ABC Wednesday - T is for Toronto, Timmins and Torfino

Once again it is time for a new letter at ABC Wednesday. This week it is T. In Canada there are many places that start with T - the biggest being Toronto.

Toronto - the capital of Ontario. I lived there for over 20 years, and still have family there. I still have not been to the top of the CN Tower but have travelled all over the city, by subway, bus, car and Go train. Lots to see!

(Bird's eye view:)


CN Tower at night


City Hall:



Casa Loma - one of my favourite spots to visit in TO:

Timmins, Ontario - a small city in northern Ontario - a mining town. Love its motto - The City with a Heart of Gold!
It is also the home of Shania Twain!

Torfino, B.C. - Torfino is a tiny town on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Yet it is a draw for so many - fishermen, surfers, hikers, sightseers, whale watchers to name a few. A must see if you get to Vancouver Island!

Be sure to visit ABC Wednesday for great takes on the letter T!

Shadow Shot Sunday

Time once again to share shadows. This week has had such a range of weather. Again we are back to cool weather and rain! Maybe warmer weather tomorrow.

Most of the shadows I found this week were subtle, but I wanted to capture some of the flowers in the garden.

I also caught our little robin baby sitting on the chain by the house. He stayed there for almost an hour as my husband mowed the lawn around him,. I finally had to gently take the extension cord away and he flew/hopped away. I have seen him a couple of times since.

Be sure to stop by Hey Harriet, that super fun meme created by Tracey for some fascinating shadows.

Wishcasting Wednesday

Each week Jamie Ridler (of Jamie Ridler Studios) poses a very intriguing question. This week's question comes at the perfect time!

What do you wish for your health?

Over the past few months I lost 17 lbs. through my work's Biggest Loser competition. It was very supportive and helpful group. Then I took a break for a few weeks and have actually gained back a few pounds. Yesterday I had had enough and set a 100 day goal - for better health and greater creativity.

So what do I wish for my health?

For the next 99 days I hope to set the example for my health for the rest of my life. I want to establish permanent healthy habits. I want to feel better and be more active. My ultimate goal is to be a "sexy sixty" by my next birthday in January!

As Jamie says:
"You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog. Support wishes by visiting other participants. It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together".

ABC Wednesday - S is for Saskatchewan, St. John's and others

Once again it is time to share our take on a letter for ABC Wednesday. This week it is S.

In Canada, S is for:

Stratford , Ontario - I have to include this lovely city - it is only an hour away and a place we visit several times in the summer: for walks along the Avon River

and/or a visit to a Shakespearean play.

It is one of my favourite places for a day of sightseeing! Lots of cute little shops to visit as well!

Saskatoon and Saskatchewan -It is a growing city in a prairie province.

St. John's, Newfoundland - Nfld is the only province I have not been to and this is one city I would love to visit. It is on the ocean and icebergs can be seen from the harbour. Once you have been to Nfld. you always want to return!

Sudbury - A mining city in northern Ontario.

(The big nickel - at the entrance to the city)

These are but a few of the many great S places in Canada. In Ontario there is St. Jacob's, a quaint Mennonite centre - lots of great shopping and Sault Ste. Marie. In Quebec, visit Sept. Iles or Sherbrooke or if in B.C. be sure to visit Salt Spring Island.

Be sure to stop by here and see how others tackle S this week.

Shadow Shot Sunday

There are two ways to take shadows - deliberately, which is the most fun ; or accidentally, which at times is hard to prevent.

Shadow chasers love the hunt for shadows - they can be found in so many places.

With the cloudy, rainy weather this week I did not even try to find shadows. I was tracking the robins this week though and when I was looking at the photos, there were shadows there, but very subtle ones.

These little birds finally flew the coop so to speak. I was trying to take a few shots ,

when all of a sudden they all took off at once. I'm surprised I didn't drop the camera! I followed one of them as it hopped and flew to the road. I veered it back on the grass.

A passing lady, with 3 dogs, said to use a bucket and put it back in the nest.

I was successful with that one but could not get the other one I saw. He had flown into the blue box but when I tried to capture him, he flew out and away.

This morning the bird I put in the nest was gone as well.

I know they do grow and leave, but I thought they were too young yet.

Be sure to visit the great shadow chasers at Hey Harriet, that super fun meme started by Tracy.

Happy Victoria Day weekend to my fellow Canadians! Enjoy the 3 day holiday!

Sky Watch Friday

This week we have had dark clouds, rain, rain and more rain! So I had to turn to the past and I thought why not fireworks in dark night skies in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday!

Happy Victoria Day long weekend to my fellow Canadians!

Be sure to check out the great skies here.

Full Moon Dreamboard

Today is the Full Flower Moon and over at Jamie Ridler Studios there is a sharing of full moon dreamboards. Making these dreamboards each month has become something I look forward and am always surprised by. The direction of the board often changes during the actual creation. This one certainly did!

Jamie posed these questions at the new moon:

Who are you when you are in full flower?
What's possible for full-flower you?

What dreams flow freely?

What pours out of your heart and into the world?

Me in full flower - what a concept I thought back a few weeks ago. I felt that that didn't refer to me.

But as the full moon approached, I became more convinced that the idea of blooming was possible and actually necessary. The notion of balance for this year revealed itself more fully as I created my dreamboard.

I used a background I had made a while ago.

I was going to paint flowers when I remembered the cut flowers I had. I wanted to continue the idea of 5 houses and these became the centres of the flowers.

Each flower is blooming together with the others and gives Health and happiness.

The stems and leaves reveal what I hope to do this month and in the months to come.

The last question has been working on me the past few months:

"What pours out of your heart and into the world?"

At our church service on Sunday, a new lay minister presented the service based on the book "If the World Were a Village", by David J. Smith. It was very eye-opening. We are so lucky really. throughout the service reference was made to what is lacking in this village of ours. It made me want to do something. The final words we sang were:

Go make a difference

We can make a difference

Go make a difference in the world.

Now I need to carry that forth. I want to make a ripple outward - like a flower blooming. Now I must find what it is I can do.

Be sure to check out the great dreamboards here.

ABC Wednesday - R is for regina and robins!

This week it is R that gets the attention at ABC Wednesday. Following with the Canada theme, R is most definitely for:

Regina, Saskatchewan. This capital was named for Queen Victoria and is a lovely city on the prairies.

There are so many "R" places in Canada, both small and large, from Ranking Inlet, Nunavut to Red Deer Alberta and Radium Hot Springs - to name just a few!

R though is also for robin - and the robin family on our porch has been fun to watch.

From nest and 1 egg

to 3 eggs

to babies

to scolding parents (to me!)

They have been great focus for my camera. The babies are now being fed often throughout the day and I've seen their little beaks reach up to mom and dad.

It won't be long before they fly away!

Be sure to visit the great participants here.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Shadows abound on sunny days and we had a couple of very sunny days this week. Today we are back to clouds and rain!

Be sure to check out the great participants at Hey Harriet, the super fun meme created by Tracy.