inspired by how the mind works

Thank You to all for dropping by my blog and leaving your lovely and inspiring comments! Down the road I will return to replying to each individual comment, yet for now I will go this route.   

I am not missing what I cannot do! I recently came to that realization. I like how the mind works. Without even having to play an intentional mind game, my mind is automatically focusing on what I am currently capable of doing, what is currently bringing me joy, and opening up to what I can potentially do in the very near future. All this is falling into my lap with no effort.  Yes, I like how the mind works and it is affording me inspiration to take full advantage!

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My new book arrived at just the right time! For a few mornings in a row, I whiled away an hour or so reading, sipping coffee, still in my pjs, out on the deck, in the very early morning heat. I had full intentions of one day learning how to make watercolour paints. I was not far into the book when I decided this craft was not for me. I continued reading and finished the book anyway.  It was still an enjoyable read with beautiful illustrations.  Deciding not to make my own watercolour paints was not the main take-away from this book. Words the author shared resinated with me and the timing is perfect as I follow this unwanted journey in life.   

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Where does inspiration come from? In this case, it came from a card I received in snail mail from my "valley gal" pal.  It's a beautiful image but even more beautiful were her hand written words that filled the inside of the card.  I love seashells and I own quite a collection.  I remember where I collected them from.  Looking at this card, my mind drifted off to where this collection of shells might be sitting! 

I found them, if only in my mind!

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My eyes have always been drawn to bright and cheerful yet that seems to be occurring more abundantly these days! Isn't it funny how the mind works! I was inspired by three tutorials to create this trio of watercolour paintings.  It was the bright light in the sky of each that caught my attention first then the cheerfulness of the bird in each sealed the deal to create my renditions. 

Oh how the mind works!  

While there is much I cannot do, oh wow there is so much more that I can do!  

marathon training

Thank you again everyone for the comments you left on my last blog post and for your emails and messages.  They brighten my day!  

The oddest things have been coming to mind this past while. I can no longer blame that on the strong medications as I have graduated off them. What came to mind this time was how this unwanted journey I am on, in a way, is very similar to my chosen journeys of running marathons just short of two decades ago. The time frame for training to run a marathon was about four months. Four months is the approximate time it will take to be recovered and fully back to ole me again. I am almost two weeks into this journey.  The marathon plan of attack started with short slow distances, gradually increasing speed and kilometres over the four months.  My recovery program is in the initial stages with few minimal exercises. That will soon change.  Since surgery, I have experienced no pain, only uncomfortableness. That’s the same with the marathon training, lots of uncomfortableness yet never an once of pain.  To run a full marathon, you have to be mentally strong. It’s a game of percentages 90% mental, 10% physical. The recovery journey I am on now has required me to dig deep mentally at times and I know it will continue to be that way over the weeks and months to come. I am a marathoner, I ran three marathons! 

When I was marathon training, I had a list of words and phrases that were my mantras. When I needed them, I whispered them. These days there are thoughts and words that occupy my mind at times.  A few of them describe how I felt while I was settled for a couple of hours painting this scene.  

You don’t just go out and run a marathon.  There is much to learn before hand and throughout the entire training program. Even finishing running the 42.2 kms, lessons are learned and also afterwards.  When I got into birding, I knew very little about owls.  When I began seeing them while “out & about”, I wanted to know more.  I did some homework, learned lots and I shared all that in this blog post. Back in January the time was not right for further learning.  Fast forward to now and the time was perfect to take the course called The Wonderful World of Owls. I completed the course and received my Certificate of Completion. When the time is right for being Out & About again and it’s Owl season, I will be using what I learned to enhance my Owl finding and viewing enjoyment. 

I used the last of my discount coupon codes for courses, so will wait for a sale before signing up for my next bird course.

I find it much easier to focus on detail rather than look at the big picture! When I was marathon training, I looked at one week at a time, even though the whole four month program was on paper right before my eyes. Looking too far ahead was too much and would become a blur. That being said, I could see marathon day very clearly.  I played out that day over and over in my mind. It was very vivid!  I could see myself crossing the finishing line with my arms raised in victory.  

During my recent stay at my sister’s home, I spent time in her yard just sitting. Just listening.  Just looking. Just watching.  Just watching the clematis grow.  I swear it grew right before my eyes. I snapped some shots with plans to create a watercolour painting. Well, it felt overwhelming to go straight to painting the final full photo. So, I started with paying attention to a small detailed section.  

then expanded a bit on that

and a little more

It did become blurry at times.

The full final painting is so crisp and clear.

I am taking each day as it comes. I have a some what clear vision of what tomorrow looks like but beyond that is too far to see.  Next week is not clear nor is next month.  But I will tell you, the vision I see of when I am fully recovered and back to ole me, is so very crystal clear! Patience and hard work will get me there!

finding the nice in the not so nice

This path I “accidentally” ended up on in life is not the nicest yet I have been seeking out nice and having success with finding it. I am now at my sister’s place after my stay at the hospital and being so very thankful for the exceptional care and compassion I received by all who took me under their wing.  Each and every person could not have been nicer! Now under my sister’s wing, it is nice to know she is right there with a healthy load of that care and compassion. There are many weeks ahead of me of down time which I have already added an upswing to, starting with the reminder not to judge a book by the cover!

Crows! I  completed the following course through the Cornell Lab Bird Academy.  I also received my finishers certificate. I have a new appreciation for crows, I see them in a different light, and I…..

…..painted one in a different light!  

You will see a crow’s true beautiful colours shine through

 if you open your eyes and ears and heart to them!

Dandelions! I assumed I could let the child within live again by painting a series of dandelions. 

As a kid I thought dandelions were so nice, especially when I held a bouquet of them to gift to my Mom.I have no idea why painting the many stages of this weed came to the forefront of my mind, could it be the strong medications talking again!

 These days I am appreciating even the insignificant little nice things!  

freedom of chasing nature

Thank You!

A heartfelt Thank You for all your caring and kind comments, messages and emails!  Although they arrived from various provinces, or countries, and even continents, I felt the comfort as if they came from right next door. I am slowly but surely making progress with healing, yet still have a ways to go.  

Freedom!

Thirty hours before boarding a plane for two weeks in The Netherlands and Norway, my path in life took a turn in an unchosen direction.  Later that day, a few times for a few minutes, I mourned the loss of what would now not be.  Pretty quickly, I let go of what was not to be and unwantingly accepted this new journey I had been handed.  This path, in a sense, comes with a loss of freedom, yet I choose to acknowledge the freedoms I do have and find the best way to navigate this new journey.       

Chasing Nature!

Nature is nurturing as is watercolour painting!  I like to turn my "out & about" experiences into watercolour paintings.  The opposite is the case with this painting, I would like to experience what she is experiencing.  That won't be happening for me any time soon.   

This was close to it but far from it.

Yet many successes were accomplished here.

With loads of hours being at home on my hands, taking another online course through the Cornell Lab Bird Academy was just what the doctor ordered.  With a sale on learning all about Hummingbirds, I signed up, paid the price, took the course and received my completion certificate.  Now the Owls are calling out to me, as are the ducks and shorebirds.  I have the freedom to chase nature through these lessons and have success.

list of courses I took so far over the past few years

Journey!

To repeat, nature is nurturing as is watercolour painting and writing is too.  When I retired, my intentions were to get into creative writing.  I bought books and took lessons to help with the creative writing journey but time was never on my side for it.  Even when our world changed in 2020, the timing was not right to write.  Fast forward to these past couple of weeks and putting together a book was just what the doctor ordered.  The concept may have been born while I was on strong medication but I would like to believe my creativity took over from there.   The book arrived and I took a few photos from the twenty-four pages. 

the cover

inside back cover

back cover

All the paintings were made from photos I took, I added a little flare here and there. 

This was an enjoyable project and the distraction I needed.  

I am not sure when I will do another blog post.  Next steps are continued rest, attending appointments and letting my mind wander to the freedoms I do have for finding ways to chase nature along this journey.

Things Happen In Life!

 Life happened to me today! I cancelled my European trip! I will be laying low for the next while.

The Inglewood Bald Eagle UPDATE May 18, 2025

A very grey, dull, overcast, cloudy and at times showery morning, turned into a most beautiful morning! It was quiet bird-wise and people-wise being a long weekend and not so pleasant weather.  When the showers started, I debated whether to head on home but thought otherwise, a little rain won't hurt me.  I strolled along the backside of the Sanctuary stopping at an opening through the trees so I could see across the river. As I zoomed in on the Bald Eagle's nest across the river, I spotted unusual movement.  I leaned against a fence post to help with steadiness as I peered through my lens at full zoom.  I uttered a very loud ooohhh!  This is what I saw, Mom feeding her Eaglet!  I was so excited! I'm so proud for the parents!  I even felt emotional!  I showed the photo to another birder and he suggested the Eaglet is probably a day or two old.  I wish the family well and hope the Eaglet gets to live its best life!  

 

Good Morning!

 Good Morning!

Some of my favourite early mornings are when the sky becomes cheerful while the new day is dawning!  Watching the sky's shades shift, dance and blend together seems effortless. Mother Nature has rhythm!  Getting the watercolour paints to behave in the same manner when laid on paper to create this atmospheric sunrise scene was another story. Soaking the paper with water, brushing on very wet paint, holding the paper and moving it in different directions, then doing that again on top of what was already there is what it took to create the luminous sky and background.  The same was done for the bushes in the middle, the lake and for the foreground at bottom and right.  All of the above had to be done quite quickly. Once that was complete, it took some time to fully dry naturally.  Finally the trees, bullrushes, grasses, leaves and splatters came easily.  If a morning is moody in an atmospheric way like in my painting then I would definitely declare it a "Good Morning"! 

a "Good Morning" at Nose Hill

Crocus season has passed and now the hills are alive with carpets of yellow! The morning offered up the most perfect weather paired with little surprises here and there, for me and for what I shared the area with.  I covered roughly ten kilometres and these Shooting Stars were the only ones I saw.  Never before have I been able to get so close to Grey Partridges. I believe I surprised them! As I got within five feet they suddenly flew off. The coyote was slowly sauntering along. I may have surprised it because it sped off once it spotted me. In the peace of the morning, this White-crowned Sparrow was a sweet surprise for me! Receiving these surprises plus many more, I would definitely have to declare it a "Good Morning"!

a "Good Morning" at Dale Hodges Park

I needed to take care of an errand close by this park this morning so incorporated a visit for beforehand.  It's a good thing the errand was not for a specific time because I lost track of time getting caught up in all the sights and sounds.  The ponds and waterways were full to the brim.  The vegetation was blooming and vibrant.  I have never seen as many Red-winged Blackbirds as I did this morning.  While they were so vocally loud, the Osprey sat so quietly in her nest. The Yellow-headed Blackbirds regularly belted out  breaking any kind of sweet silence there may have been. Hold your head high little gosling!  A "lifer" for me this morning was spotting this Marsh Wren.  With so much to see causing me to loose track of time,  I would definitely have to declare it a "Good Morning"!

a "Good Morning" at Inglewood

All the local parks are full of life of all kinds these days! Greens are becoming greener and trees are filling out. Wildlife are busy bustling about. While I may be busy I am certainly not bustling. I would not want to miss a thing so that takes time and patience. I spotted this muskrat and smiled when I saw the stem on its snout instead of in its mouth.  The Swainson's Thrush blended in and I would have missed it if I was not slowly and methodically moving along.  Be patient I said, the House Wren will appear again, and it did.  The male House Finch shades are like a cheerful sunrise. Being in a place that felt so alive, I would definitely have to declare it a "Good Morning"!

Good Morning to you!