before and after

my son Aaron

Aaron has been staying with us for 2 weeks as he finishes off his semester at Waterloo. The top photo was taken Easter weekend, while he was reading on the patio. The bottom photo was taken today after his visit to Grotto Hair Studio here in Stratford. I love his new hair style...kind of retro!

                                  

the youngest member of the family

madeline

I am proud this photo! I love love doing portraits!  In my next life I will be a photographer of people for sure. The headband Madeline is wearing is actually called Madeline, it is from Nova Scotia but I did purchase it here in Stratford. The perfect prop for girls.

The Love of Reading

I am so enjoying A Movable Feast by Ernest Hemingway! This book is very visual to me, I can see every scene clearly and I just so...get him!

I love this:

When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be the happiest, The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.

When I read this I thought  "Ernest obviously knows me"!   This is exactly how I feel in the spring, about the happiness and the joy of a wide open day ahead with absolutely no obligations!

I am savouring this book and now thinking that those who are special to me are my hyacinths, daffodils and tulips!

Easter Weekend

jenny

son in law steve

melaina

gabrielle and aiden

isaac

madeline

aaron

How lucky we are to have this beautiful warm sunny weather for Easter weekend. Yesterday we had both of our children with us as well as out son in law and four faulous grandchilredn and even a boyfriend in the mix. We were able to sit on the patio, Gabrielle and her boyfriend Aiden had a walk downtown, Aaron and Isaac skateboarded, Aaron, Isaac and Maddie flew a kite. I had such fun with the girls taking crazy fun pics using a flowery headband as a prop as well as Grampa's hat.

A Movable Feast

Tonight I will start this book. I have tried numerous times over the last few days only to be interupted every time, the interuptions were mostly delighful ones, a phone call from my brother, a chat with my son, a walk to the river in beautiful warmth and sunshine.

I love the first few sentences, I know I will enjoy this book, love the writing style, love the era and it is Paris!

Then there was the bad weather. It would come in one day when the fall was over. We would have to shut the windows in the night against the rain and the cold wind would strip the leaves from the trees in the Place Countrescarpe.

It sound so cozy!

My plan is to follow along with the No Obligation Book Club on Real Simple.

It will be Ernest and I for the month of April!

Signs and Rules

In light of yesterdays post  I was thinking this morning about rules and remembered this great piece from

Five Man Eletrical Band

my long haired freaky guy

I have always had a little of the rebel in me!

Contrast in KW

Earlier this week my son Aaron and I were out and about in Kitchener, Aaron having such a good  eye spotted a few things that I had to stop and photograph when I was back there today...I did not have my camera with me earlier in the week. Lesson ... always bring a camera of some kind!

These are two very contrasting images. The City Bakery Cafe is interesting in that it was a gas station at one time..great recycling of space. We had stopped there a few weeks ago wanting something to eat for lunch but we were not at lunch time! The proprieter informed us that he could not feed us lunch because it was not lunch time..oh the rules!!! Aaron asked if he had anything at all, he pointed to two very suspicious looking pieces of pizza...never the less we declined. I did stop there today to take a pic, pick up a coffee and a tart. Loved that they had an old change receptacle, probably from a bus, for you to pay and the rule was "exact change only"...

As for Divorced Dads, what a beaten looking sign and you can only hang out there if you are a divorced dad, not just a divorced guy or a divorced mom...more rules. It just looks kind of bleak and sad. I zlmost felt guilty taking a picture of it!

Arrived today from Bejing

love love this card...I want to be there!!!

The No-Obligation Book Club | Real Simple

One of the many magazine's I enjoy is Real Simple, I like the format, the info on all kinds of things, tips on problems with regard to household drudge...you know organizing, keeping all reasonably clean etc. There are times I get Zen like and actually enjoy the house stuff but mostly I would just like to play!

Now the point of the post is the "no obligation book club" that Real Simple has launched...so no snacks to make, you don't even have to clean the house. There are 4 books chosen each month, a vote is taken and the winner is the book for that month.

I just voted for the first time...April's selection...A Movable Feast by Ernest Hemingway is the one I chose and so far is in lead with a close second being An Education by Lynn Barber. My plan for April is to follow along with the chosen book.

The No-Obligation Book Club Real Simple

Postcrossing from Georgia

Today I received this very cute postcard form JonneBunny in Georgia!

 If interested in sending and receiving postcards go to

http://www.postcrossing.com/

this is fun!

On Children by Kahlil Gibran

My friend..well my daughter's friend Shelley...sent this to me after a friend of hers sent it to her after Shelley posted my  Simone de Beauvoir quote on facebook...whew...many connections there...and Shelley is definitely my friend too!  Thanks Shelley!

my children

Your Children are not Your Children

They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

© Kahlil Gibran, 1923, 1973.

Found in Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

  

Chipotle-Rubbed Salmon Tacos

Today I had an urge to cook...this has not been happening for me me in quite a while, love eating but only love cooking when I am in the mood. This recipe is from the March issue of Food and Drink...fun to make and delicious! The top pic is the chipotle, orange zest rub, then next the salmon being seared and  finally the finished dish. Now... it is a bit of a trick to prep the food, sip some wine, serve it,  photograph it and eat it while it is still hot!

Insomnia

Last night when I should have been sleeping...after reading for 2 hours...trying to fall asleep for 1 whole hour...I gave up and just played with my camera...I woke at 10:00 am...my crazy internal clock!

postcrossing from China

Today I received this postcard from China, not only is the card beautiful but the stamps are as well...Thanks Cheung

Thought du Jour

Today while sitting in Balzac's enjoying a pot of ginger tea I came across this quote in the Globe

"It's frightening to think that you mark your children merely by being yourself"

                          -Simone de Beauvoir

As I was walking home in the fabulous sunshine I kept thinking about the possible implications...

my birthday gift

Today I received my birthday gift...a day late...the fault of Canada Post not Tom...a fabulous new lens for my camera! I am so happy! A new toy...this should allow me to actually get some of the photos I have been wanted to capture. Tonight I was just playing, came across this wreath still in my loft waiting to be packed away, perfect...it gave me a chance to work with depth of field and a little glitter!

paper love

One of my favourite things is paper...of all kinds but especially these wonderful papers from The Paper Place in Toronto on Queen St W. Whenever I travel by train and have my 2 hour stop in Toronto I head immediately to this perfect shop and stock up on whatever catches my eye on that day. Above are samples of what I purchased yesterday as I travelled back to Stratford from a visit to my parents north of Port Hope.  I will use these in card making, collages, gift wraping or just gazing at and admiring their beauty.

Postcrossing

Today I received this lovely card from Yulia in Odessa Ukraine! Lucky me...this card is not only a beautiful image, the stamps are also gorgeous along with the very thoughtful greeting...so much went into the choosing...thank you Yulia!

http://www.postcrossing.com/

 

New York Daily Photo: Sieve of Darwin

New York Daily Photo: Sieve of Darwin


a blog I follow and love...oh the romance of NYC

Sunday

Sunday was such a beautiful day here in Southwestern Ontario, about 8 degrees and sunshine! Tom, Aaron and I visited The Clay and Glass Museum in Waterloo, something I have been planning to do for a long time! Along with enjoying the lovely space I fell in love with the sculptures... Broken... But Still Standing by Louise Pentz. A perfect tribute to International Womens Day, these works in clay were so hautingly beautiful. Unfortunately my lighting was a bit off for the photos I took inside but should give and idea of what was happening at the museum.

http://www.canadianclayandglassmuseum.ca/