….three sisters now and siblings then
Me and my two sisters with Dad in 2019 just before COVID.
Thursday Trios #14 – Then and Now
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Category Archives: Family
An Unexpected Collection of Birdhouses
….on our walk this past week we came across this colourful collection hanging from the trees along the edge of the creek
Early into our walk I notice a flash of colour up ahead and as we got closer we noticed dozens of brightly painted birdhouses hanging from some of the smaller trees next to the creek. You could tell that a few were done by adults but the majority had to be done by children. I figured that some enterprising class from one of the neighbourhood schools did this as a spring project to beautify the neighbourhood and provide nesting areas for some of the smaller birds.
I was so impressed with these tiny feeders and birdhouses that I promptly went to the dollar store to buy some for my granddaughter. I also bought some small clear containers which I filled with craft paint and a variety of paint brushes. At home I put a prime coat of white paint on two of the houses and then packed everything into a gift bag. On Saturday we did a drive by visit in Hamilton to drop off our Easter candy and this special bag. Winnie was so excited that she wanted to start painting right away. When we got home her mom sent us photos of the ‘finished’ projects. I’m not sure if she’s going to add more detail but she’s pretty pleased with the way they’ve turned out.
Last on the Card March 2021
…thanks to Bushboys World for hosting https://bushboy.blog/2021/04/01/last-on-the-card-march-2021/
The last photograph on my Lumix Panasonic is of our dog Frances sunning herself on our deck on March 31st.
On my iPhone the last photos in March are ones that were sent via WhatsApp and landed in my Photos page. These two are my daughter-in-law and granddaughter, Sevin. In the second shot you can see the new shiner that Sevin is sporting. She’s just learning to walk and she took a tumble and fell on the edge of a chair.
The last photo that I took on my iPhone is just before I got back in the car after our hike along the Etobicoke Creek on Tuesday.
Art in my Sketchbook – Part 1
…I haven’t posted any art for awhile
I haven’t worked on any large pieces lately. My focus has been mainly on drawing in my sketchbook. I signed up for two classes. One was with Lewis Rossignol called
Sketchbooking and the other is a two week class with Karen Abend called Sketchbook Revival. The latter is a free set of classes with 27 artists that each give a lesson that takes about 30 minutes. Sketchbook Revival is free and you can still sign up. https://www.karenabend.com/sketchbook-revival-2021/
Lewis’s focus is on being loose and not too precious with your sketchbooks. In fact he encourages you to mess up your pages a bit so that it is easier to start drawing. He likes to work in ink, pen, and pencil and he uses collage to add interest and balance.
Here are a few of the sketches that I did after watching his lessons.
I will post my art from Day 1 of Sketchbook Revival in a post tomorrow.
Has Winter Left Us for Good?
….I can only hope but I’m not holding my breath
The last 10 days have been glorious. It started last week when we travelled to Niagara Falls for the day and the temperature rose to 20 degrees celsius. That practically t-shirt weather. I’ve seen signs of an early spring almost every day but in between we’ve had a few chilly days. Here are a few sure signs that spring isn’t far off.
People wearing shorts and t-shirts, enjoying the sun in the park, drinking coffee outside, daffodils in the markets, children playing in the park, wildflowers popping up through the brown leaves, beaver activity and grass turning green.
I’m Losing Track of the Days – Here’s Wednesday’s Wacky Bird
….on Thursday with a bonus bird for Winnie
Some days I don’t even get out of my pyjamas until noon and I don’t get moving until dinner time. I’m not depressed but I am under a lot of stress. Our daughter and her husband are looking for a house and the buying market is absolutely crazy. I’m not talking about just Toronto but north, east and west of the city the bids are going $100 000 to $175 000 above the asking price. How young people can afford to buy a house these days is beyond me.
I digress. This post is suppose to be about Kevin’s wacky bird for Wednesday. I know it’s Thursday but I think I felt compelled to tell you why I’m so late. This is Armchair Bird.
Earlier in the week, Winnie was down in the dumps. Her mother told us that even the most random thoughts would make her cry. On Tuesday she started to cry when she found out that Pluto is not considered a planet. I know it’s old news but she’s only five. To cheer her up she requested that her papa draw her a bird that looked like a parrot and that it be called Bonkers. So here is Bonkers the Parrot. By the way, it did the trick.
Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge – Steps or Ladders
…thanks to Cee for hosting CBWC challenge, https://ceenphotography.com/2021/02/18/cbwc-steps-or-ladders/
Thursday Trios – February 18, 2021-#8
….if you have photos of anything with three people or three things why not join the fun
This week I’m posting a photo of my great grandmother and her two older sisters. I suspect that this photo was taken in the late 1800s or early 1900s. My great grandmother was married in 1902.
If you’d like to join the challenge, simply copy my link and paste it into your post. Have fun.
A Photo a Week Challenge – Something New
….first time I’ve been snowshoeing in the city with my daughter
It was a spectacular day. The sun was shining and the snow was still relatively fresh from yesterday’s snowfall. It was cold but there was little wind. The conditions were ideal for snowshoeing.
I have to say that this activity uses different muscles than mere walking or running. After two hours of traipsing through the snow we could really feel it in our hips.
Thanks to Nancy Merrill for hosting this challenge: https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2021/02/15/a-photo-a-week-challenge-something-new-3/
Tuesday Photo Challenge – All You Need is Love
….thanks to Frank from Dutch Goes the Photo for hosting the Tuesday Photo Challenge https://dutchgoesthephoto.net/2021/01/26/tuesday-photo-challenge-all-you-need-is-love/
I love the theme this week. Love does make the world go round. What do you love? Here are some of the things that come to mind for me.
Being surrounded by water year round.
My husband and how he makes me laugh and for all the wonderful meals he cooks for me.
My family and the joy they bring from near and far.
For some reason the photos I have of my sister who lives in Calgary would not allow me to post them. I miss her terribly.
I also love to walk in nature, take photographs and make art.
Mama Cormier 