Schooner Sails back to Mayne Island from White Rock

October 4, 2010October 4, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

A schooner sails back to Mayne Island from White Rock but not under its own steam. The photographic print was transported by Marg Milan on B.C. Ferries. Marg called me a few weeks ago to say that she was coming over to Mayne Island as part of a tour. She wanted to meet me let me see how lovely her print of “Sailing Ship Navy Channel” looked once it was framed. Didn’t she do a great job of choosing the right matting and frame? I coaxed her into letting me take her photograph with the work. We had never met before but I can sense we shall meet again. We connected when she inquired about this image after it had been published on page 12 in the May 27, 2010 issue of the Island Tides regional newspaper.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Marg talk about why she like the image and tell me things I hadn’t notice such as the lush green of the seaweed in the foreground. Thank you so much Marg for sharing your pleasure with the framed piece of art that now hangs on your wall.

Sprout Question: Who has recently shown you aspects about your work that you haven’t notice before?

Dear readers my image Reef Bay in September has also been published on page 13 of the most recent September 30, 2010 issue of the regional Island Tides newspaper. This paper publishes over 18,000 copies every other Thursday and covers many of the west coast island communities. The half-page photo is tagged with “Mayne Island’s Reef Bay—September morning mist drifts in from the Strait of Georgia. Terrill’s one-woman show of photos and paintings ran till September 22 at the Mayne
Island Library.”

Important: If you want gift cards, calendars, photographic prints before Christmas, October is the time to place your order at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch. Original oil paintings can be purchased directly from me by sending an emailing to tawelch@shaw.ca .

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Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Stuffed Ambercup Squash with Champagne

October 1, 2010October 1, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 15 Comments

The last day of September has arrived. Golden afternoon sun moves into the long shadows of the fir trees outside her window. Leaving the bed with its crumpled woolen throw and Barbara Kingsolver’s Orange Prize The Lacuna, she climbs the shallow steps up to the kitchen and looks at the orange Ambercup squash on the counter. She hadn’t planned to cook this harvest poster vegetable yet but there are shallots in the wicker basket beside it. She muses about the great handfuls of parsley in her kitchen garden. Then there is that beautiful plump sage over by the fence. Of course it will need some thyme and just a bit of rosemary. By now she has put on her oversized apron and garden clogs and is out in the potager gathering the herbs.

“We are having stuffed squash with shallots, apples and pumpkin seeds” she shouts up to where her husband is working on securing another deer fence at the back of the yard.

He straightens up with a grin that reaches right to the back of his soft brown eyes. He knows that she knows that squash is his favourite food. She grins back.

With a fist full of herbs she is back at the kitchen counter. There is only one way to safely take the head off of a squash. It is with a large heavy cleaver. If hitting the cleaver with the back of her hand doesn’t slice the tough hide of the squash, she resorts to using the rubber mallet from the tool shed to pound it through. This method has never failed her. Today no rubber mallet is necessary.

With the insides of the squash composted, she is ready to make the house smell like savory heaven. She is sure there is a garlic clove over in the garlic holder. Yes, there it is. Butter, lots of butter – well, first a little olive oil is drizzled into the well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. The garlic, shallots and herbs are chopped and ready. A few slices of that heavy multi-grain bread filled with seeds cubed will do nicely. Two small this-year Macintosh apples are sliced and added unpeeled. She eats three pieces of their tart flesh before they make it into the mix. Fresh ground nutmeg and some of that fresh ground allspice too. Now let’s see… a few pumpkin seeds, maybe a handful. Finally some sea salt and pepper ground with wrist snapping vigor.

“That about does it,” she mutters to the kitchen wall.

Hanging up her apron she remembers wine. She has forgotten to buy wine.

Well, there are a couple of small bottles of champagne chilled that she was given by a friend in August for her birthday. Squash with champagne it will be.

Stuffed and the lid pinned on with large tooth picks, she places the squash on an old pie plate with a bit of water in the bottom and a piece of tinfoil loosely over top. The oven has been warmed to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and the timer is set for an hour even though she knows it will likely take a bit longer.

She thinks that maybe she should write out the recipe but what would she say? Seize a medium sized winter squash and a few shallots. Then keep adding ingredients until you find that you have closed the oven door. Done!

Sprout Question: Can you share your creative recipe?

Best of the weekend to you!

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Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Walnut-Apple Basmati Pilaf (bettyconfidential.com)
Squash and saffron risotto (thefrugalcook.blogspot.com)

Down the Road a Way

September 29, 2010September 29, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 12 Comments

Down the road a way there is a farm.

It was established in 1872 just a year after British Columbia joined the Canadian Confederation. Around here it’s known as Punch’s place. I hear tell that he sold it a bit back on the condition that he could stay on and live out the rest of his life on the place.

I’ve always admired the spot myself. The new owners have put up a real fine fence but it really didn’t seem to change things much. Saved a few apples from the deer is all.

The new gate is right pretty as well.

We was walking so as to really get a good look at things.

On a way past Punch’s these mail boxes popped up and we almost fell sideways across the centre line from laughing. No one puts mail in them. They’re just for show.

About this time, we decided to go all the way to the public boat launch.

Caught sight of a rooster trying to get through the fence. Ah, I’m just kidding. It’s not a real bird.

Seems like there must have been an agreement awhile ago

to keep the same old fence right on down to the sea.

When we looked across at the calm, sure didn’t feel like leaving.

But we did.

Saw a sign about not peeking.

Nothing can anyone do about walking on the road though. It is public property all the way to the other side of the ditch. Some ditches are just wider than others is all. Not that we stepped across a wide ditch or anything… just saying.

The road was even nicer on the walk back. Best part is it was down hill a little right back to where we parked the truck.

Sprout Question: Whose voice shows up in your creative work?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Taking photos of the moon

September 21, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 10 Comments

I dreamt I was taking photographs of the moon last night. But when I awoke, this is the image I was musing about.

It is the late evening flight of a great blue heron to its fishing hole where there is still a slight shine on the water.

I thought of this image rather than this one of the moon over Georgeson Island I took a little over a years ago.

Or this one of the moon at the waters edge.

I have always been a low-light or fall and winter photographer. Having extremely light sensitive eyes, it is in this light that my eyes are most relaxed – and my being is most receptive to what is going on around me. Still, I haven’t spent a lot of time setting up to shoot at night. Yes, setting up is required because a tripod is almost an essential. I did take these moonlight photographs without one – it is not recommended.

Every night

the owl

with his wild monkey-face

calls through the black branches,

and the mice freeze

in the snowy fields —

and then there is the long, deep trough of silence

when he stops singing, and steps

into the air.

From “Lonely, White Fields” by Mary Oliver

Sprout Question: Do you create using both your day and your night experiences?

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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Saying Hello

September 17, 2010September 17, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 23 Comments

I spied their lushes yellow in the afternoon sun. Like a bee to nectar, I made my way over to their small brilliant blooms. I started to shoot, carefully framing, pausing and framing again. Wait a minute. Who is this? Ah, a beautiful moth has come by to say “hello.”

He seemed to be reciting to me…

If these black sleeves

Of my priestly robe

Were ample enough,

Oh, how I would envelope

All the people in need!

By Ryokan (1758 – 1831)

Sprout Question: When we create are we a creator or simply a temporary custodian?

The best of Friday and the weekend to you! I will back again on Monday with another week of short posts to keep you inspired, engaged and being with your creativity.

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Purchase photography at http://www.redbubble.com/people/terrillwelch

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

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

Beauty in Death

September 10, 2010 / Terrill Welch / 13 Comments

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

View and purchase full resolution image here.

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