💤 SLEEP WALK 💤

Does Music inspire you? It does for me. I have always loved the instrumental piece by Santo & Johnny, "SLEEP WALK",one of my favourites.

I love many things like cats and dogs , music, art and stories and much more.

I once again was inspired by a song or should I say by an instrumental piece to create art and inspired by a place I once used to call home a very long time ago.

There really does exist a place called Wychwood across the Ottawa river on the Quebec side at Aylmer, Quebec. And so, I painted "SLEEP WALK".

SLEEP WALK

It snowed all day. It was a very deep and frosty snow. All of Wychwood was under a twinkling blanket of snow; a purrrfect night to tuck in early to bed for a good night's sleep but Genova , the witch couldn't sleep.

She was in an old cottage in the woods , with candlelight reflected in the large parlour room window; by her side, her 3 ghosts ; Ghost, Spooks and Boo. The view of the front lawn was an enchanting site, all sparkling and glittery, just like a Christmas postcard only it was just October.

Oh, my, I'm so tired but I can't sleep! said Genova. Lying on the sofa she reached for the knob on the radio and turned the dial to on, suddenly over the waves there was the song that always sent Genova to a far, far away place.“Sleep Walk”. Genova closed her eyes and drifted to the land of nod. Ghost, a big fluffy white cat, the biggest of the three cats became drowsy to the sound of the still guitar and soon he too was sound asleep. As for the other two cats, Spooks was transfixed to the window, something had caught his attention. It was Boo he was watching,once again sleep walking .......outdoors!

Spooks wondered just how long it would be before Boo would wake from the chilly air and realize he was not inside the house.

Merry Christmas 🎄

Wishing All A Very Merry Christmas 🎄Happiness, Health, Love and Peace


"There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour." 

~ Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol 

Anna and Family

Go To Sleep, Darlings

Daisies in the Snow

Go to Sleep, Darlings...

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields...
It covers them snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, Go to Sleep, Darlings, till the summer comes again.” 

Lewis Carroll

Waiting On a Friend *** The Veil Between Our Mortal World and The Beyond

The Veil Between Our Mortal World and The Beyond

When I first posted this painting on Instagram I had no idea where it was going from there only that I wanted it to convey something supernatural.

As I continued painting, the ghosts began to appear 👀👀👀 

Well, I finally finished the painting yesterday and when it came down to giving it a title it was easy. Always loved The Rolling Stones song ; “Waiting On A Friend”, (first recorded in 1972 and later released in 1981) and when I painted Casper The Ghost Cat sitting on a fence post between Heaven and Earth, “Waiting On A Friend” to check in, it was my obvious choice.

Waiting On A Friend

 Waiting On A Friend * Black &White

Waiting On A Friend * Original

Casper The Ghost Cat and a new way of signing my name ***
 A with 2 dots for ghost 👀's  

The Gate to The Beyond

Casper and a little ghost's eyes peeking out from behind the gate.

Look 👀 closer and you will find some ghosts about the house.

I cut in a few holes for the ghost eyes and stars, eventually I will insert wire lights at the back of the wood panel to light them up.

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet.”

Early mornings are wonderful because it's a quiet time of the day perfect for having a cup a coffee and reading a book. Upon opening the cover of the book I noticed I had written my name inside it, of course from the picture I think it tells a little secret about me, I love cats; but nothing more.

Anna Belanger is my name but just how many people in the world go by that very same name? And for that matter, how many before me who passed on lived by this identical name?

I remember the first time I was taken aback seeing my name written on a tombstone in Italy. At the time I was very young and discovery my name of all places, on a cold granite stone marking a grave made me feel very uneasy. The grave in the family cemetery had revealed to me a secret; I was named after my dad's little sister who had died very young from pneumonia. Who knew, not me until that telling moment.

At that point I realized my name was never the one and only,it was handed down to me and had belonged to someonelse who lived before me. And again happening to me when I married discovering others who shared the very same name. So, when sharing the same name, how does one make a distinction from the rest? 

The Mossycup Oak Candlestick

I adore trees and one of my very favorites is The Mossycup Oak.

When I found this little tree candlestick at my local thrift store , it immediately reminded me of the Mossycup Oak Tree. Come Fall,  I always collect it's beautiful large acorns, whimsically fringed at the edges of the cup which make lovely fairy hats. One thing I wish I had done when we first bought our house was plant some Oak trees but at the time I thought it took forever for them to grow, I was wrong. 

The Mossycup Oaks grow very fast!

Bat & Cat Jack O' Lanterns

The inside of our house was decorated for Halloween this year and the only outdoor decorations we placed was a floating green Witch Hat with a pussy willow broom and a pumpkin patch  consisting of Cinderella and Fairytale pumpkins. M had midterms on Halloween Night and I was on a dinner date with Spooks so the pumpkin craving was postpone for later in the week. M came up with the two designs, drew them and we then each craved one. 

Bat and Cat Jack O' Lanterns.

Always fun craving pumpkins for Halloween and these two are spooky cute, right? 🎃 🎃

Mirror, Mirror on the Hearth

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE HEARTH

WHOSE THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL?

Will-O'-The-Wisp ~ Ghost Light

SHOULD HAVE GUESSED IT WAS YOU, LITTLE BAT🧡🖤🎃

IS THIS HOUSE HAUNTED?........YES!!!

At the hour of midnight when everything's still, I ask: "Is this house haunted"? 👀 And then, a dragonfly lands on the dark crystal and lights up the word ....YES!

THE SEA WITCH 1846, CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW AND LUCY THE SEA WITCH

I have a secret. I love being alone, once in a while.
And to some I may seem strange but that don't matter.
It is the creative solitude I seek; it feeds my soul.
A quiet space to read, and maybe go over “Gift From the Sea” by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.
To listen to music, create art and contemplate on life.
To be awake to my inner soul.

“ Solitude , says the moon shell.”
“ Like an island from the world and the world's life.”
Last year's mother daughter adventure to Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick was the perfect retreat to rejuvenate and we returned back home with many treasures, mostly of which were of profound memories and lessons learned.

So here is another little snippet of our hearth.

The Sea Witch 1846, Captain Jack Sparrow and Lucy the Sea Witch

I love the sea and I have collected many treasures from her over the years.
The treasures that I keep are plentiful and all that you see here were ounce lost and forgotten; some belonging to souls who crossed over to the great beyond. All but two were found at church sales, yard sales, thrift stores and the sea; finds of little monetary value, inexpensive and free.
The Sea Witch Doll and The Skull of Pirate Captain Jack Sparrow were Birthday gifts I received from my husband. Thanks, Stan❤️

The Moon Shell, although I'm not so sure it is, I like to think of it as such, sits under the treasure chests.

“It stares at me, this mysterious single eye - and I stare back. Now it is the moon, now the eye of a cat.”

The Sea Witch Clipper Ship I bought for only $4 dollars, is a replica of the American Clipper Ship used for China Trading back in 1846 and Lucy the Sea Witch was named after her.


Alone time is precious to me and I always get so much back creatively in return.

“Moon shell. You will sit there and fasten your single eye upon me. You will say to me, “solitude,” and you will remind me.” to find time to be still and listen to my soul, finding happiness within, the treasures of the heart. I hope you too, will find the time to do the same.

Guardian of the Soul?

Little Sparrows circle, all around us.

Everywhere we go, they follow!

Ever wonder why?


If you believe in God then they are his messengers:

“ his eye is on the sparrow

And I know he watches me”


Or are they the guardians of the soul, like the Ancient Egyptians believed, who carry the dearly departed to heaven ?

I like to believe both.


This Little Silver Sparrow I keep, reminds me always “Not all Treasure is Silver and Gold”.

Tonight's Fairy Tale -The Little Witch who Captured the Moon

"At every moment of our lives, we all have one foot in a fairy tale and the other in the abyss " Paulo Coelho


Tonight's Fairy Tale -The Little Witch who Captured the Moon.

A SUMMER NIGHT IN OCTOBER WITH KNIGHT RIDER

A summer night in October arrived last Tuesday night, unexpected and without the bugs.
It was like summer had never left with a temperature of 27.3 degrees on October 9thand as the day passed slowly into evening the balmy air wooed us to go for an evening ride on the Triumph.
I think summer was teasing or maybe October was just playing a game of masquerade but no matter who was creating the night magic we weren't about to miss it.

There was no plan, we just escaped into the night.

Riding along the Rideau River up to Merrickville was like life had passed into a dream and I joked with Stan how the night ride made me think for a moment I was riding with Micheal Knight, The Knight Rider. Earlier in the day Stan had gotten another needle in the eye so I didn't think he was up for a ride but I was wrong and we took a shot in the dark ride with one headlight and one good eye : ) Without question the ride turned out to be the best ever taken on the Triumph, for both of us! The night was filled with magic, mystery and haunting intrigue.

But all good things eventually come to an end and when I thought the ride was over when Stan turned off hwy 43 and was heading back home he completely and unexpectedly caught me off guard, slowed down, veered off the darkened Burritts Rapids' road and turned up Cemetery Hill.

He turned the engine off and in the quiet and still cemetery he asked me to pick three tombstones.The shadowy granite, almost lost in the total darkness of the quiet grounds enclosed around me making it hard to distinguish the cold stone from the dark black veil of the evening. I found myself a little scared but so elevated in my curiosity in continuing to seek and find some lovely tombs hoping they would reveal some hidden secret. The game was on, the two old folks were having fun.

Stan followed me around the graveyard ,the breeze among the branches of the encircling wood sighed but I heard nothin more but the snapping of a few pics and then he spoke: “Ok, I think this should do it. Let's go home and see what we got”
But what I discovered I noticed even before I got home , actually it was the only stone of the four I picked that I was able to read the words.

On the tall spire shaped monument the inscription read “An Officer and a Gentleman” , very strange and spooky I thought because what I read was related to the night's events. Us playing a game like two juveniles with no restraints, young again. We were the perfect age tonight to enjoy a summer's night in October hopefully will never forget. The perfect age like Richard Gere had said in a quote I read on Instagram . Oh and by the way if you don't get the connection, Richard Gere was the officer in An Officer and a Gentleman” : ) and below is his quote........

“I am old but I am forever young at heart.We are always the same age inside. Know that you are the perfect age. Each year is special and precious, you can only live it once. Do not regret growing older, it's a privilege denied to many!”

I know this story really sounds made up but I never set foot in that cemetery before October,9th/2018.
Wow, should I dare say someone from beyond reached out and left this for me to ponder on?

“The lovers have grown old and grey” forever young at heart remain❤️
Well, taking that ride with Knight Rider on an October summer night was a thrill; I forgot just how old I was!


Happy to be here with you Stan!

THIS HOUSE IS HAUNTED ~OCTOBER GHOSTS

I was sitting in my room when spooky little ghosts👀🎃 👀👀👀🎃 👀peered out from inside the witch's hat. I think this house is haunted👀👀👀

October Ghosts.....Alberta?

Alberta? I was always good at Spelling.

⭐️October Ghosts



Thanks Stan for the meme⭐️

OCTOBER GHOSTS ~ 🖤❤️HITCHCOCK ❤️🖤

OCTOBER GHOSTS ♥️HITCHCOCK ♥️

"THIS PICTURE HAS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE BECAUSE".....PSYCHO 1960 

“Beam me up, Scotty”

“Beam me up, Scotty”


No Treats for me down here on earth.


That skull - shaped asteroid is too far from here to see.

"See these eyes so green I can stare for a thousand years" 👀

"See these eyes so green

I can stare for a thousand years

Colder than the moon" ~ David Bowie

I'm bewitched by David Bowie, collecting dead people's stuff, Halloween🎃......and CATS😻but that's not all , there is more😉later!

WYCHWOOD & THE MAGIC COTTAGE

WYCHWOOD & THE MAGIC COTTAGE 

For me,there is nothing more peaceful than being alone surrounded by the silence of nature, uninterrupted,with a mind free to wander and think all sorts of things.

Sometimes paintings will have the same effect on me without me ever leaving home for truly I am an introvert at heart. Looking into the watercolour field of this old painting someone long ago had painted instantly brought me back to the place I once lived as a young girl.

I believe I was 16 at the time when my dad was offered 2 teaching jobs, one in Ottawa and one in Bermuda, he chose Ottawa and my life had it's coordinates set . The little cottage in the woods of Wychwood my father discovered in Aylmer, Quebec couldn't have been more delightfully Spooky filled with mystery and strange occurrences of which I will write about in later stories. Wychwood or like my friends and I fondly called it, Witchwood was magical; a secluded spot hidden from the world, forgotten. Sadly, today everybody knows : )



We settled in a tiny white cottage steps away from the Ottawa River and many of the cottages including ours were surrounded by fragrant White Pines, one of my very favourite trees. My years there weren't the happiest, my parents split and the dream house my dad built next to the tiny cottage had to be sold but out of the stormy days there was one very cold night in September 1976, when my friend Diana and I ventured to town to the local pub,The British Hotel which still stands there today.
On that chilly night I took a motorcycle ride of my life with a tall skinny fellow from Val D'Or,Quebec, who later became my husband !Thirteen years later to the day of our meeting our son, Ty was born. Back when I lived in Wychwood I may have not been cognizant of it's magic but today I know just how special a place it was and still is .....for me!

FIRST WITCH ~ BRIDGET BISHOP AKA BB

FIRST WITCH ~ Bridget Bishop aka B.B.

There in the hidden corner behind the witch tree,the little black cat with golden eyes sat keeping watch over his beloved witch, B.B. Salem was the witch’s only cat and when Bridget Bishop was taken away , put on trial for practicing witchcraft and hung, the little cat was left alone, naturally becoming the guardian of Bishop House, his only comfort a portrait of his mistress by his side.

A gathering of estate sale finds, Witch Potion Bottles I made, a few crystals from my collection and Sid Dickens Heart Wall plaques are some of the props I used in creating The Alter for Bridget Bishop, the first witch to hang on June 10th/ 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts.

The portrait of the lovely enchantress is an antique find from a Grenville/Leeds antique dealer; I swapped two of my Eaton paintings for it plus twenty dollars.

Bringing her home I always thought of her a witch, a very beautiful witch.