This painting was inspired from a photo taken years ago in the ravenshoe forest...
I still remember the exact moment Storm turned to show me a mushroom he found, I believe we were looking for morel, we were laughing.. dogs exploring.  The sunshine was perfect.  It was a wonderful day & lovely memory.  Painting the photo was re-living our many foray adventures, they were always such great days, meeting fellow mycology lovers, I was there for exercise, terrific company & the  beauty of the mushrooms and would never consider myself an expert.  I love my son.    :)  

If you don't know what a mushroom IS - Do NOT eat it - that's the best advice I may offer.

I do know several edibles but I still check, with a text to Storm, he suggests I look it up, either way, encouraging me to learn.   We are anticipating many forest finds with our truffle sniffing dogs!  Hahaha  I wish.    
I will teach  the girls to find morel, if you can teach dogs to find drugs - why not? 

Painting, remembering and intentionally wishing good things for Storm & everyone he is surrounded by is how I enjoy spending time. Not stress.  There is enough to stress about - if you choose.  I choose to paint.   Things I enjoy, some times it's humans.  hee hee

Do what you love & love what you do.
Storm is doing what he loves and I can see & hear it when he talks/texts about work.
He is growing all the time,  all day every day.   'We' are.
​
That background was FUN!   ...more on the way.

Rise up through the mud & dirt & bloom where you are planted.
On to the next creation of love!
with THC & TLC 

I woke on Sunday and noticed a car at the gate, I called to Norm - Go see who's at the gate this early!!  Apparently our son decided to visit (arriving late) and was sleeping in the porch!  First I can't believe how tired I was - the dogs were barking - I assumed it was the weekly nightly bisit from a racoon, bear - soemthing that set the dogs off & I ignored it & went back to sleep.  How nice to find out I was mistaken! YAY!! 

The last time Storm was up we were  digging holes to start the coop!  This time he was meeting the extended family' - lol Chickens and goats!  That was fun!  Goats have a strong sence of smell- they smell everythng I offer before nibbling and often turn their nose up - if not pleased.. I think they can smell 'Storm is family' because they instantly  took to him, let him pat them and were curious about him.  Goats are social yet skittish and althogh we can pat them, we've not been able to pick them up & you need to - to cut nails, care for them properly if hurt.. Storm made it look easy.  The chase funny,  once he had them they rested in his arms & didnt even put up a fuss, it was really amusing!
Just like the chickens when you pick them up - they just  sit there.  It went really well & I have some fun photos - I've already started the next of Storm & Sativa on a wodden panel.

We went for a family HIKE! The girls LOVED IT, us too.  It was a personal foray dream, the trails hardly disturbed & literally covered with mushrooms, you could not walk 3 feet without seeing one.  I couldn't even take photos of all the mushrooms or it would have taken forever..
The mosquitos! OH MY - nasty little bloodsuckers,they LOVE me. If I stopped they attacked.  Other than that is was a great hike, the dogs all dog tired, us too.
Rhubarb is the closest restaurant to us - we decided to have take-out & it too was fantastic! 
What a perfect way to end Sunday & visit.   Storm had to head back that night -  it was a short but  fun filled adventure.  

Storm also treated me to a lovely lunch at Boshkong brewery & restaurant in Minden & we and caught up on a few things.  Mom stuff, mostly.  I am grateful he is so busy during these times, he is too.  What a wonderful surprise visit.  Time to paint- what a beautiful day in the highlands.

​

This painting occupied about 2 weeks of my time painting & almost a year contemplating. I just needed to find the perfect tree, the perfect tree needed to find me.  There it sat in front of me as I was somewhat lost in my woods. It's easy to get lost as you are not on flat land and surrounded by trees, you can't hear what direction noise is coming from... luckily, I remembered this ap. I downloaded and there I was a little bluedot.. I walked until I saw the blue dot was moving twoards the direction of the house - forest creatures watching - were amused - I could sence them laughing at me as I stumbled past that same  'amazing' rock 3 times.  

That tree spoke to me, whispred "Stop. Look at me - what do you see?"  It looked like a person sitting there...  I hung out there for a while (the girls always with me happy to be lost in the forest) & I thought of missing women, in particular Indigenous women, missing because they were TAKEN.  Into a forest...  missing.  Gone.

In the past few years I have researched this too many times.  Read about the Red River & how  womens bodies are commonly found in it. Would there be a different response if not idgenous women  - Yes, I believe there would & that is shameFULL of Canada.  Why are we wasting fucking time & 'resources' with  "world breaking news" like Justin in 'black face' (God forbid the day we are ALL judged for all the stupid shit we did IN OUR PAST)  Or watching  documentaries on netflix by Chelsea on  'white privledge' by a white privileged woman -  no shit there is a problem - still... but do you know what is worse for black women, hispanic women, indigenous women - in Canada & the USA - ALL around the world...  ALL colors, shapes & AGE: Murder, Abuse, sex trafficking, rape, sexual harrassment to simple  (constant issues) such as less pay & job discrimination,  - just for being FEMALE.  
Why are we reading about bullshit in the news? WHY?  
WHY is this NOT the top story... when will it be? 
Why - because it would be on the news every day & it is DEPRESSING - OH well, just for a second imagine how depressing it is being the mother, father, daughter, son, sister, brother, aunt,uncle, cousin, partner, friend to a missing young girl.  Taken.   
Time to stop saying "missing" & call it what it is -  TAKEN.  Stolen. 

Do you care  if Justin was black faced - long ago, when he was young, stupid & hairy?
(Hee hee hee) -   those who judge him for it - Phhbt. 
If only some cared half as much as they do about politics as  missing women- there would be fewer misisng women.   When we know better - we do better?  Does Justin not apply to the same rules we all do?  Last time I checked he was still, just a man.
It would be comical actually, if  we were NOT wasting such resources - like news, journalism, awareness, education,  thought, policing, money & time on what really mattered.  Each other.   Women.

 I have another painting,  inspired by another tree - another missing woman - I'm sure there are as many as I have trees...   I plan on painting several to bring 'light' to the situation.  Below the tree that inspired the painting.

With TLC & THC
​Georgia

This little fishy was painted for a friend & it was super enjoyable to paint with the underwater discovery of a new mushroom jellyfish...  it's on it's way to it's new home!  Let there be light, it's light earlier and lasting later & buds on the branches appear - got me all excited for Spring!

I did have a mammogram & an ultrasound at Southlake hospital in Newmarket - It was a lovely (although uncomfortable) experience! I was treated by smiling, happy friendly & 'professional' ladies from the MOMENT I arrived,  go figure!  I was NERVOUS - something I've not been before for a simple test - that  was of course - before I was slapped (twice) and yelled at by a '30 years experienced' nasty technician from Keswick Advanced imaging.  Please do not take the chance  of being treated like I was... read the google reviews first. 
 This '30 year' bullshit the owner seems to justify  as an excuse for the technician to be automatically respected or EXCUSED for her terrible behaviour is exactly that-  perhaps she is tired after 30 years and only there to make her quota as it appears from my experience.  

I am forever grateful to the women at the hospital who have restored my faith  in  mammogram technicians after a really negative experience...  about the test - if I had to guess - I'd rather not.   I'm sure my Dr. will have the results soon -  I'm in Gods hands.
& while I wait...   I envision all the excitement of the adventure ahead & exciting it is  - I went on a road thrip this past week - what an adventure -  wait until I share!
​ 
 Forward - always.

I'm painting with 4/20 in mind this week! My cards are selling - THANK YOU!  
Be sure to follow on IG for my usually 420 give away!! 

With TLC & THC
Georgia 

10 days and it's official - Spring is here! woot woot! That winter flew bye - the than the COLD I didn't find it that difficult at all! What arrives with the spring? MUSHROOMS - Mushroom hunting season is almost upon us! With Instagram I am continually astonished at the variety of mushrooms I see from all around the world - tiny little aliens all different in shapes, color, size... some edible & some DEADLY.  It's wise to learn the difference! 
Where is the best place to learn IMO... The Mushroom Society of Toronto!  It's where Storm and I started to expand out fungi knowledge- he (of course) surpassed my mushroom knowledge in leaps & bounds and has been the foyer director the past couple years- but he's become busy now and not as involved.  

I was asked if I wanted to draw a cover for the  MST newsletter - Of course!  It was easier than I anticipated- all I had to do was sit and think of past  foray adventures - draw a few details from what I experienced and  the cover was created.  Pondering over it was almost as fun as actually being on a foray! If you want to see the full cover- you can sign up for the newsletter & get your own copy, visit the website & you can download the current newsletter!   Get your baskets ready (I have a new one I've painted) to be astonished by mushrooms!  Just imagining a tasty morel.. get the frying pan ready.  I highly recommend if you want to introduce yourself & FAMILY  (great family activity) the place to start would be the MST.  I'm not sure how much I'll get out this spring- balance issues make for difficult woods walking  but I can hardly contain my painting excitement.

Thank God, Spring is almost here- Ginger is the only beast with cabin fever in this house- she does not even realize summer is on it's way back- I am so excited about my new swimming buddy - I hope she likes the pool, once she see's Scruffy in her boat, Daisy diving...  I'm sure she'll be the first mate!  This reminds me, I've got dogs to paint!  I'm also in the mood for cards... I need to send out some home made cards and spread some TLC.

Here is an interesting read for all  interested in Cannabis in Canada and getting your medicine "covered" ABOUT time. ​https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/workers-compensation-cannabis-guidelines-nova-scotia-1.5048619?cmp=newsletter-news-digests-canada-and-world-morning

Let the countdown begin!
10.......

with TLC & THC

I finished this orange/gold glistening octopus on a foray under the ocean! 
I was watching 'Tales By light' on Netflix  it's wonderful - visually stunning & educational, the episodes on the working children leaves me speechless but the episode on coral - was mesmerizing. Watching the coral I kept thinking over and over - they look just like mushrooms! All the'coral' you see here are actually images of mushrooms I painted - only one is obvious.  It's big, bright & makes me smile.  I keep mentioning my drunken Octopus- but it's eluded my paint brushes for some reason... it will be finished soon.

Did you VOTE? I like Shaun Tanaka - Team Trudeau - our York representative... how refreshing & hopeful - she strikes me as very intelligent & optimistic. 

Netflix has a show I am really enjoying with some very strong women - it's very Canadian & I highly recommend it for new moms especially, it's filmed in and around Toronto which is also fun - I find it very intelligent, funny, realistic & the women are fantastic:  CBC -  Working Moms - the scene with the bear- lol   I can see that happening so easy here.  With this weather, warnings to stay indoors - twist my arm - it's nice to have something entertaining and fun to watch.  

Shout out to York regions finest! Boy oh boy I realized I speak my mind... the other day I was in a parking lot walking towards my trusty steed and this tall, incredibly handsome  gentleman in a bright orange vest said "Hello!" to me as I started walking in his direction - I took one look and replied "HELLO, Handsome!" & 'beelined' right for him - hee hee hee!   Holy cow was he good looking... & I think he was slightly a ginger too- that smile tho - anyway I realized he was one of York Regions finest (pun intended)  when I noted his police uniform  under the vest... & we had a quick little chat & I left by stating:  
Bye handsome, if I'm ever arrested I hope it's by you!"  To which he laughed and  we parted.
#notdead  #notblind #appreciativeofbeautymaleandfemale   We use to have a police officer who looked exactly like Richard Gere years ago (who is still handsome at 69 & going to run for congress...  - I use to like to wave & yell: Hi Richard!!  
He knew why I called him it. lol  

So many paintings so little time..  back to it.

with TLC & THC
​Georgia

I'm missing mushrooms! 
When the MST asked me if I would paint this years poster again - I jumped at the opportunity - I am missing mushrooms, other than the Enoki,  Oyster or button in the fridge- I've not found too many- well I do spy some and take photos but nothing like we use to.
​
Storm is very busy with cannabis - we have not been able to go mushroom hunting - still he bought some and grilled them up for me just this past Sunday ;)  (I love my son) & they were delicious- not to mention made the BEST ribs we have ever  eaten- the best! - I'm so proud of him - living he life and learning how to cook too! hee hee hee  Although he does not have the time. Storm was telling me the Mycological Society of Toronto & being the Foray director has been the best experience for him on countless levels

Storm will be attending the Fall Foray - he tells me it's a wonderful time- food, friends- mushrooms & surrounded by likeminded people- it's always a good time.
Sadly Storm informed me a young man who specialized in cooking (mushrooms) at last years foray has been in an accident and is in a coma .. ;(  I'm going to donate this art and a ceramic piece for the foray weekend, I understand there might be a fundraiser for the young man.    

Besides Cannabis- Musrhooms are my favourite thing to paint!
Gifts from God for our viewing pleasure.

Today I'm painting  "Moonlight harvest" ...  not long now Canada!! 
with TLC & THC
Georgia 

​*** If you are reading this and live  in the vicinity of me:
                    KEEP YOUR DOORS LOCKED, PLEASE!  

There was several break-in's all around OUR home - that they are aware of and apparently one person woke to find the THIEF in the bedroom!!!  We have dogs- they sleep all over the house - one sleeps in the living room, if anyone even steps on our driveway they bark!  I did yell at Daisy - Sat around 2:30 to stop barking. Who knows.  When the police officer came to the house he said himself - "It's good to have guard dogs" as they all Barked at him.
Please consider getting & loving a DOG - RESCUE a dog!  Get one from the shelter...
 You will have one of the best security systems ever, with love & care- you'll also have a new friend. The police came to our home to see our camera footage  - but there was nothing - Poppy although not big (except for her EARS) can hear a vehicle pull in the driveway when out back in the gazebo  & Ginger is going to be the same - I can tell.   Be safe..
IF there had been anything on our cameras - I would have gladly given it to the police in hopes they catch the SCUM.  

For a few reasons, I've decided not to print my  'magnificent mushroom', calendar  at this time - sorry to anyone who might have been interested in a copy.
I have other priorities right now more important I have to focus on.

It was a personal challenge I thoroughly enjoyed & I would encourage any artist to do the same.   I am very pleased with the results. 

I have something  to look forward to...
I  already have a lovely calendar for 2019 - Perhaps it will be great year.
Have a look below.. I might re-share it the 'first of every month in 2019.

All the mushrooms you see painted are real mushrooms, Magnificent in shape, size & colors!  Each mushroom I've actually seen as well alive in the woods during one foray or another - one of my favourites is 'Bleeding Tooth- February' - if you see it  'alive' you will be fascinated!   It was quite the education studying each one and learning about them..  October is also a prelude under a night sky - I'm going to make a 'Edible Mushroom'  calendar and for 202o  & finish with a 'Medicinal Mushroom' Calendar for 2021  because by then - Mushrooms will be available medicinally, I believe California will be the first, then Canada.   

With TLC & THC
Georgia

I read this interesting article on Rosanne Barr.. worth sharing.  
I somewhat agree with the article.  
​

This is my first mushroom art card - and possibly my only  mushroom card - I was asked for this to be made into print several times so here it is... only better because it's a CARD!
      NOW - You can send some snail mail and make someones day! Trust me - I know.
There are countless mushroom fans out there and many knowledgable ones at that- all those who remain breathing for one... thank Goodness!  Because 'one thing we all tend to agree on:   IF you are NOT positive.. do not eat it.  

These cards I purposely left blank- they can be used for ANY & every occasion:

                          -Having a dinner party? A mushroom meal? Here is the mush have invite!
               -Perfect for your foray hunting friends searching the forrest for munchies or
​                       arrange a foray yourself - use these to invite your guests!
                                          -Or thank them for letting you tag along.
                        -A birthday card for a Foray Director- perhaps (hee hee hee)
          -  I'm sending one as a 'thank you' card for some dried mushrooms I was given!
​Pop it in a frame from the dollar store (seen below)  and for ONLY $6. (cost of card & frame & tax) you have a great little piece of art for your kitchen or a lovely little gift for a friend.

​It's a cute quirky reminder for all mushroom/fungi fanatics  -as well as helpful to educate those not aware Mushrooms can easily KILL.  

          Want to see what to do after you get it? Frame it!! Hang it in your kitchen!
It can be framed & would look adorable in any kitchen.  Designed  standard size for any frame from the dollar store.  Each card size is 5 x 7 and comes with a white envelope.
*NOW - IF I have time & you are ordering a card for yourself - from me.. (let me know) I'll probably paint on the envelope too- cause I  can't resist!!  lol

​Do you sell mushroom ware at a fare, anywhere...? Would you care to buy bulk give these mushroom cards a try?  Send me a message for  pricing. 

I shared my cards on Instagram & Facebook- and will give 3 away on each- you simply have to comment  & I'll choose later. Thanks to all showing interest.

You can purchase my cards here  along with a few other items including some originals I sell from time to time. :  Georgia Toons Gifts​

New items will be added as they are created! Be sure to check the Georgia Toons Gifts
page to  be the first to know what's available NOW.

*Next- why cannabis pot business shops near schools is FEAR mongering- and I'll prove it - are you in Keswick? Wait till you see this little discovery... AFTER I address it with letter to our editor of the local paper. With PHOTO proof.  Education is the KEY.

With TLC & THC
Georgia 

.We are all connected one way or another.
We are all different.
We are all colorful.
We are all interesting.
We are all beautiful.
We are all unique.
We are all one.

Mushroom are incredible and it's Foray season! 
​Soon it will be morel season- heat the skillet- better than beef .

This painting turned out better than I imagined.
​Years ago I drew the same idea.. on white - in a more cartoonish style'
The night sky really stands out.. I debated a blue sky  but it's seemed slightly boring compared to al the colors of the mushroom 
 
Momentarily it hangs above my desk.. I'm debating on if it should become a postcard.
 
with TLC & THC 
Georgia