses and tickled…