Rabbit Hops

I was walking along the pond in snow and to keep busy I began to study all the pet tracks. This one was different. So I captured it on my phone.
Do you agree that a rabbit has hopped by?

One More

The contrast of the aging red poinsettia and the budding yellow orchid, the snowy background, all captured my fancy and I just had to take more shots. 

 There are two blooms now. I find the colour pattern of a patch of white in the centre very striking.

Samie's Orchid

This lovely blossom has just opened . The plant sits on our kitchen table where there is plenty of exposure to the sun in winter.  It took exactly a year for this plant to bloom again. All of us are very happy that it did. It's such sunny contrast to the deep snow nearby on the deck.

Have you ever had an orchid? Have you ever had it bloom again?

FAUNA

                                  The little fellow watched me from above, 

While this critter chose to look up at me.

          Were they admiring me in my new swimsuit as I lay by the pool?

FLORA

A snow storm is on the way but I'm focusing on these at least for a few moments.
                                Blossoms seem to pop up in hidden places.

This is one of my favorites.

FLAMINGO SIESTA

 At the Grand Palladium in Mexico it's siesta time and just like these beauties, we took the time to relax and enjoy the paradise setting that surrounded us.  

 It ended too soon but we'll travel again because it's fun to come home.

Watermarks

It's January 1st, one of the warmest days recorded for some time. The snow recently plied up on those chairs has all melted away within a day. The rainy background separated by the window glass has created an unusual effect for a snap of our indoor plants. Watermarks??

Happy New Year

When the clock strikes 12 may your passage into the newest year bring you into your best ever!!!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Bubby's house and the tree. He's so happy that tomorrow the eve will be here.

A Basket

Each year one of hubby's clients brings him a huge basket of selected goodies. He seems to like the way hubby helps him save taxes. What a kind gesture. Here's a snap of the one that just arrived. It's under the tree and Buddy is smiling. He loves this time of year. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays  to you all. 

FUN

During the holidays we love to drop by our neighbours' homes and celebrate with them even if it's just for a brief moment. That's because it's fun.

 Do you spend time with your neighbours?

Soft and Fluffy

It's St. Nicholas Day today and the weather here has brought us the gift of our first snowfall.

It's very loose and covers everything in such gorgeous white piles. Now I'm really feeling like the festive season is here. Time to get ready for a lot of fun. But first we'll need to dig out the snow shovels. 

Wishes of Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Here's hoping you are able to spend some joy-filled time with family and friends. I am thankful to have met you here and wish you all the best as you make time to celebrate.

Crisp

As the leaves fall the light has more of a chance to filter through the trees and shrubs. Recently, during my long walk, I had a chance to reflect on the upcoming winter season and how much I used to look forward to the cold crisp days. I concluded that I still love this time.  

Custom Made

Custom made in 1977.

Knitting was one of the ways my mom and my aunt created gifts for the festive days. My mom's specialty was to create sweaters that used up all the left over bits of wool. She always created such interesting patterns. This sweater was knitted for Buddy years ago and it has survived. My knitting skills never matched theirs. I prefer to sew or crochet. But lately I rarely make things and I miss that. This year I shall change that and create a framed photo as a gift. That seems like a project I can handle and even enjoy doing. Have you got a gift project?

Bared

The leaves are almost all on the ground. This tree is nearly ready for it's winter sleep. The colour of the sky appears cool and crisp. Sleepiness is heading our way as winter approaches.

It's Coming

Halloween is over and Christmas has been launched by the stores and the media. This photo of 'cats' stuck in an evergreen shrub reflect my sentiments of displeasure at being pushed and pulled by all the commercialism that has become the norm. We are lured into spending and made to feel guilty if we do not deliver the the goods on a wish list. Pressure?
I love the holiday season and plan to bake and make goodies but I will limit the shopping to one specially selected gift per family member. The fire taught us some better values. The 'cats' can be found at the damaged home still awaiting repair.

Flight

Today, while sitting in my hotel room situated under a flight path to a runway at the busy main airport, I reviewed the pictures I recently took while on a walk in my local neighbourhood where there's a smaller airport . These photos were taken just minutes apart. Smaller does not mean less busy. In fact Canada, with it's small population, has the second highest number of airports and flight schools in the world. Maybe it's because there's lots of empty space??

As I shot these I wondered if the pilots above me could see each other. I know they can talk over their radios. I stood there awhile and reflected.
It must be an exhilarating feeling to be in control of one's flight.

Fire

These are pictures of the fire that occurred in our home that still stands waiting reconstruction. The area shows the worst destruction of the home. The first pic shows a ceiling in the garage which is the floor of the room in the two next pics where wooden sheets were laid to cover damaged. When you look at the wall studs, charred bricks behind them, does it make you wonder how this could be possible?
Buddy and I escaped through the now boarded up window. We were in the room when the smoke moved in. I took Buddy to the window and opened it so he could breath. Seeing a neighbour on her front lawn, I asked her to call for help.

This room used to be Buddy's bedroom. Located on the second level, it is over the garage and not directly connected to the basement where the fire began. And there is a problem here. It should not have burned so badly. The builder had not properly followed the building code of sealing the basement properly. 
To date we are still negotiating to get this place fixed. Each builder who sees the house is giving us conflicting and different options, making the process a tougher one. We had hoped it would be under construction by now but the process for the best solution continues.

Notes of Beauty

Here are beautiful trees that make us want to paint them.

October is so colourful.