Storm Warning

This silly pigeon got trapped in my basement window well overnight. He didn't seem keen to leave so I managed to get him standing on a shovel and lifted him out. He promptly went to hide behind my bushes. Apparently he spent yesterday on my neighbours porch and actually went into someone's house the day before. A very friendly pigeon.

But there was a thunderstorm approaching fast so I quickly went inside. The lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled, and suddenly the heavens opened and there was a torrential downpour, not only rain but hailstones too. There's my garbage can happily sailing down the street in the company of another garbage can from somewhere further up.

I braved the storm to scoop up some hailstones. Some were perfectly round and pure white. Others were irregular shaped chunks of ice. The largest were just over an inch in diameter. Good thing I parked my car in the garage just before the storm hit.

 And then I looked for the pigeon.... not in the window well and no longer behind the bushes. I hope he's OK. Being hit on the head by one of those chunks of ice wouldn't be much fun.

Just a Humble Cottage....

This humble unassuming little place started to go up a couple of years ago on a hillside with a fantastic view over the city of Toronto. On a fine day, you might be able to see the spray from Niagara Falls. But it would have to be a VERY fine day.

Who was it built for? Rumours were flying at top speed.

It was rumoured that it was to be a country home for Sir Elton John and David Furnish, just for use when they need to visit Toronto. But Sir Elton hasn't shown up yet. And he already owns at least five other homes around the world so why would he need another one?
Then there was a story that it belonged to a kingpin in the Russian Mafia. Nope. Nyet.
Then it was being built for an Italian millionaire. Who knows?

I just hope that if they have an Open House, I get invited.

Tulip Time

Spring flowers are so beautiful and they don't last long enough. As there are no tulips planted in my garden (will have to remedy that for next spring!), I bought myself a bunch and thought that I could make them last a little longer by painting their portrait.

Step 1..... outlining how I want to fill up the canvas, and it isn't always obvious to me what I really want to do. 

I tend to let things happen and splash paint around without a goal in mind.... not really the best way to plan a masterpiece. 

Step 2.... decide on a colour scheme and start mixing the paints. I never know whether to start on the background first or the subject matter. 

I think I did a bit of both in this picture.

But it needs more work, but what? 

So I hung it on the wall and looked at it for 3 weeks until I was fed up with it.

Step 3..... finally decided to have another go and added more detail and bolder colours.
I'm still not happy with it, but I'm not sure what it needs.
I think I need to simplify more... it's too busy.

It might look better in a frame.

Watch this space, there may be changes.

To all the artists out there.....any suggestions?

Quilted Cover for Ipad Mini

A special request from grandson Callum to make a cover for his Ipad Mini so the screen doesn't get all scratched up.

So here it is.

Sorry, Blogger won't let me rotate the photo.

If you're feeling ambitious and want to make one of your own, I adapted the pattern from here and here.

Spring and a Piggy

Spring has well and truly sprung. The past three or four days have been glorious. Blue skies and warm sunshine, and I can actually watch the new buds on the trees developing into those lovely pale green baby leaves.

Yesterday I did all the things that I love to do on the first real weekend of spring weather. I went to an art show... didn't buy anything except a couple of greeting cards, but we certainly have some talented artists in the community. I had a sort out of all the "stuff" that accumulated in the garage over the winter, and swept out all the dirt. Nice and clean and organised now! Next job: a much needed clean up of the inside of my car!
And I visited a few neighbourhood yard sales.... love doing that on a sunny Saturday morning. I found a nice boating life jacket for Isaac for $2 (woohoo! Bargoon!), and came home with this sweet and very dusty little piggy.

He cost me all of 75cents, but I'm convinced that if I took him to the Antiques Road Show, I would find out that he's a fabulous and unique example of Southern Ontario Farm Folk Art and worth a fortune....... hmmm... well, maybe not! Probably made in China last week.

May Day

Yes it's me.... finally! I seem to have mislaid my blogging mojo for the past few weeks. Probably because I ran out of things to blog about, and it was the dreary last months of winter. But May is here and I'm determined to get this blog moving again.

I've been keeping up with Postcrossing and have had lots of wonderful postcards from people I'll probably never meet from all around the world. It's a great feeling to open the mailbox and instead of bills, find a colourful postcard. Even OlderSon has joined!

And the big news around the City of Toronto is that the Toronto Maple Leafs (our ice hockey team in case you didn't know) are in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in nine years! Or is it ten years? Makes no difference.... as they last actually won the cup back in the1966/67 series.
Lots of support for the team in spite of huge prices for playoff tickets. Even the sign outside the neighbourhood church.....

First game is tonight, against Boston Bruins. Go Leafs Go!

Update: Sadly the Leafs lost the first game to Boston 1-4. Keep your fingers crossed for the boys in blue.