Saturday, January 3, 2009

calendars

One of the things I look forward to in the new year is opening up a new calendar. Not because it represents new beginnings or the promise of good things to come. No, I just like the pretty pictures.

And there are so many to choose from. Chapters and Indigo have the best selection of art calendars. There are kiosks in malls that have the biggest selection from the too cute for words puppies and kittens in hammocks, flowers and countryside drawings, castles and sunsets and gardens, to birds and animals, cars, firemen, faeries and eventually to the the tacky celebrity and tv shows.

Every year I head out with an open mind, never knowing or expecting what will take my fancy. It may be faces in food, or lightning, or dolphins or trees. Or Monet, Dali, Pieck, Man Ray, Colin Baxter, Paris or Tuscany. I love that with a calendar one can have twelve new prints of artwork to grace the walls of one's kitchen, hall, bathroom or bedroom or office. Just when you are ready to look at something different, a new month neatly arranges that for you.

This year, I already picked out a Jane Austin's Bath to remind me of my holiday.
I bought an Anton Pieck.
And one of chickens.

The chickens will go in the kitchen. I have become rather entranced by them lately, after reading a few bloggers who have written and photographed their personal experiences with these Japanese Bantams, Auracanas, Cuckoo Marans, Buff Orpingtons, Polish Hens, Guinea Fowl ... I must admit to not having put much thought into these creatures, I had no idea there were so many varieties, or that they were so gorgeous! But now, I honestly almost (almost) wish I had a house with a yard and lived in a sensible urban area that allowed backyard coops so I could raise a 'chook' or two. And probably bore, or entertain, you with photos and anecdotes and trials and tribulations, and maybe recipes for their marvelous eggs
.

18 comments:

  1. How fun!

    One of Don's students gave him the chicken calendar with photos by Stephen Green-Armytage - and we love it and also have it up in the kitchen. And then my sister, who is visiting, gave him the same photographer's book of chicken photos.

    I never knew I could be so interested in these chooks either, not being much of a farm girl. But I'm learning. I'm happy to let Don take care of 'em.

    I do love new calendars and all the gorgeous images. I was sorry to take the 2008 Paris one down.

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  2. I got a new calendar as a gift from my wife. Calendars are always nice, especially when they put images that actually fit the month. I used to have one with very nice paintings of the Plateau Mont-Royal, I wish I could find something similar, for when I feel homesick. I did not have time to go to Chapters or Indigo when I was in Montreal, what a shame. But there was so much to do already.

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  3. oooh a girl after my own heart. I love calenders. My mum always has one of Dachshunds, they are so adorable and this year one of the pictures is the spitting image of our own dachshund.
    I have two this year, one is a weekly planner so I get 52 lovely pictures of Newton's Law http://www.newtons-law.com/ and a lovely monthly one of puppies. I am currently going through them and adding all the important dates.

    MA

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  4. Ruth, it was your photos of Don's girls that started my new fascination!

    Do you save your old calendars?

    Guillaume, I used to like getting calendars from Australia just to shock my system with the upside down seasons!!

    MA: it is an instant gallery, isn't it.

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  5. PG has a new Formula 1 calendar. DD has a new shoe calendar. I have a new Quicknotes calendar, which has tons of space to write but no pictures. I miss my old calendar, a Vancouver Canucks one. But there was not enough space to write, and they didn't even make the playoffs last year anyway.

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  6. I love chooks. Having had quite a lot of contact with them over the years, they are fascinating creatures.
    I love calendars, & hate to throw the old ones away, especially when the pics are so appealing. However, being a hoarder there are only so many things I can hoard!

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  7. I always look forward to getting the Nature Conservancy and WOrld Wldlife Fund calendars every year. They always have such beautiful nature photography.

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  8. When I was very young Granny had two chickens: Gertrude and a rooster whose name escapes me. They roamed freely in her backyard and on every visit my brother and I ran into the yard to look for eggs. Good times.

    We pretty much alternate every other year with cute kittens and New Yorker cat comics for our main calendar. In here by the computer, we usually use either my husband's company calendar or a Jack Daniels calendar which are both freebies.

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  9. Pinklea: I'm from Toronto - playoffs? Stanley Who?

    I buy one of those calendars with pockets that become a file folder for each month for someone every year and I keep thinking I should get one of them for myself. But that would a step toward organization and I don't do it.

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  10. Meggie: I used to save them for years, then one move I tossed the lot. Every now and then I wish I'd kept them

    CotW: Before I needed an actual appointment book to write appointments in in, I used to get the Audubon desk diaries with those beautiful nature pictures I dreamt of one day photographing myself. Those I still have, somewhere

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  11. Geewits: A beer drinker with a free JD calendar? I also get the free ones from the grocery store with recipes and the ones from the garden centre with flowers and gardening tips. I just don't usually put them up. But then I only have 4 rooms including the kitchen and bath.

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  12. Jay has decided he wants chickens if we ever get a place of our own. I even gave him a chicken ornament, that looks alot like the one on the far right in your photo.

    Maybe I should have gotten him a calendar, too....

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  13. We were talking about calendars yesterday. There are so many different ones on the shelves these days it's hard to choose. I have a wonderful pin up of David Tennant calendar in my office!

    CJ xx

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  14. Robin: I think having his own chickens and fresh eggs would be perfect for Jay!

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  15. Crystal: Yes, I spent many visits perusing the kiosk, I kept hoping it would be a different salesperson on who would not recognize me as "back again?"

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  16. I haven't saved old calendars to this point, but when I took down the Paris one I felt like I should. But we already have too much STUFF. If I were clever and crafty, I'm sure I could find something to do with them. Actually it's the energy I need to do something like that. Maybe I should have a resolution . . .

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  17. Ruth: you could photograph the pages of your Paris calendar and then make a collage out of them.

    Full of ideas, aren't I? Energy, not so much.

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  18. I adore Chickens.. They are one of my favourite animals!!!
    I don't have any right now but am seriously considering having some again.. or at least seriously wishing to have some... Now I feel homesick for the old days...

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