Sunday Stills – Celebrating National Pets and Kids Day

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Mama Cormier

….not sure if this is strictly an American thing but thanks to Terri Webster Schrandt for hosting Sunday Stills https://secondwindleisure.com/2021/04/25/sunday-stills-celebrating-pets-and-kids/

After doing a little research I did discover that today, April 26th is recognized as National Pets and Kids Day in the U.S. It is intended to raise awareness of the importance of picking the right pet for children at the right time. It’s an important decision that can lead to a lifetime of bonding between pet and child.

We have been pet owners for over 30 years. Our first pet, other than gold fish, was a golden retriever followed by a second golden. They were great dogs to have around children. When the kids grew up we adopted a mutt who instantly became my husband’s dog. Our daughters both became dog owners when they set up their own homes and our son who has moved about Europe for the last 15 years is sans a pet.

4-AE4-FA32-AA31-4352-A638-63-D4-C3561-AA7 — Lucy – Our daughter, Gaelan’s dog

06-CF200-F-7-E96-4354-A04-E-9-F6-C7-F1-E47-D1-1-201-a — Frances and Lucy – best friends for 14 years

9-E79-AAEF-CD8-F-4-D6-A-9-BD4-572010-E7-B0-CF — I have to admit that I was nervous when I first saw this photo but over the years these two have always gotten along

11-AA9-F4-B-3033-4-B70-AE2-A-1-FE18-B3-D0-A09 — Our eldest daughter, Andrea with Olive

22-FC9465-6820-4686-B263-04-CEA897-DB36 — Frances loving the snow

A270-DA1-F-043-A-4-C63-AC38-3-D6-FBC4506-E4 — When Olive and Winnie first met

B939-B2-B2-994-C-4-D55-A57-E-537-E386-B0-CAF — My cousin’s little boy and dog

E410657-F-CE6-A-40-E1-8-A06-03975462-FA62

F69351-DB-2-E81-4-EC5-8-F0-C-B5-D3149-E9-A9-B — Winnie and Lucy five years on

FF802-B44-FEC0-4510-B8-B6-913-A9-EF2871-F — Olive loving the water

Bright Side of Life

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Mama Cormier

…thanks to Becky B for hosting BrightSquarehttps://beckybofwinchester.com/2021/04/12/bright-square-12/

Children always see the bright side of most situations. Rain….that means puddles….that means getting on your rain boots, or not, and jumping into the water to make the biggest splash possible.

8-A8-E3-A6-E-036-F-47-D9-9-BA4-45-E13-B334674-1-201-a

Thanks to my daughter and son-in-law for the last two photos that I’ve posted to BrightSquare. When I do get to see my granddaughter she always wears a mask and stays a least six feet away. Got my first vaccine yesterday and hope that in two to three weeks we can see each other again. Right now the whole province is in lockdown again.

Bright Eyed and Minus One More Tooth

Posted on April 11, 2021 by Mama Cormier

…thanks to Becky B for hosting BrightSquare https://beckybofwinchester.com/2021/04/11/bright-square-11/

Luckily Dad helped extract this tooth before she swallowed it. Not sure what the tooth fairy would have done if that had happened. As you can see my granddaughter is pretty pleased with herself.

F0-D5-FB86-3570-43-AE-8967-0-F4-B66-CE685-F-1-201-a

An Unexpected Collection of Birdhouses

Posted on April 5, 2021 by Mama Cormier

….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.

4084863-A-5-B7-B-46-C2-A298-55-AD8174623-C

C1056-D4-D-80-A1-42-DE-B49-B-559-E20-B686-B7

9-DC978-F2-A2-FA-41-A1-9-BD0-B38-B489-EB762

4-C5-BCFE7-15-AD-4376-A68-B-A377681-CF959

51-AF4679-2-BB4-4-AFF-AF0-E-8-D09-B435-B53-F

08-FEA61-D-D7-CF-4-F48-AE86-2534-BAB39328

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.

89713-C53-D2-C8-40-B6-90-E2-81-BCAF366-B48

372-B2-BB7-621-D-4850-8800-1-C48645-E0300

13161-C73-5-F31-4250-98-C5-3-A5-A385-AB31-E

Art With Winnie – Day 13

Posted on January 14, 2021 by Mama Cormier

…today was a busy art day with my granddaughter

Since we are not able to get together one on one, I organized at Zoom Art Class with our granddaughter in Hamilton. Once she finished her on-line class with her kindergarten teacher she signed in with me and we had a wonder hour and a half making art together.

I suggested some things that we could work on together and showed her samples of my work. I wasn’t really surprised when she rejected my ideas because she’s five after all. Instead she wanted me to follow her lead and go with her directions. We started with a clean sheet of paper (mine was a bit too small) and she started telling me how to draw the lines on my paper and she did the same on hers. After numerous steps it was time to colour our masterpieces. I carefully filled in the spaces and she boldly added her colours in large free strokes. The whole time we talked and periodically checked out how our work was progressing. Here is the first of three projects we completed.

BB692005-27-DB-4593-92-A6-14-F98-DACD261-1-201-a

10-BE0-C20-4-A69-4306-91-A0-5-E5-E9-FCA354-B

.For our next project I was instructed to draw a straight line with small lines coming out of the long line. We were making a tree. Then for some reason she seemed to like the idea of making people the way I had suggested earlier with collage, marker and stickers. Here is what we came up with.

9079-CE88-E30-B-4779-9-B2-C-5-F638285-FD59

F13-D3-C63-CC42-48-F6-BC24-FB02-DF9-EB720-1-201-a

I love the tower of hair on her girl.

For our last project Winnie decided to show me how to make a paper doll. For some reason she ended up gluing her doll onto a piece of paper and drew tall grass surrounding her. I loved the story she came up with as to why the doll was in the tall grass and how no one could find her but she had super speedy powers so that a lawnmower wouldn’t be able to mow her down.

33-DEBBCF-FFC7-4-B60-91-BF-D6217025-D707

715-A1-D4-D-A7-A0-4528-A1-C3-AB3-EC5-CF1870-1-201-a

Looking Up – Getting Up and Moving Forward

Posted on January 7, 2021 by Mama Cormier

…thanks to Becky B for hosting January Squares https://beckybofwinchester.com/2021/01/07/square-up-7/

On Day 7 we need to find joy in the world and not look down or backwards. Children teach us to look up and out as they explore their world. Our granddaughter brings us UPmost joy. I know it should be utmost but due to the challenge I’m taking some literary license.

The first photo was taken by her father when they went on a hike through the woods. He swears she did not pose for this shot. This stance came out of the blue. The second photo was taken by me. She was looking up at me as I stood on the porch (six feet apart).

B8-E110-B1-C60-D-4626-854-D-B07112-E51139-1-201-a

3319-C81-C-63-B9-4335-90-D3-3-C181-A11672-F-1-201-a

A COVID Picnic in November

Posted on November 29, 2020 by Mama Cormier

…with this unusually warm and sunny weather in the last weekend of November we were able to get together with family for an outdoor picnic

Every time I say that we’ve seen the end of the good weather for awhile we get these amazing days. So we decided to make the most of it and I organized a picnic lunch with my daughter and her family who live in Hamilton. They thought it was a great idea and they drove to Toronto to spend some time with me and my husband.

I quickly drove to the deli up the street and picked up fresh buns, cheese, coldcuts and a few jam filled Polish donuts. I made up sandwiches and packed our lunches in separate bags and with masks on we started to walk to Col. Sam Smith Park which is about a kilometre from the house. After awhile we took off our masks and stayed socially distant from each other.

It was a lovely walk and we found a bench to sit on and Gaelan’s family sat on the rocks so we could enjoy our lunch. It’s these small pleasures in life that make for memorable moments and help make the isolation of COVID bearable.

69-A74697-4-A65-4279-B8-BF-80-E1-B106-A102

2-C60-A761-8-C19-43-D9-844-D-9-FA15-EB21400-1-201-a

A51940-E8-9-FE9-44-DA-B250-BA3867-E48-C37

9-B7-B8888-EF9-B-4-CED-AEF6-71-A4-DDB25436

1-B4-CF966-26-EB-4-B8-F-988-B-87-CC2-D21-EBBC

7-CB3-FAB2-FAC3-4337-AEBE-A50498-AA0285-1-201-a

62908-F71-BB7-C-497-A-A91-B-2496706899-DB-1-201-a

69-E9-C957-A3-DA-470-D-A759-C0-BF594-A0-B1-B-1-201-a

FA4-AA485-B596-4467-B4-D1-D3689494-FF3-E

Gone Fishing!

Posted on September 2, 2020 by Mama Cormier

…not really

I’ll be at the cottage for a few days so you won’t see any new posts after tomorrow until Saturday or Sunday. As many of you know I have no internet or electricity. Hopefully we’ll have some nice days but regardless it always nice to get away.

Here is a recent photo of our granddaughter catching her first fish. The photo was taken by her Mom. Boy do I miss these guys.

2-D71-E220-42-B5-4-D1-D-8-D20-EEC90745623-C

Silent Sunday – July 5, 2020

Posted on July 5, 2020 by Mama Cormier

…borrowed from my daughter

Friendly Friday – The Colour Pink

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Amanda and her guest blogger, Vero for hosting Friendly Friday

Pink was not a colour that I wore as a child. As an adult I discovered that a warm pink was very flattering to my skin tone and I started to purchase and wear pink items. Our granddaughter loves pink.