It's Canada Day today. Despite all the hoopla, crowds and fireworks everywhere, we're just enjoying the holiday around home, puttering about and trying to keep cool in a heat wave. This thoughtful Canada Day meditation, written by a Canadian blogger in northern Ontario, really says it all for me. (Thanks Peter!)

As I mentioned in the previous post, I'm going through some major shifting and sifting of stuff in our house. One area of purges is through my very old issues of art magazines, mostly from the 90's and a few older. The majority of these are Canadian Art, Vanguard, an art criticism mag published between 1976 and 1984 by the Vancouver Art Gallery, and Border Crossings from my old home city of Winnipeg.

There are also some Finnish design magazines and small exhibition catalogues from around the world passed on to me over a decade ago by a good friend whose well-travelled and arts-loving Finnish mother was moving into a care home at that time. Inside one of the magazines, I found some delicate and lovely pressed leaves that I will preserve digitally. During breaks, I'm enjoying rereading a few articles, such as about the rebirth of Marimekko in the 90's under the creative and brilliant direction of Kirsti Paakkanen.

I've hung on to these for too many years thinking I will reread them, but since I have not, it's time to say goodbye. I love well-done print design and articles about art and artists and hate to just throw them into recycling, so I hope to find a new home for them, via something like Freecycle. Instead of the more violent act of purging, I can choose the gentle act of sharing. Is there an art student out there eager to have them?

What do you do with your old but good magazines and catalogues?

Buried deep inside blowsy peony petals, like the parts of a heart...

Have been too quiet here because I'm overwhelmingly busy with several family members returning home.
This has set in motion a mind-boggling chain reaction of moving furniture and stuff from room to room to squeeze in yet more.
And a desperate need to purge the accumulation of years of packratting; it's time to Freecycle!
Alternating with work is play with our granddaughters who are delighted to have adoring grandparents at their beck and call.
The empty nest is full again.

Awake at 3:30 this morning, unable to get back to sleep, I made myself a soothing cup of hot cocoa (with goat's milk and stevia) and sat at the table reading yesterday's paper. Looking outside, to the northeast I could see a band of light contrasting against the dark blue lines of the mountain tops and the darker clouds above. As I sipped my drink, my eyes wandered to that ever brightening view more often than to the words on the paper.

I remembered then that today is the summer solstice, (or properly June solstice for it's winter in the southern hemisphere). Memories of magical midsummer nights in Finland, Denmark and Sweden made me long for those white nights of the north, and to feel again that amazement with how joyful and energetic the people were. Celebrations rooted in pagan times abounded. It seemed like no one slept much, just soaking in the light, as if refueling after the long dark winter. How could you sleep when the sun hit your eyes where you lay in bed, with only sheer window coverings?, I thought the first time I visited as a teenager, grumpy from jet lag.

This is the time that most Finns start their summer holidays, their trips to summer cabins by serene lakes, leaving the cities behind. Businesses reduce to minimum, it's as if the whole country slows down. How come here in Canada, a northern nation, we don't celebrate midsummer night? Oh, the Scandinavians communities have their events in various cities this weekend, but is that all there is? Where is the magic? Even up in northern British Columbia where we lived a few years, there was no celebration, no sense of the ancient rituals of the seasons.

At 5:00 I crept back to bed with the light in my eyes, thinking I was not going to be able to sleep. But I dreamt of midnight sun glimmering through birch trees, shining on smooth lakes, of bonfires on beaches and smoking sauna chimneys. This, then, was my own private Juhannus ritual.

Hauskaa Juhannusta! Happy solstice, all!

Related posts:
When "the Sun Stands Still"
summer solstice 2004
midsummer nights 2005
midsummer dreams 2006
solstice memories 2007

   
Still working much too hard in the garden.
Here are a few images of what's lovely today,
a drizzly day and a relief after yesterday's heat.

How does your garden grow?
   

Addendum June 18th:
Leslee asked for a wider shot of this part of my garden, where the above photos were also taken.
It was cloudy so the colours aren't very bright.
I have not yet put out all my potted plants and the garden bench.
   

from cover of The God Interviews by Natalie d'Arbeloff
   

Natalie d'Arbeloff, artist, cartoonist, author of the amazing The God Interviews and blogger with alter-ego Blaugustine continues to inspire me with her colourful career and many talents, her humour and her energy. Recently she won a prize to be a guest editor for the Guardian newspaper's Women's section. Here's the first fabulous article she wrote: Where are all the older female geeks. As Natalie invites older women to take up blogging, I'm thrilled and honoured to be one of the listed bloggers; thank you, Natalie!

This week must be a very good one for older women bloggers, as I've also been mentioned by Virginia DeBolt at the BlogHer conference blog, thank you!

I'm looking forward to checking out the new blogs I've been introduced to by virtue of being in their company in this way, via these connections that are made and woven like a giant web. Like Natalie and Virginia and many bloggers, I am an ambassador of blogging, raving about its benefits and pleasures to everyone. Even after over four years of blogging, I've never thought of myself as a geek. Blogging software is enabling and easy after the initial learning curve if you are reasonably competent on a computer, plus I believe that a MAC is easier. I'm fortunate in having a couple of 'geeky' family members help me in getting started and with any rare problems that occur that I cannot handle.

If you are a new visitor here thanks to Natalie, the Guardian and Virginia, welcome! If you want to know more about why I blog, you may be interested in reading this interview. For a quick look at some of my art work, please visit the gallery. Comments are always welcome and appreciated and I try to respond to each.

Finally, on the subject of older bloggers and issues of aging, I wish to point out Ronni Bennett's excellent and well-researched blog Time Goes By. Today I learn that she is now contributing occasional articles to the Wall Street Journal on the same subject!

UPDATE June 15th: Thanks to Erika's comment below, I'm eagerly checking out Came of Age Before Computers, a blog by Nancy Strider, an older female new media artist and geek! To quote her byline:

This website looks at some issues faced by "COABC's". These are elders, often our parents, who find themselves isolated on the other side of the digital divide because they came of age before computers. Nancy Strider examines the impact on daily life that results from lack of skills, access – or interest – in electronic tools like computers, email, and cell phones. She also makes positive suggestions for using the internet itself to facilitate a more lively engagement in the face-to-face world.

In contrast, I look at our granddaughters, 7 1/2 and 2 1/2 years old, who are already computer literate!

a study of light, textures, patterns...

looking through the skylight,
a glimmer of sunshine,
too brief

Here's how the space is described in the Squamish Arts Council's newsletter (**link to come later):

"For the past three years, Squamish Arts Council Directors have been working with the DOS [District of Squamish] and developer Talisman Homes to bring to life a District required amenity contribution art exhibition space at 1336 Main Street. The space is defined as a window gallery which is intended to be viewed form the outdoors 24 hours a day. The unexpected infusion of 80 feet of visual art enhances the downtown outdoor experience and ambience, and provides much need exhibit space for local and visiting artists. [This space] is particularly beautiful at night with the gallery lights, colors and shadows redefining Main Street."

The space is managed by Maciek Walentowicz and Susan Remnant, both artists and teachers. They were a wonderful help in hanging our works. Our thanks to them and the SAC for this opportunity to share our work with this community and to extend support to the efforts of the Arts Council.
   

Above is a glimpse of Bonnie's work. Some readers may remember Bonnie's name in these blog pages. She was one of the artists who exhibited with me in Vaasa, Finland in 2002, our most exciting one we've had I think, so please check out my micro-site Traces. And here is an article I did later of her work. The top and bottom works are in the Artisan too!
   

And here's a look at my section. Our exhibit will be up for about three months, so if you are visiting or live in the Vancouver area and you are planning a trip up the Sea-to-Sky to Whistler, please stop in to Squamish and see our display.

Out of town readers may be interested to know that the town of Squamish sits on the north shore of beautiful Howe Sound next to the Sea-to-Sky Highway and the magestic Coast Mountains. It's only about an hour's drive north from Vancouver, so it has grown a lot in recent years as a bedroom community and as a popular recreation area as well as for being close to Whistler. It's a mind-blowing gorgeous drive, but there's some major reconstruction of the highway in preparation for the Winter Olympics in 2010 that astonished us with it's immensity, but did not slow us too much.

Edited June 17th: ** The original link to the newsletter was to a draft form so it has been removed by request. It will be updated with a new link when the final newsletter is published.

It's just as well that the weather has caved into cold rains this week, for my sore body needed the rest from gardening and the occasional helping hand for my husband as he replaced the rotten garden steps.

It's just as well also because this week I'm busy preparing some of my work to put into an exhibit shared with an artist friend, making decisions on which of my already framed works to choose, updating the artist's statement, a short CV, a list of works and contact info. Today I will wrap up the work and pack it securely into the van (which I have to clean first). Early tomorrow morning, I will pick up my friend and her work, then drive to a town an hour away and install the works. Details on that later...

Yesterday evening, needing a break, I turned on the news on TV and was listening to Barack Obama's victory speech, what an inspiring orator he is. Our hopes for a better leader for our neighbour have risen!

Then I happened on a fabulous program on the Knowledge Network, BC's own public TV channel: The Opera Gala with Anna Netrebko, Elina Garanca, Ramón Vargas, and Ludovic Tézier performing opera favourites in a live concert from Baden-Baden, Germany. My husband joined me for a most pleasurable two plus hours of wonderful music by these superb young artists, all new to us except for Netrebko. I think we're going to purchase this DVD or CD!

A late bedtime, then I was awake at 5 this morning, restless in body, still sore from the weekend's labours, and a wee bit anxious with the work ahead of me today and tomorrow. An afternoon nap is on the schedule!

...one day in the kitchen...
   

Dear Marja-Leena,

I am more conscious in spring that everything has its own life. It is most obvious with plants because that is where the visible drama is. But, because of the activity of form and color going on in them, I also notice what is happening elsewhere. The rain, the setting sun, puddles in the street, even statues: everything seems especially full of presence at this time. I would almost say that the world appears to be thinking, or lost in thought.

love,
Teju

Thank you, Teju, for allowing me to share your letter and your powerful and mysterious photos with my readers here!

This is the perfect opportunity for me to very-belatedly mention that I purchased a copy of Teju's novel some time ago and truly felt moved and changed by his amazing words and photos, just as much as I loved his writings on his several too-temporary blogs. (Did I ever write to tell you this, Teju?)

Every Day is for the Thief is published by Cassava Republic and is available through Amazon. Here are two great reviews, by Languagehat and by Ethan Zuckerman.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the making of this film! Our special congratulations go to Jonathan Tyrrell, the picture editor, who also happens to be the person who encouraged me to start blogging, is the designer of this weblog and is our son-in-law, the father of our delightful grand-daughters.

Centigrade is about a man stuck in a trailer and desperately searching for a means to get out before he burns inside the vehicle. Now we can hardly wait to see this film, though judging from this Teaser Trailer, it may be a bit too exciting for me!

Alternating between gardening and utter exhaustion these May days, I've not being doing anything in the art-making side of my life. Interrupted by showers in sunshine this afternoon, I had time to play! Wanting to try making a birthday card for a gardening friend, I picked these raindrop covered petals off my favourite rhododendron and tried some scans. I like this one and hope it will print well.

Update May 28, 2008: There's actually a name for this process - scannography!
   

The lines on the rock are like the lines on the face of an elder.
What events have created them?
Where have these rocks come from?
What tumultuous journeys have they suffered?
How old are they?