While we wait for Spring....something cute for you to see

Photos courtesy of my sweetie neighbour, Maren.  She's a talent and inspiration.  What's with all the artsy neighbours of today and yesterday?  Neighbours with paintbrushes. Neighbours with cameras (and many songs written on her albums!).  Neighbours with oil paints.  Neighbours with watercolour ink.  Yes, you Jules!  I miss you.

I have to say that I see my face emerging in the photo above.  Maybe she does look a little like me?

signed, the willow

Social media and children

I'm encouraging my *mila* to learn how to use Instagram, Twitter, and the likes.  I'm also encouraging her to use these tools responsibly.  However, I'm noticing something (and this is new to all parents out there, as we have never grown up with these mobile tools):  bullying.  Kids get on these devices, toys, mobile phones, etc. and find ways to ostracize each other.  They ignore texts and they're berated.  They put their iPads down to, I don't know, use the bathroom; and the bullying begins.  The constant tethering and umbilical-like ties we teach them by example is causing their own demise.

*Mila* is nine and she wants to use her new iPad to text, facetime, take pics and post them to instagram. But the second someone gets the least bit upset with her, she's deleted from their following.  "Following"?  Yep, what they hell are we doing?

When I was her age, kids rarely phoned each other after school.  So, we came home put our troubles away and didn't lose sleep.  We had our stomach aches in the morning and there was no constant dingling of texts, facetime requests, or instagram deletions.  It's time to teach our children etiquette with the technology we created with such immediacy and need for the quick, small, and entertaining.  These tools are meant to make life safer, easier, and delightful.  They aren't meant to cause gut ache, worry, and drama.

If you have children on these tiny little tapping tools, teach them manners.  Set boundaries.  Set limits.  Our new rules today:  no texting after 7 pm.  No facetime while you eat your dinner.  No followers on instagram without your parents permission.  Oh, and another thing:  we watch everything you do!

signed, the willow

IX birthday

I won't bother with my babble about how busy I am (or not).

Happy birthday to my sweet *Mila*. You're 9. It's gone zooming by. I haven't missed a heartbeat. Your first 9 years have set the tone about what life's all about. I love you.

Signed,
the willow

How lucky am I?

signed, the willow

I am sorry

I am sorry that this is a world where a grown woman collected assault weapons and felt it was her right to keep them in a  place where her grown son could access them.

I am sorry that this is a world where a murderer had access to assault weapons, which was more readily available than the help he needed.

I am sorry that this is a world where we glorify violence on tv and teach young children to shoot via video games.

I am sorry that this is a world much different than the world I grew up with.

I am sorry that this is a world with weapons.  All of them unnecessary.

I am sorry that this is a world that let those children lost their graceful innocence .

I am sorry that this is a world let them see, feel, hear, and witness this.

I am sorry that this world left the moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, friends, emergency teams, and a world that feels this heartbreak.

I am sorry that this is a world that has come to this.

I am sorry that this is a world with someone who violated the security of schools.

I am sorry that this is a world where we feel let down.

I am sorry that this is a world that I haven't made into a better place.


I am sorry.


for my *mila*

signed, the willow 

vintage ski attire

So, just what will this turn into by tomorrow?  Look at those knickers on those NW Ontario dudes.

signed, the willow

She kilted her lily

The goat is the Capricorn.  And yes, that's her kilt.  Where on earth did this come from?  Um, the creative genius that crawled from the fireplace.

signed, the willow

Kilted Lily

She's a Kilted Lily.  She's a Lady of the Lake.

So, my challenge again will to pull my creative genius from within the wall and create a piece of art from this inspiration.  Look at that dress...it's oh so familiar....


signed, the willow

And just what happened with the girl who ironed?

This:

signed, the willow

Learn something new

I'm stuck.  In a funk.  Routine is shot.  Life is odd that way.  We define ourselves with how we earn our money, what we studied at University, or through our relationships with who we know.  We don't define ourselves enough by our passions.

I am learning a new skill.  Starting today.  Breaking the old habits and finding the things that make me happy.

No, I am not ironing.  I was never happy ironing (ask my husband).  Nor did I create this scrapbook page.  I suck at that too.  I am taking this time in my life when I feel like I was happy and recreating it in my creative mind.  Turning 6.  I had a moose shirt, a pair of jeggings from the 70s and bangs.

I'll share with you tomorrow what this has taught me.

What makes you happy?

signed, the willow