The Adventures of Dora & Dymph

This morning and my New Year began with 'Morning Pages' reading about them on a couple of websites and watching this video from Julia Cameron auther of The Artists Way.  I hope that it will become a habit, we'll have to see and I'll give it a go.  Another habit I would like to cultivte  is Artist Dates. That one might be harder to achieve regularly but it is my 'intention', (intentions are less rigid and less scary than Resolutions!) to try. This lovely picture right is on the page to go with the introduction. I thought it was a flight pf pelicans but seemingly it's called 'large crane'.
The Artist Date is a once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore something that interests you. The Artist Date need not be overtly “artistic” — think mischief more than mastery.
Sounds fun don't you think?  I plan to build it in to cycling to a destination when I can.

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'Dora' at Puddlers bridge, Crinan Canal 1st Jan 2017

And so to the the 'Adventures of Dora and Dymph'.  Who are they?  Well actually it is simply me, Dymph a pet name used by my dad, and my bicycle, Dora, (does anyone else sing Be-Eye See-Why See Ell Ee when spelling bicycle? Remnants of spelling tests).   I wanted this to be the Adventures of Dora and Rosie but Rosie has a sorely leg at the moment and isn't up to running alongside the bike,  and for the purposes of alliteration, Dymph it is.
Anyway, a couple of months ago I bought a new-to-me electric bike and I've named her Dora.  'Dora the 'splorer', 'A-Dora-ble', 'A-Dora-bike'.... 1950's styled, with a basket, wide leather seat, British racing green, and she's 'electrically assisted' with a go faster button (look no pedals!).  After a bit of a hiccup, I couldn't get the electric bit to go and being built along the lines of a Volvo, she's a very heavy peddle only bike!  But a friends other half came to my rescue and sorted it out.  On my third trip I popped Rosie dog into the basket.  She sat beautifully, ears streaming back in the wind, front paws on the edge of the basket ...... then she decided to jump!  Even though she was attached to  the basket by a lead, she broke the clip, I tried to avoid cycling over her, so headed in to a grassy bank where I landed on my shoulder and bashed my nose on my glasses.  Shakily, I retrieved dog and bike and we walked home again!  That was the last time I went out as it took a wee while for my shoulder to heal, and then the weather turned vile. Although I have a new dog house, for the back of the bike this time, and it zips her in completely, Rosie has a 
So, today, sunshine and frost and New Year determination, I decided I would go out along the canal as far as Bellanoch to  'run myself in'.

Along the canal, Tides out - Looking out over the River Add and Crinan Ferry

Past Bellanoch Marina with the sun going down behind the hill

Heading back again and the tide comes in pretty fast.

Turning at Bellanoch bridge If this picture was clearer you would be able to see the 'Paps of Jura' in the far distance in that flat bit on the left

Up 'cemetry hill', and home

A bit pink and puffed in my new Christmas helmet.

Just a short ride that cleared the pipes and got the blood pumping and maybe waking the odd endorphin.  
​Along with picking up blogging and generally writing regularly again, and Morning Pages, and Artists Day I'm also embarking on the 100 Day Goal with the Business Bakery.  My Dream Plan Do planner is on the way from the Design Trust.  Designed for cretive types by the inspirational Patricia van den Akker, I'm looking forward to developing'Needlesmiths' with it's suugestions and guidance; and then a couple of gentle, more personal, 'happiness', online courses with lovely Gabrielle from The Green Gables; and a some creative online courses with the incomparable Marna Lunt's Illuminating Embroidery and I'm very excited about going to Cambridgeshire at the start of February when I'm going on the 'Making Winter' creative retreat with the fabulous Emma Mitchell aka Silverpebble.
So, a lot to look forward to and to be positive about.  
Sincerely hoping that 2017 will be happier and less stressful than 2016 was.  As a family we rounded off the year with the wonderful news that my dad is cancer free for the first time in 6+ years.  
Thank you to everyone who has dropped by to see what Needlesmiths is all about attened courses, followed me on the various social media oulets I find myself on.  For now I am off to bed so that I can get up early to write my Morning Pages.  Then it's up to the Cabin/Studio to start sorting out and tidying up...
Wishing you all a very Happy, Healthy, Creative, and Fabulous Year. 
​Kx