Take Notice Thursday - Spanning The End

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week?  
 
Have a look at what others have  been up to this week:    
Maggie at Farmers Wife Day by Day
Ruth At This West London Life 
Karen at Random Reflections


Lots of people came out to watch the local military unit use the removal of this bailey bridge as an engineering exercise & they have sent the metal bridge parts to their depot to use for further instruction & training.

The bridge ready to be de-constructed

 The Start of the end

Hardly a trace left

A new, 2 lane bridge will be built later this year.  A memorial plate is planned to be installed on the original stone abutments.

Me On A Monday - March 26th

Good Morning

In the shopping cart:  a Mason Bee house.  We bought this at Costco from their third shipment of the houses.  Each time they sell out in a matter of hours, which is a good thing because it means people get that we need to pay attention to & take care of our bees & other wildlife. Mason bees are pollinators & non stinging bees, so we can put close to the patio's flower garden to observe without the worry of being stung.   One of the many ladies we had working at the clinic kept honey bees & she had two hives.  I learnt a lot about honey bees from her.

I also got myself a couple of new die cut sets.  Cannot wait to create with them.

Reading: Just finished "Need to Know" by Karen Cleveland.  I did not like & I would not recommend.  In this day & age I cannot believe that a female author would make her female character so ... well I'll say no more for fear of giving things away.  It is going to be made into a movie & stars Charlize Theron.

Just started the book "Bellman & Black" by Diane Setterfield who is the author of my obsessive book, "The Thirteenth Tale".  So far I am liking the characters in "Bellman & Black".  It is no Thirteenth Tale.

Watching: "Pope" on CNN's history network.  Very interesting & violent history of the Pope. At one time there was three Popes all at the same time.   This is not the HBO series The Pope staring Jude Law.

The F1 season started with the Australian race on the 25th.  I am rooting for the Canadian driver, Lance Stroll, although he's not a contender for the championship.  The cars all have the new required halo on, which gives the cars a really different look from previous years.  Thankfully our coverage still comes from Sky Sports,  (UK) because I like Martin Brundle's comments & point of view on the race & F1 in general.

Contemplating:  At our church, the board is developing a mentor-ship program as the majority of our congregation is aging, so they are looking to ensure that other (younger) members are versed in the protocols & procedures of the church.  I have been asked if I would consider learning to become part of the alter guild.  UMM, I do like flowers ...

Gifts:  Both are of the "I'm sorry ..." category.  The first gift was from Mr Man apologizing for being a grumpy bear for a few days.  He's developed really bad sinus problems which tie back to the eye problems & injections; understandably it makes him grumpy. He gave me a lovely pot of blush pink mini roses, which I can put on the patio when the weather finally warms up, provided I can keep the fur girls away from the roses!

I just want to smell them ... said no cat ever!

The second "I'm sorry ..." is from my Stampin Up card instructor, we had made arrangements for me to pick up an order at her house, I drove there & oops she forgot to leave out for me.  I know mornings can be hectic for everyone & as I said to her, it's only crafting stuff not medicine or the like, so do not fret.  She felt really bad, so rather than her having to drop off to me, I drove there the next morning & in the bag along with my order was a little extra something - colour enamel shapes.  It was very kind of her. Now to use without it looking like I sneezed enamel shapes all over the page or card.

Working For The Man:  Today I will be representing my boss at a township business meeting for the independent business owners in our township/village.  There is a small possibility of being able to apply for a grant to update the business frontage as the township wants to attract more business.  Several of the businesses in our little village could really stand for some sprucing up.  When boss man asked if I'd be interested, I said sure there's a free lunch included, he laughed & said have a good time.  You just never know the contacts you'll make at such a meeting ...  

Source: internet

I hope everyone has a good week & a really wonderful Easter.  For us in Canada it is a long weekend as Good Friday is a stat holiday; for some a 4 day weekend as banks, schools & government offices also take Easter Monday.

Take Notice Thursday - Stones

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week?  
 
Have a look at what others have  been up to this week:    
Maggie at Farmers Wife Day by Day
Ruth At This West London Life 
Karen at Random Reflections

What I noticed this week are the stones/rocks on top of the fence posts of a farmer's field.  I pass this field probably twice a week & have in the past sort of noted "oh look he's put a stone he found in the field on the post" to noticing this week that almost ever post had a stone/rock on the posts.  It's odd that he puts them on the top of the post - is it to help preserve the wood post from the elements?  decorative in his mind?  some ritual? a sense of fun?  There are also piles of rocks/stones on the non-farming side of the fence.  This farmer has primary beef cattle as his product, but does grow some plant crops, such as hay or corn.
 

"Imagination was given to man to compensate for what he is not; a sense of humour to console him for what he is."  Francis Bacon

Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is. Francis Bacon
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/francis_bacon_161730?src=t_sense_of_humor

Imagination
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/francis_bacon_161730?src=t_sense_of_humor

Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is. Francis Bacon
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/francis_bacon_161730?src=t_sense_of_humor

Me On A Monday - March 19th

Good Morning!  Thank you to everyone for last weeks words of encouragement, very much appreciated.  A few days of some better sleep & some fresh air has done wonders.

We have locally be enjoying some wonderful sunshine.  The snow is almost all gone & left behind is the March shade of dull.  Spring arrives here at 12:15pm on Tuesday & while that day has a forecast of sunshine & above zero temperatures, the end of the week moves back to snow.  That's not unusual for this area - winter & spring seem to fight for space for weeks on end.

The March Dulls

My potted tulips are spending their days basking in sunshine & are growing & greening.  

This past week has seen me creating a few scrapbook pages along with some cards.  I think my preferred creative card making style is to use punches, die cuts, paper & embellishments.  I haven't given up on stamping & heat embossing, it just isn't my favourite (yet).  Who knows maybe with more practice I'll get there.  A few weeks ago I made with punches & paper a St Patrick's Day card for someone in Ireland, to send to them as happy mail.  I realize that probably the way North America celebrates the day is quite different to the way it is celebrated in Ireland.  

Speaking of celebrating St Patrick's Day; locally the universities tend to go completely insane & with wild out of control parties.  Last year's parties at the close to us universities of Guelph, Waterloo, Kitchener were front page news from the property damage, so much drunkenness.  This year about 2 weeks prior to March 17th the mayors, the police & the university authorities started making regular on radio & tv & in the papers,  announcements that this year the behaviour would NOT be tolerated at any level.  It seemed to work at the University of Guelph because there were no arrests, 300 cars were stopped in the R.I.D.E. program (reduce impaired driving everywhere) & not one charge was laid.  It seems that in Waterloo the students there did not heed the warnings  & there was much partying & lots of charges laid.  

Source: The Kitchener Record; Waterloo Univ Students

So back to my card making adventures.  Hallmark need not fear my creations (col).  I make them with joy & caring.

Last Sunday I celebrated a one year return to church services.  I must admit I am starting to feel quite comfortable in our small  church community.  I know everyone's name & they know mine. I must admit that feels pretty good.  Our current interim minister is quite the preacher.  This Sunday he had the whole congregation in laughter as he started his sermon,  which I guess is a good way to get everyone's attention to the lesson of the sermon. He has lead a 5 week Lent Chat on Wednesdays of which I have attended.  We have a bake-less bake sale fund raiser coming up in April, but thankfully there's no preparation needed, we just make a donation of money rather than actual baking.  I like it.  We have been warned, informed that there is the traditional bake, plant & garage (boot) sale coming up in May.  Good reason to do some more sorting & tidying at home.

"life is like a mirror, if you smile at it, it will smile back."
 

Take Three Thursday - Light

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week?  
Have a look at what others have noticed this week:    
Maggie at Farmers Wife Day by Day
Ruth At This West London Life 
Karen at Random Reflections 


What I have noticed this week is the rapidly changing light, especially the evening light.  Some days the setting light is SO intense, so full of shouting power & colour, other nights it seems calmer with a quieter sense of power with a tamer blend of colours. I have also noticed how quickly the point of the setting sun changes position.   Maybe the "spring" ahead of the clocks last weekend wasn't such a bad thing after all.

"when the evening closes Nature's eye, the glow worm lights her little spark, to captivate her favourite fly & tempt the rover through the dark ..."  James Montgomery

Me On A Monday - March 12

Good Morning, I hope everyone is doing well.  

Since I am feeling rather blue this Monday, I thought I would leave you with some of my pretty in pink photos of last year's garden.  

I'll be fine, nothing a long walk outside, a cup of tea & a good night's sleep won't cure.  This too shall pass.

 

Take Three Thursday - Sap Is Running

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week?  

Have a look at what others have noticed this week:    
Maggie at Farmers Wife Day by Day
Ruth At This West London Life 
Karen at Random Reflections 
Melissa at Daily Life-Bits & Pieces

This week what I have noticed is the tapping of the sugar maples for sap to make into syrup. It seems that not only the syrup farmers but anyone with sugar maples on their property are tapping. So many new products on the market make it easier for everyone to do.  Yeah for technology.

 
I also noticed that there are quite a variety of pails & buckets being used.  All have lids with locking mechanism which is to keep the pesky raccoons out (I think) or from debris falling into the liquid gold.

 

It's a sign of spring, it is also the surest sign that it's only a few weeks away until The Elmira Maple Syrup Festival - a one day event that draws in crowds from all over southern Ontario.  Elmira Maple Syrup Festival,  it's worth the drive.  Check out the official site for all the activities  Elmira Maple Syrup Festival

 
 

Me On A Monday - March 5th

Your Monday gift is ready, open the box with joy, laughter, and happiness.

Our church was all a buzz yesterday morning because the Anglican Diocese of Niagara chose a new leader — the Reverend Canon Susan Bell, who will become the first woman to serve as a diocesan bishop since its founding in 1875.  Later this week one of our political parties, The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, will be electing a new provincial party leader, 3 of the candidates are women.  Results are due March 10th.  Then we go to the provincial polls on June 7th.  Let the games begin & may the odds always be in our favour ... I'll say no more for now.

Spring is trying very hard to install itself in this part of the world.  Robins are making appearances on lawns, the skunks are waking up & quite sleepy, which makes them easily startled & spraying all the time.  This creature, which is an invader & not native to our region, but has adapted quite quickly, walked out in front of our car Sunday afternoon without a back glance or excuse me.  Oppusums or possums - they have been nicked name the Pandas of the North. Not sure why, I think possums are quite ugly. 

Also waking up & all about the yard are my little friends, the chipmunks; they are very hungry.

Near the river that runs through our little village, the ice is once again breaking up & open water can be seen;  the Canada Geese are all staking out the perfect nesting spot, so there's lots of wing flapping & squawking going on.

One of my latest card creations was a congratulations card to one of our students at the clinic - after 4 years of university & 18 months of  "trade" schooling, she is done & ready to pay back all her student loans. She has asked to be kept on until at least end of April.  I am only too happy to keep her with us, she is such a treasure, a good worker & very reliable.

Last week I had the very pleasant & unexpected surprise to see that the tulips in my planters were sprouting up so I daily leave the garage door open for them to get some much needed sunshine.  It is still too cold to leave them out at night plus this week the forecast is for snow ... lots of heavy wet snow.  These are some of my Canada 150 tulips from last year's celebrations.  Yeah!

We didn't watch the Oscars & we saw only one of the movies nominated.  We saw The Darkest Hour.  

Take Three Thursday - WPSH Finds

First I would like to wish everyone a very Happy St David's Day

Many Welsh people wear one or both of the National symbols of Wales to celebrate St. David: the daffodil (a generic Welsh symbol) or the leek (Saint David's personal symbol) on this day.

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in. What have you noticed this week?  

Have a look at what others have noticed this week:    
Maggie at Farmers Wife Day by Day
Ruth At This West London Life 
Karen at Random Reflections 
Melissa at Daily Life-Bits & Pieces

This Thursday I am using the post to show 3 of my most recent finds for the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt.  With only 20 days left, there are still several finds I want to capture.  I know I won't get them all, but that's OK, it's been fun searching items out.

Item #9 - In The Making; an almost full moon 

Item #10 - Having Fun; Tweety wore a Santa hat & scarf for the winter

Item # 19 A Pair Of; Heckle & Jeckle (I think) they were also decorated for the holiday season & they reside in the same yard as Tweety.