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Late tea, being left-handed and a little giveaway

Early morning appointment had me clear across town and in mom’s neck of the woods and so mom and I took some time and went to Caffé Artigiano for breakfast.

I love the way the baristas enhance one’s coffee and tea experience with their milky and spicy designs. I mean it’s not necessary, my London Fog would have been just as nice with steamed milk, but the little heart of foam sprinkled with cinnamon was just so lovely. Mom’s latte was amazing too, and I noticed that the barista who made our drinks was left handed.

caffe artigiano

Did I ever tell you that I have a fascination with left-handed people? I do! It’s about the first thing I notice when I meet someone. Robert is left handed and I love that about him. I love watching his hand move as he writes or works.

Apparently I was supposed to be left handed. Apparently I favoured my left hand as a baby, but there was some sort of weird stigma associated with left-handedness in Prague and things were taken out of my left hand and placed in my right and I grew up to be right-handed.

This afternoon, while I was waiting for the water to boil, I cleaned up the kitchen sink.

I guess you can see my right-handedness in my sink…lol. The pretties are on the left side. That’s my new Begonia Escargot, (I love that plant), my Buddha, (a prezzy from Kerstie), my father’s radio and a photo of C at about age 9 sipping water form an alpine stream in the French alps. And on the right is the dish soap and a ceramic vase which usually holds brushes which either need to be washed or are drying. I couldn’t imagine switching these around. Things wouldn’t function at all.

sink

Usually I love to have pots of ivy in those green vases, but each time I go away for months at a time, the ivy has a fit and dies. The other day I decided to replace it and so went to Wal-Mart to “save” a couple plants. I don’t know about you but I think Wal-Mart has absolutely no business selling plants! (Oh, soapbox moment, sorry)

Anyway, the ivy was deader than mine but they did bring in some poor sacrificial African violets and so I decided to break with tradition and save two violets instead.

For my tea I chose this little late summer cup by Royal Standard. I love the little storybook scene of hay stacks on the inside of the cup.

cup

And I was going thru some of my watercolours and I thought that I would really like to send some more out into the world instead of having them stacked in a drawer in the writing desk.

The first one I chose to send out is this little violet painting. I painted it on this note paper because the gentle swaying of the notes reminded me of that sweet violet scent which you catch just a hint of and then can’t help yourself but bury your nose right into the blossoms. You know what I mean?

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Of course I can never just send off a painting, so I’m sending it off with a funky moleskin journal, some of my photography cards and some other bits of ephemera to inspire you with.

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I’m not sure if I can comment back on this post because of that random generator thingie and I don’t want it to select me…lol, but I love your comments and get so excited when that little orange bubble is lit up for me! (WordPress jargon) 🙂

So just leave me a comment and I’ll do the random thingie on Monday and announce it next Tuesday. (Having said that, all things being relative and hoping I’ll have time for tea next Tuesday…lol)

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Linking with Terri and Martha and Sandi and Bernideen and off to visit everyone. 🙂

Comments: 34

  • Christie

    September 24, 2013
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    My husband is left handed and so is my best friend. I’m always amazed at how adept they are using either hand as needed. I occasionally make myself do things with my left hand so it gets some practice (and doesn’t feel left out!). I love the idea of “saving” plants from Walmart. And, how can anyone pass up those lovely violets when they look so forlorn and waiting for a good home. Your giveaway items are truly wonderful. I really love the painting of the violets on the music – genius! So, here’s keeping my fingers crossed!

  • Patty

    September 24, 2013
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    How did you know sweet violets are my favourite flower? If I happen to see sweet violet soaps or plants, I just have to rescue them ; ). I wld love to have some of your art so, fingers crossed, my name pops up! Thanks, Patty/BC

  • September 24, 2013
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    Hello Veronica,
    I remember in grade one, a boy sat across from me who was left handed. His name was Noland. The teacher took a large belt and strapped his left arm to his side for the school day. This way they forced him to use his right arm. I remember feeling very very sorry for him. I knew it wasn’t right even at 6 years old. Every now and then he pops into my head and I wonder how he did. I can understand your fascination with left handedness as you had your natural left handedness taken away. I often try to use my left arm and hand as it feels left out!
    Your scenic cup is very lovely! I have not seen that particular one before. Very dear.
    Your violet painting is beautiful. I love that you painted on the music paper. Your giveaway is very generous.
    Thank you for the opportunity : )
    As you know I am having a big give away too. I do love having giveaways! They are so fun : )
    Hugs,
    Terri
    p.s. I often have plants or a vase of flowers on the left side of my kitchen sink…and some lovely rocks and minerals here and there.

  • September 24, 2013
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    That is so beautiful the way you put that on music! Lovely idea! Beautiful cup and saucer and thoughts!

  • Tina

    September 24, 2013
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    Hi Veronica! I really love the way your blog is so… pretty, its so full of art and beauty… I hope to win your beautiful piece of art!

  • Rose

    September 24, 2013
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    Ill cross my fingers! I really loved your painting

  • September 24, 2013
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    Hi Veronica,
    Guess what? I am left handed and so is my daughter and my mother. At the first school where I taught nearly every teacher was left-handed. The school had very musical and artistic teachers and I have been told that left-handed people are artistic~so your skill and talent did originate from your lefthandedness. My mother was born in 1921 and way back then she was forced to use her right hand. I loved seeing your kitchen begonia, lovely teacup and your amazing paintings today.The mauve painted flowers over the musical notes is gorgeous. That would look fabulous framed! Have a wonderful week! Take care,
    Karen

  • Keanna

    September 24, 2013
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    Love your work!

  • September 24, 2013
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    Your paintings are gorgeous! You are very talented. Your African violets are so pretty, the color is so vivid. How funny about drinking tea our of the saucer just like the olden days, lol. I have never tried it….Christine

  • September 24, 2013
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    My oldest son, Jonathan, began as a leftie too. We were visiting my mother when he was about 18 months old, though, and in my brother David’s bedroom, he toddled over to a lamp with no shade and grabbed the lightbulb with his bare hand. His left hand. It burned him badly. Everyone felt terrible about it, but he healed okay. But that time spent hurt and healing made him switch to right handed.

    I’ve always been fascinated with lefties too. My hubby is a lefty…and we always make sure I am on his right side at restaurants so we don’t bump elbows using our cutlery. ^_^

    XOX
    Diana

  • September 24, 2013
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    When I was young I wrote and drew with both hands. In kindergarten I was not forced but encouraged to use the right hand. Now I only write right-handed. However, I still throw ball as a lefty and do some tasks “left”. Oddly, it must be a family thing. My brother never wrote left-handed but in baseball his natural tendency was to throw ball and bat as a lefty. (though my other 3 siblings are exclusive right-handers). My daughter writes with the right hand but also throws as a lefty. We are one confused bunch!

    I would LOVE to win these goodies. I love your paintings and this one reminds me of my mother. In our former home she had an extremely long, wide windowsill in her bedroom and it was full of various violets which she loved, and she often started new plants from them to give to friends and shut-ins at the “old folks home” where she worked. Now that she is retired and living alone, she has a new place, much smaller, with regular window sills and just a handful of violets, but every time I see violets I instantly think of her.

    Your photographs look lovely. If I would win I will save them to use for next years Postcard Poetry Fest which I participate in each year.

  • September 24, 2013
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    We have a semi-left-handed family here – of the 5 of us, 2 are lefties (husband and eldest DD) – Olivia and I are very right handed, though I’ve always sort of wished I was a lefty, too – and Alex is a rightie, though he was the one of my kids who took the longest to decide which way he was going to go… Not at all surprised to have a lefty kid as my brother is a lefty and one of my mum’s brothers and we suspect her dad should have been, but, like you, was encouraged right as a child, because they did in those days… (He was born in 1904.)

    Anyway. Love the violet painting and would be proud to own it – you know how I feel about things on text backgrounds – music is of course included in that category!

    Have a lovely week!

  • September 24, 2013
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    I’m a right handed person who uses their left hand a lot – unconsciously, and so do a lot of my family, I think it stems from my grandy who was ambidextrous.
    Your painting is beautiful, I love pretty little violets, and we would be able to find a lovely home for it here! Juliex

  • September 25, 2013
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    No lefties in my family, we are so predominately right handed one day our left arms will have to find another use altogether! lol I have been lucky already to have received a beautiful package of wonderful artwork and randomness from you, but just wanted to say ‘hi’ and thank you for your wonderful Blogs 😉

  • September 25, 2013
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    My husband was probably going to be a lefty but he was in Catholic and the nuns “beat it” out of him, lol. He was ambidextrous for a long time but now he is right handed like most of us, I think. I saved a few plants from Wal Mart as well this past summer. It makes me feel good to get a bargain and to save a life.
    ~Dawn

  • September 25, 2013
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    I am the left handed daughter of a woman who was “trained/changed” to be right handed. My mother did not do any types of “crafty” things. At the urging of a friend, she tried cross stitch. It came out backwards! Some things should not be changed… My father (a righty) always complained the the lamp knobs were on the wrong side of the lamp for him. Poor dear.

  • September 25, 2013
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    All kinds of my favorite things in this blog post. I’m left handed and I love the paintings on sheet music and, of course, the teacups!

  • September 25, 2013
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    My baby girl uses her left hand for everything, so I think she’ll be left handed. Which is strange because everyone in my family is right handed, so when we try to teach her something, I always have to turn myself around. Lol.

  • September 25, 2013
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    Lovely , lovely person you are !

  • September 25, 2013
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    When my oldest son was really into basketball, he started doing lots of things with his left hand- so he’d be as agile with his left as his right. Now, even though his basketball days are long gone, he still eats with his left. Which poses problems at the dinner table. Aren’t left-handed people supposed to be more creative, intuitive, cool? 🙂 Thanks for sharing your beautiful art!

  • September 25, 2013
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    My DIL is left-handed. And when I was studying Cosmetology, my instructor told me that I was the only student she had ever had who could pin-curl with both hands. I am right-handed but somehow or other I was able to do that and do it well. I think one of my little grandsons may be left-handed too. Time will tell. Your violets are so sweet and I love the hearts on the top of your drinks! Thanks for sharing and coming to tea, Veronica.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

  • September 25, 2013
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    My mother was left handed, which unfortunately prevented her from teaching me to knit. It also meant my hair was parted when younger on the side favoured by a leftie. 🙂 My husband can everything with both hands except write – for that he is right handed.
    Your teacup this week is pretty and the violets are nice painted on the sheet music.
    Happy Autumn!
    Judith

  • September 25, 2013
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    My older daughter is left-handed. I’m not sure if it’s natural, or a result of her injuring her right hand’s thumb as a baby (she’s since healed). Love the beautiful painting! You don’t have to put me in the drawing–I just wanted to say hello.

  • September 25, 2013
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    One of my granddaughters is left-handed, and she fascinates me. She thinks and reacts differently to things than my other grandchildren. My youngest sister was s’posed to be left-handed too, but suffered the same thing…things were taken away from her left hand and placed in her right. She can be ambidextrous when she needs to, but like you, she considers herself right-handed now.

    I love your violets strewn across sheet music.

    The teacup appears to have watercolor painting in it, so pretty. And the African violets look very nice there, I hope they thrive where the ivy won’t.

  • robert

    September 25, 2013
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    you really really nneeeeedddd to do a print run of that violets painting . just stunning .sell like hot cakes on the etsy store.

  • September 26, 2013
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    i am left handed … at one point here in the US they tried to make all children right handed … by the time i got into school it was no longer mandatory .. however … as my mom was a righty she asked her BFF who was leftie to teach me to sew and knit .. Ha! BFF’s mom had been a rightie and taught BFF to do both right handed .. yup .. i learned to sew and knit rightie .. in fact since the world seems to favor you righties, i seem to do only two things leftie: write and eat/use knife/fork .. tho in a pinch i can switch .. hence my brain is apparently confusedly equally developed!!!!!

  • September 26, 2013
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    Oh my gosh! I love that painting of the violets! You are very talented. I’m visiting from Martha’s blog. . .saw left-handedness mention, and was intrigued. I am a leftie, my (ex) husband also, and one of our two children is left-handed! The one who is not thinks that is the norm, not being right-handed – lol!

  • September 26, 2013
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    By the way, your teacup is beautiful, too – just love it! Have a great day.

  • September 26, 2013
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    • Debbie McNeil

      September 27, 2013
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      Hey there!
      I am so happy have found your blogspot – what a lovely page to visit Veronica – you are truly inspiring.
      May you make the most of your drizzle and please send some south of the equator so that our Spring plants can go crazy (we are shaping up for a really hot, dry summer, hopefully no bushfires again, so we’ll take all you guys can spare for us)
      Cheers, Deb (Right handed Grandmother to Left handed Granddaughter in Australia)

  • September 27, 2013
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  • September 27, 2013
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    When I saw your painting on the music, I thought….. I wonder if she’s the one that did the map? Oh yeah and congratulation on your first place. If you consider trying to print it, photograph it to resell, I’d really love a copy. It makes me want to paint. In fact I drug out an old map last night at midnight.

  • September 28, 2013
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    I’ve been on a roll lately with giveaways, so I have to enter (if open to us U.S. people). Your painting is amazing Veronica. You are very talented. xo

  • Joy

    October 1, 2013
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    I think I’m seeing this too late for the giveaway but I LOVE your violet painting. Music and violets are two of my favorite things ever, so it is a delight for me to see them combined. Congratulations to whoever wins it!

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