Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
A heavy fog greeted us this Christmas morning, but nothing can dampen the mood. Ten negative COVID tests brought a group of us together to celebrate Christmas Eve. Not the whole family, but all the grandchildren, which made this Grandma’s heart sing. My son and his wife were delayed by work, so we let the […]
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I cast my shadow over white banksassert my presence, proud, defiant Will find beauty in deserted golf coursesand colour in a monochrome season I am haunted by a Winter state of mindresolved to stretch myself despite creeping chill. (Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge is winter scenes. This Winter I am challenging myself to endure a season […]
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Remnants of wrapping paper peek out from under the sofa. Leftover goodies tempt from the countertop. In the aftermath of our family gathering, I pause to enjoy the peace, processing the sweetness of the day. So many precious moments: “Grandma, can we have another present?” Three-year-old August, so enthralled with the magic of the day. […]
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“Wait till I tell my Mom I’m having hot chocolate for dinner! Do you have marshmallows, too?” she’d excitedly asked the waitress. “No marshmallows, but we have whip cream.” “Oh yum!” Children are so easy to please. I’d been in emergency all day, but didn’t want to cancel plans, so Ric picked her up from […]
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The seasonal cold hit our house this week, and not wishing to share it, I locked myself in with mugs of lemon and honey. An ice storm blasted Sunday, so we were happy to stay put. Ice and compromised balance do not blend well. Then, before the ice could melt, it snowed. Another good day […]
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Recent activity coupled with the onset of a cold, has my body begging for more rest, but the sun is shining and a sudden mild spell has melted the snow, and my camera is begging. Ric, whose man cold surpasses mine, hunkers in with a box of Kleenex and his flannel pjs. I’m on my […]
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It began simply enough; I just wanted to draw a simple Christmas tree, but the lines went a little crazy and well…you can see the result. The pen had a mind of its own, so I decided to let it talk. Trees with character started to emerge, and began to haunt my dreams. Christmas trees […]
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Our town’s quaintness is derived from the stone buildings, sourced from the local limestone quarry. As magnificent as these historic buildings are, I understand they are hard to heat in winter months. Our winters, in southwestern Ontario, Canada, can be harsh. I am grateful for modern materials like clay bricks, and of course, insulation, that […]
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Over brunch, my new acquaintance and I discover we have a lot in common – both former teachers, interested in art and poetry, with a love birds. She is just getting back into life after a long stint of caring for a sick husband, who died a year ago. I am finding my footing in […]
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Pre-camera years, I bemoaned the arrival of Autumn as Winter’s harbinger. The lens, however, has the magical ability to transform one’s perceptions. Suddenly, I have new appreciation for golden forests, and white flowers lingering against a backdrop of fallen leaves: Even the robin, typically associated with the onset of Spring, exudes new charm amid the […]
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One Woman's Quest II 