A Cool and Blustery Day

Posted on May 18, 2020 by Mama Cormier

….but the fight against litter continues

Originally we had decided that it would be too wet today to go trash hunting but there was a pause in the rain this morning so Trish and I decided to go and collect a few more bags of litter before the rain started up again. We went back to the park on Third Street where we’ve already been twice to clean up.

One thing that we’ve discovered is that a lot of garbage comes directly from the cars that are parked along the street. Instead of opening the door and walking 20 steps to the closest garbage can they simple toss their garbage next to the curb. We also noticed that someone who likes high end beer simple left six empty bottles among the rocks. Luckily none of them were broken but it would only have been a matter of time.

I think this is what you call ‘jumping for joy’ when the job was done for the day.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – A Sense of Tasting

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Mama Cormier

…thanks to Cee for hosting The Fun Foto Challenge

Is anyone else as obsessed with food as I am during COVID-19? I suspect that most of us are if all the posts and Tweets and Facebook entries are any indication. We all started with a fetish for baking bread and then buying yeast and flour became a challenge. When we discovered that we could still buy bread and our waistlines were beginning to expand we backed off the bread baking craze for awhile (fresh baked bread is so much more tempting than store bought).

Many people were more concerned with having enough alcohol in the house. We’re not huge drinkers but I have to admit that I bought into the need for wine at the beginning and braved going out to buy several bottles. I wasn’t comfortable going into such a busy place even though the distancing rules were being followed. I wiped down all the bottles as soon as I got home.

Now that the those bottles are long gone I decided to try and order wine on line from two of our local wineries and my husband ordered beer from a local craft brewery. Both arrived within days and much faster than our grocery orders.

One way to combat boredom is to try and make our meals more interesting. My husband is the cook and I’m the baker. I haven’t done a lot of baking but I’m itching to do more. On the other hand my husband has made some fabulous meals during all of this. Here are just a few.

Clean-up in Aisle 9

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Mama Cormier

…actually the clean-up has been in our local parks

Two weeks ago my neighbour, Trish, decided to give herself a 30 day challenge and go out daily (weather permitting) and pick up trash in our parks. When I found out what she was doing I decided to join her on her Day 3. For the last 10 days we’ve been out together, grocery bags in hand, and have been picking up litter from our beautiful parks.

We are very lucky where we live because we are surrounded by parks and parkettes. So far we’ve tackled six different areas. Some of the parks are so large we’ve had to go back a couple of times and one park is so big that we have enough work for the remainder of the challenge.

Much of the litter is trash that has fallen from people’s pockets and from the garbage cans on collection day and then picked up by the wind. Most of what we find is hidden under shrubs and trees and between the rocks on the shoreline. Unfortunately a lot is the result of people being too lazy to walk a hundred feet to one of the multiple garbage containers set out all over the parks.

We’re finding a lot of plastic bags, take-out containers, coffee cups, pop and beer cans and lots of cigarette butts and disposable lighters. Close to building sites styrofoam is our number one find. Our most unusual finds have been chairs, a bicycle lock and a broken umbrella.

The nice part of doing this is that we’re meeting a lot of the people in our neighbourhood. They are all very appreciative. Some of them have been inspired to do the same thing and take a bag with them on their daily walks. On my first day one of them called us over and left us each a bag of homemade cookies on the edge of their porch. While doing this of course we’re doing our best to stay 2 metres apart. In the first photo Trish is with her daughter and they live in the same house.

Here are some of the photos taken on Days 1 to 10 for me. Trish just finished day 12. Looks like we may take a break today. It’s pouring rain.

In Search of Food

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Mama Cormier

….our presence brought them closer than I expected

Normally the geese and ducks at the pond swim away when I try to get closer to them for a good photo but today they came right up to the water’s edge and reached over as if they were expecting us to feed them. Judging by the number of empty plastic bread bags that were lying around I suspect that’s exactly what they were looking for.

Despite signs posted in the park not to feed the water foul bread the public does it anyway. Bread is not a natural food source for ducks, geese and swans and I’m sure that a diet with too much gluten is harmful for these beautiful birds.

New Flower (May 13, 2020) – White and Pink Ranuculus

Image

Sunday Trees – 443

Posted on May 10, 2020 by Mama Cormier

…thanks to Becca Givens for hosting Sunday Trees

New Flower (May 10, 2020) – Happy Mother’s Day Bouquet

Posted on May 10, 2020 by Mama Cormier

….my family surprised me with beautiful bouquet

Photo a Week Challenge – Fleeting

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Nancy Merrill for hosting A Photo a Week Challenge

Fleeting

fleet·ing

/ˈflēdiNG/

adjective

“hoping to get a fleeting glimpse of a whale underwater”

Similar: brief, transient, short-lived, momentary, sudden, cursory, transitory

Children grow up so quickly. A newborn quickly transitions from a helpless babe in your arms to an infant trying to push herself up and learning to express herself vocally. These are all the steps that I’m missing because of COVID-19. Thank goodness for the digital world where I can witness these things second hand.

Yesterday for a fleeting moment we saw our oldest granddaughter from a safe distance in front of their home in Hamilton. We were able to finally deliver her Easter gifts. Later in the day her mom sent us a photo of her enjoying her gifts.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Sense of Hearing

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Mama Cormier

…thanks to Cee for hosting the Fun Foto Challenge

I guess photos with this theme should evoke a sound in the imagination. Here’s what I came up with.

The sound of rushing water

…a crackling fire

….the crunch of snow underfoot

….the crash of waves

….a child’s laugh

….quacking and honking of water fowl

Art for Winnie

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Mama Cormier

….still trying to send mail to our granddaughter

Before Easter our daughter put out a request to the family to send snail mail to Winnie. She was missing her friends and family and getting mail addressed to her might cheer her up. To date we’ve sent four envelopes stuffed with art and ideas to make art, stickers and other little surprises. So far three of the envelopes have been delivered.

We knew that we had to make a trip to Hamilton this week so I started making a paper doll house that came with a doll, furniture, dishes, a rug and a kettle. I ordered it on-line from an artist who was giving the templates away for free. I had so much fun putting it together and before I knew it I started to add more features, like a tree, a pathway, a wall in the backyard, and a outdoor lounging chair.