I loved my Dad

For years, we celebrated my Dad’s birthday on February 9^th. That was what was listed on his birth certificate. But Grandma Laura said he had been born on the 8^th. She lived to be over a 100 and her mind slowed but never faltered. Dad started celebrating on the 8^th in his later years. I think he was tickled that his granddaughter’s birthday was so close to his own.

A great Feb. 7th

 

HK

I was working in Lac Le Jeune helping my first husband with finishing touches on a log house he had built. I was bleaching stair railings and getting grumpy because my back was hurting. The pain was steadily getting stronger to the point that I finally mentioned it to my husband. He said, “Maybe we should start timing these pains.”  I was slow to catch on even though I was about 10 days past my due date. The pains were about five minutes apart. We headed for home and left my older baby daughter with her Auntie.  The nurses at the Royal Inland Hospital were just as wonderful as they had been for my first birth. After a long night of labor and a brief and harrowing stint with forceps, HK popped into the world like a champaigne cork.

 HKgolightly

I loved my horse

I had wanted a horse from the time I was four. The main reason I learned to draw was because my parents could not give me a horse so I drew them. When I began working, I invested in some English riding lessons. It was wonderful. In 1981, my husband bought me an appaloosa mare. She looks a bit dozy in this photo but she had a very high action trot, a smooth ride and could turn on a dime. She also dumped me on a couple of occasions when she was spooked by sage brush. But for a brief while, she was mine and I enjoyed her greatly.

Barbie

4th February, 1959 : Today was the first day of the invention of the Barbie Doll. This doll was created by Ruth Handler, who was one of the founders of the Mattel Company. Barbie was named after Ruth’s daughter.

My mother never let me have a Barbie doll. I'm not sure why. She bought a larger fashion doll and commissioned a neighbor to make a beautiful wardrobe for her. I played with it right up until my teens.

 I have a pinterest site where I have collected all the dolls I would like to have entitled "I never had a Barbie but I would want one like this".

A day late but nonetheless...

purple heart   8x10 acrylic

Whether you call it Groundhog’s Day, Candlemas or Imbolc, February 2 falls midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox and in many traditions is considered the beginning of spring. 

Imbolc: from Ol-melc (ewe's milk) because this is the time that ewe’s begin to lactate. It is also considered the time of year when the earth begins to stir. In agrian areas there are often ceremonies to bless the fields. It is the time of the return of the light and renewal of life.

I am happy, happy because it now stays light until 6 pm. Spring is coming!

Bighorns

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep   16x20 acrylic

Radium Hot Springs has a resident number of 150-200 sheep. They are seen through out town, on the highway (unfortunately) and as civic ambassadors near the tourist information building. They have a great sense of entitlement  (meaning they will not easily yield to you or your car), after all they were here before the village. They are lovely and interesting and I consider myself lucky to get to enjoy them.

Thermometer dropping!

The thermometer is dropping as we speak. It is currently -20C and headed colder. Time for a furry hat and some peach schnapps.

Check out other chapeaus at:  http://stylecrone.com/2014/02/01/hat-attack-7/