Open your eyes

Little Pink Houses

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Laura

I really like this little pink house and not just because it reminds me of John Cougar (before he went back to Mellancamp) and my youth. The way that this central pink house is similar to THO and has has grown organically into a small house makes me wistful and wishful. I don’t mean for this house but for my own Tiny House and what is in its future. This one is for sale in Illinois for $38,700 and on the water and you can see a lot more photos at the link. I really like it, even though the additions are not exactly the way that I would do them if I am ever able to add on at Tiny House Ontario, but then how we do things is very individual!

I have mentioned before on here that I would like to have had a 300 square foot house but the under 108 square foot (foot print) was defined by building codes. You can’t always get what you want… but even so, what I am really strongly hoping is that before I make my move to THO that these size restrictive codes will have changed. I would love a 200 foot addition on the front from the roof line out, with a bathroom, laundry room and kitchen. I would want this addition to be made from Timber frame from our own logs, straw-bale and glass with proper stairs to the loft because I am not getting any younger!

I am a long way away from this – still have to hook up the solar and come to understand how it works year around. Too with the lack of heat, water, the indoor functional kitchenette and a husband that is a long way from wanting to retire I am stuck between two lives. THO has a life that I want but can’t quite attain, and one that I want rid of that has things in it that are required. I guess I have to keep on banging away and working on more things than one.

Categories: Money, Open your eyes, Stuff, Tiny House Ontario | 2 Comments

Canadian Farmer Art

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Laura

I got tickets to see a number of the Piccaso works. His paintings are on loan to the Art Gallery of Ontario until the end of the week because their home in France is under construction. Even though he is long from being my favourite artist, it was great to have the chance to see them while they are so close. I got the strong impression that I would not have liked the man much even though there are a few of his paintings that I really like. The one I liked best is Two Women Running on a Beach but the detail of this tiny painting (maybe 8×10?) is lost in all the e-pictures I found on line. In the original you can feel the women’s exuberance!

I saw a lot of paintings today and I have to tell you quite honestly that the ones that I loved most are the ones by Lawren Harris. I am biased of course! I love his work and after walking through the busy and lovely Picasso display there was a double door that said push and when I did I saw The Group of Seven and Emily Carr before me! I was so excited that I very nearly wept! I had no idea that they had so many Harris pieces!

One of the most interesting facts about The Group of Seven which is ignored by galleries and the artsy people is that without Canadian farmers these works would not in all likelihood exist in the way that they do. Lawren Harris who is one of the founding members of the group was the son of the very wealthy Thomas Morgan Harris – the Harris’ of the Massey Harris industrialists. The Harris family money came from building and selling tractors to farmers.

Lawren Harris (in my opinion) put his money to fantastic use with this group of artists. He and his buddy Dr. James McCallum built the group space for them so that they could work (or live) in, and Harris even financed trips for them. In both 1918 and 1919 he put some of that tractor money to good use and paid for the boxcar trips that took The Group to Algoma to paint! Can you imagine The Group of Seven works without the Algoma works? I can’t! Thank you farmers and Harris too! Another mitigating factor is that Harris himself never had to work (though he did have a job for about two years of his life). This family fortune meant that he did not have to be concerned about the cost of canvas, paints, brushes, housing or any life stuff, and with the luxury of both time and money he created a magnificent body of work.

I wonder if all creative people had family fortunes which allowed them to do what they wished, what kind of world we would live in?

Categories: Open your eyes, Tiny House Ontario, View | 5 Comments

Norse Guillaume

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Laura

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Guillaume at a Pagan Moot in Kingston and hoped to have the opportunity to photograph him and share some of the experience on here. Guillaume is a Norse Pagan who practices sverd og skjold (Norse sword and shield – combat technique). He also teaches these skills in Kingston, Ontario. He is a rich story teller with a deep, full laugh.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet him again and take a few photographs. I wish that I had the skill of a photographic memory so that I could recall verbatim his telling of the sacrifice of Týr. While Wikipedia gives one the basics of the story, it lacks the passion to which it was shared with myself and the others who were present.

I knew nothing of the Germanic/Norse religion before this meeting and found the story so fascinating that I got a book on the subject which is actually a little more about the Runes then the actual mythology. Later I got some hematite runes too because I found I needed to have something more tangible in my hand while trying to grasp these totally foreign concepts.

There are many interesting aspects of these stories, but what I took away are that of sacrifice for the good of others is key to these beliefs. Like the tales themselves, Guillaume, is a man with a huge presence. His huge laugh brings in those around him and his ability to get to the point of the matter is not only with the tip of a sword. It was not lost on me that he wanted to be sure that I was safe getting to my vehicle after the moot and that he was the last to leave checking that we were all safe. The need to protect those around him is deep and ingrained.

Guillaume’s gear is a combination of hand made items, to which only in retrospect now again do I realize that I should have photographed more closely, made by his own and other’s hands. The man exudes a beautiful hand made quality not just in his clothing but in his very self. His willingness to allow me to take photos and run a story on him was something I also found quite fascinating. I suspect that this security comes from the mans ability to assess the intent of those around him as well as his ability to protect himself and the others who are in his presence from any ill intent whatsoever. Honestly, there are few men who I have ever felt quite as safe with and this is despite the fact that I know him only in passing and very little.

No matter, it was a pleasure to meet him and to talk. Hopefully this world has many men as great.

Bide the ancient law Ye must,
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Heed these words the Rune’s rede fore-fill:
An ye harm none, do what ye will.
What ye send forth comes back to thee,
So ever mind the law of three.
Follow this with open mind and heart,
Merry we meet – Merry we part.

Categories: Friendship, Ontario, Open your eyes, Simple living, Tiny House Ontario, View | 2 Comments

Kingston Pagan Pride

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Laura

Today was the Pagan Pride Festival in Kingston. I have been looking forward to this for weeks.

It was held at the Confederation Park in front of City Hall. For those of you who do not know what Pagans are and are curious, events such as this are a fantastic way to gain understanding about the old religions (and why there is such a huge interest in the revival of the old religions).

Pagans are not one group of people with a single idea, there are many beliefs from many areas of the world and these are a very diverse group who consider themselves Pagan. There are Native, Wiccan, Norse, Goddess, Nature/Earth Mother and many other beliefs. I myself, identify somewhere within Native/Earth Mother spirituality. This said, I am very interested in people’s beliefs, so much so that I took a medial in the topic at University moons ago.

There were workshops, a tarot reader and some vendors too, unfortunately, I had to leave before seeing the dancing and singing. Hopefully I can attend for the whole day next year. Kingston is particularly great in this way because there are so many really great people here who are Pagans. It is a particularly friendly and open group of people!

THO is not being sponsored but, I decided to share the links where I have them because they are all small businesses (and artists) and if you are interested you may want to know where to access items in this area (or on line).

Anglin Bay Pottery
Wolves Den Pottery
Kingston Soap Company
Goddess Blends

We got a beautiful day for it and there was a good deal of foot traffic through. It was nice to catch up with people both Pagan and non Pagan.