It's my favourite time of year! The Calgary Stampede! I started with the parade on Friday, and I've watched all the rodeo events and the chuckwagon races on TV, with all their thrills and spills. I treated these days as a bit of a holiday and immersed myself into the coverage.
My great-great grandfather John Ellis was the manager of the Stair Ranch in the Cypress Hills until he started his own ranch, Glenmar. Many of his descendants were involved in rodeos - especially around Medicine Hat, as competitors (such as Dale "Hoot" Rose) and stock contractors (such as Reg Rose).
My favourite of favourite events is the chuckwagon races. For the rodeo events, it's hands down the bull-riding, followed by the steer wrestling and tie-down (calf) roping.
Celebrations:
- I finished pulling the HUGE weeds and planted the rest of the carrots on June 14th. I bought 3 more 6-packs of petunias that day and planted them in my planters and I planted some radishes in the wheelbarrow planter. My garden was finally planted!
Though, I bought 2 honeydew melon plants from PJ’s Plantation greenhouse on June 19th which I finally planted on June 22nd. I thought I had everything in the garden, but then felt the urge to get a new asparagus plant (mine has never really produced) and more strawberries. I picked the plants up from PJ’s on June 28th. I weeded just enough to plant a small asparagus/strawberry bed on the northwest side of the labyrinth. After looking around my garden, I realized I needed more plants, so made another trip to PJ’s after lunch, and picked up a second asparagus plant, plus more strawberry plants. I now have 3 small strawberry beds around the labyrinth.
- Also back on June 14th, I went to Stettler for groceries. While I was there, I went to Walmart as I had won a $15 gift card earlier in the year. They didn't have the art supplies I wanted, so I purchased some watercolour paints - a step (or 3!) up from the dollar store set I have been using and playing around with. I also picked up some pen refills at the stationery store for an engraved pen that was a (university) grad gift back in 2001.
- I published two more comic strips in the paper and posted them online.
Recently Completed:
Since the last newsletter, I've completed...
In May/June we did an interesting exploration of our lineage in Inner Circle. I completed my spread on June 28th, which included a thank you letter to my ancestors (part of the process). In the end, I was surprised as I didn't focus on the gifts I've received from my lineage, but was encouraged to focus my attention on what "I" am uniquely adding to my lineage!
I also completed a HEAL painting (watercolour pencils, acrylics, Inktense pencils, Posca paint pens on 9x12 mixed media paper) inspired by a process by Whitney Freya
I'm still playing with Charlotte Hamilton's 5-minute self-portraits process. While I complete each portrait over the course of about a week (only painting for 1 minute per day), I think how I felt also impacted how the portrait turned out - better I felt, the better/happier it looked.
- I completed more mini collages on 4.5x6 mixed media paper
- I finished my 30th cartoon comic booklet = 1,440 DAILY cartoon strips! You can view it here: https://www.facebook.com/beth.richardson.10/videos/888768373118141
In Beth's Kitchen:
I didn't end up making any lilac juice with the front lilacs. Maybe next year?
Jigsaw Puzzles:
Since my last letter, I completed a 550 piece (top left), 1,000 piece (top right) and two 500 piece puzzles (bottom )
UFO (UnFinished Object) Update:
- My whole life feels like a UFO! Haven't touched anything except what I've already mentioned. Though, I have read some more novels from the basement and passed them onto my sister to read.
Courses and Challenges (free and paid):
- Minette Riordan Mythical Makeovers (free) course - I completed my journal on July 6th.
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You can view the flip-through here: https://www.facebook.com/beth.richardson.10/videos/490970803444236
- Angela Murray's 6 week Painting Happiness (free) course - I finally wrote the Letter from my Future Self on June 28th - didn't turn out as I thought it might, and it will be interesting to see how it compares with reality when I open it on June 28, 2025. With that step completed, I was able to move forward on my round canvas.
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- Amanda Sophia's free mini course on Feng Shui - paused as I was having my health challenges.
- Amanda Sophia’s free Geomancy & Land Healing course - haven’t started it yet.
- Amanda Sophia's free mini Divine Woman Awakening course on the Celtic Wheel of the Year - We are now in the Summer Solstice season - I like how Amanda calls them "seasons" because I completely missed the solstice "day" as I was in bed very sick. The Summer Solstice season is about getting out in nature and touching the land (ie through gardening!), as well as being more aware of your body - through your senses - as the weather continues to warm up.
- On June 25th I signed up for Hillary Faye's (paid) Eternal Beauty course which looks at beauty through the lens of 6 goddesses. This ties in really well with the previous embodiment and healing courses I've done (and totally fits with the Summer Solstice season as mentioned above), so I look forward to this deeper dive. (photo from course material) Hillary also included in the program 30 days of distance healing sent to each participant!
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- I'm practicing my drum playing daily, and still haven't moved onto the next lesson yet.
- Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals Ayurveda course practices: eating only my personal portion size during each meal and doing abdominal rubbing throughout the day to help with digestion/elimination and overall relaxation of the body.
Works in progress:
Currently, I'm working on...
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- a 9x12 page of watercolour play
- an Inner Circle mandala (9x12 mixed media paper)
- a 13" inch round acrylic painting (from Painting Happiness course)
- seated forward bends! It's been a challenge to keep doing my practice (my daily sun salutations and Qigong have completely fallen by the wayside for now as they require just too much energy)
2nd row (L-R): Mar. 11, Mar. 18, Mar. 25
3rd row (L-R): Apr. 1, Apr. 8
4th row (L-R): Apr. 15, Apr. 22, Apr. 29
5th row (L-R): May 6, May 13, May 27
6th row (L-R): June 3, June 10
Bottom (L-R): June 17, June 24, July 8
Featured Items for Sale:
"Magical Moments in my Day Journal: for the extra special moments all around me" 6x9 lined journal (2022/2023) $15 or from Amazon https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CJLKZ3KB
Please contact me at thechautauqua@gmail.com or phone 403-352-3837 to make a purchase.
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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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, items available 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
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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!
