As I sit here with laptop in front of me, I’m enjoying my feet up relaxing after a very busy week,
listening to the music float through the air waves around me.
The rain falls just outside the window, but I sit dry and warm.
We are at the end of October and my Inktober pieces.
I have enjoyed these daily sketches and am actually a bit sad that October is over.
When I started the month, I was afraid.
I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to find inspiration anew each day.
But each day I found something to draw that I felt with my heart.
Eric Rhoades, a blogger I follow once said,
“success is defined by your willingness to step out in spite or your fear in order to accomplish your dreams."
I pushed through my fear  and I accomplished my first Inktober.
Already I am looking forward to next year! 

As the warm weather ushers us deeper into October, I'm reminded to be Thankful. We just finished Thanksgiving weekend, with all its turkey dinners and family get-togethers. Giving thanks is appropriate this time of year as we watch the trees turn to vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. The fields turn golden ready for harvest. Crops are beginning to come off of the fields. Today I am thankful for life's many blessings

Somedays...somedays are easy, other days are not so easy.  Some days are good days, other days are not so good. As we move from summer to fall; as we move from moment to moment, I pray that you will be able to find the strength to see small joys in your "Some Days".

"Comparison Destroys Personality" Sometimes we judge ourselves by what we see in others. Often it is better to focus on our individuality instead of trying to be like someone else. Instead, let others inspire you, not deflate or define you. The more we come ourselves to others, the more we lose ourselves. May we work towards being a truer version of ourselves.

"Be the Light". An urban scene with a streetlight front and centre is reminding us to Be the Light. This world seems so full of darkness. I pray that we work to be a ray of sunshine for someone else. It is easy to do and will make the world a better place, one ray at a time!

"Sweet Nectar". Hummingbirds are the smallest bird in the world and are lighter than a dime. They visit hundreds of flowers every day.  Such a tiny, delicate creature is so beautiful to see. This piece was fun to make, allowing my pen to turn and swirl as if it had a mind of its own in the flowers. Hummingbirds are so small, yet do so much. We can take a lesson from this. We may be small and seemingly insignificant, but yet together we can bring so much light to those around us. 

As I walked the Port Maitland Pier this past week, a fisherman seemed to be the perfect subject matter. Just a few fishers dotted the pier the day I went for a walk, found a bench and sketched this drawing. The fisherman, with his straw hat and baggy clothes holds a makeshift fishing pole from a tree branch and a piece of rope. Sometimes all we need are a few simple things to find the pleasures in life and be Hooked. 

As we move through the month of October, I have taken on the Inktober Challenge. A challenge to improve inking skills and develop positive drawing habits. I have challenged myself to make an ink sketch every day this month. I have finished a week and have been enjoying this challenge immensely.  I like the way each sketch tells and story and speaks to my heart. I hope they speak to your heart too!

Each day a season
Each day a reason
To give and share
To love and care
 

Whether a coffee for two
To get us through
Or some time we spend
With a good friend
 

The Help and the cheer
Will comfort those who fear
The Help we offer
Will help those who suffer 

Just one more step
May be all that kept
A heart from going bust
One more step to help to trust
 

You never know what kind of wars
Are going on behind closed doors
So this blog is to remind
To always be kind
 

The sounds of waves rolling onto a beach with seagulls overhead fill my ears as I paint this scene.
 
What thoughts pass through my mind as I paint ? What passes through your mind looking at this painting?
 
“Ride the Wave” is one phrase that sticks in my mind. Sometimes we seem to be on a ride, almost like a rollercoaster and want to get off. But the ride can’t stop...we are on the ride and need to “ride the storm” to the end.
 
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, 
it’s about learning to dance in the rain”
(Vivian Greene). 
  
Sometimes we all need to be reminded to make the best of  the life we’ve been given with all its frustrations and limitations, finding purpose and fulfilment despite the pain and exhaustion that the waves of life throw my way. It’s about living in the moment and finding acceptance and happiness right now without the judgment of the past or expectations for the future.

Life is not about waiting—it’s about living.

There is a peaceful dependability of the sun setting over the horizon. A knowledge that there is stability even amidst the storm. The gulls crying, the waves rising, will all give way once again to peaceful waters

Life is about changing, nothing ever stays the same.
​
We ride the waves of our lives and try to make the most of each moment in the firm knowledge that the waves will subside and the storm will eventually end. The awe-inspiring colours of a sunset are a glimpse of the hope for a future, whether here on this earth or across the waters...