Spring Beauty in Art and Music

It has been a quiet afternoon here with glorious sunshine streaming through the windows as I have had the pleasure of catching up on my reading as well as having the luxury of a much-needed nap.
I thoroughly enjoyed both books that I recommended to you yesterday, feeling like I had truly travelled to both India as well as Italy.
Secret Daughter has also given me a better picture of India where my daughter is presently.
I really miss her but am so thankful that she is in good hands (thank-you N) and that we will reunite next month.
In the meantime, I am gearing up for a major Spring cleaning project which I will share about tomorrow. That also means that I will be winding down here at Seasonal Hearth, which I will also share about soon. I really should be completing my course as well as the online exam but am a royal procrastinator. Can anyone relate? Instead I am distracted by the beauty of art and music, which I am now passing along to you....
My middle daughter introduced this group to me this afternoon. I just had to share the beauty and gift of their music with you.


Art by Artist: Angela Staehling

Aston is group of young musicians from Sydney, Australia who wanted to challenge the traditional sound of both classical and pop music. Daniel (percussion), Hanna (cello), Eliza (violin), Michael (violin), Will (guitar) and Ella (piano) bonded over their passion for not wanting to follow the traditional classical path at the Conservatorium of Music...
Enjoy the beauty of their music......don't forget to pause the playlist at the bottom of the screen...

Hope is the thing with feathers...

Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
~Emily Dickinson



A favourite nature artist of mine is dutch artist, Marjolein Bastin, who shares this:

"When you open your eyes and your heart for nature's beauty around you, there is so much joy and love. I see each day as a gift with a possibility to discover something new. Discoveries I want to share with you through my paintings."

"Parents can hardly know or guess what's happening then, or what can happen, when they put their children in the garden or in the grass or in the park," says Dutch artist Marjolein Bastin.

Marjolein's earliest memory is when, as just a toddler, she would lie in the grass outside her family's home near Utrecht, The Netherlands, breathing in the sights, sounds, and smells of the natural world around her. Little did her mother know that when she lifted little Marjolein from her baby carriage and placed her into the hands of nature, she was placing nature into the hands of Marjolein.

As a little girl, Marjolein collected and treasured simple items from nature – pine cones, seeds, and flowers. As soon as she was able to hold a pencil and paintbrush, she began to lovingly capture the beauty of nature in her sketches and paintings.

"It was my way of holding forever the impression I loved so much in nature," she says."
You can read her story and see her paintings here For more of her beautiful artwork you can visit this art gallery here


It is a glorious morning here with an early morning sunrise set in a pinkish sky; tree branches adorned with hoar frost. I am baking for my family as well as putting together a gift basket for another family that I hope to deliver later this morning. It will be a grocery shopping day today as I didn't get far in my errands on Wednesday due to the snow storm which caused driving to be treacherous.
Many of my dear friends have been commenting on this snowy weather, feeling like we will never see indications of Spring as it has been so cold here. I empathize with you and wanted to dedicate this blog post to all of you. I am so confident of the fact that Spring weather is just around the corner as the sun is shining warmer in the sky, the birds continue to sing cheerfully, the days are getting longer, and I have spotted green shoots coming up out of the dormant earth.
A dear friend of mine shared her thoughts in a recent comment left here. I just loved this and wanted to share her perspective with all of you:

"It is almost effortless to cherish the fresh hope and new life of spring - the ample warmth and lavish fragrance of summer - the vivid colours and clear air of autumn - but what about winter? It is a cold and tempermental season, to be sure, but while all around us is covered in the slumber of snow, we are allowed a time of quiet reflection and rest. Winter makes room for dreams to be explored and spirits renewed. A time to feel sad and amazed... lonely and grateful. Strangely enough, winter is necessary... for it is the very thing that sets the stage for our souls to be uplifted the other three seasons through."

Take heart and hope, my friends, your patience will be rewarded with glorious Spring in all her splendour! We'll have to celebrate with a Spring Tea Party:)

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"
~Robin Williams

As I was cleaning on Wednesday, I was drawn to the windows many times to watch the sparrows and the chickadees, as well as the chubby robins as they moved from branch to branch in the trees, carrying on as if they had no cares in this world.
I was reminded of this scripture verse:

Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:26

And in my heart I was singing this song
as a reminder that God is faithful
and He will bring it to pass...

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Gallop into the Wild West....

...at your nearest library.
We are having a western theme this week at our library during March Break, while the children have the week off from school. There have been many programmes planned in the Wellington County including at our local Branch, with much enthusiasm from the Programmers as well as the children.
Although I am a country girl at heart and love this rural area, love country music, love horses, and love pioneer stories, I've discovered that I don't own a single western clothing item and had to borrow from friends...
Denim clothing and a bandana go a long way, but wouldn't cowboy boots with stirrups and a cool cowboy hat be fun?
I wanted to share this art with you:
Counting my Blessings
by Jack Sorenson
If you love horses, you will love his work which you can view here
You can also find some great activities for children with a western theme here.
I thought that I would share a few photos of the great display that one of our programmers, S, put together with some help. I just love her creative approach!

Beautiful Western Saddle

Howdy Partner!

I am off now to get ready for my shift at another library, but wanted to drop by to say:
*Howdy Partner*, as I wish you all a lovely day wherever you may be, and as we continue to pray for all those affected by this recent disaster in Japan...cherish one another and celebrate the gift of each new day that you are given.

Building Memories by Jack Sorenson

Raised on Country Sunshine

Yesterday morning before I left for work training, I wanted to celebrate our glorious sunshine with all of you so I created a Sunshine Playlist to go along with my post. You can pause it, turn your speakers off or just crank it up which is what I did this morning while baking cookies for my family.
The sun continues to shine today and the music is making me feel nostalgic, although I was very young when many of these songs became a hit (wink, wink)
Enjoy a 'new to me' british artist, a wee bit of spring, some nostalgia along with country sunshine...


"Mary Dipnall says that she would rather be sitting in a meadow full of wild flowers, sketching with the sun on her back than anywhere else. Born in Portsmouth in 1936, her childhood and subsequent painting style was much influenced by family picnics and holidays in England's beautiful West Country. Perhaps it is Mary Dipnall's lack of formal art training or her pastoral lifestyle which infuses her work with such colourful freedom and warmth. Whatever it is that makes her work inspired, it strikes a chord with all those who love and value the English countryside."

Art by Mary Dipnall

You say you love me and it's invitin'
To go where life is more excitin'
But I was raised on country sunshine
I was raised on country sunshine
green grass beneath my feet
Runnin' through fields of daisies
a wadin' through the creek
You love me and it's invitin'
to go where life is more excitin'
But I was raised on country sunshine
I was raised on country sunshine
I'm happy with the simple things
A Saturday night dance, a picture show and the joy that the bluebird brings
I love you please believe me
I wouldn't want you to ever leave me
But I was raised on country sunshine
There's just something bout the mornin' makes each day a joy to see
Nighttime brings a peaceful feelin' rest inside of me
I love you please believe me
I wouldn't want you to ever leave me
But I was raised on country sunshine
Yes, you love me and it's invitin'
to go where life is more excitin'
But I was raised on country sunshine
Uh huh I was raised on country sunshine
oh oh I was raised on country sunshine

(pause playlist below to listen)

Sending sunshine your way....

Sunshine
by
Lady Alma-Tadema

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity.
These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway,
the good they do is inconceivable.
Joseph Addison

Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.
Walt Whitman

Kindness is the sunshine in which virtue grows.
Robert Green Ingersoll

Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
James M. Barrie

This morning the sun is making her glorious appearance in a clear blue sky....it looks so lovely after many cold and blustery days.
It has been a busy past few weeks, and although I would love to stay home today,
I have to spend the day away for work-related training. I will enjoy the sunshine as we travel.
On another note, two of my children have returned home safely from India this past week.
We have so enjoyed their many stories and continue to take in all the sights and sounds of India with them as we do some arm chair travel.
My old friend (the computer) is also back and is working well for me....the benefits of modern technology!
Where ever you may live in this grand world of ours, may the Giver of sunshine shine His love on you today and every day!
May you have a sunshine-y day my friends!

Added:
Tina over at The Quiet Home is generously giving away her newest knitted creation, a doll named Laura, who is simply adorable and would make an awesome gift for some little girl.
Go on over and pay Tina a visit as you enter your name in the draw for Lovely Laura:

Beauty in Blogdom

Bedtime Story by Jim Daly

My computer has been in the repair shop this past week, so I am unable to share some recent photos with you. I have borrowed my daughter's laptop while she is away but am not comfortable using it. I did want to drop by though and say "Hello" to reassure you that I am fine...just missing my three children who are still in India.
This past week we received a beautiful email from them which reminded me of this verse:
'Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land'
~Proverbs 25:25
It sure did a Mama's heart good!

In the meantime, I wanted to share some lovely blogs for your enjoyment.
I know I have shared Mia's blog before, but some of you may be new visitors, so this is for you:
Mia's Country Living in Norway


Stephanie is from the United Kingdom and blogs over at Curlew Country
I asked her if I could share this lovely photo of her tea cosy with you.
I am hoping to knit one for my daughter when the pace of my life slows down enough to shop for the right yarn. I started one but it just wasn't suitable yarn for what I wanted the outcome to look like. Isn't this just such a cosy scene?


And a new-to-me blog from Elly who lives in a small village in in Noord Holland, The Netherlands.
Elly's blog is full of creative and domestic goodness! Enjoy!


For a taste of Spring and Summer, be sure to stop by at Carolyn's gorgeous blog, with lovely scenes of her garden and home, including the most beautiful High Tea table setting.
She sure has me dreaming...

A Gardener's Pride by Paul Landry

Mother Culture Morning

This term or concept was first introduced to me on my journey of homeschooling our four children.
Karen Andreola revived Mother Culture, 'an obscure term from the past, and has coined the phrase for today’s busy hardworking homeschooling mom. This is her favorite message to give, as the joys and advantages of Mother Culture overflow into the family circle.
To partake in Mother Culture is to feed herself with the Word of God, with ideas from books, nature, art, music, etc., thus taking care to keep growing spiritually and mentally. If there such is a thing as the joy of childhood, there is also such a thing as the joy of motherhood, and Karen admonishes mothers to recognize and live within such a blessing.
For a mother to allow herself a bit of leisure to rest and refresh herself by exploring her own interests, to find a little time for herself, especially when so many others depend on her, is a what Karen calls, Mother Culture' ®.

* Added:
I had no idea that the author I mentioned above, Karen Andreola has a blog. She left me such a lovely comment on this post which led me to discover that she has created a delightful blog, combining all of my favourites. Have a peek...I think you will love it!
I have on my shelf a number of her books found in the sidebar of her blog which I have often referred to. Her blog can be found here.
Thank you again Karen for your inspiration to my family as well as countless others over the years.

I am so thankful that over the years I have made it a priority to enjoy the beauty of the arts, and as a result, my children are keen, avid readers, with a love of the arts and music. They often share their photography, quotes, music, art, books and movies with me that inspire them...
It thrills and blesses me.
This morning I am setting some time aside to indulge in Mother Culture as it is my first day at home this week, and the weather outside is more than a bit nippy.(-21'c)
I am enjoying my morning coffee, reading some of my library books, studying the work of local artist, Barry McCarthy which is absolutely gorgeous, and listening to music by Italian contemporary music composer and pianist, Ludovico Einaudi, that my oldest daughter in India emailed to me recently.

Wishing you all pleasant moments and gentle joys in your days...

"I believe the nicest and sweetest days
are not those on which anything very splendid
or wonderful or exciting happens,
but just those that bring simple little pleasures,
following one another softly,
like pearls slipping off a string."
~L. M. Montgomery

Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch,
but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.
~Helen Keller

Hockey Night in Canada

It all started with a recent shopping trip I had with my daughter. We walked into a shop at the Mall because I was on the hunt for a jigsaw puzzle with a winter scene as I find it relaxing to puzzle during the long winter evenings. Although I didn't find the puzzle I was looking for, I did spot this game and fell in love with the scene on the cover of the box. I just had to know who the artist was, but no matter which way I turned the box, there was no signature or reference made to the artist. My daughter suggested that I do a google search when I came home. Google did not fail me. I love the artist's work! His winter scenes are nostalgic and bring back many memories of time past spent in the rink and on the pond.
I grew up on a farm, in a large family where there were enough of us to make a hockey team. I can remember in the winter going to the neighbour's apple orchard to play hockey on their cleared pond. All the neighbouring kids gathered together as we played many hockey games during the winter season.
We continued to play hockey long after moving out of the house as it was a tradition at family gatherings in the winter, we and our children would take along hockey sticks for a game or two. My daughter played for several years on a hockey team, so I became the proverbial hockey mom. I admit that I wasn't the best at it because I spent too much time talking to all the other moms, often missing some good plays as a result.
I am dedicating this post to memories of the past, to all the hockey fans out there, and mostly to my family, including my nephews Z&J who own this game and who play hard for their hockey teams.
I am sitting on the sidelines and cheering you boys on!
Pond Hockey-opoly is a game that brings back the memories of frozen feet, runny noses, fresh air and the way hockey was meant to be played! It has all the action of a traditional property trading game... along with some nifty stick-handling fun!
Ice hockey is considered Canada’s quintessential national sport and pastime by people all around the world. It is part of our identity as well as our heritage.
Stephan Harper, the current Prime Minister and huge hockey fan said this about the connection between Canada and hockey: "It's sometimes forgotten because Canadians are thought of as peace-loving and fair-minded and pleasant. Which we are. But that's not inconsistent with tough and aggressive and ambitious."
Those are his words, not mine as I don't endorse the aggression on ice.
I prefer to remember the street hockey and the pond hockey, but things have changed...
I did want to share my art discoveries with you, including a local artist who has lived in my area, and was known for his depiction of sports. In the winter on a typical Saturday Evening hockey is viewed in many homes throughout Canada as friends and family gather around to spend the evening cheering for their favourite team.

Hockey Night in Canada by Ken Danby

The following are done by D. R. Laird,
'Douglas was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1946. He became interested in art very early in life.His subjects include; landscape, nostalgia, still life, children and everyday activities. Douglas emigrated to Canada in 1965 and currently resides in Ontario.'
You can read more about him here.

'We are Canadian which means we are hockey people. The partners who make up Game On are, or have been, players, coaches, officials, and hockey parents in the Greater Toronto Area.'
You can view more of their wonderful artwork here

The Spectator by Mary G. Smith

'Did you ever play pond hockey in the snow? Did you and your friends spend hours on the outdoor pad, emulating your heroes on the ice, all weekend long? This poster brings you back to those long-gone but never-forgotten days of youth. From the loving hand of noted Canadian winter-scene artist Mary G. Smith comes "The Spectator", featuring a family dog watching the boys play outdoor hockey on a snowy afternoon, braving the elements to get in another few minutes of play before dinner.'
You can view more of her work here

The last two are done by Ken Danby

Hockey captures the essence of Canadian experience in the New World.
In a land so inescapably and inhospitably cold, hockey is the chance of life,
and an affirmation that despite the deathly chill of winter we are alive.
~Stephen Leacock

Grandma's Apron

Tina at The Quiet Home shared a post this morning that reminded me of a promise I made to my sister S which I will now fulfill. At our annual family gathering in November, my mother handed us the following poem and asked us to read it to all of the family following our meal. She thought it was translated from dutch, but she was not sure where the source came from. I promised to make a copy for my sisters, but will post it here for all those who love aprons.
For the girls in my family, enjoy Grandma's Apron:

Grandma's Apron

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears…

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men-folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.

Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

I never caught anything from an apron…

But Love!

(Author Unknown~all images found online)

You can read more about aprons over at Apron Memories

The Beauty of the Apron

Time for Tea
by George Goodwin Kilburne

The Little Helpmate,
by George Goodwin Kilburne.

Mrs. Sarah Canon, Wearing a White Apron,
Watching the Chickens Eat Their Feed

The Milkmaid by Jan Vermeer, 1658

Woman Standing in the Snow, Holding Holly in her Apron

A Young Woman Picks Flowers in a Country Garden,
and Stores Them in Her Apron

Canadian Winters and Creative Artists...

Sheep by Canadian Artist Robert Bateman

Snow lyrics

Lyrics by Canadian Poet Archibald Lampman



White are the far-off plains, and white

The fading forests grow;

the wind dies out along the height,

And denser still the snow,

A gathering weight on roof and tree,

Falls down scarce audibly.



The road before me smooths and fills

Apace, and all about

The fences dwindle, and the hills

Are blotted slowly out;

The naked trees loom spectrally

Into the dim white sky.



The meadows and far-sheeted streams

Lie still without a sound;

Like some soft minister of dreams

The snow-fall hoods me round;

In wood and water, earth and air,

A silence everywhere.




Save when at lonely intervals

Some farmer's sleigh, urged on,

With rustling runners and sharp bells,

Swings by me and is ghone;

Or from the empty waste I hear

A sound remote and clear;



The barking of a dog, or call

To cattle, sharply pealed,

Borne echoing from some wayside stall

Or barnyard far afield;



then all is silent and the snow falls

Settling soft and slow

The evening deepens and the grey

Folds closer earth and sky

The world seems shrouded, far away.



Its noises sleep, and I as secret as

Yon buried stream plod dumbly on and dream.

Winter Barnyard by Robert Bateman

Music by Canadian Singer Loreena McKennitt, who shares this:
"I grew up in rural Manitoba, Canada, the daughter of a nurse and a livestock dealer and enjoyed a fairly free and easy rural childhood. I aspired to be a veterinarian as a child but, in the way that “the best laid plans get sent sideways”, I found that music chose me rather than me, it. Interestingly, even after many years of performing, I don’t consider myself to have the strong extroverted personality best suited for a career in music, but rather one which is more comfortable on a farm, in an informal gathering of friends..."
Enjoy:

Of Blustery Days, British Tea and Bread Pudding...

British artist John William Waterhouse 1902

We awoke this morning to a foggy, rainy and windy day of the blustery sort.
The pretty snow scene I posted about several days ago now looks like this:This day had the makings of a perfectly wonderful puttery sort of stay-at-home day which I have done, although I will be leaving for work shortly.
I did want to post this recipe because at my british tea on Sunday, I served cucumber sandwiches without the crust as is proper for a british tea. I shared that with the crusts of the bread I like to make bread pudding. Actually, my daughter who is in India presently, makes one of the best bread puddings....she would have gladly made one for us, but alas, she is too far away so I made one this afternoon. It really isn't complicating and the aroma is just wonderful as it fills the house with spices. You can modify this recipe if you like. I added cloves and a pinch of nutmeg to bring out the cinnamon flavour. I also added an extra dash of pure vanilla as I didn't have rum in the house, and sprinkled sliced almonds on top.
My hubby and girls will be pleased when they come home.

Rum Raisin Bread Pudding

Ingredients

* 3 cups milk
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons rum
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 7 (1/2-inch) slices bread, cubed or torn
* 4 eggs, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, add milk, butter,
vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar,
rum and raisins and heat until warm.
Simmer and stir until sugar dissolves.

Into a large bowl add the cubed bread
and pour in the hot milk mixture.
Let sit for 30 minutes so the bread absorbs the milk.

Add the beaten eggs to the bread and milk mixture and stir.
Pour bread pudding into a buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish
and bake for 50 minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Added: My hubby surprised me by coming home early today to do some office work, so he was eager to sample the bread pudding along with a cup of tea. His verdict: excellent and delicious says he:)