Six Months

Six months ago I started blogging because I'd come across Mary's Little Red House and I was so intrigued by the beautiful mosaics that she had created. I followed her tutorial and was so pleased when I was able to create my first mosaic of the floral pictures I'd taken on a family visit to Hawaii.
The next discovery was that there were so many talented photographers and that their blogs highlighted their creativity and interests. I learned that making contact by commenting and receiving comments was fun too.
All of the blogging steps were puzzles to me and I am still learning as I go along. I've not yet mastered the skill of keeping track of all the lovely blogs I've found, but have learned that sometimes even though the blog lists look intriguing it's smarter not to click unless I have a large block of time to whittle away. When I do I find so many interesting blogs I sometimes forget to go back and make comments on them.
Thanks so much to all of you who have made such kind comments on my blog and apologies to those I've failed to visit. I'm going to try to be a better blogger and one of the ways I'll try to do this is to occasionally link to other bloggers who have inspired me. Thanks to all of you who have visited my blog and I hope that your day is filled with sunshine!

Canoe Lake

Autumn is here and though very late due to all the rain we had in late August and for most of September, harvest has been underway for about a week (off and on depending on the rainfall and how dry the crops are).
I was surprised when the farmer suggested we go on a drive to Canoe Lake, but he was waiting for the land to warm up before swathing barley. We took the binoculars along and though they were on the other side of the lake, we spotted ducks and Canada Geese and enjoyed a lovely walk down to the lake.
It's a pristine lake in that there are no houses or cabins surrounding it...just marshlands, fields and trees. The sun was brilliant and the autumn leaves were beautiful in the early morning sunshine. I'll be posting a harvest update before too long. Enjoy these glorious days no matter where you are. Once again it's time to see what beautiful pictures and interesting stories you'll find at Mary's Mosaic Monday.

Still Blooming

This rose bloomed last week on a rose bush planted at my in-laws home. The amazing thing is that in the mid twenties my father in law's family arrived from Minnesota to homestead in Northern Alberta. They brought children, a cat called Pussy Purr, two tame mallard ducks and the rosebush. It was replanted in at least 3 locations but still lives and blooms 85 years later. Our farm is close by and one day I hope to take a shoot and plant it here at our farm. Last week I took some pictures of the flowers that are still blooming in my yard. It's almost mid September so a very unusual sight and it's thanks to the frost free nights we've experienced to this point. Enjoy your gardens wherever you are!



Please consider a visit to Mary's Little Red House to see wonderfully creative mosaics.
Sunshine Always !

Beacon Hill Park

Each time I return to Victoria, a trip to Beacon Hill Park is a must. It's a park that has so many memories and for over 150 years, generations of our family have wandered through and marveled at it's beauty.
My sister Maureen, has suggested that it's likely that our Great Grandmother pushed her children in a pram over the stone bridge. Our grandmother took her children for outings and picnics in the park. We know that she enjoyed picnics because she would arrange them for our family when we were children. Sometimes on Sunday afternoons we would listen to the concerts at the Cameron Bandsell and as we did I think my parents must have been thinking back to the time two young soldiers singing together on stage spotted a pair of nursing students in the front row...the rest is history. We lived in Fairfield, within walking distance to the park, so we swam in the wading pool, and attended the free Summer Parks Programs for children.


This view of the stone bridge in Beacon Hill Park in Victoria BC is a special memory for me. At the tender age of 12, my 9 year old sister sat beside me on the grass as we painted this bridge. We were attending "Painting in the Parks" that summer and we'd been given large cardboard folders to act as easels and to carry our papers home in. My grandmother Clara, had enrolled us and I remember another spot at the edge of the park where we sat and painted a large Tudor style home across from the park. I wish I remembered more but do know we were taken to different locations by an art instructor and when I first started painting as an adult, I chose to copy a picture I'd taken of the stone bridge. The beautiful floral gardens, duck ponds, magnificent trees and lovely vistas make the more than 200 acre Beacon Hill Park a real treasure for Victorians - just as it was more than 150 years ago.