December 24, 2015
Have you been good? Santa Paws is comin’ to town… MERRY CHRISTMAS!
November 2, 2015
From Ron’s series of paintings inspired by our garden and neighbourhood. This idyllic scene is in the Scotian Gold park nearby us in Coldbrook. Scotian Gold is a grower owned tree fruit cooperative that stores and packs 50 percent of the apple production in Nova Scotia.
“Summer Afternoon, Scotian Gold Park”
Acrylic on canvas 18″x24″.
Painting by Ron Lightburn.
_______________________________________________________
October 30, 2015
“Me want banana for Halloween!”
We had fun painting pumpkins today!
_______________________________________________________
October 26, 2015
Summer Memories: From Ron’s series of paintings inspired by our garden and neighbourhood. We pass this tree each day on our walk to the post office.
“Morning Light, Edge of Coldbrook Park”
Acrylic on canvas 16″ x 20″.
Painting by Ron Lightburn.
_______________________________________________________
October 17, 2015
ChatterSox was a first time vendor at the Horton Harvest Craft Fair this year and I wish to thank Krista Brydon Laing for organizing a wonderful event. I also want to extend my appreciation to all of the students and volunteers for their kind assistance.
Our customers had fun and came in all sizes.
The treasures they took home will provide them with fond memories of the day.
_______________________________________________________
October 15, 2015
Ron was one of the Kings South community members who was presented with a certificate of recognition by Keith Irving MLA last night at the Louis Millet Centre in New Minas.
The certificates were statements read by Mr. Irving in the Nova Scotia Legislature during the past year, recognizing outstanding accomplishments by his constituents.
Mr. Irving attended Ron’s FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad Earth Day event at Valley Waste Resource Management on April 22.
_______________________________________________________
October 6, 2015
From Ron’s series of paintings inspired by our garden and neighbourhood. This peaceful scene is in the Scotian Gold park nearby us in Coldbrook. Scotian Gold is a grower owned tree fruit cooperative that stores and packs 50 percent of the apple production in Nova Scotia.
“Shady Serenity” Acrylic on canvas 16″ x 20″. Painting by Ron Lightburn.
_______________________________________________________
September 30, 2015
IT’S PUMPKIN PEOPLE TIME AGAIN!
We visited Kings County Academy in Kentville this morning for the annual reading of our book Pumpkin People with Mayor Dave Corkum. Each year since 2008 the Town of Kentville has given every grade 3 KCA student a signed copy of Pumpkin People to promote literacy and local culture.
Following the reading we had fun doing the Pumpkin People StoryWalk® which is located next to the school playground. A StoryWalk® is an opportunity for children to experience reading a book while walking through a chosen area such as a park, trail or neighborhood. StoryWalks® promote literacy, outdoor physical activity, and encourage parent and community involvement.
Under each page of the book is a description of a physical activity that leads the reader to the next sign. When it comes to Pumpkin People, we talk the talk AND walk the walk!
Read more about the Kentville Pumpkin People StoryWalk® :
_______________________________________________________
September 28, 2015
Another in Ron’s series of paintings inspired by our garden and neighbourhood. These heritage poppies made a lovely border display around our patio.
“Poppy Pastoral” Acrylic on canvas 18″ x 24″. Painting by Ron Lightburn.
_______________________________________________________
September 23, 2015
Summer memories…
“A Quiet Corner” Acrylic on canvas 18″ x 24″. Painting by Ron Lightburn.
Ron has been working on a new series of paintings inspired by our garden and neighbourhood. These two chairs are tucked away in a quiet corner of our backyard. They have seen better days, but still provide a welcome splash of colour.
_______________________________________________________
September 19, 2015
Ron had a great day at The Word On The Street Halifax reading FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad and Pumpkin People. The new Halifax Central Library was a perfect venue for this fabulous literary festival! Many thanks to the Dartmouth Learning Network volunteers, Halifax Central Library staff and Woozles Books for their kind assistance. We had wonderful food at the PAVIA Gallery – Espresso Bar & Cafe on the top floor of the library with panoramic views of the city skyline and harbour.
“At night, when you’re sleeping and dreaming alone, that stuff could take on a strange life of its own…”
We love this library!
_______________________________________________________
September 16, 2015
Ron is excited about sharing his latest book, FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad, with festival-goers at Word On The Street in the beautiful new Halifax Central Library on September 19! He’ll be reading and signing books in the Lindsay Children’s Room from 11 am -12 pm. There will be free FRANKENSTINK! posters and colouring pages too!
The Word On The Street is a free event committed to improving the reading skills and functional literacy of Canadians. Word on the Halifax’s Exhibitor Marketplace offers festival-goers a window into the Atlantic Canada Literary scene, presenting everything from the largest publishing houses to the smallest niche magazines and everything in between: books, magazines, publishing houses, independent authors, children’s books, and literacy.
Participate in author readings, discussions, and activities, and shop in a marketplace that boasts the best selection of Canadian books and magazines you’ll find anywhere. There’s plenty to see and do at Canada’s largest FREE book and magazine festival! Learn all about the Festival here: http://thewordonthestreet.ca/halifax/festival/
_______________________________________________________
June 17, 2015
Round “Em Up! Painting by Ron Lightburn
Dinosaurs at the Drive-In!
Thanks to the Coldbrook and District Lions Club, Annapolis Valley residents are fortunate to enjoy the only Drive-In movie theatre in Nova Scotia. This past weekend was a real crowd pleaser at the Valley Drive-In with sold out crowds enjoying Jurassic World. The latest installment in the Jurassic series also broke box office records world wide, becoming the first film to top $500 million in its first weekend. For me, dinosaurs and the drive-in have always been a perfect combo, so it was a real treat to see Jurassic World under the stars. But how times have changed. I remember another drive-in dinosaur movie from my younger days, long before Steven Spielberg gave giant lizards the cachet of big budget popular culture. The Valley of Gwangi (1969) featured cowboys who captured a Tyrannosaurus Rex living in the Forbidden Valley and putting it in a Mexican circus. Gwangi turns out to have an aversion to being shown in public. It was another film featuring the wonderful stop-motion special effects talents of Ray Harryhausen. At the time of the film’s release, interest in ‘monster’ films of this type was waning. Management at Warner Bros.-Seven Arts also changed and the film was released with little promotional effort on a double-bill with a biker film; it thus missed its target audience and was not as successful as earlier Harryhausen efforts. (The scene where Gwangi suddenly appears from behind a hill and snatches the fleeingOrnothomimus in his jaws was later copied in Jurassic Park.) Despite the advances in special effects I still have a great fondness for early dino pics such as Gwangi. My painting, Round ‘Em Up!, is a tribute to this fun predecessor to Jurassic World. Hey – maybe the Valley Drive-In could have a retro dinosaur night? Here’s the trailer for The Valley of Gwangi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0i0RSpQEf8
_______________________________________________________
June 9, 2015
“Great Reads!” – Village Living Magazine FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad review
http://villagelivingmagazine.ca/hooked-on-books-by-joanne-sallay-teachmetuesday/
June 9, 2015
We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary at the Troy restaurant in Wolfville! http://www.troyrestaurant.ca
Cheers!
Great food and service!
They even have a Trojan Horse!
_______________________________________________________
June 6, 2015
“Pure Fun” – The Globe and Mail FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad review
_______________________________________________________
April 17, 2015
IT’S COMING FOR YOU!
The FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad book launch will be happening at the Wolfville Memorial Library on April 18 at 2:00 PM. Ron will read the book and have a Q&A session with the audience. Box of Delights Book Store will be on site with books for sale for Ron to sign. He will be bringing a limited number of free FRANKENSTINK! tote bags, colouring books and posters to be included with the purchase of books.
_______________________________________________________
April 16, 2015
Ron appeared on CTV Morning Live in Halifax and spoke with Heidi Petracek about FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad.
View the clip:
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=593054&binId=1.1145745&playlistPageNum=1
Ron waiting to be interviewed on CTV Morning Live
Ron and Heidi Petracek on CTV Morning Live
_______________________________________________________
April 11, 2015
Happy author and little buddy at FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad book signing today at Coles County Fair Mall, New Minas.
Happy FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad author Ron and his little buddy.
Can IT be stopped? FRANKENSTINK! at Coles.
_______________________________________________________
April 10, 2015
FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad BOOK SIGNING at Coles County Fair Mall, New Minas. Ron will be signing copies of his new book from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. A limited number of free FRANKENSTINK! posters will be available to customers. See you there!
Ron with FRANKENSTINK! Garbage Gone Bad book and poster
_______________________________________________________
March 6, 2015
NEWS UPDATE: The LOOKING AT PICTURE BOOK ART event will take place on March 30 from 1:30 – 3:30 at Mount Saint Vincent University.
_______________________________________________________
February 27, 2015
After a healthy start to the new year, Sadie the Saucy Cleaning Lady has fallen in with a bad crowd and taken up all her old habits again. Her cheesy pal, Roz Rat, looks like a shady character to me.
Sadie the Saucy Cleaning Lady and her pal Roz Rat, daydreaming during their coffee break.
_______________________________________________________
February 24, 2015
The LOOKING AT PICTURE BOOK ART event, scheduled for Feb. 25, has been postponed due to weather concerns. Plans are for it to be rescheduled and take place during the week of March 30. Stay tuned…
_______________________________________________________
February 13, 2015
Ron will be taking part in LOOKING AT PICTURE BOOK ART: ILLUSTRATION AS STORYTELLING at Mount Saint Vincent University on Feb. 25 from 1:30 – 3:30 pm. Join us for a lively panel discussion as we examine: How does an artist work to bring a story to life? What are the layers of meaning that illustrations add to a picture book? How is illustration storytelling? Ron will also talk about his new picture book FRANKENSTINK! GARBAGE GONE BAD.
_______________________________________________________
January 29, 2015
Nixie the Nearsighted Fan Dancer is on her way to her new gig in Seattle. Margo had a huge bon voyage party for Nixie last night and Margo’s Place was SWINGING! Nixie was showing us her new moves that she will be using in her West Coast show. Look out Seattle!!
Nixie the Nearsighted Fan Dancer…on stage at Margo’s Place.
______________________________________________________
January 25, 2015
It’s a new year and time to make resolutions.
I ran into Sadie the Cleaning Lady as she was power walking to her zumba class. She told me her resolution was to start living a healthier lifestyle. (She left her hair at home – it gets in the way when she’s really in the zone.) Sadie didn’t have time for a Stop and Chat so she invited me to zumba with her. Yowza! What a workout! We were too beat to talk afterwards, so we decided to get together later in the week as she wanted to share some hot gossip with me. Hmmm…what could it be this time?!.
Sadie the Cleaning Lady power walking to zumba class.
Everybody zumba!
“These workouts are murder on the sacroiliac.”
“Catch ya later darling!”
SANDRA & RON LIGHTBURN 