Let's make every month loving -- reprised

Portrait of my father 
black marker on bond paper
7 x 9 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010

Today is a hard day.  I think every day about my father, whose
birthday was today, and who has been gone too long.
Our dog had surgery today, and we hope she recovers well.

My post from last year on this day says it all:

"Happy Birthday to my father, who died way too young. I found an
old journal of mine talking about his love of photography, and how
he bought himself the best equipment.  I passed some of his gear
on to my older son, and to a neighbour who was studying photography
 at Metro Toronto University. My father's photography is amazing and
does stand the test of time.

Girl smoking a chocolate cigarette
8 x 10 inches
Photo
W. W. Muir
(One of my all time favourite
photos by my father.
He worked almost
exclusively in
black and white.
Chocolate cigarettes are not
cigarettes -- just candy.)

And his art was also wonderful. I only have one piece, which is in our
front bedroom, and every time I look at it, I marvel at his talent, with
no instruction whatsoever. I wish he was here.  He was a complicated
man, a harsh disciplinarian in our younger years, and a staunch 
supporter of me and my art, and writing when I was starting out.

Have a loving your family day." 

Exciting times

Untitled, work in progress
Acrylic ink on watercolour paper
6 x 8 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023

Today was a good day. I’m getting ready to show three pieces in the Woman
show at the Heliconian, 35 Hazelton Ave., Toronto -- opening on March 4.
I’ll be there between 2 and 4 p.m. this Saturday. And there are other exciting
things coming up too!

I worked on this little painting, a scene from the ocean in Nova Scotia,
which I love. I hope you had a great day. I did.

Happy second last day of the Month of Love. 

Remembering February 2020

Late evening tulips 

Acrylic on birch panel

12 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2014

SOLD ♥

Today we saw some of our family -- all rapid tested, and it was a treat.
Remember back when we didn't have to worry about viruses
every minute of every day?  Toronto started to be affected
by COVID in a big way in March, 2020 -- three years ago.
And people on my street have COVID now. Not fun. 
I taught my last in-class, class on March 9, 2020.

So as it's Sunday night, and time to stop working, I am
going to reprint a blog (slightly edited) from that magical time,
when we had no idea what was going to hit us. 

"Through every season, flowers are a necessity for me.
I paint them, I revel in their presence, I need them,
-- they are an essential part of my life.  It's great
in summer when we can just go outside and pick them,
but in winter they are such a supreme delight.

For reasons I can't explain I am very tired tonight (true
tonight too in 2023) on this the 26th day of The Month of Love.
It has been a brilliant snow melting day (after almost no snow
this month) that makes me think of sleep, and want to curl up
with a good book (got two).

I love this painting and am so glad it sold to an appreciative
collector a couple of years ago.  At that time I was trying to
paint one of the biggest paintings I've ever created. Then I broke
my wrist tripping on my cat, one night when I got home
from class.  My husband was away. Not good.

But you know what got me through the night until I
went to the emergency ward?  The gorgeous flowers in
our house. Today I'm appreciating how nice it is to be
healthy, whole and happy.  And to have flowers -- an
Amaryllis coming out -- tulips, and Hydrangeas.  Now it's TV time.

Have a loving your life day."

Animal crazies

Sally the dog

Acrylic on canvas

5 x 7 inches 

Barbara Muir © 2014

If you don't live with animals I'm sorry.  They do make great
family to share your space with.  Tonight the one year old kitten
Monet, is racing around looking for action, her tail fluffed out the
size of a racoon's tail, and she's also attacking the 15 year
old cat Fiona, who would like nothing more than to toss her tiny 
orange mouse into the air, stand on her hind legs and leap
to catch it.  Inspiring.

The dog Sally, is the image I'm sharing tonight, because I've been
painting a lot today, and none of it is ready for show. Sally has a
large tumour at the top of her right front leg.  Next week she
will have surgery to have it removed.  So our fingers are crossed
that it will be okay. She occasionally monitors the cats, interrupts
the arguments, and plays with the kitten. All good.

Since COVID began Fiona the older cat, and Sally, and then
Monet the kitten, have kept us company, and entertained us.
Tonight they'd really like a dance party, but instead it's going to
be a movie.

If you want to check out amazing animal portraits visit Chloé Bren's
website.

Have a loving your life day.

Friday night and our Monthaversary in the Month of Love

Heart in the sand
B.M. (Barbara Muir)
Loves
S.v.S. (Steven van Schaik)
Photo
Barbara  Muir © 2022
(The sand is the red sand on the
 beach we love in Nova Scotia
on the Northumberland Strait.)

Today is the monthaversary of our wedding day, and we had
a very special dinner out at Ikea.  I know that sounds anything
but romantic.  But the food was delicious, and even though it was

quite busy tonight, we could get far away from other people, and
only took our masks off to eat. Now we are home and will watch
TV together, cuddled on the couch with the cats, and the dog at
our feet. We are lucky. 

As there is still COVID on the street, and family members (not
in our house) have a bad flu, we are still very careful.

This love heart in the sand is from last summer, but the sentiment
still holds true.

Happy last weekend of the Month of Love.

A toast to Susan

Untitled (work in progress)
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023

The painting tonight is a work in progress, something
I was working on when I read the news that a dear friend
Susan died early this morning, after a year long 
hospital stay, battling various severe health issues.

Her sweet husband sent out a note to all of her friends
and family telling us how she was doing, and a while 
ago it seemed like she might be recovering. But no.

Sending love out to everyone dealing with the loss
of family or friends.

Slipping into abstract

Flames of love
(work in progress)
Acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches
Barbara Muir © 2023

Today my brain turned on, and I could have worked on 10
different paintings.  I did work on a few.  I just finished
reading the book Keep Going by Austin Kleon, and was inspired.
What a great book on creativity!

So I painted this abstract painting -- which may or may not
be a work in progress.  It was so much fun to make.

Have a loving your life day.