photography

Everything from Soup to Nuts

/ Terrill Welch / 11 Comments

We are not to the bottom of the barrel quite yet but we are definitely down to everything from soup to nuts. It looks like we are in for a stretch of rain. I am going away for the weekend and need to deliver a package of art inventory to our local décor story and catch the noon ferry to Victoria. I still need to post and pack. So I have a choice between an image of a water-logged log or this awesome spicy eggplant soup served with heavy spelt bread and almond hazelnut butter. I thought you would prefer the soup.

Spicy Eggplant Soup

5-7 cups organic vegetable stock

2 carrots, diced

1 small onion diced

2 small locally grown organic eggplants or one normal size cubed

2 tablespoons grated gingerroot (I used homemade blackberry ginger chutney because I had no gingerroot)

1 clove of garlic (can use two… we are just light on garlic)

1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes just pick from the garden (or organic canned if out of season)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (up to 1/2 cup if you like cilantro)

1 teaspoon cumin

pepper and kosher sea salt

In large pot saute carrots onion, eggplant, ginger and garlic over medium heat in a few tablespoons of vegetable stock adding more stock if needed until onions are done. Stir in remaining stock, tomatoes, cumin and pepper; cover and bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until it is done. Add cilantro and sea salt to taste. Let sit while preparing heavy toasted spelt bread smeared with almond hazelnut butter.

This recipe has been adapted from p. 122 of Cooking Vegetarian: Healthy,Delicious and Easy Vegetarian Cuisine by Vesanto Melina, R.D. and Joseph Forest (published 1996 MacMullan Canada). The original recipe has two potatoes diced in as well and offers the option of saute with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil instead of vegetabel stock.

It has been the most fabulous week here on Creative Potager. I thank you for your comments, for sharing this creativity site with others and even for taking the time to drop by and lurk in the corners. I shall be back with a new post again on Monday. Best of the weekend to you!

Sprout Question: When is your next day off from your regular creative practice?

p.s. I also chose the related links special for us as well so you might want to take a look.

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

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Going to the Beach House

/ Terrill Welch / 36 Comments

If there was ever a house that fulfilled all the requirements of a beach house it is this one. It is not my beach house. I only borrow it when I walk along this particular beach. I fear that, during a winter storm, a high tide will take it out to sea. But each time I return, the beach house is still there, as if taunting its precarious position along the eroding shoreline.

I sometimes imagine the vacation drama of the residents. Maybe they have had a squabble and he comes and sits in a chair on the porch, brooding over his hurts, with his smoldering heavy-lidded eyes gazing out to sea. Or maybe a fine meal of crab from their crab nets has been savoured and they bring their guests out on the porch as the sun sets, swirling and sipping deep red wine, in over large glasses. Then she offers to make fresh ground dark roast coffee to go with a blackberry crumb and homemade ice-cream. The spell breaks. The guests realized they have become chilled in the evening air. One by one they retreat again, into the warmth of the spacious beach house.

I like to admire this dwelling from the public sands, making up these stories fitting for such a splendid beach house. My musings, as I map these scenarios, feel just a little like trespassing through a church yard. It is public space but I know I am walking on sacred ground.

Sprout Question: What stories are amusing you?

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Over eighteen thousand visitors

/ Terrill Welch / 20 Comments

Yes, over eighteen thousand creativity seeking visitors have been to see Creative Potager since the beginning of the 2010. To be exact, there had been 18,086 when I checked and 8:00 am PST this morning. After 141 posts and 2, 262 comments it is time to pause, celebrate and offer thanks to these regular Creative Potager supporters…

Laurie Buchanan: I don’t think Laurie has missed even one sprout question. She has faithfully come by and offered her heartfelt answer no matter what the question. Laurie has cheered, encouraged, engaged and inspired me to reach and stretched. We have been connecting online even before Creative Potager existed – in fact for years now. I consider Laurie a colleague and a friend though we have never sat across a table from each other in the same time and space. Thank you Laurie for being Creative Potager’s most regular sprout responder. You can read Laurie’s even day posts at Speaking from the Heart where there is a Colour of Wellness class under way.

Jeff Stroud: Jeff is here leaving comments and sharing almost as often as Laurie. He is a soulful and thoughtful photographer that never takes the easy road just because it is there. Jeff introduced me to the redbubble storefront through his photography a couple of years ago. Jeff has his own growth question for contemplation on each of his post at The Reluctant Bloger that will add another boost to your creativity.  He is a passionate practitioner of Julian Cameron’s The Artist’s Way.

Kathy Drue: Kathy is a blogger extraordinaire with her Lake Superior Spirit blog receiving 64,311 visits since the beginning of the year. She often appears on the front page of WordPress and is interviewed from time-to-time about her blogging experience. Writing is Kathy’s passion and photography her supporting anchor. I am proud and thrilled that she finds the time and interest to drop in to Creative Potager.

Sam Juliano: Sam, like Kathy, is part of the blogosphere elite with his Monday Morning Diary posts at Wonders in the Dark sometimes receiving over 2,000 visitors in one day. Oh! Fair warning, horror films are the focus of current reviews. Remember it is make up. Each week, from almost the beginning, Sam has visited Creative Potager and reported back with a live link to his readership. Not only that, he did a full interview post Artist and Nature-Lover Terrill Welch: Mayne Island’s resident ‘Creativepotager” this past August. Sam will always be noted in Creative Potager’s hall of fame for his generosity, warmth, intellect, and inspiration for the arts and in particular film.

Jerry Shawback: A self-portrait artist, Jerry doesn’t always leave one of his reflective and thoughtful sprouts but I find him everyday in my tweet stream. He is passing along the latest post or just mentioning Creative Potager as he goes about retweeting from his outstanding list of artist and writers. Jerry is one of the reasons that about 40% of Creative Potager visitors come from Twitter. Some of these visitors leave comments but many more simply read, then tweet the link out to their tweet friends. Jerry is an important part of that exchange. Jerry is another artist and painter that I feel a deep resonance with and you can see some of his work at his profile on TheWhole9 website. His dedication is inspiring and his work shows this commitment to daily practice.

Leanne Dyck: Leanne is a fellow Mayne Islander who takes every possible opportunity to send a “shout out” on her website OKnitting.com or on her blog Author Leanne Dyck about Creative Potager or my recent solo art exhibition. She leaves sprout comments as time permits as she is a full-time writer meeting deadlines for manuscripts and revisions with publishers. It is a joy and a pleasure to have someone who lives just down the street drop in online, connecting my virtual home with my physical home.

Kimberly Grady: Kim is a butterfly sprout responder that brings her transforming presence as she is inspired. It might be here or it might be a comment on Facebook but wherever she shows up, I am always glad to see her and enjoy her unguarded reflections. She may visit her blog Butterflies Are Blue if you leave a comment…but again, she just might drop by and comment on your blog instead. Whatever, happens I know Kim will be inspire you to be genuine, to be yourself and to be creative.

May I request dear readers is that you visit these generous and gracious  individuals and leave them a comment of thanks for helping make Creative Potager the inspiring garden of creativity that it is?

Thank you, dear friends, for hanging out with me in my creative kitchen garden.

Sprout Question: Who would be the top seven on your list of creativity supporters?

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Taking photos of the moon

/ 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?

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

dahlias from a friend

/ Terrill Welch / 8 Comments

Grown in her garden, these dahlias were picked and packed and brought by ferry to my art opening. I love how you can only see one face of a dahlia at a time. They seem to turn just slightly to give each large bloom a chance to shine. When I look at this image I remember how my friend came with her sleeping bag and a tent to stay in the camp ground because it was the only accommodation where she could stay for just one night and bring her beautiful big dogs. I remember how she sometimes says that “getting old is not for wimps” and that the wind came up that evening along active pass. She said she wouldn’t have missed my party for anything. I believe her.

Today is the ninth anniversary of the day David and I met. We are fortunate in our love, our family, and our friendships. I re-gift these dahlias from our friend, now as a photograph rendered in oils, to David. Happy anniversary my love.

Sprout Question: How can the many blossoms of your creativity come together in one bouquet?

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

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Saying Hello

/ 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.

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

/ 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?

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Abandoned at Reef Bay

/ 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.

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

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Good Morning

/ 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?

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada

Buddha in the Bushes

/ 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?

© 2010 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.

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

Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.

From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada