….from the shores of Lake Ontario on the west side of Toronto we were blessed with a beautiful harvest moon.
Full Moon Over Lake Ontario – Sept. 16, 2016
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Category Archives: Toronto
WPC – Edge
…..this week’s challenge is to capture a scene with an ‘edge’
Sunday Trees – 240
….a little late
Taken a few weeks ago when the leaves were first coming in. For more Sunday Trees check out Becca Givens’ blog.
Sunday Trees – 236
….thanks Becca for hosting Sunday Trees
The neighbourhood is bursting with colour as the blossoming trees produce their vibrant pinks, reds and purples.
The 50 Mile Coat
…last weekend I attended the closing day of the EHS Inspires show at the Neilson Park Creative Centre where the 50 mile coat had been completed and was on display
A good friend of mine is a member of the Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners Guild. They recently undertook an enormous project that took 800 hours to complete. They designed and hand made a coat that used materials that were accessed within a 50 mile radius of the the studio where the materials where assembled and put together.
It started with the shearing of the wool from sheep in Pelham. The wool was then cleaned and carded and spun by hand into yarn. I don’t remember the numbers but there were several spinning wheels at the centre where members took turns spinning the wool into yarn. Neilson Park is in the middle of a naturalized park area and ladies of the guild collected plant materials to make natural dyes. One of the plants they used were marigolds. The yarn was dyed and then the loom was set up with the warping threads.
Once enough cloth was woven for the coat, the pattern (designed and made by one of the members) was pinned to the fabric and cut out. The entire coat was hand sewn with thread that was also handmade. The buttons were made from wood that came from another members property and carved into beautiful shapes. My friend made the felted colour for the coat.
I’m sure I haven’t done justice to the long process that was involved in making this coat and I’ve probably missed some steps. Now that the coat is done it is going on tour. I’m not sure where it will end up but it certainly should be in a museum somewhere so that many more people can enjoy it.
The show also featured many other beautiful works of art made by the members of the guild. All the felted pieces featured here were made by my friend ML and the one piece at the top of the gallery of photos she describes as ‘a memory of the colour and textures of the Aran Islands on the west coast of Ireland’.
Sunday Trees – 234
New Flower (May 7, 2016) – Magnolia
….the trees are finally in full bloom
I read today that the cherry trees went straight to leaves, skipping the blossoms that attract huge crowds to the park every year. Thankfully the magnolia trees weren’t affected by the cold temperatures a couple of weeks ago.
Sunday Trees – 233
…thanks to Becca Givens for hosting Sunday Trees
Here in the northern hemisphere (Toronto, Canada) the trees are just beginning to blossom. By next week this magnolia tree should be in full bloom.
Sunday Trees – 230
….check out Becca Givens’ Sunday Trees this week and see if you can see the spirit bear
I took the first photo last Monday and five days later I took another shot of the same tree. How quickly things can change.
Share Your World 2016 -Week 14
….thanks Cee for some great questions this week
If you could hire someone to help you, would it be with cleaning, cooking, or yard work?
Hands down, I’d want someone to help me with the cleaning. I’d love to have someone clean the bathrooms, wash the floors, dust and vacuum. We already have a family of young boys who cut our grass once a week and we love to dabble in the garden. My husband is an excellent cook and he loves cooking for me and for family and friends. I don’t mind cooking either.
What makes you laugh the most?
A good joke, a funny movie and watching my granddaughter feeding herself.
What was your favorite food when you were a child?
I loved food and was definitely not a fussy eater. It may sound odd but I loved creamed spinach and my dad made a tasty spaghetti with ground beef and peas in a brown gravy. When I was about 11 or 12 my mom learned how to make a real spaghetti meat sauce with tomatoes and that quickly became a favourite meal for me. Truth be told I don’t think I had one favourite food. I loved cabbage rolls, chicken a la king, chicken pot pie, homemade burgers, fruit torts with whipped cream, ice cream and most cakes and cookies.
List at least five favorite flowers or plants.
I love the following flowers: sunflowers, tulips, Peruvian lilies, irises, carnations, roses, daisy mums and Gerber daisies.
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
I’m grateful for some beautiful weather last week before winter returned. I enjoyed a wonderful day with the family in Hamilton on the weekend, despite the blizzard we had to drive home in. I’m grateful that I didn’t break any bones when I slipped on the ice when I was going down the concrete steps in front of my house on Monday. Earlier in the day all of the snow on the sidewalks and pathways had melted but there were a few wet patches that froze later in the evening and that’s what caught me by surprise when I took the dog out for one last walk that night. Thank goodness for strong bones and a good amount of padding.
I’m also grateful for the support from my husband on our weight loss journey. He’s lost 10 pounds and I’m down 8 1/2. There are 96 days left before the wedding. If I can lose 1 pound every four days I should be able to lose another 24 pounds but I can’t think that far ahead. One day at a time.
Cheers!
Mama Cormier 