Checking In

Hi friends,

Happy Friday to you all. I hope your week went well and that you have some rest or relaxation planned for the weekend.

Today I'm linking up with

 Skywatch Friday 

and

Saturday's Critters

I don't have a lot of exciting things to share today (I have some photos to share at the end of the post). That's because I've been busy the whole week long still trying to get my little home organized.

My organizing tasks mushroomed from doing my dresser drawers (only half way completed) and 3 closet shelves to organizing things in the entire condo.  Yes!

I've been bouncing from here to there. Doing this and then doing that. In between is a little shopping to try and find the right aids to getting things organized. I'm not obsessive about organizing or I would have already been organized. I just like to have a place for everything and everything in it's place. I also don't like clutter but have plenty of it. It is easy to end up with clutter if you don't keep up to purging on a daily or weekly basis. With my fluctuating energy levels, busy schedule and role as a caregiver  my time for taking care of more than the daily tasks is somewhat limited.  I do the best I can and every now and then, energy permitting, I am able to do more. That's why right now, my organizing and cleaning is priority. Not blogging, not taking photos, not reading or doing crafts or even socializing. I am taking advantage of the rare motivation to get some of the big tasks out of the way while I am up to it and before the cold weather arrives. Truth be told, I'm only half way through the things I want to get done and my energy levels are beginning to wane a bit.

Anyway I am happy to report that I'm making good progress.  This kind of most may not be all that interesting to many of you but it helps me to write down what I've done so I can remember later where I've spent my time!

Bedroom:  I have organized about half of my closet space and half of the dresser drawers.  There are far too many t-shirts, shoes and miscellaneous so a purge is underway. I put together 2 large bags of clothing and miscellaneous linens for giveaway.  I've also sorted through about 5 bags of mom's clothing and discarded some.  There is still a large bag of nice items for giveaway.

It was tricky to find the right size of plastic transparent containers for my closet shelves.  The photo shows one I found at Jysk. They are a bit smaller than I would like but they will do since the next size up is too large.The plastic covers will be stored under the tubs until they are needed as I'm leaving the tubs open on my closet shelves for easier access.

Out of season shoes have been stored under the bed but the fabric boxes are not the right size. I need to find an inexpensive shoe container and have been looking in the stores each time I visit them. Oddly enough I usually see a lot of this item in the stores but right now it seems they only have the ones that hang in the closet. There is no room to hang shoes or handbags in my closet.

Living Room:  I keep yarns for multiple projects in beautiful woven baskets in my living room.  I've emptied some of the yarns I've been keeping in them as they were looking a bit too full.  The overflow yarn has been placed in  rubber baskets from Dollarama and stored in the closet space formerly occupied by shoes. Some formerly too small storage containers in a storage cabinet in the living room have been replaced with larger ones that fit perfectly into the space and the space (2 interior shelves) is being reorganized for maximum storage use.  Many craft and sewing items are stored in this cabinet as well as things like heating pads and other items that are needed on a regular basis in the living area.  A large number of reusable shopping bags were also stored in there to get them out of the way but they will now be moved or given away so the best use can be made of this precious space.

Bathroom:  The main objective in the bathroom is to corral the clutter on the counter top and to have easy access to products.  If products are visible it is easier to see what is there and use it up rather than buy duplicate items because you can't see what is there.  The other objective is to find a way to store all bathroom related items, in the bathroom.

A chrome toilet paper holder, a few small, wooden spice racks from IKEA, and a towel shelf have been purchased.  These items will help free up counter space and make everything a look more tidy. It will also mean towels can come out of the master closet and be stored in the bathroom. 

The IKEA spice rack idea came from the internet.  There are many photos on the internet showing how people have creatively used these spice racks in a variety of ways.  Here is just one example. In this case, the homeowner turned the spice rack upside down and made a towel holder too.

Photo Credit: Photo from Wedding Bee

Kitchen:  I've cleared out the shelf above the microwave where the cookbooks were stored.  In it's place are all linens and dishcloths in baskets.  Half of the cookbooks have been purged and are being given away.  The ones I want to keep have been placed into magazine holders because there are a lot of small, unique cookbooks I have. Really they are more like pamphlets and they need to be contained.

I've also reorganized the kitchen counter space. My kitchen is very small and storage is very limited. I have no pantry and it is always a challenge to keep the counter functioning as it should. That means I reorganize my kitchen counter tops at least once or twice a year. Since I now have a powerful Vitamix Blender, the blender I used before will be given away. It is still a good blender but I know it will give out long before the Vitamix does. It also doesn't grind grains into flour.


Paperwork:  All old mail has been opened and excess paper recycled.  I always get behind in this task though the bill payments are automated to ensure timely payments are made. I am a visual and tactile person so I like to handle the papers as opposed to have everything on line.  I just find it easier to review information in a paper format and to have it handy when I need to follow up on items by phone. I also make notes directly on the bills when I need too so I can keep track of who I spoke to and what was agreed upon.  This week I also caught up to organizing the bills by bill type (Hydro power, telephone, credit cards, etc.) in reverse chronological order. I like to keep them this way until I'm ready to discard them. I save discarding for when I have a lot of time because each paper needs to be shredded or burned to ensure no personal information is mislaid.  I also save all paper  receipts until I've had a chance to compare them with bank and credit card statements. This week I got rid of numerous receipts but have a few more to go through. Any receipts that are needed for warranty purposes are kept in a special file folder in the file cabinet.


Dining Room:  My dining room table is usually where all the sewing and organizing of things takes place. I have no other place to do the sewing but it is easy to get in the habit of leaving the sewing machine and other items out on the table.  I don't like all the visual clutter so I found a trolley that I will use to store everything but have it all to hand.  The trolley is from IKEA and I purchased 2 of them in black though they also come in turquoise and beige.

One trolley will be for my sewing machine and current projects.  The other trolley will be used to store books and office supplies near my desk, canned goods in the kitchen or possibly will be loaned to my mom so she can store her CD player and music on it.  The trolley is very compact so doesn't take much space.  Again, there are countless photos on the internet as to how creative people have used these trolleys. It will be so nice to have my dining room table back.  The only downside is that if you live in the USA these trolleys only cost $29.99, whereas in Canada they are $69.99 each. That is a huge difference and much more than the difference in currency exchange would rationalize. (If you are a Canadian and would like these trolleys but don't mind them in black/gray, you can buy them at Home Depot for $39.99. That is a much better price than IKEA).

Other:  In addition to all my shopping, cleaning and organizing I've been turning my mind to Christmas which will be here soon enough. While I was out shopping for my needs, I was also looking for what I could find for gift ideas for family and friends. I've purchased some small items like tea towels, calendars and different items specific to each friend or family member. So I've got a good start on what I need for Christmas though of course there is more to be done to be thoroughly ready.

After all my hard work, I realize I am only really half way through this project. I thought I was farther along but each time I do something I think of another thing to do.

Some of these  organizing ideas and tasks have been on my mind for years so I am glad to finally be doing them.

It should take another week or two to get the household in good order and as organized as I am likely to get it before Christmas.  Eliminating all excess paperwork and paring my books back to bare essentials will be another major project which will take more time. I likely won't be posting about much of this for various reasons.

I only wanted to capture some of my organizing efforts here on the blog so I can look back and have something to reference later.  It is also for those of you who are used to reading a post from me on a regular basis.  That way you will know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth and I haven't forgotten about blogging.  I've just been occupied.

In a few weeks I should have more interesting things to post about.

I already feel so much better after clearing out  bags of giveaways and more bags of trash.

Tomorrow the utility carts can be put together.  After that the bathroom items will be put up on the wall and things can be nicely put away. It will be wonderful when things are contained.

 I leave you now with some pretty photos.

Poppy Macro

Sky watch in Vancouver

Vase of  long stemmed blooms

Rocky Mountains, Alberta Canada

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

A Bit of This and That

Hi folks,

I hope you are all doing fine.

I've been doing a little of this and that over the past 5 days or so.

First, I've been busy "window shopping" for various home decor accents, mainly throw cushions. Covers for throw cushions to be exact. I couldn't find what I want and certainly not at the prices I want to pay. Most cushion covers are priced at anywhere from $7.99 for a small lumber pillow to about $89 or so for a nicely patterned cover with cushion inside.   

Instead I decided to make cushion covers using some of my Japanese indigo fabric purchased over the summer at a sale price of $12. Canadian.  The remaining cushion covers will be made using some inexpensive solid burgundy pillow cases and burgundy/beige/white pillow cases with elephant pattern.  Both sets were purchased earlier in the week at $1.99 (+ tax) Canadian for each set.  Now I just need to find some deep gold coloured fabric (cost unknown) to make a few lumbar support cushions.  For closures, I will use buttons I have on hand instead of zippers. All cushions are for a friend who doesn't read this blog.  Grand total cost for 8 cushion covers will be around $20 (including tax) Canadian.  The cushion inserts will cost extra.

An idea of what the cushion covers will look like when done. I need to find fabric in gold/mustard colour.

This is the Persian inspired carpet in the living area. Current sofa and chair are a mustard colour.

At home I've started on another major decluttering exercise which usually gets combined with home organization.  Each time I get rid of a lot of things, I also end up moving things,  storing them in different locations and sometimes buying more storage containers.  Those of you who purge and organize on a regular basis know that the task is never really done.  I try to implement a major declutter once or twice each year.  But it has probably been a bit longer than that since I last tackled this task.  In this go around, I've decided one of my key tasks will be to organize my dresser drawers (and closet shelves) better so clothing is visible to the wearer.  I also plan to empty all the bags I've been storing under my dining table. Bags of fabric and clothing that need to find a home, go to the thrift or get thrown out.  I also have bags in my bedroom that need sorting. I am still trying to pare down what I inherited from my sister and my mother (mostly my mother). The storage room is filled to capacity so whatever I have in my home needs to be pared down. The kitchen will also be given a once over. I have at least one appliance to give away and a lot of cookbooks I need to pare down. Ideally I'd like to get rid of al cookbooks since I basically only use online recipes. But that is a pipe dream. I love books too much.

So to help with getting my dresser organized, I stopped at a Japanese variety store earlier this week.  The store is sort of like a dollar store though most goods cost at least $2.00 and go marginally upward in price.  I was looking for drawer dividers.  Not the basket or container type, but the kind that partitions the drawers.

I found two types of dividers to try and have since organized the small dresser drawers where socks and undergarments are kept.  The total cost was $10. but I need to buy one more sock container at another $2. for a grand total of $12. Canadian. Perhaps I will upload a photo or two when done with this project.

I also need to purchase some inexpensive fabric or plastic boxes suitable for larger clothing items.  These are for the larger dresser drawers and for the open grid shelves in my closets. For the moment, I've used several shoe boxes and a cardboard box in one large drawer. I've rolled up the t-shirts and put them side by side so they are clearly identifiable when the drawer is opened. If I had more boxes I would simply use them instead.

There are fabric boxes and various kinds of plastic storage containers widely available in my city and in a very wide range of prices.  I live in a large city but if you live in a smaller city or town, the best place to check for organizational items would be the local dollar store. If you don't have one of these, then Amazon is a good place to buy them and Wal-Mart also has these kinds of items.  Personally, I prefer to buy these types of items in a brick and mortar store so I can examine them and buy them on the spot if they will suit the purpose.

Dollarama and the Dollar Tree are the next stores I will check out.  I never get to the latter but will make a point of going there soon to check out what they have since all items are priced at no more than $1.25 Canadian whereas items at Dollarama can go up to $3.00 and the Japanese variety store prices are also $2. or more.

None of these prices sound so expensive.  But when you are purchasing a lot of items it is best to spend the least amount possible on each item.  The total can really add up even at small prices per item.  For example, to separate socks and undergarments the spend is a  grand total of $12 (+ tax ) Canadian.  But there are still 3 large dresser drawers (estimated cost to organize each drawer is at least 3 times more for each drawer ($36 each or subtotal $108  + tax).  There are also up to 8 closet shelves to organize.  Depending on what kind of containers one buys it can be anywhere from $6 to $20 per shelf (estimated subtotal $ 48 to - $160 total for the shelves). That means I potentially have another $158 to $268  (+ tax) total Canadian to spend on organizers dresser drawers and closet shelves.  This is still a high cost when you consider that all items are going to be purchased in dollar stores or inexpensive variety stores rather than the high end container stores.

There is no way I am going to spend this amount to organize clothing.  

I simply cannot fathom spending that kind of money when there are so many needs in Kenya and here at home.

  Now you see why I haven't already organized these spaces. 

In the past I've just folded everything nicely and tried to keep it organized as best I can by colour and garment type.  But my system just hasn't been working too well.  It is also  too much work to keep clothing from getting all jumbled and messy because my closet shelves are open grid.  I need an economical way to organize the clothing.

Perhaps the solution is to make my own out of foam board. Here is a good YouTube tutorial if any of you are also interested. You could even cover cardboard pieces with Mac Tac contact paper or wrapping paper. Personally this is too much work for me.  But it might work for you if you have time and especially if you already have all the required items around your home. Foam boards are available at Staples for about $14. (+ tax) for 3 sheets. I will need at least 9 sheets for a total of $42 (+ tax). I already have the cutter. Wal-mart Canada also sells the foam board in store at 2 sheets for about $6 (+ tax) so this is a better deal. Perhaps they also sell it at the dollar stores for even less. I also like the idea of just using boxes so you can use different size boxes that will fit into your space. If you don't like the look of boxes you can cover them with wall paper, Mac Tac, wrapping paper or colourful tape from the dollar store.  I'm not 100 percent sure yet what solution I will use but I will do what is quickest and cheapest for me to get the job done soon.

While I was out looking for organizing aids I was also finally able to find a suitable phone for my mother.  My brother and I have both been looking for a set for over a month both on line and in store.  He was even going to go across the border to buy the phone we need.  But on Thursday evening I found a suitable phone on a sale price of $69.99 (+ tax) marked down from $99.99 (+ tax).  I was happy.

Some time ago I started reading a biography on Charles Dickens and while I have been enjoying it I simply haven't had too much time for reading. I've renewed the book several times already and it can't be renewed any more so I've decided I'm prepared to pay a small over due find of about $1.50 for one week so I can finish the book.  After posting about this, I called the library and was able to get an extension to the loan period for one additional week. That's great and a savings of $1.50.

Besides shopping and organizing, I've been knitting a stash of dishcloths for home use and for small gifts. I've also been giving some thought to what to get for Christmas gifts this year and have a lot of ideas for economical and sentimental gifts that will be suitable for my family members.

In progress

This is a beautiful buck from the land of Kenya.

And here are two beautiful exotic birds living at the Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver.

Pied Imperial Pigeon

An Electus Parrot. I think his name is Kiwi.

I hope your week has been a good one.

Joining with our host Eileen at Saturday's Critters.

Enjoy the weekend and the week ahead!

Can Dogs Read?

Linking up with

 Wordless Wednesday

and

Image-in- ing

Waning Days of Summer

Summer of 2015 has gone by in a whirl. I don't feel that I had time to sit and breathe. 

I reflected the other day on what I really accomplished in summer of 2015. 

My conclusion is that the summer was devoted to family celebrations so this is a good thing.

In late May, my nephew graduated with his first degree (Bachelor of Arts in Psychology) so there were several events (graduation, reception and dinner) devoted to that. There were also new clothes to buy and gifts to think about.   As most of you know, all this takes time beyond the actual days of specific celebrations.

It was all fun and since then he went on his much anticipated trip to Europe.  He is now back to university in a Master's Program and will focus on Behavioral Neuroscience. Basically he is studying what happens to our brains as we age and has already been doing laboratory research for the past several years while doing his undergraduate work.

In June I paid a visit to my mom and there is always a lot of preparation involved in getting her the different things she needs between visits.

In July I prepared for my niece's visit for a week and we celebrated her birthday with her brother and other family members while she was here.

In mid to late August I was busy preparing for another trip to see mom. This included shopping and making a few items of clothing.

My brother and I travelled together as it was mom's birthday and we all celebrated together.

Other family members like my nephew had celebrated with her a few days earlier.

It was nice that mom had multiple visits and celebrations.

Now that it is getting to be the middle of September I am catching up on some of my own needs.

There are always a host of things to do: blood work, diabetes workshops, foot care, eye care, etc.

I've been busy going for my annual eye check and eye specialist check. Actually this year I went to two separate eye specialists.  One of them repaired a retinal tear I had last year.  Now I go for follow up check ups. I don't have to go so often. Now it will be once a year.

The other one monitors the general health of my eyes to catch any diabetes related issues.

Thankfully everything is fine on the eye front. 

The retinal tear is fully healed and I have no diabetes related eye issues.

When I went to the optometrist in June, she said my prescription has not changed much.  This meant  I didn't bother with any new glasses this year.

Instead I bought a year's supply of contact lenses as it is much cheaper to buy for a year rather than 3 months at a time.

Today's eye specialist said the contacts sit very well on my eyes.  That is a good thing since glasses cause problems for me like eye strain and headaches.

My blood glucose reading (A1C) has significantly improved since my last blood work done 3 months ago.
 In fact, it is better than it has been in at least 15 months.

My blood pressure is normal too.

All this was very good news.  It gives me the motivation and encouragement I need to stay on track and to even ramp up my efforts wherever I can.

It is so important that my blood glucose gets normalized so I can lose the weight I've gained since being diagnosed with diabetes.

It has been a frustratingly long and slow process to get healthier.  Now I realize that my efforts didn't work so well without the right medication.  Every bit of good news is welcome and my doctors know that my aim is to get off the medications completely.  They believe it can be done.

I heard on the weather report that today and tomorrow will be some of our last, warmer summer days.

So after my appointments today, I had a nice walk home and captured these sky shots

and this flowering bush. 

I'm not sure what this plant is.

It looks like a hydrangea but the blooms are rather long for a hydrangea.

The odd shaped blossoms might have to do with the very hot weather and lack of rain we've had this summer.
Update: Georgene, one of my readers correctly identified the bush as a Crepe Myrtle. Thank you, Georgene!

I hope you've enjoyed your summer whatever you've done.

I wish you a beautiful Fall/Autumn.

If you are on the other side of the globe, I wish you
a beautiful Spring and Summer.
 

Thanks for stopping by.

Joining up with Skywatch Friday and Good Fences.

On the Road Again

On the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again

"On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson

Another whirl wind trip has been completed.
I got home very late on Wednesday and was quite tired but had some missions business to attend to in Kenya.

That done, I tried to do a number of things: call my mom to let her know I arrived safely home, partially knit a new dishcloth, view & cull  trip photos and prepare this post.
I thought it would be nice to share a lot more photos this time of the road trip especially since the weather was quite variable throughout.


I'm not sure what happened but it took several tries before the mosaics were successfully saved.

Starting out in Vancouver it was raining. I didn't start taking photos until almost in Chilliwack. Here is a map just to help situate you if you are not so familiar with the Province of British Columbia.

 A map is always nice to situate oneself. We travelled from Vancouver through Burnaby, Surrey, Chilliwack, Hope, Merritt and Kamloops (Merritt is located just south of where it says Logan Lake).
Clicking on the collages/mosaics will enlarge them a bit.

Highway & weather between Vancouver and Hope

The weather conditions in both directions was much the same each way; raining in the Lower Mainland and 

scattered cloud in the Interior. 

The gusts of wind were quite chilly. Most definitely not like the past few months.

Highway and weather between Merritt and Kamloops

A small group of 5 enjoyed a combination of Chinese cuisine topped off with sodas and white cake as per my mother's favourite cake. It was all quite the starch overload today. 

I compensated by having water and a chicken Caesar Salad for dinner as well as the requisite road beverage, coffee!

The tops, skirt and care package here were all gratefully received but the telephone has to be exchanged since the new set didn't have clips to attach to clothing.

As always I managed to tidy the dresser drawers and closet, cull the clothing and put away all food snacks.
It is always a quick journey requiring days of preparation to make sure everything is done just right.
This trip went very smoothly and enjoyably.

I hope your week is going well.

Skywatch Friday

and
Mosaic Monday

Another Trip in the Works

Since I posted last we've had a major wind and rain storm here in Vancouver. I was without power for the better part of a day and night but my power was restored in the wee hours of Sunday morning.  There are still over 30,000 homes without power. In addition to a long power outage on Saturday evening, I also had a fire alarm near midnight. It was nothing to do with a fire but you just never know so out you go. Thankfully I wasn't asleep yet but many of my neighbours were wearing night clothes.  I didn't take any photos of the storm damage but click here for today's storm update and to see the extensive damage.

Now that our hot weather is behind us and Fall on the way I will likely be waxing a bit nostalgic about the beautiful summer flowers.  However this year was so hot that it was hard to enjoy the flowers and some (most) gardens, including public gardens really suffered for lack of water due to lack of rain and resulting water restrictions.

Mosaic of summer flowers from a previous summer.

Other than the bit of weather excitement I've been busy all week with shopping and sewing for my mother.  I've got a lot to take her in terms of clothing and snacks on this trip and we will also celebrate her birthday with a bit of food and cake. I've coordinated my niece's arrival time to join my brother, mother and I, but haven't booked a room yet for our meal.  If there is no extra room available we will  make do in a corner of the dining room.  The main is just to visit and make sure mom is comfortably prepared for the coming Fall.

Normally I don't post a long list of what I'm taking for my mom but I thought this time it might be interesting to post a list and have something I can reference later.

Shopping

Snacks:

- 20 small juice (orange and apple)
- 3 cans smoked oysters
- 30 cans cocktail wieners
- 3 cans snack tuna packages
- 1 package whole wheat crackers
- 1 can sardines
- 1 bag popcorn twists
- 3 types of hard candy
- 2 packages Cup-of-Soup

 Toilet Articles

-  face cream
-  body cream
-  bar soap
-  Vick's Vapour Rub
-  hand wipes
-
Other

- cordless phone set
- 1 plastic mason jar sipping mug with straw
- 1 small plastic Tupperware container
 
Clothing:

- 2 nightgowns, labelled and modified up the back
- 1 undergarment, labelled
- 2 knee high socks and over the knee socks, labelled
- 2 winter sweaters, labelled
- 2 tops (see below)
- 1 skirt (see below)


Over the past week I've shopped for various kinds of fabric to make 2 tops and one skirt. I only intended to make one top.  Then decided I'd rather make everything now rather than have to make it in a month or two and mom would be going without all the things she needs before my next visit.  When shopping or buying fabric  I always have to try and coordinate colours and clothing needs with what she already has in her closet. It isn't always easy to find just the right thing in the right colours.

The home made clothes are basically done.  I just need to add elastic to the skirt waistband and cut the tops up the backside and sew the edges down. I do this for all tops, nightgowns and dresses whether home made or store bought and I also label everything. These are the items I've made:

- 1 multi-coloured green/brown top

- 1 multi-coloured plum top

- 1 crushed velvet brown skirt

I have to finish the neckline on this one. The brown skirt is under the top.

When I look at my list it doesn't seem quite so long or involved. But when I'm trying to buy everything and put it all together (example finding appropriate fabric, sewing and coordinating all the colours in existing wardrobe) it does take a lot of time. It also takes a lot of financial resources to do this on a regular basis (just one can of wieners ranges from (97 cents each to $2.69 each).

I  try to find as much as possible on sale including the fabric. This time I was able to buy fabrics for the tops at approximately $32 total.  I will get 4 tops out of them (2 for mom and 2 for me which I'll make later). I also got the skirt fabric at a good price ($15).

Altogether Mom's home made items cost me $23.  $31 (or about $10.33 each, excluding thread.).  Overall I think I got good value out of the projects which took about 7-8 hours total to make as I had to re-do one neckline.  It takes me long because I give myself lots of breaks in between when I have to do other things. One can sew things for even less money than I've spent.  You can really shop around especially if you aren't limited in the type of fabric you need to buy. You can also find fabric ends, clearance fabric and even use the fabric from clean second hand clothing. I might do this myself if I wasn't in a hurry and if the clothing was just for me.

Plum/burgundy top. Still need to hem and finish sleeves

In addition to shopping and sewing, I've finished one more book toward my reading goals of 45 books for the year. I'm behind schedule by 1-2 books. I also managed to fit in a bit of knitting and made 2 dishcloths. It's been well over a year since I knitted any dishcloths and I discovered I'd forgotten how. I had to look up the pattern again and relearn how to do a yarn over stitch. I made quite a lot of  cloths 2 years ago and have been using the stash for my own needs and for gifts but now am running low. I need to make a new stash of cloths and these two will be added to it. I'm thinking of far away friends that I want to gift and one of them is finalizing building a house (and doesn't read this blog).  The kitchen is yet to be done but things are coming along well. I'll be making them in various colours for myself and others too. I find this little project quite relaxing and practical.

I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday this week.

Have a wonderful week full of good things.

Beauty of Birds

"Use those talents you have. You will make it. You will give joy to the world. Take this tip from nature: The woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except those who sang best."

Bernard Meltzer

*You can click all photos to enlarge for better viewing.*

Beautiful macaws

Beautiful orchids & a finch. Can you spot it?

Beautiful little finches

Joining in with Saturday's Critters.

Thank you to Eileen for hosting this meme.
I'll also be linking up
Judith for Mosaic Monday.

Thanks for stopping by.
Have a great weekend!

Beautiful Wisps of White

There were some interesting clouds in the sky yesterday but only one of my photos came out clearly enough to post. 

I was actually trying to capture the moon which you see in the photo below. Fast moving clouds meant it would only come into view intermittently.  

There are sure to be some excellent shots of the moon on line this week as the first of 3 supermoons occurs August 29, 2015.

I can't take night shots so I'll be looking for your photos.

I'm joining up with Skywatch Friday this week.

I hope each of you has a great weekend. I'll be by to look at your sky shots.

Time Passes

Time passes so quickly by. I know I say that a  lot and I hear it a lot from my friends too. But honestly, where does the time go? Hey I think there is a song by that name.

Let me digress a moment and check out that song. My mind does like to wander.

Okay I found "Where Does the Time Go" by Barry Manilow. But that isn't the song I'm thinking of. I thought there was a song from a few decades back.

There is another song by Sandy Denny & the Strawberries called "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" That's the one I remember.  I really only remember the very last refrain.

I prefer a slower version of this song as sung by the last Sandy Denny (died 1978)  in the band, the Fairport Convention.  Here is a video of this lovely folk song in case you'd like to listen to it. It isn't really a video because there are no moving pictures but there is good audio.

It's vibe captures how I feel about the passing of time (sad). There is just so much to do. I want time to slow down.

Here is another lovely version done by the late, beautiful Nina Simone (died 2003).  I love her introduction to the song and she does a moving rendition of it in case you have time to listen.

Isn't it funny how when we are children, a week is an eternity?  But when we are older, we want time to slow down a bit?

Anyway I hope you didn't mind the digression.

Where I live the very hot summer we've had is winding down and Fall is on the way. The days are still quite hot but not as blistering as it was even 2 weeks ago. Once the dinner hour arrives you can feel the distinct change in the air. The change in air temperature started about a week ago.  It is always amazing to me just how summer changes to Fall immediately at the end of August here. It is like clock work. Once our last long weekend of the summer is finished, you will know it is Fall. Fall is my very favourite season though I think it is too short of a season before Winter rolls around.  Don't I just sound like I could better organize the seasons of the year, lol.

I am grateful to have 4 distinct seasons where I live though it does make it more challenging and expensive to prepare for all the different seasons: heating wise, cooking wise, clothing wise and garden wise. Even the car needs special treatment for the different seasons. But the beauty you get in the changing scenery and the respite you get from the heat, cold or rain, is rather special.  My friends who live in the tropics probably don't believe that. *wink (Frugal tip:  Make sure to get your car serviced and oil changed at the right time. It will save wear and tear on your car and make it run better using less fuel.  If you are on a tight budget it can be very tempting to put off the oil change).

This past week has been very busy. The highlight of the week was hearing that little Baby Fidelis made it to Toronto, Canada with her mom. For awhile it looked a bit bleak that she would ever make it to Canada but she made it!  I'm so happy she will get the opportunity to have facial reconstruction surgery. Monday she was supposed to have surgery and I'm hoping and praying it went well.

Baby & Mom with host family at Toronto Int'l Airport.

The rest of the week I was busy catching up with things.  There is a lot of shopping and clothes preparation to do before I visit mom for her birthday very soon.  I only have a few days to get everything ready so will be busy with that.

For the coming seasonal transition, I've purchased a few warm sweaters, some cotton jersey nightgowns and a few bits and pieces. I have to label them all.  If I have time I will also try to make a top for her out of this fabric in the photo.  Pardon the purple items beneath the fabric.  They are two new nightgowns which I have to modify before she can wear (I have placed everything on my ironing board so I can start the labelling process). (Frugal tips:  If you are a caregiver for an elderly person and need to buy them a lot of things like I do, it pays to really shop around. I purchased 2 sweaters for less than the price of one sweater I was originally going to buy. With the savings, I was able to purchase the fabric at 50% off.  Altogether I think the fabric cost $14.20 which I think is good value.  I could get fabric which is less expensive but it wouldn't stand up to the washing in super hot water).

The fabric pattern looks a bit wild and busy but I think it will sew up nicely into a long sleeved jersey pullover. It will coordinate with the plum skirt I made awhile back and another burgundy skirt she has. Apparently the two dresses I made and gave her on my last visit were big hits and she has worn them a lot already .

Polyester knit fabric for top

Most of the rest of my week has been busy just catching up to house cleaning and various appointments and errands like shopping for my eye wear.  It seems I'm behind on everything! (Frugal tip: Save all your receipts and be sure to submit them quickly to your insurer if you expect any funds to be reimbursed.  Currently I have just over $200 owing to me. I will be submitting receipts today).

I did make some great progress this week, especially with the housekeeping. Though that may not sound too exciting, those of you who keep the household know how good it feels to be caught up for a few moments on housework. I am not quite caught up but made some very good progress.

Hopefully I can continue making progress next week too because next up I have plans to do some major closet and drawer decluttering. I haven't done a really large decluttering in a long while and it is definitely time. (Frugal tip:  If you have time, energy and patience you can sell a lot of your clothing. I understand there are groups on Facebook for this and of course there is also Craigslist though one has to be a bit careful who you let into your home.  There is always the old fashioned way of a garage sale outside if you happen to have a yard on ground level. Even a few dollars back can really help the pocket book. I usually just give my things away though I might put a few things on consignment now and then).

I'm also slowly catching up on my reading goals for the year.   Right now I am finishing up the book in the photo below.  It's an interesting story about a Jewish immigrant who leads a life of twists and turns and how she comes to make her livelihood making ice-cream. It's fascinating how a writer can take a subject like ice cream and right a compelling story around it. I admire that.

Once I'm finished, I will return to the biography of Charles Dickens and some health related books that are specific to women's issues. These are always quick reads and I learn a little more each time I read a new one. (Frugal tip:  Borrowing from the library is better value than buying a book and you don't have the problem of where to store the book once you've finished reading it.)

Here are a few photos I took while out and about this week.

The last photo I'm sharing was taken at the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens earlier this summer. Can you spot the bee having a feast?  There were a large number of bees in the garden that day. (Frugal tip:  Where I live I signed up for the Inspiration Pass at my local library. It enables a person to visit multiple sights in the city over a 2 week period and to take a bunch of people with you as guests; all for free. You might have something similar where you live.)

 Unfortunately the water restrictions this summer means that all the plants in the Van Dusen Gardens (and other parks)  are in jeopardy. It is sad but what can be done?

Weather changes around the world impact us all. Hopefully the gardens can recover but I've been hearing that weather patterns and climate change is such that we can  no longer expect what used to be normal weather.  We should now expect the unexpected. I guess we all have to learn to adapt.

  I am linking up with Our World Tuesday this week.

Have a wonderful week!

Baby Fidelis Lands in Toronto

Little Baby Fidelis and her mom Martha have arrived in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

 They arrived at about 12:10 p.m. on Saturday August 23, 2015.

Baby Fidelis & mom Martha, with welcome bear.

Isn't Baby Fidelis just the sweetest child? She is already holding the bear so well.

Here with host family at Pearson International Airport. The host mom is a nurse who hails from Kenya.

It is a very long journey from Kenya for mother and child.

Surgery is already set for Monday.

Please pray for the child and the doctors and nurses.

Baby Fidelis and her mom Martha are expected to be in Canada for six months as the baby undergoes
further follow-up.
I imagine there is more than one surgery involved as the baby's face has to be reconstructed.

Photo credits: I retrieved these pics from Kenyan media. I believe they were all taken by the host family & posted to Facebook to update people on the baby's safe arrival.

Name These Birds

Hello everyone,

I'm still sharing the beautiful birds I photographed at the Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver this summer.

Today I'm featuring three small birds.

This bird was prettily perched on a huge palm leaf so I almost missed it.

This little bird was busily gathering feathers for nest building.

This bird has the loveliest colours. I have more photos of it.

Do any of you know the names of these birds? If "yes' you can write them in the comments section. I have the names  of the birds. I'm just curious to see how many of my readers already know them since there are a huge number of bird watchers out there. I will return and post the names in a few days.

I also saw a very pretty sky earlier this week and haven't had a chance to upload the photos yet. I hope you like them too.

I'm joining in with Saturday's Critters and Skywatch Friday this week. 

I'm a bit late for both but here goes anyway.

Update: August 23/15:  Bird in photo 1 is a Cuban Finch, Bird in photo 2 is a Zebra Finch (female) and Bird in photo 3 is a Gouldian Finch. Well done to those who participated in Name These Birds.

By the way, if you missed the awesome news in my post yesterday please have a look here if you have time.