The market experience had hooked me. After working with Tom for 15 years as a carpenter, I told him I was tired of working so hard and wanted to do something different. He made the mistake of laughing at me when I said I wanted to garden. My stubborn Dutch side got in a huff and I stopped playing nicely with him as I devoted myself to gardening. I loved to grow things and now I had an excuse to keep growing. By fall, I was dividing plants for propagation and begging people to drop off empty flower pots.

You may be wondering what this has to do with my paintings. I began to notice by August each year, plant sales declined or totally fell off. I needed something to augment sales and earn my keep while Tom was still going off doing carpentry jobs. The paintings fit the bill!!!

A few years later I suggested Tom join me at Oliphant. He built an incredible covered wagon that allowed us to haul many hundreds of plants to market along with my paintings. And then we both became carneys and a travelling road show selling not only my paintings, but matching cards and page hugs ... but that is another story!

At that point I had reinvented myself at least half a dozen times. Each change brought excitement and a little fear. I kept those butterflies in my stomach in formation and  followed my heart. Each time I grew in ways I had not dreamed.

Once the circle was cut, we took it out to her and she smiled and thanked us both. We had no idea of what was to happen next and we knew better than to question her when she had “that look” on her face.

A week went by and we were invited for dinner again. This time she turned to me and said, “This board is primed and ready for you to help me paint a rooster on it,” and she showed me a picture of what she wanted it to look like.

End of conversation.

She and I had a lovely time together painting the rooster but never once did she reveal what it was for. When it was finally completed, she turned to Tom and said, “Now dear, I want you to build a base for it and make it into a table.” And of course Tom complied!

For Tom’s birthday that year we had a small party at the
Round House and after dinner, we went outside where Marjorie, being as cute as only she could be, announced, “Here is your birthday present!” and pointed at the table we had both help make!

For many years before my circle paintings were even thought of, the rooster was on the table crowing his little heart out trying to wake me up! When the Spirit Catcher paintings finally began to emerge, the rooster was looking pretty shabby. We took the table apart and Tom sanded the board so only the outline remained and I repainted the rooster. We gave him a place of honour on the east side of our house where he has greeted the morning sun for over 22 years!!!

        I  took my creations to a friend and she was so excited she told me I needed to use house paint because she felt these were going to be very popular. That winter I designed and painted almost every day. The following summer, I sold 125 paintings! Last count, I have sold over 1600 paintings some of which have been shipped around the world.
    
     I was nearing retirement age when I began this “work.” During this pandemic I came to the realization that it is time to share my gifts. Perhaps it will encourage you to find your passion and follow it as I had the luxury of doing. (I had one summer of art classes when I was 14 and that is all!)
    
     These paintings are designed to connect people to their gardens and sacred places through the kind of energy intended for each painting. The stories and poems explain the energetic journey I was on and what they meant to me as they were being born.

    Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Self-isolating as a planet means the Earth is healing. We all need to remain positive and strong at this time. It feels right to share this body of work  with you at the end of the day to give you something positive to ponder before bed.

     I will continue to post as time and energy allow.
     Make great dreams ... love dee

On June 17, 2019 at 10:30 in the morning, my world changed dramatically!

I lifted something too heavy and my already compromised spine responded with a herniated disc. The resulting sciatic pain numbed my leg and my foot making standing and walking impossible. I was sidelined for 5 months. My husband Tom built me a "princess" bed just so I could at least get out of our bedroom.

My body taught me limitations. I learned to accept restrictions on my daily activities.  I learned to humbly accept help and support from friends and family. Being present and mindful were no longer something to attain. The pain made sure I was "in the now." Acceptance became my constant companion., for at first I could do very little to help or change my situation.

Like all things in life, there was an up side and a down side to my situation.
I could have given in to despair, but I chose to learn what I could, not just about my body, but about this world that we live in. Throughout the summer, while life at Rural Rootz continued without my assistance, I turned to the internet. I learned about ancient cultures, sacred sites around the world, epigenetics, quantum physics and even conspiracy theories!

I chose to use my time to go within and learn about me. I let go of the perfectionist. I released the control freak. I hid the dissatisfaction and the impatience. I shed many of my old ways.

And so it is that now our world is in pain.

We are suffering social distancing, self-isolation, limiting activities and even death. What we are being asked to do to combat this situation, can be viewed as a hardship or a gift. After spending less than 12 hours out of doors last summer, and 9 months in recovery, I tell you it can be a gift ... it can be a blessing!

Time has come for us to use social media wisely to help and support each other. It is a time to tell our personal, positive stories and not allow fear to rule.

Now can be a time for you to find our who you are. It can be a time to decide how you want to shape our world. I can be a time to create a new dream for us all.

You know in your Deep Heart how you want things to be, what you want this world to look like. Create that reality. Don't settle for anything less.

As Gandhi said,  "Be the change you would see in the world."