What the hell? Yeah, I know!

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.I'm alive!All is well.When my mother mentions that I haven't written a post in ages, I feel vaguely guilty but don't worry too much.When Robert tells me that he loves rereading my posts I think aw, poor boy away from me, but we talk every day, so put off writing.When our neighbour pops round the cottage to make sure we're alive and mentions that I haven't written in ages, and when my sweet cousin in Slovakia starts emailing me to find out if all is well!!!!Then I know I've been putting blogging off for far too long.On of the major reasons I blog is to have a creative outlet.But when other creative outlets are briming over the top, I don't feel the need to blog.I know that's bad.But it's good in another way. It means I'm finding interesting, creative and fulfilling things in my art practice.But back to life...lol.Chloe's boyfriend Bryson turned 26 the other week, and Chloe planned, organised and executed the best surprise party for him.There were way too many 20-30 somethings in the house all having a brilliant time.And that very same evening, my daughter Kerstin and her family came into town to stay with me.Everyone stayed up way too late, (and our little ones slept in; which was fantastic), and the next morning we had a tea party in the living room.Weekend came and went and I retreated back into the studio because I'm working on some over-the-top expressive pieces to break out of a rut.These I had done and put them up on the dining room wall for my meeting with my art consultant.We had a really good meeting talking about the directing I might want to take my art.I know this is a quick catch up and doesn't make up for two month of radio silence from me.Life...eh?I'll be better.

Hello from Sunday night. Oh the drama to get here!

This definitely fits into my "if you can believe this!" category.The day came too quickly, and I had to return to Vancouver and leave Robert for a few months, so he drove me to Heathrow, I went up to the British Airways counter...and, after three hours of waiting, there was no seat on my plane for me.Well, if you can believe this: BA had two planes grounded because of freezing weather-related problems and put two smaller planes on the routes, and this meant that a few people got booted from their flights and treated to three hours waiting at Heathrow with all their luggage, and then being bussed to the Holiday Inn for the night.Happily, I had a day spare between leaving England and a very important CT scan in Vancouver, but I only had the one day spare. As BA couldn't guarantee a seat on the next day flight because of priority backlog and sold out planes, I had no choice but to take American Airlines to LA and Air Canada from LA to Vancouver. I walked up to the AA counter at which point the man working there looked at me funny as there were no more AA planes going out, and asked me if I was there to check in. I told him that in all probability I was there to cause him problems and he laughed and booked me a seat on the AA flight.So, faced with 16 hours of flight adventure, I took the bus to the hotel, made myself at home, had supper and a bath, and an early night.I must say that BA is very organised when they cannot accommodate a passenger.They had coupons for the bus trips, for supper, breakfast and lunch, a couple coupons for a drink at the airport and practically a full refund on a prepaid Mastercard as compensation.So back to Heathrow the next morning. I went to queue up to drop my luggage off and an AA security clerk gave me the third degree with 20 questions. Wow, never had the third degree from a specialised security clerk. Apparently necessary for entering into America.But finally, I was on my American Airlines flight to LA.And, I must tell you something else. I couldn't upgrade because the flight was full, but that nice man booked me into a bulkhead seat where I had so much room that I could totally stretch out my legs!So four movies and 12 hours later, we landed in LAX.I had a 3 hour layover and was actually looking forward to popping outside for a little California sunshine, lol.Dammit!So no sunshine.I got my luggage, cleared it thru customs, forgot about an orange, had to surrender it at the agricultural customs, had to have my luggage xrayed again, collected my luggage....and realised I had left my iPad pro on board the plane!So by this time I had about an hour and 20 minutes before my Air Canada connection.I forwarded my luggage onto the AC flight and sprinted to the AA counter to have them call the plane to get my iPad.By then it was 45 minutes to my connecting flight, and guess what? The iPad would take at least an hour to clear thru customs!Dammit!A good talk with security to find out how best to get the iPad back, I had to leave it behind and get on my AC flight.Got to Vancouver...but, despite checking my luggage thru, my luggage stayed in LA.So I walked out of the airport with my purse, camera case and on-board bag to a great big hug from Chloe, and we went home.The next morning, I drove X town, taught my first wellness journal class of 2018, went to my CT scan, and got home at 8pm.No luggage.The next day I chased down my luggage, which was promised between 3pm and 8pm, and it finally came at 10:30 that night!But hey, it's all here, nothing broken, all unpacked, laundry done.My iPad is still in LAX, but thanks to the ingenious brains who are my FB friends, it turns out that a company in Blaine Washington will recieve it for me and I just have to pop over the border to pick it up.And all is good. Except that I finally did succumb to that nasty cold which I managed to avoid in the UK. I suppose 16 hours of sardine can air flights will pass the germs around like no other.So I took the weekend to rest in bed and Chloe brought me an orange, turmeric and ginger power shot from The Juicery and two anti cold juices.I've been absolutely overdosing on the vitamin C and taking my zinc and so I think this cold is on its way out the door.I haven't got time to be sick.Besides, now I have to prepare to film a little video for Opus Arts, paint 10 paintings for a late Feb meeting with my art counselor, and drive down to Blaine to retrieve my iPad!So, how was your week? :D

Hello from Sunday night and the historic WWII RAF Bicester and Blenheim

Hi everyone,We've had a packed Sunday!So much for our "take it easy Sunday" philosophy.You all know how we love a good car show. The more interesting cars to look at the better. So today we drove a few miles away to the historic RAF Bicester where a group show is held several times per year.It's called a scramble, and anyone who likes to can come show their car.Bicester is a huge Royal air force base, about 400 acres, and serves as an airfield for the RAF Gliding and Soaring Association. At its RAF WWII beginnings, it functioned as a secret assembly site for huge bombers and, as the war progressed, as a base for Spitfires, De Havilland Mosquitoes, and other warplanes. It was a training site as well as a home for five RAF squadrons, so you can guess the sheer enormous space and importance this place holds.Now the red brick buildings are listed heritage buildings and function as workshops and showrooms and other such commercial spaces.And so we came, in a bitter wind which felt like -40 rather than +4, and along with hundreds of people also brave enough to go out in this wind......we bought a cup of tea and a couple croissants and walked around the whole grounds viewing the cars.I really loved seeing all different kinds of cars against this beautiful backdrop.Here are three Triumphs.Here is a Morgan driving by and a beautiful TVR (similar to mine) parked up just behind it.A lot of the old buildings have been turned into car reengineering shops and most were open for us to have a look into. It's super helpful for Robert to see the older cars because he is at the moment designing mudguard fittings and thinking about windshield/no windshield on Medusa.A Bently and two Riley bonnets.Here's a gorgeous Landi...like mine.This one is beautiful. It's a Riley and we figure it's an early one...maybe 1920-30s. I love the silver hare on the bonnet.We walked around until the freezing wind got to me and then I left Robbie to look while I went to the ladies and planned to head back to the car.Ha!This whole area had about two toilets and the line-up was 20 minutes long!So I guess military airforce bases don't really think about the necessity of ladies rooms. LOLIt turned out that by the time I waited thru the queue, Robert was finished looking around and we arrived at the car at the same time.One lovely thing about going to Bicester is that we drive right by Blenheim.Being in the car warmed us up and we thought we would be safer from the wind on the Blenheim grounds, and since the day was so stellar, we decided to have a walk around the palace grounds and pop in for lunch.We flashed our membership cards and parked up, and walked the 3 mile short walk around and across the river.That's us bundled up in our warmest hats!Look at this beautiful view across the river to the palace.We saw tons of birds...mostly sea gulls...but still.I couldn't stop taking photos in this beautiful, cold, blue, winter light.Lots of people were on the path today. Lots of people and their dogs.After our walk, we popped into the palace cafe and had a wonderful lunch. We split one order of roast pork and roast potatoes and one order of penne in a cream and blue cheese sauce with tons of veggies, and after that huge lunch, we split an enormous slice of Victoria sponge cake.And then!Then we stopped by the Blenheim shop and bought some clotted cream fudge and some tablet!It's a good thing we walked so far today. :D

London day out at the museums

London Town!Oh boy, we're such country bumpkins that we rarely get down to town.We do have a tradition of getting out of our little village to London at least twice per year. Once in July to celebrate my birthday and once in winter to celebrate Robert's.I go to Kew and R goes to the museums.The trouble is that R's birthday is late November and we're not usually together till early December, so we pick a random pleasant weather day and go into London.We love to drive into Oxford and take the train into Paddington and then to tube to the museum district.It's a short walk from the tube past one of the best named little bistros around!(You know what? I really love the look of gloss black doors.)The Science Museum, the Natural history Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum are all in one area and they're all free!Our first museum stop and Robbie's favourite is the Science Museum.We walk into the great hall and past years and years of scientific breakthroughs, like steam engines and light bulbs, telephones, the first manned space flight module, the first MRI machine, Bakelite, Plastic...computers...it's all here.Then we go up to the second floor to look at the invention of flight and the various engines.Together this translates as, "Warning, do not turn the engine at the fan wheel", separately it translates as "warning" "do not turn on" "fan" "go berserk"! We laughed puzzling it out.This beautiful illuminated clock has a four-story long cable with a pendulum swinging above it measuring time by the rotation of the Earth on its axis.I want this on my ceiling!Here is the view from our lunch! The cafeteria has some mezzanine seating and we love to have our lunch looking down at all the activity.After lunch, we decided to see one other museum while we still had time and daylight.In this photo, you see the Natural History Museum on the right and the V&A on the left.When we arrived, 2 hours ago, there was a long queue to get into the Nat. His. Museum and the queue wasn't getting any shorter. It seems that some of the school children don't go back to school till next week and it seems they all chose today to visit, so, not being keen on standing thru the queue or being surrounded by millions of screaming littles, we went to the V&A.Which is just fine with us. We love the V&A.It's an amazing Tardis of a building.The first exhibit we came to was a fashions thru the ages sponsored by the fashion house of Balenciaga.This showed the most exquisite clothing from Edwardian times, thru Victorian times, and on thru the 20thC.Here is a beautiful silk caftan from the 1920s.Suits to die for (or have a rib removed for...lol) from the 40s.And the 50's.And no place to hide the muffin top dresses from the 60's and 70's.So, after committing to daily yoga and workouts and knocking off the 10 unwanted Christmas pounds, we went on to explore Asian influence in Victorian England.Here's a peek into the National Art Library.Next, we came to all things gold and shiny. Buddhism, Renaissance church artifacts, stained glass windows, crowns, crosses...golden heaven.I was looking at this little statue and said, "she's beautiful."Robbie was reading and said, "She's a he."I read the text and said, "those hips, that tiny waist...damn girl!"There is a small painting gallery in the V&A.Just four halls, but exquisite works.I loved these:Charles Robert Leslie 1837Charles Robert Leslie 1849The pearls on this alter piece Madonna 16CTurners!Was there ever a greater master of atmosphere than Turner?I was fascinated with the brush strokes he made to paint these waves.You can feel the fury of the turbulant waters.And Constable.King of pastoral paintings.That's about all the time we had on our day train/tube passes; which run out at 6pm, so we had to make our way back out to the great hall.I must admit a slight feeling of envy when we passed these art students.I used to do this, and wish I had more time in my life to sit and paint in museums. If I lived in London I'd probably be here every day in the winter and at Kew every day in summer.So Robbie waited for me under the Dale Chihuly chandelier while I had a quick mooch around the gift shop. I bought a few lovely things......and we walked out of the V&A, walked down the block to the Natural History Museum, watched the people for a few minutes, and walked down to the tube, and started our return trip back to Oxford and back home.

Happy New Year

Well, here we are in 2018.Has 2017 gone in a blur for you?It seems to have for me, but as R and I reflect on the past year on this January 1st morning, I realise that I've done so very much.There have been adventures galore in 2017 and I hope that my adventures continue.I think they will.Here are a few images from our first day of 2018It's hard to get out of bed with a Theo thermal blanket.Christmas 2017 polaroid memories.White hyacinths and my beautiful candle a gift from my friend Julie this summer.A mistle thrush gobbling up old apples.A blackbird doing the same.This photo is called "find the fox". I tried for a clearer photo but he was just too far away in the fields. Still, I know he was there.And so our first day of January came to a lovely, calm end with roast lamb and fruit crumble and happiness.

From this time between Christmas and the New Year when you have no idea of what day it is...and you don't care!

Oh, I'm thinking that I shouldn't even mention the weather to a lot of you, my friends, who are freezing your shnurkles off.We've had about three days of snow and below freezing...only just below freezing......but we've enjoyed every one of those days.We've walked to the village, past snowy fields, past the pub, past the church,Past all of our friend's Cotswold stone cottages.And back up past the snowy fields again.Yup, that was our winter. All three glorious days of it.Now it's up to 10 degrees above and the snow has long melted.But the heavy snow did leave a torrent of broken trees and branches in its wake. This one at Blenheim.There's been a lot of snapped trees in our hood too around the Windrush and Thames rivers.I made us an advent calendar while I was still in Vancouver.I got a few postcards and cut and glued silly Christmas jokes on them, put them each into an envelope and stuck a little game, toy or treat inside. The things I found were usually thrift store finds...like Ken doll shoes for our fingers and a little boombox to play a beat and we had a finger breakdance dance-off. There was silly putty, and there were ornaments, and two intricate, laser cut metal airplane puzzles, some bracelets which say The Doctor and The Companion...And these silly Korean beauty panda masks. (There was no way Robert was going to put his on!)We've tried to reduce all the Christmas stress by preparing ahead of time and having as much comfort and fun as we could. We've had open fires almost every night.Robert asked our lovely friend Maureen, who lives in the village, to make our Christmas cake this year. We usually leave it to the last minute and it's such a hassle. Maureen did an incredible job and the cake is so good. She even used Robert's little cake ornaments which he's had for a million years.On the 15th we popped down to the Christmas barn in the neighbouring village of Appleton.We said hello to the reindeer...And chose our tree.I love our Christmas tree this year.I really wanted a very tall one, (in our little cottage we usually have smaller trees), but this year we got a floor to ceiling one and I realised we didn't have enough decorations to make it really beautiful, so a few precious new ones from the Christmas barn and a couple jaunts around the thrift stores was all that was needed.I have a story about our turkey. Well, were we ever organised! I made the stuffing the day ahead, we prepared the turkey by 11 am, turned the oven on and stuck it into the big oven in time for the traditional 3 pm British Christmas lunch to have it ready for the Queen's speech. So, we set the timer for 30 minutes at a higher temp, then 2 hours at a lower temp. Two hours later we came to check on the turkey and take the foil off only to realise that we turned on the small oven (which we always tend to use) and our turkey was stone cold! Our British Christmas lunch turned into a Canadian Christmas supper with Dr. Who. But we loved it.Yes, the Theo blimp got turkey.And this is the way our days went.One lovely day blending into the other. Lovely old movies, twinkly lights, good food, comfort and warmth.Then Boxing Day came and with it deep Land Rover tire groves thru the paths in the fields, the barking of dogs and the pop, pop, popping of guns.I've been walkign the fields in light coloured clothing...just in case...lol.I know it's tradition, but I really don't like the Boxing Day shoot at all.The ritual goes on for a few days as beaters beat the hedges flushing the birds out and the shooters shoot them down and the dogs retrieve them.Although the shooting party has to stay off the footpaths, I can hear them on my walks and turn back rather than going on.And I also mentally send "run and hide!" vibes to any bird I see.Another little bit of fun we've had is making Medusa Christmas cards for Robert's car crazy pack.We took Medusa out of the garage and......had some Christmas fun!That's my crazy Christmas sweater.Now it's the evening here in Oxfordshire, on the last day of 2017 and I'm only getting around to posting this post. I've been so bad these last few months and have told myself to be better.But I do hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and I wish the best for all of you in 2018. Get your thoughts, memories, and resolutions, (if you do that), together and have a lovely New Year celebration.Thank you so much for venturing over into my life and letting me be a part of yours. Much love and see you next year. :D

Christmas at Blenheim

We drove off to Blenheim, like we do most British Christmas years, to see the opulence and festivities at our palace next door.Most years Blenheim is decked to the nines and is so over the top festive that it takes our breath away.I was really pleased that we took the time this year again, however, Blenheim has done something new. Instead of Christmas opulence, Blenheim was featuring a solo exhibition by an artist named Jenny Holzer, whose message is an opposition to war. Therefore, large abstracts featured prominently, and, instead of tables decked in finery and cupboards full of exquisite china and crystal, there were human remains and bones on those tables and in those cupboards. Not really my cup of tea. But parts of the palace were still festive and that's what I'd like to show you.The entrance to the palace had the usual Christmas trees, and the busts were crowned with beautiful ivy or holly crowns.Actually, every room had a Christmas tree.Each Christmas tree had a theme. Some were turquoise and full of peacocks and some, like this one, had these exquisite golden crowns. Also, most of the fires were lit. This is the first time that we can remember seeing the fires lit including both in the great dining room.My favourite room, the great library, had several beautiful Christmas trees.And this is where a more intimate table was set in front of the fire.Look how beautiful each place setting is. We loved the addition of the jewels on each Christmas cracker.We had some lunch, and after lunch, we had a peek into the gift shop. Actually, it may have been more than a peek; it may have been a proper mooch thru, but you can only exit the palace grounds thru the gift shop, so then again...I have to show you this display. It's a life-sized father Christmas and reindeer made from dried plant material.I thought it was fantastic.Here's a closeup on father Christmas so you can see the dried peppers and pinecones.And here's a closeup of the reindeer body. It all smelled amazing!So we bought our usual: butter fudge for me and tablet (a fudge-like sweet) for R, and I also bought this sweet little card. It's by artist Lucy Loveheart and I love her whimsical style. At the moment it's making me feel happy as I sketch the mistletoe I gathered the other day.

Happy winter solstice from the stone henge next door, and let the optimism begin.

Today is such a liminal day, isn't it?On the threshold of the turning of the daylight, I can almost feel the coming spring.In amongst the bare trees are huge balls of bright green mistletoe reminding us that even in the bleak mid-winter, there is life.Here in the neighbouring village of Stanton Harcourt, at the little lake beside the henge called The Devil's Quoits, everything feels so exposed.The harsh, cold and low sunlight exposes everything.Each branch is laid bare.I saw a kite spread his wings and hover over the meadow. There is no cover right now.On the little lake, the birds huddle in small, mismatched flocks.I walk the mile or so down the little path and come to the henge.This is not THE STONE HENGE, but it is a Neolithic stone henge some 5000yrs old and vibrates with magic and the spirit of the priestess who was buried in the center.What magic and mystery lies underneath the ground only the rabbits know as they burrow into the heart of the henge all around the 120 meter perimiter ditch.I come here as often as I can.I feel connected to this henge and to the light of the priestess underground.I don't feel compelled to visit Wiltshire and the very public henge on this day and join in the massive pegan celebration. I'm content to walk this ground in quiet contemplation.I walk around touching each stone feeling happy and at peace.I stay to watch the sun set behind the East stone, say goodbye to the dark, and begin to look forward to the light reclaiming the night minute by minute.Have a blessed winter solstice everyone.

Hello, and, where the hell have I been this November?

Hi everybody,well, this is a fine mess, isn't it?I haven't written for ages.Halloween came and went, November came and went, and radio silence from me.Actually, things are happening around me and I'm part of that world but I'm walking thru it in my usual fog of melancholy and depression; except that some days that fog turns supernova.It's taken November for the supernova to burn out. Nobody can do a supernova of depression like me!So here is a little look back at November on my last morning in Vancouver. Later today I'm off to the UK.November started with Hollywood North right in my front yard.We had streets and streets of movie trucks block up the hood for a week.They were shooting The Dog's Way Home in the park on the corner and constructed an entire derelict cabin complete with long grass and chainlink fencing.Apart from the no parking zone in front of my house, it was fun watching the movie being made. OMG that's some serious money and equipment and days and hours of prep and filming for one 20 minute section of film. No wonder movies cost so many millions to produce.I taught two therapy journal sessions.I'm really grateful for the time I get to work with all sorts of incredible people who are looking to find a way back to being able to express themselves when things look dark in their life. And I'm so happy to learn that my course is the most requested and most popular wellness course right now.It was Kerstin and Adam's wedding anniversary, so they dropped our little girls off with us and headed down to Seattle for a nice long weekend.The girls were excited to be with us but the little Ziglet got a bit upset to see her parents leave,so we made smoothies to make things better.And then we got the ancient marionettes and had a puppet show.Other times we just hung out and let the girls have their video games.We did spend a lot of time in the studio drawing,and, because their playroom in right beside my studio, I thought I might fit in a bit of drawing.Nope, the girls and the toys won me over each time.We didn't spend all weekend at home though. We had Sbux picnics and stopped at my friend Dalyce's bookstore, Booklovers, for armloads of books.And we took them to the climbing gym.This first photo I took of Chloe and Bryson explaining to the girls the rules of climbing is hilarious. The girls look so unsure! Like, "you want us to do what?"But as soon as we took them into the practice cave, they were off! Spider monkeys all three of them.And they loved watching auntie Chloe climb more difficult routes.Within the hour, Ever was reaching the top of the easier routes. Isla was a little unsure about going higher than our hands could reach, but still managed to touch the top hold, and little Zoe most favourite thing in the world was squishing the chalk bag and putting white handprints on my black leggings.I had some art success this month. I was accepted for one solo show but turned down for three others.That's always so crushing to me. So I asked a renowned art consultant for help.She advised me to completely change my subject and style.I know she's right, but it didn't help the supernova to burn itself out.So I went out and bought a bunch of lilies and peonies and drew and drew and drew.I did get somewhere and that helped a lot. It's been ages since I just drew for hours just for the pleasure of drawing.In the middle of November Chloe and I found ourselves with a week without appointments or anything pressing, and so we drove to Kelowna to visit Kers and have a mini-vacation.It actually was the best decision.We arrived int he evening and, after supper and putting the girls to bed, guitars and ukuleles came out and we projected notes from an app on the TV and played and sung some favourite tunes.This is Kerstie and Adam's dog Ruby. She's a redbone coonhound puppy and slightly difficult to manage right now. She's the sweetest thing in the world and we all love her, but untrained hounds, whose habit it is to lead by their nose, are impossible to recall until they decide to come back hours and hours later, so she must stay on a leash for the moment.But that's just fine with me. I drove her out to my kid's property for the day.The plan was for Chloe to finish laying the floor in her airstream and I would hike Ruby a couple of times around the 22 acres.Kerstie and Adam's property is so beautiful that it's easy to hike there for hours.And the views over Lake Okanagan and spectacular.This can be bear and cougar country, so eventually Ruby will have an important role to play protecting her family.Here is the view at the very top of the 22 acres.I gathered some seedpods and twigs and grasses as subjects for drawing.I found some deer antlers and a deer skeleton while I was hiking around......and so brought the children up to see them.They're great hikers and loved seeing the bones. Isla found the spot where the deer died and found a bunch of deer fur. So in the interest of science, we gathered some deer fur in our pockets to put on the science table...and promptly forgot about it.We hiked down and found that Chloe had finished all she could of the floor for now. Those are the antlers I found.A last few looks around, time to lock up the airstream, and head back to town.Supper is almost ready, so naturally everyone has to swing.So we said goodbye to my family and drove back to Vancouver to deal with a hectic week.Health checks and tests, a plumbing emergency at mom's house which has now required insurance and massive restorations, an emergency middle of the night visit to the hospital with Chloe. (She's alright but more health complications.) A new roof on my garage! Oh boy. The pits of real life.But at least the sun is shining after months and months of rain (marginal exaggeration).And that was my November guys.I'm off for Christmas in OXON with Robbie and a bit of a break from real life in Vancouver.Mind you I just ger real life in the UK.At least the supernova has burnt itself out into a little dull and flickering flame.

A stop at North Arm Farm on the drive home

Stopping by North Arm Farm in Pemberton has been a tradition for near on the whole 25 years of our cabin life.North Arm Farm began as a very small seasonal fruit and veg stand and has morphed into this lovely destination!And can you imagine a prettier place for a farm than under Mt. Curry on these sunny Pemberton Valley meadows?Look at this glorious, huge barn which leads out onto a picnic area.The farm was busy with people. I think this was the last open weekend for the season and so everyone was out taking advantage of the lovely weather.I love the giant, metal firepit where everyone was toasting marshmallows and roasting hot dogs.Concord grapes...my favourite!Here is the outdoor snack shop, and inside there is a small bakery/lunch counter where I always buy a few butter tarts.And in the farm produce area, I bought a rainbow of carrots and beets, and, of course, I had to pick out a couple pumpkins to bring home.