Saturday Morning Post

The 'ice show' continued this past week.

Trees at Birch Cove Park in Dartmouth yesterday.

Sophie being her patient self.....waiting for us.

Colourful shops at Fisherman's Cove in Eastern Passage.

Thanks for the reminder! Br-r-r

It was sheer ice all the way round this boardwalk in Eastern Passage.

Looking towards Lawlor Island......over the ice and across the water/channel.

A shot of Devil's Island looking through a picnic shelter.

Getting 'a grip'! This is how we managed this week.

These grippers are GREAT!

Time to head back to the car and then home.

Snow-Rain

We were in the living room watching the rain come down on Wednesday

when all of a sudden the rain turned into sheets of snow falling straight down.

It lasted for about five minutes.

Strangest sight I have ever seen.

The Devil Made Me Do It

The other day we went to Eastern Passage 

which is a community to the east of the city of Dartmouth.

Just off the shore here is an island called Devil's Island (click to learn more).

We rowed out to this island back in the 1990's with a friend

and met the occupants who managed the lighthouse there.

They were the only people living there. 

If I remember correctly it was a young couple with a child

and they were artists.

I remember taking photos that day of their clothesline 

which was full of bright-coloured towels

blowing in the wind.

It was freezing here the other day when I took the above shot.

Just so you know, the white area just above the vegetation

is ocean ice/slush that was moving up and down with swell of the ocean.

We don't see that that often here...unless it is really cold.

Staying Close To Home

Because of the very low temperatures lately,

it was -30C with the wind-chill,

we are not venturing too far from home.

Sophie and I spent some time in the garden yesterday.

Corkscrew Witch Hazel shadows.

Sophie waiting for me to catch up with her.

Native Viburnum shadow.

 The Chestnut Tree I grew from seed.

Asian lantern hanging from apple tree.

Waiting

We 'three amigos' went for a walk on Sunday morning in Eastern Passage

along the boardwalk.

There were only two other hardy people there.

It was freezing but also very exhilarating after a big brunch.

I noticed this picnic table shelter which was empty......

waiting for summer.

Contemplative Monday

The following is from 'The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh' (click)

published by 'Shambhala Pocket Classics'

'CHILDREN OF THE EARTH'

"We humans think we are intelligent, but an orchid, for example,

knows how to produce symmetrical flowers;

a snail knows how to make a beautiful, well-proportioned shell.

Compared with their knowledge, ours is not worth much at all.

We should bow deeply before the orchid and the snail

and join our palms reverently before the butterfly

and the magnolia tree.

The feeling of respect for all species will help us to recognize and 

cultivate the noblest nature in ourselves."

Close-up of the Star Magnolia in our garden last summer.

I see what Thich Nhat Hanh was getting at.

Eclectic Tastes

I know one can 'force spring' by bringing in cherry tree branches
this time of year,
so I thought I could do the same and 'force' the real thing!!

Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

Saturday Morning Post

Winter Magic.....

Pine Tree in snow...

Sophie at Fort Needham Memorial Park in North End Halifax.

This was my childhood 'playground'.

Monument commemorating the Halifax Explosion of 1917

which flattened this end of the city.

This monument wasn't here when I was a kid.

Swing anyone?

Sophie's reading skills are much to be desired.

She absolutely can't get enough of winter! (I heard that!!)

Shadows and contrasts.

Later that same day (yesterday), Ron at Point Pleasant Park.

Sophie and I went up a hill and looked back.

Looks like she is staring at the big crane/dog in the background.

Seagull sitting on high snowdrift in front of our car.

Sunbathing? Actually waiting for scraps to be thrown to them.

Needing Some Balance

I had to remind myself today that we are heading towards spring

and that colour will once again return to the eastern Shore of Nova Scotia.

Compared to Wednesday's photo of this same location, (click here)

 colour can be downright blinding!!

Must Be Tough Being A Seagull

A lone seagull down in amongst the rocks yesterday afternoon 

looking for dinner.

Wonder what she/he found?

Skating 101

The last time I was skating was back on February 4, 2008.

I had a bad fall that day on the back of my head.

I was never a good skater......certainly not like my four brothers.

Since then, whenever I venture on an icy surface, like yesterday on MacDonald Hill,

I am very careful of my footing and I MEAN very careful.

And knowing that our part of Nova Scotia 

has been covered in ice for the past four days now,

I dug out my pair of 'boot grippers' (with sharp teeth!!)

and walking on ice became somewhat less fearful for me.

Now to get a pair for Ron.

On A Clear Day.....

I was never one to complain and I am not about to start now.

Winter is throwing us a very old fashioned (50's/60's)

one this year.....tons of snow, ice and

beautiful clear sunny days.

This is a shot of Ron and Sophie on MacDonald Hill this past Saturday.

Contemplative Monday

The following is from 'The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh' (click)

published by 'Shambhala Pocket Classics'.

No Fear

"Nothing can die.

You cannot reduce being into nonbeing.

Life is a process of change.

Without changing, life is impossible.

Once you accept that with joy, there is no fear.

That is the practice of looking deeply."

Eclectic Tastes

A good tune for Sunday......

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Saturday Morning Post

Embracing winter, or is it the other way round,

and saying good-bye to friends.

From my perch on the hill last Sunday at the shop.

Winter morning sunrise hitting garden shed.

And the 'prayers' continue......

Ron braving it in the garden one morning this week.

June and Katharine came for lunch last Saturday.

Katharine took this photo of Ron, June and Sophie.

While I was busy in the kitchen (there's just no rest!! lol),

Katharine was kind enough to take a few shots for me.

I really like this one of her mother, June.

Sophie is the BEST 'kitchen assistant' I could ever have!

She was very attentive to everything I was doing/baking.

After lunch we all went down to the shop.

It was a very cold and windy day, so I gave June the scarf/shawl

I had just completed and put in the shop.

She loved it and said it would come in handy all year in France.

I noticed these two container freighters waiting their turn to enter Halifax Harbour.

Smiles all round!

We bought six of these chairs from June last week.

I loved them as soon as I saw them.

They are caned ladder-backs and very old

and made in Nova Scotia.

Off to the shop they go very soon.