Catching Up

No more excuses! I am not sure why I don't blog more often... it isn't because I don't want to or don't have the time. I won't analyze it to death, I will just do it.

Not a lot going on. Now that fall is officially here we have been having some typical fall weather. One day nice, ten days of rain and cool but no complaints as it isn't snowing and that is a good thing!

Speaking of the weather. We had a glorious day last week; very warm, brightly sunny, blue skies. We had to get out and take advantage of it since it may well be one of the last nice days of the year so we went down to our local butcher shop and deli where they barbecue out front all summer long and you can get a cheeseburger for $3. We each got one and took them up to the Firetower where we ate and then walked around and I took a bunch of photographs. The Firetower overlooks the whole town and outlying areas as well as some places further away. It was a super clear day and you could see a long way. My photos turned out amazing.


I got a new camera this summer; a Fuji, Finepix S1500 and am still not familiar enough with the controls. And I keep thinking I must pull it out and practice with it so that I become more comfortable using it. I ended up setting it to automatic and let it set up the photos for me. My pictures turned out amazing... I was pretty pleased.

The next day as it turns out was rainy. Not a gentle quiet rainfall but monsoonlike rains hit full force for the next three days. We got well over 50mm and more likely closer to 100mm when all was said and done. I don't know that I have seen that much rain since we moved here. But oh well. I had made plans with an old childhood friend of mine whom I have known for 35+ years. Did I just admit to that??
She was up north for work and we met up for lunch as she passed by at a small restaurant on highway 17. It is approximately at the half way point between Sault Ste Marie, where she had been, and Sudbury, where she was returning to. Because she didn't have to bother coming up the road to Elliot Lake it was convenient for her and not much of a drive for me. Well didn't this meeting coincide with these torrential rains. I am not a very happy driver and admittedly don't drive very much at all anymore so I was a bit freaked out at having to drive in such inclement weather but I managed and although I would have preferred to hide out in my home for the duration of the storms I forced myself to go and enjoyed the visit.
It was great to see Carolyn again. I think it was about a year since I saw her last and we talked fast in an effort to catch up. Since she had appointments her time was limited.

Other than that life has been fairly quiet. I guess that answers the question as to why I don't blog more often... I have nothing to say.

Enjoy some photos from Firetower Hill(click on the photos to enlarge them)...........



The above photo was taken on Panel Mine Road where dens of foxes live. They come out often to the enjoyment of a number of people who go to see them, feed them, and photograph them. Not sure if it is really such a great idea to tame them this way but I admit we like to go see them ourselves occasionally. The one in the photograph above was enjoying food provided by a couple in a truck ahead of us. So I was able to get a good shot using my zoom.

Just a Hello; And a Ramble About This and That

Well summer is seriously on the decline the past couple of weeks. It actually went strong and hot right up to and including August 31st. Then it abruptly changed and went right to cool and wet and it still is.



Because of the moist conditions we have discovered toadstools of varying kinds, sizes and shapes almost everywhere we go walking. They are under evergreen trees mostly... they must thrive in that environment. There are millions of them in groupings and some of the largest I have ever seen.



I don't carry my camera paraphenalia with me when I walk so I don't have any photos that I have personally taken but found some on the internet that resemble what we have seen.

Normally I am not interested in toadstools and mushrooms but these were so big and some different colors that they intrigued me.

We had an old and very saggy fence between our neighbour's and our back yard long before we ever arrived on the scene. We all marvelled at how that fence was still standing every summer despite all evidence to the contrary. Finally the fence was replaced this past week. Not by us but our neighbours who rent their unit had the rental company put up a new fence. We were astounded at how quickly that fence went up. It took all of two days to do and now we have a really nice division between our properties. Finally we are able to put our dog Jett out in the backyard again without fear of him running over to the neighbour's yard.

Last weekend we made a trek down to the city to do some shopping. On our way home a very young bear cub ran out in front of our car on the highway. We were forced to come to a very quick stop to avoid hitting the poor baby. This was my first bear sighting this year and I was not disappointed. I love to see the bears but always from the safety and distance of the car or from inside the house.

That is pretty much all the news I have for this time. Hope you keep checking in. I will try to be more present myself in the coming months as another fall and winter set in.

Ta Ta for now.

Sizzling August

I cannot believe this weather! I know I have been commenting constantly on how marvelous the weather has been since last fall. But here it is almost the final day of August and it is going up to 30C with a humidex of 37C. Same for tomorrow and then Wednesday it is going to rain but still humid and then finally the humidity is due to break on Thursday. I have to say although I am loving the long summer, I really can do without this humidity.

Today we are going off in the air conditioned car for a drive.... don't know where yet. Anywhere... just to escape the heat and humidity and enjoy the day. I plan on taking my camera.... hopefully I will see something interesting to take a picture of.

Speaking of pictures. Something so interesting happened here yesterday morning as we were eating breakfast. Two hummingbirds flew up to our patio door and hovered there for a few seconds. They looked as if they were trying to get in. They are so quick and so tiny... one could miss them very easily and then they are gone in a flash. One of those moments you wished you had your camera poised and ready to snap a picture.

Well... we are off on our adventure. Enjoy your day... wherever you may be!

Stay cool!

WILD MOUNTAIN THYME

Oh, the summertime is comin'
And the trees are sweetly bloomin'
And the wild mountain thyme
Grows among the bloomin' heather
Will you go? Lassie, go?

And we'll all go together
To pick wild mountain thyme
All among the bloomin' heather
Will you go? Lassie, go?



I will build my love a bower
By yon pure and crystal fountain
Yes and on it I will lay
All the flowers of the mountain
Will you go? Lassie, go?



And we'll go together
To pick wild mountain thyme
All among the bloomin' heather
Will you go? Lassie, go?



If my true love won't come with me
I would surely find another
To pick wild mountain thyme
All among the bloomin' heather
Will you go? Lassie, go?



And we'll all go together
To pick wild mountain thyme
All around the purple heather
Will you go?
Will you go?
Lassie will you go?

Come On In... Have a Seat and Listen To The Music

I know it has been a really long time since I blogged but I have to tell you, I just have not felt inspired in a really long time. Today is the first day I have felt strongly enough about anything to put pen to paper or should I say fingers to the keyboard. My apologies to those faithful people who have come to visit only to find nobody home. Not that there have been that many of you knocking but I will try to do better.



This afternoon I made my way down the dark dank basement to do my daily workout. I try to mix things up every day and do something just a bit different than the day before. Today was my longer workout day. I did step aerobics and heavier weights using the Bowflex. I have a collection of compilation CDs I like to play when I workout in the basement. Listening to the music today got me thinking about how music has played such a pivotal role in my life from very early on.
It has always stirred something deep within my soul and today was no exception.



What I noticed was how it brings images to my mind and feelings to my heart and takes me back to the moment when I first heard the song, or reminds me of an event or special moment that took place when that particular song was playing. I can remember things that were said, important moments that occurred that have shaped my life, emotions that were felt and even vivid colours and scents are brought to my mind.

I have some really early memories of music which I believe were records or the radio station that my Mother may have played when I was really young back in the early sixties... in particular Nat King Cole and Bobby Vinton.

My brothers also figured prominently in my life musically speaking. Mike had a large record collection, he is most definitely the biggest music fan I have ever known.
And I could always count on Mike to buy me for my birthday and Christmas presents the most popular 45s of the day.... some of which I still own to this day.

The music from my childhood and teen years is particularly poignant and stirs up some really interesting and intense emotions and vivid memories... some happy and some painful. I remember as a young girl one particular summer when I was 11. The music that summer was really speaking to me. That might have been one of the best summers of my life. I got a radio that year for my birthday and I would turn it on at night when I would go to bed and leave it on all night long listening to the songs I loved that would almost hurt they meant so much to me. I would listen until I fell asleep and sometimes would wake up to hear a song I particularly loved and would force myself to stay awake to hear it all before I went back to sleep.

Every year end starting on New Years Eve my favorite radio station would play the top 100 countdown for that year. I would be glued to the radio listening to the songs I had loved and listened to. Each one would strike a chord in my heart.

Certain songs remind me of important people in my life. When I was a teen my sister in law Debbie gave me an album of Leonard Cohen. She loved him so much at that time and wanted to share him with me. Whenever I hear the songs from that album I think of Debbie.

I remember Sundays spent at home with my parents listening to their favorite records. Mom would be resting on the couch and Dad in his chair listening to their favorites at the time... Glen Campbell, Petula Clark, Englebert Humperdink and Neil Diamond.

I received a record player one year for a Christmas gift and I would play my records constantly... the same ones over and over. I always played my favorite records while I was getting ready to go to school and my Mother could hear them when she was in her room getting ready for work. She would come knocking to find out what a particular song was because she liked it. When I hear those songs now I think of those moments and they were good memories for me and for my Mom. One time not too long ago we were down visiting my Mom and I deliberately played some of those songs on my Ipod and down she came to the room to hear them again. I know we were both remembering that time so long ago as if it were yesterday.

I have almost 2000 songs on my IPod. Mostly the songs of my youth from the sixties and seventies. They are the ones that I love the most dearly and when I hear them now I feel like that young impressionable girl again. They take me back to a time when life didn't move as fast. A simpler time... when I didn't have a care in the world and was footloose and fancy free. That is what music does for me...it reminds me of the person I was and who I have become.

I Am the Church Lady

Since I began my journey into my family history, I have also developed a love of history and everything old. I am drawn to old churches with interesting architecture and character. Where we lived in southern Alberta there were many old interesting churches, especially out in the rural towns and villages.



Now that we are living in Ontario I have found some churches and church yards of interest and am going to start showcasing them here on my blog.



This particular church has always intrigued me from the first time I saw it. I didn't stop to take photos on the many occasions we have passed by until this weekend. Now I am glad I did and can feature it here in my blog. I was unable to find out any history on this church on the internet but will keep searching.
This is in a town called Whitefish River on Birch Island, just outside Manitoulin Island. It is a native reserve.
I was surprised to read on the church that it was built in 1940 as it appears to be much older than that. I had a close up walk around the outside when I snapped the photos and it really had a kind of creepy haunted vibe about it. It didn't have a good feeling at all and I don't know if I would want to go inside to look around.
The doors were locked anyway so that wasn't a possibility.



But it was interesting to see and to take photographs of anyway.

Life Is...........

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

-----Mother Teresa-------------------------------

I just wanted to update from the last posting to say we have been blessed with the most incredible weather the past two weeks. It has gotten up to as high as 15C and I am so happy to say most of our snow is gone from our yard, front and back. Bruce has even begun raking the back yard! He has also brought out his bicycle and has rode twice already. Can you believe it? This is the earliest we have seen spring come since moving here. We did experience this phenomenon in southern Alberta while we were fortunate enough to be living there and we came to appreciate the early spring each year but we fully expected to experience the opposite extremes here. So this has been a really nice gift and we are enjoying it. I see by the forecast that our glorious weather might be coming to an end by the end of this coming week. Sigh! I don't feel justified complaining about it so I won't but I hope the weather fairies see fit to keep blessing us with more of the warmth and sunshine instead!

Marching Towards Spring

Hello and Welcome March!!

Wow.... can you believe the worst of winter is over... already! I am so excited to see March arrive and hopefully it will be less intense than March 2009. If our incredible winter is any indication we can expect a very nice, snowless month with plenty of sunshine and blue skies. The winds have been oh so blustery the past couple of weeks reminding me of southern Alberta although Alberta chinooks were warm winds and these have been downright cold. I can forgive the winds when I see the sun daily melting away the snow and ice. I won't even mind if it rains, just as long as there is no heavy snowfall.
I am starting to feel like a butterfly breaking free of my cocoon of winter lethargy and am looking forward to more outdoor pursuits.

Here is my dried rose arrangement.

These are my Valentines roses and don't they look awesome arranged in this vase? I had some other fake flowers already in the vase. I removed most of them and added in the dried roses. The arrangement looked pretty sparse with just the roses; adding in a few stalks of the other flowers filled it out a bit better. I found a home for them upstairs in the hallway on the pine trunk.


It just occurred to me... when March comes in like a lamb, it can go out like a lion. Oh no, look out............. ROOOAAARRR!

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

Children are watching you and doing as you do,
not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my
first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately
wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a
stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind
to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my
favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little
things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a
prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always
talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a
meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care
of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have
to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you
handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't
feel good, and I learned that I would have to be
responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come
from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things
hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you
cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be..

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of
life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and
productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and
wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when
you thought I wasn't looking.'


Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend)
influences the life of a child.

How will you touch the life of someone today? Just by
sending this to someone else, you will probably make
them at least think about their influence on others.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Memories.....The Walrus and the Carpenter

As a child I was quite fond of children's poetry. My brothers and I had a collection of books called Junior Classics, Young Folks' Shelf of Books by PF Collier & Son.


And one of the volumes (the 10th volume as I recall) was poetry. There were many great poems in there and "The Walrus and the Carpenter" was one of them.
Fast forward to school days. Every year we were required to memorize and recite a poem, and also a speech that we wrote and memorized and performed in class. There always seemed to be the same classic poems recited... Casey at the Bat, The Cremation of Sam McGee, The Walrus and the Carpenter. Obviously this poem was not just a favorite of mine.

I decided to change the name of my blog. I had been wanting to do this for quite some time. I didn't really know what I wanted to change the name to. But I kind of liked the idea of using a whimsical catchy phrase. What could be better than a line from Alice in Wonderland.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead--
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"

"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year.
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head--
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat--
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more--
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed--
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said.
"Do you admire the view?

"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf--
I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said:
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.

Dinner Was Fabulous

My special Valentines dinner was fabulous if I do say so myself. Never mind that it took all afternoon to prepare and was over with in ten minutes. It was worth it to see my sweety enjoying it. And we have leftovers... what more could you ask for?

Hope everybody had a great Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day!!

Happy Valentines Day!!

I was very surprised this week when Bruce suggested I go ahead and order the newly released movie on dvd... The Time Traveler's Wife. I had been hinting I would like to see it after seeing
the advertisements on television for the past couple of weeks.
I quickly went to ITunes and downloaded it before he could change his mind... :-)
I still haven't sat down to watch it but I will very soon.

Then... yesterday afternoon Bruce went out to pick up a few groceries that we needed and came home with these.........


This was a real surprise since I had already ordered my movie. The flowers don't look exactly as they looked yesterday when he came home with them. I didn't even think to take a photo of how they looked in all their freshness! They are gorgeous... multicolored. I especially love the mauve ones, and the coral ones, and the yellow ones, and the red ones, and the pink ones, and the white ones... oh heck, let's just say I love them all!!

I always dry my roses because I love the look of dried flower arrangements. I place them all around the house and I always feel like I got my moneys worth because I can enjoy my flowers forever. That is why the roses look slightly worse for wear in the photo above because I had already hung them upside down in my kitchen before I had the idea to take a photo of them.There they are, hanging from a hook on the side of my cupboard in my kitchen where they will live for the next couple of weeks after which time they will be sufficiently dry enough to spray with hairspray and arrange in some kind of receptacle which I haven't decided on just yet.


The gifts this year were an especially wonderful surprise because Bruce is not exactly into Valentines Day. He has always reminded me year after year that Valentine's Day is for kids. An odd viewpoint in my opinion but this is how he feels. I think because they used to make a big deal out of it in grade school and so he has always felt it was something that was designed for kids.

Normally we would be going out for a special Valentines supper but this year since Bruce has been so generous I am planning a nice meal here at home. I have been busy working on the menu and here is what I have come up with.....

Chicken Cordon Bleu


Twice Baked Stuffed Potatoes
Chocolate, Strawberry, Cookie Parfaits

There is no better present for Bruce than food so I know he will enjoy the meal I have prepared for him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dog Day Afternoon

This is Jett enjoying his bed. Jett knows just how to relax and get comfy in his bed. We realized as soon as we brought him home that he loves to burrow deep underneath the covers. Apparently this is typical chihuahua behavior. So we made sure he had his own little blanket.
Usually Jett gets completely underneath the covers. I had moved his bed into my office with me while I worked today and this time he was only partially covered when I started snapping pictures.
He is so adorable... and makes an excellent subject for photos!
Here he is tonight completely covered.

Sweet dreams Jetty!