Showing posts with label 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2013. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Wordless Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 {with LINKY}

We all know, at least here on the East Coast of Canada, that the days are getting shorter and shorter. So we usually end up retreating to our homes, and yes, to our computers, as the light wanes. But it's nice to actually open a curtain and look outside once in a while during the evenings.
Look what I almost missed!

Sunset on 11.12.13

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Wordless Wednesday October 23, 2013 {with LINKY}



Getting That Better Shot!!
On our recent annual drive up the Fundy Trail, my two sisters, their husbands and  my husband & I came across a particularly interesting vista that we just "had to photograph". We each took turns climbing up on the guardrail to get a better shot.Those extra few feet up made the difference, don't you know! Our husbands watched and chuckled at our determination or foolheartedness.

" I'll stop you from falling."

"I'll hold your jacket so you don't fall."

This is the amazing rugged vista we were climbing to shoot.

No sisters, spectators or cameras were damaged in the shooting of this blog.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Surprise New Reads!

How surprised I was to go to  my mailbox on Friday and find these two signed copies of Pamela Foster's books waiting for me.  She even included a couple of post cards. And, all I did was make a comment on her blog, that she found favorable.
I haven't had the opportunity to read Pamela's books, but they sure look interesting. I have a brother that actually spend some time in  Costa Rica and was considered a Gringo by the locals and my father-in-law was a WW2 Vet. So, I expect to really enjoy these two books.
Have you had the opportunity to read any of her work?


Clueless Gringos in Paradise_rev3-front

The comments following the books are from either Amazon or from Pamela's blog:

 My husband, Jack, and I sit in our recliners – you know, the ones you see on TV with old people in them – and watch CNN while we pet the fur-covered, 150-pound trunkless elephants we call dogs, and contemplate another winter in the high desert of Arizona.
“You know what?” I ask rhetorically.
Jack doesn’t answer. We’ve been married long enough that, first of all, he knows one of my lead-ins to a discussion about our lives when he hears it and, secondly, he’s trained his brain to simply filter out nine-tenths of what comes floating out of my mouth.
Knowing this, with no encouragement whatsoever, I continue, “It feels like we’re just sitting here waiting to die.”
He turns his head and looks at me.
A minute later, he says, “Yeah. It does, doesn’t it?”
After breakfast, I say, “Let’s move to someplace green and warm with a beautiful blue ocean.”
This, right here, turns out to be the equivalent of saying, “I’ll bet we could strap these two giant dogs to our backs and just leap right across that rocky abyss over yonder. Don’t worry about those loose boulders. We’ll be fine.”
Why would I even consider such a thing? Because Jack’s my hero, and he came into my life when I really needed a hero.
From the dry Arizona desert to tropical Panama, Foster shares the adventures she experienced traveling with her Vietnam veteran husband with PTSD and their two gigantic service dogs. By weaving charm, wit, and humor throughout the story, Foster masterfully brings to light the daily challenges faced by veterans with PTSD and their spouses. Insightful, endearing, funny yet sad, Clueless Gringos in Paradise brings understanding and hope to all those who deal with the unseen wounds and scars of war.”
~ R.H. Burkett, author of Soldiers in the Mist


When night falls on another Veterans Day, when the leftover chicken waits in plastic tubs for a quick breakfast the next morning, and the confetti is swept from the streets, and the flags are folded in tight triangles; when the holiday ends, most of us get on with our lives. But for those warriors who carried an M14 along a jungle trail, who patrolled the streets of Fullujah or Bagdad, who developed the skills to survive and return to us, for those combat-seasoned men and women, life does not exactly just go on. My Life with a Wounded Warrior is the true story of the joys, challenges, and lessons of living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. This collection of deeply honest personal essays shares Pamela Foster's twenty-five years of living with and loving a combat Marine, a veteran of Vietnam. With humor and love and respect, as well as with frustration and anger and sadness, Foster lifts the curtain on the true cost, the individual cost of war, and gives hope and joy and laughter to those who love their own wounded warrior. The author will donate $3 from the sale of each book to Freedom Dogs, an organization which provides PTSD service dogs to combat veterans.

To view more of Pamela's books , please select the link here.

First Frost! October 13, 2013


The early morning frost is making lovely and delicate white tips, on the garden ground cover, this morning.



Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Wordless Wednesday July 24, 2013 {with LINKY}

I was delighted to see these three little ones having so much fun in the water fountain. They didn't care if they had sneakers and long pants on or not.  



This is how the whole bandstand appears without little ones playing in it.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Wordless Wednesday, July 17, 2013 {with LINKY}

We came across this weary fellow, during a day hike, on our recent 'girls getaway. He seemed plain tuckered out, but seems to have found a soft and cool spot to rest his weary head.



Friday, May 10, 2013

Smile BRILLANT! LED Teeth Whitening System









It’s so nice to be seeing the much longer days and the flowers and trees beginning to show their Spring blooms.  

We even did our very first lawn mowing of the season and our gardens are beginning to show some color.

Inside, we are putting away our heavy Winter clothes and bringing out our lighter Spring and Summer clothing. It’s seems everywhere we look there is a smile on people’s faces. What is ‘your' Spring smile going to look like, to others?  Your smile is your most noticeable fashion accessory. It needs to be with you 24/7 so it should be as bright as possible!


I was confident I had the best smile I could, but it was not until I completed the easy to use, safe and very effective, 
Smile Brilliant LED Teeth Whitening System   did I realize how much whiter  my smile could really become. For the same results, it would have cost hundreds more from a dentist's chair.

When you don't have time to mess with all the over the counter systems that take days to complete a and only minimal results attained, get immediate results on the go.Smile Brilliant's LED Teeth Whitening System does it all. Smile Brilliant, Professional Teeth Whitening, is pleased to offer a tooth bleaching package that generates results in an easy to carry package. With as little time, as 20 minutes per day, this kit gets results and is compact enough to go with you. The whitening system includes an ultra high strength professional whitening pen with an LED lighting system. The gel paints on quickly and the LED whitening light accelerates the process.

I did notice a very small amount of minor tooth sensitivity on the first two mornings, but it quickly disappeared and my smile was better than ever.

This Spring,I will be feeling fully confident and
 fully accessorized at all times!


"Like" Smile Brilliant on facebook
"Follow" Smile Brilliant on Twitter


 {Disclaimer:  The product or products mentioned above were provided free of charge from the company or PR firm in exchange for being featured on Oak Lawn Images-Page. The  opinions expressed are my own.  No monetary compensation was received.}

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Wordless Wednesday, May 8, 2013 (w/LINKY)

   Happy "Nurses Week" to all the devoted, caring and hard working nurses.

Future ultrasound scanning
The Future of Nursing? (photo credit funtastic.web.com)

Once a nurse, always a nurse. Now, we're retired and on our 'girls' vacation.

      Check out Older Mommy, Still Yummy's post for today's Wordless Wednesday. This is the follow up.

Wishing a special Happy Nurses Week to both my sisters, Pat and Monica and to my nurse cousins, niece and aunts.





Tuesday, April 2, 2013

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2013 -B




For this year’s A-Z Challenge, I have chosen to 
highlight some of the authors that we, in our book
club, have either read, as a group, separately, or have
been suggested,to us, from our on-line book club. 


B is for Bohjalian, Chris



This book was suggested by our on-line group.Thought I haven't actually read it, it sounds like one I would enjoy.


From Amazon:

The time is 1981, and Sibyl Danforth has been a dedicated midwife in the rural community of Reddington, Vermont, for fifteen years. But one treacherous winter night, in a house isolated by icy roads and failed telephone lines, Sibyl takes desperate measures to save a baby's life. She performs an emergency Caesarean section on its mother, who appears to have died in labor. But what if--as Sibyl's assistant later charges--the patient wasn't already dead, and it was Sibyl who inadvertently killed her?

As recounted by Sibyl's precocious fourteen-year-old daughter, Connie, the ensuing trial bears the earmarks of a witch hunt except for the fact that all its participants are acting from the highest motives--and the defendant increasingly appears to be guilty. As Sibyl Danforth faces the antagonism of the law, the hostility of traditional doctors, and the accusations of her own conscience, Midwives engages, moves, and transfixes us as only the very best novels ever do.


If you'd like to check out or join our on-line book club, please select the link What To Read Next.

Also considered:

Boo, Catherine - Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Behrens, Peter - Law of Dreams

Friday, March 29, 2013

A, B, C Friday Photo Share - "L- is for Love"



Today is good Friday, so I thought this was appropriate to share. If you are of another faith, or don't have the same belief, that's fine. I'm just sharing mine.

To quote a very fine lady, my third daughter Kim, 
"Happy Easter... (not to get all sentimental) You know
 how we love our kids and we say things like " I would
 die for them".... Well remember, He did!!"



Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Wordless Wednesday, March 27, 2013 - What a Difference in a Year

What a Difference in a Year

This time last year we were in the midst of a Spring heat wave. Most of the lake ice had melted and small Spring blooms were to be seen. 


This year has been too cold to allow even the lake to continue to thaw.


Bur sooner or later we will see those Spring crocuses poking up through a late snow...

...the tulips blooming... 



...and we may even welcome the return of the ever so common dandylion.





Even a late Spring is still...Spring!!



Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Wordless Wednesday March 20, 2013 - First Day of Spring

This is one of the geraniums I rescued from being sent to the garbage last Fall. I loved the contrast on this, first day of Spring, against the heavy snow we got last night



This lovely flower braved the cold for a very quick shot, then back into the warm house again.

Thanks to Monica at Older Mommy, Still Yummy for the linky.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Wordless Wednesday - March 13, 2013 "Rotting Lake Ice"

Well maybe a couple of words. My grandmother, who lived near, used to say the cold always stayed until the lake was free of ice. So, for those who used to live near and are now living away, I've decided to keep a photographic record if the progress of the 'rotting ice' in the lake. And I'm hoping the process doesn't take too long....waiting for Spring.


March 8, 2013

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Wordless Wednesday - March 6, 2013

Waiting for Spring on a late Winter's morning.

Firepit and chairs, still in snow. 




Garden  hose waiting for Spring thaw.


Red and green wagon, waiting for little riders.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

A,B,C Friday Share # 8 "H" is for History


Thanks to Maple Leaf Mommy and  Mom vs the Boys for hosting this fun  photo share.

I had to really think about this one. I just couldn't come up with an idea I thought would fit. So, again going along with the theme of family, here's what I came up with. 

For this weeks Friday Photo Share "H" is for History. Specifically a little history of our family. 

Without our parents and grandparents being who they were, we would not be who we are today. So I dug through some old stored files and found a few photos of our family history.


Our Wedding Day


My husband`s parents on their Wedding Day




My husband`s paternal grandparents



My parents, around the time of their wedding


My maternal grandparents
Do you see any resemblances in the faces 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Wordless Wednesday Feb. 27, 2013

Well, maybe just a few words. My husband purchased this ship model years ago, on one of our vacations. I never really cared for it and thought it was  way too expensive.
Now it sits on a pass through between our living room and dining room where it catches the rising sun through our large windows.
This particular morning it was reflected so vividly against the dining room blinds, it made me think of Summer days and what other great adventures we might encounter.

Sailing ship reflected on our blinds.



Friday, February 22, 2013

A,B,C Friday Photo Share "G" is for Grandchildren




A big Thank You to Maple Leaf Mommy and Mom vs the Boys for hosting this really fun Photo Share.

Anyone who knows me, knows I am all about family! So it would only be logical for me to choose a family topic. So I have picked "G" is for grandchildren.  

We have seven of those proginators. Six of whom live near enough to gather together, once in awhile for a family photograph. We managed this at Christmas this past December. The other is our youngest grandchild, who lives on the other side of the country in Ft. MacMurray. 

Maybe on her next trip home, I'll be able to gather all the little chicks together in one spot  and get them all in one photo.


Friday, February 15, 2013

A,B,C Friday Share- Feb 15, 2013- "F" is for Flowers



Special thanks go to  Maple Leaf Mommy and Mom vs the Boys for hosting this fun series.

Being a hobby gardener and having a passion for being near the earth, the obvious choice for me was flowers. Being fortunate enough to be living in the country, we are able to have flowers of some type, during all four of our seasons.

Some of the Spring flowers found around our yard are:


Delightful Daisies

Dancing Daffodils


Wild Strawberry Blossoms

Wild Apple Blossoms


A few of the summer flowers are:

Fucsia cosmos

Pink Columbine

Bleeding hearts

Pink & White Day Lilies

Yellow Day Lilies
A few of the Fall flowers around  our yard are:

Sunflowers reaching for the sky

October Roses
October Pansy



Even in winter, we can still find some interest in the yard flowers.


Holly berries on the bush.


Sedum in Winter adding garden interest.



Crabapples in Ice

But the best Winter flowers of all,  are Valentine Fowers, picked out by my husband who still thinks of me on this day after 43 years!