eYeah!! It's foray season!  I've already had morels fried up twice! Nom Nom!  As you know I designed the posted for the 40th Cain Foray - & I've a few ideas still- one is to encourage kids!  I noticed from time to time there are little ones who join the forays and as expected- they get bored... so, I thought I'd make this cute little Scavenger hunt poster!  There is something the sheet for everyone to find!  They might not find the mentioned mushrooms Morel might not be in season) but it will encourage them to explore and discover! 
We printed a few and will attach them to clip boards and hand them out to little explores should they joins us.  a FREE color download - IF you want to take our little Mushroom hunter out in the backyard!  The most important point you must teach your children is:
                     Do NOT eat anything you find in the wild. 

They could become understandably confused, seeing mushrooms in the grocery store and also on the driveway. TEACH them the difference.  IT'S your job parents, not the schools - to educate your little ones on being safe in nature and also - YES!! Come join us on a foray
(you need to become a member) & introduce your children to EDIBLE mushrooms!  Show them the variety nature provides.   Teach them which are safe to eat- Teach them how to FRY them up!  My son (the Foray director) pulled out his camping stove, butter & frying pan at the last foray and a wonderful gentleman contributed his Morel find for all to share! Im making him a special thank you card.  It was magnificent mushroom moment.
Mushrooms are fascinating!!  

Are they little artists? Now is the time to break out the sketch book- I'm often  overwhelmed and ONLY pick 3 off the table at the end of the day to take home and paint.  If I am at a foray I'll be sketching and will gladly help any little artist. I met one this past weekend 'Isabelle.  Her mom showed me a terrific drawing she did of a Robin & Blue cat smiling up at him - lol & she is talented.  I gave her a little sketch of a morel & snail.  NEXT- I'm working on coloring sheets to have at the Foray as well.  
Children are OUR future. Mushrooms are the future.
Below a few photos of our last foray and a FREE color DOWNLOAD to enjoy with your little ones!  Come back soon- for a coloring sheet and more mushroom art - OF course! 


With Love
​g

I have discovered the perfect way to introduce Cannabis.... in a painting.
These are my gifts, art, paintings- created with love.  Cannabis is a Beautiful plant! 
Of course I want to paint it, hidden amongst the buds I'll hide a name, words and even special dates.  Each is painted with TLC & THC. 

I get to paint the love of the Country I grew up in.  The nature I am surrounded with  & love & can not leave Canada because of,  even thoughts of leaving here 'only' for the winter months- I'd be lost without the beauty of a snow covered morning.
​Easier to say now:  Hello Spring.

Still -  I'm a  stuck canuk & proud of.   I LOVE Trees. Tall trees with leaves.
Birch paint like no other.

Thanks to KATS gallery for the beautiful framing job! Kat's closing shop!
​ If you need anything framed - get it up there QUICK.  I'm going to miss her. 

Yesterday, a nest I had watched a robin build, fill and watched the babies born and fed daily was found with the babies all 1/2 eaten.  I started to cry and could not stop.   :(
It's more than the robins, I know.  Stuff... much of it I 'try to pretend' does not bother me.
I tried to paint but all I could accomplish was this bear below.
& a beetle, thanks to Stephen Boheme.. I challenge myself by saying - the first thing I see on PIN today I'll paint...  Stephen and his bugs. OH, and I painted a fungi that grows out of a worm and Storm really liked it.  

​Today is a new day and I have a editorial cartoon about Kids and cannabis I'm working on to keep me focused.
Life goes on. Birds fly on...  
I have Bird in my office who yesterday realized, I was blue- and flew down to my 'singing bowl'  sitting on my desk and  each time he gently made it ring..  it made me laugh.

FREE MUSHROOM download for the kids tomorrow!
Just in time for a foray this weekend! 
​
With Love
G

Fall Foray you say!?
I know- it's early but it's on my mind because I was asked if I wanted to draw the 40th Anniversary MST Poster! - by the 'Foray Director' himself - how could I refuse?  It's not until September - September 22nd (Storms birthday - another reason I couldn't refuse - hee hee) but it's going to be quite the event and they want to advertise early!  
In Muskoka - the perfect Fungi Setting - I already know it's going to be a beautiful weekend.

Storm has attended past weekend Cain Forays & shared they are incredibly enjoyable & informative, nice to be amongst fellow Fungi aficionados!  This year celebrating the 40th Cain Foray - I've no doubts it will be an event to top all others.   The MST is educating the masses on Mushrooms - they had a special event at the ROM, educational material printed and promoted, many members have young children and understand the serious RISKS posed when Children are NOT taught about finding wild edible/poisonous  mushrooms - many which LOOK similar to what they recognize in the grocery stores.  *Too MANY Adults are equally as uninformed.  If you are not positive- don't pop it in your mouth.   

The Mycological Society of Toronto holds weekly Forays in the spring & fall, this weekend was the official first! They have special themed meals, monthly meetings with informative guests, mycologists, authors, illustrators & artists, photographers, chefs,  fungi farmers and MORE!  Want to experience a NEW Hobby? One that feeds your tummy & soul?  Grab our basket, Mushroom knife - sketch book and get ready- Foray Season is here!!
Spring Foray Season that it!  Can you smell the morel?

I've been inspired to create another FREE color download - One to have fun with your little backyard mushroom hunters - stay tooned.
​
With Love
G

​Past Posters..

Please Read.
It's good for your brain & you learn something every time, your vocabulary increases and YOUR imagination takes charge! Unlike Television your OWN mind creates the visions in our brains and it is a WORK OUT. USE it or LOSE it. I'm going to encourage reading.  I'll admit- my imagination did visualize parts of this book which were... incredibly SAD.  
At the end of the world.  By Lawrence Millman

Storm picked up this book at one of the Mycological Society meetings, the Author was there- I wished I had gone! I glanced at the book on his desk read the inside jacket and thought .. hmmm - this sounds really interesting- wow & realized it is a true story- as it implies on the cover Georgia.. duh.

I could NOT put this short, informative book down- I loved everything about it - including the style! I've already said to Storm - I'm getting another of his books! If you want to read a really - simple, gripping, hard to believe story-  over  feathering religion -how interesting - why do we allow each other do what we do?  The Author writes it  at the same time 9/11 happens - it is easy to understand why even at this TIME - the Inuit people struggle with what happened with the REST of the world.
 
What Canadian youngster - does NOT remember Nonook of the North? It was mandatory for every grade school class at one point- lol - I still can hear the narrators voice in my head.. Nanook (you'll learn few things * TRUE Inuit words!) Mushrooms & MURDER..  one of the first ever 'documentaries'.   This was IMO a terrific book full of facts, trivia and relatable events NOW, one moment I'd be snickering at  relatable google frustrations, the next in shock at what I learned, in particular with our own Canadian Government. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4kOIzMqso0  :   Watch Nanook of the North on YOU TUBE

A book a month - I'll read & share!  
What are you reading? Use it or  Lose it.

With love
​G

'The weekend is approaching and I'm off on an adventure! A real life one.
It has me painting Bear looking to the horizon...  anticipating an adventure!
After a long time in the cave Bear has had a lot of time to digest',  her mind Clear & Focused in a new direction.  She is ready to step into the sunshine and WELCOME every day - something worth painting in her journal- yes, Bear paints. 

Adventures'  Meeting new creatures along the path -  A few skunks along the way no doubts.  Raccoons, birds, bugs, butterflies, bees & of course OTHER bears!  
Are you aware Polar Bears are mating with Grizzly bears?  They are. 
​
I want to try to promote love, it's not always easy...  I feel it creep up myself - time & time again, I wrestled with it today after reading a Politician demand  Justin Trudeau  more or less show respect to "Ordinary Canadians.." - Isn't EVERY Canadian a Ordinary Canadian- what is exactly is an ordinary Canadian? lol   Reminds me of  our southern nightmare.
I've wrestled this past week with Promises broken- who's fault is it?  My own. 
When will I learn. NOW.  

I'll have to figure out a way to represent bears anger,  I'll do that now.  
I'll paint or it's easy to remain feeling anger - work it out. How do you do that?
Exercise? Chop Wood? Write, bake, Drink (not advised)... you chalk it up to another
'life lesson' and try to move on - quickly. What did you learn? 
I learned my 'hourly rate',  has risen.

LOVE LOVE LOVE trumps hate & haters alike.  
LOVE always wins in the end.

This Journey  IS about education & love. Good & bad. 
​I'm sure to see a Humming Bird or two, bluejay- even a Grackle!

With Love
Georgia

'The 'True Miracles' are the love that inspires them.

Tomorrow: Welcome baby!