I'm so glad you could stop by. This is my personal blog of daily life and my journey through life. You will find a strong emphasis on family and friends as well as finding my ancestors through genealogy. Unlike my other blogs this blog is more of a catch-all so any topic is fair game.
It was another beautiful, unseasonably warm and mainly sunny week. It's been two weeks now that we have had the furnace off but the weather is predicted to return to the normal temperatures this coming week so we will likely have to put it back on. Daffodils, Narcissus and crocuses were in full bloom to greet the first day of spring. Buds are on the trees, the grass already needs to be cut and and our peach trees are just starting to bloom. I spent the week volunteering, enjoying the weather, identifying plants in our new gardens, doing a bit of pantry restocking and doing a bit of gardening planning. In general it was a very laid back, quiet spring week. What a delightful way to start spring off!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
For the past couple of months or more I have been involved in getting a much needed community project up and running. It was my idea and with some rather impressive support, I have been rather busy. Today we held an informational session that was beyond a dismal failure. It really was beyond a slap in the face and while I am a bit discouraged, I have every confidence my idea will fly. What I don't understand is folks giving the mouth support but nothing more. Furthermore, I can't understand why a government agency would give mouth support without following through. What I do understand is myself. I did not earn four post secondary degrees while raising our kids while helping in our family business to simply walk away when the going gets tough. Like it or not, with or without the mouthpieces support THIS PROJECT WILL GO AHEAD. It WILL be a successful project and one that will serve our community well. Our intentions have been good and yet despite the good intentions, apathy prevailed. What today showed is we really need to light a fire under the apathy displayed by this community and trust me, I'm just the person to do so! What the he---, if you can't help yourself as a community then exactly who should be helping you? It's time to take a stand, help yourselves!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Last Sunday I blogged about the temperature reaching 61ºF so I turned the furnace off. I expected the unseasonably warm weather to last a day or two. Little did I know it would last all week! We had temperatures into the low 70º F during the day and low 50º F at night. My gosh, these temperatures are unheard of for this time of year in southwestern Ontario. Unbelievable! Folks are walking around in shorts, sandals, and short sleeve tops. Kids have been walking by in bare feet. I think this is pushing it a bit given the amount of illness going around. The warm spell is predicted to last all this week as well. I am elated to be able to turn the furnace off this early in the year. What absolutely gorgeous weather!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Baily
March 14, 2012
Isn't she just adorable? Baily is a 6 week old mixed breed puppy one of our kids adopted. This little cutey loves to snuggle up close to the crook of the neck and she loves being held. Baily is quite small even though one of her parents was quite big so she is either the runt of the litter or inherited the smaller size genes. At any rate, we don't think she is going to get very big. She went for her first vet check-up and shot yesterday. The vet said she was too small for the shot but he gave her de-worming pills along with a clean bill of health. Baily came to visit us for the evening while our kid met another obligation and didn't want to leave her by herself. Snuggles from grand-puppies...priceless!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
We have had a very unseasonably mild winter with very little in the way of snowfall or even cold snaps. Unfortunately that has resulted in more sickness from germs not killed off by the cold snaps but as a family we have managed to stay fairly healthy this past winter. Wiraton Willie predicted an early spring and sure enough we are right at the six week mark for his prediction. Yesterday it started warming up and I even spotted the first robin of the season. Today we reached a high of 61ºF so I had the furnace off and windows open. We grilled steaks on the charcoal side of our outdoor grill. The air smelled heavenly all day, fresh and clean during the day with the amazing aroma of steaks on the grill for dinner. It is supposed to nice the rest of the week. What a great weather for the kids to have for March Break!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
I'm a go getter who has no problem taking action where needed. It's in my make-up, that bit of stubbornness mixed with attitude fueled by a heart that really does want to make a difference in this world. My pet peeve has always been childhood hunger or hunger of any kind. Years ago when our kids were young, I can't tell you how many kids I fed. They were always at our house and at least two of them there because they would not have got fed at home. It made no never mind to me. I will not see anyone go hungry if I can help it. Food insecurity is one of Canada's growing concerns. It is surprising how many Canadian children go hungry on a daily basis. As a Canadian this really bothers me. I can't sit by twiddling my thumb, doing nothing.
Little did I know what I was doing by feeding those kids, something that just came naturally, was part of the solution. I never thought of it that way. Fast forward to 2012 and I have an amazing community project underway. If all goes according to plan, it will be part of the solution to feeding the hungry in our community. I'm excited and yet scared. I'm not scared of failing but more of letting down those who are looking for help so come hell or high water this project is going to fly! I am determined to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Failure is not an option!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Last year I injured my leg when a truck door slammed into my shin resulting in a huge heamatoma that saw me on crutches for two and a half weeks. The healing process has been slow and now I still have a bit of a lump with discolouration around the injury. Last weekend I mentioned to my husband that it had been a year. Well, don't you know I jinxed it! Last Tuesday night I took a nasty fall down the stairs. We have a bi-level home so thankfully it was only down the last two steps of the first level.
What happened was I was moving rather gingerly due to a stain while playing volleyball the previous Friday night. I had just had a nice soak in an epsoms salt bath then before settling on the couch to rest had to get something from the lower level. I had my hard soled slippers on hoping they would help relieve my back. My slipper caught on the stair tread, sending me crashing down onto the landing while giving my ankle one heck of a twist. It took me a good 10 minutes to get my bearings! I literally crawled back upstairs, grabbed an ice pack then sunk into the couch. The swelling was bad! When my husband got home he wanted me to go to ER but I could move my toes so reasoned it couldn't be broke. I have emergency first aid training certification so knew the signs to look for. Early in the morning hours I got up to go to the washroom and while in the process of leaving the washroom fainted. My husband insisted I had to have it checked. A family member came over the next morning. She insisted on having it checked also.
Sitting in the ER was beyond excruciating! My back hurt bad enough I could barely walk as it was. My ankles hurt something fierce to the point I was gritting my teeth but still refusing to take the pain killers the triage nurse offered. The good news is despite the looks, nothing is broken but it is a very, nasty stage 3 sprain. The prognosis is a full recovery in 6 to 8 weeks providing I follow RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for the first week as well as using crutches to get around for one to two weeks and support shoes when I start putting pressure back on my ankle.
In comparison to last February's injury, I am a bit more mobile with this injury and in a lot less pain after only a couple of days. I'm using one of the custom made drink trays on wheels to get things around on the upper level. I manage to get up and down the stairs, not often but I can do it. So, mobility while hindered is not at a full stop. I'm telling you though, February is a jinxed month for me. Next February, I'm going to wrap myself in bubble wrap!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Bok Tower Gardens Entrance
December 16, 2011
We enjoy doing a bit of sightseeing each time we stay at our vacation home in Florida. During our stay last December we visited
Bok Tower Gardens located at 1151 Tower Boulevard Lake Wales, Florida. This beautiful 250-acre botanical garden and bird sanctuary is a must to see when traveling in the Central Florida area. The crowning feature of the gardens is the 205 foot neo-Gothic and art deco Singing Tower carillon, a national historical landmark designed by famed architect Milton B. Medary and ornately crafted by noted stone sculptor Lee Lawrie. The singing tower is located on Iron Mountain which is about 295 feet above sea level making it one of the highest peninsular points in Florida. Construction of the tower began in 1927, taking almost two years for completion. The carillon house 60 bells that perform daily at 1 PM and 3 PM.
It was a beautiful warm day, perfect for enjoying the many beautiful plants and lush growth in the gardens. We visited the Exhibit Hall and Museum as well as the mansion built by C. Austin Buck , vice president of Bethlehem Steel Company in Pennsylvania. The 22 room mansion sits on an 8-acre parcel of land known as the Pinewood Estates within the gardens. It was built between 1930 and 1932 as a winter home for the Buck family. The Bok Tower Garden Friends had decorated the mansion for the holiday season. It was spectacular to say the least!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Land of Oranges
December 16, 2011
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Marshland Near Our Vacation Home
December 13, 2011
Florida really is a pretty state! There is an amazing abundance of waterfowl to enjoy that attracted by the many ponds, marshlands and larger bodies of water. We had to go to the post office shortly after arriving at our vacation home. When we finished, instead of taking the city streets back home, we found a little, meandering road that followed the water's edge from where we connected about a block from the post office to where we connected back up with the main highway. It was a gorgeous, scenic and relaxing drive! There were pockets of marshland between the water's edge and the larger body of water so we had ample opportunity to take a few pictures of waterfowl. On the other side of the road where heritage homes although they may not have had the actual designation. They were quaint, unpretentious and full of character!
Getting off the beaten track has always been important to us. It is the only way to see some of the more interesting sights regardless of where you are visiting. It is also a wonder break from the hustle and bustle of urban areas but even in urban areas a bit of exploring can easily yield a plethora of amazing sightseeing opportunities. It is surprising what gorgeous little pockets of wonder are tucked into urban areas!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Small Gator Sunning Himself
December 9, 2011
Our vacation home is located in a beautiful park-like setting, gated resort with two award winning golf courses. There are many natural and man made bodies of water that attract a wide variety of waterfowl and wildlife. One of the most commonly seen is the alligator. In most cases the gators will not bother humans unless they are provoked. It is possible to get fairly close to them especially on the golf courses but it is very important to remember these are wild animals that will not hesitate to attack if they feel threatened or are provoked. Problems do arise if someone has been feeding a gator then the park has to remove it for the safety of the community. Homeowners and most of their guests know not to feed the gators but some like us rent our vacation home out when we aren't using it so occasionally a renter will feed a gator. There are signs posted to not feed the gators and we included the same instructions in the informational binder we leave out for our renters.
I personally have a healthy respect for gators much the same as I do for other wildlife. I love taking pictures of the gators from the safety of our golf cart or car. I don't go close to the edge of the water either. Quite often a gator is resting just below the surface of the water with only his eyes showing. When I go for my daily walks I stay in areas that don't come close to the water either. Other than that I enjoy the gators and always look forward to a photo opportunity with them as the subject.
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Last week we celebrated Valentine's Day. Well, my husband and I don't actually celebrate it but others do. I spent a quiet evening doing a bit of catch-up, exhausted from painting while he enjoyed going to see the Detroit Redwings win the 21st straight game at home! I was volunteering at the breakfast club earlier that day. One of the children gave each of us a hand drawn Valentine thanking us for giving her breakfast. I thought it was such a sweet gesture! It sure put me in a grand mood for the rest of the day :)
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
I am now on to almost finished painting the third room in our house in the last two weeks. I'm tired of the perpetual, never ending headache of smelling paint. It is low odour but it still smells. I'm not sleeping more than a hour at a time and up early every morning this month to volunteer for the school breakfast program. I am very frustrated with the lack of food at one of the schools so sweet talked my husband into donating food on behalf of the business. Trust me hungry children cannot learn! It doesn't help my mood that one of the other volunteers has an attitude from he-double hockey sticks with me as the target. I bite my tongue a lot while at that school but she will not break me! I'm there for the kids not her. I'm just saying...
We hosted for our regular games night (about 15) then the following day for Superbowl (about 30) and were on the go every single day last week. I've dealt with the internet going out, and pest control. My sense of humour at catching 3 mice in less than two weeks along with killing off carpenter ants is not very good so we called in the pros. That meant I was multi-tasking between Bell and the pest control guy just after our friend who is doing the custom woodworking left. Oh and then my doctor's office called to say I failed one test so need to undergo further tests...like I really needed that! AND my husband signed me up for volleyball Friday nights. Apparently my head is a walking target for the volleyball as well with one resulting trip to ER but that is because it came so close after the slip and fall at the airport so I lost vision in my right eye for a short period. It also doesn't help that my impacted wisdom tooth is showing signs of infection or that I am the head of a very large and what promises to be a huge community project.
Two things happened to bring everything back into perspective. First, someone at volleyball said "Buck it Up Buttercup". That has become my new mantra because the reality is no matter how bad I feel or how tired I am, someone has it worse. The second thing that happened was a little girl that comes to the one school's breakfast program (I'm at two schools) came up to me and thanked me for feeding her. I held back the tears until I got in the car to drive home realizing I had made a difference for one child for one day and you know that is all that really matters! So, BUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP! Life is grand especially when you have the opportunity to help others ...
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
This past Saturday (February 11, 2012) we lost another musical great. We were saddened to hear of the passing of Whitney Houston at the age of 48. While the cause of death will not be announced for a few weeks, already there is speculation. I have one comment regarding the speculation. Knock it off! The only thing this does is hurt those she left behind. It's just nasty and unless you have walked a mile in her shoes, you have no right to comment or judge. 'Nuff said.
Whitney was a great performer who gave us a lot of pleasure through her music and left a legacy for future generations. She will be sorely missed by her family, friends and fans. RIP Whitney and thanks for what you gave us. It is much appreciated!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Our Grandkids are absolutely precious! Oldest and youngest Grandkids stopped by for brunch with their parents today. Oldest Grandbaby who is now in Junior Kindergarten rides a bus to school so I asked her if she rode the short or long school bus. She said she rode the short bus but when more people get on the bus the bus gets longer. Well her reasoning is perfectly logical but it still was rather humorous. Not to be outdone, youngest Grandbaby who will be three this year went into the guest bedroom that is currently in the process of being painted. I asked him what he was doing and when he said "Fixing the switch Grandma" my feet hit the hall. Here he was with the switch plate and screw driver trying to replace the cover on the telephone jack. Thank goodness it wasn't on the electrical outlets that have the plates off. I had the door shut so didn't figure he would go in there. I was wrong :( Now the funny thing was he was very concerned that the toys were gone. I keep the toys for the Grandkids in the guest bedroom but moved them out for painting. He went running to Papa asking for help to find the toys, his little arms stretched out with an "Oh no Papa, toys gone!". Papa found the Lego bin so they were both content after brunch. What a wonderful way to spend a bit of time on a winter Sunday!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
The Twenty-Two Buick Skylark
December 7, 2011
My Mother-in-Law's birthday was on the twenty second so one of my husband's lucky numbers is
22. He always plays 22 straight up when playing roulette. Surprisingly he often wins as well. I spotted this old Buick Skylark that had been nicely restored. The combination of green with the number 22 was an omen for the good fortune we would enjoy during our winter vacation!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Vacation Home Oasis
December 7, 2011
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
The Atrium
December 6, 2011
I love atriums, glass houses, greenhouses and window walls. They add natural light, warmth and a structural beauty that is hard to describe other than a geometric element to the space. Atriums have been extremely popular building additions since Victorian times. We are planning on adding a glass sunroom onto the east side of our house just off the kitchen this year. It would be a cheery spot to great the day with a morning cup of coffee. Quite frankly I really don't understand why these glass spaces are not used more in modern homes. Yes, there is the energy efficiency to be concerned with but I will tell you there is absolutely no way you would feel depressed and mood swings would be alleviated simply by spending an hour in a glass space each day during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a heck of a lot cheaper remedy then anti-depressants and you can take advantage of the solar gain during the winter months! Besides the glass spaces are simply delightful
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
Tram View Heading from Gate to Main Terminal
(Orlando International Airport)
December 6, 2011
We arrived at Orlando International Airport for the second leg of our winter vacation a bit ahead of schedule as they put us onto an earlier flight. It is a good thing we arrived at the airport in Milwaukee earlier. We would have had time for a leisurely breakfast had our flight not been changed. As it was we ended up with just enough time to grab a coffee and board the plane. The flight was pleasant with a smooth take-off and landing. We arrived in Orlando about 4:30 PM then once at the gate took the tram to the main terminal where we headed to the car rental area to pick-up our rental car. We have got it to the point that we can fly between home and our vacation home with no checked baggage as well as print our tickets ahead of time so we only have to head to security when boarding then straight to the rental car area after landing. This saves a considerable amount of time. It was a beautiful late afternoon, perfect for picture taking. The sky was a gorgeous azure with fluffy white clouds marking the promise of a wonderful and pleasantly warm winter vacation to unfold.
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
As an avid DIYer and crafter, I like to watch the DIY shows for home decorating and gardening ideas. Several years ago, one of the hosts on a DIY show made the comment that every home needs a red room. Now my husband is a huge Detroit Redwings fan so the sports room has a lot of red in it but the walls aren't red. Red made it's way into the kitchen via dinnerware and lids to the glass food storage containers I use. When we first viewed this house, I planned on doing the kitchen black and white with splashes of red if we were the successful purchasers. Well, we were successful but after moving in it was fairly obvious my colour scheme would not work yet at the same time the taupe walls weren't working in the kitchen. I devised a plan to paint every room in the house as my winter project.
I was on the Behr website using their decorating tool starting with the green I wanted for our bedroom. All the colours in the house would in effect co-ordinate back to that green. At the same time the colour scheme of taupe, green and burgundy was the same as our vacation home making it so that any items taken from here would automatically match there and visa versa. I had a nice co-ordinating burgundy picked out for our home office and a taupe for the kitchen. My husband said the burgundy would look great in the kitchen so I thought what the heck, headed over to Home Hardware. They have the codes to make most of the Behr colours except they didn't have the code for that burgundy. I came back home to get the next closest burgundy colour number then when back to Home Hardware but on the way there did a quick turn-around. I was onto plan B. I grabbed one of the dinner plates then went back to Home Hardware where they custom matched the paint to the plates.
The kitchen is now a deep, rich splash of almost a ruby red. It is absolutely gorgeous! The red makes the marble tile floor pop and serves as a wonderful backdrop for the black appliances while bringing out the warm tones in the oak cabinets. I can't help but smile every time I go into the kitchen. Red is a very difficult paint to work with and this one has been about a difficult as they come taking more coats than expected but the end result has been well worth it. I'm so glad I listened to my husband and used the red in the kitchen! What a wonderful splash of colour, one that will continue to bring a smile not only to me but to everyone who sees it...
Garden Gnome
©2006-2012
