October in Vancouver

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” 

~ George Eliot

The Canadian Maple leaf.

I'm joining up a bit late with Our World Tuesday hosted by the lovely Lady Fi.

Thanksgiving Weekend

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Hello everyone! It is Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada and it has been a busy week so I haven't had a chance to post for a few days.

First up in the week I received a very nice package in the mail from my blogging friend Caroline at Lonicera's World  (please take a peek at her blog).  She wanted to do something nice for my mother who is dealing with the challenges of transitioning to a new care facility.  Thank you Caroline.  You are a sweetheart.

This delightful package contains truffles and shortbread biscuits. Mom will be so pleased when I am able to deliver them soon.

Right now I am investigating a new home group and Church body and I very much enjoyed getting to know people at the new places. They seem like a fine bunch. I even met some Africans from Uganda, Zimbabwe and Ghana which was a nice surprise.  Those of you who know me, know I have a heart for missions in Kenya and Africa in general.  Finding some "real" Africans at the worship service yesterday was unexpected and very welcome. There were more people from Africa who have recently come to Vancouver and are attending the Church.  Of course I only managed to meet a few of them but if I decide to make this my Church body then I will likely meet more of them.

The pastor was a very down to earth and welcoming guy.  I sense a pastor who is really working to accept people as they are and teach his congregants the same.  In other words, one is working toward building a body that loves without condition and judgement.  His communion message yesterday resonated with me as well.  It was about how Christ's message of eating and drinking in remembrance of him is really about breaking bread and eating with "family" as equals.  As members of the body we are all equal members of that family and we should be working toward seeing one another as human beings.  Not looking at one another where we see the colour of one another's eyes or skin. When we do that, there are still barriers between us.  We then had communion where each of us served one another.  We then had an opportunity to pray for one another as needed.  I am not doing justice to the message but it was a beautiful one.

One of the women I had met at Bible study a few days previously was seated behind me during the service.  She invited myself and several other congregants to lunch at her home.  Though I couldn't make it for the spontaneous invitation,  I was very touched. This has never happened anywhere, at any church I've ever gone to before. People these days seem to have a hard time showing hospitality to anyone.  I remember when I first came to this city, people were always inviting one another for lunch or dinner.  These days people still want to do that but most are too pressured for time.  But in this Church, I noticed the pastor was very much focussed on the message that we (the Church family) need to gather around tables (not just once or twice but on a regular basis) and eat and fellowship with one another.  Much of the family gathering will be done in individual homes and groups because the Church body is too large to enjoy eating all together every Sunday.

Other than that I have been busy making a few more pieces of my crocheted afghan. I didn't do so much this week but I did make some progress.  I also finally started sewing mom's quilt sandwich together. I am having some challenges with that one. Despite being very careful to smooth the backing fabric it keeps bunching up even while using a walking foot. I have had to redo a few little pieces here and there. I really will have to look into quilting spray glue.  I used it in the very first quilt I made and it made a world of difference.

I'm having people for buffet turkey dinner tonight.  So for now I've had to roll up the quilt and put the sewing machines away.   

My turkey is soaking in a bit of cool water because the core is a bit frozen.

The stuffing is ready to be put in the bird. I make it more moist than some people do. When it comes out of the bird it is very moist and tasty. These days everyone says don't cook the stuffing in the bird but I've never had any problems and neither did my mother when she used to cook the turkey.

Several hours later this is the cooked bird. I took the cover off the roasting pan for the last 20-30 minutes. It looks like I got it just in time.

I haven't had a chance to take any Fall foliage photos this year except for this one. I hope to go out early this week and get more if the weather cooperates.

I'm grateful for a number of things this year:  family, a mother who is still with us though I don't get to see her often, friends and the ability to make new ones, an opportunity to connect in a good church and home group, shelter, food, sunshine (because we often get rain), good books and good projects, and news that my friend's mother in Africa is doing better physically.  There are so many other things for which to be grateful.

If you are celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend, I wish you a wonderful time.
If you are not celebrating Thanksgiving, I hope you will have some time to reflect on your many blessings.  Even if things are not going well in our lives, there is always someone who is struggling with even worse things. It doesn't make our pain any less but it can help us to keep perspective and to be grateful for the things that we do have.

I am still trying to help Elvis in Kenya get enough funds to finish the medical studies he is currently enrolled in. Not a lot of support has been raised but whatever happens, I trust the Lord will somehow meet the needs. If you can pray or give that would be awesome. You can find out more to the top right of my blog.


Be well until next time.

CAL and Today's Images

A few days ago I came across a Crochet-A-Long (CAL) at Ladybird Dairies and decided to join in.

I'm new to the African Flower pattern and I quite like it. I didn't choose vibrant colours like a true African flower would probably be.  I've selected muted shades in gray, off-white and a couple of different blues. I like the combination.  These yarns were purchased some time ago with the intention of making a throw but I wasn't terribly sure what pattern to make.

Now I've decided and participating in the CAL with Ladybird and Chrissie Crafts will give me some motivation.

Here are the pieces I've made so far.

I will try to make progress each week and link up with Chrissie Crafts on Thursdays. Why don't you join in if you like crochet?

After the heavy rainfall of the last few days it was so nice to get some glorious sunshine today. I was also super excited to find these real flowers on my way to meet a friend.

This photo gives a glimpse of the Fall colours on a busy city street. You can see downtown highrises in the distance.

This ballet school is an institution in Vancouver. The original operators are now retired and the daughter who is also a dancer has taken over.

I'm just experimenting with my camera in the next photos. I know I can get clearer macro shots if I practise.

A Glorious End to a Rainy Day

A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.

~ Albert Einstein

I've been mentioning heavy rains a lot in my posts of late.  That's because we've been experiencing heavy rains far too early in the season.  The heavy rains came on too suddenly after the very hot summer.  Normally we have a beautiful Fall season first. I love Fall and I don't want to miss the leaves before they all fall to the ground.  Heavy rains can make them fall before their time.

 

I was so pleased to see the sky which turned a magnificent light pink and purple at the close of day on Wednesday.

It doesn't take a lot to make me happy. 

Nature and her beauty always brings a smile to my face.

Joining up with Skywatch Friday. Thank you to all who visit and leave comments.

Downtown

Don't hang around and let your problems surround you
There are movie shows downtown
Maybe you know some little places to go to
Where they never close downtown

Lyrics from "Downtown", sung by Petula Clark in the 1960s

The Vancouver International Film Festival is happening in Vancouver again this week and continues next week.  There are so many wonderful films to choose from.

How does one make a choice?

Well in this case, one of the ladies I know looked for a 'feel good' film for a number of ladies and she came up with

"Fanie Fourie's Lobola"

It's another fantastic film from South Africa. It'll make you laugh and it will make you tear up too. 

I've seen 4 South African films in the last 2 years and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed every one of them.  There are some wonderful films coming out of South Africa. I hope they continue to put out such spectacular work for all to enjoy.

Here is a trailer and if it happens to visit your city please do try and see it.

While I was in the vicinity of the theatre venue I snapped these photos because I think it's always interesting to take a peek at the places where other people live.

As you can see, it is still raining here and it rained quite heavily as I made my way to the venue.  When I came out it had stopped raining. Tomorrow we will have sunshine and it will be nice to have respite from the rain.

I'm always fascinated by trees growing at the top of a building.

 

I like the variety of roof lines in this photo.

This is the same as the photo above but I like how it came out blurred.

I was trying to capture the mountains behind the red wall but once I crossed the street the mountains were out of view.

I really like the art work of the Madonna above the windows. It graces the front of a restaurant that I've yet to visit.

Every year the city holds it's Remembrance Day or Armistace Day services in the small park across the street (where you see the tall, cylindrical cement structure).

I like looking down at this colourful scene.  Clearly this wall had some focussed attention from grafitti artists.

The mountains are on the other side of the inlet. Also the community of North Vancouver is directly across. You can take a sea bus (ferry) at the terminal just to the left of the photo (red brick building peeking out).  It's a nice short ride and you can see a lot from the waterfront.

The brewing company building anchors one end of the Gastown neighbourhood. Gastown is where Vancouver began and it is now a lovely tourist area.

 I took a lot more drive by photos but they didn't turn out.


I hope you are having a great week so far!