Eye Canada and Food for the Soul

Hello friends,

I hope you have all enjoyed your Valentine's Day and are ready to greet the week with joy.

I wanted to share some beautiful photos.  I call it eye candy because of the beautiful water and beach scenes.

When I see sailboats on the water it gives me a sense of calm.  I think they look so beautiful with their sails unfurled and the boat calmly bobbing along.

When I stroll along the beach I am always happy. I love to see the beautiful scenery and look at all the smiling people.

It was a glorious sunny day. It was a warm 18 degrees Celsius though you'd think it was colder the way some people are dressed. The temperature can drop 10 degrees once the sun goes down.

Food for the Soul

A friend shared the video I've posted.
I enjoyed the music, photos and words so much and thought it might be enjoyable to you too!

I'

I'm still reading the books I shared with you in earlier posts this month.  I'm working on another one for a book club meeting.  I hope to join a group of people over an African dinner in town to discuss it.
 

A book for book club meeting.

 I haven't started the book yet and just picked it up from the library yesterday. I don't have much time to read it as it took a awhile to get it. The library only has 2 copies and they were both out when I put it on hold.

I've got several books "on the go" at present and hope to finish a few of them in the next week or so.

Here is a summary of the book from Goodreads.

"Like very good dark chocolate this is a delicious novel, with a bitter-sweet flavour. Vimbai is a hairdresser, the best in Mrs Khumalo's salon, and she knows she is the queen on whom they all depend. Her situation is reversed when the good-looking, smooth-talking Dumisani joins them. However, his charm and desire to please slowly erode Vimbai's rancour and when he needs somewhere to live, Vimbai becomes his landlady. So, when Dumisani needs someone to accompany him to his brother's wedding to help smooth over a family upset, Vimbai obliges. Startled to find that this smart hairdresser is the scion of one of the wealthiest families in Harare, she is equally surprised by the warmth of their welcome; and it is their subsequent generosity which appears to foster the relationship between the two young people. The ambiguity of this deepening friendship - used or embraced by Dumisani and Vimbai with different futures in mind - collapses in unexpected brutality when secrets and jealousies are exposed. Written with delightful humour and a penetrating eye, The Hairdresser of Harare is a novel that you will find hard to put down."

I'm joining up with Lady Fi at Our World Tuesday this week.

Saturday's Critters, February 13, 2016

There are usually a lot of seagulls on the beach.

On this day I only spotted one in the water and one or two flying overhead.

(Click the photos for a larger view).

I wanted to capture this piece of driftwood. While I was doing that I spotted the gull drifting along on the waves.

Too bad I didn't have the good zoom lens with me.

Happy Valentine's Day to you ♥♥♥

Joining in with our host Eileen at Saturday's Critters

Skywarch Under the Big Tree

I walk by this tree every now and then whenever I go to the Sky Train Station.  The Station is also a major bus transfer point.

The Greyhound Bus Station and the Amtrak Train to Seattle are just steps away from this tree.

I love the graceful branches and arch of this old tree.

It was such a beautiful day which only added to my enjoyment of the tree and the luscious green grass (though too bad about the litter).

I'm joining with Skywatch Friday today. 

 Have a blessed weekend.

Good Fences #1

Back fence at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

Fence at the Waterfront

Joining this  'new to me" meme here.

Sad Goodbyes

Florence 1943-2016

We little knew that morning
God was to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
in death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
You did not go alone.
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.
You left us beautiful memories,
Your love is still our guide,
And though we cannot see you,
You are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again

~~~~

Today my aunt was laid to rest.
She was a very stoic woman who had a lot of strength. She was in great pain on a constant basis but would never complain or let on that she was not well.
She lived her life her way and that is what is important.
Her husband passed many years ago after being ill for a very long time.
She leaves behind 2 sons and 2 daughters and several grandchildren and great-children.  

Sadly, another family member passed today too.

My cousin Patrick and nephew to my auntie, Florence and to my mom.

He had heart trouble and several heart attacks over the years. 
He had another heart attack today after they laid my auntie to rest.

I don't know for sure but I think it was the stress of the long journey (for him about 1000 km one way).

 Patrick was a loving and sensitive person who became closer to my mom and would visit her in the care home after losing his own mother. 

Sad, sad day for his wife and young son left behind.  
It  was only a few short years ago that their other son passed unexpectedly..
They say a parent never gets over the demise of their child.  A child dying before a parent is out of the order of things.
 
~~~~


In a post a short while ago I was writing how important it is to give thanks for every good thing and to enjoy the beauty that is here all around us while we can..
If we are exceptionally busy we should pause and remember to  give thanks.  Embrace all that is good and lovely.
Always remember to tell your loved ones that they are loved.  We just never know how long we will have with them on this earth.

 Prayers abound for the immediate loved ones who will find it difficult in the weeks and months to follow.
 
Much love
and
May God watch over you and your loved ones and keep you safe
♥♥♥.

2 Corinthians  (TLB)
       

 ⁶ Now we look forward with confidence to our heavenly bodies, realizing that every moment we spend in these earthly bodies is time spent away from our eternal home in heaven with Jesus. ⁷ We know these things are true by believing, not by seeing. ⁸ And we are not afraid but are quite content to die, for then we will be at home with the Lord. ⁹ So our aim is to please him always in everything we do, whether we are here in this body or away from this body and with him in heaven