A Craving For Colour

Image by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

"Just to paint is great fun. The colours are
lovely to look at and delicious to squeeze out."
WINSTON CHURCHILL

The 'pressing my books into service' series is my little contribution in blogland to help create community in isolation. A little bit of 'normal' in abnormal times. If you are arriving in this series mid-stream, you will find earlier posts by clicking HERE or on the Tab above: Press My Books Into Service.

I am so desperate for colour these days. Our corner of the world is still in late winter snow pile brown. As you know, we've had spring bulbs coming up in pots in the garage, and we've been bringing them in and setting in our front window. They've been a real boon these past few weeks. Even so, mine eyes and soul doth feel colour deficient. I am so ready for a crayon box filled with shades of spring green, apple blossom pink, hyacinth blue, jonquil yellow, lilac, peony, and fuchsia. Just to name a few. 

Sir Winston Churchill was a man who appreciated his colours. In his forties, he took up painting with 'gusto', partly to deal with the black dog of depression that hounded him; partly to relieve his mind from the many pressing political issues of his day; and mainly, I want to think, because he was passionate about playing with colour. He considered painting a 'joy ride in a paintbox'. I'm not a painter, but I just love the imagery of that! I totally feel the creative response to a childlike delight in colour....let's just roll the windows down and head into blue-skied sunshine.

"A heightened sense of the observation of nature is one of the

chief delights that has come to me through trying to paint."

WINSTON CHURCHILL

Image by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

Go out into the sunlight and be happy with what you see."

WINSTON CHURCHILL, Painting as a Pastime

Churchill published a delightful volume in 1948 entitled Painting as a Pastime. It includes his delightful essay and a small selection of his paintings. When hubby and I visited Churchill's beloved home Chartwell a few summers ago, I found a print of the oil painting titled 'Mallows'. I have it on display on my desk.

The book was recently republished, so if you're interested in it, you can find it HERE. 

April 8th

Painting as a Pastime (1948)

by Winston S. Churchill

"I must say I like bright colours. . . .I cannot pretend to feel impartial about the colours. I rejoice with the brilliant ones, and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns. When I get to heaven I mean to spend a considerable portion of my first million years in painting, and so get to the bottom of the subject. But then I shall require a still gayer palette than I get here below. I expect orange and vermilion to be the darkest, dullest colours upon it, and beyond them there will be a whole range of wonderful new colours which will delight the celestial eye."

* * *

"I do not presume to explain how to paint,

but only how to get enjoyment."

WINSTON CHURCHILL

💙

Wishing you a beautiful day. Stay safe!

Heart Hugs,

Brenda

xox

←Previous April Daybook

The Simple Woman's Daybook: April Edition

Image by Vargazs from Pixabay

"We do not remember days, we remember moments."
CESARE PAVESE

A month ago, when I wrote the last edition of Simple Woman's Daybook, there wasn't any talk around here about the coronavirus pandemic. Three Sundays ago, I had a 'wiggle' inside, a pressing urge, to visit my mom. We took bunches of tulips and spent a lovely day together. It seemed important to connect that day, for by then there were inklings that our world was changing. We were beginning to hear phrases like self-isolating and social distancing. And sure enough, that Sunday turned out be our last social, face-to-face gathering, with Mom or anyone else. Since then we've been home isolating, like many others, going out only for essentials.

It makes me so grateful for all the social media and online ways we have to connect with the people we care about. And, I am so grateful for this blog, where I can come and share with you in our usual way—something normal in these abnormal times.

Today is the first Monday of April, and I'm delighted to join with Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook—I hope you will be brightened by today's chat.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... As I type this, it's snowing out. And blowing. There's talk about more snow and continuing cold over the next few days for our northerly Alberta region. Methinks our Lady Spring is sitting somewhere, perhaps stuck in coronavirus isolation. No matter, it may be winter on the outside where snowbanks linger, but we're carrying spring on the inside where we're dreaming daffodils and crocuses, robins and bluebirds. As Blaise Pascal once said, "In difficult times carry something beautiful in your heart."

I am thinking... about the solace I find in my books these days. Will mention more below.

I am thankful... for the quiet, peacefulness of my days. Our family, friends, and neighbours are, in the main, doing their part to isolate and keep safe. In the midst of my own quiet place, I am feeling the pain for those dear folks who find their lives so overwhelming, traumatizing, even life threatening—I whisper prayers and speak life words for grace and hope and strength to their spirits today.

Image by Pezibear from Pixabay

One of my favourite things... daffodils in the springtime. Rick found three bursting into bloom yesterday in one of the pots in the garage. Without my knowing, he set them in a vase on the kitchen table—what a lovely surprise. Another favourite at this time of year is reciting William Wordsworth's Daffodils. Years ago, after my girlfriend and I visited the spot where the poet lived in England's Lake District, we decided to memorize his famous poem. I still remember parts of it, but I love to hear British actor Jeremy Irons recite it. You can find the link HERE.

I am wearing... black trousers, long sleeved black t-shirt, a colourful scarf, Softsilver Rose Lipstick by Revlon, British Rose fragrance by Body Shop. 

I am creating... a little list of individuals' names so I can write them notes this week, using paper cards and real postage stamps.

I am watching... more movies these days with my husband. One of our little rituals is to pause for tea at three (with snacks like fruit, cheese, crackers) and watch a movie or two. We float between Netflix and Amazon Prime at the moment. Here's a few things we've watched and enjoyed:

   Despite the Falling Snow (cold war spy thriller, romance);

   Magic in the Moonlight (fellow attempts to uncover fake psychic, Colin Firth, Emma Stone, fun);

   Vanity Fair (2004, romantic, lavish, period piece);

   Hillary (2019 documentary);

   Judy (Judy Garland's time in London in late 1960s);

   
   Doctor Thorne (Victorian, screenplay by Julian Fellowes);

   Poms (woman in retirement community starts a cheerleading club);

   Where Angels Fear to Tread (rich Edwardian widow marries handsome Tuscan dentist);

   Hampstead (American widow meets Irish loner);

   The English Game series (the invention of football, crossing class divides, Julian Fellowes creator)
   Rebel in the Rye (story of J.D. Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye)

The Library, Elizabeth Shippen Green, 1905

I am reading... (slow reading) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë and Elizabeth and her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim. I'm also dipping into my archive of Victoria magazines, books of poetry, and my Bible, especially tuning in to the comforting words from Psalm 91.

Currently I'm on assignment to go through my old journals, and the one I've been reading the last few evenings had my notes about the trip to Europe my girlfriend and I took back in 1989. Not having read it for years, I was surprised at how entertaining it was, with enough description and funny little stories to make the memories of that lovely trip spring up crisp and evocative.

I am listening to... Classic FM, a classical music radio station streaming all the way from England into my own living room. A sweet boon in these upside down days. 

I am hoping... the tea wagon is coming around shortly, I sure could use a cuppa after spending a few hours sitting here at my computer.

I am learning... to adjust to the new way of doing life these days. Although it's not that different from our usual quiet life, but it is even quieter and less involved. I stay abreast of news only long enough to learn what I need to know personally and catch headlines globally; I turn it off afterwards. A person could go beserk, hearing about it all the time.

In the kitchen... blueberry pancakes and turkey sausages for breakfast, freshly baked banana loaf with pecans for tea, homemade tacos for supper. That was our menu on the weekend. We were grateful for every bite.

Shared quote... "God still draws near to us in the ordinary, commonplace, everyday experiences and places—He comes in surprising ways." ~Henry Gariepy

A moment from my day... 

Image by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

* * *

Wishing you a grace-filled week ahead.
Be safe. Be well. Be calm.

I will be back on Wednesday with a 'Pressing My Books' post.

💙

With love and heart hugs,

Brenda

xox

Five On Friday: Petals on Parade

Image by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

ONE

"If you take a flower in your hand and really look
at it, it's your world for the moment."
GEORGIA O'KEEFFE

With the wintry week we've just come through, I thought to myself, it may be snowing on the outside, but I'm having spring on the inside. In normal circumstances, Rick and I would head to the city's beautiful conservatory to take in some green, but since self-isolating is in effect—not to mention, the conservatory is closed for renovations—I searched out photos from a visit we made a few years ago.

I spent a little time with these blossoms and, as Georgia suggested, I really looked at them for a moment. Such an array of colour and shape and texture. It's a party of petals on parade!

Image by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

TWO

"The moment one gives close attention to anything,

even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome,

indescribably magnificent world in itself."

HENRY MILLER

Image by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

THREE

"Take ten minutes to recall a pleasant memory

(perhaps by looking at old photos). You need your

memories during hard times."

ADAIR LARA

Image by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

FOUR

"One of the secrets of a happy life is

continuous small treats."

IRIS MURDOCH 

Image by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

FIVE

"We need much less than we think we need."

MAYA ANGELOU

* * *

Stay safe. Stay well. Stay calm.

Wishing you a beautiful weekend.

Heart Hugs,

Brenda

xox

It's A Birthday Post!

"Now that looks good!"

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.

MARION C. GARRETTY

Today is my sister's birthday and, yes, we feel a little sad about not being able to celebrate in person. But we're not going to waste a single moment regretting something we have no control over. Coronavirus or not, we're marking the event by raising a glass and having a slice as we send her all our love and best wishes for a very Happy Birthday!

When I was little I had an imaginary friend. His name was Barry. We were the same height—I knew that because I could put my arm across his shoulder very comfortably when we walked down the sidewalk. Then the miracle of a little sister happened, and it wasn't long before I found myself with a new playmate. I must admit she wasn't as compliant as Barry; in fact she was a little handful in those early days. If the two of us went outside to play, as older sister, I was instructed to keep her from going down in the garden after the spring thaw. I certainly did my best to keep her out of the boot-sucking mud, but she and her little rubber boots were ever ready to slosh through the next water puddle, cow pie, or muddy patch. The mud was the worst—yes, even worse than smelly old cow pies, at least they didn't suck your boots off. Invariably she'd get stuck, and then I'd have to arm wrestle the boots out, trying to hurry, 'cause we didn't want to have to do any 'splaining to Mom.

Through all our growing up years, my sister and I were the best of playmates, and for the most part we got along. We shared our toys and books, we made up games, rode our trikes together, and played house under the makeshift tent on the front step. We had identical dresses for special, and we would dare each other to see who could jump the highest on the bed and touch the ceiling....we always wondered how Mom could see those little fingermarks so high up.

Now all these years later, my sister joins me in this decade where we share the title of femme d-une certaine age—it sounds better in French, don't you think? It matters not how many years pass, we're still the same best friends we were when we were girls. We touch base every day and pick up where we left off, barely requiring the usual intro chatter....starting conversations with whatever's on our mind. We've got our own lingo, we roar with laughter over the zaniest things. We'll often hop on each other's soap boxes if a rant is required.

There's an old saying, "A friend is one to whom one may pour out the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that gentle hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away." That's how it is with us.

Someone once asked how people make it through life without a sister. I must confess, I cannot imagine it. I feel so very lucky-blessed for my beautiful sisters. I am so grateful!

Here's to you, my dear darling sister, Kathy. May you know how much we love you and how glad we are for your radiant presence in our lives. And, may the good Lord bless you and keep you and turn His face to shine on you....always and forever. xox

Me and Little Sister trying out my new trike

The greatest gift our parents ever gave us was each other.

UNKNOWN

Already into the books and looking very happy about it!

“Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world

simply by being there for each other.”

CAROL SALINE

Trying on Grandma's hat!

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit,

a golden thread to the meaning of life.

ISADORA JAMES

Happy Birthday!

You know full well as I do the value of sisters’ affections;

there is nothing like it in this world.

CHARLOTTE BRONTË

Happy Birthday, Dearest Kathy!

With So Much Love,

Brenda

xox

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate The Wash

Image by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life

"Mix a little foolishness with your prudence:

It's good to be silly at the right moment."

HORACE

We're into our second week of the 'pressing my books into service' series. This is my little contribution here in blogland as a way to help create community in isolation. If you are arriving in this series mid-stream, you can find the earlier posts by clicking HERE or on the Tab above: Press My Books Into Service.

When I was a girl, my mom liked to play little April Fool's jokes on her kids. In the day when rural residents had party lines (where three or more neighbours shared the same telephone line), my mom was able to call our own number, and it would ring at our house. She'd supposedly answer, then call one of us down from our room with the pretext that a schoolmate was calling before school. I recall my siblings and I being fooled more than once by that prank. As kids, I don't think we were amused at being caught out yet again, for we never remembered from year to year.

Alas, I have no pranks for you today, but I am pressing into service one of my long time favourite children's storybooks—one that has plenty of crazy fun and zany full-colour pictures—to add a little lightheartedness to your April Fool's Day.

April 1st
The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate The Wash (1980)
by Trinka Hakes Noble and pictures by Steven Kellogg

A ho-hum school trip to the farm ends in mayhem when Jimmy's pet boa constrictor gets loose in the hen house. I bet that farmer doesn't let a busload of school kids ever visit his farm again. 

Mom: "How was your class trip to the farm?"

Girl: "Oh. . .boring. . .kind of dull. . .until the cow started crying."

Mom: "A cow. . .crying?"

Girl: "Yeah, you see, a haystack fell on her."

Mom: "But a haystack doesn't just fall over."

Girl: "It does if a farmer crashes into it with his tractor."

Mom: "Oh, come on, a farmer wouldn't do that."

Girl: "He would if he were too busy yelling at the pigs to get

off our school bus."

Mom: "What were the pigs doing on the bus?"

Girl: "Eating our lunches" . . .

If you want to know the rest of the story,

you can find a YouTube narration HERE

 * * *

Wishing you a day that's just a little crazy and fun.

💙

Heart Hugs,

Brenda

xox