Backyard Art

Recent sunshine has got me outside painting and soaking in the vitamin D. The changing smell of my backyard has put rivers, forests, and burning wood on my mind.

Where did the past week go?

It probably won't be spring in North Bay

Guess what the Globe and Mail was writing about March 11 2011... Reviving the lost art of snail mail!!! This article references letter writing parties in Toronto, on the first Monday of each month at the bar Avro Queen East. The event is hosted by Pal-Sac (new favourite website) a letter writing social activity club! The founder Angel Chen may get a non-creepy admiration letter from me.

"To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything

but your heart." - Phyllis Theroux

Much-Needed Break

This week, all of the Nipissing Bachelor of Education students are enjoying a much-needed break from practice teaching and lesson planning.

My goal for March Break: Play more cards! Aside from getting outside (as the snow melts, my bike is probably itching to break free from the shed) I hope to play many card games and board games with friends and family. For me, this is the true sign of a relaxing break.

I've decorated the envelopes above with some of my own playing cards. Personalizing your own deck is a fun (and time-consuming) way to blow off some creative steam.

The Art of Manliness includes writing letters!

This blog, titled 'The Art of Manliness' has described what we are trying to so well.

"The writing and reception of letters will always offer an experience that modern technology cannot touch. Twitter is effective for broadcasting what you’re eating for lunch, and email is fantastic for quick exchanges on the most pertinent pieces of information. But when it comes to sharing one’s true thoughts, sincere sympathies, ardent love, and deepest gratitude, words traveling along an invisible superhighway will never suffice."

I agree with the entire lengthy post, and hope to keep blogging this message.

I also love how hilarious it is that a blog about manliness quotes this

1821 publication:

"in your correspondence, of using always the most chaste and beautiful language it is possible to command, consistent with ease and naturalness of expression. Especially in the long letters of friendship and love – those missives that reveal the heart-the language should show that the heart is pure. Let your letter be the record of the fancies and mood of the hour; the reflex of your aspirations, your joys, your disappointments; the faithful daguerreotype of your intellectuality and your moral worth."

My letters would not hold up to these standards, but i try...

Spring False Alarm

The +12 degree weather yesterday got me fantasizing about cherry blossoms and dogwood flowers.

Prematurely as i am NOT finished with winter, (probably for the first time in my life, thank you North Bay).

This letter is to Jenny who taught me how to make stinging nettle soup last year in Toronto.

We picked Nettle with many old women in High Park late April, it was wonderful.

Don't be afraid of stinging nettle! Pick it early in the season, while it's young before it flowers as it becomes gritty and can irritate the urinary track. After you have a bag of carefully picked leaves (wear gardening gloves!) throw it in your soup ( the nettle becomes exactly like spinach), or try this recipe!

Nettle is very high in iron, vitamins and has many medicinal properties.

Before eating you must release the histamines, best method is to place in boiling water, or directly in your soup. (You can also beat it with a rolling pin... and let it sit in the fridge)

Torontonians can find Nettle in High Park April -May!

Rachel loves dogwood flowers

Do you?

Don't quack like a duck, soar like an eagle!

In the middle of winter... this is what i'm sending to Eirelyn

By Kate

gettin' technical with language arts

In our J/I language arts class we had to make a multi- modal response to a text... we chose this children's book (applicable for all ages really).

Enjoy Kate and Diana's first attempt at imovie... we should probably stick to the media of mail..

Things we don't worry about in North Bay...

COUGAR ATTACKS.

HOWEVER, in 2008 there was a cougar sighting on the street where we live! This was big news for the North Bay Nugget. The cat was never caught on tape, but this video gives a glimpse of the excitement.

Escarpment Blues

Moose gives a shout out: Support COPE (Citizens Opposed to Paving the Escarpment) and protest the destruction of wetlands, streams, forests, and farmland from Niagara to Burlington/Hamilton area.

Perfect song to listen to while learning about the potential hwy:

Escarpment Blues, by Sarah Harmer

On a lighter note, these vintage stickers were a great Christmas gift from my brother! They're the perfect way to jazz up an envelope in a RUSH. Graham bought them at Mixed Media: the only independent art store in Hamilton, ON.

Bear Hug!

It's 25 below tonight, so I'm sending out a huge BEAR HUG to anyone who needs one!

We could all learn a thing or two from this wicked mountain climber... a frozen moustache and he's still smiling.

TURKEY TAILS FOR PEPE

While exploring the Nipissing campus trails, we found these beauties in October, out first season truly exploring the diversity of Ontario mushrooms! Next year we may try searching for edible species.

(Kate's is on the left, Diana's on the right)

Back from a serious lull

Must admit haven't written any letters in over a month!

I finally got some motivation, after writing about the importance of meaningful communication in a least 2 of my 'reflective' assignments due last week...

As Diana just mentioned the work is piled mountain high, yet somehow we are making time for crafting, letter writing and cross country skiing on this beautiful Saturday morning! As we have realized our work load will probably not decrease in the foreseeable future, (especially when we start working as conventional teachers), so might as well work now to balance our hobbies with our work... After all art and writing will probably improve the quality of our actual work anyways.

Here's whats new:

This envelope was folded in half... and painted with 'school quality' tempera as was Diana's trout (for our J/I art class).... mixing the correct tones was probably the achievement here.

My first mix CD in at least a year,

songs include

Heartbeats/two weeks - The knife VS Grizzly Bear

In the summertime -Rural Alberta Advantage

The Ghost Inside- Broken Bells

White Winter Hymnal - fleet foxes

Ice Fishing Rampage on Lake Nipissing

We're back from our teaching placements and our holidays, and we're basking in the glory of a North Bay winter! Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, skating, and ice fishing are keeping us active and stress-free as the work piles up. Lake Nipissing has transformed into a village of ice huts which was the inspiration for this envelope. I'm sending it along to an outdoorsy friend who got me out ice fishing as a young kid. My siblings and I learned a lot of lessons while we were out on the ice. Number 1: If you're going to pee in the fishing hole... balance is key.

holiday cheer...

Yup, i too have been caught by it, I find myself whistling carols, thinking about stocking stuffers and helping my mum decorate our fire place... we have decided to go tree-less this year, and it's about time! Our previous fake is now degraded and bent out of shape, from its 15 years of Christmas abuse. Something still grabs me about this holiday plagued with senseless consumerism and sugar. So in light of my relatively surprising spirit i spent half my Saturday making holiday postcards!

The bike is a lino print i made in my teacher college art class... (soo fun!) the snowflakes were cut from Tim Hortons doughnut bags i collected here and there. I made about 22 post cards, (and need about 30) soo tomorrow may include collecting some bags at Tims...

New theme song of the day

Missed The Boat

Another Day, Another Dollar...working our whole lives away.

theme song of the day...

Caribou vs. Reindeer...the age old debate.

Truly thriving in the wintertime, this animal uses it's perfectly designed hooves to dig through snow in search of delicious lichens! Unfortunately, Rudolph and friends are threatened by industrial growth pushing North...mining, snowmobiling, hunting and yuppie backcountry tourists like us!

Living in North Bay

What would courage wolf do??

First heavy snowfall of the year. Lots of motivation to stay inside and write.

The image for this woodblock print was taken from an August bonfire in Haliburton.

With wide paws and long legs, the lynx would do well in the deep snow of North Bay. There have been a few sightings at Nipissing University... here's hoping we run into one this winter!

Rainy Sunday...learning long division is avoided with tea and crafting

Foxes... social, carnivorous animals with both dog and cat-like habits, prized on their ability to hold up to 1 kilogram of flesh in their stomachs...and also an incredibly kind and genuine family from Dundas.

Hope this doesn't get lost on its way around the globe...

"the crotchety elk"

I always think of elk as being angry old men, all pissed off and uncomfortable, wonderful species, lots of loveable misery.

Did you know that Elk have been re-introduced into Ontario, and are thriving quite successfully after being extirpated in the 1800's? According to this map there should be some Elk near North Bay!!!

Lovely Luna's

To the Magnificent Dulcie and Alex! Love Kate

'Everyone loves mixed CD's' by Diana

This luna moth caterpillar was found late August in Palmer Rapids, such magnificent nocturnal creatures! One day we hope to write and illustrate a children's book about them, they live as adults for one week without eating, their only purpose is to mate.

We have yet to see an adult luna in the wild.

"I just went through metamorphosis it sucked, i broke out!"

Tried water colours for the first time in about 10 years... definitely a medium to practice more with... or just stick to acrylics and oils.

Saturday Nov 13th - the creative avoidance of homework continues..

One bleak November morning we realized... HEY, we're always creating elaborate letters, and then sending them away never to be seen by us again!

So if anything, this blog is an attempt to remember the good times we spent drawing luna moths and sand cranes.

WELL what if in the process we motivated others to focus on slow communication, that was thoughtful and imaginative?

WHAT if we could share our ideas with all of our family and friends?

We send a lot of mail, and most of our letters have been carefully constructed.

Envelope appearance seems to be as important as the letters themselves.

We have boxes and boxes full of letters received in return. Now it's time to archive, celebrate Canada Post, and this obsession!

Backside of the sandhill crane letter...