Helvetica Eclectica

And what have you done? Another year over.....(J.L)

2011-01-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

A new year has ushered itself in, and just realizing now that the first decade has ended, (I'm not going to get caught up in how it actually ended in 2009) I find myself questioning even more the accomplishments/goals that have not been attained. Or do I even have goals, or just some vague nebulous ideas that float around and never gain impetus.

A friend of mine just gave me a journal today to start writing down of my goals or ideas. Instead of calling her list "the bucket list" which she finds distasteful, she is calling her list 'the 50 before 50" list. Commendable. When I was her age I had just exited a marriage and one of the things I said in those next years, was, I do not want to be 50 and look back and say all I did was party with so and so. Looking back on my forties I am glad to say that did not happen (because I had to draw a line and boot that person out of my life) and those years were full of accomplishments and relationships and community.

So 3 years into my 6th decade I am again saying to myself, what will I look back and say that I have done with my life? I don't even like saying that I am in my 6th decade but facts are facts. Now good people are coming into my life who are kind and happy and a little farther on the socio-economic scale than the previous people I have attracted into my life. My friend in the picture recently called me and invited me to his art show and healing group. An exceptional young man who has his house gridded with crystals and aromatherapy oils in the paint on the walls. I'm so blessed to have good friends such as these.

But what of the Plan?

Studio

2010-05-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

I often walk past this backyard building which is just around the corner from me and wondered about it. What was it, an artist's studio, and if so, why can't I have one like it in my backyard?? On Saturday, I found myself up early and going walking with the dog and the camera so I took a shot of it. Later that same day, I went for coffee at Moka's, which is fairly new and fairly close to my neighborhood, and admired the gorgeous paintings they have displayed. Should have taken the camera there! Paintings of musicians. Jazzy. You can see the artist's work here but not the jazz paintings, unfortunately. For that you'll have to have a coffee at Moka...and I must warn you that the turtle brownies are to die for...and if you can eat the whole thing, you might want to from guilt..(unless you worked for 6 hours in the yard like I did)...But I couldn't even finish my half!

This is Saskatchewan!

2010-04-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

Old Man Winter is not done with us yet, it seems. Jeff had forecast some rain and snow on Saturday, but the Universe had seen kindly to delaying it an extra day, which really worked in my favor as I did a lot of cleanup on Saturday. I got up this morning to a blanket of white, very pretty and it is very welcome as we do need the moisture.

1964 Caliente

2010-04-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

Couple weeks back, whilst out and aboot with the fam, we stopped at the Crazy Cactus for lunch. Ah, I spied a Comet Caliente, probably a 67, parked in front and I got a pic of meself in front of it. Unfortunatley, it seems I accidently deleted it so I had to copy another. This is more like the one I used to ride around in, with Terry Sinclair, but his was jacked up and painted metallic blue. Sweet ride. Btw, the Cactus is no longer a sweet place to eat. With jacked up prices and the owner serving as well as cooking, service is deplorable. And, just how much tacky can a person take. We left and so did the owner of the Comet without me getting a good look at him. sad to say....who knows maybe it was Terry....wonder if he knows there is a woman with the same name.....wonder if he sings like Fogerty...."I can sing remember the old hound dog...chasing down a hoodoo there....born on the bayou...."

Will and Grace

2010-03-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

Operating on sheer willpower alone can compensate for shortcomings in other areas, but I think if you do this long enough, you damage your will centres. Spring your will chakras, just like you overload your adrenals and burn them out..In my case to my surprise my will centres were huge and fast, when they were tested, which I thought was odd, because I feel I have no will/power. Not exactly eye opening. Not healthy.

This changed a couple of weeks ago but it did not last for me. I can only describe it as coming from the Creator, from Spirit, or the Universe, whatever name you choose. I had a "moment" where I felt like I got this big brainwave that I should learn to play the fiddle. Ha! I was never drawn to it in the past. Drawn to the music, yes, but not to learn to play. It was not the usual idle idea...this had something backing it! And at the same time I had great resolve in sticking to a diet, but I lost that too. One could say, so what, people get these motivations/ideas all the time. True, but this was different. And how was it that an art teacher happened to be in the same aisle as me at an odd time of the day..and we got chatting....so now I have an art teacher lined up for later.....But then, this feeling of grace I had......it left me. Then what is left is doubt, doubt that I can learn to play the fiddle, doubt that I am supposed to learn to be an acupuncturist....but yet there is that underpinning of knowing involved...and what else is left?

Wood stock

2010-03-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

A w/e trip up to Smeaton to 'borrow' the stradivarius...fog was thick this morning and thought I'd get a pic in of the woodpile before I left, which was stocked up last fall. There's more than enough wood here to keep the folk's house warm all year as well as supply my tentative future retirement home out by Swanson all this winter as well. and then some to sell too. Logging has done well for my uncles in BC and Dad hauling it kept food on the table when I was in high school. Way behind the woodpile is old Benny's rotted log cabin but I didn't feel like plowing snow that far. I should have, since not much chance of bears this time of year. (I say not much chance) cause this is bear country and bears are not true hibernators.

Nothing is black and white

2010-02-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

Except perhaps this magnet. Bought it years ago for someone but ended up keeping it and it eventually found its way to my fridge.

Today I read somewhere that this is a quote of Nietzsche's. I did not know this before! (although when I got closer to this magnet, it does plainly have his name on it!!!!) So that is twice this week his name has come up....Been wanting to read him for a few years now.

Music --can't live without it all right. Been listening to Viking metal, celtic metal, symphonic operatic metal. And Finnish folk music which I can't understand but who cares. Feel like Nick Cage in moonstruck.....

Back to the ol' drawing board

2010-02-14T17:50:00.000-08:00

Dug out the old paints and tried painting today. Not at all happy with the results. So disappointed with myself....Granted I am way out of practice. I find myself wondering, is it these paints? Acrylic does not blend as well as oil, although Bateman does fine with it! Is it the paper? Is it the brushes? I no longer seem to have the high quality products anymore...the kids ruined my expensive brushes when they were little, later when I got more, the dog ate those ones....I need some classes!

Metal Guru

2010-02-13T20:46:00.001-08:00

Developed quite a liking for metal a few years back.....started off with some candle holders, made myself a curtain rod from copper pipe..spray painted it....then happened across this divider last summer. It's never had a home...its been downstairs in the family room, then tried out as a gate at the kitchen entrance and now its finally found a place between the living room and the kitchen. I like the yellow paint with the black....I just don't care for the yellow anymore...never did actually...picked the wrong hue.....The invisible plant stand behind it was given to me as a gift just the other day...enuf already with the iron....it only works in small quantities unless you have brick and a very large warehouse loft...now i just have to remember to not walk into it in the middle of the night.......

Be on my side, I'll be on your side...baby

2010-02-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

there is no reason for you to hide.....down by the river...I shot my baby....down by the river...deaaaaaaaadddddddd......so singeth Neil Young, granddaddy of grunge...but I digress...

What a Fabulous Frosty February day today! So I did indeed go Down by the River today, it was a fabulous day to take some pix..and it was cool to see all the camera buffs walking about & hanging out around Johns, Staquato, Sheraton and the Bess at lunch time with all their equipment, and me with my little tiny camera. I should've had the old AE1, needed a wide angle lens. Been wanting to get a shot of Gabriel Dumont but it was two weeks ago with the sun out and the steam rising from the river that would have made a real cool shot. As it was, I had quite a chore to get close to the statue. I've left the traffic light in this pic on purpose. Made a mile or two I'm sure plus plowed through some snow... Definately helps if you remember what side of what bridge you happen to be on...even tho you know where you are, and you know where the statue is...apparently the left brain doesn't always communicate too well with the right brain...But I was glad for the lithium (batteries, that is) as the rechargeable ones can only take a few shots.

These boots are made for walkin'

2010-02-10T20:56:00.000-08:00

Ok so Nancy said that...but to use Tammy Wynette's words...Born a woman....does this mean all women are shoe/boot addicts or as I like to put it, aficionados? Guess I've been a boot gal for as long as I can remember. My parents can attest to that as they tell me how they could not get those rubber boots off me.....apparently even when it was about 80 Fahrenheit.

Being on holidays with not much to do except clean and organize (and lets face it, what kind of a holiday is that) especially when you know it'll be back the way it was inside of a month.....well, there's always shopping. Today I bought, with a fair bit of post guilt I might add, a pair of Born boots that I have been ogling on their website for maybe a year. But I'm still without my harley boots. But I done got myself a pair of Born boots....crown no less......no more....end of story.

Winter Shines

2010-02-07T17:55:00.000-08:00

Went down to the Farmer's Market area where they have several ice sculptures going for the annual WinterShines event, as well as some aboriginal snow sculptures that were in progress. This year they have some of the ice sculptures under a tent where it is impossible to get a good picture, well maybe not impossible, but you'd have to know what you're doing. Afterward we went for lunch on Broadway and by the time we drove past on the way back, this place was packed with families and kids going down the ice slide.

First storm of 2010

2010-01-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

There's almost always a "10" in every big storm. Jan 10, 2007-now that was a storm that people still talk about. That was a city-wide shutdown...people storm-stayed at stores....staff at hospitals doing double shifts....October 10, 1998-I'll never forget that one either! I only wish I had some pics of the trees on Sask. Crescent, weighed down and broken with the snow & ice....that really was a sight to see! I mentioned my theory (of storms occuring on the 10th) at work one day and one gal sitting across from me lamented, that she too would never forget that day, as it was the day of her wedding! Poor girl!

This weekend I have shovelled, and shovelled, and shovelled some more, and then some, and again, etc etc. Missing Mel's helping arms....I'm pretty sore...The snow & wind is stilling going strong.....people are getting stuck constantly in the T intersection by my house...not sure how I'll make it out of my crescent tomorrow morning...but there is always the bus if necessary!

I hope Whistler is going to get some of this snow...we need it for the Olympics!

Texture

2010-01-10T18:16:00.000-08:00

Although no needles are left in January, the tamarac larch still exudes much character with its grumpy texturous bark....it makes me want to peel it away to see what lies beneath....today I went to Crocus Park to visit the "3 sisters and a cousin" --what I call the grouping of 3 larches and 1 fir that stands at the north end of the park just backing the doctors and dentist's homes. I have a particular plan for a painting that will include a larch tree resplendent in its fall colors...too bad I didn't get this idea in the fall.....

While your lips are still red

2010-01-08T23:05:00.000-08:00

This is a song I stumbled upon on utube and I can't get enough of it....which means it will be stuck in my head for days...and nights likely while I try to sleep.....over and over....check out the video....and read the rest of the lyrics. Read these beautiful lyrics from the chorus...sung by Marco Heitala, of Nightwish, (Finland.) Amazing.

Kiss... while your lips are still red...

while he's still silent

rest....while bosom is still untouched.......unveiled..........

Hold another hand....... while the hand's still without a tool.............

Drown into eyes while they're still blind....

Love while the night still hides the withering dawn....

From the Movie 'The matriarch", music by Nightwish....very beautiful song...beautiful lyrics....piano....strings....haunting!

Tall in the saddle; with alloy claws

2009-12-28T07:55:00.000-08:00

Moving on to 0h ten, (is this what we will call the new year?) and putting the nails in the coffin of oh nine...in more ways than one. Here I have a motley collection; new shoes from Santa; a remake of the old saddle shoe variety but with a haute clomp. Clint Eastwood cd collection and the xmen trilogy set. Can't wait to watch them...how did Santa know exactly what I want? Oh that Santa, shopping online these days....Thrown in for good measure to represent the death of the old year and those hopes and dreams that can never be fulfilled, is Jesse James (Brad Pitt), stills photo shoot on location in Alberta by Canadian photographer, Kimberley French. A movie par excellence. Even though I'm not a huge Brad fan. Seriously. But I do like Angelina. But not Jenn. No cachet.

Sail away Sailor Dan Friendship-it endures!

2009-12-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

Me Homies-or what's left of them. We used to call ourselves the magnificent seven....but...marriage...retirement....& the resulting moves...estrangement...all contrive to sabotage our bond...we're down to 4 now..not often we get together these days....I call us the fab four....I'll be John, (so this is Christmas, what have you done?)someone else can be Ringo, or Paul, or George, whatev. Here we are at Mano's celebrating Christmas and friendship with appetizers and wine. Each year we draw numbers for our gifts-this year we broke with tradition and got the waitress to divvy up the goods. Lo and behold, it did not matter. I always get Rachelle's gift! This year t'was chocolates, subliiiiime chocolates. and a funky scarf! Speaking of scarfs, the travelling scarf showed up and this year it went to Gloria....which means we have to go to Gloria's for I guess some Ukrainian celebration next! Looking forward to that! Here's to friendship---may it endure always!

Scarth Street Mall in Regina

2009-12-13T14:32:00.000-08:00

One of my fave places to walk to at lunchtime back in the day when I worked in downtown Regina. Of course, in the summer it was sandals and sundresses. ( Ahh, those were the days!) Not so the day before yesterday! Although it felt fairly balmy compared to Saskatoon, it was still cold. I found myself navigating the downtown Christmas shopping traffic in rush hour and not remembering very well which streets were one way. My daughter and her man were sitting in a pub sipping a pint, so I embarked upon finding my way to the Scarth Street Mall. I don't recall the name of the pub, but I did take note of some rather good-looking suits. I'd like to take a week off in the summer and just enjoy the Queen City. Regina has such character, and although there is competition and sometimes feuding between our two fair cities, I have to say each has its own merits. Saskatoon is very pretty, and Regina has more brick and mortar, both figuratively and literally. This photo is courtesy of Guy, http://reginainpictures.blogspot.com

Don't Look Back

2009-12-06T08:02:00.000-08:00

Live Each Day tothe Fullest. (author unknown) (first 2 verses)

Live each day to the fullest. Get the most from each hour, each day, and each age of your life. Then you can look forward with confidence and back without regrets.

Be yourself - but be your best self. Dare to be different and to follow your own star.

I love this poem for its simplistic message of happiness and its a great reminder to not waste the gift of life. The last line reads "Act as if everything depended upon you, and pray as if everything depended on God". I have it hanging in my bathroom in a frame. My friend actually found it behind her house by the dumpster one day when I was at her place. So I snagged it and took it home and cleaned it and have it hanging in my bathroom. So the "don't look back" part brings me to this pillar of selenite, which I absolutely love and I got it for a song at Charter House. Well it really was a more like a symphony, but a fraction of the price you'd pay for it at a crystal shop. Selenite is known for its peaceful qualities. I keep it on my nightstand with my other crystals.

(Might as well face it) ADDICTED TO MUGS

2009-12-04T21:29:00.000-08:00

I can't help myself. I love buying mugs & cups. And giving mugs and cups. Usually in twos, because if the recipient doesn't like them, well then they only have two. But, sometimes its hard to decide which color you want. . (I'll take 3 of each, please.) So what the heck, just fill up the basket. Then go home and fill up the filter basket. These aren't all the cups I have bought in the past week, I gave 2 away, and I broke one already. I see that white one is being a bit stand-offish.

The Sawtooth Pack

2009-12-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

I was working on a painting. From a photo I had taken of a wolf. A very old wolf, crippled and caged at the forestry farm. He looked so terribly sad. The photo I had taken myself was really not that great, and so I thought I should check out some books at the library, strictly for the photos. But what ended up happening, is that I read this whole beautiful book from cover to cover and fell in love with the Sawtooth pack. I even listened to the cd in the back cover of the sounds of the pack. The study that Jim and Jamie Dutcher did on living with wolves, is simply amazing. The photography is stunning. So I never did finish my painting. And I had a hefty fine when I finally returned the book.

http://www.livingwithwolves.org/

She aint' heavy, she's my sister

2009-11-27T19:34:00.000-08:00

Typical goings on when my three girls get together...if they're not scrapping fighting Irish, they're goofing off. This is clearly the latter. But it was so great to have them all together for a day. Trying to get a good picture of the three of them is not an easy undertaking. Partly because they all live in different cities. The saying, timing is everything, is just not for comedy. It really applies to photography as well. Especially if you have one of those cameras where there is a delay. I wonder if photoshop can remove a twig from someone's head. I probably could if I had some extra large tweezers. Yes I know that is a substandard joke, but 'tis the best I can muster right now.

More than 2 leaves and a leaf bud

2009-11-26T16:57:00.001-08:00

My mom brought me up this gorgeous coleus plant a few weeks back. Unfortuneately I do not have a green thumb, and it has suffered from dehydration in the last few days. So it is losing some leaves and some of the smaller leaf buds as well. However it rather looks like I imagine a tea plant to look, with a little pink flush on the leaves. This particular variety is called russet. As to why the phrase 'two leaves and a bud' is bandied about so much, it actually refers to the picking of the leaves. The topmost inch, consisting of the proverbial 2 leaves and a leaf bud, is what they snap off to make our tea. It takes 22,000 of these to make a kg of tea! oh and by the way, the painting in the background is an oil I did when I was 20. That is a very long time ago!!! The inside frame has been painted a few times to match the walls, but the last time I did this, I rather botched it. (I used acrylic, bad choice). So next time I paint the kitchen, I'll change it again.

SynchroniciTEA

2009-11-19T20:20:00.000-08:00

I'm always amazed and in awe of the coincidences and synchronicities that continually occur. You could call this a tea weak. Yes that's weak as I've been steeped in a virus and left weak. Weak tea as well as I have been drinking lots of it, and no coffee since Monday morning. But I digress. Last weekend I picked up this hardcover "Darjeeling" for a whopping $1 at a liquidation store. On Wednesay, I started reading it. It is a rich brew of love, loss, and the politics of tea. 2 days earlier, on Monday, I was naming a rooibos latte "red velvet cape". (I could go for one of those right now). On Sunday, the antique tea cups came out of the china cabinet while I had my family over for a turkey dinner. The week before, I found myself wondering why they always have on the tea bag label, 2 leaves and a bud, or the symbol for it. Now I know why. So you see I have received my answer, as the Universe ALWAYS hears my question. That is synchronicity.

Lovely Helping Hands

2009-11-17T17:21:00.000-08:00

These beautiful helping hands came over to assist me in the unloading of a very heavy glass and oak divider I snagged at work for a mere $8. I don't know what I'd do without these helping hands; she always lifts a finger or two or three when I ask her to. There when I need her. I guess that's the beauty of family.

Flux Incapacitator

2009-11-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

Flux aka Electrika flew home this past weekend from Vancouver. She hasn't been here in a very long time. So it was great to see her along with my other Helvie's. She's a girl after my own feet; here wearing her fluevog "bond girl" boots. Guess you could say she grew up knowing you can never go wrong with boots, even if your two and wearing your dad's work boots. And wearing a Black Sabbath t-shirt. Lately she's been lacing up her roller skates and joined the roller derby. Better watch out for Flux...and that's not reflux!

We'll ride them someday....

2009-11-03T18:39:00.000-08:00

This drawing was done using the graffitti application on the old facebook. I found it very hard on the hand to use the mouse to draw it. There is some great art using graffiti and I wonder if these people are using stylus's or they're just great artists and well practised or all 3. Did you know there are wild horses in Saskatchewan? Recently, I happened to see an article about these horses, which I did not even know existed in this province.

http://www.canadiancowboy.ca/features/feb-mar05.html

Star of Wild Horse Canyon

2009-11-02T17:25:00.000-08:00

This is a classic "Star of Wild Horse Canyon" drawing that I have probably done hundreds of times, as a child, using the picture on the cover of the "Scholastic" book as my inspiration. I guess my love affair with drawing horses began about that time, when I was no more than 8 or 9. Star was a white horse with a star on his forehead; imagine that. This black mare needs a name....Montrose de laFlamme....sounds fine to me.

What's in a Name?

2009-11-01T08:55:00.001-08:00

It has been said that a rose, by any other name, will still smell as sweet. That is, a rose is a rose is a rose. And a horse is a horse of course of course. These beauties here are named wonderfully. Lyra, Dante and ........... I must leave a blank here as I'm afraid I'm drawing one for the other's name at the moment. Horses, not being subject to the same struggles as humans, are not likely to be so much affected by their given names. On the other hoof, Lyra is a name that suits this gorgeous animal. Dante is huge, strong, powerful! I really wonder, how does this happen? What chain of events, what energy is being manifested to draw a quality in a word to a person? And just how do we assign a quality to a word anyway? Sure, we have long and short vowels, and hard and soft consonents. But have you ever noticed that names have a propensity to affect your lot in life. Name a boy Peter, for example, and do you think perhaps he may end up in journalism? We certainly have a lot of Peter's there. Or driving dump trucks? What about Tom? A crusty alcoholic, perhaps a singer? Hmmmm... Strong names, weak names....I sometimes wonder...salt of the earth names, good solid trustworthy names that have stood the test of time? What about John? Now there is someone you can depend on. How about Mary? Same thing there, but some Mary's I have known, seem, well, a little shifty....Why are all the Julies and Julias extraverted? What will happen to the next generation of names when we'll have Apples and Oranges and Gangsta's running the country? What images are conjured up with the name Helvetica? What do you think?