24 Hours of Delight

Every Wednesday since the beginning of the year, I've been spending a couple of hours making art with the sweetest bunch of individuals. Canadian Mental Health Association folks brought in our gem of-a-local artist, Lee Higginson, to facilitate these sessions. I've been honoured to spend one-on-one time with 17 of these folks so far... painting their portraits.

Yesterday, we gathered at From Scratch Farm for our almost-end-of-session garden party.

There were smiles all around.

There is nothing like a baby goat to bring on the smiles.

Goats were shared....

.........and cuddled and petted.

Lee documented the day in her own inimitable style.

To double the joy of the day, Lindsey and the kids joined us.

Kids and kids.

Can you feel the love?

It's like holding a baby.

As if we didn't have enough to eat at the garden party, pizza on the shore of Lake Ontario seemed to be in order to complete the day.

And, there is our almost-teenager.

We had a hankering for waffles, sausages, strawberries and whipped cream for breakfast today. Lucky we didn't need to milk a cow to get the cream or kill a pig to get sausages. All we needed to do was pick the strawberries.

It was Van Dorp's second day of picking.

It didn't take us long to get 8 litres.

With all of that sustenance in our bellies, practising cartwheels for an hour on the lawn was a piece of cake.

In the shop, a fishing rod rack began to take shape.

Safety first.

Inside the house, Charlotte and I experimented with silver leaf. Her idea of a Chevrolet ad - at night - was given to Ted for Father's Day. Of course the ad takes place at night. I like her creativity.

Heaven forbid that one kid work in the shop and not the other. Charlotte got up close and personal with the drill press, the router, and the sander when whe made her tic-tac-toe game.

It looks to me like grandpa is pleased about how things are going.......

....making shavings and sawdust.

The day was so jam-packed we even had to play Apples to Apples while we were eating.

Twice!

“I think if I've learned anything about friendship,

it's to hang in,

stay connected,

fight for them,

and let them fight for you.

Don't walk away,

don't be distracted,

don't be too busy or tired,

don't take them for granted.

Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together.

Powerful stuff.”

Jon Katz