Friday 30 September 2022

You don’t shut down as you get older.  
You wake up. 
 - Cate Stillman

Wednesday 28 September 2022

So many people today – and even professional scientists – 
seem to me like somebody who has seen thousands of trees 
but has never seen a forest. 
 - Albert Einstein

Monday 26 September 2022



From TEA for the Heart & Soul Deck Created by Beth Richardson ©2021


Friday 23 September 2022

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything 
without losing your temper or your self-confidence.  
- Robert Frost

Wednesday 21 September 2022

Choose a major you love and you'll never work a day in your life
 because that field probably isn't hiring. 
 - unknown

Monday 19 September 2022



From TEA for the Heart & Soul Deck Created by Beth Richardson ©2021


Friday 16 September 2022

September 16, 2022 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   Who’d have thought that rhubarb juice would be such a popular item?

   I’ve had a number o requests for my recipe, so here it is.  Anything I make tends to be super easy.

    • wash and cut rhubarb stalks into 1-2 inch long pieces

    • put in a pot (that has a tight-fitting lid) - ideally pick one that the rhubarb fills to the top

    • completely cover the rhubarb with BOILING water

    • put the lid on the pot and make sure it is TIGHTLY SEALED

    • leave the pot alone for 2-3 days 

    • when you are ready to make the juice, strain the juice into another pot (I usually only strain once, but you can strain twice if there are a lot of stringy pieces)

    • boil the juice - add sweetener to taste

    • pour the boiling hot juice into sterilized jars and seal

   Even though they have sealed, I store the jars in the fridge so that I can have chilled juice whenever I want. The juice may be consumed straight, diluted, or mixed with pop (ginger ale works great!).

   This recipe also works with crabapples (cut in half) and apples (cut into quarters).  I haven’t tried any other fruits yet.

   I must say this has been quite the year for processing the harvest.  Besides the rhubarb juice, I made 13 (!) quarts of crabapple juice and more tomato soup. 

   A few years ago, mom and I went through all the canning jars and gave most of them away as our health was not up to making jams/jellies or anything else, so we decided we didn’t need the jars.

   Well, here I am with improved health, and an abundant harvest and I had to get more jars! 

   This is actually a pleasant experience - not just preserving the food for the winter months, but being healthy enough to do so!

   May you have a wonderful fall season.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sZeXPxHe29gpqE6v4OlSsjjK5zteH4DI/view?usp=sharing


   Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 20 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. There are three methods available: 

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

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

   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!


And, if you are looking for a unique gift idea, please visit: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

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

Wednesday 14 September 2022

If something isn't here yet, it’s in your best interest that it isn't.
 Meanwhile, something else is here for you right now. 
What might that be for you? Take it in.
  - Tama Kieves

Monday 12 September 2022



From TEA for the Heart & Soul Deck Created by Beth Richardson ©2021


Friday 9 September 2022

My Artist Voice #5 September 9, 2022

   Welcome to my fifth Artist Newsletter.  Thank you so much to everyone who has subscribed to date.  If you would like to receive this newsletter via email subscription, please contact thechautauqua@gmail.com and ask to be added to the mailing list.  Feel free to share this with friends who may also be interested.  Thank you so much for your support.  

   August seemed like a very WILD month, and September may be too!  

    I had my fifth recording session on August 11th, and we figured out the final two songs and tweaked the others based on feedback I've been getting from friends who have been listening to them.  TJ sent me the tracks, and after listening to them, I realized I was singing my last song different from how I had recorded it, so I quickly recorded it again, and sent the file to TJ. Our final recording session was on August 26, and was only half an hour.  We listened to the songs in the order I chose, and there were just a few very minor tweaks for TJ to make.  I received the mastered tracks, and had TJ make a couple minor tweaks before I approved them on September 6th!  The songs were done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
   Our Voice of the Muse graduation was September 6th.  Those 4 months just flew by!  It was an emotional session as we shared where we were in the process and how we'd grown through the program, and then each of the ladies shared their impressions of our progress and growth.
(photo below courtesy of Laura Rose)

Celebrations: 

- I bought a treat for myself - an original canvas and 4 adorable felted penguins from Zoe DeCnodder! 

- my album is done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now I just need to get the cover artwork done, CDs ordered, figure out how to stream it online, and figure out my official release date.

- My chapbook is almost ready to be printed!  There was a bit of adventure around that as I had originally made it an 8.5x5.5 sized chapbook, but then decided that it wouldn't work with all the pictures so made it an 8.5x7 chapbook.  When I got the quote for printing, it was recommended that I bring it down to 8.5x5.5 so the printing cost wasn't ridiculously prohibitive, so I ended up spending 3 hours reformatting it back down and deleting a lot of pictures!  Thankfully, it's only 40 pages long, though, even that was enough to send me cross-eyed after a while.

- I've been processing lots of garden produce.  I made 28 cups of homemade tomato/pepper soup (on three different days) and 6 more pints of rhubarb juice.  My "dead" crabapple tree had a last hurrah and I filled a milk crate + 3 ice cream pails with the crabapples before the tree was cut down - I really have no idea how it produced fruit as it was completely rotten all the way through!  Two pails went to my sister, and I made the rest into 13 (!) quarts of crabapple juice.  I sorted the remainder of last year's carrots and made 3 no-bake carrot pies - froze 2 of the pies.  My niece was here September 4 & 5th. and we made 8 more cups of tomato/pepper soup and made 3 pints of refrigerator pickles. 

Recently Completed:

I've completed...
(Top L-R top) Watercolour play (9x12 mixed media paper), "Give Thanks" (8x10 acrylics)
(Bottom L-R) Watercolour play (9x12 mixed media paper), "Hallelujah" (8x10 acrylics)
   I also completed my 16th cartoon comic booklet (June 27 - August 13, 2022) and it can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/beth.richardson.10/videos/576944640790991

Works in progress:

Currently, I'm working on... 

- a 9x12 page of watercolour play 
- an 8x10 acrylic painting + 16x20 acrylic Inner Circle Muse painting 
- mandala on 9x12 mixed media paper 
- crochet chocolates and candy for my crochet food project [temporarily on hold]

- I'm also in the process of completing my Reiki Level 1 certification.

Upcoming Projects: 

- My 10-song music album entitled "Just Show Up" is expected to be released/available in October, as well as my chapbook "Exploring My Artist Voice: a journey without a map."  Official date still to be determined.

- I put together a submission to exhibit at the Viewpoint Gallery in Red Deer - the gallery that actually started this particular leg of the journey last year - I didn't get accepted last year, so fingers crossed for this year.

- In Inner Circle we did a week-long art journalling process to determine what our project will be for the next 8 week cycle - I ended up with 78 (!) options in my basket!  As I'm wrapping up a number of big projects, I decided to focus on those right now, and then I'll see what is next.  I won't run of out of things to do for quite a while ;)

Thanks for reading,
Beth 

~~~~~~~~

As a life-long creative, and recently self-taught artist, I endeavour to 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 almost 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 may seem small individually – have added up to quite a body of work in a relatively short time period. 

~~~~~~~~

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

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

If you would like to support my artistic journey, please consider purchasing my artwork, select items available online https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html or in person at 4910-47 St, Mirror, AB

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

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

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

Wednesday 7 September 2022

Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.
  - David Mamet

Monday 5 September 2022



From TEA for the Heart & Soul Deck Created by Beth Richardson ©2021


Friday 2 September 2022

September 2, 2022 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

  It’s back to school time.  Time for new classes, new teachers, new friends, new interests, and new adventures.

   Well, at least for the students and teachers.

   But what about the rest of us?

   I don’t know about you, but I personally was never a fan of going back to school.  I loved learning - and still do - but I didn't like the “school” aspect that came with that learning.

   Just because many of us may be beyond a formal education setting, that doesn’t mean that we can’t embrace the newness of this time of year.

   We can explore new places around us.  We can take a class to learn a new skill.  We can learn from home, or in an adult learning setting.  We can find someone who does what we want to do and ask if they will teach us - surprisingly, many people are more than willing to say Yes, if you just ask them.  The possibilities are endless.

   However, just because there are so many options, that doesn’t mean we should try them all, all at once!  That is a recipe for not only burnout, but for creating a dislike of whatever activity we are trying out.

   So, instead of trying a whole bunch of new experiences, why not commit to just trying out one for a week, or even a whole month, at minimum.  Give yourself a chance to really dive in and fully experience whatever it is that is calling to you right now.  Giving it your whole-hearted attention will not only make the experience so much richer, but will also give you a much better grasp of the nuances that tend to get missed when you just dip your toe into the water, so to speak.

   For myself, though I will be focussing on completing my album and chapbook, and releasing them out into the world this fall, I have also signed up for an online Reiki class - something that has interested me for years, but I wasn’t in the right situation to learn about before.  

   It’s a brand new chance to try something new.  What will you choose to learn this fall?

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vq1wTgJq-vRQtvnBp2X6iCVk8gfv0b74/view?usp=sharing


   Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 20 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. There are three methods available: 

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

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

   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!


And, if you are looking for a unique gift idea, please visit: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

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

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