RDP – Monday – Soil

thanks to RDP for this unusual daily prompt https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2022/09/12/rdp-monday-soil/

Have you ever ordered soil for the garden and then later in the season when nothing is growing you wonder what on earth you were sent. I even gave some of that bag of soil away to the neighbours because it was more than I needed and they discovered the same problem. The soil became hard and clumpy and very little grew where it had been placed. I’ll never order from that garden centre again. They just ignored my complaint.

C4695-E97-2-BC7-4066-A546-3-D9052-E110-EA
Prepping the garden beds
4423-C37-F-8-A63-49-E9-8-BAC-BECD92-BFF50-D
A promising bag of premium soil?????
CCC29310-A3-D4-4-D86-BA1-A-E3809-B430666
Compacted soil at the cottage
97051220-4-E0-F-40-F0-85-B1-95-A2-E287-F694
Is sand considered soil?
9-BC9-B2-ED-79-A9-4-AB5-BB72-D2-D3-F2-E53-EBD
A layer of leave over the soil….a promise of a rich compost in the spring

Which Way Photo Challenge – Sept. 9, 2022

thanks to San for hosting the Which Way Photo Challenge https://aliveandtrekking.com/2022/09/09/which-way-photo-challenge-september-9/

These photos were taken on our way to the subway station from my daughter’s house. Lots of pathways, stairs and bridges.

ED4310-BA-07-A0-477-C-87-E4-68-EF43-A10-A01
1-B947-B44-C623-44-D3-932-B-910-F64013986
C7-CF167-B-637-D-4-E7-B-8112-CCA09-B9-A7-BEB
165-F967-A-C2-E0-4429-B6-AD-88-E3901-D96-F7
E0-D9-E8-E1-7-C5-C-47-AE-A37-E-FAF76-B0-C5641

I’m a Fan of…..Unusual Chairs

…..thanks to Jez for hosting I’m a fan of…..https://jezbraithwaite.blog/2022/09/05/footbridges-fan-of-172/

All these chairs were on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum where are son works as a curator in the 20th and 21st Century Design Department.

25066-CBA-4-AEC-46-F6-B3-F9-EDB878-F89-C88
DB34-E85-E-D4-E6-454-B-8504-255-B79265508
C41-B00-B7-2-F35-4-ECF-AE91-929383896-A75
E408-EB3-F-CC50-479-C-A0-F1-CDE133-EA4635
C5-B118-BD-B8-C7-441-B-8-C47-E4-B4697-C275-D
7356-D3-D5-23-AF-4-F96-9-CF5-2-E93-B9-D1037-C

Do you have a favourite?

Thursday Trios – September 8, 2022

join the fun and post your own trios

411-B4151-7-F50-481-D-BF18-449-A6-E37921-F
A trio of plywood pumpkins for a photo opt
EEAAA066-32-DD-4-C3-F-A8-FF-2-A30580-F7-A29
A trio of rosehips

If you have a photo or two of trios you’d like to share, just copy my link and paste it into your post and I’ll be sure to leave you a comment.

The Simple Things in Life

….are often free or cost very little

My granddaughter and daughter are leaving today and flying back to New Brunswick. We’ve had a wonderful time going to the CNE, buying new clothes for school and Gaelan and I went to the theatre to see the show, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. All of these things were fun to do but when I asked Winnie what her favourite activity was, she said she loved swimming in the city pool and my neighbour’s pool. She also enjoyed our picnic lunch in High Park, walking through the High Park Zoo and climbing on the huge tree stump in the park. Twice she was treated to ice-cream from the ice-cream truck, once from me and then again from her aunt Andrea. You can see from the look on her face how special that was.

57-D3-BA2-D-4706-49-E7-B31-E-D5368-CDDB28-E
2-FEB9-CFE-D74-D-4-C86-B727-215-E0-FBED147
E839-F858-A4-FF-420-D-B37-F-D4-B577-E56-B44
C5880399-D9-FD-48-F5-9712-1-D469879-C87-F
9449929-F-3-F53-490-C-A90-A-E6487-FD98-F22
The Infamous Capybara
869289-C8-7-B80-45-F3-9525-E07292-BB3-E7-C
A31402-E4-664-C-46-CC-A8-B3-1-BF01-BC9-A1-E8
7-E9-F31-D6-5617-4-F44-893-E-2636626-CB2-DE
7-E7-B9-B45-9-FB5-416-A-A07-C-E68-E033244-B0
Standing inside the hollowed out trunk

Miss you already, Winnie! Love Oma

Back to School Shopping

….a quick trip to Marshall’s for back to school clothes

Winnie and her Mom are spending the last week of summer with us before heading back to New Brunswick and the beginning of the new school year. Of course this meant that a trip to the store for new clothes was a must. Believe it or not Winnie was a bit hesitant about buying new clothing but once we started trying on outfits, almost everything she tried was on the ‘Buy’ list. Here is what we left the store with.

36-F65-A2-C-5184-498-C-A347-F921-BFD2518-E
First Day Outfit
F67-DACD8-90-AA-42-D1-AF5-F-DADCF89-B3172
This outfit will already need washing before she wears it to school
8-C48-EC0-D-C3-BD-4-AED-8-B87-8213-C39-A1-BEF
Crazy poses from here on in…..
F8299-A06-8-D94-4-F22-A8-AB-2-AAE2-FF9498-B
D9970949-5552-4-BBB-A13-E-87-D546-DF6552
75365-DE2-CDE7-436-D-BF90-BF83-A8-D19-E75
51-F4-B989-6-C43-464-D-96-B0-AC3550865-CFC
Hard to believe she’s still six when she looks like she’s going on 12

For what I paid for these 7 outfits plus new running shoes I could have paid the same amount for one outfit at Sherway Gardens. Thank you Marshall’s. We also made a side trip to Staples where her Mom bought her a new book bag and a pen and pencil.

A Day at the CNE With my Girls

….it’s been three years since the last visit to the Exhibition

We were all excited to be going back to the CNE. For the last two years the Canadian National Exhibition was closed due to COVID.

Having my granddaughter, who is now six, with us made the day extra special. We started the afternoon in the Kids’ Amusement area. Winnie played a fishing game which guarantees a prize for all. Even though she ‘won’ the smallest prize she was delighted. She was very independent and went on several rides and fun houses on her own but on the kids’ rollercoaster she was escorted by her aunt Andrea.

9-AF7-B774-B7-A4-4711-B751-E1-A3-D9-B79-D0-E
5-A726-C29-8654-437-F-AD61-B108-F9-AE5-E4-C
0-DF755-BE-0736-4-F17-96-E0-E6-FA2-E6-BF804
402-C9622-DEEA-4-B05-A944-385-B0-DBA49-A3
D1-DC1-A8-D-2797-4-D50-8-B51-31-B0-CB71-C9-B1
073-B095-C-CB13-403-F-9774-EDA39087-D6-A3
4893156-D-8355-4-A1-C-B4-BD-777038-F88765
C06-A485-A-880-F-4536-AEED-2-E0-B72-DF3-BBC
3450383-B-8-E43-4866-8-AA3-D7-BF27-ECDAB8

There was one ride in the Kids section that Winnie really wanted me to go on with her. It was called the Raptor Run and it basically went around in circles but the cars went in circles as well and the platform tilted up and down. It was fun and I screamed like a little kid. Just when I thought it was over it changed directions and kept going.

F25647-D1-BD2-F-45-FA-817-D-823-EA3-D09-BC6
7-CBE1-E78-84-B9-4-ECC-986-F-AA84-DCB53-FF9
1-B097763-762-F-446-F-8593-299245-CC5551

We decided to save a few more rides for later so we headed over to the Food Building and the Midway. Andrea had a corndog and the rest of us shared a large chicken and chips basket. Winnie wanted to go on some of the adult rides but for many of them she was too short but she was okay to go on the Tornado. Again she wanted me, her Oma to go on the ride with her. I convinced Andrea to join us but Winnie’s Mom refused. I’m glad Andrea joined us because the cars were high off the ground and I needed a hand to get into my seat. This ride was similar to the Raptor Run but it flew through the air. What I won’t do for my granddaughter!!!!

5467-B05-E-3279-4109-A87-B-961-CF19985-A0

Of course I can’t go to the CNE without playing some midway games. One of the big differences this year wasn’t the type of game that was offered (they were pretty much the same as other years) it was the price. Many of the games were $10.00 a pop. We were very selective as to which games we played.

A must every time we go is the Birthday Game. We found one that was only $2.00 to play. Andrea, Winnie and I all played the first game and guess who won?. Winnie of course. She was delighted. Then we went to Whack-a-Mole. We love this game but the competition was very intimidating. One of the guys offered us his spot but I thanked him and declined because I knew I couldn’t win against these young guys. Turns out the this same fellow won and he turned to Winnie and asked her what she wanted. She was shocked and we were surprised. She chose a blue Sloth and we thanked him profusely. What a nice guy.

578-DAF7-E-4879-4577-93-BA-AE50-D5-CA8-DDB
265-A7053-702-F-4-E28-A86-A-BD68-FB834-AF2

I always like the water pistol game where you aim at a target and the first toy to reach the top wins. This time Andrea and I were the only players, so again Winnie won another prize, a sparkly blue dragon. What a day.

DD269092-BE95-4856-AC11-1-B709-C9491-B4
5381767-E-6-AB5-4-FF0-BC3-C-68259-FDFFE63

Thursday Trios from my Daughter’s House

yesterday I had dinner with my daughters and granddaughter

5-FC79420-2-E0-C-406-C-8-D06-32-F8-FE4312-E7
72852090-9031-40-DA-B88-B-4-E138-AC194-FF
7344-C36-E-8302-47-B7-8317-6267-B41162-BB
60922-F94-6734-4565-BC4-F-BC7-C0-B8-A60-A6
D1-C24113-274-C-461-B-8-BC9-EBD7936-C9-E27
D724301-C-848-F-4-A65-9-D14-486-AF1-B2-F1-E3

If you have some trios to share be sure to copy my link and paste it into your post. I’ll be sure to get back to you with a comment.

Seventy Years and Counting

I can’t believe that I turned 70 yesterday

I don’t feel a day over 50, until I put out my back lifting a towel out of the laundry basket or wrenching my wrist trying to collapse some cardboard packing materials. That said, I’ve recovered relatively quickly and had a great day at my special birthday party in the garden yesterday. I’m always happiest when I’m surrounded by friends and family and 35 of them showed up.

The weather was absolutely beautiful, if not a tad too warm but when the shade came over the deck and patio, sitting outside was very comfortable. I was showered with love, cards, wine and flowers. There was lots of food and drink and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

For the rest of the week I’m spending time with my daughter and granddaughter before they return to New Brunswick and to get my birthday present from them I have to visit them in Moncton to use my gift ( a day at a Nordic Spa). I see a flight in the near future.

Thanks to my husband for my new patio furniture and thanks to Andrea for helping me put it together so that we could enjoy it at the party.

DC813-A36-0-F50-4-B6-B-B4-B6-659-EC6-E88114
9-CD3-AAEC-DEC8-488-B-99-E2-A5091182-B885
EA08-BCAA-8-E42-4374-8669-28-C85-D4-BB09-D
7482-A3-E5-64-D7-4-F7-E-B4-A8-F2378-D14585-F
C2-BF8-AB6-948-B-46-F7-A78-C-71378-DBC0774
4-C9-D09-BC-FECD-424-E-B616-640-CF32-C2-F0-B
03397-EA8-FAEF-49-CD-9-AAE-0-D702-A473-C94
F30-EF053-AC29-4-EF4-AD23-E923-E500-FE9-B
B788095-F-769-F-4-ACC-94-BA-156-C4219-E48-B
86-C1129-A-5195-45-A8-B788-A68442-E97689
03-A99-CBB-6-E67-46-B8-857-E-9-AD3-FFA4-B57-A
B65-A608-F-4-BBA-4-E7-E-B997-ACC927-FEEFA9