My Monday Walk

Yesterday was lovely and sunny and I was on my own for my walk in the afternoon, but I didn't mind at all. The air was much warmer, even took my hood off for part of the tour, and my legs were not freezing. The day was sunny with a perfect blue sky and wisps of white floating in from the west. What a great time to be alive!

In the foreground above you can see how the snowplows leave a lot of the snow and just clear out the bare minimum. Below the wind has done a wicked job of filling in the plowed area. If this is what it's like in the city, you can just imagine what the back country roads are like.

Believe it or not, there's a golf course over there!

And there. In the foreground lots for sale are sleeping under the white coverlet.

Turning east again I snapped a picture of the snow melting and running down the street. Believe it or not, this is a sign of warmer weather here in Canada. Spring, even! No, I didn't see any groundhogs, even though it was February 2nd.

As I crossed the highway I noticed the many snowmobile tracks parallel to the road. This is quite the sport in Ontario when we have a snowy winter. Personally I prefer the quieter walks and cross country ski treks.

On our street you can see how the snow gradually melts back from the road in an ever widening effort to provide roadside parking once again.

The old snow is pretty disgusting but I was glad to see its icy, sloppy texture as it means spring is coming. Finally my walk was nearly over and I was glad I had caught the late afternoon sun, and, incidentally, my elongated shadow. Now there's an idea--an elongated Elaine!

January Joy

Yes, I know, it's colder than billy-be-damned but if you look there are some positives that come along with the freezing temperatures. On Sunday my son and I tried out a new trail here in the city. He took a picture of me sitting on this bench (covered with snow!).


The day was so cold, even with the sun out, that we were glad the trail was only about 15 minutes long. It will be a beautiful one in the spring as it has a long bridge over a lot of swamp and trees.

This morning I rushed out the door to make my Weight Watchers meeting and what did I find? A wonderful winter day with blue skies and trees clothed in shiny snow and ice. I wished I had time to just go walking right then but I needed more clothes on for that. As it was I took a couple of pictures outside the meeting place. Here is a tree in front. Look at the beautiful ice! Just gorgeous.


In front of the door I managed to capture this frosty fellow before I ducked in for the meeting.

And it was a good day all around, I was down another pound. That makes a total of 16.6 pounds so far. I have 13.4 pounds to go, if I keep my original goal. Happy day!

January 20, 2009: The New Age Begins

Yesterday at this time we were part of the world audience watching Barack Obama become the forty-fourth American president, an historic moment for a country with a long and proud history of them. In his speech President Obama had a difficult job to try to calm the naysayers, to enflame the courage of the American people and to lay a groundwork for understanding and cooperation among the various seats of power as outlined in the American constitution. He did not disappoint. He spoke with no notes that I could see, calmly, correctly, in an oratorical style born of long practice and an inate love and understanding of the power of words. I am hopeful. Oh, so hopeful.

The whole ceremony was interesting to this flag-waving Canadian, tied as our country is to our neighbours south of the border. The minister from California, Evangelical pastor Rick Warren, tried to be extremely inclusive with references and phrases linked to Judaism and Islam and a personal reference to his own beliefs. The excellent MC was an intelligent woman, the singer was Aretha Franklin, the group of stellar musicians performing John Williams' new composition were fabulous. Yo-Yo Ma's exultant smile lasted the whole time. In short the ceremony was well thought out and well performed. In the heat of exultation I forgot for a time the cold January day in Washington.

Of course Obama's speech was the highlight but there were many other moments, the last of which was the final prayer by the Reverend Joseph Lowery. His references to Martin Luther King were many but updated to today's world. Read the text of his prayer for an uplifting moment in history. I particulary liked his final words, and the trace of humour he added to his fervent plea,

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.

Ch-ch-ch-change!

Change is good we are told but I haven't changed my blog appearance for over a year. Today I picked a new template. How do you think it looks?

The brown really surprised me when I clicked on it, pink girl that I am.

Yesterday morning we skipped church and went for a walk while the rest of the world here was blowing snow. Of course we don't have to do that in our condo. Oh, we are so-o-o-o-o glad of that.

This fellow probably wondered what I was doing stopped in the road shooting him. Every second house had someone out blowing snow.

Another change affecting my life these days is our new grandson, born in December. His parents let us see him whenever we like and I even get to go over and look after him for a couple of hours at a time while his mother has some shopping time. Hard to say who is happiest.

Coming from a large family I am used to always having someone's baby at gatherings but nothing touches my heart quite like cuddling one of my grandchildren. We have two now, both born in 2008, Chelsea in February and Ben in December. There is such a difference in them now it's hard to believe they'll be in the same year at school when that time comes.

So here's to change! May it always be good.

Winter Wandering III

I thought I would put up the last shots from my snowy walk the other day. Didn't walk either yesterday or today--it's just too darn cold! The wind chill factor is anywhere from minus 20 to minus 28 Celsius. That's nasty. The weather channel predicts warmer weather coming in a couple of days. Here is a shot across the central park area opposite our condo.

And here the sign is completely covered with icy snow as are all the trees. Later in the day the trees were bare again.

And yet another icy shot with wisps of clouds almost covering the sky's blue in the background.

Finally I was home and took a quick shot of the mail boxes across from our place. They have actually migrated into the shelter built for them. The first time we went looking for our mail, we went to the third box and tried the key to no avail. Seems the mover of the mail boxes placed them totally out of order so now we are the first in the line, instead of the third. To me putting them in order makes sense but obviously not to the man on the tractor lifting them. One of my neighbours said he was totally confused, trying his key over and over, and even going home and telling his wife he needed a new key. Somehow he finally realized the mistake.

So this is my third and final post about winter in January, 2009. If you want some bracing air, spectacular snow shots in bright blue skies and a reason to keep moving while you're outdoors, come to bright, bold Ontario in winter.

Winter Wandering II

Here is a shot of the gazebo in the central park area of our condo group. I just loved the snowy trees cutting into the soft blue sky.
The evergreen in the foreground here is ice-covered and the walk is not shoveled. We went around instead of taking our usual path through the park.

Looking out over the distant lake I noticed many layers of colour in the sky over the apartment building where my mother lived until ten years ago. The misty quality was entrancing. If it hadn't been so cold I would have like to sit right down and bask!

In the blink of an eye almost the sky changed and clouds drifted over the sun, giving me this bright shot. Always a silver lining!

An icy piece of decorative grass still shoots bravely skyward, one of the last to remain standing in the winter weather.

Tomorrow I have a few more pics of this fabulous place where we live and which we love. See you then!

Winter Wandering in Canada

This morning I happened to glance out my back window to see sun shining, icy snow on trees and a brilliant blue sky. I put aside my novel revision plans, my washing of clothes, my planning of meals and my bathroom cleaning and slipped my camera into my coat pocket for a photo walk around the neighbourhood. This is our back deck--you can just make out the barbecue--frosty snow icing the trees.

In front of our neighbout's house the sun sparkled on the fledgling trees turning them into fairyland jewels. I had to capture this before the sun melted the snow.

A Christmas leftover got a new coat of ice.

Ah, my favorite! This is a house up the street, beautifully designed to sit on its lot, but the trees behind are the treasure. The sun just tipped the frosty tops against the vivid blue. Can winter be any better?

Here is the same house with its neighbours from my vantage point across the street. Just couldn't get enough of those trees.

I have more pics but will save them for tomorrow. Oh, the sun's out again! Bye.

Revision, Revision

No one ever told me that writing a novel would mean hours of going back over my (to me!) wonderful work and ripping it all apart, virtually starting over again. I guess I was vain enough to think that my writing was good enough that revision would be a snap. Well, what has almost snapped is my patience.

In March of 2008, I put the finishing touches on my final chapter and thought my work was done. Oh, I knew there were things I had to revisit, but really I was finished my year long project. And then I took an extreme editing course. And found out a lot about myself and more about revision.

Things I've learned:
1. Not everyone likes or is qualified to critique historical fiction,
2. The choice and understanding of point of view is subjective and dependent on a reader's experience,
3. I have hours of work revising and rethinking elements of my manuscript,
4. I have to have a lot of time to mull over others' criticism, good and bad.

I found that several people in my class gave excellent, insightful, useful suggestions for me which showed they were familiar with the genre. Others did not. My quandry in the beginning was knowing whom to believe, and I went through much soul-searching, self-flagellation, and weeks of not writing at all while I wrestled with the problem.

My reading of published authors' work for the last six months has shown me that, indeed, chapters can be written from multiple points of view as I have done. This is contrary to the advice of several criticisms I received telling me that I had to choose one point of view and tell the whole story with it. I have known and used multiple points of view--omniscient it is often called--for years. And much of my historical fiction reading has used this as well. My struggle was gaining the self-confidence to ignore these criticisms, a task which took me months. In the end I have decided to reduce the multiple points of view in the chapters where both my major characters are speaking in order to make the reading smoother and the storyline clearer.

Rereading has shown me that there are many flaws and inconsistencies in my story. What is in my head is not necessarily on paper and I must make the story flow from the words on paper. I like this challenge as it involves crafting the sentences and rethinking my word choice, studying the cadence of words and sentences and the language of each character. A big task is keeping the particular personality of each of my characters in mind as I write their dialogue. Here I am wrestling with using period dialogue or slipping into more modern language patterns. I have to say writing the way we talk today is much easier.

While others may be wondering what New Years' resolutions to keep, I know what mine is: keep going and get my novel revisions done so that I can go on with my plan to publish. One of my Christmas gifts from my son is a website titled with my novel title, to which I can add material that is pertinent. So I have that as a carrot to help me finish. For now, though, I've already revised for two hours today, written this blog, and had lunch out with my sister. The sunlight streaming in my window beckons me to bundle up and walk out my frustrations.

Finishing Up 2008 in Fine Style

Butchart Gardens on Christmas Eve. What a fairyland! We strolled through the snow with Chelsea and her parents, mesmerized by the lights, trees, Twelve Days of Christmas theme, and even some flowers. I loved this blooming tree with its liberal dusting of snow.

Victoria gets snow for Christmas about every ten years so we were glad to see it for Chelsea's first Christmas. We even stopped outside and had her touch it. Of course the snow went right into her mouth.

This the the partridge in a pear tree display at Butchart. So pretty.

All the buildings at Butchart were outlined in Christmas lights, creating a magical land of wishing and hoping for all.

On Christmas morning we opened gifts and Chelsea got to see the cloth book I made for her. Because she is far from any of her extended family, I put us all inside with a named page for everyone. Of course she took an immediate bite. At ten months old what else do you do? She also liked to laugh at her own picture. I really wonder what was in her head?

Beth has carried on the family tradition which her father and I started many years ago--she made a lovely gingerbread house, labelled it with Chelsea's name and got out the wooden mallet to smash it on Christmas Day. Chelsea got first chance but all she did was experiment with the various ways of getting the mallet into her mouth. The adults had to take over.

In the afternoon we bundled in the car and went downtown to the elegant Empress Hotel where a huge display of variously decorated Christmas trees filled hallways, stairs and entry ways. I loved the old English quartet stationed in the restaurant (where Beth and I had tea years ago) and singing beautifully. We stood and listened for awhile.

I liked the soldier tree above about as well as any, I think, although the truck tree below was pretty cute.

Finally I have to put in a picture of some of the things I've done beading in the last month: on the left, two right-angle weave bracelets, above and to the right, my own creation of a right-angle weave with Swarovski crystals bracelet, a necklace and earrings focusing on copper, and--the piece de resistance!--a right-angle weave bracelet fixing Swarovski crystals inside. Yummy.

I hope you all had a happy Christmas and that your lives are filled with love and light.

Banana Leaf Thai Restaurant

Tonight my husband and I decided to try a little Thai restaurant, newly opened in Woodstock. We have fond remembrances of our first introduction to this cuisine in Vancouver where we tasted a number of dishes with favorable results, and we keep searching for the spectacular yet simple lettuce wraps from that night. No one ever seems to have them.

Our waitress at the Banana Leaf was polite yet formal, extremely helpful but not obsequious. She answered our questions easily and suggested that two dishes would be ample for us. She was right. We ordered the Cashew Chicken and the Vegetable Fried Rice. The rice was my favorite but the chicken ran a close second. Unbelievably, we ate every bit of it. No take home bags tonight.

The restaurant is located at the rejuvenating west end of Dundas St. in Woodstock, Ontario, and is so new they don't have a website, a fancy menu, or pictures for me to display. What they do have is a lovely calm ambiance, helpful staff, accessible street parking and a soothing and welcoming atmosphere. I checked out the large table at the back and am already planning to bring a group of friends here for an evening. I think it will be spectacular.

And maybe I can talk the restaurant into putting lettuce wraps on the menu, or at least making them just for us!

A week ago my husband and I took the trip to Stratford to meet my sister-in-law, step-niece and others at a popular diner called Madelyn's for their famous Sunday menu. For about $7.oo you get 2 eggs, sausage or bacon, the best home fries I've ever tasted, two pancakes, two pieces of toast, coffee and juice. We don't drink coffee so got large size juices. And it is all very good.

This is the place where we used to meet Ross so often and, although he has been gone for two and a half years, the waitress asked for him and was shocked to learn of his passing. I guess he made an impact.

Oh, and they have banana cream pie which is wonderful according to my husband. Here is the pie. I made him wait until I got my camera out, focused it, and snapped the pie.

I was challenged not to eat too much food as it was all so good, but I left one egg, most of the homefries, 3/4 of the toast all on my plate. I did eat all the meat and the two pancakes before I realized that I wasn't paying attention. I was just eating as I socialized with the others. And that's a bad thing.

From Madelyn's we went to Cozyn's (pronounced co-sign, like the trig term) which is a delightful garden gift shop. It was all decked out for Christmas and at least one of the beautiful trees called my name. "Pick me, Elaine. Pick me." But I didn't succumb, knowing I had my own lovely tree all finished and waiting at home. In fact, we walked out of there without buying anything, a real feat of self-restraint, I must say.

We left the others still pondering their purchases and drove home together. For at least one of us, however, one picture still remains the highlight of the day.

Kind of like kids' visions of sugar plums dancing in their dreams! BTW he ate every last bite, but refrained from licking the plate. We were out in public, after all!

Three Best Things

I just read Beth's TBT post and thought I'd grab the idea for myself. So cool that Chelsea is singing! Three weeks till I see her again.

Yesterday we went for our walk about 4:30, before the daylight disappeared, catching spots of wintry sunlight. Chilly it was and I felt my legs freeze for most of the walk but I was elated to be getting in some exercise. When we moved here last year the same walk took us almost 40 minutes. Yesterday we did it in 25! And I didn't even seem to be breathing heavy. My body is a lean(er), mean (no!) walking machine.

In the evening we were faced with the same old television quandary--nothing we wanted to watch. I sat and scrolled down the menu until I got to the 70's or 80's and finally Commander-in-Chief jumped out. We loved that show when it premiered a couple of years ago. Geena Davis is awesome as the President of the United States and Donald Sutherland (Canadian--whee!) is a fully drawn villain as Secretary of State. We had an interesting hour before bed. Amazingly we didn't remember this segment.

But I haven't told you about the morning's pleasure which lasted me the whole day. I weighed in at another .8 pounds less than the week before. And that was after three challenging events last weekend. I was very happy and today the euphoria, resolve and drive to reach my goal still lingers. There is nothing that feeds my soul more than succeeding at something I've set out to do. And losing this pesky twenty-five pounds again is a prime target just now. I'm over half weigh (ha ha ha) now so must keep on track.

Bits and Pieces

On Tuesday, I wrote about my dread of weighing in at Weight Watchers but I made myself go anyhow. Guess what? I was down a pound. One tiny step closer to my goal. Now this just goes to show that I need to trust myself and not be second guessing all the time. How many of us get caught doing the same thing?

We think that quiet and serious person over there who never cracks a smile has something wrong in her character or doesn't like us. She is so aloof that we wonder what she is thinking. And then when we finally get to know her we find she's really quite a nice person. Not aloof at all, just different. She is shy and takes a while to warm up to people. I have a saying that I read somewhere and adopted as my own. "I don't like that person. I have to get to know her better."

Someone sends us an email which reads pretty sharp and we think they are angry with us. Later we find out they just don't realize how cold email can be and they really didn't mean to convey angry thought at all. A few years ago a family member for months sent all his emails in caps until I told him that was shouting in email language. He never did that again. He just didn't know how we were perceiving his messages.

At this time of year, Christmas, there are many messages both phone and email, which go back and forth between my husband, my daughter and my son and I am not part of them. For years I felt a little left out until I finally realized they are planning something for me! Now I just smile and let them do their plotting, secure in the knowledge that they have something good in mind.

And now I must set about my day. First thing is to plan healthy, nutritious meals so that I won't be so worried come Tuesday and I will have left a tiny bit of myself somewhere else, not on the scales!

I Really Must Try Stopping It...

Sometimes I despair of ever being able to stick to my goals. Oh, I know that's a negative thought and I am mostly a positive person, but, really. I get frustrated with myself. I so want to be the person I am in my dreams. What do I mean?

Just now I am struggling in so many ways. Today is Weight Watchers and I have to weigh in once again and I know I haven't stuck to the plan--which is very good--for the last week. I want to, I try to, and then I just forget about the whole thing and scarf down half a bowl of honey-covered peanuts. Last night, thankfully, my husband took them away from me, as I had asked in one of our food conversations.

Eating isn't the only place where my will power turns into won't. I have been planning to finish a little sweater for my sweet granddaughter since the summer time. Well, actually since last March when her mother and I bought the buttons in Victoria's lovely little button shop. All I have to do is finish the last ribbed edge and sew on the buttons. The sweater is all put together except for that. Yet there it sits.

Every day I plan to do more editing of my manuscript in preparation for getting it published. I have wonderful friends who are reading and commenting and each time I receive their emails I think about how I'm falling behind on my end. And yet, I want to get this done so badly that I lie awake nights thinking about getting it published. I visualize myself getting the acceptance letter. I see my title finally decided and on the dust jacket. I feel the glow of pride in a job well done. But in the daytime I procrastinate.

One of my roomies from university, oh, so many years ago, had a sign on her wall that has stayed with me. Procrastination is my fault, it brings me endless sorrow. I really must try stopping it; in fact, I'll start tomorrow. I think of it and laugh, yet see myself.

And housework! Don't even get me started! I never met a broom I couldn't ignore, a layer of dust I couldn't avoid or a vacuum I couldn't use for a clothes horse.

The thing is, eventually I get everything done but not before hours, days, months of I shoulds. Well, it's time to give myself some positive self talk (see, I've read all the how-to stuff!) and do something. Anything. Just get up and get going. Well......maybe after I play another game of MahJong.

Doin' the Christmas Thing

Tis the season for getting excited about Christmas and this year we are really ready for it. So many new things to celebrate and old friends and family to celebrate with. Nature has hopped right on the bandwagon with a wintry wonderland out every window. I love it now but by March I know I'll be ready to taste spring.


Last week I made my carrot pudding, a family tradition from my childhood, and baked our usual dark Christmas cake. Of course we have already eaten a quarter of it. Just couldn't resist. The rest I have cooling and percolating out in the garage. This cake is better made ahead and left to age. Say, maybe that's the way it is with people. Now that I'm not so young, I tend to think so.

A few years ago I was smitten with the usual Christmas euphoria on the day I started my baking and a song just jumped into my mind. "Oh, I'm doin' the Christmas thing, doing the wonderful Christmas thing..." I ran to the piano, played it to get the key, and madly wrote the notes on some manuscript paper. As I worked on the Christmas cake, words just flowed and I made many trips to the piano. Amazingly the cake didn't suffer and the song grew. The next day I was singing at a church event and sang this joyful song even though I didn't have any of the parts done and had nothing written for my accompanist. I sang it a cappella and the ladies loved it. I was transported back to my wonderful childhood. Hopefully it will evoke similar memories for you.

Maybe I'll try to figure out how to record it so you can all listen to it online. Meanwhile enjoy the words, print it out and play/sing it, whatever you like. (Just remember it's mine.)

Snowy November

This is a very unusual November. Usually we don't get snow of any account here in Ontario until December and often not much until January. I can remember many a year hoping for a white Christmas and not getting it. But the last couple of years have been snowy. So much for the planet warming up!

On Friday snow was falling all around. You can see the flakes if you look closely above our forlorn picnic table which hadn't quite made it inside with the rest of the summer furniture.

My teddy bear on the front door is drooping sadly from last year's snow. Time to do something to spruce him up!

Across the street the shelter for the mailboxes sits, empty and useless, while beside it the mailboxes still wait to be moved. Took months to get the shelter built, guess it'll be spring before we actually get to use it.

And on the back deck our useless barbecue waits for better times. (i.e. warmer) We never did get it running this summer. I think it is on its way to the dump.

But inside, cosy and cuddly warm, I wrap presents and put them under the tree, anxious to be ready for our first Christmas celebration on the first Sunday in December. Oh, I'm doin' the Christmas thing.

My Latest Read

Although I am a devoted and diligent reader, I rarely write about my books here. Today is an exception. While I have read most of Colleen McCullough's works--not all, regrettably--the latest was perhaps the most fun. The Independence of Miss Mary Bennett brought back the pleasures of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen's triumphs known to so many of us.

In her book McCullough takes us twenty years after the courtship of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy to a less-than-perfect domestic scene. The Darcy's are struggling with their relationship, Jane has had far too many pregnancies for her health, and Miss Mary Bennet is suddenly freed of her burden after caring for her mother all these years.

The story is a good length--467 pages--and I was delighted the whole time. Talk about an interesting mix! McCullough's writing and the Bennet sisters' interesting personalities, all wrapped up in the social mores of the times. This was a lot of fun, not the best read I've ever had, but great fun. Good for you, Colleen McCullough!
Oh, and I got it at Costco for a fraction of the price listed on the cover. :-)

Today, A Little Chuckle

Remember last year's Christmas tree? This year I was adamant that we would have a perfect REPLICA of a Christmas tree, rather than the real thing. You can see why. And you may even remember last year's sad post.

I have, therefore, decided to show you the sequel. First I'll show you a close up of the beautiful branches which look for all the world like fresh ones. Also, notice the brand spanking new tree skirt, first one I've ever bought. (Who says we get staid as we get older?)

And here's the tree itself all gorgeous and wonderful.

So wonderful I've shown a different angle. Ah, Christmas. Never mind that it is way too early.

And, finally, here is one of the tables from our Jewelry Show and Sale last Saturday. Of course you had to be here to see how these all looked up close.

And the connection here? I wanted to do some Christmas decorating for the Jewelry Show and Sale so put up my tree on November 2, a personal record for getting it up early. The strange thing is, we've really been enjoying it. Next week I'll probably put up the rest of the decorations so that we can smile happily until we go to Victoria for our first Christmas with our granddaughter. All sounds so good. Have to go make my list for Christmas cake and carrot pudding ingredients!

A Pittance of Time

One of my oldest friends sent me this link and I want to share it with the world since tomorrow is Remembrance Day. Turn on your sound.




Yesterday was the yearly church Remembrance Day Service in our new church and I can only remember one other time being so moved by Remembrance Day. I was in high school, with 1100 other students, dressed in my cadet uniform, lining the pristine halls as we faced the Remembrance plaques and the flags which always took centre position outside the main office. We stood absolutely silent and listened to the scriptures, the prayers, the trumpet sounds and the words of remembrance. I thought of my uncle Frank, and in my heart I finally realized what he had relinquished with his life when he was blown out of that fox hole in Italy before I was born.

And I felt the tears start.

Yesterday those tears came again as I took part in the music at church. The hymns have never seemed so meaningful. Our anthem was inspiring to sing. The organist's offertory was a medley of well chosen message songs, which he played by ear. Everyone in the sanctuary wore red, some more, some less, but all proudly displayed the poppy. My young nephew and another teenager read John McCrae's In Flanders Fields. And the sermon was a video which told of the 180 kilometers from Trenton Air Force Base to Toronto where our soldiers who have fallen in Afghanistan take their final journey--with their families--along Highway 401, Canada's Highway of Heroes(For those who don't know, this is the main highway which threads across Ontario, this small section of which has been named the Highway of Heroes.) In Toronto, the soldiers' bodies are autopsied and then released to their waiting families.

This video told of the fifty overpasses along that stretch of highway, each one loaded with Canadians and Canadian flags paying tribute to the soldiers. We saw fire trucks, stopped on the bridges above with firemen standing on top, saluting the sad parage below. We saw single persons standing still and alone in honour of their fallen countrymen and women. We saw police cars parked at the side of 401, their officers standing alongside at attention.

And all of this takes a long time. It is over 180 kilometers to reach Toronto. The nation's traffic stops and waits, and pays tribute to Canada's heroes every time the bodies return home. We, as a nation, have now made the transition from being the post war peacekeepers of the world to warriors once again winning and losing on the world's battlefields. And whether we agree or disagree with Canada's role in Afghanistan, we stop and we pay tribute to those who have stepped up to help the rest of the world.

Tomorrow, take a pittance of time and remember.

Nature's Photo Shop

Today I am tired of looking at my last post as it comes up to my homepage, so I have decided to post some pictures from last July, just to have something nice to look at. The first four are from a park in Cambridge where my husband and I had a lovely picnic last summer.

We have lots of memories of this park from our younger days and going there was fun, except for the goose dirt all over the riverside. We had a tough time finding a place to spread our food.

I like tree trunks and taking pictures from different angles. The various barks are so interesting!

And this picture reminds me of two surprising things about our new condo: one is the water outlet is about 8 inches above the ground, just waiting for someone to trip over it and the other is the yellow ooze which appeared one morning. It is the consistency of scrambled eggs, has no odor, and grew to be about the size of a luncheon plate. After asking many people about it we still are no closer to learning what it is. This phenomenon happened twice but we haven't seen it since. Any ideas?

I guess nature has the bad with the good sometimes.