Today is my dad’s birthday. He would have turned 101. This poster is from his funeral in 2014, provided by students at the high school where he worked. Blueberries y’all! About 5 years prior, when the doctors commended him on his health and asked what did he do to appear so healthy, BLUEBERRIES was his reply. Organic if possible. (Liked them with oatmeal groats especially.) He stressed himself by shoveling 200 feet of New York State winter snow, from his home to the street. Had cardiac arrest in the Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot, before getting out of the truck to get his coffee before heading to school. He was a Maroon from a Jamaican mom and president of the African American Men’s Assoc., which took students to visit colleges and mentored many. So happy earth-day Dad! Without you I wouldn’t be (by God’s leave). I pray everyone is cool and gathered on this fourth of July…. BTW everyone agrees my dad was Waaaay Coool. His name was Conrad, better known as Con or Connie. Today he might be called Rad, like a friend of mine, who spells his name ConRAD. We get the coolness either way...

Firstly let’s welcome our five ! New members @Helen Lawrence @Helen Michelle @Bethany Elle @Ana P. @Danielle L 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 Also thank you @Caroline Fransz for referring i appreciate you taking the time 💜 I genuinely can’t believe how much this community has grown. 🌱 Over the last six months, I’ve learnt so much—not just creatively, but about people, connection, and what can happen when we create a space where everyone feels welcome. 🥰🙌🏻 You’ve been here cheering me on, encouraging one another, sharing your work, your stories, your victories, and even the days that felt a little harder. Watching this community champion each other has been one of the greatest joys of my year. ❤️✨ Smidgen of Calm has become something so much more than I ever imagined. It really does feel like a little pocket of safety on the internet, and that’s because of every single one of you. Thank you for believing in this little idea. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for making this such a kind, creative, and genuinely special place. Here’s to the next adventure together. 💜✨

Can I gently challenge that? You absolutely can draw. 🙌🏻 The act of putting pencil to paper isn’t the difficult part. The difficult part is expecting yourself to be brilliant before you’ve given yourself permission to learn. We don’t expect an athlete to become an Olympian without years of training. We don’t expect a doctor to qualify without years of medical school. A chef wasn’t born knowing how to create incredible food. They started by being curious, making mistakes, and practising over and over again. So why do we expect ourselves to pick up a pencil and create a masterpiece on day one? Creativity is no different. It’s a skill that grows with time, patience and practice. 🥰 So perhaps instead of saying, “I can’t draw,” try saying: “I can draw… I’m just at the beginning of my journey.” Let go of perfection. Stay curious. Keep showing up. Because every artist you admire was once the person who thought they couldn’t do it either. Keep going. Your future self will thank you. 💜🙌🏻 First two pics are from the start of my journey many years ago. The third is more recent. I will always keep practicing and I can’t wait to see what I am creating in another 20 years 🌱

Yesterday I took an unexpected wander around one of England’s most beautiful little seaside villages… and what a surprise it turned out to be.😱 Nestled in South Devon, Noss Mayo is so old it’s mentioned in the Domesday Book, yet it still feels wonderfully timeless. Winding lanes, peaceful waters, old cottages and the kind of views that make you instinctively slow your pace. It reminded me that curiosity doesn’t always need a passport or a grand adventure. Sometimes the most memorable places are the ones you’ve never thought to visit, just a little further down the road. This little wander filled my cup in all the right ways. I hope you’ll come along with me for a few quiet moments by the sea. 🌿🌊 https://youtu.be/Zg9ZChckShQ?is=9zxV6FrwN8-24pfn

The world can wait a little while, the washing up, the emails, the noise. Today, drink the tea while it’s still warm, watch the bees, feel the sun on your face, or simply sit without needing a reason. Self-care isn’t always grand gestures. Sometimes it’s just giving yourself the same kindness you offer everyone else. And perhaps,for today,that is more than enough.