The Chautauqua

No matter where you are in your views on the state of our world right now, we ALL need to work TOGETHER to create more positivity in our communities, and circles of influence.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to treat those around us with whom we interact with kindness, and bring more hope into the world.

One of the ways that I personally am bringing more cheer to those around me is through The Chautauqua. Not only do I believe in promoting our rural communities, I also believe it’s important for us to have an occasional respite (sanity break) from everything that is going on “out there” that discourages, and tries to defeat, us.

While I don’t pretend that what I do is going to change the world, I do sincerely hope that it brightens YOUR world a little bit by reading it.

That is why I want to encourage as many readers as possible to please donate a minimum of $23 in honour of the 23 years I’ve been in publication. That works out to less than a $1/issue for the year. Receipts available on request.

It is only by working together that we create improvement.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JcJmgYrJ82lHIOI39VLMw53FGkF4HPIf/view?usp=sharing

Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 23 years ago, are a brand new reader, or somewhere in between, I sincerely hope that The Chautauqua has enriched your life, as much as it has enriched mine publishing it. If you would like to help ensure it continues to enrich others like yourself, I ask you to please consider making a donation to The Chautauqua.

Mail a cheque or money order (made out to Beth Richardson – Chautauqua) to Box 261 Mirror, AB T0B 3C0

E-transfer/PayPal to thechautauqua@gmail.com

Your support and kindness is always greatly appreciated, and I look forward to continuing to bring joy and inspiration to you with each issue. Thank you so much and have a marvellous day!

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Wednesday, 14 May 2025

You cannot choose the wrong dream.

- SARK

email: thechautauqua@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Monday, 12 May 2025

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https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

to purchase decks: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

Saturday, 10 May 2025

Saturday Morning Comic

email: thechautauqua@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Friday, 9 May 2025

My Artist Voice #37 May 9, 2025

Welcome to my 37th Letter. To receive these letters directly in your email inbox, please contact thechautauqua@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list. Please share this with friends who may also be interested. Thank you so much for your support.

My 3rd Anniversary letter! How is that even possible?

April 11th was a busy day. After lunch, I went to Lacombe for their annual Encore Art Show & Sale. There was quite a variety this year - even some of the regular artists were offering something different from what they have in the past. I could not resist the western-themed print from BMaron Art! (https://www.facebook.com/p/B-Maron-Art-61552910006724/) The other is a small hooked rug art piece that my neighbour (Margaret Blank of 3F Creations https://www.facebook.com/margblanktextileartist) made (the one who introduced me to rug hooking) - I was going to get it before Christmas, and things didn't work out so I was able to purchase it now.

After supper, I went with my Sister and Brother-in-law to my Niece's school drama production at Alix. Fun evening, and my niece played the bossy head of the League of Evil very well!

Celebrations:

After a stressful couple of weeks, and numerous phone calls to different players in the press drama, I have confirmation that the Lethbridge Herald press is printing The Chautauqua for me. This whole situation would have been so much better if the people making the decisions actually shared the information with the rest of us, and had given us more warning. Grrrrrrr

While I'm relieved to have the hardest part figured out, I am now faced with another HUGE challenge as it will cost me $400/month more to print the paper! If you'd like to help me out, I welcome donations (e-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com) and there is always the option to purchase some of my artworks!

April 19th, I completed my 2,100th sky drawing on the iPad!

And on April 27th, I did my 4th (!) anniversary drawing! Wow!

My birthday was May 1st, but I was too sick to celebrate it till May 3rd.

I attended the Bashaw Art Club Show & Sale on May 4th. Lots of lovely art, and it was great to chat and catch up with my various artist friends.

I published two more comic strips in the paper and posted them online. First is a repeat from last year, and second is a modification of my Easter header I did for Wondercafe.

Recently Completed:

Since the last newsletter...

I continue to play with the Walmart set of watercolours, and the remains of my Dollar Store set, in my third pad of 4x6 watercolour paper - I noticed the dollar store paints don’t work with the waxed crayon resist as well as the other paints.

I still need to set up a dedicated space for my bits and pieces so I can complete more mini collages on 4.5x6 mixed media paper.

In Beth's Kitchen:

On April 10th, I "finally" made a batch of oatcakes (used Deanne Fitzpatrick’s recipe from hookingrugs.com). I say "finally" because I mixed the dry ingredients together way back on March 9th as the oatcakes were going to be the first item I baked when I started this kitchen adventure. The best laid plans, etc., etc. Truthfully, it was too big a task for the energy I had, but they’re made, and they turned out pretty good, considering my energy level dropped dramatically halfway through the process.

I love, love, love oatcakes and mom's were great, however her aunt's were OUTSTANDING! The first time I tried making them myself (I had often helped mom through the years) was when I was housesitting in my mid-20s. They didn't work at all, and when I asked mom what I did wrong, she said I didn't roll them out thin enough. Well, it's taken me around 25 years to attempt making them again - more because of what's been going in my life/health than a reluctance to try again. This batch turned out much better than my first attempt, and it wasn't mom's recipe so I can't do a straight comparison till I find her recipe and make a batch with it. All in all, despite the extreme energy drain making them, I'm glad I did and I look forward to eating them as I haven't had oatcakes in at least 15 years!

Even though I was tired from the paper deliveries, I ventured into the kitchen on April 18th as I had some produce that needed dealt with (or I'd have to toss it in the compost). I started off by making another no-bake nut pie crust - didn't work as I accidentally ended up over-processing it (oops) so it was more nut butter than nut crumbs. OY! I popped it in the freezer - guess I'll use as a base for a square. Then I made some almond flour chocolate chip cookies. After that, it was time to deal with the produce, and I ended up mixing everything up into a rice casserole. I froze half of it for future meals. Later in the day, I was looking for ingredients downstairs and realized I have over 4 lbs of chia seeds still! I was eating them LOTS before Mom died, but haven't for quite awhile as I was doing other things and eating differently. I decided to take one of my many quarts of homemade juice and make "chia juice" (1/4 cup seeds to 1 qt/L of juice). I'll let you know how it goes. [seems to be doing okay with my body so I made up another quart April 25th]

April 19th was a wet, very windy morning, so I decided it was a good day to make more cinnamon buns. I experimented a wee bit this time (because that's how I roll!) and added some crushed dried orange to the batter. I couldn't find any raisins (I should have a whole brand new bag!) so instead, I added some diced dried banana.

After a couple hours of rest, I tried the Tuscan burger recipe again - used roasted hazelnuts instead of pecans for the "meat." Also tweaked the spices a wee bit too. I made the patties a bit bigger than last time and they held up well.

April 20th was the 22nd anniversary of my Dad's passing, so I thought it would be a good day to try making egg noodles (he was a macaroni fan, so not the same, yet still pasta) as I had found a recipe that used a potato ricer. It was BEYOND an E. P. I. C. FAIL! OY! My kitchen was a nightmare, and I ended up with a massive glob. To try and "fix" the situation, I decided to toss the glob in the frying pan and fry it to make it better. Didn't work! Just created a BIGGER mess in my kitchen. I certainly won't be trying that again! [April 22 update: I put the glob in a pan and popped it in the oven to make a "loaf" out of it - didn't worked quite how I hoped, but definitely made it easier and more appetizing to eat, but not enough, so after the taste-test, it went into the compost]

April 28th, I mixed up a batch of coconut flour cupcakes - I've made them many times before - not sure what happened, but they didn't turn out!

As I couldn't figure out how the batch went so wrong, I decided to make a 2nd batch - at the risk of wasting more ingredients. Discovered that the first time, I mixed up baking SODA and baking POWDER (oops!), and I completely missed one (moist) ingredient (double oops!). Second batch was much much better, and I'm so glad I went ahead and made them again. The first ended up as an offering to the birds and spring faeries (thank goodness each batch is only 9 cupcakes so not a lot wasted)

My week didn't go as planned (ended up very sick on my birthday) so I didn't ice the cupcakes till May 3rd.

May 5th, I was craving cinnamon buns so made up a batch. Again, added crushed dried orange and diced dried banana. I must say, it is getting easier to make these each time! After a bit of a rest, I then made a batch of almond flour chocolate chip cookies.

Jigsaw Puzzles:

Since my last letter, I completed a 1,000 piece, and two 500 piece ones, and then another 1,000 piece one

UFO (UnFinished Object) Update:

My entire life feels like a UFO again! Especially the outdoor yard work that didn’t get done last fall, and isn’t getting done yet this spring.

Courses and Challenges (free and paid):

Era of Dreamers with Maria Aleandra and Sage Adderley: I've been exploring different themes in my journal - baking/cooking, money & ease miracles.

Deanne Fitzpatrick's (paid) Playful Joyful Rug Hooking beginner course: I finished the hooking part on my first coaster on April 10th, and started a second one. Finished the 2nd on April 27th. They certainly have personality! I'm just using what I have on hand.

On April 28th, I started my 3rd hooked piece - a 3x6 (?) landscape - as I waited for the federal election results to roll in. I finished the hooking part the next day.

My 2nd landscape (3x5?) was started on April 29th and I finished the hooked part on May 2nd.

Kiala Givehand’s 7 Books in 7 Days course: I still have ideas for books I want to make.

Lou Reed's free Becoming Extraordinary year-long energy course: I wasn't able to get back to this till later in April, and discovered that I didn't have access any more! When I enquired, they had deleted my account because I hadn't started the program after I signed up! That's weird because I had started, and I had posted in the training portal, so I'm not sure what happened? My account was reactivated April 22nd and I started all over (thank goodness I had taken notes before!) and am all caught up again. I have my first online meeting with my course coach tomorrow (May 10th).

Amanda Sophia's free mini Divine Woman Awakening course (Celtic Wheel of the Year): We're in the season of Bealtaine (began May 1) - this is the season of really experiencing life through your 5 senses - listening to the birds singing, smelling the air after a rain, tasting good food, watching sunrises, and feeling great textures on your skin (or warm dirt on your hands) for example.

In Demi Fox’s Morgan Le Fay Wheel of the Year, Bealtaine is the time of the Faery Lover, which also focuses on living more fully through your senses.

Physical Activity:

Rebounder: the end of April, I started doing 2 minutes every time I venture down to the basement! That didn't last long and so on some slow (sick) days I only managed 1 minute.

Chakradance - April 6 was a more lively 15 mins session and I completed my mandala on cardboard. April 13 was a slower 15 min session and I completed my mandala on cardboard. My next session was April 19th - another slower 15 mins one - and I completed my mandala on cardboard (I took one of my earlier cardboard play pieces and painted it black with the light centre first, so a tiny hint of the previous painting still shows). April 26th was a very s-l-o-w 15 mins session and I completed my mandala on the final piece of cardboard - this one is larger than the others.

Instead of continuing with the 15 mins sessions, I decided to pivot slightly and try out Natalie's 10 mins Full Moon Chakradance sessions so I'll start that tomorrow (fingers crossed). Depending on how it goes, I'll keep going each Full Moon.

"Mystery activity” I have done a little bit EVERY day for just over 36 weeks!

Works in progress:

Currently, I'm working on...

- 13" round canvas (acrylics) - I haven’t touched this yet as I’ve been too sick.

- watercolour play in 4x6 pad of watercolour paper

- painting (18-20?) ceramic Easter egg people from Gramma's craft kits (acrylics) - stalled right now

- Era of the Dreamers journal

Featured Art for Sale:

I have inspirational card decks, chapbooks, musical CD's and more for sale that would make gifts. Please contact me at thechautauqua@gmail.com or phone 403-352-3837 to make a purchase. Or visit 4910 47 St, in Mirror, AB. Items are also available for sale at Amy’s Bakery on Main Street in Delburne, AB.

Upcoming Projects:

- I offer Pay-What-You-Can Distance Reiki/Energy Healing sessions. Energy healing works great from any distance and I've sent Reiki healing as far away as Queensland, Australia. Please, contact me to set up your healing session.

"I have been suffering with Long COVID for over a year and have tried every healing modality in the book to get my energy back. Beth has been gifting me with healing Reiki energy for quite some time now and I have, for the first time in over a year, started to feel like myself again. Much of my weakness has dissipated, and the dark cloud that I have been stewing under has lifted. Thank you Beth. ♥️" - Carla, Esthetician, Nova Scotia

Thanks for reading, and as always, feel free to share with anyone you think might enjoy it.

Beth

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As a life-long creative, and now artist, I weave my varied interests and wisdom together in an enlightening and entertaining manner, to make people think, but above all else, bring a smile to their faces and hearts, as my style is childlike in its simplicity and playfulness. While bedridden for much of 2017, I developed 5 – 10 minute practices which allowed me to commit to them daily. I’ve been called the “Queen of Small Steps” because my simple practices – though they seem small individually – have added up to quite a body of work in a few short years.

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Thank you so much for your support, to receive this newsletter directly via email please email: thechautauqua@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list. Thank you!

Back issues of this newsletter are found here: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/ under the category "Artist Newsletter"

To support my artistic journey, please consider purchasing my artwork, items available in person at 4910-47 St, Mirror, AB

or make a donation via

Mail a cheque or money order (made out to Beth Richardson – Chautauqua) to Box 261 Mirror, AB T0B 3C0

E-transfer/PayPal to thechautauqua@gmail.com

Your support and kindness are always greatly appreciated, and I look forward to bringing you joy and inspiration! Thank you so much and have a marvellous day!