Toronto in ...... January?

Today, while looking out of my home office onto a small urban parkette I saw some strange things. So strange, I thought I'd share them with you.

As many of you know, I live in Toronto and January is mid-winter .... but look at this view! I see green grass and mud with absolutely no snow. Actually the only snow we received that I remember getting this season was the night of the WHO concert. Temperatures thus far have hardly reached the freezing point. A friend told me her crocuses are starting to bloom!



At this time of year you'll often see fancy Christmas decorations, however, when I looked up at one of the apartment buildings which also borders this small parkette I saw the strangest "decoration" I think I've ever seen. No, that isn't a person looking out on that balcony but a dummy-manequin sporting a dressing gown. Why? the only reason I can think of is to keep pigeons away.

And, here we are on January 6th and these guys have no coat on. While I find it too cold to only wear a T-shirt and shorts that fellow on the left doesn't think so.

Oh, I also heard from my brother this evening that someone was waterskiing this week on a lake in close proximity to where my parents live in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec. Usually these lakes at this time of year are reserved for skating, cross country skiing or riding a ski-doo over.

The major topic of conversation these days? Global Warming ...

Happy New Year!

I’d like to wish all who have become friends via the blog world, a happy 2007.

What a busy holiday I've had. This afternoon, I just rolled into Toronto after spending a couple of days at "Cedar Oasis", which is a 2.5 hour drive north west. Upon my arrival friends were gathered around a game of Trivial Pursuit that I heartily joined in to help the women defeat the men! There was a little bit of snow on the ground but all the lakes, rivers and streams have open water. This is a strange phenomena as many New Years we've spend many an hour gliding across these bodies of water on skates and sleds.

Last night, however, warm weather came with rain and washed much of the snow away. The forecast for Toronto this week has temperatures all above the freezing mark and going as high as 10C!!

These two photos show the difference a few raindrops and degrees made to the landscape over the New Year's Week-end. While the snow is pretty and believe we should have it in winter. The absence of it certainly made my drive home much easier!

Here's to hoping that 2007 brings happiness, luck and ease to every one of my blog friends.

Skiing Adventure

Hi!

Well I made it safely home after spending a great time at my sister's. Here are a few pics of our Boxing Day ski adventure.

Thought I'd post this picture of Dale, Jenny and me first after the day of skiing to reassure you all that I made it through the day safely!

Dale took me to the summit, which had these signs posted on the edge of the cliff .... oh, I mean ski run

Wow! I'm actually atop Dale's ski mountain where I actually got to view 1000 peaks!

This is a picture (looking up) of the Black Diamond (expert) run that we skied down from the summit. While I used to be an expert skier, it's been 12 years since I've skied! I did get down it very slowly while my quad muscles were burning with lactic acid! (I was singing "burn baby burn" all the way down)

To give you a better perspective, here's a picture of the same run (from the same spot), looking straight down! In the distance, you may see the little dots that make up Panorama Village.

It was a great adventure - and I want to go back in February when I have to fly out west for work!

Thanks Dale

Christmas with Family

Hello! I'm now thousands of kilometres away from home sitting in my sister's kitchen looking out at the mountains which surround this long and narrow alpine-like valley. The trip across the country was long and uneventful. Upon my arrival I noticed snow on the ground. When I drove up to Dale's, her two young ones - Jenny and Bobby were out in the front yard all bundled up awaiting my arrival. When they saw me they started jumping up and down and ran up to my rented car .... now nothing can warm the heart as much as that!! Later I stayed up way too late with Dale and chatted until the wee hours of the morning.

Before leaving, I tried to get onto blogger to do a new post, but wasn't able to get on. I had reserved a parcel of time to try to do something creative - but to no avail. However...

I wish all of you a happy and healthy holiday season with your loved ones.

May it bring you joy, love and peace!

On my next post, I hope to have a picture of me and Dale .... oh, and I think we're going skiing tomorrow. It should be fun: me and my rubber legs.

A bientot mes amis ...

White Canadian Christmas memories

Christmas can be a time of reflection and as I look out my window onto the barren and green urban park - my mind goes back to whiter Christmas seasons, which I thought I'd share...

This first picture was taken in the 1960s at the beginning of one late November or early December. We used to travel up to the mountains outside of Montreal to search for and cut down on Christmas trees.



A few weeks later, during the 12 days of Christmas we'd have the tree up and play in the snow. In this picture, I'm on the far right and some of you may have been in communication with the girl wearing a yellow hat. Some activities never leave us - but only get stronger later in life!

This house belonging to my grandparents had three ponds in front of it and we'd choose one, if the ice was strong enough to shovel and skate. My parents used to always invite some friends up (with kids our ages) for the week between Christmas and New Years.




Every Christmas eve, we'd put up our stockings up with care, put out some milk and cookies for Santa and then try to get a good night's rest. I never could understand why my older siblings always heard and/or saw Santa and I never did!

We used to have to wear "Christmas pj's" and stand for pictures. All in all so many wonderful memories were created thanks to my parents and grandparents. We were very fortunate to have some special traditions and stay at my grandparent's amazing "cottage". I think some of my favourite Christmas' were at that house, so close to nature and ski hills!


The last two pictures presented in this montage are from 2004 at my parent's house. The first one illustrates how we bring white Christmas' outside into the inside (by whipping up ivory snow and putting it on the tree).




This last photo was taken a two years ago at Christmas from my bedroom window. Obviously the guy liked eating the dropped birdseed from my parent's feeder.

Never! Never! Never!

I've been tagged to put 10 things about myself that I'll never do. I now tag the fabulous and artistic Ian, the intelligent and perseverant EL Wisty and the animal loving and photographic loving Grace. Here are my 10 things:

1. I’ll never climb Mt. Everest. While my aim is to see it one day – I’d rather see it at the base and/or from afar.
2. I’ll never cease to explore the world. My goal is to visit every continent and sub-continent. I love travel and can't see me ever stopping.
3. I’ll never stop singing. Singing is one of the greatest joys in my life and something that I view as a gift, rather than a talent. Music and singing provide me with so much inspiration - not to mention stress relief.
4. I will never stop praying for world peace.
5. I’ll never like short winter days. While I like winter and snow – I don’t like the limited hours of sunshine.
6. I’ll never stop loving nature, children, my friends, my family and animals (especially dogs and cats).
7. While I love to cook, I too will never cook, eat or use liver – not even in pate. (Yes, I’m stealing this from Dale, however since we both share the same mother, I feel it only appropriate because I can relate!!)
8. While I consider myself a Christian, believe in Jesus and go to church regularly (where I get to sing in a great choir) I'll never totally believe today’s bible is the true word of God or gospel. For me, it’s more about spirituality and the philosophical learnings of living life in today’s crazy and hectic world.
9. I’ll never understand how some religious institutions (and fundamentalists) can be so judgmental, prejudice and unbending when religion (and life in my opinion) is supposed to be about peace, love, acceptance and understanding.
10. I’ll never feel comfortable being in the same job for a long time. I continue to have a need to grow and challenge myself in different areas of business life. Maybe one day I'll stick with the same employer, but'll need to mix up my tasks.

This has been fun.

Know your limit, drive within it.

That was the road sign I saw above the Gardiner Expressway the other day.

I know that it was pertaining to alcohol and/or speed this holiday season. But, in a world where excess has become a virtue, I thought that the road sign could have been a message for us all in this excess-driven world. “Know your limit. Know yourself and care for things within you” was the way I read it.

The road sign stirred something deep within. “Know your limit, drive within it.” “Know your limit, live within it.” “Know yourself and care for things within you.”

We are living in a world where every form of extremism has become a norm. TV land has become a virtual un-reality where extreme forms of life styles are being heralded as something to be desired by all. Every form of media seems to proclaim a message, “Ignore the limit, and drive over it.”

In the midst of the billboards enticing drivers to “in excess, excess, excess,” was a signpost of wisdom, “Know your limit, drive within it.” “Know your limit, live within it.” “Know yourself and care for things within you.”

“What does it mean to live within one’s limit?”
“How do we learn to value ourselves?”
“How is it that we live in a world full of people with misplaced values?

How do we learn to value ourselves in such a way so we could know enough of ourselves to value things within us?

How do we value a human being?

Just some interesting food for thought as we approach this holiday season and are bombarded with commercialism and excess at its extreme.