A photo a Day: December 31st

Happy New Year!

A photo a day: December 30th

A Photo A Day : December 29th

A Photo A Day: December 28th

A Photo A Day : December 27th

A Photo A Day: December 26th

A Photo A Day December 25th

Merry Christmas, Hope you all have a wonderful, warm and cozy Day. 

xo- A

A Photo A Day: December 24th

A photo A Day: December 23

A Photo A day : December 22nd

A Photo A Day: December 21st

Dark Days

I'm up to my ears in Christmas Prep, and also just regular life Prep. I'm having a minor surgery next week- and I'll be on light lifting duties for a while so I'm trying to make sure the house is set up exactly the way I'd like it to be. And keeping in mind that other people will be helping in the kitchen, so I may want to clean out the pantry, which looks as though I've been just blindly throwing crap in there for about 6 months ( I may have actually been doing that...then having to just rummage around until I find what I'm looking for- which is fine (ish) for me- but a bit much to ask of my sister in law).
Also the fridge was not looking its best- I finally threw out the whipping cream that was at least a month past it's due date- but inexplicably not rotten. We weren't eating it- just keeping it there as a sort of...Pet? Science Experiment? Example of my crappy housekeeping? Who knows- anyhow it's gone now- (I sniffed it one last time though- still fine).

It feels somehow right to be doing this sort of thing as the days get darker and darker. Clearing up the junk symbolically to prepare for the new year- new chances, new experiences, new clutter. I feel like it's a nesting urge almost, to cozy up things, and tidy away the unpleasant, maybe it's a sort of hearkening back to a time when the winter solstice was still an important thing, a symbol of rebirth, and the life giving sun coming back, in full to nourish our souls and fields. Or even before that, when this darkening of days would be scary, full of families huddling around the fire to keep the darkness at bay.

It's not hard to go there mentally is it? Especially up here in the northern hemisphere- when the sun comes up later and later, and and goes down faster too- when it's gray and then black, with only the moon to shine on the snow. I feel like the closer we get to solstice the more noticeable the sun's late rise is- as though it's late by a half hour each day now, so much so that we wake disoriented, and groggy, huddling into the covers (except for N who still wakes up at 7:45, and was totally flabbergasted when I explained to her that adults like to sleep in sometimes, her jaw literally dropped).

It's also something to be grateful for though, in a way, a chance to get closer and cuddle up- to share meals, and celebrate with each other. It's not surprising that humans have always gathered at this time of year, to re affirm life and love. And even though I'm not really Religious, and not really sure about Christmas, I'm still sure that at this time of year- some sort celebration has to be had, we need to gather our friends and family close, and enjoy life, eat too much, sing (out loud even, in public!), and just generally live in a way that is our best, in the hopes of continuing on that best life in the new year.

This photo has nothing whatsoever to do with the writing above-
 I just found it on my camera after N had had it for a little while,
and thought she'd want me to share it- for laughs.

A photo a day December 20th

A Photo A Day: December 19th

A Photo A Day: December 18th

A Photo A Day : December 17th

A photo a Day: December 16th

A Photo A Day : December 15th

A Photo a Day: December 14th

A Photo a Day : December 13th

A photo a Day: December 12th

This Morden Blush Rose was so amazingly beautiful- It turns a whitish pink as it fades, and it was pretty prolific, I planted it with the intention of harvesting the rosehips eventually- as they're supposed to be big showy things, but then- the Deer ate all the blooms right after they'd opened- I suppose a fence is going to have to happen some day soon...

A photo A Day: December 11

I'm sharing a photo a day for the month of December- some of my favorites from 2014- if you have a favorite photo you'd like to share please leave a link in the comments- I'd love to see your 2014 faves!

A Photo a Day : December 10

A Photo a Day: December 9th

I'm sharing a photo a day for the month of December- some of my favorites from 2014- if you have a favorite photo you'd like to share please leave a link in the comments- I'd love to see your 2014 faves!

A Photo a Day : December 8th

I'm sharing a photo a day for the month of December- some of my favorites from 2014- if you have a favorite photo you'd like to share please leave a link in the comments- I'd love to see your 2014 faves!

a photo a day : December 7th

I'm sharing a photo a day for the month of December- some of my favorites from 2014- if you have a favorite photo you'd like to share please leave a link in the comments- I'd love to see your 2014 faves!

A Photo A Day : December 6th

I'm sharing a photo a day for the month of December- some of my favorites from 2014- if you have a favorite photo you'd like to share please leave a link in the comments- I'd love to see your 2014 faves!

A Photo a Day: December 5th

I'm sharing a photo a day for the month of December- some of my favorites from 2014- if you have a favorite photo you'd like to share please leave a link in the comments- I'd love to see your 2014 faves!

A photo a day :: December 4th

I'm sharing a photo a day for the month of December- some of my favorites from 2014- if you have a favorite photo you'd like to share please leave a link in the comments- I'd love to see your 2014 faves!

a photo a day: December 3rd

I'm sharing a photo a day for the month of December- some of my favorites from 2014- if you have a favorite photo you'd like to share please leave a link in the comments- I'd love to see your 2014 faves!

a photo a day: December 2

This photo makes me feel like joy is bubbling up from within- what a blessing to have such happy, silly, beautiful, children. And it's back lit- And, yes, she's wearing pajamas outside on the slide-0 the joys of being 2 and living in the country. I love this photo so much I might put in our Christmas cards, (though her big sister is scandalized by the idea, while not being immune to the funny of the photo- we were both laughing hysterically when we saw it).

A photo a day: December 1st

Well- I've been trying to figure out something to post this month- this busy, busy, crazy month- which is not so different from all other months- except that it's just... more... and the effort sometimes is exhausting- but often worth it.

I still don't know where I'm going with this space; You know how when you clean a room- or organize a closet it often gets messier looking while you reorganize and rearrange and prioritize, like it has to get worse before it better? Well lately I feel as though that's what my life is like- I'm taking out all these ideas and dreams and rules and jobs and just figuring out how to arrange them in a way that makes sense to me. I'm in flux. Which is not really as dire as it sounds- it's sort of exciting actually- like redecorating- but instead of walls I'm talking about my soul.

Anyhow- I've settled on a bit of an advent calendar idea here at Mouse River Blog; I'm going to post my favorite 31 pictures of the year this month- one a day. Sometimes with a caption but often I think without. Lots of these images are things that make me feel happy- or grateful- or just show something or someone that I love. I hope that they give you something happy to look at too- and that you cherish your own memories as I do these.

Not feeling it.

Oh folks- I had good intentions of continuing with this blog- I really did- do maybe- I'm not sure yet. But for right now- I'm just not feeling it. Maybe it's the winter colds and 'flu ( I love that jaunty little apostrophe on it don't you? It makes it seem so casual and fun). We've been sick once a month at our place since N started school- and so I've been boning up on my herbal cold care- taking an online course, brewing teas, searching out books. And I love that- and also I'm darn proud to say that this last cold has been treated pretty much 100% with herbal remedies- (the exception was at 3 am on the first day- when I gave Tylenol, I just couldn't think straight. And I think they work even better than the over the counter stuff to be absolutely honest with you (Chamomile tincture in glycerin is my new Tylenol replacement- more on that later maybe, I may have a bit of an Herb crush on Chamomile right now).

Okay so I'm not sure where this leaves me- but I think I'm ditching Monday Inspirations- it's not so inspiring and then I feel like I'm skipping school or something by not doing it. I'd like to share what's happening in the studio I think- mostly sewing right now- but some clay ideas are on the verge. and possibly I'll start posting a few photos that cultivate some gratitude- cause it is that time of year. Right now I've got to go watch Christmas with the Kranks, and drink my ginger tea snuggled up on the couch with one kid on my lap, and another pressed into my side, good times, if you can look past the snotty hankie poking out from my sleeve.

XO- A

Monday Inspiration: Frances Loring

Frances Loring, Inuit Mother and Child, 1938, carved 1958 (source)

Another view (source)

Frances Loring (1887-1968), was American Born, but settled in Canada early on in her career- she worked closely with (partners even?) Florence Wyle, a notable sculptor in her own right. She founded the Canadian Sculptors society in 1928 with  Emanuelle Hahn and Henri Hebert. She is well celebrated and collected in Canada, and her works are easy to see on line and in person at the national gallery and elsewhere.

I love the graceful flowing lines in her work, the feeling of lightness in such a heavy medium. She did many war memorials and public commissions too- which I will not post here as the kids are going nuts right now, trying to 'help' me type this- drinking my coffee (decaf- so it's only so bad), barking like dogs, telling me things and when I don't listen attentively enough grabbing my face between their hands and telling me again- their big eyes wide and their milk breath blowing on my face forcefully.

I sort of envy this Inuit mother with her child tucked snugly away on her back- though you can tell he's just itching to get out and make a break for it, calculating the fastest way to make his mothers hair fly out of those neat braids while she chases him. and there I suppose is the beauty of this piece in particular and Loring's work in general- they are specific people, but also they are general enough to make us relate, to represent an archetype, or an emotion and that is powerful stuff.

Monday Inspiration 2014 is all about Canadian artists. Each Monday I'll pick a new one to profile- If you can think of any that you think I ought to look up- please let me know in the comments- I'd love to hear from you. You can find a list of the artists I've done so far here. 

A Personal Photo Challenge: Trees

Well, no new photos of trees at the moment- but I saw the monthly prompt and knew at once which three photos I would choose- so I'm putting up these ones from my archives. The trees are in that slightly mangy stage here at the moment- their few hanging leaves make them look like scruffy dogs, shedding their coats. These photos however capture them at their most majestic, stark and skeletal and also lush with new growth.

The top one is my favorite tree in our yard- or two trees, sister Manitoba Maple trees- growing up together to form one magnificent canopy. So far they've been untouched by storms and I hold my breath each time the winds blow hard.  The hoar frost almost makes winter worth it. In the middle is an old scraggly maple, more as a backdrop to the lentil sprouts from last summer, and then the bottom, my big five year old when she was only 3, walking on top of the snow in march, with it's crazy tough top, and the trees ready for spring sheltering her.

These photos are not technical exceptional at all- except possibly accidentally- but I think the composition makes such a difference, I figured out while taking the ones with N that a lower horizon line makes the enormity of the trees clear. Before I figured that out I was never happy with my trees, they always looked too short, not leggy enough under their branches. I think also they're helped by having something small in them- (the lentil sprouts, and N) to help give a sense of scale.

When you're trying to make them seem big that is...

Joining in with a personal photo challenge again this month- I've been away from the blog- but I did miss it- so I'm back I think!

Lately

Well hello there...I've been thinking of you. Things have been busy, and hectic, and I've been caught up in trying to make things cozy and just right for winter, and taking a course on reduction lino printing, and making clay stuff, and getting into the rhythm of school, and being outraged at Jian Ghomeshi, and Steven Harper, and, well, things, you know. During it all I've been wondering about this space- and it's purpose, and if I need it, or if I add anything to this excellent internet community, or just what is it all for anyhow.

I've realized lately that "what is it for?" is one of those negative mantras of mine, one of those things that crops up in my head and puts a stop to any positive creative energy. My creative center will say- "how about this?" and my serious side will say "what is it for?" and the creative center just shrinks down and shrugs, while backing away. It's not helpful, and even though I know what it's for - creative expression, joy, beauty, chronicling my experience in the hopes that it relates to someone, I still get hung up on that "what is it for?". The reality is that I create things all the time, it's part of who I am, I can't help it, and even when those things are utilitarian- I still make use of creativity to do it differently, or better, or prettier, or even, not much better or prettier- but much more complicated.

And so maybe "what is it for?" is not the best way to approach the blog- but rather- "how does it serve me?" or better yet "how does it serve those of you who actually read it?". I think that I am not a writer, I can write- passably some days- but actually it's not my strong suit, I do love taking photographs- but often I find my camera is just not there when I need it, The garden is worth documenting- but it's a bit boring probably for all of you. The Monday Inspiration posts are successful in that it really does serve me- as I get to expand my knowledge, and you- dear reader- as you find it interesting- (I presume).

So there's one aspect to keep. The photos of the kids is again tricky- because as N grows I feel that she sort of outgrows the space, and I wonder how she'll feel about it as an older kid, and A is honestly hard to capture on film, not being the camera hound that N is. But I do love documenting them this way- I love that the images are there for friends and family far away, and that people get a sense of our days here, not just annual Holiday photos. Possibly a photo journal mentality would be best then- not too much info and quicker for me. A record of our days, so maybe a weekly photo heavy post would be best there- 'this week', or 'lately', or something along those lines.

The other thing I'd love to document here is the studio work in studio season, and the garden in garden season, that's a bit tough as sometimes other things get in the way and I've got nothing new to show you- but as the kids get older I hope to get more of a routine going. I also hope to open up an online store soon, errr... maybe soon, and it might be nice to have it connected here so you could see a piece get worked through right to the end.

So that means- 'Monday Inspiration', then a 'Lately' post with photos of our week, then a weekly garden/studio post too. Okay- I think that's sorted out. If you're still reading this unspeakably boring brainstorm- thanks for being a sounding board- let me know what you think.

Monday Inspiration: Jean Paul Riopelle

Jean Paul Riopelle, untitled, 1954 (source)

Jean Paul Riopelle, untitled, 1956 (source)

Jean Paul Riopelle (1923-2002), is one of Canada's Masters really, though I hesitate to say that I don't really know much about him- didn't learn about him in school at all- I think possibly that's a reflection on French Canada vs. English Canada. At any rate I love the colours of the images, but am not overly fond of them- possibly- like Pollock, they need to be seen in person in order to really be appreciated. I think the comparison to Pollock is unavoidable, they painted at the same time, and they are really similar. However Riopelle seems to be more truly abstract, with no subject matter- but the paint itself, while Pollock's work is mostly based on an abstracted subject- with the exception of his drip paintings.

I like the methodical feeling of Riopelle's works. Even though they are abstract, they seem controlled, planned or thought out even. Think of them in comparison to Pollock's drip paintings' wild drops and sprays, which are largely accidental on purpose. I love the diaphanous quality of the watercolour example above, and the way that the black dots and squiggles interplay with the brighter sheer colours.

Monday Inspiration 2014 is all about Canadian artists. Each Monday I'll pick a new one to profile- If you can think of any that you think I ought to look up- please let me know in the comments- I'd love to hear from you. You can find a list of the artists I've done so far here.