Happy Bastille Day

 It's hot and humid and the temptation is to stay indoors and keep cool. I wait until the evening when the heat abates to go out for a walk because I need the exercise. I also live in a neighbourhood where I can do my errands on foot so that's a good thing. Got to keep the blood circulating, as someone once said to me.

Today is Bastille Day, so here's a very short history lesson.

 

 

 King Louis XVI to the Nobility & Clergy: The 3rd Estate is crushed by taxes, you have to pay your share.

Nobility & Clergy: NO.

 

3rd Estate (the People): Vive la Révolution.

 

Poor Louis. He had the power, he could have put his foot down and made them pay their fair share of taxes but he was weak, and so he, too, lost his head. 

 

 

 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Time flies

 We are six months into the year and there have been so many changes in the world, some good and some not so good. I'm grateful to be still here and still in relatively good shape. I wish the same for you.

I intend to write more and post more, but in the meantime....

 

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Postal strike

The Postal strike continues. No Christmas cards are going out or coming in this year. 

While I am saving $$, the Post Office is losing $$. Either way, sad.

On the other hand, my Etsy shop is at a standstill, so both myself and the Post Office are losing. 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year? Maybe there is still time. Hope springs eternal.

 

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Halloween 2024

 Happy Halloween! Joyeux Halloween !

 

 

 

 

 

Ho'oponopono

Ho'oponopono: 'Making things right' 

The Hawaiian word ho'oponopono roughly translates into English as 'to make things right' This ancient Hawaiian practice (or prayer, or mantra, if you like) is a process of making things right in your relationships, including with ancestors, the earth and yourself.

It can be a powerful method for purifying your mind and dispelling negative thoughts. 

A friend of mine introduced me to it and because I lately I've noticed negative thoughts creeping in and I wanted to try it.

Ho'oponopono

Thank you

Forgive me

I am sorry

I love you

 

 

 Wishing you a happy positive week.

 

 

 

Author royalties

Today I received the best birthday gift, albeit a day before my birthday, my very first Royalty payment for my book. What a rush! I am so grateful to all the lovely people who purchased my novel. It's a small sum but that doesn't matter, I didn't write it to make money; what matters is that I made my dream come true after so many years and so many rejections.

 

 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

I'm Just Wild about Harry

 This is Harry. I look after him when his human is away on business or taking a break. Harry is mature, still in good health and has a sweet disposition. 

Here, Harry has padded into the kitchen, his way of telling me it's dinner time, and could I please dish out his meal.

But first I had to take a photo of that expression.

I'm a dog person, I love dogs, but since I started cat-sitting I've come to appreciate cats, too. Dogs are noisy and energetic, while cats are quiet and independent, but both have their charms.

 

 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Book Review

The first review of my novel, Forgetting is So Long, on Amazon. I am so very grateful. 

I have to say it's also a very good description of the subject matter. I especially liked the first two sentences. When I was submitting it to the many book publishers who rejected it, one of them actually told me to rewrite the whole manuscript as a mystery novel. I was appalled that he didn't understand what the book was all about: that it was not about chasing a murderer but about the aftermath of a murder, the people left behind and how they coped with it and the rest of their lives, something that's never addressed in murder mysteries. As an editor looking for new work, he should have considered exploring that, that's part of his job. How do I know? My first job out of college was with a book publisher.

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Time

Time passes, we age. It's not easy. Some days are good, others are difficult. That's when I read Ruth Buzzi's little poem and laugh at myself.

 

 My face in the mirror’s not wrinkled or drawn. 

My house isn’t dirty; the cobwebs are gone! 

My garden looks lovely, and so does my lawn. 

I think I might never put glasses back on. 

 

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Little daily things

I haven't been making art for some time now, not in the same big way that I used to. It was as if I had used up all my creativity. Of course that's not true, but that's how it felt. These days, I dabble. A little sketch here, some mark making there; it all helps to reignite more creativity and that in turn will help me create more complex work.

 

My book has been published

 Finally!

Many years and many rejections later, a former publisher and current bestselling author read my manuscript and persuaded me to try again. But, once more, to no avail (and more heartbreak). I was ready to give up when a good friend offered to set it up for publishing on Blurb. Now there's a really good friend for you. 

And now my novel is available on Amazon.com

Click on link below to view 

https://www.amazon.com/Forgetting-So-Long-Colette-Copeland/dp/B0D61JW74S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=37XD6O3F40PWX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gRKN5Y-mVdv-KAv4AbK_eGcXPaZLPJfiMClwWUreMySgLRQiDHE_GMiOctUl18jenlDPDuyZVDVyUbzsc4VMWC1TiD4GbHVugt-D8t044kA02ZfqHvOckL9ZH9sRu1umvwAIP_czO3O-PQDjJ9SdVZuYW1nwwz75bi-xaA1qzTI_tZcX6hTM4DZ-k_izCNyLjX30sr8C4An5IE6-CcvPkThf6jGKxpHjUYtfhR63QjHpsdI1sUQJju5Gn1wg9J1n459cRfu0z2dw4iTqFA9K2IfX_cf_QBgh6v_bIpmIuxs.G7ImVGi9Ji84mPqGHjXT4nYOU8JKRkSqOlIEj44jUl8&dib_tag=se&keywords=colette+copeland&qid=1721318864&sprefix=colette+copeland%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1

Benedetti siano gli istanti, i millimetri e le ombre delle piccole cose. //  Blessed are the moments, the millimeters and the shadows of little things. --  Fernando Pessoa

 

 The Little Red House, acrylic on stretched canvas. [SOLD]

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

International Women's Day

 Tomorrow, March 8 is International Women's Day. 

The women is my family line have all been strong women, some have been through unspeakable suffering and have come through while holding everyone up. The men, with the exception of more than a few, not so much. Yet they were the ones with the power, as is the way with the world, although that is slowly, perhaps too slowly, changing.

I don't know who wrote this, but it says it all for me.

 

 

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 "The light at the end of the tunnel."

The light is always there - if you look for it.

 

 

 

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Mini art quilt

 

 It looks like we're in for 6 more weeks of winter, if you believe the majority of groundhogs, our local groundhog Whiarton Willie excepted. Which means one thing: hunker down with a cup of coffee, and do some stitching.

I pulled out some fabric scraps and chose them by colour, and when I finished the composition I wanted, I realized all the fabric pieces were nature-themed: leaves, flowers, paths, water.

Sometimes it's best not to think too much and let your instincts guide you.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Save the bees

 My brother-in-law is one of the busiest retirees I know. He writes, paints, hikes, gardens,takes care of his extended family, and then there's his passion - bee keeping. He takes incredibly good care of them, to him they are a metaphor for life, and they reward him with excellent honey. For me, he's doing his part in his corner of the world to save Mother Nature.

Save the Bees

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

2023

 Happy New Year.

May it be happier, healthier and more positive than the last one.

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

2021 ends 2022 begins

 Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

Wishing you a new year filled with hope, peace, contentment, and good health.

 

 

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

It's been so long

 It's been so long, I've forgotten how to blog. Sometime I forget I have a blog.

 My very quiet life has a little more noise in it as things slowly open up and while we're still careful, it's nice to see old friends (human and canine). We lost a dear dog friend to an accident, but got another one, a sweet puppy that I'll be walking regularly. And for the first time in two years, I'm cat-sitting again for my neighbouring felines, Coco and Calypso. So good to see them again.

One thing I returned to was cooking dinner every night. I used to throw something together, but no more. I take the time to plan and cook.

I never have luck with meringues, so I painted them. 

Be well, be safe, thank you for stopping by.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

What I'm doing

Basically minding my own business.

Enjoying the scent of flowers

 Nurturing a pot of rosemary on my balcony

Vaccinated but still being careful. I'll probably use a mask for the rest of my life - during flu season and crowded situations, for example.

 Be well, stay safe.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Earth Day 2021

 Happy Earth Day!

 

[ SOLD]

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Latest from my little corner of the world

I received the Covid vaccine a week ago, and have an appointment for my second shot in the near future. I continue to mask up and social distance. 

With the weather warming up I've been bringing home some nature: a big pot of rosemary and smaller potted flowers. I don't have a garden so every year I create one on my balcony. 

This jade is from many years ago.

And this is my latest painting, acrylic on canvas paper.

SOLD

 Be well. Stay safe!

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Landscapes

 My latest landscape paintings, impressionistic, a little abstract. Painted on mixed media paper with acrylics.

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Still painting

I've been learning to mix my own colours. I used to shy away from that, especially as every colour imaginable is readily available in tubes, but that can get expensive and I don't need to create more clutter. Also, some colours you can only get by mixing: for example black on its own is flat, but mix it with ultramarine blue and you get a soft, complex black. 

This is my latest painting. Water and rocks. Acrylic on paper, 9x12 inches.

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Nightly Paintings

When I was a full-time painter, I painted at night. It worked for me. With the pandemic and staying at home, I rediscovered my nightly painting.

Monday night

SOLD

Sunday night

 

 The other night

SOLD

 

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

There hasn't been much to blog about lately. We are hibernating, waiting for the world the right itself. And painting.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Make your mark

 Mark making

 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Nurturing young artists

My 7-year-old grand-niece has discovered the joy of art. She's informed me that she's drawing things based on my art (which is plentiful in her house).

I sent her a painting of a pear, and she made this. I'm impressed with the shape and the "shading".

She's also trying her hand at collage that I'm more than happy to encourage. She has a good sense of composition and colour.

 

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

And now it's mid-October.

I had a birthday.

I'm still here.

The days are getting shorter.

Let the stitching begin.

Stay safe. Better days are coming.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Still here

I'm still here and working.

Altering Victorian cabinet cards. 

Doing some collage work. 

Painting a landscape in France (after Derain). The landscape is in France, not me - alas!

Stitching together a birdie; since I took the photo I added tiny white buttons for its eyes.

 Hoping you're healthy and coping well. Stay safe, wear a mask, wash your hands. And thanks for stopping by.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Heatwave

We're in week 3 of a heatwave. I eat a lot of this, cut up in chunks and ice-cold. Watermelon is mostly seedless these days, but a few sneak in. Stay cool, stay safe.

 Watermelon, watercolour/gouache, available in my shop

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Pretty little things

What I've been doing.

Sorting and assembling pretty little packages.

Find them in my Etsy shop.

SOLD

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown