Sunday, July 27, 2014

This is one of Arthur's favourite ways to hang out.
It's been too long since I've been here, but writing here is just what I need, this evening.

It's hard to believe that our summer in Regina, is drawing to an end, and fall weather is really not far away.

We have had some warm days, but for the balance of July the weather has been cool and rainy.

I am good with the cooler weather, it allows Herb and Art to be comfortable while I am at work all day, in our top floor apartment, minus air conditioning.

As well, the children at the daycare center where I work, have been able to enjoy spending their days outside, as children should in the summer. We do have a weather policy, and cannot take the children outdoors when the temp is at 30 C and over.

 We are blessed with one of the best daycare yards in the city, with a small hill, green spaces, and little corners for small groups. We also have a wonderful park and hill right next door. I was fortunate to observe the creation of this yard back in 1989, by our amazing director of the time.

One of the favourite activities this summer is washing the wood play structures and deck with water using scrub brushes.

Paul, my son has been on a camping trip throughout British Columbia, with his girlfriend Bela.
I just learned that he is now back home in Calgary, and I expect they will be here by the end of this week for a couple of weeks.

Paul sent me this picture, and he looks great here. Bela is good for him. : )

 I've been working on and off on a children's picture book of the stories by a wonderful woman I met back in 1991. She was in her 80's at the time, and I taped her stories, of growing up, on the prairies, and some of the animals she remembered. She had been a writer of short stories, and so had a story telling way about her.

 This summer I'm having fun putting her stories into a framework of some kind, and drawing a few more pictures to illustrate.

In 1991 took a small group of daycare children to the Plains Historical Museum, and Bessie, led us on a tour. She ended the tour with a  story of a family of gophers she took care of as a young child on the farm.  One of the girls ran up and gave Bessie a big hug. Bessie had a whimsy about her, that one had to love.

 

The storyline in my book idea, is that the children invited Bessie to visit the daycare center, and so she visited us and continued to tell the children her wonderful stories. The children as well, had stories for her, and wanted to show Bessie the gopher holes on the hill next door to the daycare center. (Our children do love to look for gophers on this hill.)





One of my favourite "Bessie" stories is of the fall day when she was returning home from a church womens' meeting out of town, and noticed that the sky was filled with migrating geese. She described that the geese just kept coming in waves and waves, and that she noticed not only the "V" formation, but as well, an "A" formation.The next day, she heard that the northern lakes had been hit with a sudden freeze, and this could have accounted to the vastness of the flocks of geese. As well, there later was a report of a small town in the United States, that was just full  with geese. For one day people could not drive their cars, or walk on their sidewalks, because Canadian geese had landed everywhere.




I tried to convey here the sense of geese everywhere.

Hmm, I see Herbert wanted in on this post. If someone is looking carefully, they might just see a small orange paw at the edge of the pencil  drawing just above the goose picture.


Of course, Herbert, you definitely deserve to be in any post here at Mullin Avenue - you are The Boss, in my books.


Well, that is most of what I have been up to this past few months. Presently I am advertising to find a roomer, to help me with expenses.  I am extremely cautious, so won't do this unless I find someone who will be a good fit. I'm thinking I might have Paul help me interview possible people when he is here. I am hoping to find a quiet, respectful student, who likes cats. :)

I don't know why I took this picture. :)

Hoping your summer is continuing to be good.
Love - Brenda


10 comments:

Teri said...

FABULOUS POST Brenda! So happy to hear that all is well. Paul looks great and I enjoyed the peek at you. Arthur and Herbert are so funny.
Love the book sketches and stories.
Big hugs my friend

Mullin Avenue Workshop said...

Thank you, Teri.
Love- Brenda

kj said...

brenda! your drawings are wonderful!!!! i didn't know you did illustrations. that is so exciting about them accompanying the stories you've stored.

i'm glad to know you are having a good summer. but don't let go of it too fast. it's still august! heck, i'm still weeding my gardens and i have a long way to go!

good luck on finding just the right person.

love
kj

Mullin Avenue Workshop said...

kj,
thank you for your comments about the stories. My thoughts about illustrations are that maybe if I draw my ideas, later, (in my dreams) I might find an artist who could make "real" illustrations, if I "published".
I have been thinking of talking with the writer in residence at our library for suggestions and advise. I think it would be fun to try to publish this as a fundraiser for the daycare center where I work because this is the daycare I started my Bessie stories in, and am using our children as my models.
I still haven't found anyone for the room, but am planning to check with the university housing registry and put the room on their site.
Here, fall does start first week in August, our leaves are turning golden, and falling. However we can have some very warm lovely falls.
Love-brenda

The Boston Lady said...

So good to read this Brenda! Paul looks great and by now I hope he is visiting you. Love H putting his two cents in on your wonderful illustrations. Surely a roomie can be found who will be charmed by those two handsome guys. Ann

Mullin Avenue Workshop said...

Ann,
So nice to see you my friend.
Yes, Paul is here and it is great to have him visiting.
I'm still looking for a roomer, but with university starting soon, perhaps I will find more answers to my ad.
Thanks again for visiting.
Love-B

Geraldine said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and the kitties Brenda! I hope the weather is holding steady there in Sask. It's been so warm here!!!

Hugs, G

Mullin Avenue Workshop said...

Happy Thanksgiving Ger,
It's nice but cool.
Here's a big Hug,
Brenda

Chatty Crone said...

I found your blog - but it doesn't look like your write too much. I don't either - just once a week. I am number 13 of your followers. Your cat seems to be the boss. And your selfies look like mine. And good luck on your book.

Mullin Avenue Workshop said...

Hi, there, Sandra!
Thank you for finding me!
You are right, I haven't been posting much, but would like to try for once per week, or maybe every 2 weeks, and as well get back to following my favourite blogs!