Hoping You Have a Blessed Easter

First Birthday

Yesterday my husband and I attended our granddaughters first birthday party.  The house was alive with little ones having a fun time of running through the house.  Kenzi wanted to join it but they kept knocking her down as they sped past her.  She is a trouper though.  No tears as she got back up and tried to go with the flow again.

The hitch came when she was to participate in the smash the cake ritual that all of my daughter-in-laws family do at the first birthday.  Her maternal grandmother had made the smash cake and Kenzi was supposed to get down into it with both hands and get covered in cake.   Kenzi was having no part in it.  She cried as her hand was pushed into the cake.   Oh well maybe next year. 

It was lovely to see all the little babies born at the same time as Kenzi and how sweet they all were.  Kenzi’s cake was an Elmo cake.  He is her favourite character. 

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.  I can feel spring in the air even though we have quite a bit of snow left but the sun when it appears seems stronger and warmer and I can’t quite put a finger on it but it has that essence of spring. 

Abstract Flowers

 

I found this photo in my Lightroom files yesterday and I decided to join Bonnie for her monthly Pixel Dust Photo Art PhotoArtFriday.

Her theme this month was funny enough abstract art.  So I added one of her textures called Si  Belle to my abstract flowers and that is it.

Violet in Bloom

 

 

Recently I took an African Violet that had sprouted more than one root and divided it into 4 complete plants.  I have read that you are supposed to take off all the old leaves and I did sort of.  I put three plants in this greenhouse that I bought a few years ago at Homesense.  The other I put back in the kitchen with a plastic bag over its head.  It had blooms on it but I removed them.  When I took the bag off last week there were several more blooms forming.  I guess it had a notion to bloom and it was going to do it.   I have heard that African Violets are the easiest plant to grow but over the years I have killed my share.  I like to see them in bloom as they do have a pretty flower. 

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.   Have a wonderful week.  If enough of us think spring maybe we can make it happen.

 

Getting the Jump on Spring Display

 

Yesterday I attended Get the Jump on Spring at the Toronto Botanical Garden in Toronto.  This event is for all the Garden Clubs, Environmental organizations and Horticultural Societies to display information about themselves to the general public.  There were also presentations, specialty vendors and artisans and a floral design competition.  One of my own Society members Moira Sanders wrote a cookbook with her sister and cousin called the Harrow Fair Cookbook and is about to launch a new cookbook was there showing us how easy it is to make delicious jam in one pot over a small portable burner.  It was raspberry jam yesterday and it was so good. 

My mosaic to day is just a few of the floral designs that were on display.  I am always in awe of the talent and the thought that goes on in making these designs.  The winner was a fellow who made the slice of cake in the bottom right of the picture.  It was a marvel. 

I enjoyed the day and the idea that spring is coming and will be able to get out into the garden again.

Joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.   Have a great week.

Pink in High Key

 

Lately I have been working with a photography mentor to see if I can improve the quality of my photos.   During our sessions I have discovered that I have a love of high key photography.  That is photos that are taken with a white or bright background. 

I bought a pot of ruffled pink cyclamen that I spend a lot of time photographing.  With Valentine’s Day just around the corner I though I would share these with you.

Joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.  Enjoy your week.  We have snow so highly piled in the drive way that I hold my breath backing out.  You can not see what is coming down the road until you are quite a ways out.   Come on spring.

Valerie

Images from a Winter’s Walk

 

I know many of you are experiencing some terrible winter storms.  The news has been showing us all the mishaps that have been going on on the roads.  Our news has been full of horrendous fires of people’s home and even a Nursing Home in Quebec.  It makes me sad.

This week I looked back at some photos taken in winter in other years.  I found these images from a walk in Scanlon Creek, a Conservation Area near here, from back in 2012. The snow did not seem so deep.

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.  Keep comfy and warm this week.

Valerie

Add A Little Colour to Your Day

 

In theory I have created two diptychs and not mosaics but it is all I have today.  The world around is mostly white now in winter so a little colour purchased from the grocery store is what I surround myself in to perk me up.

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.  Hope your world is a little colourful today too.

 

Backyard Portraits

 

After all the snow storms, freezing rain and frost quakes we are now having a thaw.  The downspouts are pouring with water and the sidewalks are a skating rink.   I wandered out to the pond this morning to see if there were bubbles in the water showing that the hole was open.  To this point the little greenhouse we have coving the opening has been covered in snow and we had no idea if the ice had frozen over or not. 

While I was out there I took some pictures.  The little garden boy statue was completely covered over last week but he is only waist deep today.

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.   Hope you all are staying well.

 

A Booming Start to 2014

 

This morning when I woke up I found the temperature gauge at the back door read –25Celcius.  That is cold.  The kind of cold that when you get in your car you think you are sitting on a pile of bricks.   Poor thing protested when I tried to start it.    We are not the worst though I have heard of –55Celcius in our neighbouring province of Manitoba.   Glad I am not there this morning.

Over the holidays, and yes, just this morning we have been having this rare occurrence of frost quakes or Cryoseism.  It sounds like a tree landing square on your roof.  It actually makes the house shake.  There goes another as I am typing this.   The papers tell us that this is a rare event caused by a  when sudden drop in temperature freezes groundwater which expands and cracks the soil resulting in a loud noise and the shaking of the ground.

 

This little red squirrel from the archives is probably snug up in his nest in a tree and won’t come out today.

I am off to the gym to shake my sillies out.   Have a great day and keep warm.

Scenes from the Sandbox After the Ice Storm

 

Last week we had a two days of freezing rain.  All the trees and shrubs were covered in ice.  The branches were so heavy that many snapped off or were hanging on the ground.  Branches from the trees behind us came crashing down in our yard and the neighbours.

Many people lost power from ice on power lines or just from broken branches.  Some people are still with out power today and some will not have power for some days to come.  We were spared in this area. 

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.  Hope you are keeping snug and warm.

 

Merry Christmas to You All

 

I hope that you are your families will enjoy the opportunity to be together at this special time of year.

 

From our house to yours a Very Merry Christmas.  

Valerie

It Is Almost Christmas

 

This is it.  We are almost at the end of my Twelve Days of Christmas.  This collage is a mix of old and new.  I found some photos from last year and added with recent ones.   We have officially entered winter now but the good thing is that the days will start to get a smidgeon longer each day.  That puts a smile on my face.  

I will be joining Mosaic Monday today.  

Wrapping the Gifts

 

 

It is time for me to get wrapping the gifts.   I have everything I need here.

 

At one time I used to sit and make an extra effort to pleat the paper so pretty so that the recipient would be impressed with my wrapping skills.   Now I just wrap it with a simple tag and sometimes a bow and sometimes not.   Getting lazy I suppose.

Valerie

Christmas Red

 

A little birdie told me that it is only five more days until Christmas.

 

This little birdie doesn’t speak but he wishes you Merry Christmas anyway.

 

Valerie

A Little Bokeh in the Countdown to Christmas

 

This one is a bit on the fuzzy side of bokeh but I love the colours

Never one to leave things alone I added some filters from Nik Photo Efex 4.   I like to push buttons literally I see. 

Hope you are getting the things done that need doing.   My husband is having a couple of the girls from his former office here for lunch.  I know that he will enjoy the conversation. 

Christmas Baby

 

My husband celebrates his birthday today.   I am sure his parents thought he was a perfect Christmas gift.  I asked him today if he remembers anything special about his birthdays as a kid and he said he liked that his mom put money in his cake.

Despite the snowy drive this morning yesterday I drove up to the nursing home where my dad resides to deliver his Christmas gift and and also one for a another resident.  You pick a tag off the tree in the lobby that has a suggestion for a gift.  I picked one for a lady who wanted perfume and body wash.

Have my last Photoshop class tonight if the weather holds.  We had a rather wild ride home last week as it snowed buckets while we were in class and then had to follow four snowplows abreast across 4 lanes of highway for quite a few kilometers before they went in another direction and we carried on home. 

Counting Down to Christmas–Only 9 Left

 

A glass bowl of Christmas balls sits on the coffee table.  I used Photoshop filters to give them a mosaic look.  You can even see the shooter in the gold one.

 

Valerie

 

Twelve Days of Christmas Minus Two

 

Kim Klassen shares the most awesome things.  This stitched frame is a creation of hers and so is the brush. If you haven’t seen her work go visit at www.kimklassen.com

I thought the snow hips covered in snow was an ideal candidate for this frame.

I will be madly shopping this week to finish up the gift buying.  How is yours going?

Valerie

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Count Down to Christmas

The Twelve days of Christmas minus one.  I made a collage or mosaic if you will of some of the items on the fireplace mantle.  I couldn’t resist putting a photo of the Christmas card from our youngest son and his family.  Our precious granddaughter is a huge delight to us.  We cherish her presence in our family.

I am participating in Mosaic Monday, the only constant meme that I began when I started blogging over three years ago.

I am off to do some shoveling.  We have had another snowfall. Cross your fingers I get the snow blower going!!!

 

Valerie