Thursday, February 27, 2014

Winter Sun


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and
where you share 5 random facts about you, your day,
your pets, your kids, whatever.
 
1. Another cold and blustery day! It's minus 25 degrees today, with snow squalls.
 
2. It's been a long harsh winter this year, but there is beauty in every season. Finding that beauty warms my soul.
 
3. Although we have had masses of snow all winter, it's been dry. Dry snow doesn't make for good snowmen/women. Not one single snow person had adorned our backyard this year. It's a shame too, because Santa left a certain little girl, a "snowman kit" under the tree. It's a black top hat, a bright scarf, huge buttons, some coal for eyes, a carrot nose, and a toothy grin. The latter three things are made of plastic, so we are still hoping to get out there when the snow slushes up a bit! 
 
4. We are celebrating big time this weekend, my daughter's birthday, her job promotion, her dog Peaches' birthday, and our dog, Merfy's birthday, as well! Love, laughter, cake and presents for all!
 
5. Our granddaughter, (Beep) has been spending her afterschool and dinner time with us, all this week. Her mom's new promotion, came with longer works hours for a while.  So... I better sign off and get cooking! Beep helped plan the menu, which just happens to include all her favourite food! Tonight is vegetarian lasagne, fresh homemade Italian bread, and a Caesar salad!
 
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Monday, February 24, 2014

Pairing Up!



Male and female House Finch
 
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Beep (my granddaughter) is joining some memes this week.
She's thrilled when people drop in to Beep's Blog (Click here)
 
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Saturday, February 22, 2014

Hiatus


 
I won't be posting for a while.

I'll be back soon

Thanks for stopping by.
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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Bright And Cheery, In the Midst Of Dreary


 
1. There's nothing better than fresh flowers to brighten up dreary winter days.

2. I like the Lomo camera edit I used for this photo. (high contrast photo with vignettes and soft focus) I am really interested in true Lomography, so I added a Lomo camera to *my birthday wish list!

3. Of course I no longer acknowledge *my birthday, so it's actually on my "no it's not my birthday, but gifts are welcome anyway" list.

4. I don't have an iPod. I could never figure out why people wanted to walk around with music playing in their ears everywhere they went. That is, until I put those cute little buds into my ears, and listened to Hubber's pod. It blew me away!

5. So, I have also put an iPod on my "okay, if you insist, you can give me a present for what used to be *my birthday" list!

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FRIDAY FINDS
 
*the day that used to be celebrated as my birthday, is not until next month
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Saturday, February 15, 2014

Variety Pack

 
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 Female Cardinal

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This is my pet Australian Bearded Dragon, Tucker.
 
He is almost 14 years old, and I think he is quite handsome!

 
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Black and grey squirrel mix
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Beep (my granddaughter) is joining in this meme this week.
She's thrilled when people drop in to Beep's Blog (Click here)


Thursday, February 13, 2014

Random Bread

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where you share 5 random facts about you, your day,
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1. I love fresh home made bread! I really enjoy making it, but it's been pretty difficult to do since *MS has robbed me of much of the muscle strength required to knead the dough.
 
2. I tried a bread machine, but I use organic ingredients, and there is no such thing as organic "rapid rise" or "bread machine" instant yeast, so the results weren't that good.
 
3. I picked up a fantastic book last weekend at the bookstore, "The Bread Bible" 
by Rose Levy Beranbaum. Each recipe has instructions for making bread by hand, or using a stand mixer or a food processor
 
4. Hubbers bought me a KitchenAid food processor last Christmas. It's a beast of a machine, weighing at least a ton, so I only ever hauled it out of the cupboard once or twice to make coleslaw! I never even considered kneading bread dough in it...duh!
 


5. Well, now the food processor sits on the kitchen counter, and I can make fresh delicious organic bread every day with ease! My first bake (above), was a basic soft white loaf, and it was yummy. Tomorrow, Honey Whole Wheat, then Pumpernickel...Golden Semolina...Ciabatta...Seven Grain, well, you get the picture!

*MS- Multiple Sclerosis

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Saturday, February 8, 2014

Sunlit

 
We finally had a sunny day afternoon yesterday!
As the sun set, I noticed a nice glow coming through the trees,
that added some interesting colour to these guys!
 
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 Black-capped Chickadee

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MONDAY MELLOW YELLOWS
 Male Downy Woodpecker
 
Grey Squirrel (Stoney Braveheart) earlier in the afternoon.

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SUNLIT SUNDAY
CAMERA CRITTERS  
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Friday, February 7, 2014

A Snippet Of Time

On last week's Random 5 Friday, I posted that I was going to de-clutter my hard drive, starting with my thousands of photos. Among those thousands, I found this one!
 
It's not a particularly good photo technically, but the feeling it evokes in my heart, outweighs the merits of technique.
 
Beep, our granddaughter with a chocolate mint ice cream cone in October 2013.
 
 
We had spent the day at the beach, (it was an unusually warm October), and on the way home, we made the traditional stop for a "cone" at the local ice cream place, that has been there for over 60 years.
 

1. Sifting through my hard drive, is like finding that old shoe box full of photographs, that has been tucked away in the back of the closet. Captured snippets of the good times, waiting for rediscovery, to be enjoyed all over again.

2. Those images, moments frozen in time, are also a reminder of just how fast life flows.

3. It's hard to believe that "Miss Beep" is 9 years old already! It seems that not so many years ago, it was my daughter running back to the car with her ice cream cone (cookie dough), at this very same spot. And many, many years eons before that, I was the little girl with the ice cream, (orange pineapple).

 
4. Life has come full circle.  
 
5. And, grandchildren complete life's circle of love.
 
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Monday, February 3, 2014

Groundhog Day, Willie Says...

February 2/2014
 
Wiarton Willie, our albino groundhog spring prognosticator, says...
6 more weeks of winter!
 

The cottage isn't far from Willie's home. We visited him in the summer,
but alas he was fast asleep, deep in his burrow.
 
Well anyway... thanks for the info Willie. Hope to see you this summer!
 
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Saturday, February 1, 2014