Coffee definitely helps

Now that was good!
Journal drawing

Black marker on notebook paper

6 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 

It was an early day, and those of you who know me
understand that that requires coffee.  It did. Yes this image

is of a breakfast in our favourite hotel.  But that was
not our experience today.  A family member was having
surgery today, and we even took coffee with us.

We were at the hospital for a very long time --
waiting, prepping, and all went well.  

I'm tired tonight, and grateful for both your
friendship, and the magical elixir -- coffee.

Have a loving your life day!

 

 

 

Missing my mother

 

Isabel Hope Muir

(My mother)

by my son Christopher Muir

Christopher Muir © 

(It took a lot of convincing to

get my mother to pose for

this shot. She did not

like to be photographed, or

to be the center of attention.

My image is a photo of the photo,

which is why there are reflections|
on it, from the glass.)

It’s been 13 years since my mother died on this day —
October 13. She is deeply missed. 

I’m not religious and neither was my mother, so I don’t think
there’s a heaven. But my mother’s love lives on in my heart,
and I still hear her voice encouraging me, reminding me to be kind,
advising me, and sometimes even laughing.

My mother lived on her own until the end of her life. She loved me,
Steven and my children.  In a former post I wrote this:

"I can’t help but think about my mother on Thanksgiving
weekend. She was the kind of person who was quintessentially
perfect for Thanksgiving. She made wonderful pumpkin pies,
sometimes she even made the ice cream.

My mom could probably cook and stuff a turkey for any
size crowd in her sleep. That doesn't mean she wouldn't
be nervous about every aspect of the meal, but she could
do it. She loved good china, and a table set with pretty
dishes and flowers.

But another reason that I'm thinking about her now is that
she died on Thanksgiving day thirteen years ago. And it feels
like she’s been gone a for very long time. 

I think of her on a gorgeous day like today. If she'd been
visiting we would have taken her out to our favourite park, and
she would’ve loved the high waves crashing against the shore."

Miss you Mommy.

Have a loving your life day!

 

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Day

 

Flowers from our garden on the
kitchen table

My Happy Thanksgiving wish to you.

Happy Thanksgiving
Photo
Barbara Muir © 

The only important message today in Canada is
Happy Thanksgiving! Families and friends
all over the country spent the weekend gathering
together to express our gratitude for the bounty of
the harvest, for each other, and for the planet.

I love Thanksgiving because it includes everyone.
It's not about religion, it's about gratitude for what
we have, who we love, and sharing a meal with the
people we care about. There are no gifts other than
food and good company.  It's a wonderful holiday. We had
a super dinner with family yesterday, and after
a glorious walk today by the lake (Lake Ontario), we
had a delicious dinner at home.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving weekend

 

Pegann's flowers

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 

(Pegann was a wonderful woman

who used to sell flowers at the

Brickworks Market in Toronto.

We haven't seen her for quite a

few years.  I hope she's well.)

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to my family,
and to all of you, my wonderful friends.

Thank you for your support

Thank you for your kindness

Thank you for this community

Thank you for the inspiration

Thank you for your brave determination 
to keep on making art

Thank you for all that I've learned from you

Thank you for your humour

Thank you for your successes

Thank you for your beautiful and 
magnificent art

Thank you!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Got the pumpkins

 

The Pumpkin Farmhouse

Maison De Haute Couleur 

Charvin, Paris Watercolour

on Fabriano paper

8 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 

This year we started to see pumpkins everywhere on our trip 
out to the Maritimes.  We drove to Ottawa on September 10,
and people were decorating with pumpkins.  

The same was true in Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia,
Delightful arrangements of pumpkins everywhere.

So today, because it's Thanksgiving weekend, we got some
pumpkins for the front steps. This painting is of a pumpkin
farm we used to visit when our children were young.  This
is what I wrote about it in an earlier blog.

"This work is about a farmhouse we used to visit heading north
on Dufferin Street, in King City. It had a big pumpkin patch.
When the boys were little we used to go there, and walk through
the fields selecting the best pumpkins for our Thanksgiving.

We used them for decoration, and also Steven used to make
the best pumpkin pie in in the world. Usually we made another
trip to get the pumpkins for Halloween, because Thanksgiving
is almost three weeks before Halloween and the squirrels
would’ve devoured the ones decorating our front steps by then.

I don’t know where we'd go now to find a pumpkin patch.
That corner in King City has been built up with malls, and
gas stations and all kinds of modern conveniences. And the
farm is gone. So I’m so glad that we got to be there while
it was still in operation. The whole idea of getting pumpkins
to decorate for Thanksgiving seemed so special then, because
we picked them where they were growing, and Thanksgiving
is all about being grateful for the harvest."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a loving your life day!

Thanksgiving weekend in Canada

 

See what I mean?

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

SOLD ♥

It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada.  Today I've had lots
of conversations with people about what they'll be doing, which
family they'll be seeing, and people who don't like the idea and
don't celebrate.  One way and another we will celebrate because
we love the idea of gratitude, and we are very grateful for our
lives, our family and our friends.

This painting sold in New York just before COVID.  Since 
then we have not been back to the city. It sums up what
I like about fall in a park on the edge of Lake Ontario.
No it isn't Lake America, it was Lake Ontario before
Canada was born.

What I love about Thanksgiving here is that it's about
the harvest, and it is not religious, and not about gifts.
Here it's about being grateful for the harvest and all of
the good things in our lives. I am grateful that you
are in my life.

Have a loving your life day!

Working -- but not ready to show you

 

We miss you
Marker on drawing paper

5 x 7 inches
Barbara Muir © 

I used to share the stages of development of my work, but soon
found out that Google could use anything I posted, so that if
someone searched me they might see the awkward beginning of
a painting, and think it was the final work.

So I am painting today, and enjoying getting back at it, but
the work is not ready to be shared with you.  I so admire people
who share new work every day -- like Pete Sinjin, who we met
on the banks of the Seine in Paris.  He's from Brooklyn, and
creates new wonderful work almost every day.

Here's another quick Inktober sketch.  I hope you're having
a super week.  I am. 

Have a loving your life day!