Artsy – Page 5 – Just An East Coast Girl

Not to be seen again for…many more moons?

Today is the Biggest and brightest supermoon in over 60 years!! (supposedly)

You’ve heard me say before I wish I had a camera that could capture the moon in a way that it’s as real as gazing up at it! I LOVE full moons. When I look at them I know friends and family all over this world are looking too, and it’s the same moon and somehow…it just brings us a little closer together.

Here are a few of my favourites that other wonderful local photographers shared.

Photo by Ronald Smith at Hirtle's Beach — Photo by Ronald Joseph Smith at Hirtle’s Beach, NS

Lloyd Westhaver- Mader's Cove, NS — Photo by Lloyd Westhaver- Mader’s Cove, NS

One of my favourite photographers captured these two in Halifax this morning…

And of course one from China. This photograph is from Beijing BUT it really reminds me of the bridges in the park where I always walked when we lived there. See…same Supermoon!

Thank you so much to these wonderful photographers. Your talent and ability is awesome, so we all can enjoy this spectacular beauty! Don’t forget to look up!

A little project…

It’s always nice to get some things accomplished around the house on vacation. While we spent most of our time exploring and on adventures, David was antsy to do a project too. Gee, you’d think after the paint project ( painted the whole upstairs in our home) he would want to rest. BUT, No!!! And because this little project has been “bugging us” and because of circumstance…it seemed like the right time to try it.

One of the days we were on our way to the city, we heard on the radio that Fabricville had a sale…40% off their upholstery fabric. Hmmm? That got us thinking and we stopped in. We actually bought 5m of fabric at an excellent price! And that’s why he was antsy…he wanted to see if he could do it. We have never reupholstered anything

So here’s the project!

We have a fabric/bonded leather loveseat and big comfy chair in our living room. We’ve had it for 8 years or so. Well the arms haven’t been wearing so well and is cracking and damaged and umm…then…someone set a hot cup of coffee on the arm and the material lifted off. And then someone else did it and before long…I was so frustrated!! Why is this happening?! We take really good care of our things so they last and everything else about this set is in excellent condition. Why is certain areas breaking down? There is absolutely no wear showing at all. We like the colour and it just suits our decor right now. What to do? We couldn’t find a complete match for fabric but we did manage to find one pretty close. And because we decided to just do the arms which is wrapping and stapling, no sewing involved…I think it will be ok.

Here goes! Fingers crossed

Staples after staples…( and this is just 1 arm. There’s 3 more to do!)

This is what we’re doing…

The first arm is the worst, right? You know to get a pattern and see how it’s done!

The arm chair is finished!! It turned out pretty good, especially for a first time project.

Now to do the love seat…

Did I mention my husband is AMAZING!!!!! ❤️

Art Amazed

There is a maze being built close to my home. It is due to open sometime in 2018. I love seeing the progress as I drive by and decided to get a closer look hoping the artists and creators would be on site so I could ask a few questions. However, this time they weren’t, so I just took a peak…a bit closer than driving by.

It’s so cool. I love the inspiration and creativity that goes into stuff like this!

Getting Creative with SQUASH

Every year in the fall, a local farm gets REALLY creative with a bit of their season’s squash harvest.

I enjoy a trip to the market to see what the newest creations are. This year’s Squash art!

There’s SoMeThInG FiShY about this EXPAT get together…

Haha Oh fun!!! I Love love our expat get togethers. Periodically we get together with friends that we were in Brazil and China with. It’s a chance to catch up but also to reminisce about the awesome times we had living in foreign countries.

This time Wanda & Curt hosted a wonderful potluck get together at their home in West LaHave. It was a perfect chance to catch up with them as well as Heidi & Stephen and Marlene & Stephen.

Wanda is a dear sweet friend, I love her. We share so many common interests and are of the same mind with many things. I love the way she expresses herself and her creativity. Since coming back home in May, Wanda opened her “Something Fishy Studio” and has been so busy every day creating and filling her awesome space with wonderful things for tourists and locals inspired by her life as a lighthouse keepers daughter and growing up by the sea. I have been wanting to stop in at her studio down the river and thankfully she gave “the girls” a tour.

Here our a few pics of our get together and Something Fishy Studio!

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Fun times!!

The Lore of the Loonie

The Lore of the Loonie continues…

I just read something really cool!

Loonies have been stashed in the sand on the beach at the volleyball court, in the rowing waters at the Lagoa, and even under the 18th hole green at the Olympic golf course.

But why?

Paul Bowes, one of the coaches of the men’s wheelchair basketball team, said it has become a Canadian tradition.

“It’s just part of Canadiana in my opinion,” he told CBC News. “I just think the lore of the looney has been kept alive by, you know, teams that want to get creative. It’s a fun thing to do.”

It’s a creative way to bring Good Luck!

How cool?

Be BOLD with BEAUTY!

Today is a Shopper’s Drug Mart Gala Day! They have them periodically…Mother’s Day, Christmas time…and today. I have never attended one before BUT since my dear sweet daughter is a makeup artist there and since this particular gala she is in charge of ( the manager is on vacay) I decided to go for support, and also to get a BOLD NEW look!

I have always worn make up, nothing new BUT I don’t always wear bold eye makeup. I thought I would purchase something darker than normal and get Laura to give me a quickie makeover lol.

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And there are even treat bags!! How cool 😀

LOTS of fun!!! I sure hope David like my bold new eyes!!

PS~ Oh and I won a basket!!! Haha, Laura called this afternoon to come and pick up a gift basket that I was one of 3 winners!! Yay!!!

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ACROSS CANADA DAY: 11 July 20~ Vancouver Day 2…CHOICES

1st thing…Sleep in!!! I’m tired. All this sightseeing is hard work lol. Haha after all we are staying a couple of nights in the Granville Street district, the entertainment district in the heart of downtown which means no one is really up to early.

CHOICES!! Life is all about Choices, what to do?

We are just a short walk from the ferry terminal that goes to Granville Island so we thought it would be fun to check out the famous market. In the early 1900s, Granville Island was home to factories, plants and sawmills. Technically a sandspit and not really island, the neighbourhood sits just south of the downtown peninsula, right under the Granville Bridge. The Granville Island Public Market acts as a hub of activity, but it’s also one of the city’s most important cultural districts with theatres, artisan workshops and craft studios.

Yaletown was once the Western terminus for the Canadian Pacific Railway, but the area’s more recent reinvention dates back to 1986 when the waterfront along the north of False Creek was host to many of the venues when Vancouver hosted the World’s Fair. Since then that land, along with the warehouse district adjoining it have been transformed into one of the city’s chicest neighbourhoods, filled with residential loft spaces, sidewalk cafes, cool restaurants, unique shopping, and leafy parks. Sitting along the south side of the downtown Vancouver peninsula

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Chinatown of course I wanted to go to China town! Established back in the 1890s, Vancouver’s Chinatown has been humming busily for more than a century with vivid colours, exotic cuisine and a vibrant culture. Vancouver’s Chinese population originally made the journey to work in local mines and build the Trans-Canada railway. Rich in history and architecture, this area east of downtown boasts North America’s third-largest Chinatown after New York and San Francisco. Although we learned that especially these days the greater Chinese population live in Richmond. Authentic Chinese for lunch today!!

A really cool thing about Vancouver is that usually there is a movie or series being filmed. It just so happened that they were filming The Flash today. So cool!

Well…Van city…it’s been wonderful!

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ACROSS CANADA DAY: 6 July 15~ Home of the Stampede

We were up and at it early this morning!!

And flying to Calgary. We actually arrived in Calgary at 9am!!!! Ya, early! So it was breakfast on the airplane and a little nap. This is a great way to bypass the awful drive in Northern Ontario.

After we picked up our rental, a black charger…

we had a whole day to explore this city that is so well known as the Home of Canada’s Calgary Stampede. It is actually Stampede Days while we are here but with only so much time, that is not priority on our list. ( I know, I know…it should be) BUT, with only 3 weeks, it’s pick and choose and this is one of those times. So…NO stampede. Besides TODAY is TORRENTIAL rains and thunderstorms…just like Exhibition Week at home.

There’s lots to do in Calgary! First, a quick overview. Calgary Tower.

This was fun and we got some good pictures without bright sun and before it fogged in too much and down poured. And guess what? Guess who else was in Calgary for the Stampede today?

That’s right! Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. We actually saw all the streets blocked with police security while we were up in the Calgary Tower. We knew someone important was in town! He looks so great in a Stetson.

There’s a lot to see in Calgary that really doesn’t cost a lot. Lots of cool and interesting things. Like the Wonderland statue in front of the Bow Building, a walk along Stephen Avenue ( I would have loved this in nice weather) and a quick pic under the Galleria trees. The Canada Pacific building and other high-rises in the downtown. Calgary is an interesting spot during Stampede. Cowboys and Cowgirls, not necessarily authentic, could be locals, could be tourists…you see them everywhere. We felt a little under dressed but it’s not our style.

It’s hard to know what to do when it rains…

We ducked in to A&W on Stephen Avenue for a couple burgers at lunch. I guess burgers are a thing to have…or beef BECAUSE…

A “MUST DO” on the list for Calgary… Peter’s Drive-In. A very famous burgers and milkshake joint! Not a great day but we went anyway. So glad we did…very very good burgers!

Our Calgary hotel is so nice for two days here, a King Studio with a kitchen. It’s great for getting picnic lunches together for the next couple days and just an early relax evening on this cool rainy day.

Have a great night!

ACROSS CANADA DAY: 2 July 11~ Hello Mr. Prime Minister

Today is another travel day with a quick stop for bagels. Bagels in Quebec, especially Montreal Bagels are the BEST in the world. It’s all in the way they are prepared and baked. Oven roasted…YUMMOS!

And then on to Canada’s capital. It was a quick stop.Ok it was more of a pause and drive by… When the kids were younger and in school, we spend some time here exploring and learning first hand about Canada’s capital and city, Ottawa. Today we stopped for a few pics and to wave Hello to “Justin & Sophie” 😀 and have a picnic along the beautiful Ottawa River.

Every summer, artist John-Felice Ceprano, does some amazing work with rocks. Ceprano lifts stones and slabs to create “rock balance art.” Every summer he expands the collection of sculptures at Remic Rapids adding to his creations using only materials found on-site. Such a cool spot along our travels.

A quick diversion to my old home city of Port Perry. A few pics of my Uncle & Auntie’s farm. A few pics of our Manchester home. I lived there in the early 70’s before my parents moved to Nova Scotia in 1975. And since we were in Port Perry…dinner was at Haugen’s Restaurant where Mom ( & my cousin Peggy) used to work. And look who joined us? It was so wonderful that Peggy & Brian drove down from Lindsay to have dinner with us.

Driving down the busy 401…are we having fun? Just a wee bit tired!!!

And then it was on to David’s twin brother’s home…Martin & Rebecca live in Niagara Falls. We took advantage of the fact that we were a little late arriving to get a few night shots of the falls…

We just enjoyed their company at our home in Nova Scotia, and now they are back home. And it is here that we will spend a few days visiting, checking out their new place ( they moved last Fall when Rebecca & I were in China) and seeing a couple of our favourite spots before we move on to the next part of our travels.

It’s late…time for sleep in Niagara Falls Ontario.