Book Lovers Welcome

Every year Toronto takes part in the Word On the Street

book lovers celebration.   Major cities in Canada hold

their own versions of this festival at different times of

the year and Toronto's is always towards the end of

September.

In past years we've gone to it when it's been held in

the grounds of Queen's Park .... location of the

Ontario provincial government building (of the same 

name) .... where the festival was set up beneath a canopy of 

trees, the tents used by the participants placed along the 

pathways that wind through that location.

But this year the event was staged down on the shores

of Lake Ontario at Harbourfront,  former industrial

lands that have been turned into a public space that hosts 

numerous events,  and such things as art galleries,  docking 

space for boats offering tours of the harbour,  a 

place to rent kayaks,  kid friendly activities and places 

for musical performances. 

Word on the Street is dedicated strictly to 

Canadian publishers and authors (as well as

anything else you can think of relating to books)

At the risk of sounding anti-Canadian I admit 

that I do wish that the event celebrated books and

authors and publishers from all over the world

because we don't really have any other major

book festivals like it here that covers all books,

not just Canadian.

There are lectures and book signings by successful

authors including Kelley Armstrong (above) who

appears here fairly regularly.

Some celebrities do make special appearances,

including Poke-a-roo who is the star of a 

long running kids TV program here called The 

Poke-a-Dot Door

I went with my friend Darlene and we 

spent much of the day wandering around the

tents taking in all of the things offered for

sale,  for discussion or for edification.

We ate our lunch sitting next to the water,

watching the sailboats, kayaks, island

ferries and airplanes (the Toronto island

airport was close by) going past us.

It was such a gorgeous, sunny and warm day,

more like summer then the early days of Fall.

As a matter of fact by mid afternoon we were 

regretting the lack of shade at Harbourfront that 

the trees at Queen's Park would have given us in

previous years,  but once the sun began to go 

down the temperature cooled off quickly.

I didn't go too wild buying books, tempted though

I might have been.    I didn't want to be lugging a

heavy, awkward bag (bags?) of books around all

day, not to mention hauling them all the way back

home to Georgetown on the bus afterwards.    

Not far from Harbourfront is a lovely place called 

The Music Garden and when we were ready for

a change of pace Darlene and I walked there and

explored around and along it's meandering pathways.    

Of course at this time of year the flowers are thinning 

out and gardens are getting tired looking but still this 

place was lovely and peaceful and being right by the lake 

made it even nicer.

Speaking of flowers .....  I posted a few weeks ago about

my first attempt at picking and drying flowers from our

garden.    I'd put my chosen bits of flowers and greenery

into my flower press and then had to wait for about

three weeks to see what the results might be.    

I'm happy to report that everything survived and dried

out nicely.   Most retained their colours quite well 

and I was amazed at the details that were able to 

remain after the drying process was complete.  

I will use these to decorate the pages of my stitching/

scrapbook.

And speaking of my stitching/scrap book ..... I 

worked on two more pages for that this week

including this Halloween Quaker piece that I 

really, really love.

And a Christmas design from Lizzie Kate.

I still have a hard time calculating and measuring

and cutting the openings for these pages and 

there are times when the air in my craft room turns

an unbecoming shade of blue ... ahem ... but I

keep at it until I get it more or less right.

And I'm still doodling and drawing and

zen-tangling with pen and markers and

paper.     Obsessed?   Me???   Nah!!!!

Found this in the grocery store this week

and of course I had to have it.   Drawing

techniques plus pages to colour, and craft

projects to try.   It's very cool with much

fun to be found/had!

I recently re-read a favourite historical fiction

author who's books I adore.    Judith Merkle

Riley wrote delightful,   often magical

(literally) novels that feature historical accuracy

 wonderful, colourful characters and a knack for

creating a fascinating storyline.

She also had a delicious, sometimes wicked sense 

of humour that I love.   Sadly the author passed away

some time ago but the six books that she wrote are still 

available for purchase and I recommend them all.      

Thanks for visiting.   

Cheers!

First Day of Autumn

Hard as it is to believe it is indeed a fact that 

today we bid a fond and wistful farewell to 

summer and welcome Fall into our midst.

In honour of that fact I spent yesterday

cleaning the living and dining rooms, packing

away the every day nick knacks and putting

out the Fall decorations.   We had an end of

summer gathering here on Saturday so the

living room was in desperate need of vacuuming

and dusting etc.    Putting out the decorations

didn't take long and since then I've been

tweaking and fussing to get everything just

right.

I love the Fall!   Do you?    The colours, the

scents in the air,  the comfort food and just

about everything else that identifies with the

season makes me so happy.    And since I really

do not care for hot, hot weather I much prefer 

the cooler temperatures that happen now.  So 

much nicer for walking and other outdoor

activities.

More long afternoons spent with pen and ink.

Adult colouring books are all the rage these 

days and ... me being me .... I long to buy

and collect every single one that I find.   But

many of those things are expensive.   (Which

I don't begrudge since the artwork is often 

stunning!!)  So I draw my own patterns and

colour those in instead.

I'm a very harsh critic of my own creative

endeavours which has, in the past, often 

caused me to give up and walk away from

anything that I make or create in disgust.

But then I lose out on the joy I get from

initially doing these things.   So I'm trying

to ignore and work through those feelings

and just embrace the pleasure and let go

of the negativity.   

I've picked up this piece and put it down again

countless times in the past year or so but this

week I picked it up again and this time I am 

going to finish it!!!

My stitching has been almost non-existent in

the past few years and that is mainly because

I'm finding it harder to see what I'm doing even

on 28 count fabric.   I have bifocales which only 

helps a bit and my prescription is up to date so 

that's not the issue.  

 I use a  Ott-lite magnifier but often end up having to

 hold the fabric close to my face (roughly near the end 

of my nose) and peer over the top of my glasses to 

get a close up, clear view of my stitches.   This is an 

awkward position to say the least,  and it's a 

wonder to me that I haven't sewn the tip of my 

nose to a piece of fabric yet!

Perhaps I need to find a magnifier with a 

stronger magnification?    

Which reminds me of another issue that I have.

You know that little circle of extreme magnification

that you find inset into the larger, weaker lens surface?

Do you ever use that???   It's magnification is perfect

for what I want but it's so tiny I can never manage to 

maneuver my fabric and needle in just the right spot to 

use it and keep it there.   It's so darn frustrating.

Thank goodness I don't have any issues visually

when it comes to reading.   Here are a couple of

books that I read this year and loved.

The above is a book about Vanessa Bell and her sister Virginia 

Woolf and their relationship circa 1905 and onwards.   It's 

historical fiction, well researched and a fascinating read.    I 

have to admit that I've never read any of Virginia Woolf's 

books and know of her only by reputation in history and I knew 

even less about her sister who was a very talented painter.    

This book gives great insight into the characters of the two sisters 

as well as of those famous members of the Bloomsbury Group 

that were a part of their social circle. 

Then we have The Fortune Hunter which is 

more or less historical fiction as well since

one of it's main characters is Sisi, the 

Empress of Austria.   This woman has been

the central character in quite a few books

that I've encountered lately, some biographical

and some fictional.   She was a fascinating

person I have to say though admittedly a

spoiled and self centred character.   But that is

the way royalty was back in 1875 when this

story begins.  

I recommend both of these books.  These are

the second novels published for both authors.

I have not yet read their publishing debuts .... 

but I plan to.

My husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding

anniversary in May with a party, reuniting as

many of our original wedding party as were able

to attend as well as being attended by friends and 

family.

We also renewed our vows during that day in

our back yard, under the big maple tree.   Our

friend Sue is a minister and she wrote a wonderful

mini service and presided over the vow renewal

with love, humour and joy.

It was an memorable day that celebrated an

incredible milestone (25 years???  When did

that happen???) in our lives.   We're so 

incredibly blessed to have found each other

and to be together for this often tumultuous 

and stressful but ultimately wonderful life.

Hope you have a wonderful Fall week!!!

Cheers!

Caution: Boredom dead ahead ....

The weeks are just flying by.    I admit that when I

first began to recover from the shock of being let go

from my job and realized I was now facing weeks

upon weeks (months, years etc) of freedom to do 

whatever I might want to, I wondered if boredom

would be an issue.   It seemed to be what every

one else, at least at work, was concerned about for

me.   

So let's see now ...

Exercise.    Gotta keep moving and thanks

to my friend Linda I've got lots of options.

I'm learning to work out with five pound

weights with Linda guiding me and

correcting me on Skype.   It's pretty 

cool that we can work out together even

though we live on opposite sides of

and outside of Toronto.

And then there's the Leslie Sansone 

walking programs that Linda found and 

we first followed on Youtube before investing 

in some of her DVD's.    The one above is what 

I worked out to this morning for 50 minutes

and it was pretty fabulous.    

I'm also walking outside as often as I can

and since the weather is still fairly good

I'm doing as much as I can of that.  

Because as we all know,  you know what

is not far away.   (Hint:  snow)

Reading.    Well, yeah.   One of my

reads this week was the above The Girl

of Fire and Thorns.    Young Adult

Fantasy with a feisty, intelligent

heroine and a great story.   I'm just

starting book two (of three) in this

series and highly recommend it. 

I started reading Cynthia Harrod-Eagles a 

long, long time ago and then for some reason

lost track of her.   Recently, whilst browsing

through Amazon's recommendations ... as 

one does ... I came across this book by her

and sort of had a hand slapped to the forehead

moment.   

Since I love stories that take place around

the time of the first world war and this is a 

really excellent author who's books I've always 

enjoyed I was pleased to pick it up and give it

a whirl.   The next book in this series is due out 

sometime this month and I'll be getting it for

sure.

I picked some flowers from my garden to try my hand

at drying them for decorating purposes.   Linda

gave me a flower press years ago but I'd never tried

to use it before.    Well, no time like the present for

trying new things sooooo ...  

Stay tuned for the results in a couple of weeks.

And what am I planning to use the dried flowers on

if and when they are done drying,   you may ask?

Well, another idea from Linda and another project

to help keep the evil boredom at bay.

You know all those cross stitch projects lying 

around in a box with the stitching done but

no plans to frame them because of the cost

and no skills or self confidence in finishing 

them off yourself ... er .... myself?

And you know all those scrap booking supplies

in your (my) cupboard?     Well .....   Linda

combined hers to make something pretty nifty

and now so have I. 

I am following Linda's lead and putting my stitching

in a scrap book.   Yes, the original stitching.   Not

pictures of them.   

I have been having such a blast doing this!

The measuring and cutting gave me a headache

at first because I have no math skills but once

I got going and gained some confidence it 

became easier.

It's been fun choosing papers and decorations

to show off the stitching designs and sometimes

using the trims or decorations to hide imperfections

in the cutting .... cough, cough. 

And sometimes I have scrap booking papers

that I just don't know what to do with

because they are too beautiful to cover up

with photographs or whatever.

I have several Halloween themed designs 

stitched up to get set up in the album soon.

And you know you can buy these ....

to hang the finished pages from to display

your stitching during pertinent times of the

year so that they're not just in a closed 

book all the time.

Pretty cool, eh?

I've been drawing too.   And colouring.

These things keeps me occupied for

entire afternoons.

A day trip to Toronto several weekends ago

to spend the day on the Toronto Islands with

my friend Darlene.   Above is a view of the

downtown Toronto skyline from the ferry.

There are cottages on Wards and Algonquin Islands

and they range from quirky to pretty high end and a

few that are sadly neglected by whoever owns them.

Other sections of the cluster of islands has formal

gardens, boardwalks along the water front, a 

children's farm with a nice selection of animals,

a children's midway with fun rides,  a clothes

optional beach (which we didn't have time to 

visit ... ahem!!)  assorted historical statues and

plaques and, oh yes, a haunted lighthouse.

Apparently the first lighthouse keeper disappeared

one night in 1815 and his skeletal remains were later 

found nearby.    The lighthouse is no longer near

the water but it's lovingly restored and well tended,

although I dare say probably not by the ghost.

We walked from one end of the island chain to the

other and then we walked back again.  We picnicked

on a bench with a spectacular view across the harbour

to Toronto and we had such a wonderful day enjoying

that green space that is so close to the downtown core

but is in a world all it's own.    Loved it!!

So, boredom has not been a problem as of yet ... 

and so what if it does rear it's silly head?   I've got

lots to banish it if it does dare appear around here!

And many thanks to Linda who keeps me motivated

and inspired!!

Cheers!

Labour Day Long Weekend ....

Life

Although a few more weeks lay ahead before the "official" 

start of Fall it feels as though this weekend is the end of 

the summer of 2015.  

It's hot.  It's been hot all week.   Sometimes too hot to 

be outside even if we're just sitting on the deck, in the 

shade, doing nothing.  We're reluctant to complain though 

because we know that in three or so months we'll be 

shivering as we layer sweaters, scarves, vests and coats 

before setting foot out the door.

The weather man has predicted a warmer then normal 

Fall and Winter this year for us.  I think El Nino has 

been mentioned in regard to this.  I'm not sure whether to 

believe the experts or not but it would be nice because 

we've had some nasty winters in the past couple of 

years.   Fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, I am settling into my new life as a more 

or less retired person.   I get up with Phil at 6:30 and sit 

with him while he eats his breakfast.   Once he leaves 

for work I begin my day by working out in some manner.    

Either by lifting weights along with my mentor/instructor/

friend Linda on Skype, or following a walking work out 

video on Youtube with Leslie Sansone, or going out and 

walking around town to run errands.

TRAVELING

Weekends lately have been spent going on long, exploration

walks with my friend Darlene.   We spent one Saturday walking

from Oakville Harbour to Bronte Harbour which was a distance

walked (including additional wanderings down interesting look-

ing side streets) of about 23km.  

Following a trail along the shores of

Lake Ontario

The lake was calm and blue

Our route.   We walked from the arrow

to the harbour marked on the far left.

Phil dropped us off in Oakville at 8:00 in the morning

and picked us up at Bronte Harbour at 5:45 so we had

a full day of walking.   We took a picnic lunch 

which we ate by the waters edge in a small, quiet

park with few other people about.

Lunch in the park

I love being by water.  It's the only thing about

living in Georgetown .... we don't have a decent

sized body of water of our own here.

Love gardens ... or in this case garden

centres .... too. 

Crafting

                                            I have spent hours and hours in the past two

weeks doodling some more.  As adult colouring

books are all the rage at the moment I've been 

practising my drawing and then colouring the
images in with markers and pencil crayons.  
You can cover up a multitude of mistakes with
a bit of colour.

As with any craft I can loose many hours of the day
doing this sort of thing without realizing it.  It's relaxing
and it's creative which is a win-win in my opinion.

I have pinned all kinds of patterns and

technics on my Pinterest site to try out and

I also watch how-to videos on Youtube

for inspiration and guidance.

And believe it or not I actually finished a cross

stitch project at the beginning of the summer.

Pardon the wrinkled fabric. 

And then there's my journal which I work at in

fits and starts, neglecting it for periods of time

and then hammering away at it for equal amounts

of time.    I think that I might have an over abundance

of crafting pastimes and interests and I flit from one

to another.

Reading

Always.  

In the past few years I've discovered YA books

and a whole pile of new to me authors in that

genre.  One of the most popular of new releases

in YA is .....

Originally meant to be a stand alone

book it's been so popular that the

publisher has optioned more in the

series from the author.

I quite enjoyed it and look forward

to the next instalment.

If you've read Water for Elephants

and enjoyed it then you'll be happy

to see Sara Gruen's newest book.

I really enjoyed this one which takes

place in Scotland during the second

world war.  

I admit that the cover for this one

caught my eye initially and I loved

it so much that I grabbed the book

from the display shelf at the store

to check it out.  I'd read and 

enjoyed Water for Elephants so

was happy to bring this home too

and I read it almost immediately

and loved it.

Yes, I do judge a book by it's cover.

I'm shallow,  I admit it.

I'm partial to books that take place

during the first half of the 20th

century.

And fantasy is my most favourite of

genres.  I've been reading fantasy ever

since I was a kid and discovered the

wonderful world of C.S. Lewis's 

Narnia series.   I've read that so many

times over the years I have lost count.

Patrick Rothfuss and his books

The Name of the Wind and it's

sequel  The Wise Man's Fear plus a 

novella called The Slow Regard of

Silent Things are amazing epic 

fantasy and are part of a series.

But two warnings for you.  Rothfuss

writes BIG books.  I'm talking 900 hundred

pages each.   Great character building (which

is very important to me)  a great sense of 

humour (also important) and a mesmerizing,

rich story.  And you should know that  Mr

Rothfuss is of the George R.R. Martin school

of writing.   He releases a book every four

or five (or more) years.   So patience is

required if you get hooked on him.

And then there's my favourite writer of historical

fiction.  Sharon Kay Penman.    This is the first

book in her trilogy about Henry II and his Queen

Eleanor.    Thorough historical research,  rich in

period detail, fascinating characters and a sense of 

humour make Ms Penman's books a delicious treat.

Okay, this is getting long ... which is par for the

course for me isn't it?    I'm off for some lunch and an 

afternoon of crafting/reading/journaling and whatever else.

Thanks for dropping by.  And for your warm welcome

back.

Take care!