The Sustaining Rosehip

September 16, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 6 Comments

The last few posts here on Creative Potager have been about the end of life – a necessary reflection in our creative and life journey, but not a place to dwell.

Today I want to shift us towards sustaining. What sustains us until the time of renewal? In the seasons the time of renewal is spring. The rosehip has always been a sustaining symbol and resource for me through fall and winter. When I was young, we were told we could eat rosehips if we got lost in the woods. My mother made apple-rosehip butter for a special treat on our hot porridge or toast. While playing outside, we would peel the rosehip skin off and nibble it sometimes pretending we were eating a piece of the sun, leaving the pithy insides for the mice and birds.

The nutritional and health attributes of rosehips are well known. They are used to make teas for the immune system and oils for the skin – just to name a few ways it is employed. So, when I see rosehips, I am filled with a “we can do it” attitude. I almost always smile and I sometimes laugh aloud when I see them. I feel hopeful. I feel able to reach into my stored reserves and snatch a piece of possibility right off one of those thorny branches.

Sprout Question: What sustains your creativity until a time of renewal?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Abandoned at Reef Bay

September 15, 2010September 15, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

The sun, cool air and rolling mist found us out on shore of Reef Bay yesterday afternoon. The view defies my ability to find words.

Mesmerizing.

Then I almost trip over this little fellow.

The seal pup has been abandoned by its mother or at the very least she had left it to rest. It eyes and nose were running and it can hardly move. Usually these animals will be in the sea before I can take a photo but this little one didn’t want to leave the shore. I backed away and observed it for awhile. When we get home I find the number for the Wildlife rescue. There is a chance they can rescue the pup so back I go to the site with my cell phone. This time I think the pup is already dead as it didn’t move when I approached. But finally it lifted its head and looked around when I was almost on top of it. But it did not seem to be doing very well. The staff from the wildlife rescue called to confirm with me that the seal was still there. A rescue team was dispatched. By now it was getting dusk and had been hours since I had first discovered the baby seal. I sat and watched a good distance away from the pup so as not to disturb it while it rested. Then, with no warning, it made a few weak bleating sounds, scrambled across twenty feet of shore rock, slipped into the water and swam out to sea. I lost sight of it in the dusk. We called the rescue off. I like to think that its mother called it. I like to think that it will survive. This is not likely.

Life and death are but a breath apart.

Sprout Question: Where is your creative breath taking you today?

Note: never touch or try to rescue a seal pup unless you are an experienced professional. Sometimes their mothers leave them to rest on shore while they feed and if you touch them or move them they may become separated when there is no need. If you see what appears to be an abandoned seal pup move as far away as possible (50 feet is recommended) and observe. If it is obviously in distress contact your local wildlife rescue centre for assistance. DO NOT try to rescue it yourself. Even a sick baby seal has a wicked bite.

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Harbor seal pup released at Ocean Shores (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Good Morning

September 14, 2010September 14, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 12 Comments

One time I wrote these words:

When dawn comes,
I’ll be reaching over her shoulder
plucking the 1st light…

But this morning, as I blinked into the glorious day, a different story was told. I had slept past the sun’s rising. Her arms were already reaching across the earth’s surface in an embrace of perfection.

Sprout Question: What are you going to do with this glorious gift of today?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Buddha in the Bushes

September 13, 2010September 13, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

Under our trees there sits a statue of a Buddha in meditation. I visit often – sometimes with my feet and sometimes in my mind.

I won’t die.

I’m not going anywhere

I’ll be here.

But don’t ask me anything.

I won’t answer.

Death poem by Zen master Ikkyu who lived from 1394 to 1481.

As we have seen in the comments to the previous post “Beauty in Death” there is a cycle to everything. We are falling away from summer towards the resting of winter that will nurture the sprouts of spring, bringing them to the full blossom of summer again. We know this. We know this like our breath. No thought is required. Yet, like our breath it sometimes helps to focus on it just for a moment or two. Focus on the fullness of the cycle and then pause on death – as it is a necessary part of living.

You may wonder what this has to do with creativity. I propose that when we are inspired by the fullness of our living, and of our dying, our creative work benefits. There need not be a god or goddess or Buddha in the bushes of our creative work. We only need to pause. It is in the pause at the top of our breath where we pick the moment to press the shutter button; our hand knows to release the brush stroke; our keyboard finds the phrase; or our voice hits a note. These need not be perfect. It is through their ordinariness that our creativity goes beyond perfection and holiness. Somehow we know during this pause that there will come a day when we shall release that breath and it shall be our last. From this same place I believe the brilliance of our creativity is released.

With this in mind, I ask us to pause as if it were our last breath.

Sprout Question: What might your death poem be?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Beauty in Death

September 10, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 13 Comments

“Spirit always stands still long enough for the photographer It has chosen.” Minor White

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The arbutus leaves have died from drought not because it is fall. Arbutus leaves stay green all year except for those that are lost from the heat of summer. These leaves remind me of words from those left behind: “She looks so beautiful now that death has released the pain of disease from her face.”

Sprout Question: Where have you witnessed beauty in death?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Sea to Sky by the Salish Sea in September

September 9, 2010September 9, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 6 Comments

Traipsing along the shore by the Salish Sea in September is splendid. Yes, that is a lot of ‘s’ sounds. But never mind… shall we?

A stunning September day

Looking south is equally as inspiring.

Swhishsssssssssss…..

Gazing into the water with its layers of seaweed…

And then looking up again…

Sea to sky by the Salish Sea in September is Splendid.

Sprout Question: What is the colour you smell and hear in September?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

In the Canada thistle patch

September 8, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

Purple blooms that turn into fluff heads.

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Thickly standing tall their prickly presence daring you to come close.

Blowing in the wind

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The Canada thistle is beautiful and it has a specific purpose in creating healthy soil by being one of the first plants to grow and creating nutrients for others to follow. Here is an article “Bye bye Canada Thistle” that tells the story.

Sprout Question: What have you creatively reclaimed, recognizing its inherent beauty and purpose?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Eat the green ones last

September 7, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

Not Smarties – blackberries. Their season of sun-filled juiciness is over. But there are still a few left. Even though they are not as good, I still pluck a partially green one off of the brambles to chew on as I walk…

Ah, one left.

And there is another one.

Then there are these. I see a wasp has broken into the juicy ripe casing of the one on the bottom ripe. It must be ready then. Let me see….

Sprout Question: If your creativity was a berry, which one would it be?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Catching Fall

September 6, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 15 Comments

Even though it is a holiday Monday here in Canada and in the U.S.A., I am ready to resume my Monday to Friday posting schedule with more frequent and shorter posts. Today it is raining. The soft soaking kind of calm that leaves us reaching for our book and putting on a pot of homemade soup. Yesterday, the sun was out but the shade cool as we saw the beginning of the leaves falling.

Warm browns traced the edges of summer.

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This week I will post images about catching fall as it sashays through on every breeze.

Sprout Question: Where is your focus right now?

P.S. The opening of Sea, Land and Time was a wonderful success with two large prints and one medium print selling along with cards and calendars. Plus, I had an offer to have my cards and calendars in a local décor store and possibly photograph prints as well. We shall see. Of course, two oil paintings had sold as part of the presales for the show. The best part is that we all had a great time. Family, friends and colleagues came from away. New friends, colleagues and acquaintances from Mayne Island came by and several helped with the opening. It was fabulous! Wish you could have been there.

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Break n Enter

September 2, 2010September 2, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 32 Comments

No it wasn’t my property, thankfully. But I’m sure these boat owners are not going to be happy when they discover these funny but smelly uninvited guests have trashed the place.

They’re caught red-pawed in the act. Handcuff those sea otter! (oops! I mean river otters. Special thanks to Ken Peterson from Monterey Bay Aquarium for the correction)

Photos were taken on the dock at Brentwood College in Mill Bay at 19 hours and 33 minutes on the 31st day of August 2010.

Sprout Question: What relationship does humour have to your creativity?

Note: My solo exhibition, Sea, Land and Time, opens tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm https://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/bring-your-cheque-book . And Creative Potager has a new page Artist Biography .

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada