Saying Goodbye

A few days ago, Terry and I removed the last personal items from our daughter's Ottawa apartment and handed back the keys.

Her move happened quickly last month. With a  job offer in Toronto in mid-July and a start date in early August, she didn't have time to look back with nostalgia. She barely had time to pack up and leave!

But I was almost teary-eyed as I walked through the empty apartment, remembering how, in spring of 2022, Terry and I had hunted for a suitable place for her - showing her various apartments on Face Time as we toured different ones, among them - this one. She was living in southetn Ontario at the time, working remotely for a company in Toronto.

She had enjoyed two good years here - and spent more time with our family than she had in years. They were wonderful years for me - so I was sad to let them go.

Indoor Flowers

As the weathet gets cooler and our outdoor flowers come to an end, I'm thankful to have indoor flowers to brighten my days.

This African violet is a bright spot in the living room. I hope it continues to bloom for a long while to come.

And two of my three peace lilies may be producing flower buds.

(Not sure what's happening with the third.)

Here's hoping they ALL surprise me with flowers!

Family Football Tradition

Football season is again upon us. It's a season Terry takes very seriously. We do not invite friends to visit on Sunday afternoons from September until early February.

Our sons have been indoctrinated into the tradition.  Indoctrination begins early - in the case of Jericho (above)... at the age of about 3 months.

What do I do on Sunday afternoons during football season? I usually take a long, refreshing nap!

"Super Messy"

Grandma, your office is super messy, my four-year-old grandson commented as he peered in.

Yes, I agreed. Don't go in there - or you might mess up my mess!

I don't like the mess either - but, the thing is, I can find most things I'm looking for.

It's a mystery - a little like an archeological excavation. I know what the different piles are - so I just have to dig down into that pile a bit to find what I'm looking for.

Sometimes I find bonus surprises - like an eye glasses case that's gone missing.

But mostly these piles are "mounds of indecision"... Sorting through papers, letters or photos - mine or my mother's -  I reach a point where I don't know what to do. A sentimental decision has to be made but I can't face it... so I take a break to gain perspective... And there it lies.

The good news is that I will eventually get back to it. It just takes a little time.

Second Blooming

I was surprised to see these day lilies blooming in a curbside garden a few days ago.  

Do they bloom twice - once in summer - and now as well? Or is this a different variety of late bloomers? (I can barely get mine to bloom once!)

Dandelions are coming back - now that summer is over.

Not as abundant as in the spring, it still annoys me that they spread their seeds in late summer as well as in spring.

I often have a second blooming of delicate white anemones - but I haven't noticed any recently.

I really should plant annuals in spring. With a long blooming season, they "spark joy" until winter frosts arrive! 

(I saw these flowers in a neighbor's garden. I THINK they're annuals , but I could be wrong.)

A Helen Keller House Souvenir

My mother was a home economics teacher in Alberta, then later in Kelowna, BC. 

In her later teaching years who was asked to teach traditional crafts, like knitting, crocheting, spinning and weaving - as they had become popular again.

She took on the challenge with great enthusiasm, taking courses to hone her skills - picking up samples of local crafts wherever she went.

Going through her things recently, I came across these two mats that must have been made - and sold - at Helen Keller House in Jerusalem in the 1960's or 70's. I wonder if it was a school for the blind or simply a place where they could learn to weave.

I haven't been able to find much information online.

The mats are so pretty that I'm going to start using them... after all these years.

Back to Painting

My "paint time" in the basement of the Anglican Church in Almonte has resumed after a summer break.

It was interesting to hear what people had done over the summer.

My project of the afternoon was a sunset scene  based on a photo I took a few weeks ago (above).

Together with a few other paintings, it's now sitting up on the piano as I wonder whether it needs more work - or whether it's done.

Time to Quit!

I have a hard time quitting anything: deep down, it makes me feel like a failure...

Once, in my younger teaching years, I offered to help a group of students who were struggling in school. How hard could it be? I told myself. And I'd actually be helping people...

But it was harder than anything I had ever tried to do! I wasn't enjoying it - and most of the students weren't enjoying it either. After two sessions, I wanted out.

What should I do? I asked a good friend.

Quit!! she said. You don't want to do it - that's reason enough.

Really? So I took her advice.

I'm taking her advice again, as I look at the "temperature blanket" I started last January (to show changes in local weather over the course of a year). It quickly became a burden and an "obligation " and never "sparked joy" - in the words of Mari Kondo, the organizing guru. 

It's about half the size of what it needs to be to cover an adult snoozing on the sofa.

I'm not sure what it could be used for as is... but I'm not enjoying doing it - so I quit!!

Beautiful Sunset!

One of my favorite places in Ottawa is Andrew Hayden Park, on the Ottawa River.

It's beautiful any season and any time of the day. But I especially love to be there in the early evening towards sundown.

A few days ago, Terry and I drove there after supper.

Now that evening comes early, I wondered if I'd be able to get any pictures.

Would it be too dark?

It wasn't! They turned out!

In fact, I think the evening shadows contrasting with the pink and blue sky made everything even more beautiful!

I've Been Knitting!

During our hot - sometimes rainy - summer... I've been knitting!

Last spring, after Terry and I went to Niagara Falls to see (and hear) Frankie Valli in person, I persuaded Terry to stop in at the Mary Maxim yarn store in Paris, Ontario - to see what interesting projects I could find there.

I came home with a pattern for a poncho - and some yarn, which I've been working on ever since. They didn't have the white, grey and black striped yarn, or I'd have got that.

Instead, i found this - and I liked the colors. I finally finished first of  two panels, so I think I'm about a third done. Next the second panel - then two side borders.

I hope I like it when I'm done!

More Japanese Anemnes?

I've discovered that flowers either do very well in my flower beds - or they die and disappear.

When they do well, they spread until they're hard to control.... like the Japanese anemones in our front garden bed, above.

Those that don't do well, diminish - then completely disappear... Like pink echinacea flowers and "bleeding hearts" that used to grow here.

I love them - I've planted them several times... But this year none flowered. Perhaps they can't toletate the acidity of the soil with the pine trees overhead.

Last year, Terry asked me to dig up some of the Japsnese anemones. The roots had spread and the flowers were taking over the lawn... (Not that I mind!)

So I dug up a few spade-fuls - and replanted them in the middle of the flower bed. I see they've taken hold. I wonder what next year will bring... More flowers? Or diminishing blooms?

What is That?!

What is that? I remember thinking, as I caught a glimpse of a giant elevated grate in my daughter's Toronto neighborhood. 

Was that an outdoor art fixture? Or did it serve some practical purpose - like covering a very large water reservoir?

Let's go check it out, Terry suggested - so we did.

We discovered that it covered two commuter train tunnels that extended below street level for several blocks.

Were it built for aesthetics? Or did it serve a practical purpose? I wondered...

When I googled my question, I saw that I wasn't the first person to wonder about this...

They were needed to support the walls of the train tunnel - to prevent them from caving in. (I'm glad they look nice, as well!)

Chasing the Harvest Moon

Last night, Terry and I were driving home from Andrew Haydon Park at dusk...

We had just watched a beautiful pink and blue sunset.

Then - as we were driving - we spotted the large "harvest moon" in the south east.

I tried to capture the perfect picture on my cellphone camera. I wish I could have found a hilly spot with a clear view... No streetlights in the way! But there was none.

At times the clouds made the moon look like ringed Saturn!

So beautiful! So awe-inspiring! What a beautiful world we live in!

Looking Back

Today is our day for looking back and remembering OUR BIG DAY, all those decades ago.

We looked so young. We really had no idea what we were getting into! 

We also had no idea all the GOOD THINGS life had in store for us - as well as the BIG ADJUSTMENTS we'd have to make, two firstborn with strong opinions, each thinking they were right.

Here we are now... It's hard to believe we're the same people! (And in some ways, we really aren't!)

Hunting...

At first I wondered if the animal next to the car was a fox.

Last year I saw them from time to time - but none so far this year.

No, it's a cat - very focused on something under the car...

A few nights ago Terry noticed a large black cat, hunting something in the flower bed: Baby bunnies, pethaps? Mice? Chipmunks?

Then there are the quiet neighborhood skunks that dig up our lawns looking for grubs...

Occasionally we catch a glimpse of them, too. All live in our neighborhood..,

It's a busy place outdoors!

Swimming Fun!

Yesterday was warm and sunny - a perfect day for brunch and a swim in our older son's home.

Ivy created an island oasis in the deep end of the pool...

.. while her brother had fun in the shallow end.

Chipmunks ran back and forth with nuts and seeds... I sat in the shade and watched.

A perfect afternoon!

Skyscrapers and Planes!

In early September, Terry and I were in Toronto, visiting our daughter in her new home.

She lives in the heart of the city - in a neighborhood called "Liberty Village" - where tall apartment buildings and condos are springing up all around.

Her "picture postcard" view of the city, includes the CN Tower, beautiful by day or by night...

Also commuter trains... and an elevated expressway.

One morning, after enjoying the view, we headed out for brunch in Liberty Village.

Walking back to her place, we suddenly heard planes - overhead. 

It was an air show!

I pulled out my camera - and managed to get pictures of ... mostly buildings! 

So we headed up to the penthouse garden of her building to get a better view...

From that height, the view was really breathtaking!