Fences

For today's #ArtfulAdventures prompt, I didn't have to look too hard. All I had to do was take a walk around my building.

There's the fence around the ramp to the parking garage, to prevent those foolish people who might somehow tumble over the cement enclosure.

There's the fence that prevents the ground floor occupants from having to look out at the garbage receptacles.

Out on the street directly in front of our building, there are several fenced areas, all part of the water main replacement project the city is currently undertaking on our street.

When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence. (author unknown)

Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow. (Norman Vincent Peale)

Love recognizes no barriers.  It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope. (Maya Angelou)

There, by the starlit fences, 

The wanderer halts and hears

My soul that lingers sighing

About the glimmering weirs. (A.E. Housman)

Mend fences, build bridges, forgive trespasses, grieve losses and let toxic grudges go.  Then move on. (Unicahija Tamano)

Day3/30 - #Artful Adventures with Nathalie Kalbach
Day 39/100 - #100day project

Transportation

From where I keep my car in the parking lot of my apartment building

to my daily commute to work.

Lucky for me, it's only about a 10 minute drive.

I work near the airport, so planes are flying over constantly.

Also lucky for me, my employer provides free parking.

Sometimes I take the subway if I'm going downtown for an event.

Planes, trains, automobiles and my own two feet
Take me almost anywhere I want to go.
My imagination takes me everywhere else!


Day 2/30 - #ArtfulAdventures with Nathalie Kalbach
Day 38/100 - #100dayproject

Home

I am taking part in Nathalie Kalbach's Artful Adventures: Stroll Challenge.  Nat created this 30 day challenge to count down to the release of her new book on June 8th.  You can read more about the challenge in this blog post and hey, why not sign up for the free workshop and play along??

Each day, Nathalie gives us a prompt and we encourage to look around our neighbourhoods for inspiration related to the day's prompt.  For this first day of the challenge, the word is "home".

My idea is to take these prompts and document my daily life as it is for the next 30 days. So to begin with, here is the building I currently call home.  It's spring and the crab apple trees are just starting to blossom.  One of those balconies and some of those windows are mine, although it's funny how hard it is to pick out your own when you looking up, way up!

This rather ugly doorway is the door of my apartment.

It may not look like much but it's what lies behind that door that really means home to me.  It is my refuge, my oasis, filled with my treasures and most importantly, these four fur babies that greet me at the door every time I return.

No matter how long I have been away, whether it's just a few minutes or a few weeks, they always come running to say hello to me.  And no matter how I might be feeling, it always lifts my heart to see them again.

It may not be a fancy place, it may be in need of a fresh coat of paint and some minor repairs but right now, it is home to me.

As much as I enjoy being away, I am just as happy to be at home.

Day 1/30 - #ArtfulAdventures with Nathalie Kalbach
Day 37/100 - #100dayproject

From the Roof of the Hacienda

In this week's edition of "Time Travel Tuesday", I'm taking us back to Mexico and a very special hacienda.  My last visit was in September of 2015, you can read about it here and here.

For me, some of the prettiest viewpoints in the Hacienda Jaral de Berrios were those I found outside.

There are overgrown fields surrounding the property and the mountains in the distance.

There are two beautiful churches across the road, as well as grain silos and on the far right, another interesting structure, but I couldn't tell you what it was used for - we didn't get a clear explanation about that one.

Hector our guide took us up on the roof, for a closer look at the elements that give this building its castle-like appearance.

It really is a magical place and I hope to go back there some day.

Blue Jays vs Cleveland

I'm off to the baseball game tonight.  Toronto's season ending loss to Cleveland in the NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series yesterday was disappointing for all Raptors fans. Hopefully we'll fare better tonight on the ball diamond.


Day 35/100 - #100dayproject

A Lazy Sunday

I've had a quiet, lazy Sunday and I'm not the only one.

I had a lot of laughs watching Suzie (the tabby) and Matisse (the black cat) pass this woven rope ball back and forth to each other.  Very .... slowly.

With minimal effort, while lying flat on their backs.

That was about as much excitement as we all could handle today.  Isn't that what Sundays are all about?

Day 34/100 - #100dayproject

Rug Hooking in Cobourg - Part 2

As promised in Thursday's blog post, here are some more photos from the rug hooking exhibit I attended last Sunday in Cobourg with my friend Barb.

This design of woodworking tools was actually hooked by a man.

We were told the designs below were completed by the same gentleman.

I loved the texture on this one.

The optical illusion of this design still amazes me!

This was another of my favourites, and not just because of the cats!

I really liked this lady with the fish on her head too!

There were also a number of vendors at the show, many selling pieces of wool fabric to cut into strips to create rugs.

I was delighted to buy this batch of colour samples.  Barb wondered what I am going to do with it and right now, I have no idea. I just knew that I had to have it! I like the way it looks just as it is actually!

Day 33/100 - #100dayproject