WATER GIVES REFLECTIONS

I love taking photos with reflections. Such a symbolic concept! To see any image in another way. Water one of the main elements of life gives lots of opportunities to reflect. Sitting by it on a beach. Riding in it on a boat. Walking along a path near it. Ponds, streams, rivers, lakes and oceans are places that conjure up thoughts and memories for most people. Water allows us to live! Images near water are picturesque and well- just lovely! Do you have some favourite water pictures? What about reflections?

SEPTEMBER AND FUND RAISERS FOR CANCER RESEARCH

September ending with a flurry of warm weather. No more time to eat dinner outside. Time to clean up more of the garden. Time to finish some projects. Being busy and enjoying the month made it enjoyable. Going to a fund raiser last Saturday with my younger daughter and grandchildren to watch my son-in-law participate in the Road Hockey-Game On Cancer event for Princess Margaret Hospital was a good day with family. Seeing some sports celebrities old and young made the day even more interesting.

Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way. So wherever you are in Canada or in the world, find a way to honour those loved ones and help researchers to continue to find ways to treat cancer and eventually find a cure. If cancer is not your cause, find another one- like drugs for the Ebola crisis! No one person can save the world. But each person one event or idea at a time can make a difference.

FUN BRINGS JOY TO LIFE

Life is too short not to have some fun. However many serious and important things need to happen everyday. Avoiding dealing with them can make it difficult for people around you. There is a time for fun and a time for work. If possible, a good trick in life is make the work one does- fun. So then work at having Fun?

LIFE IS LIKE A LANEWAY

Walking allows us to slow our energy to observe places and things we would not see if we were rushing by in a car or bus. Sometimes a laneway reveals an inner court that is interesting and pretty. Taking a camera and searching for those images brings a deeper level of viewing. As people know about me, I like symbolism. A laneway brings us to another place. Like our laneways in life. Be adventuresome and taking a different path-safe of course. Not going into dangerous places!

City laneway with a modern flair. Country laneway leading to an operational farm. Laneways! Opportunities! The nice thing about a laneway there is a clear path back to the beginning of the trip. Do you venture on laneways?

FAITH IS LIKE A CHURCH DOOR

Faith is like a church door waiting to be opened and go inside. Asking and praying for an event in one's life to have a peaceful and positive resolution. Do you have faith life will work out for you?

HANDLING BAD NEWS

How do you  handle bad news? Some people like to tell the world to get lots of sympathy. Some people share with trusted friends or family that will honour their feelings and keep information confidential. I like to take the news and keep it close to my chest until I feel like sharing and if I do. In my job, I hear bad news all the time. Patients are experiencing many life changes. So being available for them and counselling around their feelings and giving support is part of what I do. Knowing too much can be difficult to handle at times. So finding ways to redirect the energy with positive activities and interactions are part of what I do. Compartmentalizing really helps. Concentrating on the task at hand then going on to the next one. Trying not to dwell on any one thing too long. When it comes to family, my energy triples for them. I decided many years ago not to give the best of me to others, strangers and colleagues but to save it for the ones I love. So when bad news strikes close to home, it does make matters worse but is also manageable. I can be helpful, keep it confidential and contain my energy. Of course the bad news of the world can be shared collectively as one discusses politics and tragedies with others. Bad news is part of our lives. It can arrive without warning. It can kick us in the gut. Even make us cry! Does it make us stronger? Not necessarily. Some events change our lives forever. Survival happens but at a cost. So if you are receiving bad news today- hug a friend, family or even your dog. Finds ways to process the event. Life is full of bad news. But it can be full of good news too!!

NANA SAYS CHILDREN CAN LEARN TO DECLUTTER TOO!

Bringing in children's outdoor toys to be ready for Fall and Winter play can be a dirty job. Cleaning off dirt and stains takes time. It is also a good time to start to weed out items no longer needed or used. Charity organizations, day cares and other places would welcome your used toys. Even as a Nana I have discarded things my grandchildren no longer use. Of course, my craft room is full of supplies for new artistic projects. Taking time to determine what children and teenagers really need in a home can help to eliminate household clutter. Some things could be a child's treasures that stay. Amazing how each person can have much more than is useful for daily functioning. Using the change of seasons for some cleaning- like Fall cleaning- can be markers in any home to keep abreast of tidy homes. Teaching our children to clean and declutter and reorganize at a young age is important skill building.

OUR STUFF TELLS A TALE ABOUT US

How we decorate our homes can be symbolic of who we are! Wanting the latest colours in paint with contrasting edges of a suitable colour! Furniture that reflects our exquisite taste! Dishes that are modern and trendy- most young people like white and white and white, sometimes with trim of silver or gold! Even our favourite mug can tell a tale about us. We are told if selling a house- don't have any family or personal pictures because the buyer will be turned off! Hum-my house is full of tables and some walls with family photos! Difficult to live in a home for decades without making it personal and well- homey! Our collections can be indicative of taste. The things we like can have emotional connections. My Canadiana antiques and jugs and crocks help me connect to an earlier time in our history. Besides I always saw them as functional investments. Use the furniture as furniture then sell again at the new price. My dining room set is from Grosse Pointe Michigan area- Thomasville style that is still made today. So marketable! My love of elephants comes out in  knick knacks and pictures in various locations in my home. Surrounding ourselves with things we love rather than what is trendy or thought to be more sophisticated keeps us real. Using things that work for us. Like my computer. I know everyone likes the lap top but I bought a good large system with a large monitor and mouse that works in my computer room. I did not want a computer I could take everywhere because I like to contain my writing mess to a one stop place in the house. My next computer system will be a lap top if I downsize as the space will be smaller. So what's my point- have and use things that work for you and give you meaning! Yes there is trendy and new and but not always sophisticated! What if your goal is homey and comfy? Buying some original art from struggling artists may give another positive investment and make your home comfy! Our things, our stuff! What tale does your stuff tell about your?

WRITING IS HARDER THAN IT SEEMS

Finishing a small writing project was quite an enjoyable process over the weekend. Belonging to several Genealogical Societies in Ontario, I had promised myself to try to write an article for each one this year, i.e. their newsletters. Surprisingly a 3 page one took 6 drafts. Needing to find the details and make them accurate. Citing my sources correctly. Rewording and double checking for meaning and trying not to use the same word twice in the same paragraph. Sometimes I wonder how I wrote 20 -50 page essays at University. Then I remembered a whole week would be used revising and rewriting and it was in the days before word processors and computer spell and grammar check. I thought the greatest invention was paper that can be erased with a pencil so I could put the paper back in the typewriter to correct the sentence carefully. Of course my job was being a student with little else to do.  Now I am on a roll. There is something about finishing and sending a submission even if it is to a simple newsletter read by a select audience. Like this blog. Just writing and using my photos keeps me on my toes or should I say my keyboarding fingers. Organizing other areas that are boring, brainless activities are being completed. With a card table in the corner of my bedroom, the little mess can be left so each night for 2-3 hours I am awake watching TV while I methodically work on the project. I am very pleased with myself. During the summer I found myself doing nothing at night, even had trouble reading. So now with the monotonous task a lot is getting done in a timeframe that does not interfere with other activities. Then reading several pages of my current book before drifting off to sleep. There is something about just doing it. Just take an insurmountable task and attack it. Over time the pile becomes smaller and the end product is a neatly organized project. Of course, my Christmas list was written the end of August and slowly little purchases are being made. Day by day! A little at a time! The little messes where my projects live are out of sight from visitors so there is no need to try to tidy before company comes. How are your projects going? Just get started and see where they go.

FALL BRINGS NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Fall photography is one way to embrace the season now upon us. Looking for those beautiful shots that contrast the sky with the colourful leaves.

Crops finished for the year as farmers fill their barns and silos with feed for the winter ahead.
Trips to Fall and Street Festivals. Being outside. Remember it is still September and there are chances to start those Fall projects if they are not underway already.

SOUP- A SIMPLE THING TO MAKE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE

Warm soups on a cool day hit the spot. The aroma in the home calms the mood. Along with a favourite bread or crunchy bun it can be a meal in one. With summer ending and fewer outdoor barbecues which actually are effortless dinners and one less pan or pot to clean, a soup or stew lets us swing into Fall easily. Adolph does not like to use a slow cooker but it is an efficient way to slow simmer food without the worry of burning it. A meal can be started early in the day and the cook can go about doing other projects knowing dinner is ready at any time. For the working woman, I loved to come home to my meal ready in the slow cooker. Of course now, I have my own cook so meals are my domain. On weekends though, I try to give Adolph a break and make a couple of meals.  Besides if home, a little stir can be done throughout the day and if needed a little taste. Simple home activities make for a beautiful life. Soups help with that life!  Of course, if one is sick- an old fashioned remedy to help with the healing process. What's your favourite soup? Do you even like soup? Homemade or from the can?

LIFE IS LIKE YOUR FAVOURITE PIZZA

You can choose whatever toppings you like. From your favourite pizza joint, homemade by you or a frozen one, the variety is huge. White flour or whole wheat! Vegetarian! Lots of sausage and pepperoni! Double cheese! Have it for lunch or for dinner or ever a midnight snack! Have it as often as you want! It's the variety and size that gives the choices. Thick or thin crust! Well done with a crispy bottom or medium done! No two pizzas must be the same. Can be enjoyed by a couple for a romantic moment, a crowd for a sports event or ordered/made and eaten alone. Pizza- a statement about life. Different combinations of toppings give a distinct flavour!  What would your pizza include? Do you even like pizza?

NANA SAYS PARENTING HAS CHANGED OR HAS IT?

Each generation thinks it has reinvented parenting. The latest ideas and techniques are told by new parents. Looking closely not much has really changed. You are the parent and the child is the child. There are house rules and chores and homework. Lessons. Fitting in quality family time has always been a challenge. With both parents working, even more challenging. The use of Nannies has increased. I remember when my children were little many professional women had cleaning ladies and nannies. I did not! So being used to doing all my work in my home along with the children having some duties was necessary. How to speak to children has not changed? New  parents know how to yell just like the generations of parents previously did! Learning not to yell has always been an ongoing struggle for parents. Setting fair limits on any activity. Safety in the home is the same. Don't want the baby falling down the stairs so need gates! Teens must have the talk about sex, drugs and bullying!! In my day don't watch too much TV. In this day and age, get off the gadgets and look around at life. Actually talk to someone rather than texting! Adjusting to change has not changed. The transitions we all face can bring despair, depression and lots of anxiety. Having children talk about their day and their feelings can be like pulling teeth. Learning to talk with children rather than just asking questions can take time and skill. If you want your child to share his/her day, share a little of your day with your children. Know what to share too. If there is a major family crisis, keep the children in the loop at age appropriate levels of information. Many of the same issues have not changed. Picky eaters! Messy rooms! Talking back! Not liking this family! Lots of the same and more. Rather than trying to reinvent parenting, just parent! And yes don't hesitate to use the older generations around you, as they really do get it! So if you turned out okay, your parents and grandparents must have don something right!!

BOREDOM TEACHES US LIFE'S LESSONS

Boredom teaches us to reflect and evaluate our lives. Why do we feel bored? Is the activity boring? Is it something we do all the time and it is a rote item? I try to do my routine "boring" things in between the activities that bring me pleasure. If I do some writing for example, then some household activities, there is more pleasure in the day. Besides getting up and moving around may bring some ideas to the project at hand.  I learnt many years ago not to waste the positive energy on boring daily pursuits. So when some enjoyable interests are done, then the vacuuming or laundry or weeding can be approached with a different degree of satisfaction and less energy. They are functions that are necessary and take time. So when sandwiched between fun things or rewarding enterprises, more gets accomplished daily. Shortlisting those activities to fit in the day and not make them the day. Rewards are good for us. Set a day, or a week or a month to get those boring activities done. For example,two weekends in October will take some of my hours cleaning my garage for winter. Junk has been moved from the house to the garage over the last few months. Another boring activity- sorting and eliminating stuff not needed. To be sorted and bagged! To the curb, to a charity or do we sell it!  The garden items will come into the garage and need to be organized. Hopefully there will be one big clean spot like last year for the car! It helps to have the plans for the activities that do not bring joy but are so necessary. It is okay to call them boring because maybe they really are boring! Even if we go sailing too much it too can become boring. So jazz up your life sometimes. Throw in some fun stuff so the everyday necessary activities can be approached. One might even find a way to enjoy them because they do not consume your life.

MONDAY BRINGS CLOSURE TO THE WEEKEND

Monday mornings as the season changes and the lights need to be on as early routines are performed start to feel cumbersome. Get the day started so the work week will be in full swing again. Trying to pack 5 days into a 2 day weekend just does not work. I love it when I am on a roll with a project. However, the basic housekeeping tasks get done as it is difficult to do a project and clean at the same time. Unless of course the project is cleaning a corner of the house.  Writing projects mean sitting and writing, editing and rewriting. They always take more time than anticipated. Organizing some family history means being methodical and citing the sources which takes the time it needs to take. So My mind is on the tasks accomplished from the weekend. Too bad work must get in the way!!

13 CAN BE A LUCKY NUMBER

Christ and his disciplines made 13. Some family members were married on a 13th of the month. A nephew has 13 as his birthdate. I even lived on the 13th floor in the Married Student Residence at the University of Waterloo when first married. Why it is felt to be unlucky by some is perplexing? It is just another number. Odd number at that. Life does have its odd moments. So if one can have 13 of them, why not embrace them? Is 13 a good number or bad number for you? Or is it just another number?

EMBRACING FALL

The beginning of September brings a transition and back to school. Most people get a little down and wonder where did the summer go. Now mid-month Fall is around the corner and it is time to look and see what it will bring. Just reviewed a site of how to spruce up the home with Fall themes. One idea bring out your blankets and afghans for your various seating areas. It is one idea I embrace as I have many crocheted or knitted afghans for all areas of my house. Nothing works better than staying warm while watching TV or reading a good book. As a photography buff, there are many Fall images worth capturing. The colours present such an array of opportunities. Often found very close to home.

Country shots are bountiful. As with my picture from Fall of 2012 taken on a country road a few miles away is still one of my favourites.

Leaves make great backdrops to your photos. Collect some with family members-especially little ones and the craft opportunities are endless! Fall with warmer clothes and brisk walks providing a season to enjoy. I know Adolph is starting to make more soups, sauces and stews. My home is aromatic with the smells of such delicious food.
Trips to markets include the fall vegetables.

I love this field near me with its orange pumpkins ready for harvesting. Fall can be full of memories with all the Canadian Fall Fairs coast to coast and opportunities to continue to enjoy the outdoors. So why are you waiting? Get out and enjoy!

LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS ORDERLY

Life is not always orderly. Transplanting a small Elm tree from the garden brought a renegade squash plant with it. Do you ever find yourself doing one thing and another thing creeps in? Like the saying the best laid plans of mice and men! Looking for order is a life long pursuit. However it is so vital to be flexible and able to deal with the other challenges that present themselves. I had the choice to take out the squash plant but said- what the heck, let's see if any vegetables would grow. The plant will die with the frost but the Elm tree will flourish and be planted somewhere in the garden. Sometimes those random things do make life interesting, don't they?

DOES A BLUE THURSDAY AFFECT OUR MOOD?

A blue Thursday with all the rain in Southern Ontario and a major snowstorm in Calgary, the weather can determine the feelings of many people. The dark morning and worry of a longer commute can start the day with trepidation. Weather patterns with highs and lows seem to affect the joints in some people. Do you hear someone say "I think rain is coming because my knee hurts!" Migraine sufferers will claim the weather brings on those headaches. Then the full moon and all the weather predictions. We just had another super moon. Did it affect anyone differently? Maybe our blue Thursday is the fact it is a 5 day week after last week's 4 day week. So it just seems as if we are working longer. Perhaps I am just projecting my own thoughts and feelings on the day. It is just a day like any other day. Well blue is a nice colour!

NANA SAYS IT IS HARD TO BE SICK THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL

Nana has heard from many quarters that a little one is sick. With the up and down weather -, i.e. warm to cool back to hot to cold- well you get the idea, we all can get caught in the fluctuating germ pool. It is important for parents to keep their sick children away from others. I heard recently that some children went to a party with one sick child and then the rest came down with a bug. Especially if visiting a new baby, try not to go if you even have a little cold. Visitors are discouraged at the hospital if they are sick with a cough, runny nose or fever to visit loved ones. So keep that rule in mind so your child does not get infected or infected by others. It is also a good time to discuss infection control. Remember 70% of good infection control is hand washing. Have one of those sanitizers available. I have one by the front door and in my car along with a purse size one- well in my purse. Sneezing into one's sleeve and covering a cough need to be revisited by all. All sickness may not be preventable but if we all make concerted efforts, it can be reduced. If a baby is visiting make sure floors and other surfaces are clean along with making any books or toys to be touched have some quick cleaning. Babies put everything in their mouths!! The world is a smaller place so even if you have visited another country make sure you declare it to friends and doctors so whatever buy you may have can be tracked. I know not everyone wants to get the flu shot but it does prevent transmission of the flu. I get one every year. Especially the elderly and health care professionals. Practice good infection control habits and not only keep yourself well but it will help with others.

ROCKS, ROCKS AND MORE ROCKS

My garden is full of rocks. The big ones line my pathways and the little ones make decorative patches in some spots. My two large granite rocks on my front yard are either loved by the neighbourhood or cursed. I was told once by someone she did not like the colour. Hum!! We inherited them. They were supposed to go to a client who reneged on using them so they ended up with us. There will be a buyer someday. But for now like time they will sit. The thing about rocks is they are older and will remain older than any human. Rocks have history. They can add decorative flavours to gardens and pool areas that give a sense of belonging to the world. But if you know anyone that would want to buy my rocks, just email me at abdm@rogers.com . And you can have a piece of history!

DID YOU WAKE UP AND FEEL GLAD TO BE ALIVE TODAY?

Do you ever wake up and just feel glad to be alive? Even with all your troubles or debt or unhappy situations! Just  feeling there is something to be accomplished today! Something to enjoy! Someone to love and to hold! I like the feeling! It makes me feel- well alive! Do you ever contemplate the mysteries of the universe? Do they make your head spin? Does your child or grandchild make you smile? Life with all its ups and downs and lots in the middle is worth living! What can you do today to embrace the life that God has given you? Can be something very simple! It is the simple, ordinary moments that help us live it to the fullest. Rather than complain about being Monday, be glad you have a job, a purpose, a place to go or something to do. Life!

GRAPES-FRUIT OF THE VINE!

Grapes growing on a vine! Good for jam, good for wine! There is something uniform about neat rows of crops whatever they are! The order! The progress of the fruit! When will the harvest occur?

The right sun! Enough rain! The product-the wine will have the taste of the environment where it grows. Good for wine lovers. Always pleasurable to visit a winery!

Sometimes grapes just make their way to a tasty fruit platter! Whole grapes with a glass of wine, can be just fine!

MINDLESS ACTIVITY CALMS STRESS

Doing an activity like weeding, organizing a closet or updating a hobby can bring a sense of calm and often accomplishment. When the mind can be calmed, it is a good thing. What makes an activity have this effect? Sometimes it is the concentration and putting one's thoughts aside. Sometimes it is just the involvement and focussing that brings the relaxation! Counting and sorting! Making piles! Putting things away! At the end of the event, there is a job well done. And cleaner corners of the house! Reduced clutter piles!

NANA SAYS THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BRINGS EXCITEMENT AND HOPE

The school year has children of all ages starting a new stage life. Some going away to college and university, the first indication of how it feels to be an empty nester. Starting High School- that transition from elementary school to the new phase. For little ones starting Junior Kindergarten can be tough for parents as the realization that children are no longer preschoolers! Starting always has an exciting piece to it. Will I like my teacher? Will I be with my friends? If away from home, understanding what home sickness can be! Feeling uncool in High School as Grade 9 means being on the bottom of the Totem Poles! For Nana, seeing the pictures of my grandchildren all dressed for their first day! Very cute and looking smart! Then there's the pressure of having to compare how well one's child is doing! Don't compare! Let your child be the best they can be! An A in math does not mean the world will be conquered! A well rounded human being with skills, abilities and good social skills make the earth a better place. Sometimes Canada gets knocked for not pushing Math. Well we have play based learning for younger children. We teach social science and humanities. History, English, Geography and Business are valuable and meaningful subjects. Not everyone, yes not everyone can be a doctor or engineer. Believe this-not everyone wants to be! Obtaining a trade! Hands on skills like Art are needed to round out a culture. Where would we be without our Art Galleries and Museums!! The Canadian culture has many areas already including a diversity of skills and knowledge. Teaching children of all ages to be able to converse in many different areas is so valuable. So Moms, Dads, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Friends be there to answer the endless questions. Be a "life teacher"! If you have a speciality, like the knowledge of bugs and how managing it helps the farm industry then teach the people in your life! My oldest granddaughter can knit now! She is a beginner but Nana helped her with that skill. What skills and knowledge can you give to those in your life?  As the school years starts for children, what about you the adults? What can be new learning for you? Taking a night course! Giving yourself a reading list of books neglected! Finishing a craft project! Along with the children in your life, be a role model of continued learning. Happy beginning of the school year! Happy Learning!

LIFE IS LIKE A FERRIS WHEEL

Life is like a Ferris wheel! You can choose who you want to come along for the ride. The view from the top is incredible. After loading, you go around and around for some time. There is a thrill t it.  Eventually you must come to the bottom and get out! Unless your ticket lets you take another ride!

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL-CANADIAN STYLE

After the Labour Day Weekend, the first Tuesday is the first day of school for children in Ontario. Kindergarten children usually have a staggered start even though many have attended Day Care so are used to school routines. The older grades will be given a schedule of activities and what to write in their agendas. Parents are bracing for the new Fall life- making lunches again, lessons and time for homework. School with its subjects and discipline. Children needing to curb their energy to sit and learn. Two of my grandsons are beginning Grade 1 today. A difficult transition for most children. A whole new routine from Kindergarten. Recess is always welcome so children can run around. Some children are walked or driven to school while others are taking the bus for the first time. Seeing old friends and having to make new ones. The teacher- do you like your teacher! Very important to like the teacher as it can make or break a school year. The teacher has to like his/her students. Learning to adjust to many different personalities can be challenging. Regardless of diversity the rules and laws are the same for everyone. Thus fair play can be ensured! Treating others with respect and dignity. English spoken in the classroom so all can learn. Unless of course, it is French Immersion! There are private schools too. Children spend a major part of their lives in school for 10 months of the year. Letting it be a time to learn with fun and knowledge is good. We want our children to want to go to school with a skip in their step. Being on top of any concerns is the parents' ongoing job. So here's to all those returning to school today. Enjoy, learn, as you will be the next generation shaping this great country!

CANADIAN SUMMER- 2014 FAVOURITE IMAGES

Each season brings the opportunity for many pictures.

The garden has its many phases and stages.

Visiting Black Creek Pioneer Village with the grandchildren and creating new memories.

A trip to the Zoo and meeting the pandas!

Blue Mountain-Collingwood in the summer!

Fresh fruit and vegetables at the markets- my favourite- St Jacobs near Kitchener-Waterloo.

At least one winery visit!

A day at the EX!

Barbecues galore! Sometimes even ribs.

Cake!

And more cake!
Fun with family and friends. Sometimes a crowd, sometimes alone.

Sometimes by the water to reflect!

A stroll through a vegetable garden!

Enjoying the sea of colour!

Time for love!
So 14 images for the summer of 2014! What would your summer photos entail??

SEPTEMBER-A NEW MONTH FOR NEW EVENTS

September brings renewed energy and back to the normal workload. Summer months behind us-time to review. Many people prefer the cooler temperatures and the foliage of the Fall leaves. Weekend trips are still possible with many photo opportunities. In Toronto there is TIFF-Toronto International Film Festival starting. If you want to see movies and documentaries filming for the first time, come on by! Do you realize several films that made their debut at the festival went on to win many film awards? For many North American celebrities, it is easy to come for a couple of days then return home. There are Fall fairs to attend if so inclined. Of course, school and lessons are in full swing starting tomorrow. Since it is a Stat holiday today, there is time to putter and clean and organize. A little at a time for garden cleanup as many flower are still in full bloom. No matter what there is always a sense of sadness with the start of September. It means the march towards colder temperatures. Hope it will be a warm Indian Summer but still pulling out the heavier clothes! What are your thoughts about September? Are you glad it is here? Like I am, are you feeling a little melancholy?