My External Heart

No words...

Just perfection.

Red Wings

This is one of my favorite all time photos from this past summer.

I saw some birds I've never seen before, like this amazing red beauty.

Jelly Bean In Lines

I just wanted to show you a bit more progress on Jelly Beans portrait...

I am bouncing around between a few ink drawings lately so it's taking a bit.

Lydia & ALF

Lydia was reminding me of somebody...

The long nose...the big black eyes...the perfect hair swoosh..

and it dawned on me, she was reminding me of ALF, so I dug out my ALF doll to compare,

 what do you think???

A Star-Gazer named Whimbley

I started this image awhile back of a star-gazing frog named Whimbley.

I put it away for awhile because it made me miss Henrie too much.

I am ready to get back to it now and finish it off & conjure up Whimbleys tall tale

but I sure do miss looking down from my desk to see these two snuggled up next to me.

42...My Lessons

Today is my 42nd birthday...

my lessons in the past year have been this...

1.  It's okay to live a life that no one else understands

as long as your not hurting anyone else, live it...follow your bliss.

2.  It's a waste of time to worry about the wrinkles, they're gonna come no matter what.

3.  Unattended stress/emotion/pain etc can be absolute havoc for the body (even tended crap can too)

& sometimes sadly that havoc can be permanent (for me it took the form of fibromyalgia).

4.  Many of my days are just about getting through the day with all of the pain I live with

and I realized that sometimes I will be ahead of the game but most of the time

I will be way way behind, that's just the way it is, there's no point fighting it anymore.

Some days I will be okay with that and other days I'll wanna scream & I am allowed to scream.  

There's a lot of stigma & misunderstanding that goes with being a chronic sufferer

and I am going to spend a good amount of this year learning to better cope & talking about it will be part of that process. I am aware that some people aren't comfortable with my honesty or openness or they just have no basis for comparison so it doesn't grab them and I am more than okay with those who want to tune out, I am seeking connection on this topic to help & inspire myself (and hopefully some others as well), cope, manage and heal, it won't be a conversation for everyone and that's fine.

4.  Find your happiness, cultivate it, soak in it, bask in it & don't feel guilty about it for one single second because the bad stuff is going to come no matter what & it's likely not at all going to be what you've been wasting your time worrying about...so be as happy as you can in between the bad stuff.

5.  There will be times when it's glaringly obvious whose there for you in times of need & who's not.

Don't waste your time, shine your light towards the positive, warm & helpful people in your life.

and 6. More than anything in the past year I have proven to myself again & again that I am one excellent bunny-mama and that I am in more ways than one a super resilient tough-ass chick.

So Happy Birthday to me and may it be another awesome year of learning.  XO.

Strawberry Sweet

Just a day back in the summer when we went strawberry picking.

What's your favorite thing about picking your own strawberries???

I love the drive with my sweet honey, the tractor ride out to the fields and

finishing off a whole basket together on the ride back home to the buns.

Flower Spoiled

I am flower spoiled without a doubt. I appreciate it and I love love love it! I have a very sweet honey.

And almost every single flower that my honey gifts to me, I press in my homemade flower presses.

Filling In Lines With Misa

I have to use a chemical transfer to get my images from the paper to my linoleum

and I do have to do so because of how very detailed my designs are...

Sometimes it works really well, sometimes only parts transfer or they do but very faintly.

But I don't mind when I have to fill bits in because I grab a stack of linos in the pipeline,

I grab my Sharpie, a snack and I sit with my girl Misa downstairs and we re-line everything.

If life is about being in your happy place as much as possible, this is certainly one of them.

Pencils & Bunnies = My Happy Place

Bunnies + Pencils...

= Happiness.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween of 2019.

Look, I am finally revealing my true self...

This is 100% done with cruelty-free make-up...

cause you know what's really scary? Cosmetic testing on animals, that's some scary creepy stuff.

Thanks Furry Beings

It's been a really rough time pain wise as well you guys...more migraines come with the Autumn rains

but today I got into my studio & it was wonderful and I am so excited to show you what I am up to.

I am just however also so so grateful for the company of these inspiring beings...

whether it's in the studio or sitting with me on the bed as I suffer, they cheer me up no matter what.

Getting Back To It...I Hope!

Sorry for that sudden long absence you guys...it's been a rough go.  I was diagnosed with another chronic invisible illness and about a week after that my honey hurt himself and he almost died...

But I think things are calming down, I've missed this blog of mine.  Give me a chance to catch up

and I'll let you all know briefly what's been going on.  Thanks everyone for your patience XO.

The Copper Branch

I kept hearing super good things about The Copper Branch

so when we were in Barrie for one of my appointments with a pain specialist,

I was pretty excited to finally get there and give it a try.

The food was simply and healthy, though I admit, I wasn't crazy about the turmeric latte I had

and in my opinion the dishware left something to be desired

BUT the decor and overall atmosphere of the place was quite nice, I'd recommend a visit atleast once.

Tulip & Bunny

I am excited about this new image

but I am suddenly really disliking the paper so I am also anxious to finish it!

This little leaping bunny on the top is suppose to be Miss Misa Adora.

I am hoping to finish it up next week but we'll see how my pain levels are.

Stop Ontario's Plans To Increase Wolf & Coyote Hunting

I wish I had a picture of a wolf or a coyote to get your attention for this post but I don't.

So instead picture wolves, coyotes and moose running in this setting, together, in their natural habitat

because this is THEIR NATURAL HABITAT & in this day and age it's about time we learn to protect instead of constantly taking and destroying!
I am ashamed to be Canadian if this new law gets through.

Quickly put, the moose populations are on the decline

But the real reasons of the decline are not being addressed.

Climate change & hunting are the culprits, end of story.

The Ontario government wants to change the hunting regulations

because that's them blaming the moose population decline on wolves and coyotes!!!

Wolves and coyote and moose have for centuries been co-existing.

Wolves and coyotes are simply NOT main predators of the moose...

hunters are...

climate change and therefore food source changes, pest problems etc are....

NOT wolves & coyotes but the hunting community of course wants everyone to think so

and the the government is under pressure and is in danger of curtailing to the ones

who care about our natural habitat and our cultural icons the least.

What can you do?

Write the Ontario government.  I just did.  My letter is below. Use it, change it as you please,

just let your voice be heard on behalf of the innocent.

Help fight for the wolves and coyotes PLEASE.

The deadline for letters/comments is tomorrow night 12pm,

It just take a few moments, especially if you go off my letter below.

For more info go here and write your comment/letter right here

(Thank You to those who do XO)

Hello,

I am writing to you today with a very heavy heart as I recently hear about the proposed changes to the management of the wolf, moose and coyote hunting regulations in northern Ontario (ERO 019-0405/ERO 019-0406).

Most people know that the moose population is not under attack by the wolves and coyotes but by climate change and hunters. As the world seems to worsen by the day, people are losing hope, now is the time more than ever that the population needs to believe in its government.  We simply cannot continue to see our government as the bad guys constantly stepping all over and using our amazing natural world to their advantage.  Please do not bow to the pressure of the hunters and instead show that the Ontario government will take steps to protect our moose, who are indeed a cultural symbol. 

In this day and age where cruelty is being fought against at every corner of the world, be part of the movement to a kinder future and show that Canadians care to protect its wildlife.  Show that we are intelligent as we know there is absolutely no scientific proof that the new hunting law for wolves and coyotes will help the moose populations from declining. Also, consider that wolves, coyotes and moose have been living together in their own natural dynamic for longer than any of us have been around.  It is irresponsible and disgusting of anyone, especially our government, to move forward placing blame on the blameless when it should be looking at the real culprits: habitat loss, climate change, hunting, especially the hunting of moose calf.

By easing regulations, removing requirements for reporting, extending the hunting season we are taking a terrible step backwards instead of forward.  By making these changes we are sending the wrong message about Canada, that we are irresponsible, cold and do not care to protect the amazing animals that help us a beautiful place to live in and experience

I implore my government to not take steps to make life easier for the hunting community but to instead protect the moose habitat and end all moose calf hunting.  I want to feel proud of how my government protects our iconic natural world and its sentient living beings.  I need my government to be protectors not destroyers.  Please reconsider the proposed regulations.

A Compassionate Concerned Canadian,

Mandy Saile

Summers End

We've been having a very difficult summer, starting with me, continuing most frightfully
with my honey the past month, we're still in recovery/cope mode right now, it's been hard...
Give me some time and I'll start to catch you up a little bit on what's been going on.

It's been a really hard summer, if I think about it I honestly want to cry!
I am feeling quite raw & emotional right now so today in efforts to cheer myself up, I post about some of the lovely days of summer, which yes, ha ha, is usually us out in the yard with the buns!

Anything Can Be Meatfree

I believe that there is a vegan version of everything, sure it won't taste the same as a meat or

dairy version but to me it would taste better because it doesn't mean the torture & death of anyone!

All it takes is a bit of effort and a willingness & desire to be one less person harming animals.  

Take our vegan "Beefaroni" here (with homemade marinated mushrooms, soy milk & eggfree bread).

It took awhile to perfect it but it is so so tasty & would satisfy any meat-eater.

If anyone wants our recipe, let me know & I am happy to write it out for ya XO

Flynn & His Flower

Just one of my favorite shots ever our our Flynn eating a dandelion.

It's been a very rough week, more on that later, but this sweet face cheers me up.

Dragonfly Nypmh

Do you know what this is?  This is a dragonfly nymph...

How super cool is it that this will turn into a dragonfly!