Pet Appreciation

"Professor: 8x10 oil on board

Spring has arrived early, well no snow since March more April Showers but our first Daffodils are out and the days are lighter.

Since my last post I have been painting quite a few dog rescues along with some Commissions which I found enjoyable. So much to learn about our furry friends. I have become quite passionate about animal rescue, through a couple of close friends I really had a wake up call about so much Cruelty and abuse that happens to so many creatures.

Pheobe in 2007

I must admit I have never been keen on "getting involved" but since Dudley has gone we realized how much we miss him, daily walks every day kept us fit and his company kept us going for ten years. Our decision was not to replace him, mainly because of our age. We now have a only one furry friend left Phoebe a black cat. She has suddenly become quite dominating and meows for her food and a bit of comfort sitting next to us in the evening for a while before she retires to her big fluffy pillow! She wasn't so keen on Dudley he was a big boy so she tended to keep a friendly distance.

Facebook in the meantime has introduced us to a different set of rules. Having a friend Erika in Ontario and Shirley in Texas, both who are definitely into Saving any dog or cat in their districts, both have accumulated quite a few pets over the years saving them from certain death. 
Erika last year became a foster Mum to a huge dog called The Professor,  he used to take her for long walks ! That started me on a quest I just had to paint him, he had a look about him that suited his name! luckily he was adopted to a lovely couple and has his for ever home.

Since then I have painted commissions and painted rescue dogs who are looking for a home. I have donated many paintings and have managed to donate to Auctions. 

"Huck" Still in adaption process

Only one thing that can really upset my apple cart there are so many beautiful dogs and cats needing homes I tend to yearn for a dog but, my intention is not to weaken and pursue painting these beings and hope to save one dog or cat at a time donating to as many Volunteer Organizations who' bless Em,'work very hard looking after the ones that aren't so lucky and keeping vet bills paid for the abused and suffering this includes Puppy Mills from many parts of Ontario.
       

Dudley

 ADOPT a dog you will never regret it!!

Dudley was a rescue and he was worth his weight in gold.
You can see some paintings on my blog ASA. Art saves Animals


Babs

The New Year Update

Well it has been a month since I last did the blog!

I want to report that we have been quite busy with our paintings, John mostly doing bigger canvases of the area Schomberg Main Street mainly. We figured our little village has jumped so quickly into a busy place. Main Street is now flooded with parked cars from shops and the tenants from the apartments.

Main Street East

Big Stores are now moving in and Main Street is changing rapidly. So before we have been taken over and become a big Town John thought it was worth painting as it was when we moved here 15 years ago. 

My brushes have been busy with small 8x10 & 8x8 boards painting many pictures of rescue dogs and pets of the area. This kept me busy before Christmas, some for gifts and some commissions.

A friend has been a foster care for Rescue places taking in dogs and training them with a hope they will find a 'Forever Home'. I have become quite passionate with the animals and now donate 20% of any paintings I sell. Just hope it will help with the cost no matter how small or large the donations become!

Lolly 

I had a surprise call yesterday and am now waiting for a lady who will be looking at my work with a view to commissioning 1 horse one pony and 2  cats!
I am excited and amazed that it has gained interest, people seem to like paintings of animals, "the eyes say it all" one person said.

I shall keep in touch letting you know now things are going. fingers crossed!


Babs

Life 's pleasures and where it can lead !

8x8 Oil on Board (Commission)

Over the years I have taken notice of what we do with our lives,  I have tended  to have had many creative pursuits which have given me pleasure and dropped them along the way. Over the last little while I have enjoyed oil painting and made small pictures that have given me pleasure and a few family members have a few paintings as small gifts.

I had managed to keep quite a few of them when an opportunity came up to give them to a charity for an auction to raise money for rescued animals. Although it didn't raise much it was ( $55) enough to help go towards the rest of the items sold which made a small donation for Animal rescue amounting to just over $2000 dollars.

It  gave me an idea to continue to enjoy  my pastime and give something back to Animal Rescue by selling pictures of  dogs and cats. I have been able to paint several dog portraits which actually gave the owners a kick to have a small portrait of their pets. Seeing that there is an interest And an opportunity I have started a new blog called Art saves Animals (ASA) and will be posting pictures of some of the pets so far. Hope it give you pleasure as much as me!

ART Saving Animals is here:

Babs

Painted creatures

Pumpkin

Reclining Cow

Flying Chicken

We have a family member who has a flair for Folk Art, creating things in wood such as the Flying chicken, Pumpkin and Reclining Cow.
He enjoys time in workshop using his creative abilities and giving pleasure to family members.
Jo, my sister, being one of them, just returned to UK with a painted pumpkin in her suitcase, the cow is out to sea at present and hoping to land before Christmas!   

The Three of Us!!!

We will take a walk down Church Street

On the 12th September we will be at the airport to meet my sister, Josephine, she is the youngest. Her first visit was about this time last year. Since emigrating in 1969 there were a lot of years we didn't communicate to that extent. Maybe the occasional phone call or letter just to keep in touch.

Then 2009 our father was Ill and  in hospital  so I took the trip home and stayed with Jo for 7 weeks dealing with hospitals and travelling on the tube almost everyday we caught up on our lives.

We realized during my stay that we had a lot in common and were able to understand that family is very important. We decided to keep in touch more often and arranged her first trip, staying for 4 weeks in 2010 Her stay with us was a quiet one on the whole, no big trips to the city and more or less keeping pretty close to home.

We all love fresh food

John (my husband) found having two sisters together wasn't as bad as he thought it might be!
All three of us are interested mainly in good food and art. As it turned out a good combination, we all took turns in cooking the main meal and starting a family club of sorts. John, over the years, had painted a few pieces, Jo had taken a course many years before and had painted miniatures in oils and did quite well I had always been interested in painting but had not gone very far with it. We had our barn set up as a studio with the canvases, oils and easels and for some reason we enjoyed the experience getting Jo interested in our hobby.

During the few short weeks we made a pledge to work on painting and setting up a blog so that we could keep in touch and show our work off to each other. This has progressed like wild fire. John getting down to painting the Main Street of our village, Jo taking up a course with her daughter in London  and me at the rear and doing 6x6 peanut paintings with Carol Marine and many other folk on her blog. This has encouraged me to keep striving towards better work sister Jo keeping me company on the challenges when she could.

Walking by the Coffee shop

Last weekend our local coffee shop 'the Grackle Coffee Company kindly gave us permission to show our work. We feel in one year we really have done well and excited about this upcoming visit.

And Jo's daughter's dog will be waiting for her return!

No doubt with lots of good food, a few glasses of wine, painting in the barn and a few visits for coffee with the local Artisans at our local Grackle Coffee shop. Just right for at this time of year for the three of us upstarts to enjoy the fall treats and family get together.
See you soon Sis !

Life and a voice.

Reflections by Daughter Lisa

I watched a program last night, one of those sort of self help things and realized I have spent many hours over the years reading a lot of that type of material and features on Oprah interviewing many people who have done a lot for themselves improving their lives and others along the way.

I believe many of us feel deep down that little thing called "unworthiness" and that has stopped us from working through the fear and coming out the other side with benefits and reaching the very thing the Universe had planned for us, We put ourselves through agony with saying over and over "what me!" I can't do that, I can't afford that, always have an excuse not to push yourself forward that's for other people to gain success and you cheer on the sideline thinking "I wish I could do that".

Oprah used to talk about a "light bulb" moment, looking back over my life I have no doubt that has happened to me and instead of taking notice and doing something about it thought it was better to get on with what I was doing and turning that little light off. Well at my age I guess I missed the boat many times. However 12 years ago I was diagnosed Mantel Cell Lymphoma, I was told there was an experimental procedure and the Doctor asked if I would like to be amongst other patients and take the opportunity there were about 30 of us who took the plunge. It was the first time I actually heard someone shout at me saying "DO IT" I thought the voice came from someone in the room but, it was only me that heard the definite order!

I have often wondered where that voice came from but it certainly was a gift I haven't forgotten. Although actual treatment was gruelling and during hard times I would hear the voice telling me "keep it up, you're OK" I actually felt calm after and I knew somehow what ever or who ever the voice was it always seemed close by.

This week I went for my usual check up, it always is a bit traumatic, especially when you see so many people waiting for treatment, and to see the Doctor. It is sort of like a club but, no one communicates with words but we know we are all in the same boat, you hope for good news when they call your name.

My name now has been called 12 times. (12 year!) "Barbara Bradbury" in I go trying to feel cool as a cucumber after being weighed I am ushered into the cubicle waiting to see the Doctor. His assistant arrives Morning she says and plonks a very thick book of information of 12 years all about me!

She stands up and looks at me beaming with a smile saying "Barbara you are a little Miracle", the Doc walks in checking the records and then me for any problems he looks at me and say's exactly the same thing "Well now you are a miracle! See you next year."

All I want to say is if you hear a voice really urgently saying something listen and what ever you do Act on it. I have had 12 wonderful years of living on this glorious planet, yep you still have your ups and downs but, boy you really can enjoy your husband family and friends.

It might not be a Million dollars but it sure feels like it at times.

Thank you "Voice" where ever you are you have given me much and a chance to be creative, one of the things I thought, and still feel. not worthy, but by golly I try hard and enjoy my hobby, painting. Even more fun Hubby paints, my son Stuart paints, daughter Lisa is a talented photographer, my sister, her daughter and grandson all are talented artists, I am in a family club!

What more could I need?

Anyone reading this I hope it will help you listen and catch that voice! Who knows what it might do for you.

From A very Grateful human being still alive and kicking!

Chicken Feathers

Rhode Island Reds

When things were scarce, way back when, my Grandmother was the source of all things useful that had to be used and looked after.

During the war we were encouraged to use a garden as a vegetable patch from potatoes to fruit that could help with rationing.
We had a long thin garden that gave us enough room for a chicken coup that was built at the end of the garden. It was made from wood planks and chicken wire, and was a neat home for the chickens who could sit in little boxes set in the walls for producing eggs. The eggs would roll out into a trough for collecting them outside. The chicken run was about 10ft long which gave them plenty of room to have their food and grit in comfort and to be able to do what chickens do!

I can remember at Easter we would go to a store and pick out the babies, usually 12 of them, they were in a box with straw and when we got them home they would be kept warm and fed until they were ready to go into the chicken house, we always had the breed of Rhode Island Red we  liked them for the lovely brown eggs.

Christmas Dinner

We kept a cockerel, as well, he was very proud with beautiful dark blue tail feathers, the hens knew he was boss. and unbeknownst to me was our Christmas dinner!

The wash house was where most of the laundry was done with a huge mangle for the clothes and a big galvanized tub for washing on a wooden table. We kept the feed in their and all vegetable scraps were boiled up with their feed added along with oats.
I would go with Granma every morning and mix up the mash all warm with my hands, great fun, on a cold Autumn morning the steam creating a great amount of flavourful fumes drifting down the garden path which would start a whole lot of excitement for the hens waiting for their morning breakfast.
The trough was about four feet long which gave plenty of room for them to feed in peace, I would stand and watch them devour the breakfast all pecking away and very happy.
They always rewarded us with beautiful brown eggs every day, which I collected in a strawberry basket and delivered them to GrandMa to wash and be ready for a nice fresh egg for breakfast.

We now live in a rural area of Canada, but unfortunately we can't raise chickens unless you have at least ten acres of land, we buy our eggs from the Super Market, but there doesn't seem to be the taste or flavour in them. We are lucky to have such abundance but, something seems to be missing from what I can remember of how special it was to have the pleasure of a fresh brown egg boiled for three minutes with brown bread and butter.

I guess we tend to always remember the little things in life and how food was so precious and we grew up never to take things for granted, even though I didn't like cabbage!


There was always a mysterious thing that happened during the course of the year, a chicken would be sent back to the country (I was told)but on that Sunday we would have chicken for dinner! Then Chicken feathers, in a big sack appeared in Grand Ma’s room. After picking them out and stripping the feathers she would bake them and carefully put them into a pillow case and saved this was to fill a patchwork quilt she was making.
When I was older I realized Sunday dinner and chicken feathers went together, that poor hen had not gone to the Country after all!

Happy memories from difficult times.
Babs