Pairs - I'll Scratch Your Back

Linking in with Helena's Pairs http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.ca/




































This week my Pairs are the most adorable little donkeys living at the Canadian Donkey Sanctuary in Guelph.  There is a herd of all sizes, colours & temperaments, the only commonality is that they are all rescues.  There are a few Mules (A Mare For A Mother) & last year one of the rescued donkeys was pregnant so they had a foal.  The donkeys are allowed to roan freely about the enclosure with the people guests.  They rotate the donkeys out of these enclosures every couple of hours, that way no one is getting overly stressed.  There is a large pasture with barn access for the donkeys off public relations duties. The sanctuary is run by volunteers & to raise money for care of the donkeys, they host two major fund raisers every year.  You can also sponsor a donkey with a monthly donation.  Some of the donkeys liked to be groomed so there is a basket filled with brushes & if the mood takes you and the donkey agrees, you can brush away.  It is a very clean facility, very knowledgeable volunteer staff.  We had several enjoyable hours with the donkeys.  To learn more:  http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.ca/

Me On Monday - October 5th

As I take my mittens off, I am giving Sian a wave at http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.ca/

Meridith Keeping Watch

A big change in the weather, especially in the over night temperatures /  I am never ready for the change of seasons / Busy week at the clinic, I was doing a lot of extra hours as one person took vacation and another was just starting / Two books on the go; Rising Strong (Dr Brene Brown) and Big Magic (Elizabeth Gilbert) - ummm lots of ideas now rumbling around / Many more doctor specialist eye appointments for Mr Man.  Looking like a second  eye surgery might be the answer /  Seeking out comfort foods / In the final stretch of all those federal government election adds / New TV season in full swing - not enjoying most returns and found nothing new to interest me / The slow garden clear up has begun & finding evidence of a raccoon - dirty creatures!!! /  Learning new billing methods at work - my brain hurts / Enjoying the comfort of two adorable fur girls, such love / Helping to dig out the horse blankets; are all the straps there?; these horses have a bigger wardrobe than me / A few days on the treadmill rather than walks outside but still keeping to a minimum of 10,000 steps a day /All the basement reno, clean up, tidy through complete - yeah! / Monday begins another chapter; one that I hope is filled with lots of commas for pause to savour.

Thankful Thursday - The First

 

From the Internet

Today begins my adventure into Thirty One Days of Thankful.  I picked October as this is when Canadian Thanksgiving is.  This year it is Monday October 12th.  I would be very happy for you to join in with me.   I thought that doing a Thankful post everyday was a bit too much so I will post my Thankfuls on each Thursday of the month of October.

October 1st - Thankful for all the connections that I have made and am making through blogging.  I am Thankful for comments, suggestions and thoughts shared with me.  I am Thankful for so many talented bloggers sharing fully their stories, ideas, travels and examples of how to be better at scrapping, living and ways of thinking of things and situations differently.  When we know better, we do better. (Paraphrasing from Maya Angelou).

 What are you Thankful  for today?

From the Internet

Pairs - Closed & Open

Linking in with Helena at : http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.ca/

My Pairs today reminds me of the quote "I open at the close"  (Prof Dumbledore 's message to Harry on the Snitch in The Deathly Hallows).

It is the close of our growing season and I am getting a last flush of roses. With these flowers I feel that summer is resurrected just for a moment.   Today's Pairs are from my Graham Thomas, a David Austin rose. First the Closed Bud, then the Open Full Flower.  A gift.

Graham Thomas Closed Bud

Graham Thomas Open Flower

Me on Monday - September 28th

A big Monday morning wave to Sian and the other lovelies.  Find out who else at:  http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.ca/

Climbing Rose in my garden

A mix of last blooms for my desk

 This past week & weekend saw the installation of a new gas furnace & central air conditioning in our home / Clear out initiated by the furnace install - feels very tidy / celebrated Bilbo & Frodo's birthday on the 22nd / a trip to both types of recycle centres, one for yard waste & one for household items to be re-used / closet switch over from summer lighter fare to warm & heavier winter items / final ideas captured for October's Thankful Thursdays on my blog / camera repairs done, not too expensive & it was the lens that took the brute injury not the body / library called, I started to read Dr Brene Brown's Rising Strong - she is amazing, simply amazing / F1 Racing watching / nights were sleep seems to run away from me, finding a quiet activity, I am sorting through all my December Christmas scrapping stuff - oh my / trying new vegetable recipes - favourite so far is the sweet potato & pear mash /amazed at the Full Moon both on the morning of the 27th and the evening of the 27th, although heavy clouds dulled the view of the Blood Moon / started watching new Masterpiece series; Indian Summers / GBBO  - I can honestly say I have never had a custard tart / Thanks Monday for being a day of fresh starts.

December Daily - A Look Back

Christmas - It is 3 months today so I thought we could take a look back at some of my December Daily pages from previous years.  There is no particular order of the pages I am displaying.  And now that I look at them in this post, I can't figure out why they look a little off kilter - something yet to master.

I am a simple scrapper and I certainly haven't adventured into recreating some of the pages I so admire by the master December Daily scrappers. My December Daily Pinterest board is full and ready to inspire, although I need to be careful as not to be so overwhelmed by the greatest of skill that I become paralyzed with self doubt and end up just sticking the photos down or shoving them into page pockets. I do not think I will be making any new purchases as I have a huge stash of Christmas papers, stickers, die cuts, bling and of course my Silhouette machine is ready to cut out any creation my heart desires.

Last year I did a lot of pocket pages (and trust me those are hard to photograph), with a few full pages in the mix.  In 2013 I did all pocket pages and in 2012 I did all single page layouts, one 12X12" for each and every day of December.  2012's album was a lot of work and frustrated me to no end.  2013 of all pocket pages did not engage me in my hobby of scrapping in the same way.  I think last year's blend of the two is a recipe for me to capture the days this year.  For colours I do tend to be a traditional red, green, gold & silver with some blue kind, of December scrapper.  

Some days when I have nothing to record I use those days to remember what music or movies or special treats we are enjoying over the holidays. Last year I recorded the costs of Christmas.  I have been doing Santa photos of my cats at home since 2007.  The new fur girls, Smokey & Sooty were not quite use to sitting still last Christmas, so I wasn't as successful, hence why they were Christmasized sleeping in the Twas The Night Before Christmas layout.  This year I have great expectations for them to pose with Santa.

So what about you; will you be creating a December Daily album or an online recounting of the days?  New purchases, relying on the stash?  Red and green?  And have you started your Christmas shopping?

Title Page - Silhouette Cuts

Title Page - Silhouette Cut

Some of the Christmas movie selection

Some of the Christmas CDs

Advent calendars - both online and physical versions

Tim Horton's special cup and paper wrap each Christmas

Night time Farmer's Christmas Light Parade

Smudge Pudding was SO co-operative with Santa

Twas The Night Before Christmas - all snug in their bed

Two of my favorites from the Santa collection

A Pair of Hills That Are Alive

Linking in with Helena's fantastic idea of weekly Pairs at http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.ca/

This week my Pairs are two of the 4 hills that I go up and down, I do the neighbour loops twice. Some days these hills are alive with my strained breathing, some days not so much. Some days these hills are alive with the sound of car traffic, some days there isn't a sign of anyone about. In the Spring,  the trees bordering these hills are alive with bird song.  Now as Autumn arrives these hills are live with the sound of rustling leaves under foot.  But everyday these hills remind me I am alive and able to walk.

Looking Up Brady

Looking Up Queen

PS - just had to sneak in the other Pair of hills, can't have any one left out  :)

Looking Up McKenzie

Looking Up Princess