Wednesday, November 14, 2012

sunlight and shadows...

Good morning peeps.


Yesterday on my morning walk, i saw this beauty.

Well, not this exact one - but a blue jay nonetheless.


So last night, i did this -
a quick little pencil sketch in my journal...


Then some watercolour...
Not too happy with what was supposed to look like
sunlight and shadow - especially the top part.

It looks like he's wearing a little blue fur coat. :-)


i kinda like the little legs... :-)


a bit of green for the background,
to make the light on his stomach more obvious.


A bit of writing,
and a photo taken in natural light, this morning.



The writing reads as follows:

During my morning walk,
i saw this. A blue jay.
In mid November.
I watched him for a while
and then continued on my way.
Until I saw a rainbow,
from end to end.
I stood in my tracks,
since the sky was clouded,
but without rain.
And for a moment,
with my eyes towards the skies,
I believed the universe
really was on my side.

*****

I don't always believe the universe is on my side.
Now you know i'm not always the optimist.


And then, my morning green smoothie.
I know, it's not green,
but it's filled with spinach, celery, carrots and berries,
so yeah, it's green to me.


Morning reading...


Some of you may think this is too dark a subject
for morning reading,
but it makes sense to me,
considering my world at this time.

Understanding something often leads to acceptance.

I think we shy away from this too much.
No one is untouched by death,
and yet,
we avoid discussing it
like we avoid the plague.

I believe science and nature
have so much to teach us,
if we're only brave enough
to open our hearts to our surroundings...

love and hugs to all of you.
Thank for sharing this space with me.
xox

22 comments:

  1. Pauline ~ absolutely wonderful blog ~ Love your Veteran post on Sunday and the blue jay sketch is fantastic ~ well done ~ (A Creative Harbor) ^_^

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  2. Loving your Blue Jay sketch, he is such a pretty bird, x

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  3. Beautiful Blue-jay... painted with watercolors, such a soft touch to this piece of work. I SIMPLY ADORE IT!! ~xx
    I must say... interesting book to be reading. Scientific facts, I had no clue there was scientific research done on the subject. Thoughts to ponder... :]
    Thank you for sharing. ~xx

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  4. gorgeous post , gorgeous watercolor painting! That´s a wonderful way of seeing the world!

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  5. Pauline, I love your Bluebird and I am so glad that seeing the rainbow helped you to feel that the Universe is on your side.

    Thank you for your comment on my blog today. Now for some synchroncity. As I was linking with Creative Every Day I thought of you and looked for your name. I didn't see it but was going to visit you later in the day. When I got home from my errands, there was your comment. Enjoy your small step and give yourself lots of credit for taking it.

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  6. Such a handsome bird!

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  7. That blue jay would be so chuffed and proud of how you've 'captured' his beauty. And such rich, gorgeous blues you've used, as well, which with watercolour, I've found to be (for me, I mean) particularly difficult to do.

    Blue jays and robins are my favourite birds - probably because of the intensity of the colours.

    Thought-provoking words to accompany the sketch. It's a warm feeling that surrounds us when we do have those moments where we feel and believe that yes, at this moment, the universe really is on our side. For you right now, it's difficult to find those moments. But I'm thankful and happy for you that this morning, at that time, you felt it.

    The book you're reading now is intense - of this I've no doubt - but not morbid, I don't feel. When my beloved dad was deteriorating (many years ago), I found a strange sort of 'comfort' - for lack of a better word - from reading Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's 'On Death and Dying.' Yes, it is a difficult concept to even want to go near, or to read about, for completely understandable reasons, especially when it is so painfully close to home for the reader. But while reading it, and then finally finishing it, some of the deep-seated, deep-rooted fear and anxiety seemed to either slightly dissipate, or be put on the back burner, and somehow, it calmed me and I was more able to face what was happening/was going to be happening to my father.

    Thank you for being so honest and as genuine as you are, Pauline. It comes through in both your art and your words. I will keep you and your mother in my prayers and in my thoughts.

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  8. Your Jay is amazing!!! LOVE it!!
    So much talent you have. . . (said in my Yoda voice)

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  9. I watch those glutenous but beautiful jays every morning at my feeder. Your jay is beautiful. I can almost forgive them for being pigs with wings...lol

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  10. Pauline, your Jay just jumps off the page. I wish I had a little blue fur coat as nice! Lovely work. I am now curious about your morning read so off to google it. Take care juliex

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  11. Your bluejay painting is so beautiful! Wow, I'm really impressed!

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  12. Your painting is stunning, so life like. Your art is gorgeous x

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  13. the blue jay is gorgeous... the colour is amazing... would love to see one in life... and I think any sort of reading is acceptable at any time of the day... Phantom is notorious for reading medical texts at the breakfast table... festering wounds and weird rashes just don't faze me anymore... xx

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  14. Beautiful bird. Lovely Words as well. I enjoyed your post. Morning, natural light is the best isn't it...like a friend. :)

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  15. Such a gorgeous colour of blue. Our jays are not nearly so colourful, just a flash of blue in the wings when they take flight.
    Interesting post as always. Thanks for all the thoughts.

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  16. I'm very much impressed by your drawing of the blue jay! Love it!

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  17. Your blue joy is stunning!! Absolutely stunning!!
    I am not one to shy away, either. If you get right in there and look closely at the things that are hard or scary or yucky or mysterious--makes life easier, I think. Fear of the unknown...well, get to know it and you won't be afraid. Totally agree with you. :)

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  18. Lovely bird full of calm energy - is what I felt looking at the blue jay. Reading about death at any time is very understandable. I know you are dealing with a very emotional period. I went through such a time in 2010 when my mother fought her final battle with stomach cancer. I at least had time to know she was terminally ill, which was better (for lack of any other word)than when my father just fell down on the floor after new year party and died in minutes when I was sixteen.
    It is better to share the emotions than bottle it up. I still cry about my parents. The pain never goes away, we only learn to deal with it.
    Here's my support and strength your way.

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  19. Oh Pauline, I love the stunning works that you call 'little pencil sketches'. Your Blue Jay is one handsome fellow. Finding ways to make your healing and processing easier to understand and survive can never be a wrong thing. xx

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  20. Hi, I just read your creatively featured on artists in blogland :)

    and now I come here, to your blog..

    what a gorgeous painting of the bird!! =)
    and I would gladly drink that smoothie! I'm drinking my green drinks too ;)

    a lovely writing besides the bird also! :)

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  21. I'm so sorry to read about your mother passing, Pauline. Yes, the universe is with you, giving you strength and purpose - the rainbow and blue jay were wonderful signs of Spirit being there for the passing of your mother.

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  22. Your painted blue-jay is beautiful, Pauline. I am not afraid of death as I believe it is a transition to a new form of existence. I agree that so many are afraid to discuss it.

    Love and hugs to you also ~ xo

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