19 Years

My soul is captivated by him...

My body addicted to him...

My heart nourished by him...

We met in a strawberry field...our souls entwined instantly...

but life would have us go our separate ways just abit longer, just a couple more months, until...

19 years ago on this day we went on our first date...

a hike in the forest.

We've been happily tied at the hip & heart since.

To celebrate, we treated ourselves to another trip to the big city, just us 2...

For good food, shopping, playing, an awesome hotel suite & an amazing Cirque Du Soleil show...

I can't express how insanely lucky I feel to go through this life with this man.

My Love.

My Heart.

My Soul.

Love you baby.

Painted Rocks

A couple months ago we did our upstairs bathroom.

It was a huge demolition and complete renovation.



The new bathroom is beautiful and spa like,

so as a finishing touch I painted some flat lake stones to display on the glass shelves.

Happy ThanksGiving With A Recipe

I made this dish last Thanksgiving and it was a hit

so I'll make it again for our vegetarian spread this year.

Spicy Cumin and Carrot Spread



Here's how you make it:

Take about a pound of carrots and boil them till they are cooked right through.

Rinse them off in cool water to stop the cooking process.

Then, put the carrots into a food processor with

2 cloves of chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons of chili sauce,

1 tsp of cumin, a pinch of salt & pepper, 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

& 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro or mint.

Blend it all up till mushy and well blended.

Put in your favourite bowl, drizzle with olive oil and serve with your favourite crackers or bread.

You can even add it to sandwiches, wraps, soups or dallops of it to mash potatoes

Yummy and healthy.

Happy Thanksgiving All

A Bird

We are so lucky to live where we do. 
It's in suburbia, yes, BUT we're a few minutes walk from a beautiful beach and lake.
And, a rather sweet walk amongst beach side houses to North Bay's lovely waterfront.
Where, the last time walking with my honey I saw this lovely soul hidden in the branches...

It's beauteous moments like this when I squeal because I happen to have my camera on me.
Isn't he/she a beauty.
I get these wonderful warm tummy wiggles when I love a shot I took...
and boy oh boy do I ever have alot of new beauties to show you.

In other news.
I've recently been interviewed by the lovely Robin Norgren
for her soon to be launched book project called 'Spark & Inspire'.
More news to come closer to it's launch.

Mortimer Montrose

I've been playing with markers on raw canvas and light washes of colour...the results...

"Mortimer Montrose"



As soon as I can get a better scan of him I'll list some prints in my shop.

Thanks for hopping in...I am off to snuggle some bunnies.

Zip-Lining

I went zip-lining.

It was crazy crazy fun.

It was the 'ThunderBird Twin Zip' at Blue Mountain in Collingwood.

My honey, friend & I went after my neurology appointment down South...

what a way to follow up a neurology appointment, ha ha.

I whooped and screamed in delight and let out all my tension as I glided half a mile

over this beautiful forest with views of Wasaga Beach, Notsawasago Bay, Georgian Bay and Lake Huron.

We had to wait for a thunder and lightening storm to pass but as soon as it did we went for it.

I've always wanted to try it and I am so proud of myself that I didn't chicken out...

well I kinda knew that I wouldn't chicken out, but still!

Next time I'll be able to enjoy the views even more as I plan to take it abit slower.

This time I just wanted to get as much speed as I could and just fly, ha ha

and I did fly, apparently I was at full speed and doing 75-80k an hour.

Whoot Whoot, ha ha.



And I experienced it with two of my best friends...my honey and my pal Maria.

We're all going again next summer.  I can't wait.

It was insanely fantastic.

P.S.  My September Newsletter has been sent out. 
You can view it by clicking right here, if your not signed up to recieve it directly.

Peter Gabriel

I saw him again...

my favourite all-time musician...brilliance & light & talent & beauty...

I just saw Peter Gabriel

AHHHHHH.....

This is the 2nd time seeing him in concert, last time was his 'Growing Up' tour.

I am feeling so so blessed.

This was Peter's 'SO...Back To Front' tour.

The concert we were at is the one that will make up the dvd/blue-ray for the tour. Cool.

We enjoyed spiced pumpkin lattes, excellent food, a sweet new hotel,
and the brand new super long subway cars.

It was so fun to scramble and play about the city with my honey.

And of course, 'Secret World' made me cry profusely, not because it's a sad song, but because it's incredibly beautiful & in the moments of that one song,
I realized exactly where I was and how lucky lucky lucky
I was to be there seeing Peter in person for a 2nd time
& to be standing next to the guy I was standing next too.
 

SO Happy...Back to Front.

Beatrix Balnora and Baynor

A brand new picture by yours truly...

"Beatrix, Balnora and Baynor"

Prints are now available for purchase in my Etsy shop.


I just couldn't wait to share her with you tonight.

Be well All and may you also sink into dreamland tonight and dream

of a marvelous world where rabbits and foxes were friends not foes.

Cave Spelunking

Some adventuring and fun was recently had.

My honey and I with a friend of ours all went cave spelunking together.

It was great fun and quite physical.  My legs were so tired the day after I could barely walk, ha ha.

Jonathan and I had ventured to this spot years ago when we were in college...

but it was so fun to revisit it.

There is one part called "Fat Man's Misery", a crevice that snakes through the rock

and is only 14" at it's widest opening...it took me a few attempts to get through.

It was such a mental experience, if you panic, your chest expands and you get stuck really fast.

Apparently alot of people do get stuck and require help to get out...

I had made it through this same crevice years ago
but I admit, I was quite abit slimmer back then, ha ha...

But I persevered and made it through then turned back around and did it again, ha ha.

I was so proud of myself.

 

I just wanted to share my favourite photos from a great day.  Thanks for hopping in.
My scanner is on the fritz again hence the lack of artwork...but hopefully I'll get it sorted out soon.

More Outside Loveliness

I wanted to show you all my 2nd favourite place outside.
I am puttering around and working in this lovely spot all spring, summer and fall
(and now nights since that the mosquitoes are going away).

This is the beautiful gazebo Jonathan and I made together...(Jonathan made that table too from old scraps).
I've shown this space to you before as well, but as always, it changes from season to season.

We can be found out here even when the snow is flying...which it will soon be doing!

so the buns and I are out here enjoying the last of the flowers & warm sun, every chance we get.

Hope you's don't mind seeing snippets of my time outside
but it is what I am currently enjoying and basking in.

I'll see you again in a few days.  Thanks so much for hopping in.

Outside With...

I've been outside more than not this past week,
often well past the time twinkling stars dance across the skies.
I am with such loveliness as...

My big grey baby...

With the last of the annuals and with chickadees drinking from the fountain...

with my felt and floss and beads, stitching up a new lovely wearable...



I am outside with a full full heart.

I hope your heart and soul are feeling super full and overflowing with loveliness too. XO

Lemon Bucket Orkestra

We recently saw the amazing and awesome

Lemon Bucket Orkestra

They are a unique and highly energetic band of Balkan-Gypsy style.

I just have to share my favourite shots from the concert.

 In a rush to get to their performance on time we parked in a questionable spot and got a

$50 parking ticket, ha ha...but that's alright, I'd pay it all over again just to see them once more.



If you ever have a chance to check this group out, we highly highly recommend it.

It was such fabulous fun.

Picalo Giulam

It was a weekend which started off with a neurologists appointment for my migraines...

Followed up with a day of cave spelunking and zip-lining with two of my best friends...

followed by a rainy day stroll through our local farmers market for honey & veggies...

finishing off with a Sunday filled with homemade soup, reading, stitching and romping bunnies.

Now, it's Monday...ahhhh I love Mondays.

I am sitting here soaking up a beautiful sunny morning,

feeling so very very glad to be in my studio amidst whimsy and colour.

And I finally finished this super dashing cutie...

his name???

Picalo Guilam



He told me that he's never without a striped vest nor some kind of beautiful feather in his hat...

my oh my what a dapper little gentle-bun, don't ya think?

This handsome little fella is done in coloured pencil and mixed in with an acrylic background

and sits on top of a bright orange ribbon strip, all on canvas.

The original is available.

Prints are already listed in my shop.

Today I am working on a fish and a possum in this same series...Such fun!

Join me on Wednesday for some cool photos from a great concert we recently saw.

I've had not head pain for 6 days straight now...

ahhh, It's going to be a wonderful day, don't ya think?

Happy Birthday To Roo

Happy Birthday or rather Happy Homecoming

to our handsome boy Roo.

7 years ago I found him lost and starving in the forest....

He was destined to come home to our Ella Luna & family.

He is 7.5 years old now

and is such a wonderful, sweet, calming and loving soul.

We are so very glad that we found him all those years ago.

XO Mandy & Roo Boo

Your Existence Gives Me Peace

I had been drooling over a set of Prismacolour markers

and my friend Maria finally convinced me to splurge and get them for myself.

So I've been playing...

and just finished up this ink drawing which I call

"Your Existence Gives Me Peace"

...I guess the couple in the image does look abit like Jonathan and myself,

and I suppose that was intentional since the piece is about us, love, partnership

and how my honey's presence and existence gives me great peace & soothing hope.

These new markers are perfect for those days where my heads quite sore

and I just can't bring myself to work at my desks or easels
but when I want to get something creative done.

I can just curl up with a small piece of paper and the markers whiles on the comfy couch or bed.

I am going to print out the black and white drawing and then take my watercolours to the print. 

I can't wait to do so...I'll show you the results here of course.

I have another black and white to show you soon...it's one for animal lovers/advocates.

P.S.  I just updated new shots to my Flickr account for anyone interested in my photostream.

XO Mandy whose heart is full