The River Parkway

May 30, 2011

Tooling along the soothing Parkway yesterday, thinking about loss.

A shout-out to Blogs of Note

There are so many talented and interesting people out there! This is such a comfort to me today. Have you ever looked at Blogs of Note? Just the last few alone are so inspiring.

One blogger apologises for how boring her page is, when it's literally post after post of beautiful, collaged cards. 

Another quotes one of the elderly people she transports in her Patient transfer van:

"You know that song, Dust in the Wind?  Well, that's what I think of when I see the Rocky Mountains looming in my backyard.  They make me feel small.  It's good to feel small.  Things change, moments pass, nothing lasts forever.  I don't need a kidney transplant.  I've lived a good life.  I'm satisfied."

Some days I think it would be better to fight death to the last breath. But accepting nature's way seems more akin to my temperament, on the whole.
***
Goodbye, JB!

Happy encounters of the bus kind

May 27, 2011

Yesterday, for the first time in years, somebody chatted me up about my bus drawing -- this portrait, actually. She even asked me if I was working or studying in the arts. Wow, thanks for the compliments, lady!

Tomorrow is Touch a Truck at Lincoln Fields! I am very excited to check out all the diggers, dozers and service vehicles. We're hoping to meet up with my daughter's best friend, and let the (almost) two-year-olds honk all the horns. Hoping for a pleasantly ear-ringing, face-hurts-from-smiling kinda day.

I love this show title

I recently checked out Place and circumstance, a City Hall show of the city's new art acquisitions. Since I started bus blogging, I've learned way more about the Ottawa art scene, and I like it.

I was both comforted and startled to recognise some styles and names.  An abstract by Jean Jewar, who also had a piece up for Silent Auction at the Cornerstone Benefit. Gulliveriana, Andrew Morrow's painting of a giantess among male nudes -- I first saw his stuff at a faculty show at the Ottawa School of Art. An Ottawa scene by Melinda Mollineux. Stephen Harper's giant, digital mouth by Cecile Boucher.

The show is free and closes June 12, 2011.

Now with more 94

May 19-20, 2011

Finally, a scene! I started this half-sized book a month ago, and I'm finally comfortable enough to draw in it. I was thinking about Jenn Jilks when I drew this -- haven't forgotten about my challenge to draw a driver, bus and something in front of the bus. I thought this view, with a city scene or the parkway beyond the window might work...

Footnote: Don't know when they added the 94 Millenium/Woodroffe extension down my way, but it is REALLY WORKING FOR ME. Thanks, OC.

On slender stalks they bobble

The tulips perked up on the Hill yesterday – a new Cabinet! My department's freshly-appointed Minister seemed to drive straight from the swearing-in ceremony to his new office, sitting down to lunch in the cafeteria but an hour later. And on Rideau, oddly speeding up the bus traffic on either side, Boart Longyear begin drilling for bedrock in preparation for our new public-transit-by-rail system.

May 19 2011

This fellow, a rare find, me never attempting camouflage before. Even from the back, an interesting - if slightly tedious! - undertaking.

May 16 2011

And a final, wee image and accompanying poem: one of bus travel's many secret sleeping lovelies.

Passes and tickets witnessed
the soft faces of fatigue
settle as drooped flowers do
after a time in their jars.
Trusting, finally will-less,
on slender stalks they bobble,
sleeping the long way home.

Just minding my own business, never mind me

May 13, 2011

This friendly-looking man endeared me because he glanced across the aisle more than once without ever appearing to notice the attention I was giving him. I think it never crossed his mind that someone might want to watch him. What lack of vanity!

Check the dress code next time

May 12, 2011

Last night, Cornerstone Housing for Women held Celebrate Her, a fundraiser at Cube Gallery. I went so I could hang out with Results Junkie and because I like women-y stuff. I missed the "Black Tie" part of the invitation and showed up in jeans. Cringe.

I loved Toronto-singer Katey Morley's voice and plummy piano. I mean, I hardly get to see live stuff anymore, so my bar is set pretty low, but I thought she was terrific. (Why didn't I bring my drawing book??) I really enjoyed everything actually -- the spoken word, paintings (duh), yummy food.

Sadly, no one bid on the big ticket auction items. Since I had trouble with the $50 ticket price in the first place (anything that gets between my wallet and my kid's RESP is a no-no), I was hardly in shape to drop 500 bucks on a painting, no matter how much I like art, but I felt sad that I wouldn't help more.

Didn't have a chance to give him a bum... sorry, bud.

This Prime Minister Harper lookalike (I didn't do him justice, but really, he was the PM's double) joined us on the 95 this morning. I do think he was listening to a cassette tape! Good man.

[My next door neighbour is at this very mo flying an orange model byplane in the back yard. It's somersaulting and flying on its back -- a dab hand with the joystick.]

Back to work tomorrow. I know way too much about democracy now and will have to go underground.

Hoping to focus back on the important things soon

April 28, 2011

A wee drawing from April. My scanner acted up again -- you can see the dark bar across the top of her head. The camera in the scanner overexposes on some passes.

Last day of Democracy training today. A freezing cold room and too many talking heads, but still fascinating.

I learned Friday that I will join a tour of Germany and Brussels for work. Preparing for the trip and for an accompanying visit to Italy with my family dominates my mind to the detriment of everything else -- my blog, my art, my garden, my dying lawn and eroding roof...

Happy sunny Tuesday

I'm in training this week, learning about democracy. At lunch I went for a long barefoot walk along Gatineau Parc just to wind down from the thirty experts talking democracy non-stop.

A few doodles for your viewing pleasure. I think I am going to surrender and buy another Moleskine one of these days. These drawings in my new little book seem utterly tiny!

May 4th, 2011

Today I attended a wreath-laying ceremony at Beechwood Cemetery. May 4th is Rememberance Day in the Netherlands. A large Dutch tour group attended the ceremony. Squeaks from a little toddler in our midst, and the playing of nearby schoolchildren sounded through the 2 minutes of silence. I always love the bagpipe. The Ambassador's teenage daughter helped lay the wreath.

I am never sure how to feel on Rememberance Day. A Dutchwoman told me that it was a time for memories and happiness. The main thing I took away from it was the chance to chat with older Dutch people, to catch more of the flavour of these fascinating people.

Above, some busriders from over the last week. I found people more quiet lately. We are all tired after all the excitement.

Yellow bars, leaning buildings, and the neck-biter

April 27, 2011

Riding home my eyes played tricks on me. The yellow bars in the bus seemed to stand out unnaturally. Sometimes when it rains near sundown, the light picks up yellows like that. It was only 4:30 or 5, though. Another time, I was standing at the bus stop, and all the buildings looked like there were leaning away from the vertical. My optometrist recently reduced my prescription, so maybe he took away too much of the astigmatism? Maybe I'm still adjusting.

I am drawing in a very little book now, just 4 x 6. The last one, my beloved Moleskine book that was too expensive to replace, was a good 6 inches by 8. None of my current drawings have been any good as I am yet to grow comfortable with the new format and paper.

By the way, do you guys have any idea why my cat all of a sudden stands up, waddles over to the other cat, and bites him ferociously in the neck? Poor Socky.

2011

Four months down, eight to go