Red Fern Art compositions by Caithleen Carter Steeves

Drizzling spring morning thoughts

To be here is to see hear and become acquainted with the rain, sunshine,magestic waters .All things Maritime are in a highly unique way created and shaped by the sea.I hope you gain a perspective of what we are, what we are becoming, and what we cherish as Maritimers. Tapah leat!

Monday, April 6, 2015

posted by K Carter Steeves
Shad Bay


cleaner than clean

posted by K Carter steeves
Some people ponder and predict A.D.D. (attention deficit disorder) ie: is it a farce? Have we all got some ADD? Is it real or imagined?
For me it is not a deficiency but another way of seeing the world for which I'm very willing to take full responsibility.Most times it allows me to make humour with myself at no one expense . Its god little gift to my ego which can get so serious at times.
Back in the 80's my hubby gave me a new power nozzle vacuum cleaner. I was all excited as a new wife to apply my skills to this new machine and have the house slick and span when he arrived later in the day, from work.
I removed it from the box with anticipation which very quickly turned into confusion! There in front of me was a long streamline maroon body saying Electrolux, hoses, cords, attachments all looking like a pile up on the 401, except I was not in Toronto.
I frigid and farted around for an hour or so in desperation. Thoughts like "well this has to go there", "maybe there is a missing part", who invented this dam thing" but none the less I persevered and came up with a workable solution. I cleaned all four carpets in all four rooms inching my way along.
I had two wires left, a short one and a long one and no solution as to where they went.
The long one had no where to fit "as far as I could see"........... the short one fit from the power nozzle right directly across and into the machine, but left me only a two foot stroke of space for vacuuming in any one direction. So I persevered with a quizzical triumph, yet inquiring mindfulness, cleaning every room from this limited posture.
When Fred came home I explained to him we would have to return the vacuum." Let me have a look" Within a minute he removed the end of the short wire from the vacuum and connected it to a small socket along the wand, then did the same with the long wire and ran it up to the end of the wand into another socket close to where your hand held the wand to move it out over the floor!!! Viola!!
He stood tall and straight while the vacuum did all the work. You get the drift of my tale.
Ive no need to question my left brain nor compare my levels of skill with A.D.C. a most annoying scholarly debate.
As most A.D.D,"rs will tell you "Just get on with it"!!!

Caite

Sunday, June 8, 2014

stay tuned

posted by K Carter Steeves
Stay tuned as we continue to travel into the United States of America.We are relaxing in deep Ontario waters in order to head out for Maine in a few weeks.Suitcases are packed with cameras and shorties,so fish-chowders here we come!!!They say Nova Scotia is more beautiful than Maine??? Well lets go see it for ourselves.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Clamity

posted by K Carter Steeves

Calamity

In 2006 at age 50 I wanted to learn to write well.I have always loved writing, and have kept journals since age 11.More off and on in  later life; then to return to this generously lazy pastime these few year past.I love the way words can bring passion to reality,vision and imagination,perhaps even propelling ones own informing along the learning pathways of life.
When I enquired into my University status I learned I had 12 credits to go on my B.A. which began in Women's Studies at Mount St. Vincent.I decided that there were enough women doing that so I went for my passion. To write! Since most of the best writers seemed to be Irish and most of the sweetest music I have ever heard in English came from Ireland and the nicest people I have ever met came from there I chose to switch my enrollment to St.Mary's University under the D`arcy Chair in Irish Studies with a complimenting major in English.
All this took place quite by fate.I accidentally walked into a social services office for persons with disabilities.I have lived with a learning disability all my life.I have over the years found myself in need of assistance and Im very grateful they have been there for me.Yet I must confess most of the resourcing has been God's doing or some Greater Creator.
"Is miss Benton in please"? "Sorry she works in the main office up stairs, this is for persons with disabilities".
"I have a disability,what do you do? "We help people go back to work,open a small business, or go to school, would you like to fill out an application?" "Sure!"
Thus began the most wonderful and the most horrific next three years of my life.
I went into an office where a red haired man sat sneezing.He asked me to decide in three minutes go into business or back to school? I didn't bat en eye."Go back to school.
They would fund me 5000.00 and I would borrow  in student loans,5000.00,hey thats a good deal everyone else was paying back the whole 10,000.00 I jumped at the chance.I think now most people would.
My friends gathered round and helped me with a few new clothes and a computer.
I loved it!!! I fell in LOVE with Yeats,Chaucer,Heaney,Joyce and many many others.Being that I am a musician I love the poets and the stories from the 4th and Medieval Times.One can almost get stuck in a time worpe on that one, as I saw some profs fall into. God they had romanticized their lives into a past life! ha ha
I was 18 hours from my last home stretch of credits when the government program put in place by the red haired man was cut off funding! As it was, one of my friends whom I shall be forever grateful to stepped up to the plate funded in part my last semester.
So with 18 hours to go I reluctantly left University.
However here I was with no B.A.  a whack of a student loan,and no job prospects with no peice of paper to verify my credentials nor my abilities.I did however come away with what I needed.This was brought home to me when I called in a fit of sadness to my long time friend and mentor Winston."Well you have three years of study so you got what you went for.Truth be told.
Soon began the calls from student loans of the province for money.Rightly so.Each three month period began with me filling out the forms of proof that Im not working.Not working .Not working. One of the most depressing acts of my life thus far.Sometimes they would call on the phone then two sets of officers began to call.To say the least I began to feel stressed! Im living with Post Trauma Disorder and you people are going to help me what? It just lead me to a highly confused state!You stop payments on my courses,however you want me to pay you, now??I dont know who is maladjusted here? Im very confused!
I decide to go to the local community Student Loans Office and have a chat.
Jane is on the ball! What a saint! She files for a forgiveness decree at once! We explained that government funding stopped ( not me).That as things remain I may never work again.We got it first try.I will always be so very grateful to her for her work on my behalf with the Student Loans situation.These people are very short sighted, they have no interconnections to create a whole project, they are just a bunch of projects!They turn them on and they turn them off at their own convenience.
Because of this experience I may not work again.But I have learned to put a pretty good word to paper and a very well informed way.
I've learned poetry and classical writers, classical music and how to listen to what I love actually as I write I play Mozart and find my inspiration flows in to my works here on the page much easier.
I learned how to put music to poetry and have written a wonderful Bluegrass tune to one of Christina Rossetti"s poems.
I write every day on my blog, I write about my years working and not working, I write about my studies in this white culture and other ethnic living traditions I joyously been part of.Not always safe? but what is?
I have learned that there are very well educated people teaching about things they know nothing important about  and they are not very effective teachers.
I came away from University that Christmas with a VW Camper Van a 1977. I titled her Red Fern and we took off up the coast and did a project on the Bay of Fundy! WOW!
I lived in small communities,I sold garden rocks for gas and sang my heart out at the local cafe` on weekends in Truro NS.
Education is great if it doesn't come at the cost of a persons common sense.Opportunity is wonderful with well balanced motives that include a big picture, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.I know I've been there and back.
What a life experience.
Gotta go play some Boran` now.You take care.


Monday, January 6, 2014

Oh Me Oh My

posted by K Carter Steeves
Oh me oh my!! the winter moves,from cool to cold,then rain and darkness so unbearable but for the Christmas season and the Christ.It is just a week away and still I feel its renewal of Universal love in my heart.Four Christmas dinners!!! four,this old maritimer ate with gusto!!!!Gifts galore!! from family and friends.A very moving experience for sure,watching my grandson learning to keep his clothes and friends well, helping out at the dinner party,listening to warm mellow piano tunes from my best friends daughters fingers; aww those fingers I have witnessed their growth and applications over my years.Thats all we ever truly own is our years.
The big storm was exciting I place a soup bone in the pot and at the peak of it warmed my bones with beef and barley hot spicy juices from the slower cooker pot.What a blizzard of  frost its the first time in a long while since I saw that much in one fall, almost a foot of snow,cars off the road, no sooner had they all made their way off the rotary to work then they made their slowly way back home. It was not a day to be out.Oh thank the Creator for retirement.They had an awful time up the Bay Road.Alas as  always here on the coast its a raining day all the crisp lovely white frosty snow is disappearing into thin air.
Happy New Year to one and all.It's the year of Lightening for us tribal cultures in these parts.Wonder wonder!!!!What will be will be......hope all is well in your part of the world.....come see us sometime....we have coastal mountains and waters fit for an Italian!!! 

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Preview to Cats and Gardens

posted by K Carter Steeves

This is a preview to Backyard Gardens and Cats in the Windows


project, to be released in the fall