Art: one year ago at an art retreat I spoke out loud of my dream to have an art show for my fortieth birthday. That weekend I started painting three canvases, one of which ended up being accepted to the Manitoba Northern and Rural Juried Art Show. I worked hard and pushed my skills and created some work that I am very proud of, even though my full dream didn’t happen, I’m satisfied and I look forward to what painting will to bring me in the up coming year.
Writing: I started writing a novel in the winter of 2017, I listen to a voice from deep within me that said, you have a story, what if you wrote it down? So I started. At first I obsessively wrote in every spare moment, quickly writing 40,000 words. Then summer hit and the reality of what happens when that first fever ends. Writing this novel has taught me how to show up whether you feel like it or not and do the work. I’ve worked and reworked the story and the longer I work on it the clearer the story becomes. I hope to finish it one day and post it here in my writing section. Until then I’ll post the occasional blog post, sermon or blessing, and maybe a recipe or two.
New reno’s: we started renovating our house the day after my 39th birthday. If we would’ve had a crystal ball we wouldn’t have. Fall 2019 was the worse harvest season my husband and father-in-law had ever experienced. The whole family entered this stressful time of reno already depleted. We finished the inside of the house in time for the first lockdown, it has been a lovely place to be.
Plain kettle cut chips (somethings need no explanation)
Cows: When I work cows, I marvel that this is my life. The fact that I am not afraid of these beasts, and that I know what to do with them, will continue to astound me until I die I think.
Gin and tonics and sour wine gums
Grandparents: We still have three grandparent alive, all in their nineties, all doing pretty good, I can only dream about seeing them in person and soon!
Independent boys: our oldest turned twelve this year, this is a magnificent milestone, it is so good to be able to leave them home occasionally.
Northanger Abby: favourite Jane Austen novel
Hiking: when we were in our first lockdown in spring we did a lot of hiking, we live 20mins away from the turtle mountains (don’t be fooled by the name). So many hiking trails to explore.
Bread: I learned how to make the prefect crusty slightly sour bread
Butter: I suspect I only like bread as a carrier for butter
Mary Oliver
Wind: Strong winds often cause me strong headaches, this year we’ve had ridiculous winds and I’ve had to make peace. When I feel wind on my face, I bless the wind for reminding me I’m alive.
Ally-ship: We are committed feminism, anti-racism and equal rights for LGBTQ+ folks. If you insist on taking the bible literally you should start with this: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40
Because I am a control freak: I’ve started ending sentences with this because it is a new truth I discovered about myself.
Expectations: When you feel hurt and angry at someone, make sure that the problem isn’t that you had unfair expectations of them.
Enneagram: there are three people in the world, those obsessed with enneagram, those unaware of enneagram and those who are so over it, if you fall into the last category jump to 8. I have been doing enneagram work for 2-3 year along side my friends and our husbands. It has been life changing for our marriage (specifically) and in the way we parent and generally interact with the world. I’m a four with such a strong three wing that I wonder if I am a three sometimes (I always land back at four)
Habit Journal: Every month I draw a chart, on one axis I had the days of the month on the other axis all the things I want to make a habit. Each time I do the habit I fill in a little box, so satisfying. I’ve tricked myself into daily flossing, daily walking and a daily art practice.
Faces: I generally paint sky’s or flowers, but I’m starting to feel the pull to paint faces
Blessing things: to bless is to say “I see you” it’s my favorite way to pray.
Folklore: Taylor Swift
Music lessons: The highlight of my day is sitting with my boys as they practice there music (2 piano, 1 violin). I’m so proud of them.
Anne with an E
Beloved friendship: find your kindred spirits and love them and their families fiercely
My Dog Pepper: for some reason she has claimed me as her person. Once she saved me from a skunk, I’m forever in her debt.
Marriage: We’ve been married for seventeen years and we fight better and love better than ever before. “I am a pacifist who yells at her husband sometimes” Tish Harrison Warren
Candles: I light candles in the dark cold months to remind us of the divine breath that resides in us and among us
Little boy giggles: is there a better sound?
Babies were born this year!!! I gained a new nephew, who I am desperate to see, but will wait until it is safe.
Babies became toddlers this year: we keep hearing “a vaccine is a 1-2 years away” and it feels disheartening because that is so long right? On Aug 23 I had a moment when I realized exactly 1 year ago my dear friend had her baby and it was his first birthday… and that wasn’t that long at all.
Padraig O Tuama
Emotions: This year I have made it a practice to name my emotions out loud, lots of frustration, lots of sadness, lots of disappointment and oh so much beauty
Paddle boarding: being on the water has been holy and healing this past summer
Soup: make a big pot and share it.
I just needed to see the Sky: We were camping in a beautiful spot with large trees all around us. In the middle of supper I got up and walked away. When I returned Ben asked where I had been? ‘I just needed to see the sky’
Enola Holmes
Teaching Art: The few classes I got to teach this year felt wonderful, I hope I can again soon
Embodiment: I’m working on it
Literally beauty everywhere: like all artists I stole this from a friend of a friend, never has a collection of words rung so true for me.
