The Gifts You Do Not Expect !

I just received and unexpected happy gift. What an amazing thing the telephone is and the sound of a voice you have not heard for ages and never expected to again until you are face to face, one day, may be.

In 1989 we moved to the North. We moved so far north that we knew there were people that we would not see again. But for any of you, who are young parents despairing, yes despairing of ever having a life again...........babies grow up. I have found that my friends babies grew too and so tonight, three friends called. One (J) ,I met 41 years ago. We went through all the stages together..........fell away during marriage, adjustments, and raising children.....and tonight we had to remind ourselves to even ask about all those people and things that took all those years.

(J) and I schooled together, shared an apartment, and I was her maid of honour. (M) took her place as roommates and stayed very good friend. And ( E) became the glue from school on that has held us all together. Yes we have had some friends die, and some leave and not look back, ever and Lord knows whatever brought us together this tightly...... but my heart leap to hear their voices, the voices of my youth and the time and laughter and whisperings flood back.

I thank them for including me in their evening. What a wonderful Christmas gift!

Janet

The Quiet of December.

This is I-am , the narrator to the FINISHED grant project. Did you hear that ? Finished !!!

I finished ! The " Gifts of the North" is finally done. Only the write up of each figure and the break down of the finances, and then I hope that I can share the work I have done for the last 3 years. The goal of 12 figures swelled to 18 vignettes containing almost 40 faces. I have never done something so large, and now I have to see how and where they will visit ( far and wide, I hope.)

The last 3 orders outstanding are a head for a doll, a dragon-fly (purple ) and a beaded gold fish. From then I hope to fill the shelves of my Etsy Store - Ready To Pretend with all the creations and toys I have been tempted by over the last 2 years for sure.

Having a studio is a great blessing. It is great to be able to be able to create and not let all the mess and clutter spill over into our home life and have time away, which is a luxury. I finally can step away to sketch, think, and mull instead of having to trash the living space.

I had an amazing experience a few weeks ago. The cedar log cottage that my Grandfather and family including my mother has always had a photo of White Otter Castle framed on the wall. Since moving to Thunder Bay, I had almost given up after 20 yrs hear of ever seeing it. My dh John and sailing friends organized an outing that found us in a little Otter Plane ( float plane) ( which means it lands on water) flying over the fall leaves of Poplar, Birch and yellow Tamarak trees and landing right in front of this font of many myths and stories. Fifteen minutes in that plane, that before we stepped in was hosed out after a moose hunt ( Sarah Palin has nothing on all the regions in Canada ).

There I stood in the clean fresh crisp air, looking up at this icon of my childhood. This whole area cleared by one man. Each tree felled by axe, squared with a broad axe and adz. Winched into place and each dovetailed end fitting together in a way that few know today. Chincked with oakum, and cement the building is now maintained by a passionate group of volunteers. The ceilings vaulted overhead, the kitchen outback ready for fresh lake fish. The walk the tower felt like looking out from a light hour over the lake 30 ft away. I could imagine the challenge and the dream.

We were told of a stand of huge white pine close by ( like the ones felled for the castle. John and I in one of our first outings in a year found ourselves melting into the forest and finding a patch of sunlight, away from the wind to munch our rustic meal. The time was not enough. We discovered the other had gone ahead and the second plane bobbed on the waves waiting for us. Before I could stop myself, I started to scour the ground for organic craft material to bring home. Mosses, branches, bark and leaves. I could not wait to work it into the last figure of The Gifts of the North.

Now a 6 ft. Balsam tree perfumes the house as the traditional scramble to get the parcels gone by tomorrow. I go to the studio tomorrow to sign the lease and pay the rent. 1$ a square ft. It is all mine.

Please on earth to all and remember, quilts, books, tea and cuddles are all we need at this time of year. After the financial of the last 2 yrs, it is amazing that people still feel they can buy Christmas.
Have peaceful winter days before the new years starts it all again.

Yours, Janet