Paint Party Friday - Dapper

This piece for Paint Party Friday is called 'Dapper'. It's done in my art journal in acrylic (8 1/2" x 11").

Baked Zucchini with Onions and Tomatoes

I made this quick vegetable dish recently and thought you might be interested in in how I did it.
Zucchini, onions and tomatoes are a wonderful combination. The onions and tomatoes seem to retain a lot of flavour.

6 zucchini cut into chunks
1 onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
3 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried basil
2 tbs vinegar or lemon juice

Pre heat the oven to 350F (I have a hot oven)

On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, mix in all ingredients. Bake for approximately
20 minutes or until zucchini is tender and enjoy.

The Funeral Service

My late mom's funeral service went very smoothly. Some of us got to the funeral home about 45 minutes early. We brought pictures and a usb stick loaded with family photos which were set up in the viewing room where the open coffin lay. My nephew wanted to rehearse his piano piece in the chapel, and we had brought some timbits (bit-sized doughnuts from Tim Hortons) to go with the coffee provided in the reception room.

It wasn't long before the guests started arriving. Close family and friends were in attendance, in fact it was a pleasure to see many of my best friends arrive. It wasn't long before the chapel which seated at least 100 people was full.

The chaplain gave a very personal eulogy, despite the fact that he never knew my mom. He had come by my sister's house one evening to learn more about my mom and our family. It would be a non-denominational ceremony although we are Catholic. My cousin read a scripture, followed by my young nephew. Next my daughter gave a lovely speech which had humourous bits about the family. Then my niece gave a touching speech about her fondest memories of her grandma. Before closing one of my nephews played a wonderful classical piece on the electronic piano which garnered applause. He is really talented.

After the service our family hosted a luncheon at a restaurant for some guests. Funerals are not cheap, much like some weddings. In retrospect it was a beautiful way to say goodbye to mom, with all her children in attendance. I have 3 younger sisters and a brother who is the youngest of us. My mom had 11 grandchildren. We had not all been together in some ten years.

Creative Tuesdays - Dazzle Me

Here is my piece for Creative Tuesdays' 'Dazzle Me' theme. It's done in my art journal in acrylic and outlined with a black pitt artist pen. It is based on a photo of a Regency style wedding dress from the Jane Austen centre in Bath, England. I added the stars for the 'dazzle' effect, although what's more dazzling than a beautiful wedding dress!

Bee Pollen

My sister who lives in Florida brought me this gift of bee pollen she got from Costa Rica. I didn't even know what that was. She said I am supposed to take a teaspoon a day, that it is a superfood. Hmm.  I googled it quickly and it appears to be 'bee food' extracted from flowers, believed to have healing properties.

Bundle Up.

We are having out of town visitors so I am unable to participate in Sunday Sketches today.  My sister and her family are staying with us, they live in California.  Upon arrival she asked if we would mind turning the heat up just for the short time they are here. So we upped the thermostat a couple of degrees. We were happy to do that for their comfort. We normally have it set to 20C (68F) in the winter and bundle up under the blankets at night. After a couple of nights they had adjusted and told us we could put the thermostat back to normal, but we decided it could wait.

The photo above shows a recent piece I posted for Paint Party Friday along with some beautiful roses I received from a good friend.

RIP Mom

My mom will be laid to rest today. Family and friends will be with us at this sad time. It is for the best, she did not have to go to a long term care home or endure palliative care. She will be with us forever in our hearts.