Category: Artsy

Colourful visitors

So I put my bird feeders up this week because I was hearing and seeing lots of birds in my backyard garden and today I had so many colourful visitors. MORE than pictures can really capture.

Here are a few of my favourites of the little yellow finches.

Tomorrow looks like it’s gonna be a beautiful day. Time to get back in the garden!

April showers

bring May Flowers!

We are finally getting the typical spring “April Showers”

Today and tomorrow are supposed to be rainy days. Two days of rain is really not enough and it is not typical of April.

It has been cold this month and a few small snow days, mixed with a few hot sunny days BUT colder than normal weather, and not rainy to make everything pop with color.

It seems as though this year is a late start and I really hope it doesn’t mean that we will have another dry summer…

As much as I’d rather a sunny day…I’m thankful for the rainy day! Hmm? What to do?

Abby says nap 😀

We’re in this together

Here are just a few ways Nova Scotia is doing it’s part in environmental protection. ( taken from the Government of Nova Scotia website)

We lead all provinces in cutting Greenhouse Gas emissions

In 2009, Nova Scotia released the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Regulations establishing GHG emission caps on the electricity sector. Amendments were also made to the Air Quality Regulations to set tighter limits on Nova Scotia Power Inc., sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions for 2015 and 2020. As of 2014, Nova Scotia has already reduced GHG emissions 17% below 1990 levels, the most of any province in Canada, and is on track to reach 24% by 2020. This far surpasses our target of 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.

Nova Scotia is the first province to require efficient LED streetlights

Nova Scotia is the first province or state in North America to make LED streetlights the law. LED lights are expected to use less than half the energy of traditional lights and when combined with reduced maintenance costs, the estimated annual savings could be $18 million. They’ll also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30,000 tons.

More than 25% of Nova Scotia’s electricity comes from renewables

Nova Scotia’s Renewable Electricity Plan is a program to move Nova Scotia away from carbon-based electricity towards greener, more local sources. The plan set renewable electricity generation targets of 25% by 2015 and 40% by 2020. In 2015, almost 27% of Nova Scotia’s electricity was supplied by renewable energy sources, like wind, tidal, biomass, and hydro, and we are on track to reach 40% by 2020.

Nova Scotia has more wind power in our mix than 8 other provinces

As of September 2016, there was almost 600 MW of installed capacity from wind generation in the province.

Nova Scotians are the leading composters in Canada

Nova Scotians are the leading composters in Canada on a per capita basis (combined curbside and backyard). More than 95% of residents have access to curbside collection, and 48 of 51 municipalities use clear bags to enhance diversion of organics and recyclables from the solid waste stream.

Over 100,000 Nova Scotians have renewable heat in their homes

Nova Scotians are doing their part to reduce their energy consumption and replace more of their energy with sustainable sources. Today, over 100,000 Nova Scotians have heat pumps in their homes. Of those, at least 80,000 use a heat pump as their primary source of heating. Over the last five years, Efficiency Nova Scotia’s work alone has helped roughly 56,000 Nova Scotians reduce their reliance on oil.

We’re in this together, let’s everyone do our part!

A Sunny Saturday

Whoa! What another gorgeous day! It’s sunny and the flowers are blooming. I LOVE SPRING!

Today we enjoyed Easter dinner at Mom & Dad’s. It was so delicious thanks Mom!

David LOVED dessert! ( 3 kinds of pie)

And then this afternoon while David went on the bike, Abby and I relaxed a bit outside. 

 

James has some of his SMU friends visiting and they went hiking.

Ahh…Easter weekend!

from Shenyang with love… 🌸❤

Ahhh…Spring. April. and Blossoms.

My Chinese friends know all too well that it is my favourite time of year and they also know me well enough that even after leaving Shenyang almost 3 years ago ( wow it’s been that long) that I still miss and long for the April days of walking in “my” park when all the blossoms are peak!

So, Sunday was a gorgeous blue sky day in Shenyang and they went to “my” park just to take pictures especially for me!

Ahhh…how I wish I was walking here today…

Thanks so much for the thoughtfulness! ❤

It’s National Tartan Day!

Good Morning!

April 6 is National Tartan Day!

April 6th is National Tartan Day—a day for celebrating the contributions to our country of the more than four million Canadians who have Scottish ancestry. Canada joins with many other countries around the world, recognizing the achievements of their citizens who hail from Scotland. National Tartan Day is celebrated annually on April 6, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish declaration of independence, in 1320.

The tartan is a traditional woolen fabric woven in patterns that look checkered or striped (plaid) All of  Canada’s provinces and territories, except for Nunavut have provincial tartans.

Canada’s national tartan, the Maple Leaf Tartan, was created in 1964 by David Weiser in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of Confederation in 1967. It was proudly worn by Canadians for many years and elevated to official status in 2010.

While I don’t have any Canadian Tartan ( I really need to get something) I have many things that are Nova Scotia Tartan, so I’ll be wearing tartan all day!

Have a great day!😂🤣