living, learning, and keeping with the times
I had plans to WORK today but I ended up going for groceries, which led me to a clothes store where everything was 50 – 70% off… so needless to say I didn’t get home in good time…
Then I decided the day was shot, so I went for a walk. It’s simply gorgeous here with temperatures in the 0 – +3 Celsius range. This is what gets us northerners through our long winters – we dream of spring in January.
I was looking for “patterns” for the December 28 – One Word Project (Instagram) at Shutter Sisters. I thought I was just getting the wire fence, but I also got the two sets of branches – almost like a mirror image! I didn’t even see them until I processed the photo in Picfx. I’m constantly amazed by what our cameras reveal to us and once again I am reminded that I’m missing so much that’s going on around me by not paying attention.
(Bokeh added using Picfx)
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| Frosted Mini Wheats |
To celebrate this auspicious day I created a list of 12 things that made me merry:
1. Seeing Santa…
2. Finding a nice pair of black dress pants that fit me perfectly.
3. Buying the last Christmas present on my list.
4. Free peppermint hot chocolate at Starbucks!
5. A ham and cheese croissant.
6. The wintry wonderland that I drove through to get to the lake.
7. Listening to Christmas music all the way home.
8. My camera and my iPhone
9. The attendant at the gas station washed my windows and my lights (I didn’t expect that).
10. Finding another package from Devon Consulting in the mail with 3 more boxes of Burt’s Bees Products!
11. Driving into the garage and being thankful for arriving home safely.
12. A cup of hot tea.
Hot cocoa is definitely one of the simple joys of life!
Yesterday I made some for hubby and myself after we came in from the cold (minus 19C) brrrrrr……
The recipe called for a lot of sugar, but I drastically reduced the amount – it’s just an individual preference.
I finally finished up my new Christmas wreath so yesterday I took it to my favourite location to take photographs. It’s a little collection of three old sheds sitting side-by-side and I like to hang the wreath on the one remaining door. It’s a great rustic backdrop. It’s a little hard to get to – in the summer there are monster thistles and in the winter I have to plow through dead monster thistles and a pile of snow.
It was freezing cold and after about half an hour my fingertips were hurting so bad that I had to pack up and get back to my car. But before I did, I got out my iPod, turned around, and snapped a photo of this little grey shed.
As I drove home, I knew in my heart that my wreath shots were not going to be any good. Not my fault – just a contrast issue. I was going to have to come up with a better idea for a backdrop. Into the trash went my morning’s work. There’s no use forcing something when you know it is just not happenin’.
But I did love this shot of the little grey shed. Oh my, I love #snapseed.
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| how |
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| we |
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| love |
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| Arizona. |
Our Arizona holiday is winding down and soon we’ll be finding ourselves in the land of ice and snow.
We haven’t experienced a November in AZ and we kinda think we’re in for a rude awakening… it’s been in the 90’s here for 2 weeks. We’re in summer mode.
So for 5 on Friday at Reflection of You, I’m going to list 5 things that we love about our Canadian winters:
We love a snowy Christmas.
We love a snowy Christmas.
We love a snowy Christmas. (And a Happy New Year).
We love a snowy Christmas.
We love a snowy Christmas.
We love a snowy Christmas. (And a Happy New Year).
I know, it’s 6, but 5 didn’t work with the tune…
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| way out there! |
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| let me off! |
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| fun! |
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| yumm? |
Honey, look at the unusual bright lights downtown…
We should go OUT! Really, dear? Its after 6:00 and it’s dark…
Yeah, but it’s warm… so warm…
Let’s go…
Last evening I finally got up off my (butt) to go for a walk. Walking is second only to yoga in making me feel refreshed and renewed. I know – so cliche – but so true.
I soaked up all the sights, sounds, and smells: golden sunlight spreading warmth over everything, honking geese gathering for the long flight ahead, and sweet wood smoke filtering through the trees.
I can’t believe that September is almost over . . . and how sad that makes me feel.
I used one layer of Kim Klassen’s “partings” on this photo. How fitting.
I’m so loving our perfect, and I mean perfect first day of autumn!
It’s the first day of autumn! in case ya didn’t know! and it’s a glorious, sunny, warm, calm day here. I hope it’s equally as beautiful wherever you are!
I missed 5 Fact Friday (again)(ugh). Can’t seem to keep up!
Thought I’d play catch-up, so here is my “10 Facts (Saturday)”
It bites. What I did was not so bad – truly – I am a careful driver. Even the clerk at the courthouse said this amounts to a money grab by the city.
*Photo mask and word art by Anna Aspnes
I was in my office/sitting room this morning doing a few yoga stretches when I spied a rainbow! A photo opportunity not to be missed – I don’t often see rainbows in the morning.
So I walked down our path and out onto the dock and captured this with my iPod. I’m doing pretty good with my instagram project – taking a photo a day . . . and sometimes more than one.
This past weekend we experienced a pretty big storm – rain, wind, and hail (so sad).
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| uh oh . . . |
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| it came down so hard for about 6 or 7 minutes and then was over . . . |
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| grapes . . . |
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| end result . . . |
. . . but what can you do? I was strangely unmoved at first. Then upset . . . then when I thought about the farmers and their crops, I got over it.
I’m going to dump whats left of my flowers and wait patiently for the ‘mums’ to arrive in the stores. Then I’ll grab 4 big pots and all will be well.
Today is a day to post any image you want at Texture Tuesday – absolutely anything goes – just a bit of fun!
This is my space. A fav space. I sit here, I read here, I think here, and I sleep here.
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| taken with my hipstamatic for the One Word Project |
The sun shines in the big old windows and it’s always warm but I do have a cozy knit blanket close at hand. Sometimes I read novels, other times a magazine, and other times my loved, tattered and coffee-stained book ‘Simple Abundance‘.
This spot is the epitome of simple abundance and I say thank you for it every day. A small bouquet from the garden sits on an old banged up antique coffee table I found a few weeks ago. I was going to refinish the table but after seeing it in my room for a while I realize it is the perfect match just the way it is so I don’t plan to do anything with it.
My favourite room: clean and orderly – no chaos allowed here. This morning I was just (re)reading the entry for May 10 where Sarah Ban Breathnach wrote about Ann Landers’ list of rules:
1. If you open it, close it.
2. If you turn it on, turn it off.
3. If you unlock it, lock it up.
4. If you break it, admit it.
5. If you can’t fix it, call in someone who can.
6. If you borrow it, return it.
7. If you value it, take care of it.
8. If you make a mess, clean it up.
9. If you move it, put it back.
10. If it belongs to someone else, get permission to use it.
11. If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone.
12. If it’s none of your business, don’t ask questions.
The other evening when the rain had turned into just a sprinkle I took a walk down to the lake to see what I could see . . . and of course there was a ton of waterfowl. Geese (of course) doing some kind of water ballet, pelicans filling their pouches (dramatically thinning out the fish in the lake I’m sure), and a lone loon floating in closer to see what this strange creature crouching at the end of the dock was.
I also saw some bufflehead and a heron but I wasn’t able to get a good shot – they were all keeping their distance.
I cannot describe how peaceful it was. I was safe and dry under a small umbrella so I stayed there and soaked it all in . . . it was magical. It was one of those moments when I marvel at where I am living and how lucky I am to be surrounded by nature. I know I would wither if I wasn’t . . .
The Instagram look has been accomplished through the magic of Photoshop.
A few days ago I went to a nearby greenhouse to soak up the sights and sounds of a garden setting. This is one of my favourite things to do in the spring. I still have a month to go before I can put out any flower pots so this sort of bridges the gap.
It all felt quite dreamy . . .
I couldn’t seem to focus . . .
there were so many pretty flowers and I could hear the soft sounds of water running through the fountains . . . and it was warm, oh so warm . . .
did you know orange is the new power colour? of course you did . . .
everything from flowers, to paint, to clothing, to purses . . .
say whaaa? yes . . . this beautiful baby was in their shop . . . in the greenhouse . . . I still don’t know what came over me but I couldn’t walk away . . . I had to have it . . .
it gets worse, people . . . my orange power shopping didn’t stop with just a purse . . .
no, I had to have a scarf . . . I have a thing for scarves . . .
but these shoes sent me over the top . . . whenever am I going to have a chance to get shoes with an orange strip? to go with my orange purse? and my orange scarf?
No wait! one more thing . . .
I’m thinking maybe this could be my Mother’s Day present. But, I’m not my mother. . . (I just look like my mother).
Oh why do greenhouses have to carry merchandise like this? If I had wanted a purse I would have gone to the purse store. A purse was NOT on my radar. Especially an orange one. I’m in a quandary over what to wear with this pretty ensemble. I’m thinking a great pair of jeans and a khaki top.
The gardening can wait.
We just got back from 15 days in Arizona, 15 beautiful, sunny, hot, relaxing, fun-filled days. Long lazy mornings having coffee, watching the sun rise up over the Four Peaks. Early afternoons spent exploring the desert and all it has to offer. Late afternoons spent lounging around the pool getting to know our neighbors and evenings spent quietly reading together after dinner.
we slipped into a routine . . .
a routine quite similar to what we do at home . . .
but it’s not the same
there really were less distractions
like no internet
this little red beauty is called a fairy duster – how sweet is that?
am I rambling?
that’s OK isn’t it? you don’t mind do you?
We’re home now. It snowed this morning. I have a stack of laundry that would rival any household with 5 kids and I can’t remember the last time I washed the kitchen floor in this, our second home. But all I can think about is that I want to get to our place at the lake and clean up my garden. I’m sure my perennials are peeking through all the debris and are wondering where in the heck I am.
Well, only four more sleeps and I’ll be there. I’ve missed you, lake . . .
* I created the effects on these photos in Photoshop because I don’t have an iPhone and I just wanna play . . .