Spring in Acorn Woods

Spring is here!! There's no denying it! 

Even while our day to day indoor activity may seem somewhat stagnant 

due to the ongoing quarantine, the world out of doors is growing more 

vibrant and and completely buzzing with life and activity!! 

The hosta and peonies are poking up through the ground with new possibility!

The drooping wisps on the weeping willow are bursting forth with new verdure!

The clouds race across the sky only to be gathered up and grow heavy with rain!

And deep in the Acorn Woods, that lovely. large grove of trees just beyond Elderberry Hedge,

the always enthusiastic bunny, Bluebell, was hopping to every nest, den, and burrow, 

showing every woodland creature she met her beautiful crown of spring flowers!

Well, as usual, Bluebell's excitement and enthusiasm was catching!

Soon fox cubs and badgers, bear cubs and skunk kits, as well as fawns, squirrels, 

mice, and raccoons were scrambling through brambles and out into the pastures

to collect bright and cheerful flowers for their very own Spring crowns!

Daffodils, hyacinth, ranunculus, forget-me-nots, crocuses, tulips, snowdrops, and lilies were 

brought to The Burrows, where Bluebell and her sisters carefully tied and twisted the blooms

into delicate circlets that soon graced the heads of the very appreciative animals!

"Spring in the Woodlands"  

(8"x8" watercolour and ink) 

Spring is really a time of excitement! And that excitement can be contagious!!

I hope you get caught up in it and discover reasons to smile and rejoice!!

♥ Cath- 

  

Hoppy Spring!

My birthday has turned our house into a floral showcase!

Bouquets of cut tulips in every room, potted tulips, 

hydrangeas, pansies, daffodils, and lilies aplenty!! 

There is a splash of colour everywhere I look!

The bounty of flowers that I have been blessed with 

was definitely the inspiration behind these wee bunnies!

"L'il Springtime Bunnies"

(8.5"x11.0", watercolour, ink in sketchbook)

With names like Daisy, Chrysanthemum, Tulip, Hydrangea, Lily, Bluebell, Crocus, and Flora, 

these bunnies were thrilled to don their namesake flowers in a springtime crown!

 "Springtime Bunnies"

(8"x8" watercolour and ink, watercolour paper)

Wishing you all a Hoppy Easter Weekend!!

♥ Cath-

 

Ode To Joy

 

"Ode to Joy"

(3x 8"x8", watercolour, ink)

  

    Just when the world was beginning to feel the limitations of pandemic quarantines, musicians in Spain wanting to cheer those living around them, stepped out onto their balconies and began an impromptu concert. Joining together spontaneously, blending their abilities, and creating a melodic symphony, they drew their curious neighbours out onto their own balconies to listen. Smiles brightened every doorway and when the "concert" finished, applause and cheer filled the air! Doing something small to brighten the day for those nearby actually ended up making the world feel brighter! They truly created an Ode to Joy!!

   These three pieces were inspired by that event.  They can be placed in any order, in any formation, however they are arranged they create the impression of the beautiful Spanish balconies that beautify the city walls. I have always loved the wrought iron rails and the potted plants - especially geraniums - which add whimsy of these gorgeous urban homes!  It was so much fun creating an unique door and balcony space for each of the musicians as well as harmonizing elements that unify them as they make their music together!

    A lot of the time it is the small heartfelt things that we do that make the biggest difference! I hope that you are inspired to look for small ways to share felicity with those around you - there's no better time than right now!

You can do it! So can I!!

♥ Cath-

   

"The Joy of Spring"

Outside, it's a bit chilly and grey... Squirrels scamper, 

with twitchy tails collecting the last of their winter supply...

Inside, it's comfortable, sitting here surrounded 

by flowers...taking note of the potted daffodils just 

beginning to push up through the damp soil....

Online, people are trying to cope with the province's, 

now even the continent's, lock down to slow the spread of 

COVID-19... half laughing at the "problem," the other half trying

to preach common sense and selflessness to the panic-driven public...

In my mind, I see colours... I daydream... gazing at the bright, bold yellow

garden dafs that come up faithfully each Spring, often alongside the

tiny grape hyacinth that cluster under and around the dafs slender foliage.

I look to the fruit trees, soon to be covered in candy floss-like blossoms.... 

soft pinks, deep reds, and perfect whites... their perfumes wafting, 

calling the bees to breakfast after their long, slumbering Winter...

I see li'l creatures who step out of their cozy havens in search of 

their daily food, their eyes opening in wonder and excitement 

as they sniff the air, looking around them to take in the soft, 

friendly colours that reappear with the arrival of Spring...

The is such joy to be discovered in Spring!

"The Joy of Spring"  

(watercolour, 8"x8", February 2020)

I hope you make time to look around and discover

many reasons to feel joy this Spring!

♥ Cath-

 

Cozy Critters - Skunks

The last of my 2018 Cozy Critters designs: Skunks

A whole family of them... taking an "USie"

(that's when you take a group photo, instead of just a SELFie")

This family has spent the morning skating on the pond and for a 

treat, on their way home, they stopped and got some hot beverages: 

Supremo X-Large Coffee (with two milks) for Dad, Large Chamomile 

Tea (bag in) for Mom, and kid-sized Chocolicious Hot Chocolate 

with whipped cream and sprinkles on top for the kits!

"Skunk Family"

(watercolour and ink) 

 

Exercise + warm sweaters + hot beverages = perfect way to stay warm in the winter!!

♥ Cath-

Cozy Critters - Squirrel and Chipmunk

We all know someone who causes us to wonder if 

they seek caffeine out or if caffeine seeks them out.

They always appear to be functioning on hyper speed

and espresso is like their nitrous oxide boost.

And if they also tend to be talkers, well, let's just say, 

you're in for a ride! Their stories are quick and you gotta 

keep up, 'cause when their train leaves the station,

there is no time for dillydallying!

Like a grand maestro, animated hand gestures 

- a dart here, a flourishing sweep there -

punctuate their breakneck adventurous tales! 

And if the hands are not enough, the eyes fill in a whole 

other part of the story,  like a cinematic, musical backdrop! 

Eyes widened during suspenseful, high-flying scenes, 

narrowed for the thought-provoking, solemn scenes, 

and the eyebrows, well, the eyebrows are so constantly 

knitting and parting and capable of such crinkling contortions, 

you'd think they were performing an interpretative 

dance of the story all on their own!    

"Skittle and Chippy"

 (watercolour and ink)

 

These are the smile-inducing musings of Skittle the squirrel, 

whenever her afternoon coffee break coincides with Chippy's!

♥ Cath- 

    

Cozy Critters - Canada Geese

While coffee is the most popular hot beverage worldwide,

tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world.

Even though North America is consumed with coffee,

many in Canada still enjoy a cup of tea, hot in the 

cooler months and iced in the warmer months!

These two friends, Franny and Beth, both enjoy a good hot cuppa, but 

Franny as you can see, likes to keep the bag in so her tea steeps dark and

strong while Beth enjoys a "tint o' tea", dunking her teabag just enough 

to colour and flavour her hot water, because "it's better before it's bitter"!

These two gals love to get together for tea and a good ol' fashioned chin wag,

and the in the winter months you are sure to find them enjoying the warmth of

cozy sweaters and talking about those classic Hudson's Bay 4-point wool blankets!

"Franny and Beth"

(watercolour and ink)

Nothing warms the heart more than a good cup o' tea and a wonderful friend!

♥ Cath-