Me On A Monday - February 28th

Good Morning. I hope everyone is well.  I am, as most people are feeling, quite heart sick over the aggressive behaviour of Putin & Russia's invasive of The Ukraine.  Feeling proud of how quickly the world is coming together on this.

Currently Reading:  just finished the recommendation from:  Lady Ella, The Flowers-of-Progress, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, (fiction) by Rachel Joyce.  Lady Ella gives a very good review of this book.  I enjoyed this book as I am fond of reading about people's pilgrimages & walks & their reasons of why, both fictional or real life.  My favourite on this subject is Jane Christmas's real life walk of The Camino de Santiago; What the Psychic Told The Pilgrim. 

I also requested at the same time, the sequel to Harold Fry, The Love Song of Queenie Hennessy.  This book is the back story to who & maybe why Harold was walking. 

I also have The Joy At Work from the library. I am kind of wandering in & out of chapters. 

Currently Crafting:  I am making headway on several of the UFOs, such as updating the cats' album.  I also spent a bit of time gathering up all the papers, stickers, photos & such for my COVID album.  My plan is to bliz  finish this topic on a stay at home, just me, scrapping weekend.  I've even prepared with getting myself some table treats of jubejubes, Smarties & easy to fix dinners.  I did get all the layouts done (12 pages) for the 2020 Pool Sitting Adventure (a sub chapter in the COVID album). I treated these layouts as though it was a holiday, because in many regards it was. Being able to leave our home at the height of COVID lockdowns & restrictions in 2020  & be in my friend's large private back garden with pool was a holiday treat.  I did my journaling on postcards to keep with that holiday vibe. 

Here are a few of my finished layouts. The natural lighting is not that great these days.

Pages For Cats Album - Smokey

Pool Vacation (COVID album)

 

Page for Cats Album - the girls together

 

and the stash ready for use in the COVID album: My favourite sticker (so far) is the blue ribbon "I've survived damn near everything". There is also a kit I purchased from one of my two favourite scrap stores.

Currently Free: when Mr Man picked up a prescription at the pharmacy (chemist) on Thursday, he was given a free Rapid Test for COVID - there are 5 tests inside.  Health Canada has since had to issue warnings for people not to eat or drink the contents of the tests.  I'm even more convinced relying on the common sense of others to get us through to the finish line of this pandemic is just not a good idea. 

Currently Received:  a lovely surprise in the mail - Melissa from Bits & Pieces Blog fame; she sent me a card with two little packets of stickers inside which is perfectly timed - Have Hope indeed!

And I will leave you with this thought as I wonder about the seemingly never ending pandemic ... "I wonder if all this is happening because I did not forward that email to 10 people?"

 

Wisdom

 

Your confidence needs to be build from within.  

If you build confidence on compliments, it will shatter with criticism.

Me On A Monday - February 21st

 

Good Morning. I trust everyone has enjoyed a good weekend.  We were once again indoors because of a storm - a blizzard this time.  It was so bad on Saturday morning that they entire county had all the roads closed for several hours & even the snow ploughs were pulled off the roads because of the white outs. This snow left us with an additional 20cm of snow - yes on top of that 25cm from Thursday/Friday storm!

View From Our Front Window Saturday Morning

Currently Reading: just finished While Paris Slept. & yes Ruth, I got a little teary. I must admit it took me well into the book before I was truly gripped with the story but I am SO glad I stuck with it.  Recommended by Ruth.  I also read another of her recommendations Last Christmas In Paris.  I have two books waiting for me at the library.  I think reading is the only aspect of sleepless nights that I can say I enjoy.  

Currently Crafting: I've organized my plans for The 100 Day Project & the two areas of my focus are catching up with the cat's album & my COVID album. I must admit in organizing I may have changed how I will tackle some of the COVID layouts.   As I said before my focus is to complete not compete & to do that I've picked three sketches that I will follow for the process of completing pages.  I've completed a simple page for the cats album. What I like most about this page is it is done & I like it, plus it used up some less than stellar photos.  Secondary plans include catching up on some card making. 

Currently Needing Inspiration: My own photos of late have lacked any imagination or challenge & I wanted to get my mojo fired up as the weather is going to be easier to get out & about in a month or so. Plus I want to finish up the WPSH with some umph YES,  rather than meh, it will do ... I found a couple of F/B photo groups that maybe will provide this inspiration.

Currently Worried:  Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth has tested positive for COVID! She's experiencing mild cold like symptoms.  It's not enough her children keep bringing scandal to her door, they now bring her the virus ... I'll say no more, other than wishing her Majesty a speedy recovery.

I'll leave you with my #1 gratitude item this week - a snow blower!

 

Why Not - It's Friday & We Got More Snow

Today is a random post of random things about the weather - we just got another snow storm that gifted us with about 20-25cm more!

This is a short video clip from a few years back - it is how Canadians get through winter;

Checking The Daily Weather Forecast

About Preparing for Winter - several years ago

Ihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVS6PaWCdaI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgUosngyAu0

And to keep us warm & fueled for shoveling, I am sharing the scone recipe I use all the time, it's easy & makes delicious scones. I do prefer it with the added cheese.

K's (Cheese) Scones

 2 cups  all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar (baking powder)

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp butter/margarine

¾ cup sour milk (buttermilk)

*for cheese scones, use 1 tbsp sugar & 1 cup shredded cheese. I use low fat marble cheese, but use cheddar if you like a stronger cheese.

Measure first 6 ingredients into bowl, cut in butter until crumbly, add buttermilk, if using, add cheese now, stir together  until a soft ball forms. Divide into 4 equal balls, now divide each ball into 4 pieces. Arrange on ungreased baking sheet (parchment paper), bake in 425 oven for about 10-15 minutes.

Wisdom

 

Dear Past:

Thank you for all the lessons.

_______________________

Dear Future:

I am ready.

Me On A Monday - February 14th

 

Good Morning. I trust everyone is doing well & keeping warm. We in this part of Ontario are again wrapped in a cold spell which brings, thankfully, high skies & sunshine.  Today, Valentine's Day, is a day to wrap ourselves in the warmth of love.  In my opinion, it does not have to be a day of romantic love, but a day to remember love has many forms.

"... and now these three remain, faith, hope & love. But the greatest of these three is love ..."  1 Corinthians 13:13

Currently Reading: just finishing up with The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell. This was recommended by Chris.  Took a little bit for me to get into it, but I am enjoying & I think I'd go for a glass of wine with one of the main characters, Kim.  I finished reading the Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley recommended by Deb.  I definitely would not write in the green notebook & I'm not sure how authentic any of the contributors were, but I'd definitely want to go to Monica's Cafe ... maybe I'd meet Kim from The Night She Disappeared there. We'd have tea & a scone instead of wine.

Currently Aware: that the 100 Day Project has begun for 2022. I am not committing to a full participation, more of, I'm aware of the energy of crafters & will try to contribute to that.  I have, along side my quarterly OLW, been working through a list of UFO's (unfinished objects) trying to reduce a few more of those silent to do's in my crafting "Projects" bin.  In my search for ways of reducing stress, especially around crafting, I've decided that I'm just not good at creating "clusters" on scrapbook pages. I've decided I'm OK with adding embellishment's but creating artistic clusters is just not my strength & rather than continually frustrate & compare myself, I've decided a few well place embellishments are just fine. Right now my goals are more to complete than compete.  

Any of you going to participate in The100 Day Project ?

Currently Avoiding but giving the side eye to the Winter Olympics-ice skating. Once again it, ice skating, gets caught up with doping scandals & for me that just ruins the feel of the Olympics.  

Currently Celebrating - Valentine's Day; I'm dressed in reds, pinks & hearts.  Trust me, I gave some very serious thought to decorating the Christmas tree with a heart theme, wanting to distract myself with pretty lights & such from more of moody Mr Winter gifting us with 20cm more of snow which has a crust of freezing rain on it. I can hardly wait to throw "him" a going away party!

Currently Updating: about  my friends with COVID, all have recovered & none required hospitalization - blessings in that.  The one friend that had the bad cough & difficultly breathing for a few days, is recovering slowly. We are hopeful she's not going to have long haul COVID. She like all the others is fully vaccinated including the booster, so you see you just don't know who will be the one to get sick with COVID. Thankfully, in this region, the number of new cases are reducing & the hospitals are not being over whelmed. Small mercies.

And I'll leave you with  another love thought ... "you are protected in short by your ability to love."  Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince'.

Wisdom

 

Source: Internet

" ... being negative only makes your journey more difficult. You may have been given a cactus, but it doesn't mean you have to sit on it." 

                        Joyce Meyer

Me On a Monday - February 7th

Good Morning.  In this part of the world, on February 2nd the Ground Hog, Wiarton Willie,  did NOT see his shadow, which means for us, if you believe that burrowing rodents can forecast weather, an early spring.  Of course the reason he did not see his shadow was a snow storm  that dropped about 20-25cm of snow.  😀

Currently Participating: in Eileen's  WPSH. There is still time to participate & remember it doesn't matter if you get one of the items on the list or all 23 items - it's meant to be fun. I posted some of my finds yesterday. 

Currently Celebrating: that yesterday was the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, ascending the throne. On a sad note, it is also the anniversary of her beloved Father's death.  A bitter sweet moment for her I am sure.  I am so excited for the platinum jubilee celebrations to begin & I trust that her children (that one arrogant so & so of a son) & grandchildren (the ginger & whinger), behave & put their own selves to one side & let her celebrate with style & grace.  ♕

Currently Reading: on Deb's Reading Post recommendation, I requested The Authenticity Experiment.  I am about half way through. Interesting experiment. I wonder whether I would write in the green notebook.

Currently Disgusted: by the hostage situation in Ottawa, Ontario of the trucker's anti vaccine protest.  There is no place here for the confederate flag or the naizi flag & when your freedom convoy can make white supremacists feel welcomed in your movement, you go too far.  When you threatened health care workers, you go too far. When you force your way into shops without a mask on & scare workers, you go too far. When you steal food from the food bank, you go too far. This is not about freedom, this is about you being too arrogant & privileged, that community responsibility feels like oppression to you.  People keep shouting about their rights, but what about your responsibilities?  There were also demonstrations over the weekend in Toronto & other major cities across Canada.  I'll say no more.

And I'll leave you with this thought ... this morning I cannot decide whether to put on my smarty pants or my fancy pants ...

Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt (WPSH) 2nd Link In

Today I am linking in to Eileen's 2nd Link In for the WPSH.

Here are a few of my finds for the list:

#1 Party Time - our celebration for the Winter Solstice

#2 A Star - a gift to ourselves

#4 Form or Shape - in keeping with the upcoming Valentine's Day celebrations; cake, cupcakes pans & cookie cutter heart.

#8 In Profile - can not do just one, fairness is fairness to the fur girls.

#11 Represent Your Zodiac/Chinese Animal - Leo The Lion

#15 External Light - one of our solar lights wearing a winter cap of snow

#18 A Gift - from Christmas (perfect for after skating on Alt C)

#18/19 - this one falls in to both categories - this was a very thoughtful & unexpected gift from a friend overseas, a beautiful decoration for our tree.

#19 A Decoration - honouring 2021, the year of the vaccine

#20 Small - a small library in the river side park of the village

Alt B - Weather Today - a recent snow storm ... again

 Alt C - Squares - a square of shoveled ice on the river for skating, no ice hockey here, there are manicured rinks for that.

 

There's still time to play along & have some winter fun ... 

Wisdom

 You may not always see the results of your kindness, but every bit of positive energy you contribute to the world makes it a better place for us all.

                            Lisa Currie