January 31....a photo a day....

Last day of our photo a day challenge.... I think we all enjoyed it. It was very handy for me to have a ready made motivator ... something to keep me moving in a forward direction for the month following the silly season. Yes, I did also get to do my usual major "spring clean" as I call it. I like to do it reeeellly early.... so I don't miss out on any good weather.
North of the 49th, we like to be outdoors in any good hours... unless you are a winter sport nut....then... all year round is outside weather I suppose. I never had a hankering to ski.. riding up the mountains freezing my butt ... .... not really my idea of much fun.










I've been admiring my two beautiful small oil paintings for years. ..... bought them in Victoria when I used to fly there to visit my Mom.

Finally got them framed and then they sat another few years... being admired on the floor in various spots.... but, ... today, we got them hung. Yaaaaaay!

Mr. BV is pretty picky and prefers me to wait for him to help hang things. If I did it I would stagger them or hang them higher or lower than he wants to view them. If I didn't feel like going out to get the hammer from the toolbox..I'd just use a shoe to bang in the nail. What's the big deal? .... oh, well... I don't mind if he likes to level and measure ... they definitely do look perfect when he's done. But... sometimes it takes forever to nail him down. But, .... finally today I said... let's hang pictures and he had no excuse and nothing pressing it seemed. Hah! Handed him the picture hooks.... had the level and hammer at the ready..... et voila!

My seaside vignette.













I want something larger than my mermaid on that corner of the table... something more or less flat but heavier.... to balance the effect.











But, for now... she is part of my display.. although I hate leaving my dolls out to gather dust.














This is Mertika.... a distant cousin of Echlin,














a little elfin doll I made in an online class. A tail instead of legs and she became a sea creature.... shells, seaweed and even some pearls complete the ensemble...














Some of you may have checked out my picturetrail site and will have seen her already. Some people are not as nosy as me and don't hop all over looking at the goodies.... I always laugh when I look at my clever idea for earrings... dainty little snails .....

her face is done with watercolour pencils....
the face drawing was what drew me to the class ... this is one of the first three faces I did after getting my class information.... still love her face....

Our daily photo group hated to give it up totally....so.... we are going to continue, but only do one a week. After feeling obliged to keep up and then getting right into it and really enjoying the challenge.... ... I somehow got energized ... I have also managed to do some workouts daily...and now... feel ready to get on with "something".... I haven't a clue what yet....but.... something......









Perhaps something besides baking which seems to have become my latest passion and hobby... which reminds me.... please check out my latest.. ... Blueberry Coffee Cake... mmmm....

January 30....a photo a day....

Olde Dame Penniwig offers some interesting pics and graphics at her blog.... check 'em out and borrow a few ..









I don't know about genius, but perhaps a bit of creativity would be good ....














this is my own effort from waaaay back to encourage myself ... so far back and so many blogs ago I forget what for... but, it seems appropriate...

....seeing as the only thing I am creating...and the only thing I even feel like creating these days, is food. Yup... here I am sweating and hopping and eating well. Ratatouille for supper...











...and fresh bread....












I love food. Good food. And, I don't do diets... learned a long time ago they don't work.. plus, as somebody said eons ago... it sounds like die with a "t" at the end. Instead, I just reduce portions and try to eat better yet. Eating at home and making or baking your own let's you control exactly what goes into what.

Well, as you can see I ain't goin' anywhere outside today....too busy creating. Creating havoc in the kitchen...and a huge mess. Where's a little robot or servant when I need one? It would be so much more fun to cook and bake if some plongeur tidied behind me.

I still want to try a blueberry recipe today for Diana and the group...but, it is exercise time already.... might not get around to that one..... still trying to juggle those balls..











I feel like I should be in a 12 step program...

"Hello, my name is Veronica and I am a Procrastinator".

Okay, this is embarrassing... from when? ..acckkkk!! Poor little Gerber.... could do with a pit of TLC and several well placed stitches.... ... and look ...a bunch of other bear bits... just hanging about... waiting....

and...okay...that does it..I'm off to do some weights...

January 28....a photo a day...

Okay... back to reality. Yesterday was much more fun... honestly, I prefer fantasy most days.... but, today I had to get dressed (sometimes I stay in my 'jammies all day) ... had to go for groceries and do some banking.

This is a pyramid just across the parking lot from the mall.... oh, alright .. it isn't .... but it is the nearest library. Huh?? ... yeh..I keep asking myself what the heck too... ....











...some architect's nightmare I guess...











..and this is the update that is taking place at the mall...hmmmmm... maybe they are trying to make the new fit the old... kinda retro or something? I'm thinking it looks like a B-grade sci-fi movie space ship.... I think this is going to be the "food court". That's what they call the conglomeration of junk food outlets with their taste tempting delights (I definitely say that tongue-in-cheek) ...ick...











Canada's Finance Minister brought out the new budget yesterday and ooooohhh.... most Canadians are giddy with delight. There is talk of whopping tax cuts .... ... they say we'll have an extra $240 to spend. ..... yeh...right... whopping ..... I wonder what big ticket item I should buy with that? hahahhahahahhaha ....

January 27....a photo a day...

I asked the dog if he wanted to go out to play..... you can see the look I got....














so....I went out by myself...... took my camera.....

...this little guy flew by the frozen birdie bath a few times and I just got the feeling he wanted to have a go on the ice, but he had no skates.... ... so I quickly made him a tiny pair......and awaaaaaaaaaay he twirled........











"Dude" dog was watching from the window.... whining by then..... absolutely knew he had erred in his decision not to play with me. I had fun with the birds instead..... .

January 26....a photo a day....

Saved some for today . There were plenty on yesterday's post... sometimes too much is just...well, ... too much. Perfume, make-up, jewellery, decor or whatever ... too much of a good thing can totally ruin the presentation. Always leave them wanting more, as they say..... whoever "they" is......

Standing on the trail looking towards the river; all of a sudden the blinding sun flashed between some pine branches... had to try a shot directly into the sun.... it worked well.


























winterscape.....

look up......waaaaaay up....blue sky as far as the eye could see.....













... driving back we circled off highway through a little "hamlet" called Bragg Creek. It says hamlet right there on the sign... That does it...I'm off to Google hamlet versus village, town or whatever else they call a small group of residents. Okay.....I'm back with the straight goods.... :::::according to Wik... A hamlet is (usually) a rural community — that is, a small settlement — which is too small to be considered a village. So, now I know. Anyway...there are a lot of artists and artisans living in this particular hamlet and area.....some of them sell their works in the small shopping center. We hadn't planned to stop there or to shop today, so just carried on with our driving and countryside viewing.
I was hoping for a deer or two...but, today they weren't around...........................










Looks like a snowstorm! hahahha.... didn't notice the speckles on that window til I took a pic with the window up! Little general store....

homeward bound .....











on the drifted side of the road all that was showing was the top few inches of the fence posts...











here's the other side.... and a herd of shredded wheat.....











oh, alright.... they are just jumbo bales of hay...but, I like to call them shredded wheat ..

and, now... your reward for wading through all the snow...











.... mmmmm... Chocolate Cherry Muffins. Hey! if you live close enough, pop over for tea and a "baddie"...if not... give the recipe a try. First time I've actually made chocolate muffins; it certainly won't be the last! these guys are pretty yummy. I even put chocolate icing on a few..... because they are taking the place of somebody's chocolate cake for now. I'll do a cake in a month or so....just because it's still too close to Carrot Cake day....

January 25....a photo a day....

"Field trip" !! Yes, some people say road trip...but, guys in the oil and gas sector say field trip. Because they are actually going out to fields. Oil and gas plants smack dab in the middle of absolutely nowhere...with miles and miles of fields as far as the eye can see. Sometimes the city boys from the engineering firms go out to make measurements or do photo shoots to see what is actually there... for doing what they call "as built" drawings...and info gathering for new design work.. or up-dating older drawings... etc...
So.. there's the background. This morning Mr. BV said... "hey, the sun is shining..let's take a field trip"; we can get some photos for your blog entry... outside the yard". I grabbed my camera... a little baggie of crackers and we were off....











head out on the highway.....

looking for adventure......











Rocky mountains in the distance.....














We drove out about 50 miles to Elbow River Falls...











looking to the right from our vantage point... full size trees not just little shrubbies like they look......














looking down the gorge to our left....











straight across from us was a huge cave area... it is always difficult to gauge the scope of size with small camera... but again, look at the full size trees on the top of the snowy area...














looking back at the actual falls from a second vantage point along a small trail














...the ice built up from the sprays of tumbling waters...











again... difficult to gauge the size unless there is a reference point. That ledge doesn't look like it...but is a long way this side of the falls. Oh, look a reference point showed up. This guy! He was taking his life in his hands...clambering way out there on that rock ledge... once he actually slid and fell on his ass....oh, I was ready with my finger on the trigger...because I thought for sure he was a goner. I almost had one of him plunging into the freezing water.

January 24....a photo a day....

Day going by in the usual blur.... me looking out every window on my way past ... wracking my brain. What to use for "photo a day" ... It's getting a bit more challenging. Seems I've been in every nook and cranny of the yard.... well, it just seems like it, but I bet if I looked from a different angle...I'd find plenty. It's just that...well, today it's -23 C out there in my yard again ......

So... I put on a big sweater and poked my arm out the bedroom window.... and got this...











.... and out another one and got....this...














the huge mounds of snow are gone from the shrubbery.....













the sidelight is almost like looking through a kaleidoscope ....

January 23....a photo a day....

Seeing as our photo a day is supposed to be representative of "our world"... it seems mine has taken on the tone of a weather and yard report. Which is definitely my world. I am a bit of a hermit.... .. love to stay at home...happily cloistered in my little world. ... now if I could just adopt a few cats................. hahahhah.... darn it... Mr. BV is allergic.. and besides doesn't care for cats... now if I wanted a dog... he would be pushing me in the right direction.

The weather man is getting scary-good at predicting things.... last night he said the sun would poke through the clouds after a little sifting of snow overnight... he even said it would begin to peek out about 10:00 a.m....yeh sure.... ... as if he knows the exact time...














........ it appears that he must have a direct line to Mother Nature's house.... because this is looking out my kitchen window at 9:47 a.m. ..... hmmmmm....
I better get that number from David right away before I forget. How great will that be for booking golf times... just so we don't pay and get rained out..yet again....














However, it is far from toasty .... there is frost on the door stop in the garage... so I thought...maybe I'll just stay in and take some more pics through the windows... after all it is only -23 C... nope, not going out today.














hey...just a darn minute....I know there's only have one lamp out there....... ..















..oh..... beveled glass..... that stuff can make for some interesting pics. And, no, that's not real frost patterns on the glass .. it's fake frosted glass.














The sun burned off all the cloud cover... the sky became a brilliant blue... I stuck my head out the door and took one of the new soft white mantle of snow...

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When the mercury plunges...( I love saying that even if there is hardly any mercury to be seen anywhere anymore)..... I like to bake. The house smells so great and the oven heats up the kitchen and ...well, I just love the warm cozy feeling of it...

Bread..... then chocolate cherry muffins....then... oh, yeh...then I had to get busy and burn some calories....











I am using the photo a day as impetus for keeping up with my workout regime... and, guess what? it's working. Thinking about my photo and my blog entry immediately makes me remember to make time to jump on the treadmill...do some stength exercises and stretches... happy to report that so far I have missed only one day in 23..... smug me. (picture a cheesy grin)... .

Strength is definitely improving...I actually feel lighter on my feet or some weird thing too... but, still hoping to strengthen the joints a bit more. I have a collagen deficiency syndrome called Ehlers Danlos that is a bugger for joint and other problems and right now both knees are more than a bit loose..... so certain exercise elements are out of the question. Nothing for it, it is one of those inherited genes..... do the best you can til you can't anymore it seems...

but, I can still force myself to do some core strength training..... so, I do. These are not pushups....it is a static position held for as much time as possible, with considerable thought given to various parts of your anatomy .....












later I'll post the recipe for the muffins... just to sabotage anybody else who is busy exercising...hahahhahahh .....but, really...why can't we still enjoy an occasional muffin ...... then toss the rest in the freezer to save us from ourselves?..... then I pretend they are 'all gone' and Mr. BV takes them in his lunches...

okay...the treadmill is calling my name now..... byeeeeee........

::For those who were curious...here is a description of the pose... it is an old yoga pose...but as always old is new again... because now Pilates people and core training info has snapped it up. Check out the little no-crunch ab exercise video on the sidebar there as well... ...

January 22....a photo a day....

No blue sky today...it is white and laden with snow. Temperatures plummeted overnight to -14C and with the almost 40kph. wind ...the wind chill makes it feel like -26C ...











It's time for big sweaters, toques, mitts and boots again. These are the days when I put my camisole on backwards and mean to. That way at least the neckline is higher in the front instead of low enough to see cleavage. I still can't figure out why anybody designs winter, or at least, "warmer" wear, to look sexy... who is going to see decolletage when you are bundled up like Nanook of the North? Then I put on a turtle neck long sleeve shirt..a big sweater and a ski jacket with a zip in liner, scarf across my chest, toque, mitts and I'm ready to stagger out to the van.
Even then, I carry extra winter mitts, another hat that zips to my jacket and huge Sorel boots in the vehicle.... ... just in case. So what if I'm just going across town? If you get into a collision or have to stop for one, or for any other reason, or if traffic comes to a halt.... you better be prepared to stand around outside or have to walk a distance in minus double digits. Most people aren't prepared because they don't think of those things happening in a short distance I suppose... and sure enough..today I saw a young one..in just a light jacket..low cut t-shirt, tight, thin pants and no head gear...hair whipping around in the wind, hopping up and down with her hands over her ears and freaking out because something happened with her car. Sigh... how do any of them make it past their teens? I prefer to be the funny one waddling around looking like the Stay Puft marshmallow...but... at least I'm a toasty marshmallow....











Visibility was pretty poor... that is a cement truck at the lights in the not too distant roadway... snow was swirling and snaking across the pavement.... the wind was strong enough it was rocking the van. The only really good thing?...hardly anybody else was on the roads. Got my errands run and made it home by 10:30... now... I'm going to hunker down and bake bread, exercise and feel thankful for a nice warm house.











Just getting out on the bad roads in the immediate neighbourhood and making a delivery to a small subdivision that was even worse was physically demanding! It felt like I was driving on rock wheels... reminiscent of Fred Flintstone ... cachunk!! thunk! .... with every turn of the tires I thought I was going to wreck myself.. bouncing and banging along on the icy ruts... ridiculous. Other drivers doing the same... laughing or wincing as you see their faces on the slow drive by... lol....we're all nuts. It was almost as much fun as some of the wicked areas of the Iditarod ..... well, not quite..but, I do tend to fantasize sometimes...











I was out of the car for 3 minutes and already the blowing snow was accumulating on the windshield...

January 21....a photo a day....

For a minute I thought..... what can I do for my pic today>? Well, maybe not even a minute..possibly just seconds..., but, I was sort of thinking perhaps I had just about exhausted the possibilities in our own yard. Silly me... just go out with a camera and open my eyes... the possibilites are, of course, endless.... and this is what I love. The little things. They are always there.

Judi was asking about a different perspective of the yard the other day. Maybe she thinks it is bigger than it is. Perhaps I've fooled you with the close-ups of all my "little things" in different areas. We live on a corner lot so we do have all sides to play with...but, it is just a city lot size. However, it's plenty large enough for trees, gardens, lawn and a large patio.. with a little garden inside the patio.

Since it is melting and the snow is dirty and ugly (to me it's ugly) ...here is one from earlier this month... patio side...it faces the street, so we built a wall to give us some privacy when BBQ'ing or sitting out there.. one of our neighbours laughingly calls it "ze bunker" ....











The front with a huge blue spruce and some shrubs. This house used to be a square box.. we added the area where the door and windows are..that used to be carport... (actually we added the whole other side and garage too) some of you know this is our money pit...er...renovation project..... and dug down deep under that whole carport size area...to make a storage area the same size... no point in building just one thing was there? ....sigh........... we're nuts, what can I say?










it has melted and frozen each night...this is our alley and the cul de sac road.... it will be glare ice like this til late spring. The nearby busier roads are bare today... but, in a big city, there are just too many streets to salt, sand or clear all the snow.











looking the other way up the alley....... oh, how I dislike dirty snow and exposed old plants... etc... bring on more of the white stuff or let me see the new baby greens of spring... hahahha.... spring is miles away yet for us north of the 49th... ...














...but, look....we have a lovely blue sky and sunshine yet again. That's the thing I love about living here.... big sky..lots of sunshine.... even on the bitterly cold days the sun is usually shining.... ya gotta love that.














looking up through my neighbours tree branches....















what's this? ... hey... new baby greens..... ??

hahahha just kidding...it is old greens..

a rather leggy primrose that will need some drastic pruning this spring.... once it finishes its beeeyooootiful blooms.. oh, just a minute...











hah! found it!.... a pic of it in full bloom last year...