Tuesday 4 - September 2022

Hello and welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4  hosted by the lovely Annie at Cottage by the Sea.

The "Ber" months have begun: September, October, November and December.   Let's talk about  September okay?

1. When you were in school or university, did you look forward to returning? Why or why not?

Yes, I was always excited to return to school or university. As a child it was a bit exciting to go with mom and other siblings to find what was on our annual list of things to buy for school supplies. It was also the time of year when we got new clothes. Back then one didn't buy new clothing that often like we do today. As I moved out of the house and on to university it was still exciting returning to campus and dorm life or looking for an apartment in the city. There was always a lot to do with selecting classes, finding an apartment, furnishing it and so on. I never had enough money to live in one place all year long so did a lot of moving in those days from dorm to home, home to dorm or home to apartment and back and so on. Fall is my favourite season so it was always nice to do my university preparations in the cooler weather. Of course, back to school also meant a chance to reconnect with dear friends.

2. September has  Labor Day, which, for many is the signal of summer's end and fall's grand entrance.  Do you celebrate Labor Day in any way or is it just a day off for you?

I don't do anything special for Labour Day. It is basically a time for me to stay put and get organized for the change of season and whatever is coming.  I especially avoid travel on Labour Day or any other holiday as it is far too chaotic. 

3. September's birthstone is the Sapphire which is 2nd only to a diamond in hardness. (Ruby is a red sapphire by the way) It comes in many colors.  Do you know your birthstone and do you like it?

I absolutely love the sapphire stone. It is the birthstone of both of my brothers. I like the deep blue colour of sapphire and prefer it to my birthstone which is emerald.  Years and years ago I purchased a classic 3 stone sapphire ring surrounded by small diamonds. I never removed it from my finger and over the years I couldn't remove it because I'd gained a lot of weight. From time to time I thought about getting the ring cut off but I didn't want to ruin it so I kept it on. One day, not too many months ago, I finally was able to get it off. My was I surprised and relieved. Even though that was many months ago my finger still has an indentation around it where the ring used to be. I find that odd because it wasn't so tight and would turn around and around. I just couldn't get it over my now enlarged knuckle. I've kept the ring and perhaps one day will wear it again.

4. September's birth flower is the Astor. What is yours ?

My birth flower is Lily of the Valley. I don't think I've ever seen a Lily of the Valley in real life though I've read that it doesn't thrive or survive in hot weather but can live for decades in a cooler climate. That sounds like me! I also discovered that the Lily of the Valley is a poisonous plant but it symbolizes absolute purity, youth, sincerity, and discretion. But most importantly, it symbolizes happiness. That sounds pretty good! I remember when I was a tween, I would find soaps and perfumes in shops with this scent. It smells lovely and apparently in France they celebrate La Fête du Muguet (Lily of the Valley Day) on May 1st.

Thanks for visiting. All my scenic photos were taken in September over the past 4 years.