Candlemas

I have to admit that this is a rehashing of a post from a couple of years ago..... but always worth another look, especially as I haven't much else to offer during this lockdown when I seem to the confined to the house every day with no excitement to report.

Today is February 2nd..... 40 days after Christmas. The ancient celebration of Candlemas.

Candlemas is a Christian holy day commemorating the Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Some Christian communities bring candles to church, where the candles are blessed and then used for the rest of the year.

In France and Belgium, crepes or thin pancakes are a traditional Candlemas treat. Each family member cooks a pancake while holding a coin in the other hand, thus ensuring wealth and happiness for the next year. The pancakes are round and golden in colour, and are a symbol of the return of spring sunshine after a cold winter.

In Mexico, the presentation of Jesus in the Temple is celebrated with family meals of tamales. Whoever finds the bean in the king-cake at Christmastime is responsible for cooking the Candlemas tamales for the whole family.

There's a theory that Candlemas derives from pagan celebrations as it occurs halfway between the December solstice and the March equinox, winter's halfway point while waiting for spring.

Many people believed that Candlemas Day predicted the weather for the rest of the winter. A bright sunny Candlemas meant more winter to come, and a cloudy wet stormy Candlemas meant that the worst of the winter was over. This is the basis for the February 2nd tradition of North America.... Groundhog Day. Will the groundhog see his shadow? I wonder.......

If Candlemas Day brings snow and rain,

Winter has gone, and won’t come again.

If Candlemas Day be clear and bright,

Winter will have another flight.

or another version....

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
Winter will have another fight.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter won't come again.

Day 28

Day 28 of me being isolated from the rest of the world. Ho hum.
Not much excitement in my life.... but this morning I woke up to SNOW! It's 9 April, should be spring, shouldn't it.... snow is not allowed! As soon as the sun came out, it all started to melt.

A couple of days ago I saw these little wild beauties flowering among the half-dead grass. Coltsfoot is one of the first flowers of the spring. Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) is in the daisy family and has been cultivated for its medicinal properties. Used as an herbal tea, it's said to treat respiratory infections, sore throats, gout, flu, and fever.  I wonder if it has any effect on Covid-19?

Another snippet of information that is important today is that today, April 9, is Vimy Ridge Day.

The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Vimy Ridge Day:

“Today, we remember the thousands of Canadians who fought and gave their lives in the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

“The capture of Vimy Ridge was more than just a military victory – it was a turning point for our country. During the battle, soldiers from all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together for the first time. They came from coast to coast to coast – Francophones, Anglophones, new Canadians, and Indigenous peoples.

“On Easter Monday in 1917 – after carefully planning and preparing their attack – these Canadian soldiers battled uphill through sleet, mud, and machine gun fire to achieve one of the First World War’s most decisive victories. The innovative fighting techniques used by our soldiers at Vimy Ridge would also contribute to the final Allied victory a year and a half later.

“The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a defining moment for Canada, but it came at a great cost. Nearly 3,600 Canadians lost their lives, and over 7,000 more were wounded. It remains one of the bloodiest battles in our country’s military history.

“On this day, we honour the courage and sacrifice of those who fought at Vimy Ridge. Canadians remember who they were, what they stood for, and the history they defined. We also pay tribute to all our brave Canadians in uniform, past and present, for their unwavering dedication and service. Every day, they protect the fundamental values that define this country.

“Lest we forget.”

Morning Glow

As I sipped my first cup of coffee out on the deck, this was my view on a very misty morning a couple of days ago. The early sun's rays make the mist glow. A magic time of the day. A couple of weeks previously I had seen 4 foxes chasing each other on the grass in the distance. They have no fear of being near the houses.

Happy November!

November starts today!
We've already had the first snowfall here in Southern Ontario, but it's all melted and disappeared now.  Thank goodness! But it will be back sooner than we think.
I needed new snow tires this year, the old ones didn't have much life in them after 8 winters, so my very helpful YoungerSon organised them and now I have spiffy new wheels ready for the winter. No pics, you'll just have to imagine how nice they are.
And I've been painting. I'll post some of the pictures from time to time. Here's the first.

"Art in the Dark" Update:

Update: Well, the 2018 Art Show and Sale is history, three days without power and having to haul in a generator in order to pump water to flush the toilets. One for the record books, definitely.
And of course, the electricity came on just as the door was being locked at the close of the final day! Oh well......
I sold two pieces of art and 10 greeting cards. A lot less than last year, but I'm happy that a lot of people said they liked my work, even though they didn't buy it.
The crowds were smaller this year, which is hardly surprising as many people were still without power after Friday's ferocious windstorm, or they were busy dealing with fallen trees, flattened fences or trying to contact the insurance companies about their lost roof shingles. So much damage done by those fierce winds.
Now on to the next show in 2019..... let's hope the weather is better.

Blown Away!

The opening night of the Annual Art Show and Sale..... and Southern Ontario encountered gusty 100km/hour winds knocking down trees and hydro poles, flattening fences and causing extensive power cuts.
I could hardly stand up in the wind.
And it's really hard to appreciate Art when you can't see what you're looking at.
I've heard of Art in the Park, but this was Art in the Dark!

We had a few hardy souls who made it to the Community Centre to look at the paintings, but not many wanted to brave the weather. Flashlights and cell phones were used to light our way. And I even sold a painting in the dark.... admittedly it was to a friend who had seen the work before I framed it.

Today the electricity is back on, so we are hoping for visits from lots of art lovers.

Art Show Update later: although the power has been restored at my house, we had another full day without power at the Art Show. At least it was daylight! But no water for flushing toilets so the town brought in a water tank and a generator.... I wonder what tomorrow holds.

Meanwhile, early this morning, I had a cute fluffy black and white visitor to my back yard. Flower, from the Bambi movie.

She (or he?) scuttled away through the hole under the fence to the right.
Update: I've since seen this same skunk many times, it's very bold and not at all frightened of people.

Spring!

The view out of my kitchen window about 5 minutes ago......

... yes, that's snow falling from the sky! In fact, it's been snowing all day.
Isn't Spring wonderful????

Probability of Precipitation

It's June, almost July, and here in my little corner of Canada we have had only two really hot (over 30C) summer days when I needed to turn on the AC. May was cool and rainy, and so far June has been a washout. And the forecast isn't good for the Canada 150 celebrations next weekend. Cool and rainy again.
Yesterday we had violent thunderstorms all day.....

.... lots of torrential rain, wind and then hailstones.
At least the grass is nice and green and I haven't had to water my beans all week! Yes, I'm thinking positive thoughts.

Rain

Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day.

This is the first really rainy morning for a long time. I woke to the sound of raindrops pounding on the roof and the swish of tires on wet roads.. I sat out on the covered part of the deck, staying dry, drinking my morning coffee, and watching the raindrops fall. It's been a hot, hot summer, and a cool damp morning is so welcome.

It's raining, it's pouring,
The old man is snoring.
He went to bed
And bumped his head
And couldn't get up in the morning.

Christmas Remembered

December was a hectic month totally taken up with shopping and baking and Variety Show rehearsals and trying to stay warm during diabolical bad weather, and so I didn't post much about Christmas. In fact, I'm always relieved when the Holiday Season is over and life can get back to a normal routine. But Christmas memories remain.

The skating rink (in summer it is a reflecting pool) in Nathan Phillips Square outside Toronto City Hall. The rink was closed.... big notices saying telling the public "Skate at your own risk" due to chunks of ice falling from the overhead arches.

 Some of the amazing Christmas decorations at Brookfield Place. Mind boggling!

And more Christmas sparkle looking up into the ceiling of the Chrystal Cathedral of Commerce inside Brookfield Place.

The wonderful "Lights of December" Holiday Concert by Singing Out, Toronto's LGBTQ Community Chorus at the Jane Mallett Theatre. Great holiday music with a quirky touch, loved it! So much fun to see friends up there on the stage, singing their hearts out.

And the Ice Storm! This beautiful corkscrew hazel tree in YoungerSon's back yard normally stands 35 feet high, but here the top branches are touching the ground due to the weight of the ice. Amazingly, now that the ice has melted, the tree has bounced almost upright again! Thank you, Mother Nature! We thought that tree was a gonner.

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.

February's Last Blast

It's been snowing for two days now. Yesterday morning my driveway was filled with heavy wet snow about 8 or 9 inches deep in places.  The bushes were bent double with the weight of the snow so I went out to rescue them before the branches broke. But they look just as bad this morning as it's been snowing in the night.

The view from my front door at 7:00am this morning.

The view from my back door a few minutes later.

 Most of it will be gone by tonight.... supposed to be a mild melty day. Hurry up, Spring!

Thunderhead

Most of North America has been in the grip of extremely hot humid weather for the whole of June and July and my little corner of Canada is no exception.

Today was 34.5C (94F), with the humidity making it feel more like 42C (107F). And possibly the same expected tomorrow.

We need a nice thunderstorm to clear the air.... not too violent with lots of damage, just a gentle storm with some cool rain, please.

Meanwhile there have been some spectaular sunsets.

Can you see the moon?

Water Works

An army of hunky young men just installed a lot of new sod (I mean turf if you are British) at the back of the complex where I live, and we've had the sprinklers going full blast. We've had hot days with no rain for quite a while and the temperature is predicted to reach 35C (95F) today.

I hate to waste precious water when it's in short supply. But we have to have green grass, no matter what.

The Light at the End of the Road

The Equestrienne took this photo with her cell phone yesterday.
 

Bath Time

It's 16C outside today, blue sky and sunshine. That's almost 61F in old money. Even though we've enjoyed a mild and relatively snow free winter so far, today is the first day that looks and feels remotely like spring.
And when the sun shines, my thoughts go to....... the Car Wash!

 I should have taken a "before" picture. Poor Bluebottle was filthy. He was looking very sad and uncared for. But he's all shiny now.... until the next bad weather day.

Have a Magical Day!

Did I mention that it rained when we were at Disney? We were there for five days and it rained every day, but the Saturday was the worst, torrents of non-stop rain all day! It was like walking around under Niagara Falls.

We stayed at Fort Wilderness Campground, and sorry about this very dark picture, but here's the enormous puddle right across the road. We needed a snorkel and flippers to leave our cosy cabin.

  

The Disney organisation made a killing on $8 plastic ponchos that weekend.

But the sun did eventually show it's face and guess what.... Mickey was still smiling.

Mickey turned up everywhere. I wish I had taken pictures every time we saw a Mickey face disguised as something else. He was there on the ground outside our cabin. There was a Mickey shaped pond for the hippos at the Animal Kingdom. Mickey even appeared in the pine cone pattern on the fabric of our rustic cabin drapes. I don't think Mickey has made a blockbuster movie in years, has he? And yet he's still a force to be reckoned with, at least at Wally World.

And it was Mickey overload at the inevitable gift shop.

Wally World

 Well, we did it! We finally got there. We left home on a Monday and arrived at Walt Disney World on Friday, and when we arrived.....

.... it was raining! Not just your gentle shower, but REALLY RAINING! The forecast for the next four days was quite discouraging... rain, rain, and more rain. But that didn't stop us from visiting all the Disney Parks and having a great time. And it didn't rain all the time, although at times it seemed like it would never stop.
Callum loved meeting the Disney characters...  especially when he got a bearhug from Duffy...

... and a high five from Stitch.

To tell the truth, I have no idea who Duffy and Stitch are, I am so far behind the times, but Callum was suitably impressed!
Here are the Three Mousketeers incognito.....

..... and here's a couple of riders having some fun with Dumbo.

As if we hadn't already got wet enough, Callum had a good time spraying everyone in one of the fountains at Epcot.

The Disney Parks are amazing, so organized and clean. None of those disgusting black gobs of pre-chewed gum stuck on the sidewalks.... they don't even sell gum there. The staff. ... no, I mean the Cast... are always smiling and so helpful. OlderSon has a theory that if they don't smile, they get tasered... maybe he's right!

A Fresh Start

It's rainy and foggy and damp and drippy outside my window today, but the good news is that the snow is melting fast and giving us a fresh start to the New Year! I can actually see some green grass out there.

And more good news... my rotten Christmas head cold/flu is mostly gone, my 2010 bills are all paid (which is what you're supposed to do every First of January), and I only have a few more unpacked boxes languishing in the basement waiting for my attentions.

So now it's time to think about those pesky New Year Resolutions.

Well, I don't smoke, spit, drink to excess, swear like a trooper, commit violent acts towards helpless furry animals or otherwise misbehave myself (obviously, I'm really boring), so there's not much there to promise to reform.

However, I have a feeling that 2011 will be a good year. So many changes in my life have taken place in the past few months. Some happy, some sad. Some of the good things..... I'm living in a nice new house, I'll be meeting new neighbours, making new friends. My family are all well and remain employed (thank goodness), my two little grandboys are thriving. YoungerSon and his family live within walking distance. I have good health (apart from that nasty Christmas cold) and I am so thankful. Some of the sad things.... a good friend moved away, but not so far that I can't visit, and there were funerals for people who passed away much too young. I wonder what this year holds in store?

Wherever you are in Blogland..... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Red Sky at Night.... Sailor's Delight

Ahhh... that's better! A little cooler yesterday and today. A welcome reprieve from this summer's endless high humidity and heat.

And yesterday evening.....

.... this fiery sunset lit up the sky! The promise of another lovely day in store.