A Fly By - March 12, 2016

Earlier this week I spotted this flock of birds. I was on my patio taking shots of the sky when the birds came flying by.  My small canon digital camera doesn't shoot fast enough but I  was lucky enough to get one photo. I can't quite tell the type of birds in flight.  Pigeons perhaps? Maybe crows but some of them look at little too light in colour. Perhaps it is the light falling on them that makes the feathers look lighter than black.

Anyway they passed about 3 times and it was wonderful to see how they swoop in flight.

Joining in with Eileen at Saturday's Critters
and Anni at
I'D Rather-B-Birdin'

Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for visiting.

Saturday's Critters

Hello friends, I hope all of you are well this fine weekend.

We were expecting rain in Vancouver but it turned out to be a pleasant day with intermittent sunshine.  It allowed me to get a wee bit of work done in the garden. I planted some cabbage, beets and lettuce. 

The other day I planted several types of flowers and managed to put some pansies into containers, as well as some geraniums and a few pots of herbs.

I still have a few more spaces I can plant so hope to do that next week as we are expecting rain now for the next few days.

This is one of many baboons I photographed in Lake Nakuru National Park. In another post I will show more of them.

Baboons are fun creatures to observe and you can spend hours watching them. I especially love it when I see a baby baboon with it's mother.

These goats slowed down our progress on the highway between Nakuru and Marigat in Kenya.

Goats are common creatures in Kenya.  Many people raise them in place of cattle or in addition to cattle.

I've always enjoyed observing goats too, especially the baby goats (kids).

Joining Saturday's Critters with our host Eileen.

 

Simple Joy Saturday ~ July 24, 2010

Giving so children can live.  This is my simple joy. Not just on Saturday but anytime I can and as often as I can. The needs are so great.  Join me  as you are led to help these and other dear ones in Kenya.

In everything I have pointed out to you [by example] that, by working diligently in this manner, we ought to assist the weak, being mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, It is more blessed (makes one happier and more to be envied) to give than to receive.

Acts 20: 35

Come join in at Simple Joy Saturday hosted by the wonderful Jan in Australia.

Today I am Thankful

Stephanie at her blog post here asked what is it that we are joyful about today. This blog exists because of my desire to be joyful each and every day over the small things. Today I will give a short list of things on my mind right now to be joyful about:

1.  I am happy that though my mother is not well physically she is still here on planet earth. Whenever it is her time to go I will miss her terribly and so I do what I can right now to visit with her and be there for her despite the challenges. No photo of my mama is posted here as she wouldn't like that.

2.  I am grateful that I connected with an old friend I haven't seen in ages. She is retiring early and leaving the city and I am sad about that but we will get together for brunch tomorrow before she moves into the next chapter of her new life.

3.  I am happy I have a new hobby, knitting. I am so glad I have finally learned how to knit and I am on my 3rd pattern for dishcloths. I hit a snag with trying this new pattern but I believe I've figured it out and will try it out over the next week.  I made 6 dishcloths while I was away. I still have to weave in all the ends so they are not quite finished but here they are.

4. I am happy that I am going to take swimming lessons. I have a real fear of water after almost having drowned 3x. I have taken lessons previously and have learned a little but haven't been in the water for a long, long time. I start my lessons on Tuesday. I need to get to the store tomorrow to buy some plastic thongs so I don't slip.

5. One of my goals for 2010 is to crochet a doily which I haven't done for many years. I started a new pattern the day before yesterday and I hit some snags getting going but at last I think I've got it, lol! I hope to make some progress on it this weekend.

6. I am grateful that while I was away recently my brother tried to plant the rest of my garden. He didn't do a good job, lol but at least he tried.  I hope the strawberries and the corn do come up. If they do I will post pictures later.

7.  I am happy to be seeing the nurse practitioner today. She will help me with dietary issues and give me a glucose monitor as I've very recently been diagnosed with diabetes.

8. I am happy I finished reading the book "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" and will get to start a new book soon. So many possibilities.  I think I will be reading "The Shack".

9. I am happy to see my small garden growing; that is those things I planted before I went out of town. It has been raining an awful lot and it is just nice to see something growing and blooming rather than being drowned in all the rain.

 

10. I am happy I have such nice blogging friends.

Give thanks in all things. Life is short and choosing to be happy and grateful makes us realize how much we really do have. God bless you all.

Update:  My friend Jan requested I post this blog to Simple Joys Saturday in case you are confused about why it is posted on a day other than Saturday *smile.  Please join Jan and others here and  let us know what gives you joy.

New Library

For some time now I have been eagerly awaiting the completion of the new library on the North Shore of the City of Kamloops where I often visit.  I like to use the library when I come to the city and the old library had few spaces to sit and read.  It also had a long line of people to use the out of date computers to access the internet.

Last time I visited was in April and at that time I read that the library was scheduled to re-open in it's new location on April 18, 2010. I had an opportunity yesterday (Friday) to have a quick peek at the new premises.

Here are the comfy leather chairs and fireplace that are in the front area, just to your right as you enter the library.

Here is a view of the entryway to the library.  The check out desk is just beyond the seating area to the upper right as you view the photo.

 I love the sense of space in this new library. There are rows and rows (or stacks and stacks) of books.

 Here is a lengthwise view of the new space.

Last but not least, here is a photo (a rather poor one) of the computer area. Compared to the old library which only had 6 computers for public use, this new library is a dream.  There are now 20 computer stations. The computers are brand new so they have USB ports for file sticks, etc. They have also increased the time for use of the computers from 30 to 60 minutes once per day.  There may also be wifi access if you bring your laptop as most of the province's new libraries have that feature but I didn't enquire yet about this aspect of service.

I was taking surreptitious photos in the library as a lot of public places here do not like you to take photos. However as I left the library, one of the librarians was asking me if I was taking photos. I said of the fireplace. I thought she was going to chastise me. Instead she said she didn't want to get in the way as she was re-shelving books. That was a nice change!

I love libraries because I love books and reading. I also love using the internet. Until recently I did not have a wireless stick to use with my laptop so the library was the only place I could catch up on my email. Wifi has only been available on this side of town relatively recently and I really can't get out much once I am visiting mom anyway so it is more convenient to use the wireless stick. The library internet access will come in handy when I have more photos to upload and more time to get out to the library. Otherwise it is nice to have back up access to the computer. As you can probably guess, there isn't any computer access in my mother's apartment.

Please drop by Jan's new meme, Simple Joy Saturday by clicking here and tell us about your simple joys.

Simple Joy Saturday ~ May 29, 2010

Remembering summer's past and the beauty of the abundant gardens in the city.

Click here for more Simple Joys in Our Life.

A Rose is Sweet ~ Simple Joy Saturday

I was blessed this week with roses blooming in my garden.  I love flowers of all kinds and I especially love roses. This one comes from my garden. It comes from a rose bush that was in my garden when I moved in to my apartment. It has always been a spindly plant and I'm afraid I don't tend to it well. Yet it gives off such pretty blossoms each year. Only a few blossoms though and so they are rather precious to me.


Thinking about the beautiful rose brought to mind the famous Shakespearean line about roses.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

Meaning

What matters is what something is, not what it is called.

Origin

From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, 1600:

JULIET:
      'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
      Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
      What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
      Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
      Belonging to a man. O, be some  other name!
      What's in a name? that which we call a rose
      By any other name would smell as sweet;
      So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
      Retain that dear perfection which he owes
      Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
      And for that name which is no part of thee
      Take all myself.

 

Please drop by Jan's new meme, Simple Joy Saturday by clicking here and tell us about your simple joys.

Simple Joy Saturday

My Kenyan friend, Pastor Jonah's auntie is ill with a form of nose cancer and requires surgery. Since they are humble villagers the cost of the $900. Canadian/US required for the treatment is astronomical and beyond the means of individual villagers.  So they held a Harambee on Saturday (Harambee is a Kenyan tradition of community self-help events, eg. fundraising or development activities. Harambee literally means "all pull together" in Swahili).

Here are photos of the Harambee.  You can see they went into the night with the fundraiser even though it was raining. These gentlemen are counting the funds.

Here is auntie addressing the participants.

I was pleased when I learned they raised $400. of the $900 fee required.  That is less than half of the total required but is a significant amount of money for those that only earn a few dollars a day.

Please pray that this family would be able to raise the rest soon to give this auntie the best chance at successful surgery. Thank you.

 Thank you to Jan of Australia for creating the Simple Joys meme.
Click here to participate.