Lady Day

Today - March 25 - is Lady Day. 
It's one of the four Quarter Days of the old English Calendar. 
The Quarter Days are March 25 - Lady Day also the Feast of the Annunciation in the Christian calendar; June 24 - Midsummer Day also the Feast of St John the Baptist; September 29 - Michaelmas Day also the Feast of St Michael and All Angels; December 25 - Christmas Day.

Quarter days were the four dates in each year when servants were hired, school terms started, and rents were due. Debts and unresolved lawsuits were not allowed to linger on, and accounts had to be settled. Leasehold payments and land rents are often still due on the old English Quarter Days. 

Just to confuse the issue, there are also four Cross-Quarter Days falling between the Quarter Days. These are February 2 - Candlemas; May 1 - May Day; August 1 - Lammas; November 1 - All Hallows Day.

Lady Day was the traditional day when long-term contracts between landowners and tenant farmers would begin and end. Farming families who were changing farms would often travel to their new farm on Lady Day. It roughly coincides with the Spring Equinox, signifying a new beginning.

So have a Happy Lady Day!!

Things Happen in Threes

It's been a rough week. They say things happen in threes, sometimes good things, but more often bad things, but sometimes the bad things get resolved with good things. My week so far...

1. The rear wheel of my car started getting really hot, made some nasty noises and smelled like hot metal. A quick phone call to the local garage, and I took the car in to have the brakes looked at. Brake pads, caliper, rotor, an unexpected cost. The good result: I was able to get the car looked at very fast and my car is safe and roadworthy again.
2. A trip with friends to the city to see "Jersey Boys". As soon as I got off the train I started having difficulty breathing and felt dizzy. I was able to enjoy the theatre performance but felt pretty bad about making my friends worry about me. Two of my friends insisted I needed medical help and took me to the hospital where I was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia.... again! The good result: An overnight stay at the hospital. Electro-cardioversion put my heart back on sinus rhythm and I'm back to normal. Plus we all got to enjoy "Jersey Boys". And I'm so blessed to have such good friends.
3. Now I have developed the worst head cold I've had for years. Thank you to OlderSon who gave it to me! Runny eyes, drippy nose, plugged ears, marathon sneezes, lifeless brain. The good result: I can't think of anything right now, other than thank goodness I stocked up with Kleenex.

Who was that Masked Man?

We have been having some fun making African Masks from cardboard.... but I'm pretty sure no genuine African would ever want to be associated with this face!
First layer upon layer of cardboard, with walnut halves for eyes.

 Then cover it all in white and black gesso.

 And the finished product, painted in red, white and black, with some glittery sparkling "diamonds" from the dollar store. The bird perched on his forehead signifies wisdom, according to Ashanti legend.

He's going to be part of our AAP Collective Art Show in April, along with masks made by some of the others in the group. We're also making some clay masks. They are currently drying and will be fired next week. Definitely creating this is way out of my normal comfort zone. But it's fun!

Adding colour

Last summer I took my paints and easel and canvas out into the forest for some plein aire painting with others in my Art Group. It was fun being out there in the sunshine, exposed to the sounds of the birds and the buzzing of the bees, not forgetting the high pitched whine of the annoying mosquitoes. I blogged about it here.
At the end of the afternoon, this was my painting but I wasn't satisfied with it.



So I added some details and worked on it for a bit but I still wasn't happy, so it's been sitting in the unfinished pile since last June. I finally decided to have a clean out of the "stuff" accumulating in the room I jokingly call my studio, and decided this was worth having another go at, and this is the result.

Yes, the colours have definitely changed. I like this version a lot better. It may even be worth framing. I'll call it "The Edge of the Wildwood".
Let me know what you really think. You don't have to be polite!

UPDATE! I sold it at the Art Show in May 2019!!!!! I'm so glad that some one loved it enough to give it a new home.

Baby Stripes!

There's a sweet new baby at Toronto Zoo and he's covered with stripes.
He was born on February 13 in the early morning hours. His mummy is Tori, an eight year old Grevy's zebra, and his daddy is Jake, an 11 year old male.
This foal has an older sister and brother..... Leia born in January 2014, and Rey born in July 2016.

There's a contest on the Toronto Zoo's facebook page to name the baby... name choices are "JJ", "TJ", "Chewy", "Obi".
Looks like the popular choice is "Obi" to continue with the Star Wars theme.
He is so definitely gorgeously absolutely CUTE!!!!!!
I loaded a different picture.... any better?