A Peaceful Night Sky ~ Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

How are you all doing this week?

I've been okay though still not quite recovered from a recent bout of illness. I'm just glad to be feeling well enough to start doing the usual household tasks and gardening at the community plot.  It has been absolutely beautiful weather although it turned a bit cloudy on Wednesday and part of Thursday. 

I captured this peaceful night sky last Monday. I meant to photograph the pastel sky at sunset but wasn't quite quick enough to do it.

It won't be long now before summer is upon us.  If all goes well, I'm hoping to travel a bit over the summer, at least before the end of September but don't expect to travel farther than the province next door.  My hubby just returned from a long flight after weeks away in Kenya. I was worried he might get caught up in the fuel shortage issue but thankfully that didn't happen. 

What about your dear reader?  I'd love to know if you have any plans for summer travels.

Please note: Every week I have difficulties uploading photos to the Skywatch website using the linky information. I sometimes have success depending on the browser but sometimes none of the browsers work (yes I have looked into cookie issues and so on) and I have to upload a photo. The photos always look right side up when being uploaded but once uploading is complete they are sideways.  I apologize if this is as annoying to you as it is to me.

Thank you for visiting my Skywatch Friday post this week. 

Hello May - Tuesday 4

Welcome friends!

This week's Tuesday 4 in memory of our friend Toni Taddeo is from Mary who blogs at Visits With Mary and it's all about the month of May. Thanks Mary!

 Hello May

1. May’s First Glimpse — What is the very first thing you notice or feel when May arrives each year?

The first thing I notice is more sunshine and more light. I also seem to have more energy to tackle larger tasks around the house.

2. Simple May Joys — What small pleasures do you look forward to in May — flowers, breezes, routines, or traditions?

I look forward to it all, more greenery, leaves on deciduous trees, flowers, anything that grows outside. I look forward to fresh air by opening windows and more walks in the sunshine before the days get too hot.

Home garden patio in sunshine (2025)


3. May Memories — Do you have a favorite May memory from childhood, family life, or recent years?

When I was a child May was still a cold month, school was still in session and we could even have freak snowstorms in June though it was rare. All this to say I don't have any favourite memories from the month of May.  However, May is my birth month and every month thereafter we have a family birthday to celebrate until October. After that I look forward to Thanksgiving & Christmas.  In May of each year, I mainly look forward to these events involving loved ones.  If we are together we have family dinners to celebrate with cake and take away meal.  If we are not together, I always try to remember their birthday with cards, phone calls and sometimes gifts.  It also seems that many of my close friends celebrate birthdays in May.  This keeps me busy remembering them with gifts, cards & lunches where possible. In fact, right now I'm behind schedule in remembering the birthdays of 2 out of town friends who celebrate their birthdays in a few days. So you know what I'll be doing tomorrow!

4. May Intentions — What gentle goals or hopes do you carry into this new month?

To get the community garden consistently watered and the patio garden planted and tended.

A recent evening at the community plot (2026)

I like the idea of sitting outside more often this year and hope to do so on the patio.  To create time for this relaxation, a lot of work is going on inside and outside to deep clean, & get large tasks out of the way.  The balcony pavers, railings and furniture have all been deep cleaned, windows are being cleaned inside and outside, the carpeting indoors is being given a thorough cleaning and various other seasonal tasks are being done.

April and May are always busy months with the gardens that need planting. It's also the time when so many other things gear up and/or need doing before I can relax and enjoy the summer.

Home garden patio at sunset (2025)

If you've read this far, thank you.  I appreciate it.  Have a wonderful week.

Moon Through the Clouds ~ Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you had a great week. Mine has been busy so I haven't had a chance to do a lot of sky gazing. But I did capture this moon shot through the clouds on my way back from a bit of gardening.

 

Take care and thank. you for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post. Have a wonderful weekend.

Your Jobs ~ Tuesday 4

Hello!  It's time again for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

This week's idea for questions came from Pamela Steiner and it's all about your occupation and work.

I think that's a great idea, so here are questions prepared for us.

1.What did/do you do for work and how long did you work in that position? 

I'm retired.  In my last job I worked for the federal (national government) as a policy advisor. I was in the department that among other things had different teams negotiating agreements with the First Nations of British Columbia over land (excluding private property), resources (fish, forests, etc.) and government powers (a broad range of powers) to enable the First Nations of British Columbia to enact laws and manage the lands and resources once negotiated agreements were ratified and passed into law.  Parties to negotiations were many First Nations, but not all,  the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada. There were also many interest groups who were party to different aspects of the negotiations but who were not actual signatories to any final agreements. I worked at the job for approximately 10 years and hoped I would have continued working in the job if life didn't intervene and send me into an early retirement.

2. Of the jobs you've had throughout life, which was your favorite? If no favorite, which was the worst? Tell us why you loved/hated your job.

My last job was my favourite because it was mentally challenging, varied in duties and there was a lot of room for showcasing one's ingenuity or problem solving abilities. There were of course things I didn't like about the job.  In talking to many people over the years, and through my own, varied work experiences, I concluded that no job is perfect and though you may really enjoy yours, there is probably something or several somethings, which you would rather do without.  After many different work experiences where things were not always rosy, I finally learned to implement the teaching of the Apostle Paul in the Book of Philippians 4:11-13.  It's best to try to find contentment in whatever circumstance you find yourself in, or be prepared to find a new circumstance.  Even if you look for a new circumstance it won't end up being perfect. 

3. What did your job entail?  Did it require a special education?  

It was multi-faceted. It included analyzing, developing positions, knowing the laws of the land at the federal and provincial level, liaising with legal advisors and other policy advisors in multiple departments and ministries both at the federal and provincial levels. A big part of the daily work involved discussing government positions on subjects and issues with the negotiating teams and advising negotiating team members on the parameters and language for the agreements. Another aspect was developing policy positions with my counterparts in Ottawa. There were many more aspects to the job but this summary captures the essence of it.

The job required previous policy experience and a legal degree and experience. I did however have a colleague who joined the team before I retired. She didn't have a law degree or legal experience but had a lot of other useful experience in the department. However, I'd have to say that I don't think her level of ability to advise or develop policy was anywhere near the level of the other members of the team. She obviously had other skills which stood her in good stead when she decided she wanted a change of pace at work.

4. List all the jobs/occupations you have had.

I've had a diverse work background including jobs as a student like babysitting, waiting tables and washing dishes, research & working in the university library, & summer jobs in one of the legal departments of the Government of Canada.  After graduation from university, I had a number of policy and research related jobs mostly dealing with issues of self-governance, land claims and legal rights of the Indigenous peoples of Canada (not just First Nations).  I primarily worked for the Government of Canada & for non-governmental organizations in Canada both in Ottawa, Ontario and in Vancouver, BC. 

As a young girl I was taught the value of hard work for an honest wage and to take pride in my work.  I carried this teaching with me no matter what work I was doing whether paid or voluntary.  Later I learned that the value of hard work is also a biblical concept.  In case anyone is curious, I found it was easier to implement the hard work ethic than it was to learn how to be content in all things. Thankfully I eventually succeeded in the latter and found it really added a lot of peace and satisfaction to my life overall.

Well that concludes my post for today. I hope you found it interesting and that you'll visit again soon. Take care and have a wonderful week.

Tuesday 4 - Lights

Welcome to another Tuesday 4 by Toni Taddeo. 

Let's talk about light, okay? You light up my life. shine a light in the darkness, Miller Light. All kinds of light but how about at home?

1. Are you afraid of the dark? Is night or day your favorite time? 

I'm not afraid of the dark.  However when I'm walking outside I prefer that there are a lot of lights to light the way at night.

I love both early mornings and early evenings. I guess when the sun is rising and setting. These are such beautiful times of the day. I also like late at night when when all is hush and quiet. I'm a night owl but sometimes I wish I was an early bird.

2. Do you have night lights in your home?

I don't have night lights at home. From time to time I've tried to keep a night light in the bathroom but that doesn't usually last for long.  A light shining at night tends to keep me awake and my husband as well. He's probably more sensitive to the light than I am.

3. How low do you set your air conditioning?  Do you adjust it through the day?

I don't have air conditioning.  I have several fans for those very hot days and they are adjusted throughout the day or night as needed.  We don't run the fans all day and night so that they don't get overly heated.

4. Do you keep any outdoor or indoor lights on all night?

No I do not.  If my entry door was located outside I would want a motion detector light. At least I think I would though it might become a nuisance if it was overly sensitive to motion. I do have solar lights in my garden. I like to see them from inside when I'm looking out my window. We also have a lot of mini flashlights which we keep in case the power goes out. But also my husband doesn't like to turn on lights at night and uses the mini-flashlights so as not to wake me. He's a sweetheart and a thoughtful person. 💗

Moments of Joy - Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers, 

Happy new weekend to you all.

After a few days of rain, we had a beautiful day of sunshine though the temperatures are several degrees colder than the norm.

I'm still waiting for the sun to shine just a wee bit brighter to warm my bones.  In the meantime I'm grabbing moments of joy where I can by enjoying all the variety of wonderful tree blossoms in the neighbourhood.

Enjoy your weekend.  Thank you for visiting my Skywatch Friday post.

An April Sky ~ Skywatch Friday

Spring has finally sprung in this part of the world and we've had a beautiful week of warm temperatures and glorious sunshine. Now we're in for a mixed bag of rain and sunshine for a few days but it has definitely warmed up.  

Soon the cherry blossoms will already be gone. They are so beautiful, yet so fleeting.

I hope you are enjoying the weather and the skies wherever you are.

Thank you for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post today. Have a wonderful weekend.

April Showers Bring May Flowers ~ Skywatch Friday

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

These are a just a few photos taken earlier in the week on a cloudy but bright day. By the time this post is published we'll be back to rain.

Do you remember the childhood verse that went "April showers bring May flowers". I had to look it up to remind myself of the verses.

April Showers Bring May Flowers song lyrics for kids : Pitter-patter raindrops Falling from the sky. Here is my umbrella, To keep me dry. April showers Bring May flowers April showers Bring May flowers When the rain is over and The sun begins to glow, Little flowers start to bloom And grow and grow and grow. April showers Bring May flowers April showers Bring May flowers

~~~~~

When I reviewed the lyrics I realized that I never actually sang this song but used to hear the line 'April showers bring May flowers" a lot. It was just something people always said to remind themselves as to why there was a lot of rain in the spring.

Where I live now we don't just get showers in April. The rain starts in October and follows us into April. Yet every year we seem to also have water restrictions which come earlier and earlier in the summer. I think it's because these days there tends to be a lot less snow on the mountains. We rely on the snow for replenishing the water supply. Let's hope this summer won't be so dry.

Take care everyone and have a wonderful weekend and a blessed Easter.

Thanks for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post.

What Will We Find ~ Tuesday 4

Hello! Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. 

1. What will we find on top of your refrigerator?

You'll find extra large boxes of dry cereal, mostly Honey Nut Cheerios and Weetabix, sometimes Bran Flakes.  I also keep a ready supply of paper towels and cleaning rags in a plastic cleaning caddy. These rags are more for shining the kitchen appliances, windows and mirrors.  The heavy duty cleaning rags are kept somewhere else.

2. What will we find on your nightstand?

I don't have a nightstand. Neither does my husband. He uses a wicker basket with a flat top cover. He doesn't keep anything there except a small flashlight in case he needs to use the washroom during the night. I use a corner of my dresser.  I keep distilled water for the CPAP machine, water for drinking, the CPAP machine & a remote control for the bed.  If I'm having difficulty sleeping I might raise the head of the bed during the night. I try not to do that because it wakes my husband.

3. What is in your purse or handbag?

In the inner pocket of my cross body bag, I have hand wipes, a wallet & change purse, small spray hand sanitizers, a notebook, pen and my passport.  In the small front pocket, I have numerous lip glosses and sometimes a small room spray. I do try to keep the latter on hand because sometimes public washrooms aren't that fresh.

4. What will we find on your coffee table or side tables? How about your kitchen or dining table?

I don't have a coffee table because we have an ottoman for resting our feet. I do keep a large tray in the centre of the sofa and keep a variety of items in it:   kleenix, clean dishtowels/paper towels, hair clips, a small flashlight, scissors and the remote control. On the side table I keep the landline telephone, a variety of stationery items, odds and ends & my daily bread (bible scripture cards).

Try as I might,  my dining table is not used much for dining these days. It holds various stages of 'in progress' items like paperwork, household tasks or creative projects or sometimes all three! Once I complete the seemingly never ending decluttering project, the dining table will be used more regularly for sit down meals. Of course when I'm expecting company, I clear everything away and the table is set.  But for now it's the largest flat surface I have for dealing with projects.

Thanks for stopping by my Tuesday 4 post!

The End Has Arrived - Skywatch Friday, March 27, 2026

Hello friends & fellow bloggers,

I hope you are well this Friday and that you have little glimmers of joy to keep you going through these turbulent times.

I'm late with posting today.  I wasn't sure I'd even get to post because I've been ill for awhile. But I'm slowly recovering and the weather is slowly improving in these parts now that the spring season is here. 

I haven't done much this week due to illness but I did get out one day to capture a few photos.

We've come to the end of the month and I'm glad that a new month is around the corner.

Thank you for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post today.