DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE ART GALLERY?

Art galleries offer such an opportunity to experience the art world for a minimal fee. Viewing the masterpieces is such an enriching and rewarding way to understand a culture and a period of history. Luckily, I have visited galleries in London, Rome and Florence. Le Louvre in Paris is on my bucket list! At home Toronto offers the Art Gallery of Ontario which now houses the donated Thompson art collection. Of course, you know I love the McMichael Collection in Kleinburg Ontario. I saw the outside of the National Gallery of Canada during a visit to Ottawa May, 2011.

The trip was too short to visit every site so we chose to visit the War Museum. I love art but Adolph is a tepid fan!!

Art comes from the ages and hopefully will always be with us. I have a few original pieces in my home but do not have the means to buy an extensive collection. Thus my thirst for art can be met by visits to galleries and even online viewing of new artists' work in the world. Do you have a favourite art gallery? A favourite artist or work of art? One of my favourite artists is Gainsborough. My painting- Paul Peel -After the Bath. Of course, my little grandchildren make some interesting art.

HYPERVIGILANCE-SNEAKS UP ON YOU

Hypervigilance is usually associatied with PTSD-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Often people think they need a huge trauma in their lives to experience this reaction. Recently, I was commenting to a family member that the death of a loved one can create a new anxiety of worrying about others in life, for example. Think about it- it is a blow to the psyche to lose someone. A near accident! A close call! Your wallet is stolen! Even minor events in our lives can shake us for some time! Current events may conjure up previous losses that we felt were so dormant they no longer had any effect! It happened to me. My daughter called at an unusually early time the other day. My husband had this serious look on his face. It was a call to tell us the little guy was sick and staying home with her. Everything was okay! My anxiety level was high. Hypervigilance! For several months I had been waiting for the phone to ring with bad news. It can be a feeling waiting for the other shoe to drop! As life settles down the sense of urgency will diminish. If you know loved ones that are dealing with a recent loss or incredible stress, help them normalize and recognize this feeling of worry can occur. No, you are not going crazy! There can be people who always say- oh nothing bothers me! Well, it is probably not true! Being strong does not mean having normal human reactions to bad situations is weak! Allowing the acknowledgement that loss has a devastating  effect on us! Do you know someone dealing with loss? Are you dealing with loss? Are you ruminating about the events in your life? Talking to someone or writing about your feelings may help you to normalize them.

A POSTCARD FROM LAKE LOUISE ALBERTA CANADA

Lake Louise in Alberta Canada is a beautiful and wonder location in this country that attracts visitors from not only Canada but from the world.
Many years ago when I was a teenager in 1960's my cousin Linda sent me a postcard.

Linda wrote on August 4- " Aug. 4. Hi Barby, We just started our holidays today. We stopped here for a couple of minutes to have some pop. It's a beautiful spot. The lake is a lovely light blue and freezing. You could not swim in it because it's icy water from mountain streams. Will be moving on tomorrow to Vernon. Write soon, Love Linda."
She mailed the card from Golden, British Columbia.

Lake Louise is about 65 kilometres from Banff in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. I actually visited there in 1957 with my family when we went on a cross country road trip in our old red and white station wagon. The Chateau on the grounds is rather pricey so a lot of people visit the grounds and move on. Many people camp in the area which is more affordable.
If you want a postcard featured here, email me at abdm@rogers.com and I will send you my address so you can send me a postcard.

OPPOSITES CAN BE FUN IN A MARRIAGE

In a marriage, having differing views and interests can bring variety. Many relationships begin because opposites attract! There are often common values and beliefs whether from the same background or religion. So initially it can appear there are major differences but the basic elemments are consistent. Love can prevail! Working on accepting each person as unique as a grain of sand on the beach. Like the salt and pepper added to your meal- they complement each other but have a distinct taste. Man and Woman! Husband and Wife! A couple but separate while together! Each with strengths and vulnerabilities! What are your thoughts about marriage? How do you make it work? Do you think you are different from your partner or very similar?

A CANADIAN-JAPANESE FEEL GOOD STORY

The Tsunami in Japan in March 2011 was devastating to so many people and areas of Japan. We are told the debris that is in the Pacific Ocean continues to head to North America and especially the coast of British Columbia in Canada. This week a fellow Canadian Mark Davis that likes to beach comb found a container with a motorcyle on a very remote beach. It was from debris from the Japanese Tsunami. Did he want to keep the find? No. His kindness to try to find the owner as it had Japanese license plates was to contact the Japanese Consulate. He wanted to know if the owner had survived. His first thoughts were about the person who owned it. The rest is history- Ikuo Yokoyama is alive and the owner. He lost family members, his home and probably lots of hope for his future. Harley Davidson in Japan is having the bike shipped home and will fix it before returning it to Ikuo. It's just a bike but it is something to give back from a terrible disaster. Both men want to meet each other. I feel proud to have a fellow Canadian with a good and generous heart. His first thoughts were to return the bike. Does it mean there are stories to unfold as the debris continues to hit our shores? Will there be a special connection between Canadians and Japanese? I hope so. Perhaps it is a lesson to see if there are other connections we can make as Canadians with other parts of the world. Mark you are a fine human being and like many other Canadians-very mellow and low key about the whole thing!

NANA SAYS OUTDOOR PLAY IS GOOD FOR CHILDREN

With the warmer weather here, the outdoors becomes a great playground. A fenced in yard can keep children safe. Depending on the day- bug spray, sunscreen , a good hat and we are now advised to use sunglasses for not only adults but children of all ages. My yard is paths and gardens so teaching the little to leave the dirt in the garden and the stones on the path is a constant struggle. We are creating a little area under one of the trees so it can become " a fort"! Cheap plastic toys, a wagon and somewhere to sit makes for fun! My yard is full of rocks that the children like to climb and sit on! If you do not have a yard, there are many parks with lots of equipment or just go to the grassy area for some creative play. Make a picnic! Low tech! Old imagination! Listen to the birds- identify them. Teach about the trees! Pick up pinecones- then try to find uses for them! Nature becomes a lesson in constant progress! Walks, jogging and long bike rides work for older children and teenagers! If you are a lucky one with a cottage, learning the rules of the water- swimming, boating- learning to canoe or row a boat, and whatever the area brings in terms of wildlife and vegetation! Every adult becomes a teacher! Of course reading a book outside or doing a craft with natural products becomes fun. What do you have in your yard? Can an area become a castle for a princess and prince? Can a section of your garden become the little one's spot for flowers or vegetables? Get a bird book and a natural atlas for your area! Have fun looking up new any unknown "thing" with the family! Even if teenagers appear to be totally uninterested, keep at it anyway! They continue to learn through osmosis! As we spend more time outdoors with the children in our lives, it can have a great benefit on us! I find the screaming, and sometimes fighting that occurs with my grandchildren is less annoying as the sound evaporates into the air! Of course, helps with naps and sleeps as the play and air does tend to tire children. Tires adults as well! Oh the great outdoors- just love it!

MAY- MY FAVOURITE MONTH

A new month always offers a chance for a new beginning. It is my favourite month as it is really the start of the real warmer weather. The trees and flowers continue to bloom. Althought this year, it felt like May from the middle of April with all the vegetation about 3 weeks ahead. My anniversary occurs in May so there is an opportunity to celebrate. I like to take a vacation week around the long weekend to give me some time to work outside, tidy inside and yes- a day trip or two! Eating outside starts to become the norm. After a day cooped up in the hospital, it is welcoming to sit and eat dinner on the back porch. As the days continue to become longer, renewed energy and the ability to be more physical. I try harder at staying up later. Do you have trouble during the winter months making it past 9 p.m. at night? I love the extra daylight as it means more can be done at night which seems like day! I like the idea there are 4 months of "summer" even though it is not officially summer until the end of June. Perhaps it is just psychological but it goes to my soul! May- renewel! Time to get going! Be outside! Enjoy the flowers, trees, birds, the walks, bike riding! How do you feel about the month of May? Is it just another month to you? Sometimes it is just the idea of doing and going that gets me charged! What gets you charged this time of year? If we do not find the time to do the things we enjoy, life can become a blur!