Sorry, no photos...

I've been "under the weather" for a couple of days as well as attending a funeral of a very close friend and so haven't been able to make any photos.

Hopefully with a weekend of rest and TLC, I will feel better at the beginning of the week.

Things are starting to melt!

Just south of where I live used to be a large jail farm many years ago and now there are ponds and little creeks and streams all part of the Eramosa River.

Today when I was there, the geese are busy making their nests and the water in the little stream here is running very swiftly but the larger pond at the back is still frozen.

Won't be long now till spring!

Daffodils are planted!

Geordie and I planted the Daffodils

It was such a lovely day today. Mice were coming out of their winter homes as were moles and the squirrels were so numerous--too numerous to count and it almost drove Geordie nuts! He was having such a great time chasing all of these!

Then he saw me walking from where I parked the car with the pot of daffodils and a little trowel and as soon as he noticed this, he ran right to the spot where his master lay and just laid down on the spot where I wanted to dig.

He watched as I made a little hole for the bulbs and kept on lying there.

Finally I got the little job done and Geordie had jumped up onto "his" bench and suddenly the expression on his face was, "Pat, I see a squirrel!" but this look was a wee bit different. So I turned around and a long distance away, all I saw was a tail wagging and I said, "Oh, it's another dog!" And with that, Geordie ran so quickly to the wagging tail.

I then heard some little playful growls and I turned around to find two dogs having such a great time together, most of the time on their back legs alone trying to knock the other one over.

The other dog's owners walked over to find out where their buddy had gone and they called, "Hey, Geordie! Come on boy!" and both my Geordie and their Geordie ran to the other couple!

Well, did I laugh! And so did Geordie! See his smile? He met another "Geordie" and they had so much fun together while we visited my Geordie's master's resting place!

Daffies!

I bought a pot of daffodils to put on Jack's grave and I thought that the scene outside the other day was quite interesting to see behind the daffodils in my kitchen. The snow has gone now as we had a couple of huge thunder and lightening rain storms over night and during today.

I will go and plant them tomorrow on the grave I think.

Do you see the green, Ruth?

MY THYME

Each time I go to Ruth's Garden blog, I'm so enthused viewing her pics of her little sprouting plants and then I've looked outside at our snow...and more snow and ice!

When I posted my photo of this thyme back in the winter, I wondered and wondered if it would survive our winter this year.

Well, Ruth, do you see the green?

What a busy weekend!

I'm gradually getting used to having an older teen staying with me but this weekend was so different. Two of her friends came over and they decided at about 10 pm to dye each other's hair!

They were very careful with the dye and I only had to use a little bleach on my kitchen counter to erase the fuschia/hot pink colour from my beige counter!!

I did find some purple on an old towel and some green somewhere else but on the whole, they did a great job cleaning up.

I drew the line when they said, "Grandma, want yours done?"

Another shamrock

WHITE SHAMROCK

This is a little plant that needs some TLC. The photo looks better large. Not nice the way it's made smaller with this software.

My Shamrock

PINK SHAMROCK

I have a little shamrock plant that was bought by Jack the year before he passed away. I've never had any trouble getting it to bloom each year and I really like it as it's so different from my others that have only white blossoms.

Guelph's Heffernan Foot Bridge

Heffernan Foot Bridge in winter

Heffernan Foot Bridge in summer

This graceful arched bridge of reinforced concrete was built in 1914, replacing the original 1881 steel bridge, to plans by E. E. Clawson, City Engineer.

A unique feature of the riverscape and important pedestrian link to the city's commercial core.

Thank you

I just wanted to say thanks for all the lovely posts in the last few days. They've been so encouraging. I haven't had time to turn around it seems so I'm way behind in my blog commenting and picture-taking. Hopefully now that spring is almost here, things will change.

Chilly Duck Shoot

Mallard Duck

Carol and I met down at LaSalle Park last week. The snow is so dirty where all of the water fowl are congregating and sometimes, it's tempting to try to clean up the snow for the photos! LOL

But here's Mr. Mallard, waiting for a mate. Actually, I do believe that his mate was very close by but not close enough for the photo.

We had a wonderful time and Anna's father and brother came along as well and actually Anna's father took this photo of Carol and I. Didn't he do a great job?

And there's Geordie, sitting in the back seat of the car wishing he could be out running and jumping in the icy frozen water of Lake Ontario! EEEEEEK!!!!

It's Sunday! Let's go to church!

Photo is clickable to larger...

St. George's Anglican Church

I have attended many concerts and special events in the wonderful auditorium of this old church. The pipe organ is magnificent.

Top O' The Mornin' To Ye!

Never saw a green carnation before but thought it would be nice for St. Patrick's Day! Hope you've all had a great day!

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Oh, no! Is it really Friday again?

I get so tired of this ritual every Friday.

...IF you point that at me one more time..

I will just not look at you GIVE UP ALREADY!!!

I'd love to go for a ride!

All photos are clickable to larger

Today, I yearned to go for a ride in this big vehicle. My brother-in-law got his "newish" vehicle and was driving it up to North Bay, Ontario and he stopped off for me to see it.

I thought that the grill was interesting...almost like a piece of art! Do you like it?

This vehicle is not old at all and as you can see it only has just over 83,000 km on it. That's a very low mileage for these vehicles.

Well, maybe another day, I'll get to ride in it.

Have you ever felt as if you'd like to ride in one of these large tractor trailers? I used to teach bus driving but this is a vehicle I wouldn't mind travelling in.

Two bells...and all's well!

Yep! Two o'clock in the morning! Actually 2:10 am. No piccie! I'm sitting here yawning. I want to thank everyone who posted about the chocolate. I had plans for a pic for tonight but got so busy with other stuff on the website that I just can't do it tonight. I'm so far behind too in getting around to comment on all your blogs but I will get there!

Chocolate 'is good for you'

Evidence is growing that chocolate is good for you

Chocolate may be better for your health than tea because it contains more of a chemical that could prevent cancer and heart disease, researchers have said.

Ohh, that's all I had to read! And I gobbled up a huge chocolate bar!

Last night as I was wanting to update both of my blogs, do you think I could? Each time I tried to, everything froze up! And I wanted to so badly as I knew I was going to be busy all day today doing important things elsewhere.

So...

I ate chocolate.

You might say that I indulged!

Tell me...

• Do you ever do that (indulge)?
• Do you enjoy chocolate?
• Do you ever sneak in and pinch of of your kids' choccies--even one little piecs?
• Do you see the chocolate bars at the checkout and buy one and tell the cashier, "I'll just put that in my handbag, thanks!"

Yes, those are my teeth marks on that chewed off piece!

I love sunsets!

Windmills After Sunset

I was driving back from Barrie, Ontario after sunset this evening and as I drove over one hill, imagine my surprise at seeing over 40 windmills all busy turning slowing on the far distant horizon.

I stopped the car and made this photo of the scene. I never knew we had such a place! (Please click to see the photo larger)

A lovely sunset

When I saw this sunset just out of town a wee bit, I couldn't help humming to myself the following hymn that is well known the world over and since it's Sunday, I thought I'd just post it for all who come in here.

AMAZING GRACE
(Click title to hear music)

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.

Geordie Fell in Love--Once!

We always had a cat. I grew up with cats but when our last cat died many years ago, we just never thought to get another one and then we brought Geordie home. He was all we needed. Several times I'd bring up the subject of a cat to Jack but then we realized that with his fistula in his arm in order to have dialysis, it would have been terrible if he ever was scratched there causing unnecessary bleeding.

So, we never got another cat...

Until...

I saw this lovely cat at the Humane Society and his name was Victor. Oh, I thought Victor was a lovely looking cat and I decided that since I was now a widow, that I'd bring Victor home to live with Geordie and I.

Geordie didn't like the fact that Victor was in the cat carrying case but I wanted him to get used to the smell of our home and some of the things before letting him out into the living room.

Well, Geordie loved Victor from the first.

Geordie was never allowed on the furniture but one day I came out from the computer room and found this scene. Of course Geordie isn't sleeping. He's pretending to though! I suppose he thought that if he couldn't see me, then I couldn't see him up on my chair!

Victor loved to be in Geordie's arms and the two of them got on so well together.

Then Victor got a urinary tract infection so bad that in a couple of days, he went downhill in his health so badly that I had that terrible decision to make. Geordie missed Victor so much. He moped around the house constantly looking for him.

That's when I got Lauren but it's just not the same relationship. Geordie tolerates Lauren and herds Lauren but he doesn't love her and cuddle with her like he did Victor.

Geordie rescued!

Last Sunday, my brother-in-law was driving me around Guelph in order to get some photos for my Guelph Daily Photo blog. John had decided to stay in the car but then he got out and so did Geordie.

Well, I was on the railway trestle taking this photo when all of a sudden, I heard Geordie crying at the top of his voice. I turned around and here was my buddy! He had slipped down between the railway ties and he couldn't get up and below him was the frigid waters of the Speed River. His hind legs were swinging and his front claws were all dug into the ice railway ties and he was just trying to hang on tight until I got to him.

Of course, we got him up from between the ties where he was wedged and here he is sitting nicely maybe contemplating his icy cold swim that he missed!

This was Geordie's first experience walking along railway tracks and to have his first one being on a railway trestle, is something else!

Fragility

A sober post today...

Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.

For what is your life? It is even a vapor

that appears for a little time

and then

vanishes

away.

.

James 4:14

FRAGILITY

As I've been sitting here at my computer yesterday and today, I've been contemplating the fragility of life. So many sad news stories on the television and radio and in the newspapers of death.

I listened to the one story that is on the news here right now of the Michigan husband who killed and dismembered his wife while their two little children were asleep in the house and he was arrested yesterday. Sadness!

I watched the news of our main north-south highway yesterday all of a sudden being enveloped in white-out and blizzard conditions and a bus filled with happy travellers ran into the back of a tanker semi truck and sandwiched a little car between them and within the next minute or two, there were maybe upwards of 75 other vehicles involved in the collision. All this happened in the twinkling of an eye.

Then my thoughts went to my friend here in my city who is a councillor on our council and who is going through such terrible health problems now needing to wear oxygen full time and only just a little over 50 years of age. Such fragility!

My thoughts wandered back a few years to a husband, although very ill, was full of life and dreams of again travelling, '"just once more", to his homeland and with that final "Hurry and go to bed honey! We have to get up early for dialysis." by 1:10 am, he was brain dead.

Who knew? We didn't but the Creator did.

Life is fragile,

Handle with prayer.

.

Lovely day at LaSalle Park on Lake Ontario

.

Today I met Anna's mother and we had a lovely few hours at LaSalle Park on Lake Ontario. It wasn't too cold down there.

The harbour is frozen and looking across to the Stelco Steel Plant, you could see that they were busy working.

Among the thousands of waterfowl, we found a pair of Pintail Ducks. It was very difficult to take a photo of them without hundreds of other birds around them but this is my attempt. Not a very good one but my little old point and shoot did pretty well.

We'll meet again soon. Had a wonderful day with your mother, your father and your brother, Alexander, Anna!

Snow, Snow, and more Snow!

.

Last night during the big snow storm, I took this photo from my front door down my path. Ohhh, it needs to be dug but I'll wait till morning!

My apple tree today

My picnic table--waiting for spring!

After diggin the path!

Friendship

"A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping (grain) and with a breath of kindness blow the rest (chaff) away."

Arabian Proverb

Sunset on Lake Ontario

(Click to see larger)

.

What a wonderful day I had on a day in December before Christmas! The above photo was taken that day looking west toward the city of Hamilton from a lovely park called LaSalle Park inside Hamilton Bay on Lake Ontario. It was so very cold but the friendship and fellowship of three individuals was warm!

Anna and her mother and I met on this very cold and chilly day to take photos together. What a great time we had! It was like we knew each other for a very long time. AB or AnnaBanana is an administrator on the Photography Cafe and is such a joy to work with.

Three Friends in a Tree!

The photo to the right was taken on January 2 on a lovely trip to Niagara Falls. Look at the lovely green grass!

Have you met folks you met on the internet and felt that you'd know each other forever? or for a very long time?

Maybe you've had a different experience though. I'm sure we all have to be careful.

Thanks Anna, for being that type of friend!

AT LAST WE MEET!

This photo was taken by Carol, Anna's lovely mother as Anna and I realized that we were really meeting at last.

As a result of knowing AB, Carol and I are now great friends and we plan many photo outings together in the near future. .