Join Hope’s Garden Nov. 20th, 2015

Stephanie McIlroy and I co-wrote a song which is going to be featured November 20th, 2015 at an event for Hope’s Garden (an eating disorders resource centre).  The song is called Valentine’s Day.  The song was originally written by myself as a poem and created into a song by Stephanie and her brother-in-law who fine-tuned the music.  It was to honour my husband’s 60th birthday.  Hats off to Stephanie for singing our song.

 

“Honour & Gratitude” by Gail McNaughton

In this season of our lives,

You will always be my friend.

Dear “Poppy Pin”, everyone knows you,

As you sit patiently on the lapels,

Of people who honour you.

I bow to you in acknowledgement,

Of what you stand for,

In a changing world,

Where change is at every corner.

We must all think about your sacrifice,

To bring freedom and peace,

And honour you in the world,

As a good will ambassador,

As the reminder of what could be

And what has gone on before.

You can slip off our lapels so easily,

And this is to remind us how loosely,

We are tied to freedom,

And how we must,

Continually keep being vigilant.

I’ll cry for you just for today,

For so many people have been lost to war,

And I’ll stand up tall to protect and save,

Your everlasting memory,

In the pages of our lives,

Not only today but every day.

http://quick-brown-fox-canada.blogspot.ca/2015/11/honour-gratitude-by-gail-mcnaugthon.html

gailGail McNaugthon is a poet, writer, photographer and doodle artist. She calls herself “the Passionate I” and is a storyteller using life as her subject matter. She has self-published six books.

10th annual Healing Palette Art Exhibit

The 10th annual  Healing Palette Art Exhibit opens Friday October 23rd with a reception at 7:00 p.m. in the Atrium of St, Thomas Elgin General Hospital, and will run until Nov. 7, 2015.

Please join us for an evening of art, poetry, song and celebration, featuring the art of individuals with firsthand experiences with mental illness. Each piece is a testament to the creativity, courage and resiliency of artists with various forms of mental illness.

If you cannot join us in person,  we encourage you to visit our on-line gallery and view all of this extraordinary art.

We think you’ll be inspired! 

Website:  www.thehealingpalettehome.com

National Doodle Day: share your creations

In order to help raise money for the 600,000 people in the UK living with epilepsy, the charity Epilepsy Action are auctioning doodles created by celebrities such as Rick Astley, Joanna Lumley and Sir Ben Kingsley as part of National Doodle Day today.

To celebrate, we’d like to see your doodle creations. Whether it’s one from your days as as a child, or a quick sketch on a napkin as you sat in a café share yours with us. You can do so by clicking on the blue ‘Contribute’ button on this article. You can also use the GuardianWitness smartphone app or the Guardian app and search for ‘GuardianWitness assignments’.

CLICK HERE to read the full article

Graffiti Flower Garden

Graffiti Flower Garden
By Gail McNaughton

I have added numerous flowers on top of the rug which may or may not be apparent to you. I am leaving the flowered masking tape border as it is as it blends with the rug. The turquoise/green (wool blanket) was given to me by a Mennonite woman where my Aunt lives. My sister gave me the orange plaid that goes around the yellow flannel flowered material as this was the last of curtains my Dad had in his office downtown Toronto, years ago. The blue flowers are made out of a shrunk sweater. The red and pink flowers I made with my Daisy Hazel’s Loom that I’ve had for 30 or more years. There are small mounds and these have silk scarves hooked in them and blue/turquoise flannel (blanket) hooked around each. The sunflower has both wool and silk scarves in it surrounded by the yellow flowered flannel material. This has been hooked on burlap that had a pattern on it that I purchased at a local nursery. This burlap is for wrapping trees or other uses. To date, this is the most eccentric rug hooking that I’ve made and it has been hours of work. I am calling it “Graffiti Flower Garden”. As I am a Doodle Artist, “Graffiti” is a form of Doodling.

Fabian and Bobby Rydell at Fleetwood Country Cruizin

We saw Fabian and Bobby Rydell on June 6, 2009 as well as Tommy James. This
event was at Fleetwood Country Cruizin, an amazing old car show in the
country near London held on the first weekend of June each year. They have a
huge tent with entertainers on Fri and Sat night. Sat night is a catered
full course meal. Lots of fun!

Gail with Fabian and his Wife
Gail with Fabian and his Wife