The Garden

Wedding Toast Louise and Stephen.
 
 
I’m so happy to be here with all of you for Lou and Stephens’s wedding
I’m sure we all can feel the love in the room for these two special people
Or, as Lou says, “Loves, you are the garden in which we thrive.”
Looking around, I would say we make a beautiful garden.
 
 
It is my honor to give the wedding toast.  I am Terre…  I have known Lou since she was in High School with my sisters Rachael and Robin. So, you could say I am her big sister by proxy.  
 

What do I know about Lou?  She is an amazing creature with a huge heart of gold.
She is in a constant state of creating,
Creating a beautiful family
Creating a community of friendship and chosen family
Creating incredible art
Creating fabulous food
Creating beauty and positivity
She creates a force of love:                    
Encompassing everything and everyone with acceptance and celebration
 
When I envision Lou in my mind, I see her with her arms thrown wide open to embrace everything good in this Life.
 
I sometimes thought that Life has not always given back to her what she has given to it.
 
And then Stephen appeared
A quiet man from across the pond
keenly observant, intelligent, and creative
And
It is said that love abides in a person’s actions, not their words
Stephens’s actions have clearly shown his love for Lou.
 
For example
 
Soon after dating, he asked her to make a list of things she would like to do.  On the list, she added going to different gardens.  Long story short, he did it better; rather than take her to gardens far away, he planted a beautiful garden for her that blooms for her from spring to fall.  From which she creates beautiful bouquets.
 
One time she was having a horrible day, a meltdown day.  Stephen drove out 45 minutes one way on a weeknight to give her a hug and just to be there for her.
 
They have traveled to England together several times, and just as he has embraced her family, she has embraced his.
 
It has been a joy to watch their love story unfold.
 
My sister Rachael beautifully described them
“Stephen is her base that keeps her grounded and still allows her to fly

He is her soft landing.” 
  
Stephen and Lou
As you begin your lives together in marriage
We wish you endless happiness
Incredible love
And that you together thrive in your special garden
And as always
May the force be with you.

Small Glimpse of Our Gardens

 

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A funeral, 2 vacations and a wedding

The past 48 hours were a surge of energy and pivoting 360 degrees. Stephen and I planned, organized and packed for a 2 week trip to Glacier National Park. The car was packed and we were ready for a road trip with our cameras and my watercolors. Photography, painting, fresh air and engagement photos were the frame of the vacation. Then, 24 hours before our departure… the message arrived.

Stephen father, Walter, passed away in his sleep while in the hospital.

As if on cue, Spirit flowed, aligned and manifested a journey to England. We unpacked for a journey to the mountains and repacked for one to North Yorkshire England. Scrambling to cancel accommodations in country and finding a holiday rental in England. Not to mention finding a flight asap.

Throughout the 2 1/2 week trip, spirit flowed, messages received and guidance accepted. The 1st message arrived before we left the US when I found a 2 pound British coin in my piggy bank. It’s a tradition within my family to exchange dollar coins instead of wedding rings. I found mine, now where was Stephens?

Then the 2nd message at the 4th floor flat we would be calling home during our trip. Stephen sat on the couch, then got up and adjusted the cushions. Then, another message appeared under the cushion. A tarot card- 9 of Cups and would you believe it, a 2 pound coin was under the cushion. The 9 of cups represents wishes granted. The other 2 pound coin.

We took a couple hour nap and then headed out for a evening walk before dinner. For my readers who haven’t traveled to the UK in summer, sunrise starts at around 4:30 am and sunset 9:30 pm in June. LONG 16-17 hour days. After being awake for 24 hours traveling, we were ready for sleep. We headed back to the flat and discovered another message.

View from our 1st flat

The smell, the smell was so over powering we opened all the windows. After some investigation, we confirmed it was sewer gas. We were unable to reach the flat owner, so we slept with the windows open and low in the 50’s.

The next morning we were able to reach the owner and we relocated to a different rental in town. Oh the stairs! We climbed up to the 4th floor, again, with suitcases and groceries. Everyday, a couple times a day, we climbed.

Once settled into our new flat, We discovered a 4th message. Out of curiosity, I lifted the couch cushions. Why not I thought? What are the odds? Well well well , a white feather and a pence coin. My 1st thought was “Pennie’s from heaven”. What energy was aligning and how will this unfold?

Opening the kitchen window blinds we discovered a Seagull couple with two babies on the roof of the Ambulance Station behind our building. The rest of our 2 1/2 week trip, we watched the Seagull Mom and Dad take turns bring food to the babies and watch over them. In many ways, it was cathartic to observe the Seagulls being a family unit doing, well, Seagull things. Most notably chasing off other birds and stand guard on the ledge. The most humorous was mom on the ledge screeching for dad while the 2 grey fuzzy baby gulls flapped around the roof top trying to fly. They mostly fell over after a few flaps. Then in a hurry dad swoops in and lands on the rooftop. Mom didn’t wait for him to land and she took flight & was gone! I guess she needed a break.

We spent most evenings out and about Whitby walking. Walking through the cobble street along the pier or down on the beach entranced by the waves of the North Sea.

One of my favorite things about Whitby and surrounding villages are all the flowers in the front garden of almost every home. We have walked over 33 miles. The smell of sea air and the flowers were indescribable. Many many stops to smell the flowers… well, after we checked inside for sleeping bees. Oh the bees! There are so many bees here!

Since we’re here, let’s throw in some wedding planning and engagement photos with Mum and Sis too.

Throughout the trip, we were reminded to take time for ourselves. Reminded of the value in creating spaces for ourselves and holding space for others. Healing, letting go, and supporting one another is priceless. Even if it hurts to move forward, sometime we are the hardest mountain to climb, we are not alone in the waves of grief and it’s okay to stop and enjoy smelling the flowers, even if life stinks sometimes.

Stay on the Awiya side of life my creatives.

A girl on the Underground

Oh how I wish life was as exciting as the 1st time Lily experienced London and riding the Underground.

These days many of us are doing our part to flatten the curve and remain healthy. I started this painting last Sunday and hope to have it finished this weekend. I’m only able to be in the studio once a week since I’m working from home for my day job.

I ordered a few new colors and hope they arrive soon. I think this painting would benefit from some diversity in colors.

Any way, this is part of a series I’ve named “A girl…”. It’s part of a mother and daughter collaboration with my artist daughter Lily. She’s busy with college still but has completed a couple of paintings so far.

Being in my studio and allowing myself to experience Awiya, creativity to flow through my being is my souls center. It is where I am most connected with myself. It is where my connection to the world around me is clearest. It’s not an escape from reality, on the contrary, it is a space where I am open, clear, vulnerable and honest with myself. It’s where I allow thoughts to flow by and simply acknowledge their presence without holding any of them. In many ways it is similar to an active meditation.

It is my hope, that in these difficult times, that many of you experience Awiya for the 1st time and create into this world some beauty.

Stay safe my friends and be well. until next time, stay in the Awiya side of life.

Washed away

FINISHED 28” x 40” acrylic on hand stretched canvas fabric, primed 4x , “North Wind” Whitby, England’s & the North Sea.

I learned so much about myself and rediscovered painting techniques and processes as my hand continues to heal.

Transforming

I was recently listening to a guest speaker at a gathering. One of the main ideas that was conveyed included framing the constant process of change. That idea really hit me deep. I am always in awe of the synchronicity of hearing what I need to hear to support me win my growth. Since I broke my wrist in late May, it has been a struggle to heal and regain full use of my hand. However, I do in some ways and I do not in other ways have use of my hand. While contemplating the idea of transformation as a continuous process of change, I began to slowly accept and embrace that my painting style and the physical process of creation will never be the same. Yet, the internal process of Awiya, the settling of the spirit within to allow creativity to flow.

 

I’m currently working on another seascape from the North Sea at Whitby Harbor.

 

 

“Whitby Beach”

30” x 60” oil on stretched canvas 

I spent a considerable amount of time on this large piece. After more than 50 hours, numerous brushes & different shapes of painting knives the vibrancy and inviting feel of this piece calls you to the shores of the North Sea. 

This piece is available for sale. $2,000

North Yorkshire, England

Location: North Yorkshire, England

Photographer: Lou Ewers

Poppies at the Train Station

Location: Goathland, England aka Hogwarts Station 

Photographer: Lou Ewers 

One of the stops on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is to a small village named Goathland. Hidden amongst the beautiful landscape of the Moors National Park. This little village of just over 400 is also known as Hogsmeade Railway Station as seen in Harry Potter Movies. 

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Space that time built

 

While planning for my trip to the UK, I spent a considerable amount of time deciding what I wanted to accomplish while there. One of the ideas that kept popping up, was that of old rock walls. Not necessarily the defensive walls around an old castle or the strategic military historical sites but rather, the space that time built. The walls that I am referring to are the ones that were built as field boundaries by farmers.

I am fascinated by the idea of these drystone walls. The research that I’ve done has revealed that most if not all of these walls could contain stones and be as old as the tradition themselves. The art and tradition of constructing these drystone walls date back as far as the iron age. Further my ponderings as I photographed old drystone walls and fields along the countryside, I found myself thinking that even though the activities on one side of the wall was grazing sheep and cows, so too was the other farmer, on the other side of the wall. However, it was indeed the space that was defined by the drystones walls. As if the partition designs the walls created throughout the land defined the character of the area.

The same could be said for the wooden boundaries created by the stretcher bars of the artist’s canvas. Given, it’s not as beautiful as the natural landscape of the English countryside. However, it is also a space that time built and hopefully the resulting art is as timeless and appreciated as the ancient drystone walls.

It is my hope over the coming year to completed a series of paintings from my experiences and photographs from my time exploring in the UK.

Location: North Yorkshire Moors National Park

Photographer: Lou Ewers

River Esk

Location: Whitby Harbor, River Esk, England

Photographer: Lou Ewers