The Portage Flyer

This summer we drove out to Huntsville for some kayaking and a short jaunt on the Portage Flyer...

It's an old steam train that ran in the area from 1904 to 1959 that has been beautifully

restored and is now a historic piece of the past run all on volunteer power.

We had smiles plastered on our faces the whole time, imagining how it was used way back when...

Whiles the trek was disappointingly short, the train itself is beautiful and didn't disappoint.

I've only ever been on subway trains so I was pretty excited by the clickety-clack of the rail-line.

A dash of history is always a great jumping point into gratitude...

It really makes me appreciate all the luxuries we have at our finger tips nowadays.

Beautiful and Awful

Spring, you were beautiful and awful.
Summer you were beautiful and awful!

Fall you've been beautiful and awful too...
Winter I hope your kinder because your coming very soon and I honestly can't wait you!

 My sore heart and sore body are craving some cozy hibernation time with my family,
time that I hope will heal some of our bumps and bruises (before more hit!!).
I hope it's going to do the same for you if your needed it too, all my fellow tender hearted ones
XOXO

A Majestic and Marveling Paddle (Part One of Two)

I never got around to showing you these photos from last Fall

It was one of my all time favorite paddles ever...

I have to show you now before anymore times goes on.

It was just one of those days that just felt so magical and perfect.

One for the photo albums for sure that I'll never ever forget.

 We amazingly not only had our usual heron guiding us up and down the river but her new baby too!

The day was golden and colorful and warm and just bathed in perfection

and it just made me insanely super happy to be alive

and just so steeped in gratitude for all the natural beauty surrounding me that day.

Spendor and Beauty

A day playing around in the snow a few weeks back was followed up by this...

...one of the most spectacular sunsets ever and in our own sleepy little city...amazingly beautiful.

The Coolest Cute Tin

I love rabbity things but I am pretty fussy, my honey knows my style to a tee & gifted me this...

One of the coolest tins ever, I keep my Micron pens in it and it's one of my favorite new things ever!

Sweet Shipping

I am not one of those artists who complains about having to spend time packing & shipping my art!

I L-O-V-E prepping my shipping stuff & packing things up perfectly & adding little extra goodies.

All of you out there who have been ordering  my artwork, THANK YOU, it means SO MUCH XO.

Christmas Gratitude

I think about other people & other families a lot at this time of year
not all of us are embraced by big beautiful families...
not everyone is all cozy and snug within holiday sparkle and cheer.
Some of us face the holidays with great sadness,
some will be saying goodbye to loved ones & will be facing a New Years all alone...
For me, it's important to remember that because it makes me so much more grateful
for the family that I do have and for the cheer and beauty that does surround me.

 





  



 

 

So as much as we miss Teela & Frenwyck, which is like mad,
(and as we watch dear ones spend this Christmas for the last time ever with their loved ones)
we're still feeling so so grateful & embraced by each other & for the long-eared family we've made,
it might not be a normal family in everyone else's books but for us it is and it's everything.

We're enjoying a house decked out in red ribbons, twinkle lights & poinsettias
and I am truly hoping so hard everyone out there finds kindness and beauty
and compassion and warmth in some lovely way or another, no matter how small.

Well I will be taking a blog break really soon...
but I hope you'll join me for the rest of the week until than
XOXO



Pink Xmas, Pink Heart

We were going to skip Christmas this year, because of Teela
but than we realized that wasn't very fair to the other sweet buns who like the sparkly lights etc.

 

So we got the studio tree up first, it's for Henrie, Elsie & Misa to gaze upon & dream under.

 

 

It's full of favorite ornaments and hand-made love, like this felt one from my friend Deb Dunn.

 

and this sweetness from my rabbit loving and creative pal Michelle from the Raspberry Rabbits...

 

(Henrie had to pop out of the blanket to supervise the decorating of course!)

 

and this gorgeouness from my animal loving kindred friend Natascha Rieper

 

life is hard...it knocks us down many many many times doesn't it, especially as you get older...

 

So you've gotta put up sweet pink trees, treat your pink heart kindly

& eat pretty macaroons with honeyed cocoas as often as possible!



Time To Tuck Them Away

We are always so reluctant to pull the racks off the truck & to tuck our kayaks away...
 

 

 

 

because it means a long 7 month wait before we can use them again! Sigh!! Tis life in the North!