October Memories ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to October's first Tuesday 4 kept in memory of Toni Taddeo.   

1. What memories do you have of Octobers past?

I have 2 memories of Octobers past. The first is when I was 13 years old and the last time I participated in October 31st trick or treating. I lived in the far north of my province and though we didn't have snow at that time of year it usually got quite cold at night. Children and teenagers of course almost never worry about the cold, especially when out having fun.  

My siblings and I covered many miles that night with our pillow cases, going house to house.  The moon was full and the hoar frost was out in abundance.  It was cold and we weren't dressed for it but it didn't stop us.

My outfit that year was as a hippie.  I was dressed in bell bottoms, a t-shirt, an open button down blouse (striped), some kind of necklace and a scarf tied around my forehead with the sides hanging down the side of my face. It was back in the day when you put together your own outfit and mother's seldom sewed them for their children like they do today.  I don't know why I remember this particular Hallowe'en. Perhaps I got a load of candy more than usual, perhaps it was extra cold that night, perhaps it was because I knew it would be my last outing as a 'trick or treater'.  In any case, I remember that night well.

My second memory is of living in our nation's capital, Ottawa, Ontario. My mother had come for a late fall visit and we greatly enjoyed going for walks and tours soaking in the beautiful fall foliage. Here we are at the farmer's market, called the Byward Market in Ottawa with all the gorgeous pumpkins. Forgive the quality of the photo. It was in the days before smart phones. I think I was even using a disposable camera.

2. Besides here in New Jersey, some of the coziest neighborhoods I've driven through were in rural Ohio and Pennsylvania.   The picture reminds me of those times.  Does this photo bring any thoughts to mind for you?

The photo reminds me of scenes in and around Ottawa, Ontario. When you go out of the city a bit to the villages you will see a variety of cottages, old wooden homes and of course trees in the fall with their beautiful, autumnal colours.

3. As weather cools I do enjoy Pumpkin Spice and Pumpkin Latte flavors in my coffee.  Do you like flavored coffees or teas? Which are favorites for you?

I'm not found of flavoured coffees especially those with mixes you add to your coffee at home. Occasionally, I do enjoy a Pumpkin Latte at Starbucks but I seldom order such things. I used to go on regular coffee dates with a friend who has now passed on and she loved Pumpkin Lattes and coffee in general. Since her passing I still do enjoy coffee but seldom at a specialty coffee shop. I don't drink much tea but I have a variety of fruit flavoured teas and also I love my Earl Gray with Oil of Bergamot.

4.An orchard near me not only sells apples but pies and their famous apple cider donuts in the fall.  What kind of pies, cakes and pastries do you like to eat?

Don't get me started, lol. I do enjoy pastries of all kinds. At this time of year apple pies are especially good and apple fritters too. I have never had an apple cider donut.

I join with like minded people in asking God to bless and protect all the precious people in North Carolina, George, Tennessee and all areas impacted by Hurricane Helene.   I also ask for protection of Floridians who are at this moment expecting another Category 4 Hurricane.  

Advice: 5 c ~ Tuesday 4 Meme

You are very welcome here at Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.  

We all take and give advice at least once in our lives.

Oxford dictionary says that advice is: guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent future action.

1. Is there one piece of advice you  were given that you feel has been very important in your life?

Yes, to stand up for what I think is right even if I have to stand alone.  In my lifetime there have been occasions when I've had to implement this advice and stay strong on my own (and of course with the help of God).

In later adult, years I heard a quote by Sir Winston Churchill I also took to heart. Perhaps you've heard it. 

“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” (Sir Winston Churchill).

The reason I found it helpful is I have a tendency to drop everything to help someone else who perceives they need a listening ear.  I get this from my later mother who was very giving and very self-sacrificing.  It's a symptom of how she was raised as a motherless daughter and the expectations others placed on her. Over a long period of doing this, I realized that it was hampering my ability to get things done, whether large or small, because there could be so many interruptions in a day. 

These days,  I strive for a better balance between making myself available, especially at crucial times, and focussing on my own goals and priorities.  It's a form of self-care and it's also a way to be a better steward of the time God has given me. 

 2. What advice do you think is important for building good personal relationships?

Understanding that every person has a story and sometimes they need someone to listen to it. It's also important to really listen to others and try not to give them too much unsolicited advice.  The longer and the better I get to know someone, the more I get a sense of when to keep opinions to myself and when to offer advice.  Of course, some people straight out ask for advice.  

One thing I've learned in this life's journey is that there are also people who are known as energy vampires.  These are people who sometimes intentionally, drain your emotional energy.  They feed on your willingness to listen and care for them, leaving you exhausted and overwhelmed.  I have actually met several of these kinds of people especially when I was just starting out on my own.  Once I recognized the situation, I had to learn to put up boundaries and sometimes even cut out certain kind of people, especially those that like to complain a lot and look to you to prop them up emotionally.  We all need a bit of this kind of emotional support, however when it is constant and overwhelming, it's my belief that someone needs professional assistance. 

3. Do you give advice to friends when they have problems to solve or do you refrain unless asked?

When I was a young adult I often gave advice, solicited or not. These days I refrain from giving advice unless I'm asked.  Even then I don't readily offer detailed advice. 

4. What advice can you give us today?

Be grateful for each day because tomorrow is not promised to us. That is what I'm trying to do myself. Also, it's good to learn to be content in life and to honour what the Lord has given to us. I get inspiration from the Apostle Paul in this regard who said (Philippians 4:11-13, NIV).

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Take care everyone. Thank you for stopping by!

September Musings ~ Tuesday 4

September is back to school month and even if you are an adult now, you can usually still recall the back to school days.  It was a new beginning.. sometimes scary, sometimes joyous.  New experiences were awaiting you.

How about now? September is still a new beginning to  the year.  What will it hold for you?

1. As summer's heat fades do you get out and about in nature often ?  Where do you go, what do you do?  What would you like to do?

I get out more in the Fall and Spring than I do in other seasons. Mostly I love to go to places where I can take a walk by the waterfront. I enjoy the photo opportunities at the waterfront.

2. What has changed in your life that you miss/regret the most?

I miss my university days mostly because I had a very active social life and people were more ready to get together for any reason to have a potluck or a dance/fundraiser or to invite one another to their homes for a dinner. These days it's like pulling teeth to get together with anyone and that includes family members. Everyone is so busy and I fall into that category myself. It's sometimes even hard to make phone calls or to receive them but it's important to try and make an effort. At least, I believe it's important. Sadly, not everyone I know agrees with me except for people who are older than me. Perhaps I wouldn't be missing these 'olden' days but a lot of people I know have moved away and haven't kept in touch or they have passed from this life.

3.  Money is no object, nothing stands in your way... are you going to move or stay where you are?

I would be moving within the city but I already know that it would be difficult to find a place that fits my requirements. I'd love a larger space with roof top amenities for gardening and entertaining. I'd also like a building that isn't too high in case of fire and I'd love a view with an apartment that isn't too close to everyone else and has a lot of space, preferably green between buildings. If money was no object, I would also like a cottage getaway at the lake.

4.  How can you improve your life?

That's a good question and I'm not sure I can do more than I'm doing because I work on improving my life each and every year. Right now, it would be nice to finish up the decluttering. Honestly it just seems to go on and on but I can see the endpoint of the main things I'm trying to accomplish. Once I have that done, I will continue making small DIY improvements. All of this is to ensure I have a comfortable space, easier to maintain and more efficient for doing crafts and study.

Joining in with Tuesday 4 this week. Thank you for stopping by! Happy September to you. 🍁🍂🍁

Roses ~ Tuesday 4 Meme

Here is another of Tuesday 4  invented by Toni Taddeo and kept alive in her memory.   While June is the month of roses, they do bloom all summer long and well past September in many places.

1. What is your favorite color of roses? Do you have a favorite kind of rose? 

My favourite colour of roses is 1) orange or 2) deep pink. I also like the same coloured roses but with cream on the outside.

I was trying to find a photo of such flowers for you because I know I've taken some but I can't seem to find more recent ones. The one I'm sharing is quite old and taken with a small camera in the days before the smart phones started taking good photos.

 

2. Do you ever buy flowers for your home?

Rhododendrons

Yes, I definitely love buying fresh flowers but they've become so expensive just like everything else here. I heard an American from Ohio the other day say she can buy a bunch of fresh flowers for $5. I've been buying fresh flowers here for decades and the price has never been that low.  It used to be that on the street where I live there would be many small stores that would sell bunches of fresh flowers and in those golden old days, the price was probably close to $10 for one bunch.  Nowadays most of those shops are gone and flowers, when you can find them, are at least $15 and up to $100 + for a fuller more varied bouquet.  Sadly this means I don't buy fresh flowers very often these days.  If I have an extra $15 to spend then I'd prefer to buy fresh fruits or vegetables.

3. Are there any roses in your yard or neighborhood? If not what kind of things grow around you?

No. My neighours and I only have patio balconies and I've yet to see anyone growing roses. They do grow rhododendrons and other flowering bushes though I can't say I've seen everyone's garden since we have privacy walls. In the stand alone residences in the neighbourhood some people do grow roses of various kinds though one doesn't see as many of them as one would think.

4. What do you see when you look out your front door?   How about out your kitchen window or back door?  

My daily view. 🙏

I only have a front door and a patio door and north facing windows.  The bathrooms and kitchen have no windows. When I walk out my front door I see a hallway.  When I look out the patio door I have a very beautiful view of the mountains and a church steeple.

Childhood ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Toni's Tuesday 4 and another chance to learn more about yourself and your fellow bloggers.

1. Were you an adventurous child at all?

I don't think I would describe myself as a very adventurous child. My mother was overly protective with me as the eldest and a girl. I was always told about the dangers out there and my time to do the normal things was strictly limited and observed. I developed a fear of doing a lot of things that other children did more naturally such as swimming, riding a bike and skating. I did do all of these things eventually but none too well and to this day I really don't do any of them.  All of my siblings took to these activities very naturally. I suppose too they were given a lot more freedom given that by then mom and dad had more experience as parents. However they were still given strict instructions about when to be home and so on. I'm glad for these kind of rules when I was young but wish I didn't become so fearful. It's something I've tried to work on in later life with some success.

2. What were some of your favorite places to go when you were a child? Amusement parks, movies, restaurants, zoo.  etc?

I enjoy all of these things as a child. My small town didn't have a zoo but each year the circus would come to town and practically everybody would attend. I enjoyed it a lot and was always nervous when the lion trainers would work with tigers and lions. This was in the days before such things as animal rights. I'm not even sure if there is such a thing as a travelling circus anymore in small town Canada. We didn't have amusement parks though once a year in late summer just before school started again, we would have the Fall Fair and Rodeo. The fair always included the carnival and was something we loved to visit into the late nights. We did have one movie theatre and dear mom would make sure that I went to matinees either with her or with my siblings and of course we'd have popcorn and pop for a treat. Restaurants were very few but we did get out to the Woolworth's Cafe once a month when mom went shopping or when it was back to school shopping. We also had a chinese restaurant where we had a treat now and then but not that often. 

3. What games did you play outdoors? indoors?

We played every game that was known in our parts both indoors at outdoors. Indoors at school we played things like dodgeball, volleyball, basketball, indoor hockey and probably more. Outdoors we played a lot of soccer, road hockey, baseball, cricket, track and field, hide and seek, roll over & tetherball.  I feel like I'm missing something from the list of games and sports. For quiet games indoors we played all kinds of things like card games (Crazy 8, solitaire, some played poker and some played cribbage) and board games (snakes and ladders, Chinese Checkers, Yahtzee and so on). In summer it would stay bright outside. Even at midnight it would be like dusk so we kids did a lot of playing outdoors in those times. We even played outdoors in winter because the sun would shine brightly and though it did get cold it wasn't cold each and every day. We'd make snowmen and have snowball fights.

4.  Where did you grow up and do you think it affected who you are today?

I grew up in a small city in northern British Columbia (I lived in more than one) and yes, I do feel it affected who I am. I love the city and all it offers. It suits my personality but I also have a huge appreciation for the small town way of life and it's people, animals, wildlife and so on. I think I would love to go back and live however what holds me back is the lack of services, especially good health care. In fact, the lack of health services and easy access to specialists is what keeps me from moving to most parts of my province. That and the cold weather.

Thank you for visiting. Please come again soon.

Wild Animals ~ Tuesday 4

Tuesday 4 is here once again. 

Summer brings us out of the house and we spend more time outdoors, weather permitting,  and have an opportunity to see animals and birds that live around us.

1. Do you see many animals where you live? Is your answer a good or bad thing? 

In the immediate vicinity of where I live I don't see many wild animals except for a few types of birds, the odd squirrel and the occasional mouse.  That's a good thing but I wished I saw a lot more variety of birds. Oh once I saw a coyote down a dark alley when I was returning home very late from work one night. Fortunately he was further away and didn't follow me.

2. What kind of animals and birds are around your area?

In the broader city area where I live there are all kinds of wildlife and sealife. There are wild bears, mountain lions, coyotes, squirrels, birds, racoons, rats, mice and possibly other critters. In the ocean there are all kinds of fish which I never see but occasionally I will see orca whales and sea lions, the latter like to sun bathe while sitting on logs or rocks on the seashore. The bird life is prolific but I seldom see them unless I go out farther afield. In my immediate area I only see the occasional robins, sparrows, chicadees, pigeons, crows and sea gulls. If I go to the park I see swans, geese, ducks and all the others I've mentioned and sometimes bald eagles. If I go to the university or other outlying areas I will also see a lot of bald eagles.

3. What kind of animals and birds could you do without and what kind would you love to see more often?

I love all birds but can do without the coyotes, wild mountain lions, cougars and bears. These animals have been increasingly forced out of their natural habitat by human encroachment so it's only natural they now roam the areas where humans have moved in. Thankfully in my immediate, I only know of coyotes that can pass by. Apparently several hundred of them live in the city.

4. Do you feed wild birds or animals?

I do not feed the wildlife. It isn't good to encourage them to rely on and get habituated to humans. It's especially bad to try and feed bears when you see them in the park but people do it all the time. 

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post today. Please come again soon.

Good Morning Tuesday - Tuesday 4

It's time for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 ... just four questions each week for you to ponder and share your thoughts, likes and dislikes.  You can visit others and see their opinions and hopefully make some new blogging friends.

Can we talk about mornings? We all have them, right?

1. Do you jump out of bed or hit the deck running as I call it or are you slow to get up to speed in the morning?

I'm slow to get up to speed in the morning. It typically takes me hours to really get going. I'm a night owl not a morning person.

2. Do you start the day with coffee or tea?  Or do other things help you wake up like washing your face, etc.?

I usually start my day with coffee and cream after making my bed and making a washroom stop. Sometimes I'll wash my face then but usually I wait until I've had my coffee and feel more alert.  Then I'll take a shower including washing face and brushing teeth and and get dressed to start my day.

3. Is the best part of waking up some Folgers in your cup? What brand of coffee or tea lights your fire?

I like the jingle for Folgers coffee but you'll find Maxwell House in my cup instead. I read the other day that the coffee got it's name from the Maxwell Hotel. 

One of his [Joel Cheek] first big customers was the Maxwell House Hotel. The hotel bought some of his coffee to serve in their dining room. Supposedly, the customers loved it so much they demanded that the hotel keep selling it. Joel named his coffee brand Maxwell House after the hotel in Nashville, where this happened. Tennessee State Museum website

 4. In the Netherlands toast with hefty style chocolate sprinkles are a usual breakfast.  Italy also begins the day with rolls or cookies.  Britain and America are eggs, bacon, toast, or cereal.  What about you? What is a typical breakfast for you?

Many years ago I used to eat breakfast more often; usually a cold or hot cereal with toast. On weekends I would have the full American breakfast of bacon, eggs, hashbrowns and toast on a Saturday.  I remember the days well because I was a student or a young career woman.  Saturday was always a time relax and do errands, and meet a friend for late breakfast and a natter. These days I seldom eat breakfast.  When I do it's usually toast and coffee.  Sometimes I have a craving for hot porridge or bacon and eggs and I'll make those if the craving or hunger is strong enough.

I've recently had a huge breakfast of bacon, eggs, hashbrowns and toast. I probably won't have it again for quite some time. In this case I was using up some small potatoes before they went bad.

I'm joining in with Tuesday 4 today.  Thanks for stopping by!

Animal Friends ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.    

Let's talk about animals today!

1. What pets do you have or have you had? Do you have any now or if not, why not?

As an adult I've only owned a cat because most of the time I've lived in the city where animals are often not permitted in rental or condo owned properties. As a child, we often had a dog, sometimes, kittens, sometimes goldfish and turtles and other times budgies.  We lived in a small town in a stand alone house so it was much easier to have animals.

Update:  After reading Susan's answers I was reminded that our childhood homes also housed the occasional hamsters, guinea pigs and pet mice!

2. How did you find names for your animal friends? What are their names? 

We just picked names that appealed to us. We had a German Shepard named Jerry and a chihuahua named Ginger due to her colouring.  I don't think the other animals, fish and birds were named. The kittens usually didn't last in our household because mom was afraid of kittens and cats so she often made us give them away after a short while. At least she tried to give us what we wanted.

3. Any special or funny story concerning pets you would like to share?  It could be someone else's as well as your own.

We had a German Shepard named Rex. My dad brought him home one day. He had been an abused dog and tied up all of his short life. He was really still a pup about 6 months old but quite large and I was afraid of him. He would jump on my backend push me down and try to bite me if I ran after my siblings while we were playing in the yard. One day Rex disappeared. Many months later my dad came across him in someone else yard but it seems Rex wasn't that bonded to us since he never stayed with us that long before he was stolen. So dad left him where he was.  Let's say I did not mind! LOL.

4.   What benefit  do you find having animals in your family? What are the cons of having them?

I've read that studies show animals can be good for one's physical (blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride levels) and mental health (loneliness, anxiety, symptoms of PTSC).  My own opinion is that these benefits are probably there if the animal/s don't come with big issues of their own, especially behavioral ones. 

Animals can also teach children responsibility though I often hear mother's complain about how they are left to raise and look after a pet that the children have begged for and promised to look after. 

The cons of a pet are probably the high costs in terms of money and time.  These days are not like the old days. People nowadays spend a lot on the health care for a pet or the insurance for a pet's health care and food and other accessories for pets is a big cost.

Time-wise the last cat I owned required me to do a lot of work to vacuum up her hair, keep herlitter clean, buy her food and litter and also time required to keep her well groomed (brushing, claws clipped, teeth cleaned and fur balls kept at bay).  I was asked by a good friend to give a home to a stray cat she had taken in so I did. But after my dear cat died, I needed time to grieve her.  After that I couldn't muster up the energy to get another pet. and care for it because I was having health issues.  I would still like another cat but I'm not sure when the timing will be right.

It's March ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Tuesday 4 begun by Toni Taddeo.

It's March and it might be nice to talk a bit about it.

The year is going by quickly.

1. March comes in like a lamb and goes out like a lion.  How has it made it's debut in your area?

March 1st was a cold and it rained very heavily at times.  I stayed indoors.

2. Is St Patrick's Day something you observe?

I don't observe St. Patrick's Day. Where I live I've only ever seen it as a day for people to wear green and many go to an Irish pub for 'green' bear.  No one I know observes a special dinner on that day. In more recent years there has been a St. Patrick's Day parade and there seems to be a bit more happening each year.  There is a Ceilidh on March 15th and a concert of the Welsh Choir the next day.  There is also a Celtic Festival that weekend.  I've looked at the festival program and it seems like a lot of it is focussed on drinking so I don't participate.  Besides which the weather is usually not very nice on St. Patrick's Day.

3. Do you observe Easter? 

I do observe Easter. 

4. What will those holidays see you doing this year? 

It's usually a quiet time of reflection and gratitude for Christ's death and resurrection.  Church's here like everywhere also focus on this message.  It's also time for a holiday meal with one or two loved ones. Long ago, a much larger group of family and friends would gather together for Easter dinner but those days are long gone as are many of the people. 

This time of year most of us in the western hemisphere are anticipating the arrival of the Spring season.  So I've planted up some seeds in readiness for the garden season. Hopefully they won't sprout up too stringy and straggly.

Saturday night I took a walk to the garden to return a book called The Venice Sketchbook. It was a poignant read set in Venice, Italy during WW2. Once I got home I realized I had another book I needed to return.  It had fallen to the side of the sofa and I didn't notice it until the next day when I was vacuuming.

 

I wanted to do more 'creating' in 2024 but haven't really gotten in the groove yet. I did make a few dishcloths. I was surprised to find a skein of cotton yarn at my local dollar store. I thought it would make 2 cloths but it only made 1.5. I returned to the store to buy another skein but there were none left. I tried another store location but they had none. I'm thinking that this was a one time offering so I don't hold out hope of finding more.

Some of you who've followed me for years may know that I love plants especially tropical ones for indoors. However it has proven impossible for me to grow them indoors. It just too cold with drafts in all the wrong places and lack of natural light is also a problem. As a result, I purchased a artificial bush last year and put some fairy lights on it. When I was out for a walk the other day I found this abandoned tree sitting on a bench outside a store. It didn't look like it belonged to anyone but to make sure I enquired inside the store. They told me that it had been sitting on the bench for three days and to please take it if I wanted. So I did. It now sits beside me on the sofa and I'm very happy with it as it is just the right height without being too wide in diameter.

I took this patio photo last week. Today the workers started laying the new foundation. I think they will make a lot of progress this week.

This is how I spent the first few days in March. I'm feeling happy and content and looking forward to Spring.

Joining in with Tuesday 4 this week. Thanks for stopping by!

Food & Health ~ Tuesday 4

Food and Health

 Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

How we eat, drink and exercise are important to our health. Let's talk about it.

1. Do you believe you eat a healthy diet and what makes it healthy?

I try very hard to eat a healthy and varied diet but I'm not very disciplined about doing it every single day and some days and weeks are better than others.  I don't actually enjoy eating a lot of protein so that is probably a weakness in my diet. I do try to get a variety of proteins (meats, fish, chicken, dairy, eggs, nuts, beans and legumes). When I don't eat enough protein it means I eat too many carbs and that is another weak spot in my diet.  I've been working on a varied diet now for many years and health issues, especially chronic fatigue make it difficult for me to be as consistent as I'd like to be.  I've purchased an Instant Pot, and more recently an air fryer/oven combo to help me make healthier meals when I haven't had time or energy to do meal planning and preparation.

2. What sort of drinks do you have with meals or between meals. Does it include enough water?

I always drink water between meals. Early in the day I have coffee and late at night I drink decaf tea.  Sometimes I have watered down juice or occasionally a soda, carbonated water or flavoured carbonated water (San Pellegrino or something like it). I always check the carbohydrate count and try to avoid a higher carb drink on days when I've had a higher carb load.

3. Do you enjoy snacks throughout the day and what kind do you enjoy?

I do enjoy snacks.  I love all kinds. Sometimes fruits like orange, apple, berries and less often watermelon, pineapple, mango or papaya. I also like cakes or pastries but my real weakness is ice cream.  On a lesser occasion, I might have chips and chocolate bars though this only happens when I haven't been eating a varied diet and making sure I get adequate food intake during the day. I usually only have one meal a day and it isn't enough to get adequate nutrition. From time to time, I try to substitute dark chocolate for the chips and chocolate bars but I find the taste very strong.  These days I wear a continuous glucose monitor and since I've been using it it  has really helped me to make better eating decisions.  If my blood glucose level is too high, I know I have to postpone eating something with higher carb content. The monitor is a wonderful tool and since I've been using it, my blood glucose levels are improving.

4. How do you make sure you get enough vitamins and minerals in your diet? 

I'm never sure if I'm getting enough vitamins and minerals but chances are I am not. I don't think most people do from food alone.  I aim for a large variety of vegetables and also a large variety of fruits so I can get as many vitamins and minerals as naturally as possible. I tend to eat more berries because they have a lower glycemic index than most other fruits.  From time to time,  I take multi-vitamins or specific individual supplements like Vit. C, A, B Complex,D3, CoQ-10 etc. 

Tuesday 4 ~ Gifts

If you missed my reading challenge update, you can find it at this link. Thank you.

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

It's the giving season and people are shopping for presents for people they love.  Can we talk a bit about it?

1. Do you enjoy shopping for gifts at the holidays? Why or why not?

Yes, I enjoy shopping for gifts at the holidays. It puts me in the holiday spirit. I really enjoy pondering over what a particular friend or family member might like to have and trying to do it within a budget.  Often I give hand made gifts and without exception, most of the people I've gifted with a handmade gift appreciate it.  They recognize how much time was put into the making of it and it touches me.  In general people don't appreciate the time it takes to make things when they have to pay for it but if you make it and you gift it, they seem to love it.

2. Is the price of things putting a damper on buying this year?

Not really because I don't buy expensive gifts anyway. I enjoy looking for gifts that don't break the bank yet are nice to receive. I keep my gift giving in mind all throughout the year and buy things here and there for those birthday and Christmas gifts that will be needed.  I also make handmade gifts and the fabric and yarn I use can add up to a large sum if the item made is large.  Usually in those cases I am using what I already have on hand and have purchased at sales prices throughout the year.

3. Do you shop online or in stores and why do you choose that way to shop?

I do both. I would say I shop on line for 50% of what I need and 50% in person.  Sometimes you just need to feel or see a gift to determine if it is the right thing so in person shopping is preferred. The beauty of on line shopping is convenience.  So far, I've never purchased a gift on Amazon though I do order from the site for myself. I tend to shop at the big box stores in town online and in person , and in the small shops in person.

4. Which people do you find hard to select gifts for and what do you do when you just have no clue!

So far I've never really had an issue with selecting gifts although I do find for the men in my life, it is harder to buy them something.  My gift ideas for them are not as plentiful as for the women but so far, it's all worked out.

Tuesday 4 ~ Hooray for Hollywood

Hello and welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Hollywood magic is well named. In Druidism the holly and it's wood were used in magic. Magic wands were often made of holly wood.   Lightning will not strike holly so it is often planted next to homes to protect it. The word holly comes from the word holy and the holly tree was sacred in times past.  Today Hollywood still churns out 'magic' and 'spellbinding' displays as well as 'stars in the firmament' who entertain, mesmerize and influence us. 

Let's talk about it....

1.  Do you have a few favorite holiday movies you enjoy watching year after year? Do you make some popcorn to eat while you watch movies at home?

Yes, I love watching Miracle on 34th Street with a very young, Natalie Wood. I also love watching It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.  More modern Christmas movies I enjoy are the Home Alone movies, the Grinch movies and The Holiday.

I didn't always make popcorn to eat while watching movies at home but now I do.  My late sister used to do this with her children every weekend and I got into the same habit whenever her children were visiting.  I continue the tradition even when watching movies alone.

2.  Have you had a celebrity crush? Can we ask who it was? 

I've never really had a celebrity crush though when I was younger I thought Rock Hudson was handsome. Later I thought Robert Redford to be very good looking, especially in the movie, The Way We Were. But I can't say I had a crush on either of these actors.

3.  Do you have  favorite actors/actresses whose movies you don't want to miss and what movie would you say is your all time favorite from those stars?

I watch for movies by a few actors and actresses such as Daniel Craig in James Bond movies, Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible movies &  many different actresses such as Julia Roberts (Nottinghill), Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada and The Girl on the Train), Kirsten Dunst (The Two Faces of January, Marie Antoinette & Spider Man), & Catherine Zeta Jones (Zorro).  There are probably more but there is no standout favourite of mine in acting.

4. Have you met any famous Hollywood people in person or would you like to?  Why or why not?

I've never met any famous Hollywood people in person although once I was walking on Denman Street in downtown Vancouver when the actress Audrey Landers passed by me.  She was acting in the very popular television show, Dallas, at the time.  I think she'd been a guest on what was then the Alan Hamel talk show which was filmed in a nearby studio.  The talk show and the studio are both long gone.  What struck me was how much makeup she had on. I guess when you're on television you need to wear a lot of makeup to look 'normal' but in natural light you look clownish.  I don't have any desire to meet any famous people since I don't follow any of them.

Tuesday 4 ~ Fall Y'all

Happy Fall Y'all

Welcome to Tuesday 4. So, can we talk about how your autumn is going this year? Maybe we can get you to post a photo  or two of your area in autumn...big changes or not.

1. Are leaves still falling where you are or are they done now? Have they even changed yet?

Oh yes, leaves changed colour several weeks ago and a lot have fallen to the ground. Last week I thought we were nearing the end of the falling leaves but perhaps there is still another week or two before the end. Here are a few recent photos taken in the neighbourhood.

2.  Does anyone in your family go hunting? Have you ever gone? Would you tell us about it?

No one goes hunting anymore but when I was growing up my dad and my uncles would go hunting for moose. I absolutely love moose meat, especially moose steaks with onions fried in lard and seasoned liberally with salt. Once cooked and while the pan and lard are still hot, you smear a piece of bread in the pan drippings. Usually we ate the meat and bread with boiled potatoes. Oh my, it doesn't get much better than that!  I've never gone hunting myself but I would have loved to have gone. My mom also used to set snares to trap rabbits in winter. She liked rabbit stew but I didn't like it myself. I went with her a few times to collect the rabbits and help skin them but I never learned how to set the snares.

 3.  Who rakes the leaves at your house?

There isn't a lawn to rake at my house but we do have a few trees and we get a lot of fallen leaves every year.  I usually clean these up in the spring when I get the patio ready for the summer.

4. Is football on your menu for fall? What teams get you cheering?

No it isn't. I never watch football.

Tuesday 4 ~ Songs

Hi Friends and welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.    Are there many people who dislike music?  I doubt it, don't you?  Songs can have a lot of meaning and bring out a good helping of emotion whether happy, sad, nostalgic or funny.    Let's talk about it.

1.  Tell us 4 songs that define your life.   I know, this one is hard but it's not written in stone!  Feel free to be serious or silly as you choose.  Maybe even some songs that you would like to describe your life!

This one is hard because no songs really define me as I don't listen to music that much even though I enjoy it. I do get into the mood of listening sometimes and then I'll spend an hour or so usually listening on YouTube these days.

Songs that come to mind (songs are all linked at the titles).

Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley - I love this one because my late mom and late sister enjoyed Elvis Presley a lot.  When I was younger I used to think I might go to Las Vegas one day to see him perform but that never happened.  The song is special, not because of the meaning, but because of the word "Suspicious".  One of my nieces is autistic and her mom,  my late sister, used to sing this to her.  It would get a huge reaction out of her because she loved the 'sh' sound in the word. Whenever my mom and I would want to engage in conversation with my niece and get a good reaction from her, we too would often sing this song for her.  There were other words she liked as well and we used all of them to communicate with her.

I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor ~ Again this song is a special one because my sister used to sing it out loud to her children and they would all get into singing it together. I enjoyed it on my own as well before I knew it was a favourite of my sisters. Once, when my nephew was fully grown, I heard him belt it out and it surprised me.  I guess it became more meaningful because his mom passed away when he was still very young.  I'm happy to say, he did indeed survive, and excel through the grace of God.  He will soon to complete his Ph.D. 

Ain't No Grave (Gonna Hold My Body Down) by Janet Paschal ~ When my sister and I used to drive around on some of my visits, she would have a gospel tape in the car.  This song was on it and a favourite for her and her son to sing very loudly.  Her son was only about 2 years old at the time and he would stand on the back seat of the car and hold on to the front seat and belt this song out. It was such a cute sight and he sounded so sweet.

Go Rest High on that Mountain by Vince Gill ~ This song means a lot because we often played it or had a relative sing it at family funerals. It is a very touching song. Vince Gill began writing this song once his friend & fellow country singer Keith Whitly died.  He didn't complete it until several years later when his older brother died of a heart attack. You can't help but feel the emotions when you hear it or sing it.

2. A song or songs  that are special to you in some way

All of the songs I mention in answer to question 1 are special to me.  But another one that means a lot to me apart from any direct family connection is called Abba Father. I've searched for it online to no avail. We used to sing it in Sunday School. Here are some of the lyrics and if you know where I can find this song on line, please let me know.

Just want to tell you

That I'm thankful for all that you have done

How you picked up a sinner and made him your son

You forgave me all my sin

Placed the Holy Ghost within

Abba Father, I will be, a son indeed.

Not my will, but thine be done

That the fullness of your Son

May be within this life that I have offered thee

Until everything I do, becomes the thing that pleases you

Abba Father, I will be, a son indeed

3. A song you and your sweetheart loved, or maybe your Mom's or Dad's favorite?

A song my DH and I enjoy is called Taunet Nelel. It's song in an African language by recording artist and minister, Emme Kosgei. It means a new beginning.  I've shared it below if you'd like to listen.

4. A movie soundtrack you have enjoyed, or a theme to a TV program or commercial  you like/liked. Name as many as you like! If you have no favs, then how about ones you remember well?  Some songs just stick in your head!

I have three soundtracks which I've enjoyed very much over the years. The first is Les Miserables and the second one is The Phantom of the Opera.  The musical Cats is another masterpiece. Just locating these links and listening to the powerful, opening numbers brings back a lot of enjoyment. I hope you enjoy them too.