Sunday whirl...little late...but there are daemons!

Could hardly wait to get some time to work with these brilliant words. My inspiration was reading Silence, a Fable by Poe; my most favorite piece of Poe writing, and this little piece of art.jasmine, demons, window, scrap, ample, montage flawed, granite, trapped, whistle, domain, sunsetThe daemons crawl out the window and ooze down the granitite walls where the sickly jasmine growsthey whisper at the tendrils and drain into the darkThey’ve been trapped by the daylight and by their thoughts for hours waiting for the sunsetbut the night has ample timeThey look over the city and see a montage of colour and vapoursof warm blood and cold rockIn our world of scrap attention they are safe to cause mischiefWe hear them murmurfeel them chill our spinewe think we are safe in our houses with our crosses and biblesin the warm glow of electric lights and candleswe think our house is our sanctuary, our domainbut our thinking if flawedthey comethey come and whistle into our hearts and mindsMany thanks to Brenda for the wordle despite internet issues and to Margo Roby for her fantastic Friday round up of challenges.Check out what my friends did with the words. Here are Misky, Jo Ann, Jules, Richard, and SaraArt: Mixed media, (Paper, text, music sheet, acrylics, copper, gold leaf (on leaf), feathers, ink, charcoal, watercolours, stamp) on a piece of cardboard. 

If it's late June, it must be Jazz Fest.

The last few days of June mean Jazz Fest in Vancouver. Caught Daniel Hersog, (Vancouver trumpeter/composer) Trio, with Winston Minkler bass and Andrew Rasmussen keyboards, for a lovely lunch hour concert at Grandville Island.Took a lot of photos but the 1000 word one is this one! Makeshift stage?...It must be Jazz Fest. Coffee at the ready?...It must be Vancouver...shoes off while playing bass?...Absolutely!“The contrabass moves the air in the room. You feel it! If you take your shoes off playing the bass, man, you feel it in the floor. That vibration! So the sound of the contrabass is very important. That's why electric bass doesn't sound good in a swing group.”– Percy HeathYeah, I get that!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Create

Couldn’t pass this one up; weekly post at wordpress.com asks to share a picture which means create.This is SanctuaryI think possibly four people in this world have seen this. I haven’t trusted a lot of people with it because...because it’s one of those things which is too loved and not up for criticism.I'm really not capable of making meaningful and beautiful art every time I get to work in the studio. (You should see the “burn “pile) And especially now, since these past few days have been stuffed full of thoughts rooted in insecurity and general negativity.But it’s good to pour all that negativity out into a sketchbook or canvas or journal, don’t you think so? After I do, I usually find the negative feelings have lifted a bit and I can see some light at the end of the tunnel.I made Sanctuary at a time like that; when what I needed most was to create a concrete and lasting example of shelter, safety and a peaceful place where I can return again and again.But one thing I wanted to say to you is that we’re all allowed to lose our positivity for a spell. Set it free, let it go I say. Go make some art, write a little, have some tea and a chocolate-chip cookie and wait for it to return. While you wait I hope you have a Sanctuary to rest your heart and soul on.If you do, or even if you don't, I’d love to hear about it.Mixed media (handmade paper, photograph, acrylics, charcoal, ink, gold, stamp, text) on Arches paper

a straight line poem

Robert Lee Brewer offered a prompt today on his site Poetic Asides. He said to write a straight line poem.You know when something happens and sends one spiraling straight down. Don't spiraling and straight line seem like one and the same; in the way of not being able to get out of the spiral and heading straight down…you know…I know you do.Anyway, safety warning: read at your own peril; it’s pretty dark.Check out my friends De, Hannah, Jo Ann and Claudsy for much more uplifting poems :)SpiralingI hate to see the sun go downleaving the black of my wordsfilled with sadnessrepeating wordsred and heart shapedcrack briefly and fill my inner skydrown till there’s no breathnotes of a violin pull the strings of my heartsoft gray memoriesin the key of paindistance and denial drain the colour from the worldnothing remains but a brave smile

Response to Tuesday Tryouts: Summer Style

Hmmm...my friend Margo Roby says write a summer poem. Margo says write a list of all things summer and then don't mention any of the things on the list. And don't sound cliché.OK here goes:One cliché summer sunset over the Laurentiens photo...so far so good...I’m not sounding cliché, I’m looking cliché...lol.Ok... seriously...one summer-everything-on-my-list-not-mentioned poem, actually, a very surrealistic poem.Summer walkif we walk by the side of the riverwhose curling waves undermine the bankif we walk among the treeswhose curling leaves mark our faces greenif we hasten through the darknessthat is full of hands with curling fingersif we evade the whispering wavesthe writhing leavesthe clutching fingersand if the house still standsand the door is openand we enter unscatheda fire will be waitingand we shall rise like smokeblacken the raftersand dance on the roof like birdsfly awayand pierce the sky with our beaks

Look up, look down, look around the corner

Ready? Let's go!Look upLook up...that's the place.Now look down,Stop! This is the one that tells the thousand words.Look across,Look closerCloser...Our own personal Banksy? Could it be? Love it!Look across some more.Stop! A local’s cafe...steak frittes...yummiest supper.

Response to Sunday Wordle

This week I’m in Quebec City, (as many of you know because I’ve been going on about it all week), This Sunday wordle was inspired by my magnificent view of the Quebec parliament buildings. I have to thank the wonderful Margo (again) for reminding me of Brenda’s Sunday Wordle. I’m hopeless when I travel. Check out my friends: Jo Ann, Walt, Gerry and Hannah!Temper chest draft crack spare strike blend refrain trace racket string latch currentHow to blend words...aka to say a lot without saying anything at allThe pro side said:“My esteemed colleague would have you believe the draft of this proposed amendment has some current unaddressed issues. He would have us believe we should strike and there’s no time to spare. Do not give in to this racket my friends. He would have you believe that the draft has a fault, a crack. But I’m here to tell you that blessed are the cracks because they let in the light! Believe me and be blessed!”The con side said:“People of this city...my people...let us keep our temper. For my esteemed colleague addresses us all while his chest is puffed out with deceitful pride. Do not let him present his latch-key draft for we all know there is a big string attached. Refrain, my good people, from taking him at his word. We can all see the trace of lies in his words. Believe me and hear the truth.”The people said:???!!

How to blow off a tour!

Got signed in as the +1 on mom’s anesthetic convention for a walking tour of Quebec City. Meeting at the Convention Centre 15 minutes prior to departure. Met several bored Dr’s wives waiting for the tour guide, all of them wanted to go shopping! The tour guide showed up...and we set off. One block walking to the parliament buildings and the dear old fossil stood for 20 minutes explaining the government business from under his Tilly hat. What have I got myself into?I tried to be patient, really I did! What’s a girl to do?I know, let’s have a look at the fountain...hmm interesting.Look...a honey bee on the salvia, needed to follow her a little...documenting bees...very important these days.Oh, the gateway to the old city, surely the old fossil and the shopping wives would make their way here...I’m just a bit ahead...Ok, I’m bad, totally blew off the tour...but look at the pretty hanging basket.Ah, there, I needed to catch up with my postcards at the Château.Peace at last...just me and the river.Turned out to be a lovely Saturday morning after all. Hope the tour is having a nice time.

When I say PARTYAYYY!!! You say YEYAH!!!

Found a street party yesterday; two blocks, loads of beer, 3 live bands, 2 deejays and a naked girl being spray painted green...all at the same time...way into the night. Next morning, went to the local sbux, relics of the night before were still there.Here:You just had to see it. Grand Allee, Quebec City

”Bonjour Madame “

``Bonjour````Hilton Hotel Rue Rene Levesque sil-vous-plait````Qui Madame``Putting the bags into the back of the taxi and there it is on the licence plate... “Je mais souviens”Yes I do...Being back in the province of Québec is something for me. Haven’t been in Quebec for the past 10 years or so. Used to spend every July in Montreal. I know, here you were thinking I’m a bit of a Euro-city mouse. Well true, but Montreal— NDG— used to be where family was for 15 years.Oh god, I remember the drivers. Best not to look forward. That Taxi is so tailgating. What do you mean you can’t turn right on a red light? Oh, slight pause at the stop sign...I remember.