Tree Trimming

You nver know whats going to roll down the street at 8 AM!

A few days ago, it was a 2-person tree trimming crew.

Not sure I'd feel comfortable up so high in the branches... though the bucket makes it easier - and probably faster - than climbing the tree, which they used to do.

Half done! That was fast! 

Comparing left side to right, I guess it makes a difference...

"Cozy" Autumn Memories

I take a lot of photos on my phone, to use as illustrations on my blog posts. For every photo I publish on my blog, three or four remain unused.

I SHOULD delete the unused ones immediately, but I wait to see if I might want them later... so they collect. (A different kind of clutter!)

I've recently discovered a fun way of identifying photos I no longer want to keep.

I do a subject search, For example, I do a search for "maple trees" in my photo storage app, and up pop half a dozen tree photos. I keep a few that I like best, and delete the rest.

This is how I found these "cozy" photos of autumn leaves. The top three were taken this year near our house. But this last one is a sweet memory of Terry and our daughter in Guelph, 5 years ago, making their way through crunchy leaves - while I lag behind taking pictures!

Walking Route 66

I'm walking Route 66 - VIRTUALLY... my walking app tracing the path (based on my daily steps) AS IF I were actually there.

This is my 7th virtual hiking challenge - and my longest one yet. (In total I've completed 3,333 km in a year and a half. My virtual walking really does motivate me to walk more!)

It's fun - seeing the scenery along the way on Google maps street view - also on aerial photos of the path. 

Virtual walking has some benefits: No rain! No snow! No dust! No bugs!

I'm hoping to finish in a year and a half. I'm already 20% done... I'm looking forward to walking in New Mexico, as I've never been there. Hope I can finish ahead of time!

In the meantime, my daughter noticed a Route 66 sign in an ice cream shop in Toronto - and offered to take my picture. It does make me feel like a REAL tourist on the REAL Route 66!

Entertained By ... Clouds!

Our two-hour drive home from Montreal - late last Saturday afternoon was ... "entertaining "!

The sun lay low in the sky as we set off. Heading straight into the glare was going to make the drive difficult for Terry. We pulled out our sunglasses.

To the east, a bank of clouds on the horizon reminded me driving west from Calgary to Banff, approaching the mountains.

But we were heading north-west - straight into the sun's rays.

A few minutes later, a large cloud blew in, just covering the glare!

The rest of the drive to Ottawa, we were entertained by those clouds! Look! A flaming fire!

Look! A mushroom cloud!

Cloud displays entertained us until we reached the lights of Ottawa. 

In the end, we experienced no glare at all!

Sutton Farmers Market

Last Saturday we passed through Sutton, Quebec - en route home from nearby Cowansville.

We decided to stop at their Saturday Farmers Market, which runs from July through October.

The day was chillier than I expected. I wished I had a hat to wear! There were lots of farm fresh fruits and vegetables - as well as jams and baked goods to buy.

No surprise that we bought some pastry and jam!

Also this lovely bag, sewn in Africa, sold as a fundraiser for children in African schools.

Glad we discovered this corner of the community! Markets are always fun places to check out!

Dividing an Overgrown Aloe Vera

For years I tried - unsuccessfully- to grow aloe vera. Then, (lo and behold!) one I bought at a church bazaar actually grew... and grew!

Eventually it was so big that I divided it. Several years later, its offspring (the plant on the left below) is doing well... 

But it was time to divide the original plant again! I cut off a few "branches" and just put them in cactus soil. They had no roots attached. One "pup" had already broken off - it's the small one in the pink pot above. Its colour is a bit off, so it may be drying up. I hope it survives.

Here are the other aloe vera "babies"... I hope they make it! I really have no idea what the "secret of success" is! Maybe starting with a healthy plant, putting it in bright sunlight - then neglecting it! (In other words, no overwatering!)

Happy Halloween!

I rarely buy chocolate - except for Halloween, when it's a "must-have" in the house...

Last year, we had to renew our "stash" TWICE ...  BEFORE Halloween even arrived!! 

Yup! I'll have to do the same thing this year!

(I should have hidden it all when I bought it!)

I never learn!