Colorful Afghan

I have a lot of afghans I've knit and crocheted over the years... so many, in fact, that I donated a few to my mother's nursing home a few years ago.

Imagine my surprise when one of them showed up on her bed!

Her vision isn't very good these days, so she can't see its bright colors - but I hope she's enjoying it, nonetheless.

(Here she is, looking pensive, waiting for her bath.)

Firemen... in Training?

We live near a college and often walk through the grounds. Recently, cutting across the parking lot, I stopped...

Was that water spouting up in the air?!

I pulled out my camera - a fire, perhaps?

Or were they testing a hydrant?

Then the spouting water stopped - and I noticed a group of firemen standing around.

It didn't look urgent... No fire to be seen... Were these firemen in training, perhaps.

I know the college offers police and paramedic training... But I've never noticed student firemen before.

I considered wandering over to explore further - but decided against it. I didn't want to risk getting drenched!

Goodbye Toronto...

Our weekend in Toronto ended all too soon... Time to get back to Ottawa.

But first, a stop for breakfast at a Portuguese bakery... which has to include pastry!

My breakfast was yogurt and a delicious Portuguese rice cake - which tastes a lot like sponge cake. A real treat!

Then we made a quick stop at the shop where my daughter works...

(Admired a cute cat scarf, but didn't get it.)

Then the five-hour drive to Ottawa - which is lovely, especially at this time of year...












Now that the leaves are changing colors!

Lawn Bowling... in Toronto

My son and his wife have taken up lawn bowling...

There is an active club near their home...

People there love their summer sport!

In winter many of them curl - which is apparently similar to lawn bowling, only it's done on ice.

I learned a few things: Lawn bowling balls are actually called "bowls"... A set costs about $450 new, though there are often used bowls to be had...

Each player has his or her own. (I love the bright colored ones!)

They are oval rather than round - and one side is heavier than the other, to encourage bowls to curve.

The object of the game is to get close to the white ball. (The woman with the pink bowls plays in provincial championships!)

Traditionally lawn bowlers dress in white and wear white hats, but this was "crazy hat day."

My favorite was this "turkey"!

The day was lovely - but this Thanksgiving Day tournament was the last of the season. They have to protect the grass. 

















On this last game of the season, a few family members came along to watch.

Kingston in the Fall

A week ago Terry and I headed for Kingston, en route to Toronto.

I always enjoy stopping and wandering around the oldest part of the city, beside Lake Ontario (with its hotels and condos).

There weren't many boats in the water in October...

Birds were lounging on the piers, where dozens of boats were moored the last time we were here, in August.

We weren't planning on staying long... But we managed to squeeze in a few of our favorite Kingston things...

Like enjoy the scenery...

Eat homemade White Mountain ice cream...

And attend a hockey game...

(Mississagua and Kingston were playing...)

On Saturday, before leaving for Toronto, we wandered over to the Farmers Market.

It's open until November.

Kingston - a beautiful city any time of the year!

Flowers Still in Bloom

These days, my eyes are drawn to colorful trees, rather than  flowers...

They are magnificent...

Especially in the early morning light!

But there are still a few flowers in the garden. Most noticeable are the red Sedum.

I bought these yellow perennials at a plant sale at my mother's nursing home in spring. I hope they survive the winter to bloom again next fall. I've forgotten what they're called!

The knautia has been blooming for several months.

A few brown-eyed Susans remain to brighten the yard.

And here and there a few coreopsis are still in bloom.

But the longest-blooming flowers in our yard are these low-lying mauve geraniums. I've fallen in love with them... They spread a bit, and every year I transplant a few in different parts of the yard. Not many perennials last all summer long.

First Frost

Two nights ago we had our first frost...

In the morning, I noticed that black roofs around us were grey...

And our red sedum flowers had a frosting of white crystals...

But surprisingly, the nearby flowers in the planters appeared untouched!

Weather - and its effects - is something I really don't understand!