A POSTCARD FROM THE ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO

Visiting art galleries with family is always a fun event for me. So two Sundays ago, along with my daughter and granddaughter, a visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario was a fun outing. Leaving the car at the Finch station, we took the subway to Dundas Street where we hopped the streetcar to the Art Gallery.

The Vicarage at Neunen by Vincent van Gogh around 1884 is the top picture and Charing Cross Bridge, Fog 1902 is the bottom picture.

The Thomson Family donated a 50 million art collection to the Gallery. Ken Thomson was an avid art collector. The general public have the benefit of viewing this extensive collection.

There are two Cornelius Krieghoff paintings. The one at the top-Breaking up of a Country Ball in Canada, Early Morning, 1857 and the Tlingit Shaman's Amulet, c. 1840 the card on the bottom are two of the many art pieces in the Thomson Collection.

The Art Gallery has many pictures by the Group of Seven. Franklin Carmichael's North Shore, Lake Superior, 1927 and Tom Thomson- Bateaux, Summer 1916 are the featured postcards. It should be noted Tom Thomson  the painter is no relation to the billionaire Thomson family.

Emily Carr's Indian Church, 1929 is featured. Many times there are special exhibits at the Gallery. The two other postcards are by Diego Rivera a Mexican artist whose works were at the AGO recently.

My favourite painting at the Gallery is Paul Peel's After the Bath.

This is actually the framed art card that has been in my pink bathroom for many years. Although I can not afford expensive art, it is still feasible to buy art cards and postcards to enjoy art.
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.

IS MARCH GOING OUT LIKE A LAMB?

The weather is neither warm nor cold. No rain. No snow. It is not the warmest last day for March nor the coldest. So can I say March is going out very neutral and that's okay. It means April has lots of time to warm up for us! Not bad for an Easter Sunday! Lots of religious movies on TV and food cooking in the oven!

WHAT IS LUCK? ARE YOU LUCKY OR JUST HARD WORKING?

Lucky is described in the Oxford dictionary as having or resulting from good luck, as distinct from skill or design or merit. Have you ever been called lucky in a situation that you know was not luck? Do you ever resent being called lucky for something you worked hard to achieve? Have you ever worked very hard and did not get the award at the end? So what is luck? Yesterday as I was making my way down the hall at the hospital,  a fellow staff person commented- "you are able to walk to work, you are so lucky! " So why did I resent the comment? Is it luck that my employment is close to home. Perhaps. The hospital has always been there. I have worked there for over 10 years now. Did you know I have applied for jobs there for over 25 years? How many times did I apply for a job and did not get it? About 5 times! I had to take a job that was an hour away by car for 11 years. Lots of time in traffic in that commute! Is it possible that many others had to keep at something-perserve- to get what they sought? Many people work very hard their whole lives and do not necessarily get rewarded at the end. A layoff! Forced into early retirement! An untimely death! What is luck? A winning lottery ticket! No skill needed! A door prize at a gala! A lasting marriage-not much luck there! Sure you need to work at a marriage but how many times has one ended for no fault of the effort made. A good parent-lucky your kids are good! Sometimes that is true. I have seen many good parents with children that have caused lots of heartache. I have seen good children with crappy, selfish parents. Are we lucky to have a good family? Perhaps! Lucky is a funny word. It can be a condescending word. " You are lucky to have such a good figure " said to the person who eats well and exercises daily to stay in shape. Or "you are retired, you are so lucky!" Firstly, the person had to work for many years to reach that point in his/her life. Secondly, maybe the person would rather be working. Thirdly, maybe there are health reasons. Hopefully, the person is quite content to be retired. Should we be calling people lucky? Should we check ourselves and wonder if there is a little jealousy going on? The person has something we want!  Does luck happen to everyone at some time in their lives? Perhaps! It is funny I would never call anything I have or do luck or lucky. Rather I prefer to use the word- blessed! I feel blessed to have my loved ones in my life. I feel blessed to be able to get up and do what I have to do. I feel blessed to try to forgive others and not carry burdens of anger on my shoulder. I feel blessed to try not to resent others for what they have. It is hard work not to belittle others and just say " you are so lucky!" So what do you think? Do you like the word lucky? Do you react to it? Do you prefer another word for your situation?

GOOD FRIDAY IN CANADA 2013

As a stat holiday, everyone has a chance to stay home. Essential services, however,  must have people working. It is a religious day for Christians everywhere, finding time to go to church. What does it mean? The day Jesus died for our sins! The burden of carrying the cross through the streets of Jerusalem is played out in religious pageants. Thinking about the sacrifice is a way to reflect on beliefs and our lives. The whole concept of doing for others. Treating others as we wish to be treated. Easter has a way of slowing us down to help to understand a larger meaning to life.  The bunny, the easter egg hunt, the dinners together are rituals that bring family together.

A SHORT WORK WEEK

My only thoughts today are focused on the fact that it is a short work week. As much as I love my job, having time away and nesting at home has its advantages. Being able to clean and putter and do some personal activities along with family time, helps me to renew some much needed energy to carry on with all the aspects of living. I would not want to be home all the time but there is a safety that home brings. With the urge to Spring clean and prepare for the warm weather that is coming-I think- being home for a few extra days helps to accomplish many tasks. I often think I would like to do 12 hour days so I could have more time off. My job, however, is not conducive to that time frame. Evenings could be spent with families but there is little work in the early hours. There is no opportunity to work from home-can not take patients away from the hospital! So it is the 5 day- Monday to Friday and the odd weekend crisis that entails the work I do. Ah-the short work week- like Adolph said this morning- no more sleeps the weekend is almost here!

NANA SAYS USE EASTER AND PASSOVER TO TEACH HUMAN VALUES TO CHILDREN

Not everyone goes to church or synagogue during the holy season. So sometimes children only learn about chocolate or a seder dinner. Easter and Passover have very powerful human lessons teaching concrete values. Take the time to revisit the stories and lessons. There are many books that can help. If you do not attend regular services than it is okay to be a once a year attender. Take the children. You may discover that there is fellowship and you may want to attend more often. There are Bible story books that can be read along with many other books during the year. Parables stand the test of time! Look at the Cain and Abel lesson from the Old Testament! Sibling rivalry! However you plan to celebrate the holidays, family time is always a way to come together!

PASSOVER IN CANADA

As usual Passover occurs near our Easter week celebrations. It is a time to respect and watch our Jewish neighbours and friends celebrate their Seder dinner-honouring them. As Christians, we can understand the Passover story-Moses and his hope of taking his people to a new land. The old testament is our Bible too. Canada is a land of religious tolerance and acceptance. In Thornhill- a little community above Toronto- there are many different churches and faith institutions. A Mosque and Synagogue are side by side sharing the parking space at the back. They are located on Bayview Avenue. Near us on Yonge Street is a Hindu Temple. So as our Jewish Canadians celebrate, let us send a message of love and peace to other corners of the world. There are many challenges being culturally and religiously diverse. However, making the effort to learn and accept others can be an universal goal.