focus: unintentionally and intentionally

Blogger friends old and new, from near and far, dropping in and leaving your comments brings a smile to my face. Your own stories are motivators and inspire me.  Many thanks for the joy you bring to all your fellow bloggers!

Since that day in May, I have been spending more time watercolour painting with a focus on sights that evoke a sense of something, hmmm some thing, what is that something!  What ever that something is, it makes me smile and most times promotes a deep sigh.  Intentionally that was the direction I picked for my paintings with the following three recent projects. What was unintentional was picking three of my photographs to replicate, which happened to be taken during three separate visits to Victoria, British Columbia.  

In October 2019, I frequented a long stretch of Dallas Road for every sunrise and sunset.  I was distracted by kite-surfers during this sunset stroll. With the Olympic Mountains of Washington as the backdrop, I was mesmerized by the sun setting on them paired with the surfers gliding across the water.  Between my passion for being near mountains, my love for the ocean and for that need for speed, I felt all the feels that bring on sighs and smiles.

In April of 2025, once again I aimed to stroll that long stretch along Dallas Road.  Mid morning, it was already quite warm so being near water helped with feeling cooler.  The spring flowers were in full bloom and created a nice bottom frame to go with the line of the Olympic Mountains off in the distance. I watched the Coho heading to Port Angeles,Washington.  I yearned to be on it, as I was in September of 2023. If and when things settle down with our neighbour, I will board that boat! The thoughts of being on water made me smile and sigh!

She's called the Duen!  I saw her sailing in all her glory on a beautiful breezy day while I walked that stretch of Dallas Road in September of 2023. I had seen it docked at Victoria Harbour but this was the first time I saw her out on the Salish Sea almost appearing dwarfed by those Olympic Mountains.  I could see people moving about on the tall ship. I wanted to be out there sailing those seas.  I smiled and sighed at the thought that one day I will make that happen!

my reference photos from three different trips to Victoria

 "I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied." Words are from Sea-Fever by John Masefield. I like some of the interpretations of his poem:  living life on one's own terms, life of freedom, various things bring comfort while at sea, a wandering lifestyle. A self diagnosis tells me I have sea fever!

from   ⛴  to   🐦

By completing a quick short survey, I was gifted a discount coupon to go towards another bird course through The Cornell Lab Bird Academy.  I was intentionally signing into their site with hopes sales were offered on courses I had not completed. No luck there though. Then, just like that, an email popped in from them.  The email came with an offer of a discount if I completed a survey.  Done like dinner! Fifteen minutes later, I signed up for this course which was on my to-do list.

I am working my way through it and learning so much.  

This could be my most favourite bird course so far.

from   🐦   to   🍺

Each day feels like graduation day one way or other.  Being off all medications, having my wits about me, and being sure on my feet, time came to savour an adult beverage and I was ready for it.  I intentionally picked this Radler knowing I liked the flavour but mostly because it was low in alcohol content. I needed to start somewhere and this fit the bill.  After our walk, then our lunch, my friend took me to the store to make the purchase then helped get the beers home and into my fridge.  A little later, time came to sip and savour!  I made it through a third of the tall can then felt satisfied and happy with this graduation. This pastime needs work, slowly yet surely! I am looking forward to many more daily graduations.

There I go again with "three" stories, this time it was unintentional!