Thursday, April 6, 2023

Skywatch Friday ~ April 7, 2023

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

This is a series of photos depicting the weather and skies in Vancouver, Canada at the moment. It has been quite rainy and cold for most days this month and it looks to continue.

I'm hoping that the weather will warm up so I can get out and take better photos of the cherry blossoms. I'm amazed at how they bloom despite the cold.  They give a lot of enjoyment on otherwise dreary days.
 







 Joining up with Skywatch Friday. Thank you for stopping by and have a blessed Easter.🙏🙏🙏

Monday, April 3, 2023

Tuesday 4 - Coffee Time

Coffee Time

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.


How about a bit of coffee questions this week?   Or, if you drink tea ow anything else, adjust the questions to suit you.

1.  What is your favorite tea or coffee? (KIND or Brand)

My favourite coffee to make at home is Maxwell House regular strength. Years ago I used buy my beans, grind them and home and make coffee in a French press.  My favourite beans were Swiss Wash (decaf) and Guatemala Antigua. I found these two were just the right strength and the Swiss Wash was actually quite nice for a decaf because the Swiss Wash process preserved the coffee flavour.  I no longer have a French press to make coffee but may get one in the future.  A while back, I also purchased a Nespresso Machine (as in the photo below) and like to use that now and then especially with the frother though I haven't settled on the right coffee blend and the pods can be very expensive. If I have just the right blend of coffee and use a French press or the Nespresso machine, I typically will have only one cup of coffee.  It is enough. I guess it must be more concentrated than other coffees.



As for tea, I usually enjoy Rooibos tea (which is decaf) made in tea bag form by Lipton or purchased loose in some health stores. Lately, I've started drinking sage tea at night and sometimes in the morning too for health benefits. Apparently it's supposed to be good at fighting inflammation and reducing blood glucose levels among other things. Rooibos tea also has similar health benefits.

2.  Do you prefer your coffee in the morning, afternoon or evening?

I have a cup of coffee when I rise and usually one or two more during the day. One in the afternoon and if I go out alone or with a friend, I'll also have one in early evening.  When I'm alone, I use this time to enjoy reading a book.

3.  Do you meet friends for coffee in a café or restaurant? Often or not?

Yes, meeting a friend for coffee is one of my favourite ways to visit with a friend. I'm not fussy as to what kind of restaurant.  With my female friends they usually like to go to a quaint and interesting tea or coffee shop. With my male friends, Starbucks or McDonalds is fine. When I'm alone I usually go to McDonald's where I can enjoy a coffee and read undisturbed.  Unless it's Friday night. McDonald's at that time of week is usually hopping with young people and they make too much noise for me to relax and enjoy a book. How often I meet friends depends on my schedule. I will usually book these meetups several in a row over a few weeks and then go for a while without meeting.

4. Do you have a night time regimen before you go to bed, and how about your first thing in the morning routine?   Does it include a hot drink to relax in the evening or coffee to get you going in the morning?  Does it help to start and end the day right?

Yes, my morning routine consists of waking slowly and having a water, medicine and coffee before I have my shower and begin the day. My days can vary a lot but I always begin with slowly waking. In the evening after cooking and cleaning up afterwards, I usually make a hot rooibos tea to stay warm in winter and relax over reading a book.  In summer I'll have a cold beverage of some kind usually one without too much sugar and this is when I might have some kind of supplement or herbal tea as well. This is also when I meditate and pray more meaningfully because it is quiet and peaceful at this time of the day. Both the morning and evening routines help me start and end the day right.

Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, April 1, 2023

The Beginning of the Cherry Blossoms

 Hi friends,

We are moving in to my favourite time of year when the cherry blossoms 🌸 appear. In another few days they should be in full bloom. 









It started raining yesterday but hopefully the sun will return and I can spend a day going out to enjoy and take photos of the blossoms.



Friday, March 31, 2023

March 31 - Skywatch Friday at the Beach

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

Today's photos were taken at Garry Point Park in Richmond, BC. The traffic wasn't too heavy so the drive took about 35 - 45 minutes. 

It was a sunny, blustery day. Perfect for those who were flying kites.















Joining in with Skywatch Friday today. Thank you for stopping by. 









 


 


 


 

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Recent Outings Near Vancouver in Beautiful British Columbia

I have a photo dump today. I spent a bit of time travelling further out than usual to enjoy some sunny days and some picturesque scenes. I hope you enjoy.

I went to Porteau Cove just over a week ago and shared a few photos here. But we also stopped at a place called Cypress Bowl Lookout which is on the way to Cypress Provincial Park.


The first photos are taken on the Lion's Gate Bridge on the way to West Vancouver and North Vancouver.



These next photos are the lookout point and some information about Cypress Park.





When you get to the top of the mountain you can see for miles. But often there is haze. On that day you can see a bit of haze over the Vancouver Skyline.







We didn't carry on further into the park itself as we were going up to the small town of Squamish. 




On the drive up there you will see some spectacular scenery but there are hardly any places to stop and actually take photos. It's one of those times you should just forget about the camera and enjoy the scenery. I did try to get a few photos but it isn't very easy due to the forest lining the highway.







You can see the town of Squamish in the valley below.



There isn't much to do in the actual town. We mainly went to catch some sun rays and see the scenery. We stopped at what appears to be a new McDonald's nestled into a nice spot on the outskirts of the town. We also took a drive through the town but I didn't take any photos since there isn't much to see. The surrounding mountains are the main attraction though not far away there are two popular attractions.  One is a very popular hiking spot for serious hikers, called The Stawamus Chief.  Click here for more information. Also close by is a newer tourist attraction called the Sea to Sky Gondola which I've yet to experience. The truth is I'm a little afraid because this popular attraction has been the subject of sabotage on 3 separate occasions over the past several years. Someone or several someone's, keep cutting the cables on the gondola cars This has cost the company a lot of money to repair and escalate more security features over time.





On the return journey.  We stopped off at for fish and chips near the site of the Britannia Mine Museum, an award winning tourist attraction.




I hope you enjoyed the scenery. Thanks for stopping by!



Night Views

I like snapping photos of tree branches, bare or with leaves. 🍃  I took these photos on a walk to the local thrift store recently.