Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Leaving Well Enough Alone


Sometimes I have difficulty letting a photo 'just be'.
Some shots I take I realize immediately that they potentially
have promise....after a bit of editing.
Some photos just need a 'helping hand'.


Case in point is this photo of an old wooden window frame
 on display in a window downtown.
In person it caught my eye but I knew it would need some 'help'.


This next photo is of Ron pruning the espellier pear.
The original was very flat with not much depth of field or colour.
So I 'helped' it along.

Here are the originals:




Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Follow The Red-Brick Road?


I have mentioned a couple of times here that I have been collecting sea-tumbled bricks.


For the past couple of years I have been going to 'my secret stash'


in Halifax and taking them back home to the garden.


Since they can be heavy and have to be lugged
 in a knapsack all the way back to the car,


a few at a time, it has taken a while to accumulate a few.


I started in this area last year and got back at it last weekend
with Sophie supervising!


I love how they are beginning to look and I think I have found
the right kind of sand/gravel mix to hold them in place.


I really like to do this kind of thing. It is a labour of love I guess.


It is a pretty big area (wherever you see gray gravel) to cover.


And I have a ways to go...as you can see behind me here.


But hey! Am I in a rush? No I am not. This week I will return
to my 'hidden stash' and bring home a few more.


The bricks are much like tumbled sea-glass.....
smooth around the edges and all different shapes.


This is the area in the backyard garden being done with the brick.
I have just a small part done and will need a lot more of these bricks.
Hey maybe I could hire a fit team of some sort to fill up the trunk
of the car some day.......hm-m-m.
Or maybe not, just moving ahead a little bit at a time as needed.



Monday, April 28, 2014

Contemplative Monday


The following quote/lesson is from 'Heart Advice, Weekly Quotes from Pema Chodron'.

THE OPPOSITE OF SAMSARA


"The opposite of samsara (the cycle of suffering) is when all the walls fall down,


when the cocoon completely disappears
 and we are totally open to whatever may happen,


with no withdrawing, no centralizing into ourselves.


That is what we aspire to, the warrior's journey. That is what stirs us:


leaping, being thrown out of the nest, going through the initiation rites, 
growing up, stepping into something that's uncertain and unknown."



Sunday, April 27, 2014

Eclectic Tastes


One of my 'all time favourites' today folks.

Hope this day goes well for you all.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Saturday Morning Post


'Spring' is trying so hard to stay around......


Colourful dinner....


Foggy morning at the beach....


Workmen taking down tree at the park yesterday....


Sailors' war memorial at the Point Pleasant Park....


Weaving our way through the park trails....


Here's that crazy guy again!


A bench for four or more....


After Thursday's storm ....tree at the park.


First rest for Ron yesterday....


About the only 'spring colour' around here so far....


And his second rest....pacing it.


Plant at brother Dennis'.....no, it isn't Cannabis.


A container ship unloading.....




Friday, April 25, 2014

The Mayflower


Not 'that' Mayflower silly, but our Provincial Flower.


I found these little gems on Wednesday at the park in Halifax.


They have a wonderful fragrance and have a pinkish tinge on the blossoms.


I remember when I was a kid women from the African Nova Scotian community
went from door to door in our neighbourhood selling these in bunches.
Mom and my grandmother would always buys a few.


The fragrance from these is intoxicating would fill the entire house.
And we would know that summer was coming and school would be out!



Thursday, April 24, 2014

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

At The Kid Brother's For Easter


On Easter Sunday Ron, Sophie and I were invited to my brother Dennis' 
and his partner, Jackie's,  for dinner.


This is Dennis. He is sporting the new hat he got 
 a couple of weeks ago.
Dennis is two years younger than I am. 
He teaches law to high school students and will be retiring soon.


His partner Jackie is camera-shy
 and didn't want her photo 'telecast'.
Between the two of them they prepared a wonderful dinner.


Fresh Nova Scotia lamb....


As well as fish with veggies.


After eating all of this we settled back
 and discussed everything there was to be discussed in this world.
Plus we laughed so hard at one point our cheeks hurt!!

Thank you guys for great company and a wonderful dinner!!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Playing With Glass


When I was a kid I was always warned:  'Don't play with glass, you'll cut yourself!'


This 'rule' obviously didn't stick as I entered adulthood 
because I have always had a fascination with glass.


Whether it's sea-glass or collecting these vintage glasses
 that I have on glass shelves in the kitchen windows,


I'd have to say that my fascination with glass is beyond cure.


I am drawn to glass and it's qualities.....texture, weight, colour and function.


And since its composition is mostly silica (sand),
 it is no wonder that I am so at home at the beach walking in the sand along the shoreline.


That dark object above and to the right is a piece of sea-glass
that I found last month. It is a very dense, smooth piece and is dark green
in colour. At first I thought it was a rock
but after lifting it up to the sun I could see the green light coming through.


These glasses usually catch the morning sunlight and splatter colour all over the kitchen.


I am constantly on the hunt for vintage glasses and haven't come across one in ages.


Maybe I am not the only one out there looking for them!

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