Unglazed Pots

I'm taking a break from pottery this summer, so I brought my unfinished - unglazed - pottery home until I go back. It has been bisque fired to bake all the moisture out.

I'm particularly intrigued by the leaf designs made by pressing wet clay with a large rhubarb leaf.

Not sure what color or colors to glaze them... Or these bowls that I didn't have time to finish either. 

(Well, I don't have to decide for a while!)

Never a Dull Moment!

I was surprised to see heavy machinery at the end of our street the other day...

My first thought - I guess they're preparing to move another house away. (Every year at least one is taken away to create a vacant lot.)

But no! The street was being repaved!

The last time that was done was 1987, one neighbor informed me.







 

They must be doing more than a superficial job - there's even a surveyor involved!

There's never a dull moment, even in our quiet neighborhood.

Off to a REDBLACKS Game!

Ottawa again has a CFL football team - called the Redblacks...

No visit to Ottawa is complete without going to a game...

... dressed in red and black, of course - especially since the newest draft pick (Alex Mateas) is a neighborhood kid!

An article I recently read surprisingly claimed that quite a few Americans also follow the CFL.

Now that I did not know - or expect... and from online comments, I'm not the only one!

Spa Day

One of the more relaxing places in the Ottawa area is the Nordik Spa in Chelsea, Quebec, a short drive from Ottawa.

To go there is to escape from the hectic pace of city living...










 

There are half a dozen pools (both warm and cold) plus saunas, hot tubs, showers...

The idea is to alternate between hot and cold.

There are outdoor rooms where one can sit in silence and rest...

And, of course, hammocks...

... outdoor beds...

... and chairs.

(My goal is to try out every one!)

The bed on ropes (above) is my current favorite!

Every time I go, I wonder why I don't go more often! It's such a restful place to spend a day - even without a massage!

Ottawa Brunch - With Visiting Family

Terry and I often go out for brunch with our kids in Toronto.

Occasionally in summer they visit us, too.











 

Then we discover interesting brunch places in our neighborhood.

Another joy of summer!

Planting Anemones

White anemones are among my favorite early spring flowers. (And they bloom twice - a second time in fall.)

Currently they are in seed...

So I am picking the puffy seeds and lying them on the ground in different parts of the yard.

Hopefully they will bloom next spring... (Or maybe even this fall!)

My Favorite Time of Day

Now that summer is here, my favorite time of day is the early morning...

I sit by an open window as the breeze flows in (before closing the window to keep out the heat of the day).

Sitting there brings back memories of childhood summers on a relative's farm... The air is fresh and cool.

Later I extend the moment by having breakfast outdoors!