holiday

keys


hearts



peace


dogs


sleep



pajamas


pulp fiction


words


holding close


perched on the sides


watching
all the windows
at the same time



i feel lucky
blessed
happy high

rocking in the rocker
reading

nourishing with page after page of words

Merry Hannukah, Happy Christmas and a Peaceable New Year

no snow no snow
doesn't feel like christmas

our holiday was nice,
but christmas always has me expectant
and i don't like the way things get bogged with too muchness
and consumer panic

having emerged from my sickness cocoon, that just keeps on hacking
i wake to beautiful burning bright hannukah candles on my purple clay menorah,
which i won several years ago while contemplating reinvestigating my jewishness

i like light, dig miracles and candle wax
new traditions are born out of old traditions
we wear silly hats and sing and feel blessed and share and dance
and play the spinning top for chocolate coins

we give gifts and exchange warmth and silliness and the joy of being together
and candles and light and wax and brightness and the quiet that candles bring

mixed into this new fangled jewishness ,
we embrace tree and more lights, coloured and blue and white
and the new led lights invented by students at my old alma mata...yeah for them

we hang our stockings with care in hopes that santa, hannukah harry and harriet will be there
and this year so special
we have wee mama
little shrinking sweetly grandmama over
and on christmas eve we make the special meal
the secrets to lamb and perfect roast potatoes and minty mint sauce
revealed such a gift

and christmas comes and new playmobil is played
and surprizes are had and the nicest wrapping is the wrap made by my husbands students
and i ask for the trim back to make into more crafti bits and pieces

and daughter tears the wrap but wee grandma is careful and unwraps with reverance remembering,
conditioned not to waste anything

it is a nice christmas, no snow, now snow

and solstice passes too, grandmas birthday...we eat and drink and make merry
and she wishes her birthday where in june

and flora, the cat sleeps in her hannukah present of a bed

menorah lights burn as christmas lights tinkle
and there is peace on the earth where i am standing

and after christmas expectation preparation a sigh of it's over another
and the odd week between this and fresh new new year comes
the pause to rethink, rework, relax

as the world slowly unchristmasizes and goes back to ho hum
and slower and less crowded and manic and sparkly

and i dream of dogs
wear new snoopy pajamas
and investigate dog parts

and become more and more interested in canine

and wonder what the new year will bring
and want to walk walk walk more and stretch

and start again at the beginning
and be well
and continue to indulge with sweets and chocolates but
know the world isn't this worry free

happy new year
peace on earth
good will


and love

ric rac baby

ric rac baby
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

ric rac moon struck

ric rac moon struck
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

whaz up?

hi, this will be a streaming mis-spelt kind of post.
i am full of creative energy and surrounded by the lights of Hanukkah and the boughs of christmasness
and no snow, no cold no snow, untamed non constructed ice rinks and garage sales that keep on coming
holy moly whaz up with this...

i decide to create a band the name being the most important part,
introducing "Global Warming and the New Asthmatics"

head swirls, yep i have a puffer, i am a new asthmatics...the cough that went on for ever and still is has brought me the concept of asthma, holy asthma is tiring...it makes playing snowless pie tag harder,

i have always been a little suspicious about modern medicine, but i have a beautiful human being for a doctor who is so smart and caring and i really really have a lot of trust with her, that i am thinking new thoughts about it all...i think hell gimmie the drugs let me experience what's in your magic bag. it took the pharmacist a while to fill the prescription for all that has been ailing me. as a person of very good physical health this little bout has been quite fascinating, i am reduced to a somewhat sickly little neb, think old time woody allen only female. i carry a puffer, apply cream for a small rash and have taken antibiotics and tylenol 2's . oi vey what a medicine chest.

i used to have this theory, that it was best to be on as little to no medication...i thought and do think it keeps one young and healthy...but recently i feel i am living so much in this modern fast technology heap of a world that i thought i would join in with the concoctions of modern fast times (at ridgemont high and beyond)..

i am feeling well...Despite being ill,
breathing is very important. yep lungs who knew...

in the course of the busiest craft sales time, I was out for the count watching numerous talk shows, Martha, the view, very weird talk about selling, consumerism, but they kept me company and distracted me from my haze of sick sick hack hack coughing.

i lost 3 craft shows and jay had to deliver orders to the stores, i sewed ornaments in a semi real state, nothing injured in the making.

i did my last craft show this saturday...in my fuzz haze of happy happy happy being out and about i meet a dog.
i have dog fever. you know, those dog people that just can't not say hello to the dogs that possibly carry bones in their pockets. well this dog and it's story captured my heart. a retired racing greyhound named value. sweet as a dream, and so reminded me of some special ed students i have worked for in the past, not that she wasn't clever, just the energy..very special...so i am considering a dog..me the cat lady..the girl that fears the bark, the loner wanting a pack animal.

not only that i have a preference for fine delicate jewelry to clunky..

i made my first roast chicken of my life...what an experience.
i am a lapsed veggie, meat does me some good, it's a long mental health story...
i had never bought or cooked a whole darn chicken
i had a lot of reverence for the chicken, i thanked it several times, while buying
roasting and eating ...a roast chicken is undeniably a dead bird without head or feet,

the chicken was delicious as was the smell, my house became more my home, house hearth cooking
nourishment, feeding....i finally get it....

then i made stock from the bones and yes made a nice chicken soup nothing wasted no sir eee,
i am still thanking that sweet chicken that gave its live..thank you.


here i sit with time, and stuff and good feeling..getting better having been quite ill...having to trust and have faith



happy holidays whether it is candles or trees or secret scents or good food or better company
i wish wellness and peace and hope and love.

always love
xo

ric rac cat

ric rac cat
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

ric rac chairs

ric rac chairs
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

xmas card, presents

xmas card, presents
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

Crafternoon Tea!

Hullo a small break from my dear little sewing machine to invite you to this wonderful craft show, if past shows are any reflection on this one I urge you to come on out and see some great crafts, eat delicious baked goods and learn some crafty diy tips.

Sarah

Sarah
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

Ana likes to read!

Ana likes to read!
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

The Sassy Little Craft Show

It is true.
Tis the season to open ones suitcase and sell the wares contained within...

The next fabulous show I will be attending is an evening function, perfect for those that prefer 'drinks' to tea.
As for me it goes way past my bedtime and I will be ingesting grand amounts of caffeinated beverages in order to give the correct change.

If your in town please come it should prove to be a novel way to gather gifties for all those on your lists.

The Sassy Little Craft Show
Saturday November 18th 2006
6pm until 1 am ! (really)

The Victory Cafe
(on Markham Street around the corner from Honest Ed's)

detail

ornament detail
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

of what is this a detail to.. you may ask..

and I shall respond dearest of readers
Please come to
The Fall Toronto Small Press Fair
Saturday November 11th, between 11am and 5pm,
to find out!

The fair will have readings on Saturday evening between 6 and 9pm
and also runs on Sunday (I will be selling my wares on the Saturday)

yes dearest of readers what is that you say?

How do you get to the Fair?

any way you can, and hurry!

it is located this fine year at the Victory Cafe at 581 Markham Street in Toronto, that is the street that is around the corner from the grand and rather flash bargain house known as Honest Ed's.

I do hope you can make it to the Fair dearest of readers, many magical works and words are surely had for mear dollars.

and for now I must get back to my crafting and grafting and wiping the nose of small and kind urchin children, I wish you dear readers
ado, ado.

smoke

smoke
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

for www.illustrationfriday.com

a few thoughts on smoke:
it gets in your eyes
the movie "smoke" is one of my very favorites
i don't smoke
once i did, one night but i was drinking vodka, which i don't do and was in new york, which mostly i am not...personally i think it was what the psychic community refers to as a 'walk in' for those that don't know what this is, it is when another soul briefly takes up residence in your body, fascinating stuff and a great way to not take responsibility for foolish actions.
with that said, new york was awesome and vodka is my drink of choice or sake hot but that's another story....

in order to see this in its full and glorious-ness please click on the image and go to flickr once there please look around i can't stop drawing pictures. peace and love i send
in small sacrosanct parcels of smoke made from sacred sweet grass bundles intending to purify and cast out bad spirits ( if only i had known in new york that time...hmmmH?)

pineapple-jack

pineapple-jack
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

Happy Halloween.

Bea had a great idea.
And Jay helped her achieve our new Halloween Tradition.

Welcome.
Pineapple Jack!

good morning pods

seed pod 6
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

Bea and I on the short walk to school found these wonderful seed pods. Kyle, her classmate had found one too. They both left the line up to go in to gather more. In the line, discussion and chatter among the kids led to a smiling man's comment. "They are seed pods" he said. Then he said to me, as if to anticipate my wonder, "they're from the Plain/Plane Tree, also known as Sycamore. I though the leaves looked like a maple but knew the tree couldn't be because it was full of these amazing pods. On closer inspection I can see the leaves look so different from the maple. The man told me he was into trees, it was his job he designs and builds gardens. "I love it." he said " I'm really lucky I love what I do". I thought aren't we all really lucky. This person so full, satisfied with such wonderful knowledge and energy. Isn't it a shame everyone can't/ or doesn't love what 'they do"? It was time for the kids to go in, as he called out, "Bye Oak". I said "Your son's a tree....It's a beautiful name". "Yeah" he said "I'm really into trees".

to see more pictures of my good morning sycamore pods please click on the photograph which will take you to flickr, more pictures are in my new set there called 'other worlds'

cheerio,
hug a tree today!

Kim's Magical Mystery Tour

Part one: a little bit about where I live.
(for all those who love our wee town including miss Keri)

I live on a busy kind of street , residencial with a rambling streetcar that goes by. We can walk to Bea's School and Jay can walk to his work. Sometimes I feel the vibrations of the streetcar, in the bathtub, upstairs in bed and each time I think of the Woody Allen movie where the main character's childhood home is under the rollercoaster. Each time I giggle about this and enjoy it.

The backyard backs onto a little untouched triangle of small creek and very large trees. The King of the Trees is a huge maple. In my back yard I have tall pine trees, Louisiana Creeper and lots of birds. Less birds now the berries on the creeper are gone. Note: I'll have to put up some feeders in place of the glass lanterns. I've always wanted to have a backyard having grown up in an apartment building. When I went to friend's houses as a child I would always ask to see or go into the backyard. Backyard, I loved the sound still do, even if it was a little grassy knoll of a yard I felt really happy, the privacy to sit and look at plants and the teeny tiny critters undisturbed. The little ant hill, or lifting a rock like in MY backyard and seeing the little potato bug families.

I like the contrast of where I live. It can be quiet, or noisy. People to watch at certain times of day coming and going to school. A birds eye view of the streetcar ( I've always lived on it's line- I like streetcars and somehow it makes me feel secure, and unafraid of getting lost- just follow the tracks). I see the little travelers and always check the driver to see if it is my brother, who drives a streetcar. A game I like to play with Bea called "Where's Your Uncle?".

If I walk around the corner from my house one way I'm in the urban, grey and shabby parts, I swear the culture here has a unique dialogue and accent all there own, I like having tea here sometimes and eavesdropping. Sometimes the dialogue is so harsh and unbelievable to me, poverty, jail, trouble. If I keep going just a stones throw away the area becomes truly colourful and sparkly, this is Little India. Shops full of colour and bangles and sari material. If I walk the other way it is all pretty houses with yards and leaves and quietness, especially near an old cemetery from the 1800's until now.
I like reading the names. Seeing the big headstones (stone carving lettering is amazing) . Reading the names, imagining the people, those that are related, those that have gone.

If I keep walking round this corner and head south, eventually I am at the Beach on Lake Ontario, this is where I harvest my rocks for the making of pocket rocks. I am pulled to this every so often. Always I am amazed by the sky and water you can not see land across, they don't call it a "Great Lake" for nothing, and always I am amazed by the cordial dogs I meet so well socialized, more familiars than pets.

This is a little about where I live. Where I can be found wandering around. Wandering and Puttering my two favorite occupations.

I hope you have enjoyed the tour.

at heart

at heart
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

ghosts of the notebook

ghosts of the notebook
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

for this weeks theme at www.illustrationfriday.com


boo

scared yet...

boo!

now i got ya!

Smitten

Smitten
Originally uploaded by Kim's Suitcase.

smitten squid,
i am so smitten with squid after seeing an amazing national geographic special

smitten is the theme this week at www.illustrationfriday.com