Accept yourself as you are...

"You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star." Nietzche

Directions...

We're headed in about 7 different directions today. Converging late in the day to support #3 for his 'Big Game'. Grandparents included.

How blessed we are to not only love one another

but enjoy one another.

Winter's last hurrah...

Snow is falling again.

It makes for beautiful mornings...

And afternoon smiles...

 And evening shinny under the lights...

Predictably Canadian in our Nation's Capitol...

Part of our Ottawa weekend was spent at ScotiaBank Place, home of the Ottawa Senators. Wee one #3 was fortunate enough to take part in the Future Sens programme...

Playing a game on the NHL ice, meeting some of the Senators and then remaining for a Sens/Bruins game.

Suitably decked out in Sens gear & foam fingers, the wee ones had fun alongside 19,000 other hockey fans.
A truly Canadian experience.

Family Fun (and this isn't the giant slide!)...

T & the 3 wee people, Snowflake Kingdom, Gatineau

"We don't stop playing because we grow old;

we grow old because we stop playing."

George Bernard Shaw

Little bit of heaven...



Putti

This past weekend was a long one due to 'Family Day' on Monday. As such, we left all things 'tech' at home and spent the weekend away with our wee people.

Fun, frolic, skating, snow, & food that one can't find in our small town were on the docket. There's nothing better than family time.

A little bit of heaven.

Shades of Grey...

Gray Day, Patricia Burns via LongView Gallery Washington DC

Life is rarely black & white. One needs to become comfortable with the 'in between' of grey. There is flexibility within the 'in between'. And compassion. And understanding. And beauty.

Does your head ever feel like this?

Elouise Oyzon's External Memory, Kandinsky



Hockey sticks & hearts...

"Love is something eternal;

the aspect may change, but not the essence."

Vincent Van Gogh

There's always time for tea...

"May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain,

tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you

and all your heart might desire." Irish Blessing

Thursday thought...

 Portrait of Igor Stravinsky (after Picasso, 1920), #1, 2010
chalk on paper

Is it too much to hope that one's children will always

supply art for the kitchen?

Spinning...

#2, 2008

Details...

Painted Gourd from the American Southwest

 "The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life." William Morris

Everyone needs some...

...now and then.
What did you do to help someone today?

Thoughts of Spring...

As Saturday mornings now are filled with indoor soccer practices, one's thoughts turn to Spring and the anticipated house full of stinky soccer boots & bags, and boys....

Some of the Soccer Lads




And the giggles of their sisters...


Unbridled merriment


And the many soccer sleepovers about to begin.

Twas a very windy night...

The Gust of Wind 1871-1873, Jean-Francois Millet

"Adversity is like a strong wind.

It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn,

so that we see ourselves as we really are." Arthur Golden

Happiness is...

...finally having an organised office! After 7 months of boxes and bins, the cabinets are constructed and files away. I'm giddy with happiness.

One of those days...

Sunshine & Shadow Log Cabin Quilt, circa 1880
via Carol Telfer Antiques

...there's nothing like a cozy quilt, good book & steaming tea to bolster one's spirits through stormy times.

Kiki the Wonder Cat now has six fewer teeth...



Chief, Franz Kline (MoMA)


She still sees herself as a direct descendant of Egyptian royalty, only occasionally willing to lower her standards to allow humans within her realm.
She bestows her presence solely upon child #2 and even that is limited now that #2 is complicit in administering the meds required for proper healing of Kiki's toothless gums.
We're hoping for a quick recovery...
Kiki is hoping for liver pate.