Indoor Flower Update

I really appreciate my indoor flowers at this time of the year. One new one is the Christmas cactus, which has never bloomed for me. I was away from home for a few days... 

While I was gone, it started to bloom. 

Two of my three peace lily flowers dried up - so I trimmed them off. But the one in the third pot is still blooming - and a second flower bud is developing there, too. That's progress! Last year the plant only had one flower.

In another room with a north-facing window, my only remaining African voilet is still in bloom. I used to have a few of them.

Next to it, an orchid is growing buds. Half of the plant is a stem full of buds. The other half is a healthy-looking bunch of aerial roots that apparently absorb moisture from the air.

It's always a challenge to make sure that every plant has the right soil, water and light it needs.  They are all so different. Every flower is a little victory: "Yay! I got it right!"

Midwinter Break from the Ordinary

A few weeks ago, the priest at our neighborhood Anglican Church sent out an email about a one-day Ottawa-wide church conference called You Are Leaven. I signed up to go.

I didn't know what to expect... but it "called my name"! I knew I needed this!

So out we drove into the country one Saturday, a few weeks ago... to a little church in Winchester, Ontario. 

(As an aside, for those who know the name, Winchester is the hometown of George Beverly Shea - a singer of my mother's generation. Throughout his lifetime he returned to a cottage in the area.)

The day's program was organized and led by instructors from the Anglican Studies Department at St. Paul University in Ottawa - where Terry studied counseling when we first moved to Ottawa.

The day was wonderful! There was art... ("doodling prayer")... Singing... Great food... An introduction to writing a "spiritual autobiography." Also an interesting discussion on change, and why it's sometimes hard.

Sometimes - especially in winter - I need to do something totally different... This was just what I needed! A week later, I was still basking in the glow!

Busy January

January has been busy for me this year - in part because I averaged one medical - or dental - appointment a week.

For years I tried to not have any appointments in winter... in case the weather was bad.

Then last year, I got Covid in February - and appointments were moved around. To my dismay, a lot of things this year were scheduled for January.

But (on the plus side) the weather hasn't been that bad.

I was actually the first patient in the clinic for one of my appointments. So I took this picture of the empty waiting room. I may never see an empty one again!

Starting ... and Finishing

I have a habit of starting projects - at some point pausing, then leavng them - sometimes for long periods of time.

Often I encounter a difficulty that needs to be resolved - so I pause. Eventually I lose interest. My initial inspiration has evaporated!

I've always viewed this habit as a flaw of character that needs to be corrected.

But when I encountered this book title, I started to hunt for the book... I'd like to read it!

Good! Our public library has a copy! Now I have it on hold... I want to discover why this tendency isn't such a bad habit after all!

Rabbits or Squirrels?

Cats or dogs?! Rabbits or squirrels?!

Many people consider themselves "cat people" or "dog people." I remember one women saying that, when they got their first cat, her husband commented that their apartment now "felt like home"...

Two of our children live with cats...

Terry and I have both lived with cats and dogs as pets - in our younger years - but we now enjoy animals that fend for themselves... outdoors - like squirrels and rabbits... (as long as they don't damage anything)!

The other evening, as we drove onto the driveway in the dark, Terry pointed out a rabbit... then slowed down so as not to hit it. He often comments about seeing rabbits in the yard.

I don't share his enthusiasm for rabbits. I don't mind them. I mostly don't notice them. They're fine - a little boring, perhaps. But that's the way they like it.  They don't want to be noticed.

I get excited when I see squirrels - fast moving dare-devils - walking on wires, hanging on branches... They often make me laugh.

I wonder what that says about each of us: A "rabbit person" married to a "squirrel person"! (We're both definitely different!)

(Did I mention that I also like skunks?!)

Don't Worry!!

They say: Don't judge a book by its cover... But I sometimes buy books because of their covers - often because I find the title and/or illustration interesting or inspirational.

A case in point is the cover of this book I recently pulled out as I sorted through my books, wondering if I should get rid of any.

I've had it for years - but I've never read it. It's apparently about childhood abuse - a topic I don't enjoy reading about.

As a child, I was surrounded by a large, loving family - especially my mother's 10 siblings whom my brother and I were very close to. There were a lot of "cheerleaders" around us.

But as a child, I was also a worrier - I'm not sure why... Maybe it's a trait I inherited from my grandmother... And I tend to worry still.

The cover of the book - which I now have sitting out where I can see it - reminds me to focus on RIGHT NOW - not on an uncertain future. Everything is fine TODAY. Looking at it gives me comfort.

DON'T WORRY!

(But I do envy those born with a carefree spirit!)

Still Thinking About Christmas

A month after Christmas, most of us have stopped thinking about Christmas gifts...

But I know a 5-year-old who is still reflecting on the joy and mystery of presents brought by Santa to those lucky enough to NOT be on the NAUGHTY list.

(It occurs to me that the word NAUGHTY isn't used much any more - except perhaps concerning Santa's "naughty and nice lists"!)

In any event, our five-year-old created Santa's workshop out of pieces of colored plastic that stick together magnetically. (I don't know what they're called .) The dimensions had to match his replica of Santa's sleigh, which was parked on top.

It was all very exciting for both of us.

I heard recently (online - so it must be true) that seniors who spend time with children live longer. We'll see about that - but I did return home surprisingly energized.

I do need extra energy these cold, dark - but still very beautiful - days.

Christmas Cactus Update

This is what my Christmas Cactus looks like in daylight... And below what it looks like in the the early dawn.

The buds are getting bigger, but still no flowers, as I expected them to look...

I have so many questions:

• Will these little buds ever bloom?! (Or are these the flowers?!)
• Is this a different kind of cactus from the one in my friend's sunroom - with its long cascading leaves and string of flowers?
• I've heard there's also an Easter Cactus... Is that what this one is? 

I guess I'll just have to wait and see!

My "Circular Diary"

On January 1, I started a "circular diary" - a pictorial graph illustrating some of the highlights of each day.

There have been no nature walks - but there have been dental appointments, indoor flowers blooming - and squirrels I see through the window.

There have also been cold snaps, like the one we're just coming out of.

So I recently started adding various shades of blue in the center to indicate how cold.

I've enjoyed working on it at the end of each  day.

I've already prepared my February graph... I don't anticipate adding too much outdoor information for a while yet - unless we have an early spring and I start to spend more time outdoors.

But we've passed the halfway point in Terry's "hundred days of winter" - so that's progress!

Yes, That's Us!

One day last October, a friend stopped by. As we were standing outside talking, a vehicle drove down our street...

That's the Google map photographer, taking pictures of Ottawa's "street views," Terry commented - so we all looked.

Sure enough it was!

A few days ago, Terry happened to check our "street view" - and, sure enough, there we were!

Wrinkles...!

Innocent - but tough - questions sometimes come from children...

Grandma, do you LIKE having wrinkles? my 8-year-old granddaughter recently asked, as we both were standing in front of a mirror...

(What to say? I don't want her to fear getting old...)

I don't mind them, as long as they're "happy" wrinkles that make my face look happy. I don't like wrinkles that make me look sad or angry, I finally replied.

(There was a long pause...)

Grandma, did you have wrinkles when you were my age?

I don't think so... Maybe a few...

(Maybe I should look for a few pictures of me, when I was her age, just to check!)

Things Do (Sometimes!) Change

In our early years together, Terry was more conscious of time than I was. Though always punctual for work, at other times I must have been "relaxed" about arrivng on time. I remember Terry giving me a talking-to about how disrespectful it was of other people's time to keep them waiting. Couldn't disagree with that... so I tried to change my ways. 

But, even as I became more punctual, Terry became more "relaxed"! Didn't expect that to happen!

Life was busy for many years and we did our own thing: I arrived EARLY at my job as a teacher - so that I could collect my thoughts before students arrived. 

He often arrived LATE at his job. But it usually didn't matter, as he then stayed late till the work was done.

Recently, things have changed again! I still like to be punctual - but, as I comment to friends - I'm lucky if I get more than one thing done in a day! I definitely try not to plan more than one.

But Terry now is has a DAILY LIST of THINGS TO DO - noted on his calendar. And he aims to get them ALL done.

I have no problem with that... If he wants to be that organized, good for him!

But very recently, he's started putting things FOR ME to do on his calendar - and repeatedly asks me if they're done yet...

I'm not a fan of that! Hoping THAT will change! I need things to do tomorrow, too... and the next day... I'm in no rush!

Natalie's Birthday!

Today we celebrate Natalie's birthday...

So many great memories of time well spent... JOYFULLY spent!

Looking forward to MANY ...

MANY MORE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Neighborhood Action

Two cats roam free in our neighborhood - one all black, the other all white. 

The white one appeared in our yard yesterday - camouflaged by the snow.

She's a friendly kitty, with a pink collar and a tag. She seemed to be enjoying her day outdoors...

Seeing her skirt around the shed and slip under the fence, I assume she has a planned route. She's done all this before!

We also have coyotes and foxes in the neighborhood. Our neighbor Kim sometimes notices the coyotes in the college grounds on her way to work. 

I hope this friendly little cat doesn't encounter them. She may have an advantage with her claws - and her aptitude for scooting under fences - but I think coyotes run faster than cats.

Now What?!

I intended to make a scarf with this variegated yarn - but it ended up being too wide...

(It's about a meter long and about 70 cm wide... I have enough yarn to make it twice as long but I think it’s too wide for a scarf.)

When I mentioned my dilemma to my daughter, she said: There's no such thing as a scarf that's too big! Check out Lenny Kravitz' scarf online.

So I did!

She has a point... but that's not my style ... with this scarf anyway.

So I've decided to add a border on all sides and hopefully it will become an afghan that I like...

But should I made a border that's one color - or should I use the same variegated yarn to circle around this rectangle? It would mess up the sense of stripiness that it has now, I think...

So that's my current dilemma.. What to do next?...

When We Were Young...

My granddaughter and I have a lot of good memories of our 8-plus years together.

Lots of adventures! Lots of playtime hugs! But things are changing...

 

Occasionally she wants to tussle with Grandma, climb up on her, throw pillows, like she used to in her younger years. But she's getting big...

And she's strong!

So I'm quick to respond: Grandma can't do that anymore. I'm getting too old. I might get hurt. You're so big!

To that, she recently responded, with a nostalgic sigh: GRANDMA, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG...

Interesting Observation

Yesterday, Ottawa had 9 hours and 5 minutes of daylight, up from 8 hours and 42 minutes on  our "shortest" day, December 22.

The sun rose at 7:39 AM and set at 4:44 PM

One of the things I find interesting about our constantly changing hours of daylight is that the last time we had 9 hours and 5 minutes was on November 27, 2024. But at this time, sunrise was earlier - at 7:18 AM. And sunset was  at 4:23 PM, though the total hours of daylight were the same.

I would really love to know why...

I probably should have studied geography or astronomy in university, instead of literature. The world around us is so fascinating!

THIS Hair Style!

Going through old photos, I came across these two of myself that date back to my working days.

Front view ... and side view?! What are these about? 

Then I remembered ... 

I sometimes asked my daughter to take pictures of a hair cut I was happy with - so that I could bring photos to show my hair-dresser exactly how I wanted my hair to be cut!

Too often I'd get a haircut I wasn't happy with! As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words"!

Interesting Winter Sunset

This sunset reminds me of the German flag...

Am I imagining it?!

A quick Google search...

Yup!  Same colours - just in different order! How random is that!

JOY of Colour

I don't "need" another knitting or crochet project in my life ...

But I do need some COLOUR to boost my mood these days of limited sunshine.

That's why I stopped and stared when I came across this pattern for a multi-coloured shawl on Pinterest.

I wonder if I can figure out the crochet pattern by myself or if I should buy the pattern on Etsy...? 

(In the end, I decided to try to figure it out...)

It isn't turning out exactly like the shawl that inspired me. For one thing, it needs to be narrower. But working on it is therapeutic: it's adding the splash of brightness that I need these dreary winter days.

New Year - New Plans

Walking in the mall - as I do several times a week - I've noticed the appearance of  self-improvement books...

Also organizational aids - like bins and baskets.

They tend to pop up at this time of year. 

Staying indoors more in winter (as I do) makes this is a perfect time to think about home-improvement and self-improvement! Also  creativity. 

I'm not taking any courses this winter - but I am knitting and crocheting. I also have plans for organizing my little office. But I'd better work quickly. I know that once spring arrives, I prefer to head outdoors!