Gratitude - The Antidote to a Heavy Heart

 

this Buddha helps make a tiny corner of my yard feel peaceful

Because my heart feels a little heavy these days, a gratitude list to help lift my spirits... because there's always something to be grateful for.

• sunshine and blue skies
• D. and Cassie
• corn on the cob + butter + salt
• my books and home library nook
• my local library
• my art supplies
• Arrested Development
• L., and J., and J. and K., and A., and A., and J.... I could go on
• Mud Lake, a nature lover's haven right here in the city
• Hawk, Kingfisher and Osprey encountered at Mud Lake last Saturday
• my little Honda Civic
• having enough money set aside to put new ball joints on my little Honda Civic
• a mechanic I trust
• the sound of the rain falling outside my window
• an upcoming road trip to New Brunswick
• a clean kitchen counter
• July's trip to Prince Edward County
• my happy shoes: pink ballerina flats embroidered with fuchsia and turquoise flowers
• my backyard Buddha
• fresh strawberries in August, two bags of them in the freezer for January
• Morning Pages
• possibility
• silence
• this space
• you

With gratitude,

Steph

xo

38 Before 39 - An Update

#11 - a very giddy me in front of the Cirque du Soleil big top in Montreal

It's been four months, which means it's just about time for an update on the list non? Here goes:

1.  take voice lessons 1/2 hour a week for six weeks during May and June, breaking for the summer but will go back in the fall
2. hike a new-to-me trail
3. sit by the ocean next month!
4. take a plane somewhere
5. create an e-book
6. lose 10 pounds
7. create and give art workshops centered around intuitive art-making and creative play
8. write and submit an article (or a query) to a magazine - hopefully get it published
9. find the user manual for Matilda, my trusty point & shoot, and learn how to use her manual settings full points with a note that it's a work in practice
10. host a painting or tea party
11. see a Cirque du Soleil performance a birthday gift from D., it was amazing!
12. take a solo trip - it doesn't have to be far planned for August
13. try a new recipe
14. clean out my filing cabinet
15. paint on a big canvas again - at least 30x30, maybe even bigger 1/2 a point for this one, I painted on two 20x40 canvases and plan to do so again
16. take an art workshop, or two one textile sculpture workshop taken in June, more workshops booked later this year
17. show my artwork in a local venue
18. find a pair of stylish, dressy, warm winter boots
19. find or create an occasion to wear the party dress my sister gave me for my birthday (I feel so beautiful when I'm wearing it!)
20. find a pair of party shoes to wear with my party dress
21. do my morning pages at least five days a week, every week
22. host a few dinners, potlucks or game nights with D.
23. see live music performances, maybe a few Bluesfest concerts took in Jazzfest AND Bluesfest concerts
24. go to a movie theatre
25. visit the National Gallery of Canada (here in Ottawa, no excuse!)
26. go to NYC
27. make peach preserves
28. visit my parents and family in New Brunswick soon!
29. hike a second new-to-me trail
30. send cards and notes via snail mail - target one a month 1/2 point for this one too, I sent out a few notes before the postal strike kicked in - time to get back on track!
31. print photos from our wedding to fill our wedding photo box
32. print favourite photos from last year (trip to Gaspé, '70s housewarming party, art vernissage) and create a souvenir album I can flip through
33. throw a belated birthday party
34. go dancing 1/2 point, D. & I got our groove on at Le Piano Rouge in Montreal during a weekend getaway; but I want to dance more
35. put $5000 aside in Savings YAY!
36. do something with my series of Mandala line art created in 2005-2006
37. get my hair and makeup done professionally
38. continue posting here at least twice a week, even if it's just a photo or a quote according to my archives I seem to be averaging two posts a week, but this month's going to be tight!

Not too shabby, a few items complete with a few more coming up soon. I can live with that.

Now about losing those 10 pounds...

38 Before 39

Sis and I at my first official art show opening -

a manifested experience that graced my 38th year for which I am oh so grateful

Tomorrow I will be 38 and frankly, up until last week I've been having a bit of a rough time with it. It's pretty damn close to 40 and it's prompting me to ask myself some pretty intense questions.

Life's Big Questions aside, I thought I'd have a little fun with a birthday list of 38 things I'd like to do before I turn 39 (that's twice I type 29 instead of 39, tell me that doesn't mean something!).

Here goes:

1. take voice lessons
2. hike a new-to-me trail
3. sit by the ocean
4. take a plane somewhere
5. create an e-book
6. lose 10 pounds
7. create and give art workshops centered around intuitive art-making and creative play
8. write and submit an article (or a query) to a magazine - hopefully get it published
9. find the user manual for Matilda, my trusty point & shoot, and learn how to use her manual settings
10. host a painting or tea party
11. see a Cirque du Soleil performance
12. take a solo trip - it doesn't have to be far
13. try a new recipe
14. clean out my filing cabinet
15. paint on a big canvas again - at least 30x30, maybe even bigger
16. take an art workshop, or two
17. show my artwork in a local venue
18. find a pair of stylish, dressy, warm winter boots
19. find or create an occasion to wear the party dress my sister gave me for my birthday (I feel so beautiful when I'm wearing it!)
20. find a pair of party shoes to wear with my party dress
21. do my morning pages at least five days a week, every week
22. host a few dinners, potlucks or game nights with D.
23. see live music performances, maybe a few Bluesfest concerts
24. go to a movie theatre
25. visit the National Gallery of Canada (here in Ottawa, no excuse!)
26. go to NYC
27. make peach preserves
28. visit my parents and family in New Brunswick
29. hike a second new-to-me trail
30. send cards and notes via snail mail - target one a month
31. print photos from our wedding to fill our wedding photo box
32. print favourite photos from last year (trip to Gaspé, '70s housewarming party, art vernissage) and create a souvenir album I can flip through
33. throw a belated birthday party
34. go dancing
35. put $5000 aside in Savings
36. do something with my series of Mandala line art created in 2005-2006
37. get my hair and makeup done professionally
38. continue posting here at least twice a week, even if it's just a photo or a quote

Wow! I didn't think I'd find 38 things.

It's an aggressive list, but that's usually how I roll. I strongly believe in the power of writing things down to make them happen and if even only a few of these were set in motion today that would be a success.

I'll let you know how it goes.