Yes it does.
One of my smaller 'warm up' paintings, in between canvas sessions.. inspired by a quote.
I'm  currently finishing a 'Spring Bunny' on canvas, that I'll admit I  almost tossed in the trash, it just didnt seem to work I pushed past it- not tossing over 2days work that easily anymore. Faith in myself was needed.
Next.
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17 days until spring.  

Our little Nugget is getting bigger, sweet to watch playing with her mom & step dad  ;D
We don't know if Indica is the father perhaps I should book him on the Maurey show. Nugget tries to head butt her mom and you can see they are teaching her, much more gentle than with each other.  They all sleep snuggled in the tiny loft in the goat barn & their body heat really keeps it warm in there, it's also insulated.
 
They seem very content,  Indica has taken up playing with the dogs through the fence & it's comical.  We're happy we decided to put them where we did because we can see them through the kitchen window & it's amusing to see them looking back.  I must have an incredibly rare breed of goat - this goat Indica,  he turns his nose up at most things we offer him & gives a disgusted 'SNORT' just to make sure you know his displeasure.  Sativa & Nugget eat everything. They did NOT eat the cannabis plants last summer but did enjoy some dried leaves & branches,  I'll plant one for them this year to try again.  
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Cannabis &  Hemp are good for all, humans and creatures.

8 Painted turtles waiting to be painted - a busy day today!
The first is alwasay the most fun - the first is the prototype and fun! The first takes the most thought, once I decide on colours I let loose.. these turtles take a long time, nice & slow.

What ant adventure these houses have been.  God puts everyone in our path - I'm happy Tom & I have had this creative experience it's pushed me 'out of the box or out of the House'.   I'm thinking FOX next.  
Once painted I deliver them back & Tom works diligently to promote, sell & raise $.
All $ raised from the sale of the birdhouses is  donated to local charities.  I don't care who he chooses... I'ts all good - I'm happy to contribute. & make people smile with a cold bird house! I'm told they make lovely gifts.  ;)

I've quite to collection myself now - who knew.  I think I might build a 'birdhouse Arch' to put them all on: Snoopy, fish, loon, chicken, bluejay, turtle & the original 2 painted poppy houses.  I can't wait for the birds to MOVE it!  Norm clear coats them - so they should be fine outdoors.  The Snoopy house stays in the studio.   

In the spring Tom will set up a display for passing tourists ;).  I've had several ask 'If we ship?  Sorry to say No, thanks for asking,  to box up alone - they are heavy, it would add easily $20 just to ship.  Im already thinking about the next creature, as long as Tom keeps up  I guess I will as well.  It's a gift when you can use 'your gift' to help others, I'm grateful for  the opportunity. 
 
How are you feeling in your bubble?
This made Norm laugh out loud when he noticed it.  ;)
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Happy March!  Spring happens - in March! LOL
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Creation runs in the family!  ;)
Norm’s created for me a couple of gifts,  every occasion or holiday who needs bonbons my hubby made me an end table & coffee table... from trees in the backyard, family heirlooms.   He made our last coffee table - which fit nice when we had a house that was bigger, dogs need room to lay around - he made a much smaller  yet very functional coffee table. 
How cool is it to have your own furniture maker?  Very.  
I tell him what I want & he creates it - holy cow.  

We still have disagreements and some days & some are  draining, I can hear most every married couple saying the same thing- this covid is the 'test of time'. Norm has had some issues with covid  & not working - he’s worked every day  most his life & for his own mental health it's good to keep busy... it takes time to adjust.  I'm grateful it seems to all be settling down.  I guess we all have a new 'Norm -al. hee hee
 
Marriage & work relationships, friendships, family  - it's all work to some degree.
Part of the journey.  I think the new tables are perfect. 
In between wooden creations he's become quite the baker & cook  :) there have, without a doubt - been positive sides to covid lockdowns.

Have a creative day.

Basking in sunlight, Jesus stops to bless a bear.

I can't begin to express  the joy I was IN,  Inspired...  IN - spirit painting this.   I love sunlight and moonlight!  Did you see that moon Friday night?  Kowabunga! Shining through the trees.   
Spring will be here before we know it & I can hardly wait! 

It’s Sunday  - the Sabbath.. I am resting & relaxing as the bible insists - lol.  Really though - the number of times it’s mentioned about doing ‘no work on the sabbath’, including the goats..  I understand the importance in this crazy covid condition of doing nothing but resting.

It is important to our mind & body & to actually have a day to ponder, be grateful & aware for all we have is also a blessing, at times I’ve been so stressed in my own life - my last thought would be to stop and give thanks  and give myself rest…   Ah, if only we knew then what we know now.

Many right now, are scrambling, hustling.. not resting or thinking about God, Jesus or the sabbath.  I get it.   It’s a slippery slope and if we can’t take one day to rest our minds let alone our bodies… the results will be brutal. The results ARE brutal with increased mental health issues, domestic abuse, child abuse, mental stress & depressing increasing.   I wish I could say I’ve not been effected by covid but yes, even here in the forest the signs of stress are apparent on my body in particular. Tell me not to worry about Storm, family & friends…  it’s impossible not to. 

I’ve been quite ill the past 3 weeks, added stress had me literally vomiting & my TN escalating on both sides - that’s all I needed to SHUT down and REST.  A good SHOCK to the brain. Hello?  Are you paying attention? If not - I shall remind you. ZAP. 
Believe it or not - I am grateful for the new awareness, as fucking painful as it has been.

Rest, Relax, enjoy all that you do have - life.. breath in our lungs. 
It’s Sabbath Sunday - If it’s good enough for the goats & livestock - it’s good enough for me.  

For ALL those essential workers who must work today
 - THANK YOU!  God appreciates you!  Me too ;)​

This painting has a special GOLD paint  for Halos you can only see when standing in a certain light.  I love it, I forget & it catches me off guard sometmes. Always enlightening. 

I read that quote and couldn't help but think of the righteous branch - Cannabis.
Reminded for all the CHILDREN it helps to this day  (and adults) - now MORE than ever... & in our lifetime LEGAL - Miracles do come true!  Every day.  

I noticed when I moved here a common occurrence on the local radio station with constant negative  remarks towards cannabis...  one morning the "D.J" actually commented - it being pretty much a 'joke', that a cannabis worker - would be considered an essential worker. Wow ...   at a time when I know my son & all others are working record amount of hours, struggling like most other companies with all sorts of disruptions, employees health issues, concerns & more growing quality medicine… yes, to many is still is very much a MEDICINE.  
WHO is anyone to judge anyone for anything right now?  
Yet alone  what they choose to heal and help themselves with. I never heard them knocking opiates or alcohol, quite that opposite - the alcohol mentality flourishes, I had no idea the amount of alcohol songs even existed, let alone encouraged with a tune at 9 a.m. cheers, I see why it would be a constant problem for many struggling alcoholics, reminded all day long with song.    I’m pretty sure they understand the power of song.  Also ironic for any radio station, playing the music created by many of the artists who in fact used, promoted and were no doubts inspired by cannabis - to the point songs were indeed created in homage.  Slightly hypocritical - no?

I indeed contacted them and informed them of the importance of essential workers in the cannabis industry, and to please refrain from such remarks in the future.   I was made aware my opinion was not appreciated, probably not - I told them if they continued, I would report them… needless to say the remarks  seemed to have ceased.  I'm done with anyone thinking they can shame or judge anyone for their cannabis use anymore.  The fact that they STILL do only  displays a lack of education & compassion and really - is it a ‘wise’ move, at a time in Canada when Cannabis is absolutely a GROWING - thriving industry?  
More elderly than ever are using cannabis NOW to assist with chronic paint than ever - AMEN.  

Anyhow I’m grateful for the education and solved the issues easily…   
Inhale the good shit & exhale the bad shit - or simply ‘turn off & tune in’.  
Hello Alexa.  :)   Please play some lovely  music without all the judgemental bullshit.
For creating ‘art' (or anything)  the less distraction - ‘opinions of others’ when you are trying to create
 - for the creator…   the better.  
Listen to your heart. Listen to the Lord.  Listen to podcasts! lol 
I  prefer instrumental music best when painting.
Cannabis  is a gift from God.   Don’t let ANYONE shame you for being joyful’ that’s how cannabis makes countless feel… just ask those suffering with cancer.
Amen

How much wood would a wood chuck chuck…. 
I don’t know ask Norm - lol  - Look at our lovely wood cart!  Our house is a bungalow, heated with a lovely wood stove. The stuff we have learned about wood is amusing - and how much wood we need per day- our new cart lasts 2 days - unless it’a a -30  or more- then it might be 2 carts.

It took one year of thought.  It has wheels so we simply wheel it out to the porch when empty and back in when full - super light & easy to move. It holds our cooking tools - we heat most left overs on the wood stove, it also has the cleaning tools we use most - handy dandy.  The top was made from an old cedar door we had - as well as our outdoor coffee table! Reduce & reuse & recycle.  

One side holds kindling/fire starters the other  logs to last a couple of hours. 
On an average day no matter the temperature outside - I get the stove cranked!- Therefore we open the windows & bring in fresh air  - god for the mind & body.  It took a year of learning how we use our stove to create the most efficient cart - if only we had the luxury of time to 'research' all things...
Many of us do have more time, what are you creating? 

The next cart will be a bit fancier- it will have a top with a raw edge like my new coffee table & end table!  He’s so handy - what a creative team we be. Thank God.
It’s made our life easier & our home lovelier ;).   Inspired by love we will not fail.

This spring we start trails, Norm will stock more wood for the winters to come - living here, with a wood stove it needs to be a regular chore- CHOP wood & carry water. Thankful to do so - EVERY DAY!  Time to LOG off so I can LOG on’ and open the windows on this gorgeous day!

It's so beautiful out right NOW - it's easy to imagine spring..  there's still a lot of snow
all around but when the sun shines you can sit outside in a T-shirt. 
I understood something painting this '4 seasons' which took about a week:

                   I spend more time with God at my easel than I ever did in any pew.  

How about you?  

It was paiting with TLC & THC - lots.
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12 foot Spirit animal totem.
Totem Pole Inspiration.

In elementary school I loved  learning about  Indigenous people - I was obsessed with Totem poles as are many Canadians to this day!  Hand carved on a grand scale - months of work if not a life time… a lifetime of experiences during the gift of the journey - enabling these masters to carve Totem Poles from our great Canadian treasures  - PINE TREES!
We have some tall Pine on the property that tower and sway gently some days - mesmerizing me for hours. These are the trees many totems were caved from  If we have to cut one down - it’s on my to do list, lol.  Imagining Totem poles…   I’ve already sketched the next.  Totem poles are sacred,  I am grateful for Canada's Indigenous people for their contribution to our country then & NOW.   .

I researched online for Animal Spirit representation and Totem poles animal meaning, Indigenous belief, traditions and art - I think back now to how little was actually taught about indigenous people of Canada and the loss of that knowledge, was truly a loss to our entire Canadian culture.  NOW - learning how Indigenous have been treated & continue to be treated - with more than most in incarceration, living in poor communities,  struggling with addiction, racism, government neglect, police abuse & even hospital neglect - it is absolutely not a part of Canada, I am proud of. 

There’s no time like the present to learn about others, to celebrate their gifts so we can all continue the journey together wiser & stronger… as we all walk each other home.     All these Totem creatures mean something, according to charts, my spirit animal is a wolf - my next Totem will be a wolf praying while painting, I intentionally ask God to continue to show me LOVE which keeps me in Awe - creating for the creator… much like the indigenous artists before and after me.

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We highly recommend  Amend on Netflix. WOW.  Grateful for the education and sad for the realization… there are humans who judge for many things still. I must continually remind myself  people who sit around and INTENTIONALLY think nasty thoughts & acts are miserable, fearful & faithless.  
RISE Above, your faith in God & yourself  WILL  INDEED change the world for the better. 
​Leave it to God, shit will get done! lol   I think Ill paint that for my desk today. 
Norm & I were shocked at what we learned, well… I was until they got to the part about women,  it is by far one of the most inspiring & educational  shows I’ve watched, ever.