Is there any better way to spend a day then to stare at a deer (preferably living), bear or cute squirrel, nature at it's finest! Give thanks to the many talented photographers who  share magnificent images of snails with raindrops. No words.
To study & stare into the eyes  of the animals is heart melting  for moi.
Relaxing & meditating.  Nature never goes out of style. 

Nature never goes out of stye - it becomes prohibited.

It becomes prohibited and we got to jail.. over plants. This is the biggest crime.
I'd get it if we were using it to harm others.  Cannabis helps. It has never killed.
I do get the NEED to prohibit some medications like fentanyl, read about opioid death increase in Canada - it is shocking, it was for me.
​Reading and understanding the facts and then knowing cannabis has never caused a death infuriates me. I need nature. 
Friends in jail, children suffering, children dying, police raiding.  BULLSHIT.
In Canada & the USA, anywhere in the world... You can not hide the the sun, moon or truth.
When 'Health Boards' are focusing on music videos - don't get me wrong- I don't agree- lets not get down and boogie with plants' unless out in the wild- it would be hard for me to resist.  :)     Address it and MOVE on, now - it's just a distraction.
What can possibly compare these days to some of the statements out of Donalds mouth?  Asking Canadians repeatedly, to discard our MEDICINE in Canada as though it were cat feces. It's degrading we continually are faced with  these distractions when all we want to do is medicate ourselves with plants and MOVE on.

On a positive note, Linda was over my twitch was 'very busy', I had 4 bongs hits in a row just to sit and have a somewhat relaxed conversation - it's been a busy week. She commented the improvement.  Time to make some edibles.  
I need some nature, rest.. sleep  lol
I'm happy to admit it & I'm bringing Poppy cause I like  good back rub.
hee hee hee.  Sketchbook and I'm set. 

Nature never goes out of style...  it becomes prohibited or we kill it. 

Have faith
<>< xox
​

When away, I slept.
I did not paint... which is blowing my mind.  3 little sketches, the one I did finish- I learned what 'rain does to Gouache' my meditation frog (below) was washed away..  so was I.
Up with he birds- and the birds were AMAZING!  I was in bird utopia! 
Arrrrgh! I forgot to bring some peanuts. 
From bed to the dock was my first stop each morning as the girls - Daisy & Poppy would need to pee. *thanks to Storm for leaving his dog with me. & I would sit and sip my tea.
I'd wander between the cottage and dock, in at 11 to nap...  deck, dock, bed nap.. lol!
Really.  I needed it bad. Holy cow.
I was instantly overtaken with the  peace and exhaustion- physically & mentally, took hold and said SLEEP. Thankfully, where ever I went, Daisy lay 3 feet away, ever watching me & Poppy. I LOVE my dogs. I love all dogs.  I was so relaxed I slept with all the windows and doors open on the hottest few days and  absorbed the quiet. Satellite Tv- I turned on and thought REALLY!?  REALLY Georgia!? It was in time for the line from Ghost Busters (* which I will watch @ my desk painting) "Do you have any Hobbies?"  - "I collect moulds, fungus and spores."  It cracked me up, lol - that is Storm.  He is anxious for  the fall foray season. ;)  I could NOT stay awake the first couple of days and hardly ate.  
My body was screaming and my mind called the shots. SLEEP
I even started to feel guilty- you're not painting...   oh well, sit back & breath.
I thought about a few people in specific on my mind lately all the time. 
I didn't shed a teaar- also hard for even me to believe - lol, I sat and chilled with Poppy & Daisy. We wandered, I caught a big frog and a tiny one, thew rocks and napped.

Now, I'm home for a bit & paint fumes drift up stairs,  the kitchen, it'c coming. 
Norm goes non-stop.  Bird is happy I am home. 
I tell you what... I feel stronger mentally  & physically :
God has me on the path, I just have to keep walking.
I know what needs to be done, there is no confusion in my mind.
I know what I want & I will have it.  
Focus on what I am here to do.  Draw.

I am drawing - it was an overwhelming desire yesterday - to draw about police abuse in America. Why?  SPEAK UP!! FOR EACH OTHER! We are ONE it should not be tolerated.
It's getting out of control, no wonder people are shooting cops- who does not think that?
Bring attention to it. Yes, there are great police officer out there but the evidence does not lie- thank God for cameras.  More on it tomorrow.
Understand also- I have a few Americans I'm really fond of - hee hee, seriously, I think about them and it's heart breaking. I want to have a few acres and tell them come on up, put up a tent and hang out.  This toon is born of love from my friends and I feel it does speak the truth.

Trump or Hillary?    .. .Hillary. 

A Thank YOU Universe & to my good friend Jim, I love that Guy  & everyone knows it.  
I was telling Storm what a wonderful friend he's been all these years, so many laughs. 
For assisting in providing me with peace & always showing me love.
You know, as I do with  everyone close to me at one time sooner or later it seems...
I put him to the test a few times & he has never left me.  XOX  Thank God.

xox Have Faith  <><

I drew this same idea a few years back, it wanted to be drawn again. 
Imagine me sitting at my desk - and drawing this, to draw such happy faces - it helps if you feel happy! Boat & bylaws aside, lol - I have much to be happy for! 

I'll share today- something I do love about Keswick and have for over 19 years is Quick Pizza. We go way back! 
When I use to have my studio, teaching kids art, cartooning & crafts I also had parties - It was crazy - some Saturdays I had 3 parties! Kids loved it here. I still miss it. 
BUT Quick Pizza provided the food.  Over the years.. stuff. One time I craved it but had no money, I phoned, Hamid (the owner) answered, I told him the truth and a pizza was delivered and paid for at a later date. I did this a few times over the years. it was on our account to just send the pizza.  It is what it is. He and I were o.k. with it.  
They have also offered Toonie Tuesday for as long as I can remember, think what you will, for years every Tuesday we have had Quick Pizza - $2. for a slice (and use to be drink) of fantastic pizza - you bet! That is $6.00 for diner for 3! Woot Woot! 
Canada is not the USA - this is a deal! lol I have several friends who have all admitted this.

They say you never miss anything until it is gone...  tis true, even with pizza.
Norm went to get diner a couple of weeks ago and they were CLOSED! What??  OMGoodness!  Norm spoke with Hamid and learned renovations were underway!  We had about 2 weeks to wait! Last Night - we had Quick again!  Amen & thank you!  Not just for, seriously the best pizza around - it is what company from the city now looks forward to & asks for! lol  Lucky for me!  It's much more than that.
Hamid and I are friends. I can say that. I like him, he and I have spoke over the years, usually as I waited for my pizza to cook. He shared much with me, as I with him. What many people don't know is he came here with nothing and could not even speak english but he WORKED and never stopped.  He forced himself to learn English anyway he could and he even paid a young kid (more than minimum wage) to correct him and help him with his English and his store as he started Quick.  The rest is history.  He never stopped working, I can tell you 9 out of 10 times he is there! Still.  He is a family man, some stories over the years we shared of our teen frustration - lol  We both have come out the other side with amazing Children, in our opinion.

He also reminded me to put racism aside when it was high, because we are friends. We should have a friend of every race, color and religion - we would try harder to get along.  In a perfect world.  He has the same struggles we all have & MORE and has persevered!  
We all sing a different song, pray to different Gods, 'Like' different comments - lol  
Let it Be. 
Work and be nice! Thats about it.  We have talked about everything and we agree it's simple... Be nice first. 
Are you going to judge people you don't know?  Go for it, your loss.  Or take the time to get to know someone, you might end up with a friend and great food. lol 

Recently, I ordered a pizza with company from the city here... the conversation was kinda filled with the usually: Hello handsome! You bet my dear! Alright I can't wait! 
A few seconds after hanging up, the phone rang.  My cousin could hear the person on the other end.. "Hello my love- you forgot mushrooms!"  lol! 
I replied:  "no darling, I have company and they do not like mushrooms!"
My cousin couldn't get over the relationship I have with 'my pizza guy', who delivers personally, our delicious pizza.   
Hahaha! The  names are just something we developed over the years. 
What I really call him is friend. Who happens to make the best pizza around! 
We had Quick for diner last night! YIPPIE!! Let me tell you - It got better! 
Can you believe it? Norm and I must have said 3 times - 'wow, this s good'.   I look forward to many more meals! Toonie  Tuesday or not - the price was bound to go up sooner or later - it is a once a week staple in our home.  
So, I am thankful for Hamid & family, for friendship and food!
I look forward to the next 20!! Nom Nom Nom! 
I should take photo of the pizza - but I never remember because we can't wait to dig in! 

Have Faith! 
xox 
<>< 

Oh, Canada!!
Canada has changed a lot in the past 10 years, but never so shockingly as it did in December, 2012. That month Canada went from 2.5 million protected lakes and rivers to 159 protected lakes and rivers. 

You need to ask, why?  This is a quote from the Huff Post, it’s a pretty good assessment.

"It means the removal of almost every lake and river we know from the Navigable Waters Protection Act. From one day to the next we went from 2.5 million protected lakes and rivers in Canada to 159 lakes and rivers protected. You name the river, you name the lake and it is no longer protected by this act, and this has nothing to do with the budget that the government rammed through, it has everything to do with pipelines, because you are able to now are able to ruin navigation and not trigger an environmental assessment."

One little tidbit they didn’t mention is the most of the protected lakes and river are in Conservative ridings. Places that have millionaires cottages perched on the shores. The rest of us can just suck it up.

I’m angry; my children will likely lose the opportunity to swim in clear clean water (unless they marry money) and the risk to the environment, just when the rest of the world is starting to clean their countries up, will have reached epic proportion in Canada. My grand children will be at risk, their health, safety, lifestyle and living environment will be negatively impacted to benefit a handful of international mining companies and their rich shareholders (who live with THEIR children beside the protected lakes.)

This just boggles my mind.. since when is one group of people more important than another? Since when has Canada been willing to sellout its citizens? There is no net benefit, no silver lining, no payoff , unless of course you’ve invested in mining companies.

We need to ask our Conservative government a few questions. First- who are you working for? Second- Why are you so willing to risk your children’s future when you have a choice not to? Third, do you know what your grandchildren will think and say about you?

We need to get angry, folks, we need to start showing an interest in what our governments, at all levels, do in our names.

CETA, the European free trade deal is set to be ratified in September. Once that’s through we can expect even more attacks on what laws we have in place provincially to protect our wild and not so wild areas. This trade deals allow corporations to sue countries who have environmental laws that might hurt their “future” profits.. nice for them, eh? We’re rapidly losing control of our laws to greedy corporations and this Conservative government is smoothing the way.

Go find a nice lake or river bank this weekend, swim.. wash your hair, take a tire tube and show the kids how to paddle around the shore looking for minnows and turtles. You better take pictures though, as this is likely the last generation who will be able to enjoy it.


*Thank You Ellen Durkee!  Terrific Guest Blog. 
I get by with a little help from my friends!  <><
Read this.. more on the topic! 
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/lakes-across-canada-face-being-turned-into-mine-dump-sites-1.733972
You won't believe <>< ;( 


To see the Stephfin carper  in the flesh (yours), join me tomorrow at the Painted Perch Challenge!  I think it's going to be a lot of fun, Norm myself & Poppy! Adopting out - Zen Kitties and enjoying the day! My other artist friend Ellen Downe is also going! 
The kitties are $20 each with $5. for each purchase going to the Georgina Food pantry. 
* I figure that would cover mailing and they sell on line for $20 ;)  


I am just looking forward to the DAY!! In the park! Music! Crafts! Friends! Fun!
Come say hello, and if YOU want a free post card, just ask ;) 
xox <><