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

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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)

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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. .

Winter Sunset Through the Trees

.

.

Not a new pic tonight as I spent the day in Hamilton, Ontario with my friend. Her husband needed a drive so I took him to see her.

I want to thank you for all your kind thoughts in yesterday's blog that I've just read now. What a lovely group you all are!

{{{{{HUGS}}}}} to you all.

A walk after sunset

. I went for a walk with Geordie after sunset this evening. I had lots of thinking to do and decisions to make so decided to go where Jack is buried and get on some of the paths and Geordie and I would walk and walk. The sunset was lovely. But it was so cold that we soon went back to the car and headed on home. .

No pic today...

...because I've been having tests, (Lab & Ultrasound) and then I drove my friend's husband down to Hamilton to see his wife, Judy, who had further hip surgery today. Not in the picture-taking mood... .

Some fruit scones for Breakfast.

. Eat up your breakfast!

I made some lovely Irish type scones today and enjoyed them so much that I thought maybe one of the visitors to this blog might like to have one for breakfast? ;) Enjoy! .

Skating on the Speed River

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Did you ever skate on the river?

Oh, how I remember when I was wee, skating on many frozen creeks and ponds. We didn't have indoor arenas to skate in and we nearly froze our fingers off trying to tighten the laces in our skates while sitting on the benches beside the ice. But what fun it was and how we enjoyed it when we finally got our laces done up.

It was so nice to see these folks skating on the Speed River late this afternoon. There were youngsters and some "oldsters" too and my memory went way back to when I used to do this. It was lovely reminiscing.

It was also interesting to see the huge cracks in the ice from where the thawed part of the river joins the frozen rink part.

Do you have memories like this from when you were little? Share them with us if you'd like. I love to hear memories of others.

Map on Google for this area

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Sweet Lauren!

Lauren on Friday!

She wasn't too happy to be bothered while having a nap today!

Got a tissue?

Never mind, I'll use this...!!

I had quite a trying day in one way or another and took only one photo that was worth anything (according to moi!)

So, since I needed a giggle, I decided to post an oldie today. CG, make sure you tell P that it's here. I thought of him when I posted tonight.

I did post my photo that seemed "ok" to me on my Guelph Daily Photo blog here if you care to see it.

Sign that spring is coming...

PEEKING OUT AT YOU!

Oh, don't you just love the time of year when it's evident that spring or summer is coming if it's been a long winter? I sure do. We've had some pretty terrible storms the last few weeks with lots and lots of snow and today for the first time, we had a bit of a thaw and there under the huge depth of snow on my round glass patio table appeared a wooden watering can that I use for growing my thyme in.

I forgot to put it away for the winter but there it stands "peeking out" through the melting snow as if it say, "Pat, I'm here! It won't be long till you start to enjoy the thyme within me!"

I long for May 24th weekend to arrive so that I can start to plant once again in my garden. We daren't put any tender plants into the ground until then due to our harsh winter weather and the danger of frost still lingers.

Frozen H2O

Amazing the patterns that are formed when you combine snow melting, wind and freezing temperatures. This was hanging from my back eavestrough and each time I opened my patio door, as the heat escaped from my kitchen, more icicles formed.

This has been such a different winter. During December and most of January, we, here in this city at the south side of our "snow belt" thought that we weren't going to have any winter at all but it's certainly arrived now and arrived with a vengeance!

Another of the Creator's wonderful artwork!

"This Ole House"

Old Pioneer Log Cabin

On the way to Ottawa on one trip to visit friends, I was on the road from Smith's Falls up to the Osgoode and North Gower area (Roger-Steven's Drive). There are many old, old farms in the area long ago left deserted.

I thought I'd share with you all these two photos which sort of goe along with the old barn of yesterday.

I can't make up my mind whether I like the coloured or the B&W one.

Both the photos (of the same old cabin) make me think of this song that was made popular by Rosemary Clooney...

This Ole House

Artist: Rosemary Clooney

This ole house once knew his children

This ole house once knew his wife
This ole house was home and comfort
As they fought the storms of life
This old house once rang with laughter
This old house heard many shouts
Now he trembles in the darkness
When the lightnin' walks about

CHORUS:

Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend the windowpane
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
He's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

This ole house is a-gettin' shaky
This ole house is a-gettin' old
This ole house lets in the rain
This ole house lets in the cold
On his knees I'm gettin' chilly
But he feel no fear nor pain
'Cause he see an angel peekin'
Through a broken windowpane

CHORUS

This ole house is afraid of thunder
This ole house is afraid of storms
This ole house just groans and trembles
When the night wind flings its arms
This ole house is gettin' feeble
This old house is needin' paint
Just like him it's tuckered out
But he's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

CHORUS

This ole house dog lies a-sleepin'
He don't know I'm gonna leave
Else he'd wake up by the fireplace
And he'd sit there and howl and grieve
But my huntin' days are over
Ain't gonna hunt the coon no more
Gabriel done brought in my chariot
When the wind blew down the door

CHORUS

The Old Barn

If these walls could talk!

I so love and appreciate old barns and old ancient buildings. Our country of Canada is so young compared to the age of the UK and other parts of this huge globe that we find it difficult to find really old buildings.

But old barns really speak to me.

This old barn I watch fall slowly apart over the years and finally took this winter photo of it. How very saddened I was to go back and take a spring photo and I found that it had been completely torn down and the ground on which it stood all levelled.

How I'd love to know a bit of the history of this barn.

Another at sunset at Elora Gorge

Geordie at Sunset in Elora Gorge

Just after I took the photo that I showed yesterday, I turned to my left and there was Geordie running toward me full rip. I think he thought I was leaving and he didn't want to be left behind.

Winter Sunset at Elora Gorge

SUNSET AT ELORA GORGE

Not far from here is a little village named Elora. There's a fantastic gorge there in which flows the Grand River. The Grand River is probably the longest river in this part of Ontario and it flows into Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes.

When this photo was taken, it was about 5:30 pm and the setting sun was shining so brightly on the higher ground where I was standing but the gorge itself was almost dark. The oak tree's leaves had not fallen off and the sun shining on them made the scene so bright and golden.

I must go up there again and take more photos as I really like this area and it's not far away!

Deep snow...

I was letting Geordie out to "do his business" a little while ago and this is what the bird feeders look like today!

A Love Story on Valentine's Day

A Love Story on Valentine's Day

Many years ago, there was a tall, handsome Irishman who was courting his lady friend. They loved to walk. Walking over the hills and in the dales was most pleasant to both of them. Oftentimes he would tell her of his home town across the sea in Ulster and he would talk often all about the wee loughs where he loved to just sit and day dream (and do some fishing!).

She would tell him of her favorite places in Ontario as well and in time, they both realized that they were interested in the similar things. They both loved to discuss scripture together and share their love for their Lord Jesus Christ.

On one walk, as her skirt and crinolines swished back and forth, he tenderly took her hand in his and gently squeezed it. They had been walking all evening. On and on they walked, he holding her hand in his.

At one lovely place, he decided that they should stop and rest awhile. She drank in the beautiful view of the blue-green hills in the distance. He didn't want to let go of her hand and then their gazes met and as she looked into his blue eyes, she knew she loved him.

He asked her if she would "come to his wedding." What a different way this Irishman had of proposing to her, she thought. She, being in a playful mood, asked if he would like her to be the organist at his wedding.

"No," he replied.

"Bridesmaid?", she asked.

"No".

"Maid of Honour?"

"No"

"Soloist?"

"Well,. . . maybe". . .

He then told her that it was the Bride at his wedding that he wanted her to be!

Thinking she wasn't at all as pretty as she should be in his eyes, she expressed these feelings to him that lovely autumn evening whereupon he started to sing to her an Irish song of the early 1800's with the most beautiful words she had ever heard.

Believe me if all those

Endearing young charms

Which I gaze on so fondly today

Were to change by tomorrow

And fleet in my arms,

Like fairy gifts fading away

Thou would'st still be adored

As this moment thou art

Let thy loveliness fade as it will

And around the dear ruin

Each wish of my heart

Would entwine itself

Verdantly still.

He only sang the first verse to his young maiden 46 years ago and when he finished singing, I said, "Yes, Jack, I will be your bride." And he also held me to my promise that I would sing at his wedding!

Here is the second verse:

It is not while beauty

and youth are thine own And thy cheeks profaned by a tear That the ferver and faith

of a soul can be known To which time will but

make thee more dear No the heart that has truly loved Never forgets But as truly loves on to the close As the sunflower turns

on her god when he sets The same look which she'd turned

when he rose.

All this took place in September 1960 and we had been courting since shortly after he stepped off the ship (Cunard Liner Sylvania) arriving in Canada from Northern Ireland in early July.

He saved his money carefully and it was on an elevator somewhere between the 5th and 15th floor in a huge office building in Toronto that he gave me a beautiful engagement ring on February 14th, 1961 after a courtship from July 1960 and we married on May 20th, the same year. And we were still in love....as much as we were back then in 1961, when Jack was promoted to Glory on January 10, 2001!

1961

2000

Hamilton, Ontario through the trees

This photo was taken on not quite so blustery a day as yesterday but it was almost impossible to take a photo of this view without all the trees. Actually, in summer, the harbour can hardly be seen from this viewpoint due to the leaves and bushes, etc.

So, I will name it...

Hamilton, Ontario Through the Trees

Been a "down" time...

Had an innocent-sounding cough and finally went to the doctor and am now on puffers and a strong antibiotic for pneumonia! So no piccies taken for me lately. Blizzard conditions and white-outs south of our city today so guess this might be bad weather ahead for our area.

Winter Grasses

I find that the winter grasses are beautiful in the snow. This rather large clump can be seen outside a doctor's office here in Guelph beside the parking lot. I waited for the parking lot to pretty well clear out to make this photo.

On a sunny window today

Just a little quick photo today as it's been a very busy day closing the competition on the Photography Cafe, etc. We posted all the winners in the Cafe blog here. For me the winning photo was so touching.

Anyway, while I was busy with that, Lauren was busily lapping up the afternoon sunshine on the window sill so this is the photo of her today!

"I'm sure she said we were going in the car..."

I had told Geordie that we were going in the car to the store and this is how he stayed at the door just waiting for me to keep my word.

And in between times, he was busy chasing the black squirrels out of the back yard!

He just loves to be out there in the snow and the more blustery it is the better he loves it.

LOVING EYE

I was just looking at my buddy's eyes and he speaks so much with his eyes.

I know I haven't captured what I really wanted to but he has a way of showing such love and concern with those eyes of his.

Border Collies are special--as far as I'm concerned and I'm wondering now if I should have a young one that Geordie can help train now that he's going to be 12 years old in June. Not sure if I really want that burden of training another. I don't think that there could be another like Geordie.