November 2015 – Page 2 – Just An East Coast Girl

Old Town, Off roading and Oxner’s Beach

Today was so great! Usually Monday is a slow start. lots of coffee and cleaning. Today I was off and running…meeting my friend for a day of shopping and adventure. You just never know when we’re together. It’s so much fun!

First stop, West LaHave and a peak at her new home with the most awesome view of the water. I could sit there for coffee everyday. Love the wharf and buoy’s hanging…

Then off roading with faithful Bessie on the back roads to Old Town Lunenburg to browse the shops and a bite to eat. We both love shopping and are a dangerous combination. Lunenburg is a great spot to pick up special one of a kind Christmas gifts and I will definitely be stopping back for a few things.

Wanda is so creative and wanted to show me where her creativity begins…

Haha, lots of fun pics 🙂

A new beach for me…Oxner’s beach to pick up some drift wood and interesting things. Lots of inspiration to create!! What a great day, a PERFECT start to the week. And only one thing missing…

LONG…. wǒmen xiǎngniàn nǐ

Pray for Paris

My heart breaks reading the news, thinking of my French friends living there…

Paris has been on my mind and in my heart lately. I have been actually doing a bit of research because it is the next “big” trip we hope to do after the wedding in April. I have wanted to go to the “city of LOVE” for a few years and in July it will be our 30th Wedding Anniversary. So I have been reading and researching.

The attacks last night on this city are senseless…the world is in shock by what has happened and our love, prayers and support are with Paris and France. Pray for the city…more importantly PRAY for the People.

The bins are out…It’s begun

I know I know…all the opinions are out. When to, when not to, after this day, before this day, not too soon…

But honestly, it is REALLY up to each individual what and when they choose. I don’t mean any disrespect whatsoever. I am so very thankful and feel blessed to live in Canada where brave men and women fought for our freedom and I am thankful that we do remember , pay tribute, and celebrate that every November.

And for me, I do usually wait until after Remembrance Day only because it’s closer to the middle of November and usually by then it’s a bit colder and most of the signs of a beautiful Autumn have disappeared and it just “feels” more like Christmas. I know even the words “feels like Christmas” is up for debate. In Canada, for me Christmas feeling and mood is… cooler weather, crisp frosty mornings and powdery light dustings of snow. However when we lived in Brazil, it was hot, sometimes rainy, beach weather with powdery white sands. It was a real effort to get in the mood of “feeling like Christmas” that year. But fun to decorate and not worry about snow affecting the decor on my patio! haha

So today…the bins are out and I have begun. Just a little, taking my time, enjoying the Christmas music that is now once again added to my Playlist for the next 6 weeks or so, and cleaning my house well, room by room and adding touches here and there that will make things look and feel like Christmas. It will take a few days because I’m not doing it all in one day but I’m enjoying it.

My first baking was done yesterday ( gotta get the fruitcake done early)as I watched the Remembrance Service in Ottawa. And I even did a little shopping online to be delivered in the next few weeks. And so little by little Christmas merrymaking has begun.

Isn’t it just the most wonderful time of the year? Brr…and today “feels” chilly, it “feels” like that time of the year 😀

We Remember…

Sometimes…it’s all ya need

No words needed. Thanks girlfriend!!!!

It’s time for bed…

It’s getting colder. The leaves have turned from red to gold and are now falling quickly from the trees. LOTS and LOTS of raking and clean up to do. YES, it’s that time again, it comes too quickly, but it’s time to put the gardens to bed! Cold and Snow will be here before we know it!

But yesterday was a gorgeous day. Sunny and warm ( at least 15 degrees) and a perfect day for cleaning and organizing the shed, putting away garden furniture, raking and fixing the gardens, mowing and fertilizing and even…yes even putting up a few Christmas lights. The hardest ones because it was so nice and I really don’t like doing this when it’s cold and my hands and fingers are cold. It’s hard to believe that it’s soon that time again.

And after all that hard work and fresh air, I was ready for bed early!!! What a great day!!!

Midnight Visitors

I’m not often awake during the wee hours of the morning but because of jet lag, my schedule is still all over the place. Last night I was awake for a little while…and had a couple visitors.

They stopped in briefly, they must have been hungry for a garden salad, a floral bouquet. This time I was awake to catch them in the act!

It’s a good thing that I will be putting my gardens to rest for the winter very soon, otherwise I might not have been so happy to see them!

But a moment in history…

Today is a significant moment in Canadian history. Our 23rd Prime Minister was sworn in today! Justin Trudeau, liberal candidate for Prime Minister won by a landslide on October 19th with a majority of votes in his favour. Yesterday was Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s last day, and today at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Justin Trudeau became Canada’s new Prime Minister.

He is a young man (43) with a young family( 3 small children) but not the youngest Prime Minister for Canada. Joe Clarke became Prime Minister at 39, the day before his 40th Birthday. Justin is the only Prime Minister who’s father was once a Prime Minister too. Pierre Trudeau was Canada’s 15th Prime Minister from April 20, 1968 – June 4, 1979 when Justin was but a young boy.

So today history is written. Let’s hope for good things for Canada and from this man that will lead our country!

Was it a dream?

Well…I am HOME!

My time in China went far too quickly as I knew it would. I absolutely love it there. There are not too many people who understand my feeling about this. But this country really took hold of my heart while we lived there. The land, the culture, the people… yes, the people. There is no place that fills that void I feel like China.

Well perhaps if David & I relocated to Vancouver it would help. I have never been there except for my day layover on this trip. It is definitely on our “must see bucket list” After James was there and described it, and so much Chinese influence…maybe that would help.

I am so thankful to have had the priviledge to go back,especially in my year…the year of the goat!!!! I never could have imagined.

To do this trip to China with my dear sister in law, to see where my niece is teaching, to see Chinese friends again, to see some of the “famous” landmarks, to walk in the quiet places that I love …yes I am thankful, it was a dream. Time will tell if it will only create a greater longing to visit again or was it enough…

BUT for now it’s time to think about exploring a different part of this wonderful world! Hmm…where to next? ( Probably the Cuba Wedding Trip in April) and then…