MIssing you Chloe´

                          Before the Dance in the White Dress                     

 Acrylic on canvas

 24 x 24 inches

 Barbara Muir © 2008

After the Dance in the White Dress
Acrylic on canvas
 24 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 2008

My niece Chloé died suddenly on October 4, 9 years ago.
She was beautiful, kind, intelligent -- a wonderful young
woman. We loved her.  She was very creative and 
funny.  I was so busy Sunday, that although I felt
like there was some family occasion I was missing
it didn't register that it was Chloé.

She posed for these two portraits in my Dance Series, and
I will be grateful to her for doing that forever. She was a
wonderful model, and sweet, brilliant girl.

Miss you Chloé. We love you!

Have a loving your life day!

I found a favourite post

The listening effect

Black marker and watercolour on

watercolour paper

10 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 

It's been a crazy busy day.  We were in a long neighbourhood
meeting outside after work.  And it was very cold. So I
found this former post that I like.  And my mother was still
alive, which made it all the more special.

When the family was over the other day, we kept using the
line first, then second then "third spill of the day." This
post reminded me of that:

"Today has been quite the day.  Tomorrow
I start a new commission, so I'm heading off
to bed.  But here is a Payne's grey 
painting.  In a noisy cafeteria, the subject
listens to the call through earphones (the
buds).  When I paint in Payne's Grey (I say
that like I've been doing it for years -- and
in fact  when I was at OCAD, my favourite
medium was watercolour and pen and ink
drawings with nib pens and ink) I get
lost in Value thoughts.  Today I enjoyed the
watercolour essence of the medium and the
value happened effortlessly.

But honestly -- much as I am enjoying working
in values, I feel terribly sorry for all of the students in
workshops all across this country and the
world, religiously doing value studies thinking
it will make them into artists.  Nothing will
do that, and don't you remember the first
time someone let you take a big brush and put
colour on a page?  I am willing to bet that's
why we're still painting today.  So thank you
Mrs. Jordon, my kindergarten teacher who
introduced me to big paper and brilliant tempera
paints.

My mother and I were laughing the other
day about the time I was doing a pen and
ink drawing in my room using indelible
ink, and spilled a whole bottle on the rug.
It made a gorgeous, huge black stain on a
lovely sea blue rug.  My mother got my brothers to
move the bed, and the rug so that my father
wouldn't see the spill and be upset.  He
didn't, and he wasn't, but I know that when
they left that house years later the very nice rug
with the big ink stain did not move with my
parents."

Have a loving your life day!

The bravery of joy

After Breakfast
Black marker on bond paper
18 x 24 inches
Barbara Muir © 

In recent days I've seen friends going through the hardest
times, who are still working on being joyous.  I find this
moving.

This drawing of the remnants of a hotel breakfast makes
me happy, joyous -- because I have such fond memories
of every hotel breakfast.

This has been a strange day. Steven and I drove for
an hour trying to charge my car's battery. Then we got
home, left it for another hour, and when I tried to start it
again dead.  Meanwhile a signal on the dashboard showed
a key. After I messed around with controls on the 
door, and the key -- the car started.  Then my mechanical
engineer husband was determined to solve the problem.
He did. I need a new key fob. Okay.

The drive was beautiful, and we loved driving by Lake
Ontario and seeing people playing in the parks.
Despite the reason for the drive (trying to charge the car)
we felt joyous.  So happy seeing the blue of the lake.

Have a loving your life day!

Inktober, and so many art shows

 

Nicole

Inktober sketch before Inktober existed

Marker on watercolour paper

12 x 9 inches

Barbara Muir ©

(Skype drawing from the 

Consumer Electronics Show

2009)

Today I'm showing you another Inktober drawing.  Steven and
I have been to 3 art shows since last night.  The first one at 
Edwards Gardens on Friday night was Essence of the Garden, the second
annual plein air art exhibition and sale. Many of my artist friends
showed beautiful work in the show, and you can visit it on
regular hours for Edwards Gardens for the next couple of weeks.

The Luminous show opening of photographic work at the Heliconian
Hall opened today with so many fabulous photos.  There was song,
dance and poetry to accompany the exhibition and it was often
very moving, and also quite delightful. Kudos to all my friends
who have fabulous work in the show!

Tonight we went to see the opening of the Nuit Blanche Avenue
Road Art School exhibition for teachers and students at Young
Place on Shaw Street. One of my friends, Jennifer Hinrichs,
teaches for the school and has a wonderful painting in the show. 

Alas while still recovering from a long road trip, coping with a cat
who just had surgery, and the intensity of all this, I didn't take
any photos.  I apologize, but check these shows out. Nuit
Blanche ends at 7 a.m. Sunday morning, so if you're an
early riser -- go and see it.

World Smile Day is today October 3, this year, and I think I 
made a few people smile. My husband and I did fake smiles
until we ended up laughing and smiling happily. There is so
much appalling news -- write our MPs, protest if we can, sign
every petition asking for an end to racism, wars -- cruelty of every
sort.

But smiling for family, friends, funny people, new friends and
people helping us, and who we are helping, still matters.

This drawing is from a super commission where I drew people via
Skype (now it would be Zoom) for the Consumer Electronics Show.
It was such a great assignment. 

It's movie night.  So have a fantastic weekend.

Have a loving your life day!

Flowers save the day

 

Joyous Anemones

an Inktober drawing

Black marker on
Canson Mixed Media paper

5.5 x 8.5 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020

The fall blooming anemones are very happy that it rained all
night last night.  Steven and I even did a short walk in the rain, 

and believe me we were the only ones walking.

The beautiful crest of magnificent white anemones are
breathtaking.  And on a day when I had to spend hours
on the phone and in person trying to solve a false bank charge
 -- seeing them when I came home made me happy.

The huge heat this summer meant we didn't complete our garden 
this year.  But the anemones have done their thing. A friend
warned me that anemones are invasive, and this year my 
neighbour is glad that they've invaded her garden too. Right
now they are taller than me at 5'4 inches -- probably six feet.

They are so incredibly beautiful that every time we look out
the back door, or sit and drink coffee on the back porch we
feel reassured that somehow things will turn out right.

A miracle in the current world.

Have a loving your life day!

A great time with family and Inktober!

 

Let's talk

black marker on paper

5.5 x 8.5 inches

Barbara Mur © 2019

I wasn't happy that September was over, because I am not 
ready for summer to end.  But we had a lovely time today 
with our very creative, and funny family members, and a 
sweet neighbour, and I loved it.

And it's Inktober time! I've never officially joined Inktober
but love doing pen and ink drawings. This drawing is one of
my favourites -- based on a photo of me by my father, who
was an excellent photographer.

Have a loving your life day!

A tribute to the school yard

 

A Magic Day in the Neighbourhood

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24

Barbara Muir © 

Currently for reasons no one can explain the schoolyard across
the street has been under construction for the whole summer,
and there are gates, and fences everywhere on what used to be
a welcoming space. Sometimes it feels like that's the story all
over the city -- that developers rule.  

But we have to believe that when the work on the schoolyard
is done, the fences will come down, and the spaces will go
back to being children's favourite places to be.  And the sounds
of laughter and fun will fill the street.

Have a loving your life day!

The loss of my sweet cousin

Woman with her cats

Acrylic on canvas with gold leaf

36 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 

It's a very sad day because the beautiful woman in
this portrait died Sunday.  She was my cousin, and she
commissioned me to do her portrait.

I am for sure a portrait painter, plus I also love
painting landscapes, still life, and scenes with people,
but I started with portraits, and they are still a
major love of mine. This painting reminds me 
why portraits matter.  

I vividly remember working on this painting. 
My cousin was in the most beautiful blouse,
with her cats sitting behind her shoulders,
and on her lap. I took many photos with the cats
in the pose, then my cousin came and posed for
me in my studio, and we used pillows to pose
instead of the cats.

The cats were big beauties, and I really wanted
to get them right. My cousin who was incredibly kind 
loaned the painting to me for my solo show at the 
Heliconian Hall last year, and when I took it back she
was quite ill. But she said looking at her cats who were both
gone, made her happy. I miss her so much!

Have a loving the ones you love day!

The power of positive thought

Here's a photo from the taping of the Oprah Winfrey show

back in 2009. The woman with her head down

drawing beside the Skype symbol is me.
I am trying to capture Oprah when she looks
in my direction.  I've never been quite as excited and
scared at the same time.

I was reading a journal from the days when I taught Positive Psych at
Seneca College.  I'd forgotten that one of our exercises was the Whoop
exercise.  I'd ask my students to put their hands in the air, envision 
something wonderful that they wanted to happen and then yell
whoop in joyous enthusiasm.  They actually loved doing it, and 
miraculously no other teachers ever knocked on my classroom
door telling us to quiet down.

I would often say after we did the whooping --"you watch me -- I'm
going to be on the Oprah Winfrey show." They took that with a grain
of salt until the thing actually happened.  And the students from 
the semester before it happened found out, and then they were 
blown away.  "Miss! Miss!, Miss!" one student yelled -- "This
is unbelievable."  "Yes!" I said, "but it's true.  It happened."

Try the whoop exercise in your car if you have no private place.
Imagine something you'd love to happen (positive -- not 
negative), raise your arms in the air, whoop and say you won't
believe what happened!" Awesome.

Have a loving your life day!

Stop the car!

Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac from the road
(in Quebec)

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 36 inches

Barbara Muir © 2025

We (Steven was the driver) just drove across Canada from
Toronto to Nova Scotia, and back putting 5500 km on the
new car. The car is actually a 2013 car that we
got at the wonderful garage I go to. And it was a super drive.

I took probably thousands of photos as the entire route is
knockout. One scene after another, fills the view and makes
me want to get out of the car to take better photos.
Which is why I’m showing you this painting today because
this was one place. I actually asked Steven to pull over so I
could take pictures to work on changing the work. Tonight
I looked at the photos and thought -- 'hmmm -- the painting's 
pretty right on!'

Tomorrow the holiday is over and painting, and drawing will
be my life again.

Have a loving in your life day!

What we see and love

Summer love

Acrylic in and pencil

on watercolour paper

5 x 7 inches

Barbara Muir © 

Today we're getting ready to celebrate a family member's

birthday, thinking about a friend's birthday, and reconnecting
with Toronto.  This image gives you the impression of scenes

we see so often in the 5500 kilometres (3,417 miles) we 
travel going towards Nova Scotia and on our drive back.

So at first the city seems extreme. But today we went to the
super farmer's market at the Brick Works, and saw the people
we love there, and saw people we enjoy everywhere as we
shopped to get the groceries we need for our non-holiday
life.

Tonight is movie night. An as always we will watch (we 
hope) a funny and engaging film. 

Have a loving your life day! 

Home again

 

View from the highway

Acrylic on canvas

18 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 

I have three minutes to write this before I have to go to bed,
but please forgive me.  For the past two weeks we've had
barely any internet because we've been on the road -- a lot.
Those country drives happened to take us to Ottawa, Chelsea
Quebec, Quebec City, Fredericton, New Brunswick, and 
Nova Scotia.  More anon as my university English Literature
teacher used to say.

So now we are home -- absolutely full of ideas and inspiration.
And No AI didn't write this.  I don't use Chat gbt, and if that
explains everything okay.  It was wonderful to be away, and
it's sweet to be home.

Expect art. Lots of it. (Maybe not tomorrow.  I need to recover
from 5,000 kilometres of driving.) (As a passenger).

Have a loving your life day!

Happy Monthaversary of our wedding day

Irises celebrate
Photo
Barbara Muir © 

It's our Monthaversary of our wedding day -- something
we celebrate every month. It was an incredibly beautiful day
 -- ideal temperature -- gorgeous. We did what we've been
doing for most of our vacation -- took drives down beautiful
country roads, singing to the radio.  

It was a perfect day for celebrating -- a super road side lunch,
then dinner with family.

Meanwhile as we drove through gorgeous landscapes I took
so many photos for reference for paintings that I hope will
spring to life when this holiday is over.

Have a loving your life day!

A delightful day, and some sad and happy memories

Zoey the dog on Steven's lap in his office,

with Fiona the cat playing with her tail

Photo:

Barbara Muir ©

As Steven and I are on vacation for a few more days, I thought I'd share
a post I published in 2024. When we are not on vacation our world
centers around our animals.  I loved this photo. Both Zoey the dog,
and Fiona the cat are gone now, but our animals always make us
happy.

"We got introduced to the idea of owning a dog through an ad in the 
grocery store where we shopped every week.  Our kids asked us to
get the dog.  They would walk it. So before we knew it we were 
bringing home a puppy, and had entered the world of dog people.

I grew up with two different dogs, but before Zoey I thought of us
as cat people.

Zoey died 13 years ago today.  We went to the vet to have her put
to sleep, but she died before the vet could begin.  We were 
grateful. A month or so later we got Sally -- a very different dog,
who is also wonderful. 

Here's some great rules from dogs:

Seven things that dogs know:

1. Move forward -- the good stuff is all in front of you.

2. Each day is a good day, as long as you can go out in it.

3. There is no right season for turkey.

4. The best couch to sleep on, is the one you aren't
supposed to be on -- wait until no one is paying attention.
(We can't let Sally on our couches or beds, she will scratch them
and ruin the fabric trying to make a bed.)

5. Every day is a play day.

6. Let the people you love know you're ecstatic when
they come in the door.

7. If you can't have a run, walk, and if you can't
have a walk, sleep.

We are grateful that we had Zoey in our lives for 13 years,

and that we have Sally, who is beloved by us and our

cats." Fiona died last June, and Monet now has a new friend --
Monique -- 6 months old.

Have a loving your life day ! 

Happy Monthaversary to Steven

Steven and me in the lights
of Times Square
We love New York City,
and hope to visit again someday --

maybe in a year or two. ;)

Today is our Monthaversary
of our first date.

Every month Steven and I celebrate two "Monthaversaries" -- the 
Monthaversary of our first date (today), and the Monthaversary of
our wedding.  

Today as we celebrated we drove through beautiful countryside,
and sang in the car. We dropped in on wonderful friends. And
we had a delicious dinner in a super restaurant where the
staff were delightful.

It's been a very Happy Monthaversary.  

Have a loving your life day!

Thank you to everyone who made our summer happy

Pegann's flowers
Acrylic on canvas
8 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir ©

It's the last day of summer in 2026, and almost the end of our
sweet vacation time.  I came upon this painting of summer 
flowers inspired by a bouquet from a flower farmer, Pegann,
who used to sell at the Brickworks market in Toronto.

At the time when I painted this I did a lot of 8 inch square
paintings, inspired by the wonderful painter Edward B. Gordon.
Edward B. often did a small painting every day and sold
them at auction on his website and blog.  He is of course
a famous artist now creating big, magnificent pieces. 

Tonight we had an end of summer meal with friends that
was delicious, and yes we've been spoiled.  I delighted in
seeing the work of another wonderful artist.

Wishing you a very happy fall.

Have a loving your life day!

Visiting good cooks is a treat

Stand Back for the Pie

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © Revised 2026

SOLD ♥

In the past week we've visited a few great cooks, bakers, and as a result
I've eaten way too much, and enjoyed every bite.  When we
stop vacationing next week I'll have to get back to my very simple
normal routines to counter this delightful excess.

This painting sold this year. I updated it for a show, and a
wonderful collector bought it. One of the best cooks/bakers/
chefs I ever met was my husband Steven, who for the most
part loves cooking. He made the beautiful cherry pie in this
painting, using cherries that we grew ourselves.  As fall
closes in there have been a lot of almost nostalgic conversations
about gardening. This is certainly a nostalgic image for me in
so many delightful ways.

Have a loving your life day! 

Inspiring apple trees on late summer drives

Apple time

sketch

Marker on Fabriano 

paper

Barbara Muir © 

Everywhere we go on our happy country drives there are magnificent
apple trees. We visited friends tonight, and they have beautiful apple
trees. They are growing a lot of their food in an impressive
vegetable garden, decorated with awesome flowers.

It's movie night, so I need to make this a short one.  The hard thing
about this time of year is recognizing that summer is almost over.
The first day of fall is September 22.  Wow that one went fast.
Of course the fall is also filled with beauty especially on our
country drives.

Our plan is to enjoy every minute, and we have been.

Have a loving your life day!

For the love of water

 

Water Image #2
Acrylic on canvas
30 x 30 inches
Barbara Muir © 

Steven and I have been enjoying some amazing water views. And
it always makes me happy to be near water. This painting was part
of a series of portraits of people in front of their favourite ocean
spaces in the world. 

We visited artist friends today who have an amazing studio with
beautiful work.

This young woman modelled for me for a number of paintings,
and I loved working with her. A former boss of mine at Seneca
College bought the painting and proudly hung it in his office.
Sadly he died a few years ago, and I have no idea where the
painting went.  I hope that whoever has it loves it as much as 
I do.  My boss at that time was very supportive of my work, 
and encouraged me to take my writing students to the Art
Gallery of Ontario to pick an artist to write about.  The students
were always surprised to find out how much they loved
the experience and the assignment.

Have a loving your life day!

Enjoying a happy time

 

Reading on the dock

Acrylic on canvas

24 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir ©  Revised 2024

As I started thinking about what to say to accompany this painting,
I realized that this is the second self portrait in a row I'm
showing you. I am enjoying being on holiday and not doing
anything very demanding. My point today is that the child we
were is always with us, and the girl I was in this painting 
would have enjoyed a day of drives in the country, and
having a wonderful time. Tonight we had dinner with artist
friends, and it was so much fun.

Yes the girl in the painting is me.  I like the piece,
because it captures the best of my childhood -- being at
the lake and reading.

Have a loving your life day!

The appeal of names

 

Self portrait sketch
Me as a teenager

Watercolour on
 watercolour paper
11 x 14 inches
Barbara Muir ©

At this point in my life it's too late to change my name,
but I know what name I'd pick if it was a simple 
exercise. Of course it's not.  Endless government forms,
and insurance and a lot of hours spent explaining, and
even spelling.

Here's what I wrote about it before:

"Ever since I met Alessandra, Mascitti, (who was
the wonderful co-ordinator for the Russo brothers
when they exhibited artists like me in the Carousel du
Louvre exhibitions) I have wanted to
change my first name from Barbara to Alessandra.

I won’t be doing this, but when I write a note to my husband,
I sign it Barbara and then in a separate space Alessandra,
Gloria Galletti. Galletti (many different spellings) was the
family name of my Italian great, great, great grandmother. And
Alessandra Gloria Galletti is the name I wish I could have.

Few people understand this because my regular name --
Barbara Muir --has been good to me, so they believe,
(understandably) that I should be happy with it. And I am.

But if I could wave a magic wand and change my name
that would be my name."

Have a loving your life day!

Enjoying the beauty of nature

 

Holding our heads high 

Watercolour on Arches 

watercolour paper

6 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 

Flowers make me happy.  They seem to have it right with their
exuberant beauty. I am on vacation (yes I've said that every day
since it began. This is day 5 -- wow.) The news from the world
is deeply disturbing as always, but training these eyes to see 
the wonders around me seems more vital than ever. 

I have been drawing, and taking a crazy number of reference
photos. We have been having a chill, happy time, 
reading our books, and for me sketching. We took a super
walk tonight and could see stars. Fantastic.

Have a loving your life day!

The pleasure of working with a model

 

Fatouma (sketch)

Acrylic on canvas

18 x 24 inches

Barbara Muir © 2020

Looking back at an old post, I remember a time during COVID, when live
models in the house were not a great idea. We thought at the time that if we
wore a mask, that we’d be fine, and we didn’t know which ones were safe.

We found out that even with N95 masks we needed to keep our distance.
At the time, I thought it was safe to paint from a live model if I was wearing
a mask, and so I did this portrait of Fatouma, a beautiful model, very quickly
on my back porch. I’d love to get you back one day Fatouma to finish the
painting, or begin another one.

Right now I have a minimum of three portraits on the go waiting for me
to get back to work after my holiday.

They will happen. But even artists need time not to do art. I have been
sketching, -- and what a treat!

Have a loving in your life day!

Sally (an art group sketch)
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 

 As I told you I'm on holiday, and taking time off from my
regular routines.  We met new friends today, and had so
much fun singing in the car exploring beautiful farm
views.

Scrolling through my blog I found this fast painting
sketch from my art group on Tuesday nights with the
Don Valley Art Club, and loved it. 

I like the loose brush strokes in this one. Formal
portrait commissions take me weeks. I wrote that
I had 25 minutes at the most to finish this, and it looks like
the model had something to say. I'm looking forward to 

getting back to the group when

Steven's vacation is over. 

As I said before,  "I just get in that group and feel my
art energy working. It is almost magic. Okay it is magic. And
I am very grateful."

I hope you have a great week. 

Have a loving your life day!

A very happy day

 

Summer clouds Wallace Bridge

Acrylic on canvas

40 x 40 inches

 Barbara Muir ©
SOLD ♥ 

Steven is on holiday, so I'm taking a break and enjoying 
every minute. Steven and I have been going on
magnificent long drives, and everywhere we go
there is so much glorious inspiration. I can't wait 
to enjoy making new, beautiful creations.

Today I enjoyed drawing people in the wonderful
restaurant where we ate a hastily delivered take out
dinner. The restaurant had closed except for drinks,
so we ordered pizza in. The painting is set in Nova
Scotia. One of our top of the list favourite places.

We saw some super friends and family today, and
had such a great time with them. Wishing you a great
Sunday. And to everyone we met today, thank you for
your exceptional kindness. 

Have a loving your life day!

Missing my father

 

My Dad (from his own self portrait)

Charcoal on Canson Mixed Media paper

13 x 14 inches

Barbara Muir © 

(My father loved black and white photography --

he had books by all of the greats in

that field.  He took beautiful colour

photos too, but that was not his passion.  
The photo I based my drawing on told

me so much about my father.  His love

of playing with light and his knowledge

about light is so evident.  Plus this

is my father in casual dress!  Yes!

He wouldn’t leave the house, even

to go to the store for many years if

he wasn't dressed like he was going
to the office. Plus his sense

of humour came through in the merest 

suggestion of a smile.)

9/11  is a sad day in America because of the horrific events

of that day in 2001. For me and my siblings it's a sad day because
 that was the day my father died -- not in 2001. Today I'll 
 quote what I said before about my father."
"I love everything my father taught me. I know I walk in his
footsteps.  He was a very strict father for small children -- but as
we grew up, he enjoyed us more and more. 

And here's what I know.  Not only is my father visible in my face,
my love of humour, and the fact that I have been both a journalist,
and an artist, like him. But the main connection I have with my
Dad is in my heart.

The powerful message he would like me to convey
is that love lasts.  It never goes away.  And
my Dad's love for me, and mine for him is a
wonderful thing, and always will be for me.
I find that very comforting to know."
Have a loving your life day!

I'm so lucky to have wonderful friends

Summer shadow blues

Acrylic on canvas
16 x 20 inches
Barbara Muir © 

Steven and I took a beautiful drive today and saw an amazing
sunset. Tonight I  found a former post that seems right for
tonight.  Some of our friends are going through hard times
with work, and health and this post struck me as right on.

"Who are your cheerleaders? Is this an idle question? I don't think
so. I hope the first person on your team of supporters is you, because

without belief in what you do, you can't keep going.
But how about your friends? In the art world
there are people who are supportive, detractors,
and those who just don't care. But this job requires
a lot of nerve. After all many people won't understand
either what you're creating, or why you're creating it.
Some fierce little person inside has to keep going
through snide remarks, lack of appreciation, and
outright put downs. But that person (you/me) also
has to learn to move away from the detractors, and
seek out a great cheering team. I don't mean that
you force people into a corner and say "hey -- tell me
I'm good!" I mean you spend time with people who like what
you do, and who like you, and those friends, and acquaintances,
and as the circle grows, total strangers,  are your positive back up.

Now Alyson Stanfield, who writes the artbizblog,
I can imagine might say there's another group. Those are
converts. The reason you can't rule out people who
outright dislike your work altogether is twofold.
Tastes change -- the tastes of your audience -- and you
change -- your work evolves and goes in different
directions. One day you'll be at a show
of your work, and see a former critic approaching
you beaming. Are you going to turn away because
that person didn't used to "get" your work. No.
You're going to beam back, and possibly have a
convert, even a collector now on your team.

A final idea. Don't let detractors stop you. Not if
you believe in yourself. I heard the other day about
a wonderful writer who didn't write for 20 years
because of a cruel remark. What a shame. Twenty
lost years. See what I mean? Understand that people 
who make cruel remarks aren't okay themselves.
Talk to your closest supporters, and they'll help you
let it go and move on, and come back to your 
positive self.

Have a cheering-on-the-people-you-believe-in day.

P.S. Thank you to my team of supporters. I rarely
hear any cruel remarks anymore. And if I do, I
either weigh the remark's validity, or I discount it,
or I head right to my friends for a talk about it, and drop
it after an intelligent and often funny discussion."

Have a loving your life day. 

Relaxing with my sweet husband

Happy Anniversary Tea 

watercolour and marker on
watercolour paper

 6 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 

I like this painting.  Those of you who follow me will know
it's not my anniversary or Monthaversary, but it has been a
great day -- with the help of a good friend tidying up enough
to take some time off to enjoy ourselves. In some ways that's
just as celebratory as an anniversary. It's been a very busy summer.
 

A lot of people wouldn't think my plans were exciting enough
to call a vacation.  No planes, or trains.  Just driving around with
my man and taking a week or two off to relax. So I will keep writing
my blog, but I may or may not post new work.  This painting makes me
happy, and that's my plan -- to have some fun, read good books,
draw and be happy.

Have a loving your life day!