Happy Victoria Day

Posted on May 20, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….to all my fellow Canadians

As far as long weekends go this one was pretty uneventful. Daughter number two went up to the camp to continue cleaning out their cabin that they’ll be living in this summer but they only stayed one night. The black flies are pretty bad this time of year and it was cold.

On Saturday I got some gardening down and cleaned out part of a flower bed and trimmed back the Rose of Sharon and the ornamental grass. Even though it was warm enough to garden without a jacket it wasn’t warm enough to sit outside without a jacket to enjoy a cup of coffee.

On Sunday daughter number one and our daughter-in-law came over to drop off their dog, Olive so that they could camping in a yurt up in Tobermory. While they were there my husband felt well enough to make a fabulous dinner that he had seen on Jamie Oliver’s show, Dinner in 30 Minutes. This is a photo of the salad he made with fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, roasted peaches, olives and salad greens.

Olive seemed to settle in quite nicely and she certainly made herself right at home when her mommies left. Unfortunately night time was a bit rough and I ended up sleeping on the couch with her until 4:30 in the morning and then my husband took over.

Today started out promising but the winds picked up and the temperatures were well below normal. Later in the day I bundled up and took the dogs for two separate walks. Frances would only let me take her around the block but Olive went five times as far. We ended up in Col. Sam Smith Park. The water levels are still high and one of the pathways was completely under water.

No sunburn or tanning this long weekend but the good news is that I walked over 13000 steps today. How was everyone else’s weekend.?

What a Difference a Week Makes

Posted on April 29, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….from isolation to a crowd

Last week I posted a story about people who live in a ‘bubble’ in their boats all winter long here in Toronto. This week when I walked by the bubbles were gone and the docks were overflowing with activity.

Last Week

Yesterday

When Spring Can’t Come Soon Enough

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Mama Cormier

….take a trip to a greenhouse, Botanical Garden Centre or take in the Canada Blooms Show

On Sunday, it had warmed up slightly but the sky was grey and dreary and it rained off and on. Not a nice day to walk outside but it was warm and fragrant in the Enercare Centre at the CNE where the Canada Blooms show was up and running. Going on the weekend is probably not the best time to go (parking is more expensive and I had to park in one of the satellite lots). It certainly wasn’t a cheap outing, even with the senior’s rate but being able to walk around and see all those beautiful blooms and get some ideas for landscaping my backyard was well worth the money.

Bringing Home the Tree

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Mama Cormier

…..a tradition that happens sporadically

Is it a tradition if you don’t do it every year?

This year we decided as a family to cut down our Christmas trees. We’ve done it in the past and always get a lot of joy out of it. Two years ago there was a ton of snow on the ground and this year there was next to nothing. Nonetheless we had a lot of fun and I discovered a new landmark that I didn’t know existed.

The tree farm we used this year was a smaller place, owned by an older couple. There were no sleigh rides or wagons, hot cocoa or tree balers. It didn’t matter though because we were able to walk through the grounds at our own pace and not worry about hoards of people all eyeing the same tree. The dogs were also allowed to run freely. We just had to make sure that they didn’t wander off because there are coyotes in the area.

I don’t think the place even had a name. We just looked for the signs directing us to ‘Cut Your Own Christmas Tree’. From Toronto we drove westbound along the QEW and Hyw. 403 until we reached Hwy. 6 going north. From there we drove till we hit concession road #6 and went east. Luckily we had our daughter, Gaelan on the phone and she directed us onto the property.

In the next post I’ll describe the surprising landmark that we discovered while out ‘hunting’ for the perfect Christmas tree.

Silent Sunday – December 9, 2018

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The One of a Kind Show 2018

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Mama Cormier

…on the last day I ventured on my own to the show

I like to attend the One of a Kind Show every year but last year I missed it and I was desperate to go this year. I didn’t really want to go on my own but my family and friends were all busy or not interested or went on a day that I couldn’t do.

On Sunday I decided to go on my own and I quite enjoyed the experience. I was able to go at my own pace and take my time at booths that I found particularly interesting. I was able to speak to a number of the vendors and I actually got some Christmas shopping done. Here are a few photos of some of the amazing crafts made by very talented artists.