Showing posts with label Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friday. Show all posts

Friday, February 24, 2023

Beautiful Friday Sky on a Cold Evening

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I keep thinking Spring is around the corner but my hopes keep getting dashed. We had an unexpected bit of snow on Wednesday night and on Saturday we are expecting up to a foot of fresh snow. Knowing that I went out tonight and did a few pressing errands.

Here are some of my night shots.  There seemed to be a lot going on including an explosion that happened at the dinner hour just before I was about to get off one bus in the heart of the city. I heard a lot of sirens after that. Later I learned the sad news that 2 were treated for burns and lacerations due to the fire which they believe was caused by some kind of underground electrical vault fire. My bus had passed the site where the explosion occurred just seconds before hand and some passengers that got on the bus seconds later says there was smoke and balls of fire coming from the side of the building. Roads, buses and skytrain in the vicinity were all closed or affected in some way but I was on my way out of the city before that happened.

Here are some photos I took while I was downtown. I'm joining in with Skywatch Friday. Please join in too.














Thank you for stopping by. Have an awesome weekend.

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Happy Friday, Happy Skywatch & Happy Weekend

Hello folks and blogger friends,

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer to date. It certainly is different from the last few years in many ways. I'm thankful to have the freedom to go out and about more than the previous years. But I didn't get a chance to go out of town for several years now.  This year was no exception.  Even though restrictions were mostly lifted, I really don't care to travel right now and contend with all the travel/transportation delays and related issues.

 

We've had a heat wave for much of (July and ) August.  Even when the posted weather has been in the lower 20s Celsius, it has still felt sweltering.  Even Jonah who is used to the heat and dry areas in Kenya has commented about how hot it has been here. At last we had a dip in temperatures today and a sprinkling of rain. It wasn't a lot of rain but combined with lower temperatures it made all the walking I did today much more bearable.

 

 

I had to go deep into downtown Vancouver today to the Purolator service center to return a few Amazon parcels. Normally I send items back through the post but these items had to be returned by Purolator. It was very convenient to get to the center by bus as it let me off across the street. I thought I would return straight home and the bus stop was right outside the center's door. However when I got to the bus stop there was a sign saying one had to catch a bus at Burrard Street. That was a lot of walking for me especially since my knees aren't fully rehabilitated. Fortunately I managed to do what I needed to do.

 

After I finished downtown, I did more errands in my neighbourhood.  I was shocked at how many people were out and about.  There were lines of people everywhere waiting to get into virtually every single restaurant and drinking establishment  Of course it is Friday and many people go out on Friday nights but tonight it was noticeably busier than usual.  I don't know if it was because the weather was cooler and more comfortable or if suddenly people are realizing that the end of summer is almost upon us and they're trying to soak up every minute left of it. It's probably a bit of both.  It was also very busy with tourists downtown though it doesn't seem so in the photos. It was nice to see so many visitors walking and enjoying the sites.

 

The photos I'm sharing are from downtown Vancouver in the city's West End Coal Harbour area. For most of the day the sky was a very dull gray. The sun came out around 6 p.m. but I couldn't stop to take photos.





Thank you for stopping by and have a great weekend.

 Joining in with Skywatch Friday


Friday, November 13, 2020

Friday is Here!

Hello everyone,

The week has gone by so fast I forgot it was Friday!

I'm sharing some beautiful sky shots from November 7, 2020. We had such a beautiful, sunny few days and I was very grateful for them. At this time of year they are few and far between.





On Tuesday I mailed some parcels to my niece and nephew for Advent. I still have to prepare their Christmas presents. It has been raining all week and this past Wednesday we had a holiday when we pause in our day to day activities and remember those men and women who have served us in the various wars. In addition to remembrance, I used some time in the day to prepare snail mail to send to a friend.

Despite my desire to get the garden cleared up and patio furniture put away by the end of October,  I still haven't done it. Today is Thursday and it rained more heavily than usual. But tonight I went out and purchased a patio table cover to help in the task. My plan is to wash the patio chair covers and the patio table and cover them all up for the winter.

 

I've been busy this week dealing with a few small items I've been procrastinating about for one reason or another. I didn't do any decluttering.  But one floor fan went to the recycling center. Even though it works, it is on it's last legs. As always there was lots of paper and containers that needed to go to recycling too. Those ones I just take to the recycling room.

A few days ago, our top doctor in the province brought in new restrictions due to ever climbing Covid 19 numbers and the country's top doctor recommended wearing 3 ply masks. I went out and bought another box of masks in addition to what I already have on hand. I also bought toilet paper and hope to buy some more this weekend. I don't go crazy and stock pile but want to make sure I have a reasonable amount of paper on hand this time in case more measures are brought in in two weeks.

We have at least been eating well during this rainy, cold season and I've probably spent more energy thinking of a variety of meals each week and more time cooking them than I normally do. It keeps me occupied during these difficult times and also makes me think of ways to use a variety of fruits and vegetables and other foods that I find in the weekly sales.

This first dish is roast beef covered in bacon before the final roasting. In the pot are onions, cauliflower and red peppers. On the side I made brown rice and green peas.


Another day we had spaghettini topped with a stir fry of big prawns, broccoli, cauliflower, onions and red peppers in a garlic-soy sauce. Wednesday night I made ham and pea soup but didn't take a photo.

Did any of you watch the Country Music Association Awards (CMAs) on Wednesday night?  I did and I watched it again on Thursday night on my PVR to enjoy the performances a 2nd time. Especially wonderful was seeing the great Charley Pride who received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. I remember listening to Charley Pride as a young teenager while I babysat the neighbourhood children for my pocket money. He was really inspiring to me then and he continues to be with his fabulous career and his deeply humble nature. I always wondered how he handled being a "cowboy" as a black man since he would definitely be in the minority.  The CMAA show was great and I enjoyed all the performances by the various bands and performers some of whom I'd never heard of before. I also enjoyed the co-hosting and singing done by Reba McIntyre and Darius Rucker, two great talents. Those of you who are not country music fans may know of Darius Rucker from his days fronting the band, "Hootie and the Blowfish". The band still exists but they took a long hiatus of 10 years while Darius pursued a solo career in country music.

Thursday night I made roast pork with onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms. Side dishes were mashed potatoes and green peas along with some gravy. It was very chilly outside and I got a bit wet running to stores in the rain so the dish really hit the spot tonight.

Apples seem to be a big feature in the stores right now. I bought a bag of Pink Lady and I'm snacking on those. I also bought a bag of Gala apples which I will likely use to make apple pie or apple crisp, perhaps both. I always think of this beautiful scripture when I see a beautiful apple.

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."  Proverbs 25:11

This verse reminds me how important it is that we have the right words to say at the right time. I am often in the position of having to know just what to say as it seems people I know do like to talk to me whenever they are going through difficult times. This week a friend of mine is going through marital distress. I try to say the right things that would not only be scriptural but also comforting. I sure hope that things work out for the good of everyone in this situation.


 Last, but not least, I enjoyed a few pomegranates this week.

 “Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates
With choice fruits, henna with nard plants," Song of Songs 4:13
 


Pomegranates are so delicious. I love the juicy seeds and I'd like to get more.  But soon we'll be fully in the season of mandarin oranges and I buy a lot of oranges in the lead up to Christmas.

I remember a funny story from when I was very young, in Grade 4. A boy in my classroom used to come to school every day with his lunch which consisted of 1 package of deli meats, 1 entire loaf of white bread and 1 pomegranate. He ate it all every day. I remember being amazed by that and also being intrigued by the pomegranate which no one else I knew ate. In fact, I only knew the name of the fruit from the Bible but no one ate it that I knew of except for this one boy. It's funny the memories that remain with us through our lifetimes. I often think of that boy when I eat a pomegranate and wonder what happened to him. I don't recall his name.

With that I wish you all a wonderful weekend and a safe weekend ahead.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.


Thursday, November 29, 2018

A Friday to End November


The sky as seen from the patio on Thursday, November 29th, 2018.


It has been raining for much of the last 2 weeks and most days it has been quite heavy rain.

It was nice to have a clearer day today. 
The sun was out a bit earlier but I wasn't able to take a photo of it.
I've had a different kind of week.
I've been feeling very tired and my neck is very tight causing me to feel nauseous. I get like this from time to time.

So mostly I've been resting and reading and doing a little tidying here and there.

I finished my berry and pink coloured afghan but I still have to tie off all the loose ends in the back.
This is time consuming but I am pleased with how it looks. Very pleased.

I haven't started on the last afghan of the year but hopefully next week.

My little tree is up and all my presents are wrapped except for one more I must buy for my niece.
I'm so glad the job of wrapping is finished as that is the most time consuming part of everything

I never did get around to completing the task of putting up my curtain rod.
I just was not up to it.
Perhaps I'll feel up to it in a few days. I also need to finish the Christmas decorating but the decorations are in storage downstairs.

~~~
I've also kept a bit pre-occupied with technical issues this week.
I don't know how many of you try to watch DVDs on your computer.
Since I downloaded Windows 10 long ago it has messed up my usage of the CD/DVD feature on my desktop.
It also makes my scanner more troublesome to use.

I got my brother to try to adjust things but he had no more success than I did.
In the end I purchased an inexpensive DVD player so I can watch DVDs from the comfort of my sofa.
 Mostly I borrow DVDs from the library but from time to time I also watch one from my small DVD collection.

I also had an issue trying to sync my Kobo reader (Canada's version of Kindle).
It's been a long time since I charged it up. In the meantime it no longer recognized it's Wi-Fi connection at home.
Despite inputting the correct Wi-Fi address it just would not connect to the internet.
My brother is more tech savvy than I am.
 He got it working again by deleting some public Wi-Fi addresses I'd used in the past.
I was very happy since I've recently purchased the book
Shadows Along the Zambezi as recommended by blogger friend, Diane at Photo Diary.



I also have many other novels on it which I would like to read.
Now my library is up to date and I can start carrying the little reader with me. 


~~~~~~

The following books are in various stages of completion.
I want to return them to the library this weekend or at latest by Monday.

Half finished. I'm not enjoying the stories as much as I'd hoped.  Most are quite bleak.


A complex piece written by a Vancouverite. I'm enjoying it but the story doesn't quite flow easily for me.

Half finished. My completion was hampered by the fact I do not intend to begin the meal plan although I guess that could change.
An easy read but an odd and only slightly satisfying story.
A satisfying read which kept me engaged until the last page. My enjoyment was enhanced by learning the author is Canadian.

A nice documentary about a wonderful human being. I cried at the end.
 ~~~~~~

I found this cute little children's poem about the end of November.
I hope you enjoy it.
It's the end of the month.
The glory of Fall has passed us by and in some cases barely arrived this year.
I started the month by wishing you a month of adventure.
I hope you found it despite the inclement weather in most of the northern hemisphere.
As we move into December and wind down 2018 
I wish each of you peace and time to reflect upon and enjoy the month ahead.

Thank you for your visit.


Joining in with 


and




Friday, June 10, 2016

Happy Friday

Hello everyone,

I hope you've all had a good week.

We've been having a few days of cooler weather and clouds interspersed with a bit of rain. I always like a break in the weather. It adds a little interest to the daily things of life and if it has been hot, it cools everything down as well as helps the grass and flowers grow.


Right now I'm still trying to make time to progress reading

- Common Ground by Justin Trudeau (written before he became our Prime Minister)

I've also purchased two new devotionals.
and


I seldom purchase new books but I heard these two authors interviewed on television and decided to buy their books
for study.
 ~~~~
Most days this week the cloud cover has made for largely uninteresting skies but earlier in the week I captured this interesting sky.


I'm not quite sure but it looks like there are two wispy, long clouds crossed with a trail left by a plane.
What do you think?

I took this photo just over a week ago but  missed sharing it with SWF.

I am glad it's Friday.
I've been so busy with this and that.  I need a rest and some time at home.
After Friday's errands I hope to stay in and do a bit of paperwork
interspersed with reading and generally just try and  relax in between the usual chores one has to do.
.
Monday we are expecting very heavy rain.
But soon I'm sure we will be back to hot, or at least warmer weather.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Joining in with Skywatch Friday 
and 

Friday, January 22, 2016

Rounding Out the Week

These sky photos are from late last week when our weather was glorious, sunny and clear. As of last night we are back to our usual rain.  But I can't complain about the weather this winter as it seems like we've had more sunny and clear days than usual.




In my last post I mentioned I planned to go fabric shopping and make my mother some new dresses.  She wanted purple and turquoise fabrics. I purchased fuchsia/purple and navy fabric and have a dress that I will alter slightly which is turquoise/black/white.

The light knit jersey is the right composition (polyester and spandex blend) so it can stand up to the washing in the care home. The hand is quite soft and lovely but I fear it might be a little too flimsy. It will have to do as I can't take the fabric back.  It would probably help to make another slip or two for her to wear underneath.  She does still have the 3 slips I made a year ago but I think she wears 1 more than the others. After a year they are getting a bit ragged with daily use and hot water washes.

It is hard to get just the right amount of weight and stretch in the right colours when shopping for fabrics. Next time I'll stop at Fabricland.  They seem to sell just the right fabric at the right weight.  But I'm not a member there and that means I pay a lot more for fabrics.  Membership is a bit steep at $30 annually.  I don't sew enough or purchase enough fabric there to justify the membership cost so I will just have a look at clearance fabrics.

Here are some photos of the fuchsia/purple and navy dresses. I have to finish the dresses (the neckline on one dress and the hemming on both).


 And, the ready made turquoise/black and white dress.

 This dress needs to be modified up the back.  I love the Ikat design though it may be difficult to see in this photo.


I also bought some fabric to make a nightgown for her but haven't made it yet. Here is what it looks like. It is nice and soft and I know she will like it.



I purchased some nightgown fabric for me as well.  Here it is.



Lastly,  I bought some beautiful fabric to make a jacket which I have in mind to give as a gift.  It's been a very long time since I've made a jacket.


Besides fabric shopping and sewing, I picked up some movies at the library.

- August: Osage County Meryl Streep plays a cancer stricken, pill popping foul mouthed matriarch who lets her anger spill out various family members who gather to bury her late husband.  I found this movie somewhat depressing but probably close to the real life that some people have.  It is wonderfully acted by a long list of distinguished actors including Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor & Benedict Cumberbatch.
- The Iron Lady Released in 2012, this is a movie about Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of England in her twilight years as she is suffering from dementia and about to dispose of her late husband's belongings. Meryl Streep plays the title role. Along the way you learn about Mrs. Thatcher's life and entry into politics.
An Englishman in New York is a 2009 biographical film that chronicles the years gay English writer Quentin Crisp spent in New York City.  The title is taken from a song by Crisp written by Sting.
- The Jane Austen Book Club is a 2007 romantic drama. The film focuses a book club formed specifically to discuss the six novels written by Jane Austen. As the characters delve into each book, the club members find themselves dealing with life experiences that parallel the themes of the books they are reading. There is a large cast of wonderful actors including Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Lynn Redgrave and Jimmy Smits.

The first two movies I wanted to see in the theatre but missed my chance. The other two movies I picked up because they looked interesting. I found all of these movies to be rather sad in different ways but wonderful acted by all. I probably enjoyed The Jane Austen Book Club best but then I am a Jane Austen fan.

Have any of you read the book by Bishop T.D. Jakes on Destiny? I saw him on Dr. Oz earlier in the week and googled the book on YouTube.  He has many videos on YouTube but I enjoyed this one in case you are interested in watching it.

Over the weekend I hope to continue with some sewing after Friday's errands. We are back to a lot of rain so indoor activities are just the ticket. 



 Linking up with Skywatch Friday

I hope you all have a great weekend!

A Few Days in March ~ Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers. I hope Spring is treating you well so far. It's been roller coaster weather where I live with mostly ...