Fly, Be Free, My Little Bird

If my son reads this blog (which I know he doesn't), he'll likely recognize the above pic he forwarded to me at least six months ago!

Our boomerang child, who was 27 in October, finally moved out again this past Friday (his sister left over 5 years ago!) for what we have adamantly stated is The. Very. Last. Time. So resolved are we in fact, that in a few weeks time, he'll likely think he's at the wrong house should he happen by... it's the domino effect - 4 rooms are getting shuffled in all our excitement. Just try to find your old room David, lol!

I know we're not alone - books have been written on the subject.

Haha, shouldn't they at least attempt to hide their delight?

This is us right now :)

The hard part isn't necessarily getting them out of the house - it's keeping them out!

A Breakfast to Remember

~ A daughter is a miracle that never ceases to be miraculous...full of beauty and forever beautiful...

loving and caring and truly amazing. ~

My daughter took me out for breakfast yesterday morning. The New York Bagel Cafe is

located in the most charming and eclectic hole-in-the-wall spot you could ever hope for.

Caroline will be 25 in March and graduated last spring with a degree in Nursing.

She's a great friend and I'm very proud of her - I also love that she's so generous... 

now that she's making the big bucks!

We had their speciality, eggs benedict. I had mine with lox and 

my daughter, the cheese and truffle-oil creation. 

Presentation is SO important - isn't this adorable - under the kiwi is star-fruit.

Everywhere I go I see faces and yesterday was no exception -

do you you see the moose (or camel) ? 

Full Beaver Moon - Tonight!

Greetings!

Wherever possible, the words 'beaver' and 'moon' should not be used in the same sentence... hehe. Growing up I had a little brown dog named Beaver... you can believe me when I tell you that I've heard them all! However, tonight's full moon is indeed known as the Full Beaver Moon.

Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.

In recent history, this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. This moon is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

Interestingly there is a controversy currently swirling in Canada. Conservative member, Nicole Eaton, recently suggested we replace our busy, buck-toothed national symbol with the polar bear. I don't know about you, but I'm proud of our "dentally defective rat" (her words, not mine) and suggest she find more important issues to sink her teeth into!

Greetings, I returned yesterday afternoon from Ontario, unpacked and was in bed by early evening! I was, needless to say, exhausted. The memorial for my grandmother was lovely, and also served as a family reunion of sorts. A special thank you :) to everyone for your most kind words. Seeing as today is the first day of June, I thought I'd focus on celebrating it's arrival, and as the week progresses, I'll share some more of the pics I took while away, in particular I look forward to telling you about our trip to the African Lion Safari in Cambridge. What an amazing day. I just need to wade through the over 600 shots I took (!) and pick out a few of the best. I also visited with my sister in Kingston for a couple of days, where I was again happily snapping pics - so much to see. Below are a few I took in and around Brantford Ontario.

One of my mom's gorgeous bearded irises

"Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June."

- Al Bernstein

"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June."

-  L. M. Montgomery

“In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day.  

No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them.”

-  Aldo Leopold

This made me :)

"And since all this loveliness can not be Heaven,

I know in my heart it is June."

–  Abba Woolson 

"June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with a length of 30 days. The month is named after the Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter and equivalent to the Greek goddess Hera. At the start of June, the sun rises in the constellation of Cancer. June is the month with the longest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.  The month of June—in the Northern Hemisphere—is in spring until the 21st, when summer begins. The traditional June birthstone is the pearl. The June birth flower is the rose, or the honeysuckle, as roses and honeysuckles bloom throughout June. June is also sometimes called the "Rose month."  June is known for the large amount of marriages that occur over the course of the month. This large quantity of marriages can be attributed to the Goddess that June is named after, Juno or Hera. Juno is the protecting goddess of marriage and a married couple's household, so it is considered good luck to be married in this month." -  Wikipedia

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.  ~Washington Irving

Since marrying and moving halfway across the country, I have spent very few Mother's Days with my mom, but she is here this year and we are having a wonderful time together. A few pics from our walk this morning and very shortly we are off to my daughter's who is preparing supper for us. I am feeling totally spoiled and loving it :)

It was quite breezy! lol

fyi: Mondays with Mireille is on hold for another week :)

Hoping you enjoy what's left of your day!

Double Trouble!

It's Graduation Time!

Seems like only yesterday...
but our beautiful daughter Caroline

has her degree in Nursing :)

Right now I'm...

And...

Why you ask?

Are coming...!!

Will I pass inspection?

All in good fun, 

both my Mom and Mother-in-law are dears and we look forward to their visit.

See you all in a few weeks :)

A Poem for Late February

"Late February days; and now, at last,
Might you have thought that
Winter's woe was past;
So fair the sky was and so soft the air." 
William Morris

Judging by the new look of my blog, I guess I could be accused of seeing the world through rose-colored glasses (or green lol), although right now it is more like frosted glass. I regularly visit all sorts of blogs and while I often enjoy the edgy, bordering on cranky ones, it is just not my style. My musings are for those who are trying to cut back - I suppose I'm in the 'lite' blog category. 

I thought the above poem was perfect for today. Our skies are blue, the sun is almost hot at times (when you are driving in the car or sitting by a window) and our days are noticeably longer. But as the poem indicates: reality check! It will not be spring here for a good while. Earlier this morning a number of bloggers I regularly visit were in the midst of busily sowing seeds or in some cases, already setting out their delicate seedlings on windowsills in anticipation of our long-awaited spring. Here is a great example. The longer I mosey through life, the more I begin to appreciate poetry. So much feeling, texture and atmosphere is translated into a concise, disciplined form. Yet good poetry always feels free and all encompassing. 

My maternal grandmother passed away this past Sunday at 96. She lived a very long and healthy life. She was a nurse at one point and then, once married, lived on the family farm in southern Ontario. Many of my childhood memories are centered around summers spent on that parcel of land. My great-grandmother (who also lived on the farm and I remember well) and grandfather are gone and now my grandmother. A chapter has closed in some respects. It is the circle of life, and certainly gives one pause for thought. In the picture below, Helen is the gal in the front row, far right, with the black short-sleeved blouse and belt. Considering it was 1935, I think she was quite stylish for her time. The picture expands for a closer look.

Sisterhood

I dedicate this to the women in my life; you are all dear to me.

On Valentine’s Day,
when I think of the people
I care about and value,
you are at the top of the list.
Like a rainbow
glistening through the rain,
like a glowing green spring
after a cold gray winter,
you are a joy and a delight.
Like a good book, a cozy fire,
or a cup of cocoa (with marshmallows),
you are a comfort to me.
I appreciate you.
Happy Valentine’s Day!

Chickie's Big Day

Michelle (aka Chickie) is 40 today

Here we all are many moons ago - Birthday Girl in the middle, 

and Beaver making another appearance

She is a great friend and I am proud of the beautiful woman she grew to be,

but she will still always be my little sister...

Have a wonderful day Michelle!

A Beaver Tale

Mom & Beaver

Growing up I had a little brown dog named Chocolate, actually everyone knew her name was Beaver, except for our next door neighbor, a slightly deaf old Frenchman who certainly liked his daily nip or three. Occasionally, he would crawl outside for a smoke at the end of his walkway (this was in the 70's when everyone still smoked inside their homes) and if he happened to spot our dog, he'd croak out "Hey, Chocolate!" at the top of his very hoarse voice, which was still surprisingly loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear. Good times!

Just one of my childhood memories I thought I'd share with you all today lol, plus it's a pretty cheap segway to my next 2 posts.

Happy Birthday Mom!

It's my Mom's 65th birthday today.  I don't consider her a 'senior' - she is so busy these days, she wonders how she ever found the time to hold down a job!  I think 65 is the new 50 and my mother certainly proves this theory true.  Here she is this past Thanksgiving, getting ready to dig into her dessert.

Have a wonderful day Mom & keep taking those vitamins, you need all the energy you can get - based on all the seniors I profiled over the last week, you still have books to write, paintings to create and marathons to run!  Maybe you should run for mayor?!