In her poem, Mindful, Mary Oliver writes, Every day I see or hear something that more or less kills me with delight… I am not talking about the exceptional, the fearful, the dreadful, the very extravagant—but of the ordinary…
My niece informed me this morning that The Clay Girl is up on Chapters/Indigo for pre-order. Extraordinary. ‘Spectacular’, to use one of Ari Appleton’s favorite words. I am delighted, for myself I admit, but more I’m delighted that people will meet the clay girl. She is fictional, I know, but she has taught me a great deal about the ‘extraordinary ordinary.’ A cup of honey-vanilla chamomile tea, a walk along the shore with her aunts, a quote written on her lunch bag… simply delight her.
I spent last week up North with three of my favourite people. We snowshoed through frosty woods and hiked the river’s edge, where my sister discovered this seahorse trapped in the ice.
We ate fresh baked bread, we talked, talked, talked, about life, the universe and everything, we laughed ’til our sides hurt, we raised a glass (or two), filled mugs, curled up with books… I got out my crayons and filled in the journal page above.
Those ordinary moments last week were as delightful as discovering the link to my novel this morning.
Now, I’m putting the kettle on and raising a mug to your spectacularly ordinary day. Let me know how it’s going.
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Oh, I love this journal page! I think I’ll go cozy up with a cup of tea myself …. Wish I had your book!!!
I’m drawing some cracked bells right now because I’m in the mood for a little Leonard Cohen. I’ll have the mugs out and kettle on for you tomorrow.
I spent three spectacularly ordinary days with the kids this week, and they were exhausting but very special. I hope we made warm of memories for them. I know I have lots of delightful ones to treasure and curl up in during any cold days of the heart that might come my way in the future.
Time spent with you at RW is always spectacularly ordinary. Thanks for the winter walks, hot mugs of coffee, cold glasses of wine, and laughter. Love you sister dear.
All the time and energy you devote to Dani and JJ is creating a masterpiece, a work of heart!
Love the journal page 🙂
Thanks, Charlene. Many cups of tea and coffee were consumed in the making of it.
Beautiful!
Thanks, Robert. Playing with crayons is the best therapy I’ve come across.
I look forward to the book
Thanks Marie. Your support and kind words are really appreciated.
Congrats on Clay Girl. Your Sis is having a good lie-in this morning after three days with the kids. Nice to see the finished product (journal) of all of that work.
Lots of nice memories are attached to this page. Looking forward to Wheelers. And you deserve a lie-in too.
So beautiful, so Heather. I love Ari, too, as you know, having spent a few years with her.
More than a few for you and me, Karen. Without the wisdom of you and the other WIPpers Ari might live her life tucked in a drawer.
Beautiful work and words. I’m looking forward to reading your book 🙂
Thanks, Erin.
I just saw your FB on reading with your daughter. Those ‘extraordinary ordinary’ times have become my best memories.
Your creativity is flowing everywhere & I love being able to let it flow over & affect me…how generous you are! Let me know when to kickstart my campaign to preorder/order Clay Girl!
The flow certainly goes both ways. There has never been a connection with you that I haven’t loved every second of, Lori.
These are amazing drawings! I popped over from AnvilCloud!
Thank you, Jennifer. I feel like I should give you a prize, yours is the 100th comment on my website:) I doodle more than draw. Playing with colours and writing down positive thoughts is a lot more fun than the gloomy drivel that formerly filled by journals. Thanks for popping over. I’d love to hear from you again.
Dan & Christine gave me The Clay Girl for my birthday a week ago. I have a hard time putting it down. I can’t wait to read the next chapter. You are amazing! Larry would have loved your book! He was so looking forward to reading it!