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BLUEBERRYMOON
Dec. 17th, 2009
09:04 am
Ha, not a wintery picture today, but fighting back at the weather. Our first really cold day has arrived. -27 outside. Thought I would post something escapist. Sweet dreams. Taken in September. My brother built the wee pool house this summer. They have a lovely home not too far from here and visiting is like going to a resort!!
Last night I went to a Christmas Concert of the Rankin Sisters! It was wonderful!! A few times, the man sitting next to wiped tears from his eyes. Goosebumps, tears, laughter, fiddling, step dancing and the Halifax Boy's honor choir. It was a marvelous down home night.
Prize Draw! I will keep this wee announcement here on my blog until Dec 30th. BustaMove BIG PRIZE DRAW For a mere $10 you can help purchase a digital mammogram machine & be entered in our fabulous draw. Help make the boobs of Nova Scotian women merry! Prizes are continuing to be added:) Winner takes all. Great odds! Thanks to those who have purchased:)
December Views
Dec. 16th, 2009
12:48 pm
I'm having fun with this! Picked up an old wooden chair at the flea market for $15 and am slowly transforming it into something wonderful:) Every now and then I pick up a brush and dabble.
Still have to do Christmas cards and get a tree!!!! Such a busy time of year:)
If you are in the neighborhood....the HalifaxChicks BustaMove team are having another Pancake Breakfast this Saturday, December 19th at the Clayton Park Sobeys from 8:30 until noon. Quick go write it on your calendar before you forget:) Hope you can come!
Prize Draw! I will keep this wee announcement here on my blog until Dec 30th. BustaMove BIG PRIZE DRAW For a mere $10 you can help purchase a digital mammogram machine & be entered in our fabulous draw. Help make the boobs of Nova Scotian women merry! Prizes are continuing to be added:) Winner takes all. Great odds! Thanks to those who have purchased:)
December Views
Dec. 15th, 2009
08:57 am
Sigh, not Halifax......... can you guess? Mais oui. C'est Paris!
Every now and then I have a poke through my photos, enjoying the memories and I get inspired to post one occasionally.
We are having a soft grey day here too. The snow is gone and the temps are up again. It is a bit foggy and drippy out there. Not a good day for hair if you are affected by that sort of thing.
I have a lot to do today as do most people this time of year:) Best get at it!
If you are from Nova Scotia.... how about checking out the big draw below:) Lots of great goodies in the prize pack:)
Prize Draw! I will keep this wee announcement here on my blog until Dec 30th. BustaMove BIG PRIZE DRAW For a mere $10 you can help purchase a digital mammogram machine & be entered in our fabulous draw. Help make the boobs of Nova Scotian women merry! Prizes are continuing to be added:) Winner takes all. Only 25 tickets sold to date!!! Great odds!
December Views
Dec. 14th, 2009
09:58 am
Spring Garden Road is a lovely street with shops and coffee places and interesting side streets to explore. This is the window of Mills Brothers, an old family business that has been around for years and years. Recently it was sold and the new owners have done a bit of modernizing.The light is odd because it is actually sunlight reflecting off the buildings behind me spilling across the street and illuminating this scene. Quite cool really. On the far right just out of sight is a window with a charming display that has captivated the people in Halifax every December for 40 plus years!
Yes, it is Snow White. If you look at her closely, you can see her wee bosom rise and fall softly so you can tell she is just sleeping:) The dwarves have diamond tears.
Prize Draw! I will keep this wee announcement here on my blog until Dec 30th. BustaMove BIG PRIZE DRAW For a mere $10 you can help purchase a digital mammogram machine & be entered in our fabulous draw. Help make the boobs of Nova Scotian women merry! Prizes are continuing to be added:) Latest is tickets to a taping of This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Winner takes all. Only 20 tickets sold to date!!! Great odds!
December Views
Dec. 13th, 2009
09:24 am
Yesterday I bought myself an early Christmas present! A wonderful copy of From Land and Sea, It is a collection of work from over 65 of Nova Scotia's contemporary landscape painters and it is gorgeous. I am tucking it away and won't look at it until Dec. 25th. Promise! There was a book signing at Argyle Fine Art Gallery and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to purchase it. Now I just have to track down all the other artists!
Here are Mark Brennan (my pal:), Gordon MacDonald, Dee Appleby( the author), Steven Rhude and Shelley Mitchell. A true powerhouse of talent assembled here!
I will keep this wee announcement here on my blog until Dec 30th. BIG PRIZE DRAW For a mere $10 you can help purchase a digital mammogram machine & be entered in our fabulous draw. Help make the boobs of Nova Scotian women merry! Prizes are continuing to be added:) Latest is tickets to a taping of This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Winner takes all. Only 20 tickets sold to date!!! Great odds!
December Views
Dec. 12th, 2009
09:49 am
"So this is Christmas,"Can you hear John Lennon singing?
This wee advent calendar has seen a lot of action. Every year since my daughter was born, it comes out of hibernation and sits proudly on the wall. Above the pockets is a green velcro Christmas tree and each day, one of the cloth ornaments gets to decorate it:) December 25th gets a small dove.
Happy Chanukah to all of you who celebrate it:)
I am on the home stretch now. I still have cards to do, tree to get, decorations to put up. Not too much, just enough to keep me preoccupied. As if I wasn't preoccupied enough with my BustaMove activities and fund raising!
We now have 18 prizes in our BIG DRAW and the winner takes it all! From massage, golf, food, coffee, flowers, new resume, movies,books,wine....... pretty good odds. The draw is on Dec. 30th and we've only sold about 30 tickets.
Don't forget to donate here! For $10 you can help purchase a digital mammogram machine for the holidays and be entered in a big prize draw to help make the boobs of Nova Scotian women merry! Prizes are continuing to be added:)
December Views
Dec. 11th, 2009
09:04 am
I am not one to eat burgers and but fries but........yesterday a friend and I decided to check out the Westcliffe Diner! I was looking through the Coast (a local paper) at restaurant reviews and this wee place had raves! I thought we MUST go. The old adage appearances can be deceptive runs true here. This is a place I have driven past a bazillion times and never once thought to go inside.
Inside it is dark and cluttered but the energy is great and it is clean and always full of people. Most of them regular customers.The couple seated here come every time they drive into the city! Thursday is Special Day and on this day it was a boiled corn beef dinner, sometimes it is roast beef, chicken, ham and scalloped potatoes, all for the inexpensive price of $6.00. Including dessert and coffee! Grilled cheese $1.75 and the milkshakes are renowned!
See! The sign says it all. When you arrive, you figure out what you want and go to the counter and write down your order on a little piece of paper and leave it on the counter by the grill. They call it out when ready and you pick it up. You then pop down to the cooler and pick out your drink. When you are finished you take your dishes down to the end. Very mom and pop and really terrific value and great food!
This is what I had with some onion rings and fries. It was AMAZING. Melted in my mouth. Really one of the best cheeseburgers I have ever had. The woman seated next to me recommended it and I am so glad she did.
Here they are, the ones that make the magic happen......Bev and Tyler:)
Don't forget to visit the BIG prize draw for BustaMove here! For $10 donation you can help purchase a digital mammogram machine for the holidays and be entered in a big prize draw to help make the boobs of Nova Scotian women merry! Prizes are continuing to be added:)
December Views
Dec. 10th, 2009
11:07 am
Just a midweek smile! It's contagious:)
Mr and Mrs Andrew Lyman, Polish tobacco farmers near Windsor Locks, Connecticut
1940 Sept. Taken by Jack Delano... Delano explains that he made the couple laugh by telling Mr. Lyman that his pants were falling down. "The thought of such a catastrophe," Delano writes, "apparently made them break up."
Don't forget to pop in here! For $10 donation you can help purchase a digital mammogram machine for the holidays and be entered in a big prize draw to help make the boobs of Nova Scotian women merry! Prizes are continuing to be added:)
December Views
Dec. 9th, 2009
09:16 am - Flower whisperer
I rescued this amaryllis the other day along with a few others. It was hard not to buy the entire floor display. You see they had all started to grow and most were straining at the lids of the boxes trying to burst free. All white and pale and desperate. Reaching for a bit of light and trying to escape.
They are favourites of mine and I always buy one or two each winter because they have such gorgeous blooms and grow so astoundingly quickly! If you sit quietly and watch I swear you can see them lengthen. Like Christmas cactus which also blooms this time of year, it is wonderful to have flowers in December and January.
I might go rescue some more!
Oh and don't forget to pop in HERE! For $10 you can purchase part of a digital mammogram machine for the holidays and be entered in a draw worth $several $100 and help make the boobs of Nova Scotian women merry!
December Views
Dec. 8th, 2009
12:00 pm
Last night we had a fund raising event for our HalifaxChicks BustaMove team. It was a great success! Our first December mixer! Once a month a group of women whose only commonality is that they live in Halifax, are"chicks" and Twitter, get together for a meal or drink. I have met some great gals through this and in fact these gatherings is the reason our small BustaMove team was created.
Last night we had an event where the "dudes" were allowed to come for a fee of $10 and a chance to win a bounty of international beer. We also had a "Cool Off" a competition via questions asked by judges, to determine who was coolest, @MrWordsworth(Mark Campbell) or @CoolestCool(Ross Simmonds). The two contenders are seen above battling it out for the title.
I think the question here was what was the greatest remake ever made and answers are "The Land That Time Forgot 2" and "Gremlins 2, The New Batch"' These guys are reeaallly cool:)
At the end of the evening......a tie was declared and everyone went home happy.
I think Mark Archibald was the happiest....he won the beer :)
One more thing! The BIG Draw is now full of prizes and ready for a happy $10 dollar donation to possibly take it all home. You must be able to come to Halifax to pick it up.
December Views
Dec. 7th, 2009
09:36 am
Don't you just love reflections! Makes for interesting pictures. A mingling of subjects that often creates something quite different from what you see at first glance.
Monday! Back again. Cold outside today, finally. I'll have to scrape off the car. Not done that since last winter:)
Our prize list for the BustaMove Big Draw is slowly growing:) Make a donation and be entered:) We have not really publicized it yet. Waiting until this week. Be the first to enter:)
Dec. 6th, 2009
10:29 am
One of my favourite haunts! Libraries and bookstores fill me with intense calm and excitement at the same time. When I was a little girl we would make the trip to the library once a week and I would load up on Dr. Seuss, Curious George and Babar books. My brothers and I would plonk ourselves on the floor and get lost in the possibilities of choice. So hard to decide which books to bring home. I still tend to get carried away and bring home too many books.
This is the Keshen Goodman Library. I've never thought to bring my camera there before.
and.......as I write this it is snowing! Sideways backwards and upside down. The wind is blowing it everywhere. My daughter has to go to work at 1pm. I think it will terrible out there by then:( I am thinking the bus would be a better choice than driving. Those first few winter drives are always nerve wracking. No salt on the roads yet, lots of slippy sliding. The wee reindeer in this picture is a fellow I fell in love with. Covered in birch bark and sparkly salt crystals, I spied him in a window display.
Ooh and my latest discovery this weekend was born out of a desperate desire to recreate this! I had bought a box as a splurge and loved it! So, when it was finished I decided to try my own version. It worked! 2 bags of any decaffe tea, 2 bags of Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice tea which I adore and always have), 5 green cardamon pods about 4 cups of water and simmer till dark and inky. House smells wonderful. Add honey and serve half milk and half chai mixture. Yum.
December Views
Dec. 5th, 2009
04:17 pm
The famous view from Citadel Hill of the Old Town Clock. Built in 1803 it has been keeping time for 206 years! Off in the distance is Georges Island and behind that a glimpse of McNab's island sitting at the mouth of the harbour.
Soon that green hill will be covered with snow. We are expecting a storm tonight! Rain then snow ending at noon. Winter arrives with a bang when it does come:) I've got some books and chai tea at the ready to keep me cozy.
Here's a sneak peek of a draw we are having on December 30th. Really only applicable to locals but you can pop over and have a look. HalifaxChicks Prize Draw for BustaMove
Dec. 4th, 2009
09:20 am
I can't believe it is December 4th already. I think it is because of the weird warm weather. It feels like September. There are even flowers still blooming in people's gardens. This is the season of snow and cold, not mild and wet. In some ways I am relieved because the winters can be long and harsh and towards the end, I go a bit nutty but.....still.....it makes me uneasy that the seasons are becoming so unpredictable.
Oh and remember, those wee baby animal and parent paintings I did? I have them available as prints in my Etsy shop now.
Ending on a silly note, "Yep , I'll have another martini please" TGIF
December Views
Dec. 3rd, 2009
09:41 am
Fuller Terrace, a pretty wee street in the North end. Love all the different hues. When I was in Alberta last year I was struck at the lack of colour in the new subdivisions, all the houses seemed to be taupe, beige, grey, white. I think with the harsh winters in Canada we need to see colour to brighten up the day:)
Here is a quote I read recently that resonates with me.
"The easiest way to get what you want is to help others get what they want"
Don't you think that is true? Something to think about today:)
December Views
Dec. 2nd, 2009
09:02 am
After yesterday's gloomy picture I thought I would post some colour! I had to use up some of my veggies on the weekend and found a soup recipe that used leeks, red cabbage and tomato. It was quite good. I love the internet for that sort of thing. Type in ingredients and voila!
Last night's Zumba class was REALLY fun. I was surprised at how quickly the hour sped by. I think what really made it for me was the sheer number of participants. About 200! The music is Latin, Bollywood, Arabic, and pumping good! You cannot help wanting to move:) It is held in the field house at Dalplex and there is plenty of room. A bit disconcerting at times to feel the floor moving up and down, but I'm sure it is safe. There was a great mix of people and all ages:) Zumbaa!
Got a lot of calendars mailed out yesterday. More to do today. If you want one, last chance to email me and let me know. Another busy day here. Hope yours is great.
December Views
Dec. 1st, 2009
09:41 am
A view over the Halifax Commons. Looks like these folk are walking along the edge of the world.......... I'm participating in December Views this month, hosted by Darlene at HippyUrbanGirl and you can too if you want :)
My calendars have arrived and I will be packaging and shipping out today! They are not the perfect quality I had hoped for but this was a last minute project and I am pleased that I have them to offer to you! Duffett cats to brighten your wall all year:)
December is here! We had an amazingly sunny and mild November, just some rain these last few days. I read somewhere yesterday that Toronto had the first snow free month in 162 years!
Hope you have a great day. I am going to a Zumba class at Dal with my daughter tonight:) It is the last night that her fave instructor is teaching before heading off to New Zealand . She has been trying to get me to attend for awhile and tonight is it! Rhumba zumba!
Nov. 28th, 2009
09:32 am
I had a wake up call last week and it has stayed with me these last ten days.......
During a fitness class on a Wednesday morning, a charming woman whom I'd just said hello to for the first time, sat down suddenly, looking pale and a bit distressed. Her friends gathered round and put her in the recovery position. She was nauseated and had pain in her head. Soon paramedics arrived and she was taken to the hospital......... she died. It was a brain aneurysm.
I can't stop thinking that I witnessed her last good half hour on this earth. That morning when she got up she donned a cheery red t-shirt. She might have had dishes in the sink ready to finish when she got home, maybe she had to get ready for work, all plans that did not matter any more. We just don't know do we......... be grateful for every minute you have.
My dad was a physician and he used to say that life was really like a roulette wheel, you never know where the ball will land. People who look after themselves can go suddenly and those that abuse can live long lives. Live your life in moderation, do the best you can, and if you really want that cupcake, go for it.
Nov. 27th, 2009
08:39 am
Fun fun fun! Neville MacKay, Melanie and Gail, two of the gals on the Halifax Chicks BustaMove team, posing with our mascot and fearless leader....Richard Simmons! Thursday night there was a rally/info meeting for Bust a Move at one of the local hotels and it was a great event. We even got a mini preview of what to expect for those six hours in January, all of us moovin and groovin to the beat. Zumba was the highlight. Actually, winning a gift certificate to Lululemon was the highlight for me, I was so surprised:)
Our team had been asked to come up and speak about fundraising. What we have done so far and have planned for the next two months to give people ideas about what they might do. Hope it helped. I was nervous. People were just starting to arrive in this picture.
It ended early in the evening and I dashed over to Fred to see the "Mystery Art Sale" for Adsum house. I was wondering if my picture had sold. Evidently it was one of the first to go:) Yay. I hope they did well. There were still quite a few people around when I got there.
Nov. 25th, 2009
08:53 am
That is my palette! Hard as a rock:) Fun to think about how many paintings are represented here. I've been so busy with other things lately not much of that getting done.
Thursday night is the Mystery Art Night for Adsum House. Mystery Art is a swanky cocktail party at FRED. with sparkling wine, hors d'ouevres and live music, during which we sell the 5 x 7" art on the walls... the art will be up starting Monday Nov 23 at FRED. First in line at 6pm on Thursday Nov 26 gets their pick, all for $100. The sale lasts from 6-8, at which time we reveal the artists. Which artist did you buy? A Tom Forrestall, or a B list Hollywood actor? A Michael Martchenko, of Robert Munsch book fame, or is it a David Cowles (illustrator for Esquire, Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times)... or any number of beautiful local artists. I have a painting in there too:) I'm trying to decide whether or not to go. Tickets are $20.
My arm is a wee bit sore today but not bad really. I am just so glad I finally got the H1N1 shot. Picked up a chocolate lime cupcake at FRED on the way home to cheer myself up afterward. Cupcakes make everything better:)
Pop over and visit my friend Pat in New York, she is giving away a gorgeous Lenox china holiday teapot! She writes the most wonderful and informative posts about her city. A couple of my favourites were about the secret gardens in New York, absolutely fascinating. Three about Central Park had me wanting to jump on a plane immediately!
Also.......Thanks so much for purchasing my calendars!! They are sold out!!!!
I am wondering whether I should order any more. If you are interested, please let me know ASAP so I can get them ordered. I might get some to put on Etsy.
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