Monique Sliedrecht Blog

All Posts

4 days ago
4 min

A Song to Sing

This last week the birds have been especially active and ever-present, flitting about in the trees and flying over the moorland and...

Monique Sliedrecht

Apr 11
3 min

Out Like a Lamb

It’s April 11. To my amazement, I woke up to another fresh layer of snow on the ground this morning. Huge flakes have been blowing across...

Monique Sliedrecht

Mar 30
2 min

Splodges

My friend in BC, Canada sent me this photo of a drawing done by her 4 year old son. With it she wrote: 'Asher making fantastic splodges...

Monique Sliedrecht

Mar 21
4 min

Early Springtime

I just finished doing some morning stretches for the first time in a while! Oof. My muscles are certainly tight. To be honest, they are...

Monique Sliedrecht

Mar 14
4 min

Drifting with Purpose

7 ANSWERS TO 7 QUESTIONS A friend sent me this article in the NY Times, which is very eye opening and interesting on many levels, and...

Monique Sliedrecht

Mar 9
4 min

View from a Window

While sitting at my desk, looking out the window, I noticed a large bird of prey had just landed on a branch. I'm not sure that I had...

Monique Sliedrecht

Mar 2
3 min

From the Ashes

For the end of February, the day was surprisingly springlike and warm. My friend and I went to do our fortnightly shopping in Thurso and...

Monique Sliedrecht

Feb 20
1 min

My Podcast Launch

I’m glad to announce that my new podcast, Tales from the North, is now available on iTunes, Spotify and all the other usual places where...

Monique Sliedrecht

Feb 13
5 min

Something New

I lit the fire on getting up this morning, it was so cold. Things are gradually warming up now. I’ve got two sweaters on, and have...

Monique Sliedrecht

Feb 9
4 min

Sea Swell

Skerry Lighthouses, Skerry Island, Pentland Firth The Pentland Firth in the far north of Scotland is known to be one of the roughest...

Monique Sliedrecht

Feb 1
4 min

At Home

It’s a new week and the beginning of a new month. As I sit here and write, I have a clear view out of a large window onto a frosty...

Monique Sliedrecht

Jan 24
3 min

Day Moon

Some snow has finally fallen - enough to satisfy this Canadian-born woman’s heart for now. The distant homes look like house-shaped...

Monique Sliedrecht

Jan 16
4 min

Blow Out

I was travelling to Thurso with a friend (we’re in the same bubble), to pick up a prescription. It was a nice enough day. No wind, no...

Monique Sliedrecht

Jan 9
2 min

The Sand Truck

A small orange yellow light blinks it’s way along the top road, across the open view of the living room window, distinctly noticeable in...

Monique Sliedrecht

Jan 3
2 min

Clouds

It’s another crisp morning, clouds are hanging close to the horizon in the 'blue hour' of dawn. I make a coffee and stare out the...

Monique Sliedrecht

Dec 25, 2020
2 min

Early Christmas Morning

'A Winter's Voyage' - Acrylic on Linen, Wood, Found Objects 2020 It’s early morning and still dark out. I decided to get up and sit in...

Monique Sliedrecht

Dec 13, 2020
3 min

Water and Mist

A lot of rain has fallen this past week. The land is saturated. After a night of high winds and the drumming of raindrops against the...

Monique Sliedrecht

Dec 6, 2020
4 min

Shoes to Fill

Yesterday, the shops in the Netherlands shut early and some 60% of Dutch people will have settled down to celebrate Sinterklaas, my...

Monique Sliedrecht

Nov 29, 2020
4 min

Advent Frost

Yesterday afternoon, at around 3:00, just before sunset, a friend and I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to drive up to the most...

Monique Sliedrecht

Nov 22, 2020
4 min

Wind

If ever one needed to clear one’s head, the northeast of Scotland is a good place to come. The wind will clear the cobwebs in no time!...

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