…thanks to Cee for hosting PPAC this week https://ceenphotography.com/2021/10/22/ppac-19/
On a trip today to Guelph we ventured over to the Arboretum. It was just underway when I went to school there, some 50 years ago so many of the trees are now very mature. The colours were beautiful but to my surprise there were numerous and interesting statues and sculptures on the grounds. Here are just a few.
….thanks to Cee for hosting PPAC and Sami for hosting Monday Muralhttps://ceenphotography.com/2021/07/23/ppac-photographing-public-art-challenge-6/ https://sami-colourfulworld.blogspot.com/2021/08/monday-mural-canton-bay-restaurant.html
On my walks through the neighbourhood I found more interesting murals in the alleyways behind the stores.
….thanks to Cee for hosting On the Hunt for Joy Challenge
What makes you feel small? Standing under a very tall tree, sitting inside a very large church, looking up at a dinosaur or sitting in an oversized chair?
….thanks Cee for hosting Share Your World
Are you a practical jokester?
I might take part in planning a practical joke but I’m not one to do it on my own. I’m all for a good laugh as long as no one gets hurt or no damage is done to property.
Who cuts your hair? You, a friend, or professional.
I used to cut my children’s and my husband’s hair but I’ve always gone to a professional to get mine done. I’m very loyal when it comes to my hairdressers and I’m devastated when they leave the salon. If I know in advance where they are going I’ve been known to go to the new salon even if it’s out of my way. Of course if they leave the profession I have to find someone new and it can take awhile before I find someone I like.
Did you have a stuffed animal when you were a kid, if so what kind?
I don’t remember having a favourite stuffed animal as a child but my mother told me that I had a beautiful teddy bear. When I asked her what happened to it she said it ended up in the kiddie pool and she threw it away. My mother did that a lot. If we stopped playing with something it went in the trash. She hated clutter. I did have a favourite baby doll that I named Dorothy and I think I had her for quite a long time.
What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.
This past week I went cross country skiing with a friend and her daughter. I had a great time and it felt good to be in the outdoors for such a long time. After two solid hours of skiing we went back to the chalet and had a late lunch. It started to rain so we pulled out a scrabble game and played for about 45 minutes. By that time the rain had subsided so we went for a short walk and then it was time to board the bus and return home.
….thanks Cee for bringing us Share Your World every week
What would be your ideal fantasy way to spend Monday?
In an ideal world I would get up and go for a brisk walk for an hour, take a few photos along the way, come home to a nice hot cup of coffee and a breakfast of bacon and eggs and then settle in with a good book for an hour or so. After that I’d putter in my art studio and work on some sketches or tackle a paint project. This could take an hour or several hours. Later in the afternoon I might go for another walk or get in the car and browse at a few stores. My husband would cook a magnificent dinner (which he does most nights) and settle in for some TV watching afterwards. If there’s nothing on TV I’d probably phone some friends and have a good gab and make plans to get together during the week.
The reality is that the weather has been so cold that my walks have suffered lately. I did finish reading a book yesterday and after dinner I talked to a friend and we made plans to get together on Friday.
What one person that you are out of contact with would you like to say thank you to?
I need to write to my friend Mike from university. Every year we exchange Christmas cards (well he sends me one and I sent one this past Christmas) and when he was in town he used to call us from the airport on his way back home. This year Mike surprised us with a poster that he sent through the mail. It wasn’t just any old random poster; it was one that my husband had designed and silk screened when we were at university together. It was in pretty good shape and we had never saved a copy for ourselves. At the time we all belonged to a theatre group called Curtain Call and every year we wrote and produced a play that we performed for the student body. Thank you Mike for thinking of us and sending this wonderful poster. I’m thinking for having it framed or mounted.
List your favorite toys or games as a kid?
Games
Dolls – a baby doll that you could feed and she would wet herself – I named her Dorothy-my younger sister was more into Barbie dolls
Slinky
Etch A Sketch
Yoyo
Easy Bake Oven – I don’t think I owned one but I had friends who did
What did you appreciate or what made you smile this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.
Last week I helped my neighbour by feeding her cat everyday while she was in the hospital and then on Saturday I picked her up and brought her home. Later that day I also went with my daughter to visit another good friend who’s in a rehab hospital. We sat with his and watched a movie, Mama Mia. He loved it and said so several times. It was a joy to see him so content and I remarked that he was just a romantic at heart. He turned to me and said, “Yes, I really am.”
…..thanks to Cee for hosting Share Your World
Complete this sentence: I’m looking forward to….
….doing more painting and art projects. I’ve been reorganizing my studio space for the last few months and even though I’m still not finished I have started to work on small projects.
What is your favorite comfort snack food?
My favourite comfort food is anything with carbs but I’m not suppose to eat them too often because when I start I can’t stop. My all time favourite comfort food is pasta.
What was one of your first moneymaking jobs (other than babysitting or newspaper delivery)?
I remember working in my parents’ milk store when I was 14. I did that till I was 16. When the store was held up for a second time and I was working that night my parents gave up the milk business and opened a fabric store.
What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.
This past week I spent time with a friend who is going through a tough time. I helped her check out nursing homes for her partner and I consoled her on the phone. It made me realize how quickly life can change and how important it is to live life to the fullest. I also spent time with a couple of other friends. With one we went out for lunch together at a really nice restaurant in a hotel and afterwards we walked downtown and browsed around in a few stores. With the second friend we drove to the mall and had lunch and did some shopping for a gift. Then we went to Costco and did our shopping together. We ran into another friend from our teaching days and quickly got caught up with what was happening in our lives. Each moment with all these friends was special in it’s own way.
On Sunday my sister came to visit with her daughter, son-in-law and her baby grandson. She lives about 3 1/2 hours away and she had to cancel a couple of times after Christmas because of weather. I knew that my husband and I had a funeral to attend on Sunday but I didn’t want my Dad to be disappointed again so I didn’t call her back to let her know we wouldn’t be there. Luckily they arrived before we had to leave so in the end we had a short but sweet visit and my father was able to finally take them out for lunch.
At the funeral we were able to reconnect with some of my husbands cousins, got caught up with up was happening in their lives, learned a few things about the family which we didn’t know and promised each other that we wouldn’t wait for the next funeral to get together.
…thanks to Cee for coming up with new questions for Share Your World
What household chore do you absolutely hate doing?
I really do not like cleaning the bathroom, any bathroom but I don’t like a dirty bathroom, either.
At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
I think I feel most passionate and alive when I’m doing things for other people and when I’m celebrating with friends and family. Last summer I never felt more alive when we travelled to Italy with the family to celebrate our son’s and daughter-in-law’s wedding.
How many times have you moved in the last ten years?
I have not moved once in the last ten years. In fact, I haven’t moved in over 38 years. I have, however, moved my father three times in the last two years.
What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.
This past week I’m grateful for time spent with my friends, Liz and Michele, and my granddaughter, Winnie. I normally travel to Hamilton at least once a week to spend time with my daughter, Gaelan and granddaughter, Winnie. Last week our plans changed slightly and I ended bringing the two of them back to Toronto. We went for a long walk to the library and had dinner together here at the house.
As you know from my recent posts, I made an advent calendar for Winnie and her family. When I picked them up I dropped it off at their house and Gaelan has send me photos of Winnie with some of her gifts. I think it’s been a bit of a challenge for Gaelan to keep Winnie from opening all the gifts in one sitting.
Last week I also spent time with Michele. We met at Sherway Gardens where we did a bit of Christmas shopping together and then I treated Michele to lunch at the Keg to celebrate her birthday that took place earlier in the month. Later in the week, Liz and I drove downtown to the CBC to take part in Sounds of the Season. We lined up to see Tom Power (host of CBC’s Q) and were thrilled to hear Lydia Persaud, Ruth B and Whitehorse perform. After the show we walked over to The Canteen and had a great lunch.
This was also a very important week for our son. The project he has been working on for almost three years has finally come to fruition. In his own words:
Kaboom!!!! 3 years of work, a deep dive into the V&A’s collection of 2.5 million objects, 16 trips to China, working with the dream team of Sam Jacob Studio, with Fraser Muggeridge Studio and Alice Masters, and here it is: A glorious V&A Gallery in Shenzhen, full of strange and wonderful things, materials, and spaces.
….thanks Cee for hosting Share Your World
Would you rather take a 2 week vacation with an organized tour or take a cruise of your choice?
Sometimes I think I would like a two week vacation with an organized tour, especially in an exotic place where I don’t know the language. China and India come to mind. On the other hand, I’m far too spontaneous and I’m somewhat adventurous and I think I’d like to organize some of my itinerary. I see benefits to both ways of travelling.
Did you like swinging as a child? Do you still get excited when you see a swing?
I did like swings but I was wary of going too high. I still get that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I see children soar to the max.
What is the most important thing that you ever learned ? (I bet it’s not something you learned in school)
In my 20s I learned that not everyone will like you and often the reasons are not clear. The hardest part is to except it and get on with your life. Focus on those who love you and don’t try to change for people who don’t.
What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.
Last week I went to a wedding and met up with old friends of the family. When we first came to Canada my parents knew few people but my father’s good friend and his wife, along with their 4 year old son arrived before us. As their family and ours grew we were almost like cousins. Carlo was my godfather and my father was godfather to their third boy. In my family there were three girls and they had four boys. On the weekend the second son’s youngest boy married and we were invited. Everyone still calls my Dad, Onkel Heinz and they were thrilled to be able to finally introduce their children to us. It was so nice to put faces to all the names we’ve heard over the years.
The next day we celebrated my oldest daughter’s birthday. It was actually the day before but because of the wedding we delayed the celebration by a day. We met at Barque’s for brunch and then went back to Andrea’s and Josie’s place for cake.
On Monday my 91 year old father wanted relive some memories of his past by visiting the Royal Winter Fair. As a boy he grew up next to a farm and helped tend to some of the animals. Last year I went there with my youngest daughter, Gaelan and her daughter Winnie who was only one at the time.
It was wonderful seeing the joy my father got out of such a simple excursion. We started off watching the horse jumping competition and then walked through the barns where we saw cattle, sheep and pigs. We strolled amongst the prize winning vegetables and fruits and then we went to the food court and had some lunch.
After a meal of fish and chips we headed towards the President’s Choice Theatre to watch the Super Dogs show. We arrived a bit early so we also took in the Medieval Times presentation. My dad loved both shows and was so impressed that he felt that it should have been televised. I explained to him that the Royal wants you to go there. If it was on TV people wouldn’t need to attend.
…..thanks Cee for hosting Share Your World
What do you consider is the most perfect food for you? (It can be your favorite food to something extremely healthy.)
My most perfect food would have to be grilled salmon and oven roasted vegetables. Not only is it healthy but it is also one of my favourite meals. For comfort food I would go with homemade macaroni and cheese but I tend to eat too much of it and any health benefits go right out the window.
Are you focused on today or tomorrow?
Since tomorrow never comes I’d have to say I tend to focus on today. That’s not to say that I don’t think about tomorrow but if I focused on it all the time I’d never get anything done.
If you could interview one of your great-great-great grandparents, who would it be (if you know their name) and what would you ask?
My great-great grandparents were born between 1828 and 1838 and died between 1908 and 1917. After more research I discovered the names of 8 great-great-great-grandparents. These were only the ancestors on my grandmother’s side. I know very little about my grandfather. These ancestors lived from 1789 to 1895.
I’m very fortunate to have photographs of my great-great-grandparents and I found one photo of my great-great-great-grandmother Karoline (nee Witte) Mewes. Karoline was born in 1814 and died 1895. The photo I have of her is with her adult son Walter Mewes (born 1840 and died 1917). It appears to have been taken when Walter was in his 30s or 40s. I’m assuming the family had money by how well they were dressed and the number of professional photos they had taken of the family. Walter was a very distinguished looking man, always with a cigar in hand. His mother, Karoline appears quite stern and dressed in somber dark clothes. She bore 6 children.
If I could interview Karoline I would ask her about her past and if she had help raising her six children. I would also ask her if she ever had any desire to have a career.
What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.
This past week I appreciate being able to get six family members together to celebrate their birthdays which all take place from Oct. 2nd to Oct. 17th. The birthdays span 89 years; the oldest being my father who turned 91 and my granddaughter who is two later this week. The other birthdays include my husband, my cousin, my son-in-law and his brother. 
…..thank you Cee for bringing me back to Share Your World
Would you want $200,000 right now or $250,000 in a year? It’s safe to assume all money is tax free.
I would want the smaller amount and invest it now. Who knows where I’ll be in a year? If I’m gone at least my family can enjoy the money.
Is it more important to love or be loved?
I think they go hand in hand. If you love others chances are you’ll be loved back and if you are loved you can’t help but give back that love. Having one without the other would be very disappointing or very frustrating.
List things that represent abundance to you.
Time with loved ones
Solitary days at the cottage
Freedom to paint
Reading a good book
A beautiful garden to relax in
Good food and drink with family and friends
Exploring new destinations, short and long trips
What inspired you this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.
This past week I was inspired by the opening of a new store in my neighbourhood. It’s a wool shop with a lovely sitting area where customers are encouraged to bring their knitting and sit and share their knitting experiences and challenges. I’m very excited about this new store and wish them good success. I’ve been inspired to pick up my knitting needles and I purchased some beautiful yarn for a sweater for my granddaughter. The store is called Spin Me a Yarn. Check it out.
Mama Cormier 