If you know only one aspect of my creative intention, I would like it to be my gift of the ordinary in our everyday. Yes, there are grand moments, brilliant moments and even tragic moments in our lives. But it is the everyday, the ordinary which holds the greatest mystery. On this day, Thanksgiving Day in the United States, I feel compelled to take you with me on a quiet walk of thankfulness in our local Mayne Island Japanese Garden. This garden is a work of volunteer love and healing in recognition of the Japanese Canadians who lost their homes and lands on Mayne Island during their interment during the second world war.
Looking through the trees and standing in between I am thankful for all that is.
Standing still and quiet as the winter birds shuffle the last of the fall colour on the ground, I breathe easy.
Have a seat and we shall stay a while longer.
Then, when you are ready, we shall walk across the bridge and out onto the small inner island of the Japanese garden.
There is evidence that the seasonal Christmas lights are being strung. Today though, it is just the natural warmth of winter light and the last bits of gold in contrast to a thin layer of ice on the pond.
What is your own most powerful mystery in the ordinary of your everyday today?
© 2015 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.
Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.
Creative Potager – Visit with painter and photographer Terrill Welch
From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
For gallery and purchase information about Terrill’s photographs and paintings go to http://terrillwelchartist.com
Creative Potager 
Lovely walk with you in the Japanese Garden, which are so beautifully meditative. And your expression of “the gift of the ordinary” resonated with me and my approach to my photography, and the way I try to “see” the world.
I believe now that I live rather close to a body of water, it is learning about the flowing endless experience, and the nature around it is my mystery of the gift of the ordinary.
I believe you are very much a fellow traveler when it comes to noticing the beauty in the ordinary Jeff. Today I was noticing some lovely greeting cards for the holidays in your redbubble store at http://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffstroud and I encourage readers to slip by and have a browse of all of your photography.
How lovely of you to link my store front ! Thank you so much!
Terrill — I, too, love the way you share your gift of the ordinary. For me, it’s observing cycles; how everything seems to come around again in one way or another.
That is so much a part of our ordinary everyday life in nature and community isn’t it Laurie. I love how you share your seasonal and life cycle findings in your blog Tuesday’s with Laurie at http://tuesdayswithlaurie.com and as you well know I have visiting for a many years now 🙂
I find Japanese gardens, as their Art, absolutely exquisite. You are lucky to have this beauty so near your home. ☺
Fatima I am so glad you commented as it was a delight to find your Europe motor home travelblog at http://fatimasaysell.com I have now followed and look forward to browsing some of your past post. In the spring of 2014 my husband and I traveled by regional train for three months in Europe. I did plein air painting sketches and photographed our adventures. These posts can be found under the category “A Brush With Europe” and it also shows up in the key word cloud to the right. So hello and pleased to meet you fellow travelers!
Thank you for taking the time to look at my travelling blog. I’ve always been attracted to travellers, so I look forward to reading about your adventures in Europe or otherwise. 😁
Well, Terrill, that Japanese Garden is yet another wonderment on that island paradise of yours. The captures here are exotic, autumnal and sublime and the revelation of the Japanese who lost their homes during the war make this place sacred as well. Magnificent.
Thank you for your kind words and I am so glad you enjoyed the stroll. The history of the Japanese on Mayne Island is a sad story that reminds us of our human frailty of character. But in better times, we have done our best to make amends. In 1988, the Federal Government apology came with $300 million in compensation. But it wasn’t until May of 2012 that the Province of British Colombia made a formal apology.
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A lovely reminder and beautiful walk. Thank you Terrill.
You are most welcome Deborah. The gardens are a gorgeous space to go for absolutely no reason at all – just show up and let the place take over 🙂
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