Monthly Archives: May 2013

More Awards – Thank you

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….when it rains it pours

Thank you to Across the Bored for nominating me for the following three awards:

The Versatile Blogger Award Rules:

  • Thank the person who gave you this award – of course!
  • Include a link to their blog – done!
  • Select and nominate for the Versatile Blogger Award 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly – see below
  • Finally, tell the person who nominated you (and the rest of the world) 7 things about yourself – this is always challenging

Awarding the people who live in the moment
The noble who write and capture the best in life
The bold who reminded us what really mattered
Savoring the experience of quality time

A lovely thought to carry forward and The Best Moment Award Rules are quite simple:

  • Re-post the badge and acknowledgement completely with an acceptance speech (either a video or written post) – done!
  • Pass the award on to 15 other bloggers worthy of the award – these will be the same 15 as the VBA
  • Notify them of the great news -the wonders of the link never cease to amaze…

And last but not least:sunshine-blog-award

The Sunshine Award Rules:

  • Include the award logo in your post or on your blog – of course!
  • Answer 10 questions about yourself (use the ones below or make up your own) – we will fudge this one a bit
  • Nominate 10 other wonderful bloggers – same as above
  • Let the other nominees know they are nominated and include links to their blog – done!
  • Link the person who nominated you – Across the Bored

As these awards were received as a bouquet I’m following the suggestion made by my friends over at Across the Board and am bundling the rules into a neat little package as well. Below are 7 fun facts about me, 12 questions answered and 15 blogs that I’m  nominating for this wonderful trio:

Seven things that few people know about me:

1. I started painting in my late 40s.

2. I wanted to teach high school, got my first job in a middle school and now teach in a junior school.

3. For awhile I contemplated becoming a principal.

4. My favourite team sport to play is volleyball.

5. I love ballroom dancing and took lessons for 13 months.

6. I sang in a choir for 27 years.

7. I never get tired of watching Survivor.

Twelve Questions:

  • What is your favourite Colour? – red
  • What is your favourite Animal? – dogs
  • What is your favourite Number? – 8
  • What is your favourite Drink? – red wine, white wine,
  • What is your favourite Flower? – Gerbera and sunflowers
  • What is your favourite Day? – Saturdays and Christmas Eve
  • Who is your favourite actor? – Meryl Streep (my husband hates her)
  • What was your favorite vacation?– Amsterdam and Rotterdam
  • What is your favourite physical activity? – walking/running
  • What is your Passion? – Art
  • What is your favourite summer activity? – going to my cottage
  • Giving or getting presents – both!

Fifteen blogs that I’m nominating for this trio of awards:

Rosemarie in Europe

Jings and Things

A Fat Man’s Journal

Leanne Nalani

Anne Sturetucker

Gallivance

Be Creative Mary

Baz – The Landy

Masqua’s Art

Lakshmi Loves to Shop

Our Life in Food

Dietmar over at Flickr Comments

T.K. Morin

Jenna Mule Photography

kbvollmarblog

I know that some of my nominees may not accept accolades although they certainly deserve them. Putting together a page like this took me three days even though I followed the same format as Across the Bored. I encourage my followers to check out the blogs that I nominated and thanks again to Across the Bored for the honour. I’m truly touched and grateful for the nomination.

Cheers!

Everything is Blooming

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…..except my flowering crabapple tree

Tonight I took a quick walk around my neighbourhood to get a few evening shots. At the park, 100 feet from my house, the reflection of the setting sun on the city skyline was spectacular. This is when I wish I had a better camera.ImageImageAs I approached the water I noticed that the swans have returned to our shoreline. Such magnificent birds. There was a bit of a wind tonight and I seemed to have trouble holding the camera still but I got at least one good shot.

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On my little walk I couldn’t help but notice how the shrubs and trees have all of a sudden come to life with colourful blooms. The forsythia shrubs and magnolia trees are an  explosion of yellows, whites and pink. As the cherry blossoms start to whither we are treated to new beauties to enjoy.

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….and then there’s my poor tree. Of course I complain about this every year but because of the proximity to the lake our flowering crabapple tree is always the last to bloom in the neighbourhood. I’m particularly worried this year because in the fall the city came to trim our tree and ended up scalping it beyond recognition. Oh well, here’s hoping for the best.

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We should know in a couple of weeks whether we will be treated with beautiful pink blossoms or not.

Cheers!

The Toronto Marathon, Cherry Blossoms and Road Closures

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….not a good day to be driving

It was another beautiful day. A great day for walking, riding your bike and other modes of transportation. With everything going on in the city, citizens were urged to not drive and to get to venues using public transportation.

My husband and I had to do a little gardening at our daughter’s house while she’s away. We know the city fairly well and we knew how to get to the house using a route that wouldn’t be as impacted by the road closures as some of the main streets. Getting there wasn’t bad but getting home was another story.

I’m not sure why we didn’t take the same route home but we didn’t. I guess we thought that the marathon would be finished but we didn’t count on the mayhem of cars trying to get into High Park to see the cherry blossoms.

Spectators were urged to not drive to High Park. The subway and the streetcar stop at the park. There are bicycle routes that go into the park. On Saturday the parking lots in the park were full by 8:00 in the morning and no one in the parks department thought to open the public washrooms that are situated throughout the park. I guess they normally don’t open until the long weekend in May. Apparently, the washrooms in the one and only restaurant in the park had huge lineups, especially for the women.

As we were driving down Parkside we couldn’t figure out why the right lane was moving so slowly. We moved over to the left lane and soon discovered that cars were lined up to get into the park. If you can see that the line isn’t moving why wouldn’t you use some common sense and change your plans?

I may not see the cherry blossoms, first hand this year but I did discover that there’s a beautiful cherry tree in our neighbourhood and on our walk this morning I took a couple of pictures.

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When we finally got home I decided to do more gardening. It was too beautiful a day to spend indoors. I had already done about two hours of work in the morning, mostly cleaning the beds and pulling weeds. I worked for another two hours in the afternoon. I will probably regret it in the morning but I love the feeling of accomplishment when everything looks so clean and groomed.

I was pleased to see that my perennials are peaking through the soil. Last fall a parent at my school who works at the golf course offered a few of us some plants that she had to thin out. I loaded up the back of my car with some plants that had been cut down but the roots were still intact in a clump of soil. I planted everything in the areas of my garden that were most suitable for each plant.

Here’s my problem. As I look at the new growth coming up from the ground I realize that I have no idea what some of these plants are. I’ve forgotten what I was given. I know I have some ornamental grasses and one plant is a fern but I can’t remember what the rest are.

Here are the plants I’m not sure about.

Do any of you know what I’ve got here? Let me know if you do.

Cheers!

Dinner on the Deck

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…wearing our jackets

After our wonderful lunch today we really didn’t think we’d want dinner but after six hours had passed we were somewhat hungry so we prepared a simple cold cut, cheese and veggie platter.

It had been such a beautiful day we decided to eat on the deck. The only problem is that our deck is on the east side of the house so the sun had long disappeared from the upper portion of the deck. Nonetheless, we donned our jackets and set the little patio table and enjoyed our simple meal with the dog at our feet. When there’s food around we never have to worry about Frances running away.

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How did you enjoy your Saturday? I hope it brought you joy!

Cheers!

Discovering a New Restaurant

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….enjoying a meal with my husband

My husband and I discovered a quaint little restaurant on Eglinton called the Hotel Gelato. As you can probably guess the house specialty is gelato. Today’s menu featured brunch with a variety of egg dishes, French toast, smoked salmon and salads.

I won’t lie I had the French toast made with Challah bread and blueberry preserves. It was yummy and I enjoyed every last bite. I’ll have to go for an extra long walk later today. ImageImageImage

Cherry Blossoms in High Park

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… every year in late April or early May the Sakura trees blossom and 1000s of people visit the park to take in these beautiful flowers.

The first Japanese Cherry Tree was planted here in 1959. On April 1, 1959, Japanese ambassador to Canada, Toru-Hagiwara, presented 2000 Japanese Somei-Yoshino Sakurathe on behalf of the citizens of Tokyo, Japan as a gift to the citizens of Toronto for their support of Japanese-Canadian refugees after the Second World War.

Today my husband rode his bicycle to his hospital appointment and on his way home he made a side trip to High Park. According to reports, 80% of the trees have bloomed. Here are a few pictures that he took.

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I’m hoping that I can make a trip to the park tomorrow and see the blossoms for myself. Apparently the crowds are quite something and taking your car to the park is highly discouraged. I’m planning on riding my bike. It looks like another beautiful weekend.

Cheers!

A Day Filled With Music

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….I was introduced to the music of James Ehnes

My good friend, D, took me as her guest to the final concert of the WMCT’s Music in the Afternoon 2012-2013 series. It was a special concert, held at Koerner Hall, featuring baritone Russell Braun, accompanied by his wife, pianist Carolyn Maule and violinist James Ehnes. The two men are past recipients of scholarship and career development awards presented to them by the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto, an organization that has supported world class chamber music in the city for 115 years.

I leave you with a caprice played by James Ehnes. Many consider this Canadian treasure to be one of the best violinists in the world. Listen and see if you agree. His playing awed me today. I met him after the concert and bought one of his CDs. IMGP0056

From Winter Straight into Summer

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….we’ve bypassed spring

I love the spring green that pops from the trees as the leaves start to unfold. It was a glorious day. Sunny and hot….well it feels hot after the freezing temperatures we had earlier in the week. The cherry blossoms should be in full bloom in the next day or so and I’m looking forward to making a trip to High Park to snap a few pictures.

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Philosopher's Walk between Koerner Hall and the ROM (museum)

Philosopher’s Walk between Koerner Hall and the ROM (museum)

As you can see from the photo above people are walking around in short sleeves and shorts. The photo was taken from the balcony on the south side of Koerner Hall. If the concert I went to wasn’t so fantastic I would have regretted being indoors on such a beautiful day. I’ll post about the concert after my pottery class tonight. I’m off!

Cheers!

Thank you!

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…. I reached 300 followers

I reached all my goals before the end of April with your help.

Where do I go from here? Here’s what I’m thinking:

150 likes for one post (114 for https://mamacormier.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/a-word-a-week-photograph-challenge-blue/)

200 views for one day (currently sitting at 159)

600 followers one year from today

30 000 views one year from today

300 new posts in the next year

I’m a big believer in setting realistic goals. Looking forward to my second year of blogging and meeting many new friends, worldwide. What are some of your goals?

Cheers!