Monday, August 10, 2015

A day to remember

 Cosmos for the cosmos (work in progress)
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2015
Saturday was a glorious summer day, and we went to
the market.  My first purchase, an uncharacteristic
purple bouquet from PegAnn, because my artist
friend, Franco Mbilizi is helping me like every
colour -- and purple is first in line for colours I
am learning to like.
Market flowers
Then I bought peaches, and following a method
my mother taught me, have frozen some of these
perfectly delicious fruits for the cold, winter days.
And as I worked cutting up the delicious fruits
to freeze I knew I wanted to remember the day.
To be able to look back in deep winter and visualize
the wonderful garden, some poppies
still dotting the view with gorgeous red, huge
white cosmos, purple cosmos, night blooming
nicotiana -- geraniums and nasturtiums in pots,
perfect.
Peaches from Beamsville, Ontario
The cats Timbah and Fiona, and Sally the dog
 sat outside admiring the view, with Steven,
while I cut the peaches dripping in
juice, and froze cookie sheet, after cookie sheet.

Ah summer.  And as I say to my students,
"Be Here Now!"

Have a luxuriating in summer day.

6 comments:

Verna said...

Oh Barbara, your blog posts are the best!!

Nice title for your painting, and I love that you are learning to love every colour! You have an excellent mind, woman.

This peach-freezing method intrigues me... been waffling about canning peaches this year, not feeling really inspired to do so. May I ask about this method your mother passed on to you? Freezing them on cookie trays?

Hope you are having a super-duper day today!!!

:)
V

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Verna,

Thank you so much! Sure -- the peach freezing is easy. Cover a metal cookie sheet in waxed paper. Cut the peach pieces up into smallish bits, maybe about 1/4 inch - 1/2 inch across. I go around the peach with a knife horizontally 3 times, and then cut sections vertically and it takes three to four pealed peaches to cover a tray with spaces between. Pop into your fridge freezer, leave until hard,(2 hours in my freezer) then take them out, put in a zip lock bag, suck the air out with a straw -- and Bob's your uncle.

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Wendy Barrett said...

Oh what a lovely post Barbara - straight out of Ann of Green Gables! What a lovely visual your peaches will bring to mind for you in winter - it did for me in ours!!
Your cosmos painting is gorgeous!!
I hope you're having a great week!

cohen labelle said...

I for one, have no quarrel with purple. You handle it beautifully. Lovely flowers!
xo, Marcia

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Wendy,

Thank you. It's a frantic week -- it seems like six months of
organizing has to happen now, but yes it is a great week too.
It's hard not to have a good time, with enough rain to water the
garden, and perfect sunny weather so you can eat dinner on the porch
looking at that garden watching the sun set.

Love your work,

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Marcia,

I find myself at loggerheads with different
colours from time to time, and purple is one
of them. But this glorious bouquet needed no
defenders. It caught the eyes of every market
goer when I walked away. And it has given me
endless pleasure. Part of that is PegAnn's
effortless design.

XOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Portrait Artist

My photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!