On the way to church each Sunday evening, we pass this "Gingerbread-looking" House! It's on Paisley Street, west of Edinburgh. Don't you like it? I sure do.

Almost Nightfall in Guelph

It was almost dark. The white snow was almost unseen. It was almost night. But the sky was so pretty, I decided to take a photo anyway. There were some birds chirping as they were settling down in their nests for the night but for the most part, the world was silent.

Nutty Chocolatier

I love the name of this little store that is in the Old Quebec Street Mall.

Stormy Day

What a lot of snow!

It didn't stop all night and this morning in order to go to church, I had to do a fast back up run out of the drive making sure no cars were coming along the road as the snow was so deep.

When I got home from church, the car had to be parked on the road as the drive was so full of snow from both falling and from the strong winds.

It's dug out now and I'm now warming my fingers and toes!

What's your weather like where you live? I'd be so very interested.

Want to make a phone call?

If you'd like to make a phone call in St. George's Square in the City Centre, you'll be standing beside a very cold ice sculpture!

This was the scene last evening in the freezing rain!

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas!

It's Beginning To Look

A Lot Like Christmas!

This is a lovely old home in Arkell,

just south of the city.

My Apologies For Being Absent

Life just got so busy and hectic for me with lots of surprises and new adventures. Along the journey of life, I've had a big "right turn" and now am waiting for God's will in some major life matters.

My blogs were put on the back burner and now here I am posting once more.

I appreciate so very much the emails I've received from some of you and I just wanted to say how happy I am after hearing from you all.

AWAY IN A MANGER

Gyp

(Click on photos to see larger)

"But, Pat..."

"...I'm sorry for digging out your new plants, and I'm sorry for getting up onto the patio table and knocking everything off, and I'm sorry for chewing up all your plastic potting pots and I'm sorry for..."

"Forgive me, Pat?

"I really AM sorry..."

Gyp is really getting into stuff and here he is after digging in some really wet earth due to my watering the garden.

On Eagles Wings

It's so very, very hot here today and I have a new washing machine coming on Friday and have been in my basement most of the day trying to get the space prepared for the new machine. At least it's cooler down in the basement.

I've been humming this lovely song and thought I'd just share it here until I can get out and take more photos!

Unfolding More

The sunflower is so much taller and my position to take the photograph is very difficult but this is the flower head now.

Unfolding

UNFOLDING

I watched for a few days at this sunflower beside my front door. I was amazed at how gently it looked to be unfolding before my eyes.

What a wonderful Creator we have to make such a beautiful creation!

His name is Gyp

GYP

It's almost impossible right now to take a good photo of Gyp but I snapped these this evening just to let all of our friends know what his name is. I think I've tried every name in the book and all that have been suggested to me but each time I'd say, "Hi Gyp!", his eyes sparkled and he'd come running so I think that Gyp has chosen his own name.

I always enjoyed the James Herriot story about the little border collie named "Gyp".

When we go for walks, he knows where he lives and turns into his house on the way home. Geordie is tolerating him but loves to herd Gyp. So, just wanted to update you all and I'll get some better photos in the coming days.

My friend has been very ill and my time has been spent taking her to appointments, etc. and so photo-taking has taken a back seat for me for a little while.

On and on...

On and on they go across the countryside, cutting a swath as they go.

I'm hoping that I have a less busy week ahead but my calendar book is kind of filled up with so many appointments again. Will do my best though.

Two days of travelling around

Forget-me-not

Yesterday was filled with errands around Guelph and today I was off to London. I didn't get home till later this evening but it was nice to meet up with another member of Photography Cafe after my Dental appointment at the Dental College.

So, my message today is "Please forget-me-not" LOL I hope life is not so busy in the coming days.

A Whale Thanks Her Rescuers

I received this email today:

If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle of December 13, 2005, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines.

She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help.

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her ..

This was a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.

When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed gently around --- she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same. (There is something special about a whale looking right at you; they will never forget you.)

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate ... to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you.

And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.

Belated Happy Canada Day Greetings!

My goodness, life for me has become hectic and so busy!

Puppy needs a new name. I will take all suggestions and consider them. All of the grandchildren and neighbours and some close friends suggested the name at various times and I was a bit wary but thought, "OK, I'll go along with it!"

Now, two of my kids have second thoughts!

So a new name must be found!

Geordie and Jack

Warming up to each other

Here they are both together on my swing on the deck. Both are fast asleep. We had gone for a little walk up the road and I carried Jack and put him down sometimes and he had so much fun trying to keep up.

Both were keen to just have a sleep when we got home.

Julie, it would be nice if you did that! ;) Maybe some time!

New Member of the Family

I was away all day yesterday to the village of Formosa, Ontario.

I was on a serious mission! This little border collie was chosen by me last week and now he was ready to come home to live in Guelph. Hopefully, he will be a good friend of Geordie. So far, Lauren has totally disowned him but maybe she'll come around as well.

MEET JACK

I will probably be calling him Jackie. But this name could change. You just never know!

On the Credit River

Just outside of Guelph (well, a little bit further than "just outside") is a village of Terra Cotta and I went down to the river and was taken aback by this poor willow tree.

I suppose through many storms and windy days over the years, more and more of its branches had broken off and all are in the river but still this tree breaks out in new leaf each year.

If you enlarge the photo, you'll see the detailed tangled mess.

Reminds me a bit of our lives if we allow the tangles to stay without unravelling them.

Through the Farm Fence

Please click to see images larger

THROUGH THE FARM FENCE

I was on my way home from my daughter's last evening and the sunset was beautiful. The smaller photo isn't the greatest as you can't see the fence but I think if you click on the photo you'll see it better.

HAY PATTERNS

A little before the sunset photo was taken, I was really taken aback by the interesting patterns made by the tractor cutting the "first cut" in his fields.

Do you like seeing patterns like this?

Yellow Flower

Today has been a very busy day for me. A friend has been in the hospital and today she was sent home and so I picked her up. I usually give her an injection every Thursday but since she was in the hospital, I assumed that she'd have it there. They sent her home and asked that I give it to her.

I also had some not so nice news of my dear brother who had his bladder removed due to cancer last November and they've decided that they must now start chemo (started yesterday) as they've found "something" in the lymph gland near to his aorta and another "something" on one of his ureters.

So, those of you who check out both of my blogs, will see the same photo. I'm sorry!

I don't know the name of this little yellow flower but I'm sure that Ruth will know. It's in a lot of hanging baskets and window boxes and it's in one of mine.