Blue Monday: February 7, 2011 ~ The Pigeons Were Talking To Me

Today the pigeons were talking to me. Why they chose today of all days, I don't know but they wanted their message heard so here it is.

First I was out for a walk on a beautiful sunny day here today. I had to get some veggies, fruits and milk but before that I needed some sustenance.

On my way to the local diner, I decided that the pigeons made a pretty sight sitting in various formations on the telephone poles.

I took several photos against the beautiful blue sky.

Snap, snap, snap ...

Each time I took a new photo, the birds had made yet another formation.

They move around so fast.

I'm wondering what they are chirping about up there.

Do they watch us like we watch them?

Do they look for dropped food perhaps?

So they can swoop down and pick up the crumbs?

For all the pigeons I've seen over the years, I realize I know so little about them.

So I read more about them here. 

I even learned that there is a group called  People for the Preservation of Pigeons who are dedicated to the protection of the oldest domestic bird, the "gentle and loyal pigeon".

I think most people have seen pigeons because they are distributed all over the earth, except in the driest parts of the Sahara, Antarctica and the high Arctic.

This last photo is my favourite one of the day.

What the pigeons seem to want to tell me and you is that they are not so bad. They brighten our days like they did mine today and they are gentle birds. They give a sense of joie de vivre (joy of living) to the cities when you walk about or sit at a sidewalk cafe and enjoy your cafe au lait.  They were even instrumental in transmitting war time messages.

I guess I've always been of two minds about the pigeons myself.   I love to watch them but sometimes I just feel there are too many splattering up the sidewalks and awnings in the apartment buildings.  But they do bring joy to so many people and there are even those who raise and train them. The most high profile one I know of is Mike Tyson, the champion boxer. I've always been fascinated that he would raise pigeons as a hobby.

What are your thoughts on pigeons?

Addendum:  I just thought of something. If I asked instead whether you like doves, would that change your answer? In fact, doves are related to pigeons. I believe they are a smaller form of pigeon and they are mostly white (maybe always white, lol). Most people see the dove as a nice bird representing purity, peace, the Holy Spirit, etc. and have no problem using doves in a wedding setting.  Makes you think about it a little more ;-)

Happy Blue Monday!

Join Smiling Sally and the others here.

Quilters Giveaway

As a very new quilter I've been spending a lot of time searching out quilting tutorials on video and quilting blogs to check out all of the lovely quilts of so many talented quilters.  Today I came across one such quilter, Thearica.  Her blog is called "Pigtales and Quilts".

Thearica is hosting a giveaway with a gift provided by one of her newest sponsors, Florine Johnson. Ms. John loves to do applique work and she designs patterns too!  The giveaway is a board that will aid you when it comes time to put all of the applique pieces together and has a retail value of $.95 (US).  Isn't that awesome? I think it would be a fabulous gift for a beginner or an experienced quilter.

If you are a quilter and do applique work then this is a board for you too. You can see a photo of the board and enter the giveaway here. If you do enter, please let Thearica know that you found out about the giveaway through my blog. The giveaway ends on Sunday, February 9th at noon Eastern Standard Time. Best wishes to you!

Dreaming of Spring.

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HAPPY QUILTING!

Come back soon for more interesting adventures in Kenya. 

I'm Home and a New Chapter Begins

Hello friends,

I've been away for almost two weeks in the interior of the province. I've been visiting mom at the hospital, packing up and clearing out my mom's apartment, readying things for her move to the nursing home and making  her a "welcome home' quilt. (If you like you can see the finished quilt here).

She is now in the home and her personal things are with her. Photos are on the wall (I forgot to take a picture of them) and her bookshelf is set up with her TV, small stereo system, a few books and even more CDs. Her other mobility aids are with her. They are still settling her in and she hasn't really gotten into the routine yet. Everything is done very systematically there and it takes time.

Mom is chomping at the bit to get up and around. She also misses her telephone which unfortunately took a few days to connect. She should be able to make phone calls to her heart's content after today.  I think it is hard to make the adjustments in the transition as everything is so completely different. She is now on someone else's schedule and not really in charge of herself. Someone else will decide what she can eat and a whole lot of other things but overall I think the changes will be beneficial. They already have her blood sugar at normal level. I am confident that once mom is able to get around and explore, she will be very happy there and she is looking forward to be able to get around.

As for me, I got home last night and I now have a lot of mom's things to sort through and organize to put away in my own home. Some of it will replace things I have which will go to the thrift store. I also have my own major decluttering project I am working on so this project has expanded.  As I won't have to travel to visit mom on such a strict schedule, I will have more ability to get things done at home and my visits to mom will be real visits as opposed to trips to get things done for her. I will likely also need an adjustment period but an adjustment of a different kind. I am relieved that mom is now in a place where they can monitor her and help her though to be honest it hasn't really sunk in yet as I've been far too busy.

I have been extremely tired over the past week and I can't believe I didn't go to sleep very early last night. I didn't even sleep in this morning. I'm now getting ready to go out and get my hair done as it is in dire need of a refreshing.

I want to thank all of you who stopped by to comment on my blog posts over the past two weeks. It means a lot to me. Please accept my apologies for not being able to respond to the comments or spend as much time looking at your blogs. Now that I am home and have much more bandwidth to use, I can review and comment on blogs again. I will also be uploading more photos and resuming my series on Kenya.

In the meantime I leave you with these beautiful photos of spring blossoms which will soon appear here in  my city.  I also want to wish you all an awesome and refreshing weekend.

My Quilt Project is Finished

A long view of the quilt.

A close up of the quilt.  Don't look to closely or you'll see all my errors.

This is the backside of the quilt. I just machine quilted following the different sections of the crazy quilt. You can also see the binding from the back. This approach to quilting was suggested by my instructor because I didn't want to do free motion quilting on my first quilt or I might never finish in time.  This quilt is actually ironed but I didn't have a flat surface to iron it on.

It was a challenge to finish the quilt in the timeline I had but I did finish it and was able to deliver it to mom on Thursday at the nursing home. She loves the colours and the patchwork design.  I know my errors in making this quilt but I also didn't have all the right tools so I am pleased with how things turned out. I did want to "fix" some stitching but in the end I decided it was an adequate job given the time frame and there isn't any error too great that I should delay giving mom the quilt.  I meant to take close ups of the quilt's mitered corners but in my haste to get to the nursing home I forgot all about it.

I have to say I really enjoyed making this quilt and feel encouraged to make another one. But first I have some other projects to make headway on.  If any of you are like me, afraid to try quilting, I would encourage you to take a class and give it a whirl.  It is quite relaxing and enjoyable and if I can do it, I am certain you can do it.  I'd love to see your quilt if you do make one *wink.

One helpful tip I learned from my instructor after I purchased plain fabric for the quilt back, is to purchase a fabric with a pattern on it.  This way any errors you make won't be so readily viewed. I won't forget this tip!

Look What I'm Making ~ Part Two

Monday was an exceptionally busy day. I went to my quilting class in the morning after packing all night and half the morning.  My brother thought I was crazy to go to quilting class on moving day, lol, but frankly I needed a diversion and a stress buster and this class seems to do the trick. I also want to finish the quilt for mom to have it in her new home.

While I was at my class I found out mom was going to be moved from the hospital to the nursing home on Tuesday morning. Yikes! So much to do and so little time. We were of course expecting the transfer and we are pleased it happened so soon but we were also very surprised to have things move so quickly.  I thought I would be here another week and a half or two, preparing things for the move.

Though I have been busy packing and my brother and nephew have been busy moving furniture, there is just so much to do. Ready or not the end of the month is here and the apartment has to be cleared out pronto.   We are working as fast as we can.  Tuesday we managed to move most of mom's things to the nursing home and I had to deal with a lot of administrative and financial matters. These matters continue on Wednesday and I will also be setting mom's room up properly with her photos and things.I hope to finish the quilt too or most of it.

I learned how to cut out and attached the internal and external borders. My instructor is behind the quilt cover and holding it up for me to take a photo.

This is a close up with the two borders sewn on and the batting and quilt back attached and ready to be quilted.

This is the quilt after I've attached the backing and borders with a seam or two and cut off the excess batting.  I only have Wednesday to try and finish the quilt as well as finish packing so I was up late again. After the progress seen in the photo above, I am machine quilting by making a bit of a border/margin around each sections of the quilt cover. I am rushing this process a bit and it will have do.  Wednesday I hope to attach the binding and give it to mm

It is now almost 1:30 a.m. and I'd better get to sleep.

Look What I'm Making

I have finally got around to taking a class on quilt making. The evidence of my first session on the Wednesday just passed, are in the photos below.  I was in a class with one other person and we were together for 3 hours being instructed step-by-step though we were at different steps of the quilt making process.  The other lady was not a true beginner. In fact she has made several quilts and was half way through a similar one as mine though she was making one for her nephew.

This quilt is called a Stack and Slash Lap Quilt and is perfect for beginners like me. While the fabric shop had all kinds of wonderful fabric I chose to use 6 fat quarters that were on discount for my first quilt.  Even at that the fat quarters and the trim fabrics came to a whopping $32 (Canadian) dollars and that was after the sale price and the 20% discount.  The tally also doesn't include the quilt batting, binding and backing fabric I still need to buy. I am making the lap quilt as a "welcome home" gift for my mom who will soon be moving into a residential facility for seniors.

On Wednesday morning I made and sewed these squares together.  Here they are on the design wall at the store where I had my lesson.

This is a close up of my "crazy" lap quilt on the pressing board.

This isn't the best photo but the "yellow-beige" strip of fabric in the middle-left of the photo will be my inner border.  The burgundy floral on the far left will be my outer border. I will add a picture here later when I finish the quilt.

I probably need one or two more sessions with the instructor to finish this lap quilt. It will depend on how quickly I can pick up the rest of this project and how long it takes for the actual quilting part of it.

Move! The Coach Potato Gets Serious

Many of you know that I started my new year with a goal of doing more exercise. I have started slowly in an effort to simply get used to moving more. It doesn't matter how long I move, just as long as I am moving.  The key way I do this is through my new exercise bike.  But on those days when I have to go out, I count my walk as my cardio exercise instead of my stationary bike routine.

There are streets like this in my neighbourhood. I  love walking in a city which is full of green space.

I also try to incorporate some stretching and resistance training (weights) into my routine, but this needs  more effort on my part.  I am trying to take things slowly and not worry so much about doing it all right.  I am happy just as long as I keep up a steady effort to move.  What I'm trying to do is establish consistent routines that will be lasting.

There are days when I am simply too tired  because of my health conditions. On those days, I don't push myself to do much of anything.  So far, those days have been few and for that, I am grateful.

If you were reading here, you would perhaps remember that my diabetes group meeting members all received a nice surprise, a gift of a DVD "Move for Life!"

Front of the packaging.

Back of the packing.

I will have a chance this upcoming week to try out this DVD and I'm looking forward to it!

If you're like me (and dare I say at least 30% of the population) and are trying to exercise, you need a little encouragement from time to time. One of the  most off putting things for those of us who aren't naturally thin or athletic in any way, is being pushed by others to exercise far beyond our capabilities.  Especially when we are just starting out. I figure it is better not to bite off more than you can chew and simply take baby steps at the beginning.

I believe that it is far better to do something, rather than do nothing, even if it is only for a few minutes a day.  This way you can build up your strength and interest in doing more.  Just "move" . Once you have got the hang of things you can get more aggressive about things, adding more time and different parts to the program to incorporate cardio, flexibility/stretching and strengthening exercises.

So far in this new year, I can already feel my cardio endurance is much better than what it was in December.  Despite all my efforts though, I still haven't dropped any pounds. It is frustrating as I've been watching my diet since November and I really did not indulge over Christmas like so many people do. I've determined to make even more changes like eliminating coffee and cream or milk, stop baking sugury sweets and  do a cleanse. You can read about my whole body cleanse here.  In addition, I'm adding more antioxidant power to my diet through drinking rooibos (red bush) tea.  Those of my readers from South Africa will know all about rooibos. If you haven't heard about rooibos, you can read more here.

I'm not expecting quick results. I know my body and I know how slow it is to release toxins and weight. My first simple goals will be to feel better and I am encouraged so far. I will keep you posted from time to time on other progress on both the cleanse and the fitness/health regime.

My Stay in Nairobi, Kenya ~ Part Two

 Welcome to my newest follower Candace.

I hope you will find many interesting things on my blog.

On my first night in Nairobi I stayed at the United Kenya Club.  It is very near the University of Nairobi and adjacent to the YWCA which is initially why I booked a room here. I thought I would be swimming and also using the fitness room at the club. The Club is a bit quaint and rustic which some might say adds character, but for me I found it just a little too far me to walk comfortably to the downtown core.   I opted to stay at the 680 Hotel which you can read about here. This hotel is downtown and across the street from nightclubs so I made sure to ask for a room on the quiet side and thankfully the room was quiet and restful. I also found the hotel management to be very friendly and welcoming, greeting me and talking to me in the lobby and in the dining room.

Before deciding where to stay I did look at several hotel properties however I found most of them over priced and too far from where I wanted to be. It is important when travelling to a place such as Nairobi not to be so far from where you wish to walk as it is not good to walk anywhere as a tourist after dark.  Always take a trusted taxi. Let the hotel book it for you rather than book it for yourself unless you have a Kenyan friend who can help you.

While in Nairobi I did many fun things which I have never done before. First up was a visit to the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.  The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a small charity established in 1977 to honour the famous Naturalist of the same name.

I took some film footage of the baby elephants frolicking in the mud and the elephant trainers giving their presentations. Unfortunately this was one of the videos I lost when I lost a memory card (more about that in another blog).  The babies were having such fun and I never would have believed their playful antics. They were much like little children as they wallowed in the mud and pulled each other back in as one tried to get out of the slippery hole.  These were priceless and touching moments.

All the baby elephants bond with their trainers who even sleep at night with their charges to assist the psychological development of the baby elephants who will one day be reintegrated into the wild. If the elephants are not emotionally stable when they are reintegrated they will not be accepted. The trainers rotate their charges on a regular basis so that the baby elephants do not become overly dependent on one trainer. Each baby elephant is fed a special formula concocted by Dame Daphne Sheldrick, the first human in the world to hand rear milk dependent newborn African elephants.  It took her 28 years of trial and error to succeed.

The tiniest elephants wear these blankets. I didn't quite get the reason for it but I think it is to make them feel comfortable and secure or at the very least, to keep them warm.  There were many tourists there that day from Australia.  One Aussie woman told me that she considered Kenya to be her second home as she had been visiting the country for 14 years.

There is a wonderful 3D Imax movie which will be out in Spring 2011 called Born To Be Wild. It will feature the wonderful work of Dr. Birute Galdikas and Dr. Daphne Sheldrick, amongst the orangutans of Borneo and the baby elephants and rhinos in Kenya, respectively. I'mposting the official trailer for the movie here for your easy viewing.

Another interesting place I visited was the Wilson Airport. This airport is very close to downtown and is often used for domestic flights or flights to neighbouring countries. It is also the place where tourists take off for various safaris to points all over the country if they have opted to fly to their destination rather than take a road journey. It is a very busy airport.

It was a very hot day the day that I was at the airport but I sat and watched many planes full of safari passengers leaving on their exciting safari adventures.  I did get a bit of a sunburn from sitting in the open rather than in the shade. After that experience I made sure not to sit in the intense open sun again!

Planes of various sizes depart from Wilson Airport, Nairobi, Kenya.

Now one experience which many tourists absolutely must have is a dining experience at the Carnivore Restaurant on the outskirts of the city.  Here you are fed slabs of meat by the kilo and you can eat all you like. Kenyans love their meat and call it nyama choma (which means roasted meat), though this restaurant appears to be frequented mainly by tourists for the novelty of the place.  Good nayama choma can be found in many places for much cheaper so wise Kenyans know how to stretch the budget. You can see some of the skewers of meat in the background.  The restaurant is huge and there are outdoor patios as well as areas for shows and entertainment.

One of the local comedians who goes by the moniker "Churchill" (real name Daniel Ndambuki) broadcasts a live show from this restaurant venue every Thursday night. You can see one of his shows here youtube.com Churchill is wearing the black blazer and jeans at about 1 minute 15 seconds into the video. I did not take in a live show but I did watch him on television quite a lot. The crowd goes wild for him every week.

The chefs at the Carnivore are ready at the barbecue grills with all kinds of meat for your eating pleasure.  Don't you love the zebra patterned aprons?

Stay tuned for more on Nairobi and Kenya.
You can read part 1 of my journey here.

Greening My Air - My World Tuesday

I haven't had any plants now for some time so I bought a small aloe vera plant last summer. It needed repotting then but I still haven't repotted it! Something I know I need to do so it can really spread out and grow.

The aloe plant is well known as a medicinal plant. I've mostly known of this plant for its gel. When one gets a cut or scrape you can break a stem from this plant and squeeze the gel from the shoot onto your cut. It has many other uses besides applying to cuts and scrapes.  You can read more about it here.

The aloe vera plant originates in northern Africa. When I was in Kenya, East Africa,  I saw these huge aloe plants like these ones in the photos below. I was on my way to Marigat, Kenya.

You can see just how dry the climate is by looking at the plants and the ground.  These aloe plants are outside the aloe farm.

Look at how large some of these aloe plants are!

This is the company that is growing aloe plants and seedlings for sale.  I didn't have time to stop and have a closer look at the business operations.

Another plant I purchased in November (see photo below)  is not doing so well. It is of the Dracaena family. I believe it's path to illness was due to an episode of over watering.  I've cut off all the brown and dead leaves but now the plant has leaves on one side only and is looking rather bare.  I have fertilized it.  I hope it can recover and become more balanced looking over time. Perhaps I need to cut all the leaves back, I'm just not sure. I will have to do some research.

The Draecena plants make up an important group of plants used to decorate the home, keep the air clean and "green" private and public spaces.   Apparently there are approximately 40 or so assorted species of this plant and it comes in various shapes and sizes.


The plant above is one of the popular Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’ is more commonly known as the Corn Plant. It is supposed to do  well in low light conditions and its wide leaves are long and arc gracefully from the stalk.

You can't tell from my little plant above, but years ago I did have a beautiful and healthy Corn Plant. I don't remember what happened to it but I believe the movers packed it up and put it in storage when we had the fire. They literally put it in a box and didn't water it. Needless to say it was not thriving when I got it back and it didn't take long before it expired completely. Though it doesn't need a lot of water, it does need some.

I love the leaves on a larger Corn Plant so I had to buy it when I saw it on the weekend.  I think it is good for cleaning the air in my small apartment. Especially during the winter when the windows are seldom kept open.

Hopefully this plant will be with me for years to come and clean the air that I breathe.

For more insight into what others around the world are doing this Tuesday, click here.

A Pause - Blue Monday, January 24, 2011

Hi friends,

I have organized a schedule of posts for the next week or so while I'm travelling. I hope you enjoy them.  Right now though I would like to draw your attention to two worthwhile posts which you probably won't have had a chance to read.

First, there was the installation of the new Bishop for the Africa Gospel Church in Kenya. The installation of Rev. Doctor R. Langat was a huge event which included his family and many dignitaries in attendance. You can read about his installation here. There was also gospel music by the renowned singer, Emmy Kosgei and performances by traditional Kenyan dancers.

Second, there is a serious drought problem in some parts of Kenya. This has led to a build up of tensions and clashes in various communities over food and water.

My friends are doing their part to try and assist the people. Please see their efforts in a photo essay here.  I was so proud of my friends. They are of humble means but they go above and beyond the call of duty to assist and lift up their countrymen.  It is very touching to me to see this kind of love in action.

Feel free to leave a comment at either of these posts and say a prayer that the wounds would be healed and that these people would have adequate food and water. You can see by their faces and by their bodies, that the challenges are taking a huge toll on the people.

For more Blue Monday, join Smiling Sally and many others here.

Cantaloupe and Shrimp Salad

At the salon on Saturday the young beautician was talking about a mango salad she had made. I decided to try a similar salad using cantaloupe.  I figure incorporating salads like these are a great addition to my overall health regime.  Besides it just tastes so good!

 Ingredients:

-  chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
-  red grapes
-  semi-peeled and chopped english cucumbers
-  finely sliced red onion
-  steamed prawns/shrimp
-  chunks of cantaloupe. 

Once you put all these ingredients in your platter, squeeze some lime and grind some fresh pepper on top.

There are endless variations of this salad but this is my simple approach. It was delicious and I had some on Sunday for a snack.
Enjoy!