One Photo, 6 Words -Spring: April 29th

Linking in with Miriam's prose at:  Short Stories

This week's word is Spring.

 Spring promises to be glorious again.

SNAP - Imagination & Squinting Required

Linking in with Helena & the other Snappy Folks at: SNAP

This week my selection does require you to push hard on your imagination & squinting many help. It may be a little like cloud gazing, but I can clearly see faces in these rocks/stones/boulders.   

#1 - The dual faces embedded in these two very large rocks are my favourites. I pass by them every couple of weeks on my way to have lunch with a friend.  At first I only saw the big guy's sharp nose & face but then when I stood staring at them, I could see his little friend snuggling in for a cuddle.

# 2 - This moss covered stone is in my garden & I had Mr Man pick him out of a rubble stone fence years ago (with permission) because I saw a gorilla face within the stone. I cannot say that I am a big gorilla fan, I just like stones that are unique.

#3 - This stone I see on my daily walks & I just know his smile is encouraging me to keep going in my 10,000 daily steps.

Memorandum Monday - April 25th

Linking in & sharing with Sian & the other Monday Memo Writers at:  From High In The Sky

What is new from the patio?  Spring!

A selection of spring pansies

We went on an outing Sunday.  Tried breakfast at newly opened restaurant, Sadie's Kitchen.  I had a delicious cheese, mushroom & spinach omelette, Mr Man had a typical breakfast 2 eggs, 2 rashers of bacon, home fries & toast.  He said their coffee was bitter, so no second cup.

Continuing on with our outing we visiting two new to us garden centres; Royal City & Greenway Garden Centre.  These visits were part of our quest for some cedar mulch (reasonably priced). We were able to get some natural cedar mulch on special; 13 bags for $53.00 (CND) at one of our regular garden centres.  Then Mr Man spent a couple of hours laying the mulch in our front gardens.

Mulch laid in one of the gardens.

Also on this outing, a search for Hellebore to plant in my garden.  We found several pots & varieties of Hellebore at both new locations but I felt they were a little to expensive, at $30.00 (Candian); British Pound Sterling, 16.43 & USD, $23.67.  I will wait to see what the local garden clubs have on offer at their sales. 

 

Royal City

Greenway

New book I am reading;  The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin.  Light & so far I am enjoying.

New season of Orphan Black (TV) has begun. So far it seems like it is coming back to the original story line; last season was a little off the rails for me.  Sad that Vikings is already over for the season. Outlander is just too out there for me, although I find the actor that plays Jamie, quite delicious.

High Teas are abounding everywhere as fund raisers & celebrations.  New source for me was the Robinson Bray Tea Room where on Thursday, one of my sisters & I enjoyed a tea birthday party for Queen Elizabeth II  - it was a lovely tea.  This was a new way for my sister & I to spent time together & thankfully this tea shop was a half way point for both of us to drive.  The other sister was not able to join us.
  

Robinson Bray Tea Room

 

New to us, two Chilean wines; one red, one white. It seems that of late the Chilean wines are gaining more shelf space at the LCBO as the variety available is increasing. We have found both quite enjoyable, especially after a day working in the garden & sitting down on the patio to enjoy the fruits of our labour.  The red is a dry cheeky wine; a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot & the relaxed white is a Sauvignon Blanc, again a fairly dry wine.  I enjoy both with a twist of lime.  While I prefer reds, they really do not like me of late, so I have switched to white.  Each 1.5L bottle costs  a reasonable Canadian, $13.75 (10.85 USD) (7.53 Pound Sterling).

I hope that everyone has a delightful week ahead of them.  With my garden angel, Meredith now in watchful residence, it can only get better from here.
 

Meredith has returned to the garden

One Photo, 6 Words - Enough: April 22nd

Linking in with short story tellers at:  Miriam

This week the word is Enough. Photo from last year.

Never Enough time on the patio

Happy Birthday

Source: Internet

SNAP - The Big Drip

Linking in with Helena's at:  SNAP

This week my offerings are photos taken a few weeks ago - all that winter now a distant memory.  I give you the big drips

 

Memorandum Monday - April 18th

Linking in with Sian at:  From High In The Sky

Good morning & a running wave to Sian & the other Monday Memo Makers.

What's new from the patio?  

Last week's Pulled Pork dilemma turned out to be a save thanks to all the help & advice from the Monday Memo comments - thank you, it was a save.  Mr Man enjoyed a hardy dinner with the promise of several more dinners in the freezer.
 

Pulled Pork As It Should Be - Plus Lots of Left Overs

Spring has arrived in true Ontario fashion - Sunday we saw temperatures in the +22 range & lots of blue skies & sunshine.Such a change as last Monday I was complaining commenting about snow & -12 temperatures.


Joy  in the form of spring flowers have returned to the  garden.  The Chionodoxa, a little blue flower are in abundant bloom & spreading.

 
Our friendly squirrel Charlie is sporting a much shorter tail - no idea what happened to his once gorgeous full tail, which I featured for WPSH - Windy Day:  Charlie's Beautiful Tail

 
Chipmunks are here there & every where.  Two regulars,  Short Tail from the front garden & Long Tail from the back garden - both like peanuts & are quite comfortable getting close to us.

Short Tail

Long Tail

I caught this action totally by accident.  These are the male Grackles with their beautiful iridescent collars of purple & blue.  Such a noisy bird.
 

Males Battling For Females

 I hope that everyone has a wonderful week ahead of them.  Mine includes having my snow tires removed & my all season tires put on & on Thursday I am attending a high tea birthday celebration for our Queen, Elizabeth II, who turns 90 years old.  Long Live The Queen!  Hats are required.

One Photo, 6 Words - Laugh: April 15th

Linking In With Miriam's short stories;  One Photo, 6 Words at:  Miriam

This week's word is Laugh.

Not Quite A Laugh, But Close

Hallelujah

The surest of sure signs that spring is about to burst forth in this part of Ontario - the Ospreys are back in their nest boxes at the lake.  I almost wept with joy.  

Hallelujah

Last Year's Osprey

 

Snap - Look Wide, Close, Right, Left

Linking in with Helena's Snap:  Snap

This week my Snap collection is gate pillars. I find it so interesting how & what people want to say about themselves to people they could be meeting for the first time or to people just passing by;  gate entrances to some very long driveways.  These photos were taken several weekends ago, so no worries, the snow is now gone.

Looking Right

Looking Left

Look Wide

Look Close

Memorandum Monday - April 11th

Hello.  Giving a wave & morning greeting to all linking in with Sian here at:  From High In The Sky

Brr - another chilly & snowy start to the week, but not to fret too much, temperatures are rising & snow will turn quickly to rain. April showers bring forth May flowers ...

So what is new from the patio?  A few new things without photos before the new with photos.

I tried a new to us product from Costco that had been suggested by Mr Man's hair stylist.  Pulled Pork & as pork is Mr Man's favourite, I thought a winner.  As everyone knows, Costco's products are in bulk sizing & quantities so I figured what Mr Man did not eat Friday night I could freeze & reheat for another 4-5 meals.  Cook once, eat again & again.  NO.  It was very fatty & in-spite of being cooked in the crock pot, Mr Man said it was quite tough.  Not a winner in this house.  So what does one do with LOTS of left over pulled pork?

We put new taps in the main bathroom.  Although it took Mr Man a few hours & some blue smoke, before I knew it the tapes were ready to use.  While he worked away in the bathroom, I was in the scrap area sorting through an " new ideas" file folder.  I reduced the amount of paper in this file to less than half.  Amazing how fast some ideas can become stale or of no interest.  All this was in aid of developing a 2016 Summer Manifesto.

My Fur Girls have a new game, hide in the shopping bags (recyclable kind), which turns out, not such a good idea.  Bags have a plastic coating, Fur Girls have claws ... although they had at least 20 minutes of a wonderful hide & seek game with one particular bag.  As long as they are happy.

Soot prepares to ambush Smoke

Cat In The Bag - chapter 2 of cat in the hat?

New & surprise yellow crocus sprouting in parts of my garden not previously known for crocus - no matter, I will thank the squirrels and /or chipmunks for their contribution to garden planning.  The purple crocus I did plant.

Crocus between snow melt/snow fall

Surprise Yellow Crocus

The tulips have lots of promise for new flowers. My daffodils are pushing through & shivering.  I have several daffodil clumps that did not produce many if any at all, flowers last year, so I spent the Summer & Autumn feeding them; so I have renewed hope of abundance in yellow nodding flowers this Ontario spring.

Daffodils pushing through

Tulips Boldly Showing Up

 



 
All about the garden is new promise of a spring to come no matter what the temperature says right now.  Trusting that joy visits us all this week.

One Photo, 6 Words - Dream: April 8th

Linking in with the other short story tellers at Miriam's link: Short Stories

This week's word is Dream.

 Dream:  A Horse Of My Own

SNAP - Wash It

Linking in with some other snappy folks at Helena's link:  Snap

My set of 4 connecting photos comes from our latest visit for Mr Man's ongoing eye treatments at Toronto Western Hospital.  There is a large campaign on for the correctness & need to wash your hands.  All about the hospital were large posters for instructions on how to correctly wash your hands; every few feet there were stations of hand sanitize to wash your hands with.  There were just so many different posters but staying within the parameters of the Snap, I am sticking with 4 photos.

Memorandum Monday - April 4th

Linking in with Sian & the other Monday memo makers at: From High In The Sky

New from the patio this week;  I got a moment on the patio in the newly arrived spring with a mug of hot tea to survey all the winter damage & started dreaming about my spring gardening adventures. 

Look who came to visit & stock up on peanuts while I was out there. I  also offer black sunflower seeds to supplement the diet of Blue Jays & Chipmunks.  Chippy's appearances have been short lived as we have had a return to bitter chill & snow!

Thanks Lady - I am so hungry

I have a new disappointment in the garden; none of the snow drops bloomed & there is no sign of them.  Do snow drops need a year after planting to mature in the ground? 

My new 2016 gardening thought is Hellebore of which I am planning to plant, although I know it will be too late to have bloom this year.  I have seen a crimson shade that I really like.  No idea yet where I will plant, I need to research to find out what they like as a home.  The lady who I cat sit for has a huge clump in her garden.  I took this photo last spring when I was cat sitting.

Cat Lady's Garden - pink Hellebore 2015

I have started the 4th book in the Morland Dynasty series, the Oak Apple.  I think after this read, I will give this new to me series, a rest for a few weeks, plus I was only able to get a few old paperback copies in the series.

Lots of watching of the World Figure Skating Championships, which is not new as I watch every year, but new favourites; Canada's Champion Pair Team, Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford.
 

Photo From Getty Images M. Meyers

A renewal of the winter is too long blues.  I can tell when I am feeling all hormonal & running on low because I cry easily & the latest tears have been shed over a hockey commercial!  I do not even like hockey, (gasp, a Canadian not liking hockey!),  but there you have it, the winter blues.

Still Boots; More Snow

 
"Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance.”  Yoko Ono

I hope everyone has a cheerful week ahead.  Here's to hoping that all comments & reviews are received.  I am looking forward to a  return to a more cheerful state.

One Photo, 6 Words - April 1st; Sun

Linking in with the many other short story tellers at:  Miriam

This week's Word is Sun. 

Only one awake is the Sun