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
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
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:)
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.
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!
Father Christmas leading the parade at the end of the day:)
VictorianChristmas is also on today,
Sunday at the Halifax Citadel from 12-4pm. Crafts, caroling, cider,
history, lots to see and do:) These pics are from yesterday. My
daughter is having fun as a volunteer:)
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 aneuryism.
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.
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.
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.
One
day last week I treated myself to a stop here. I was in Dartmouth
picking up some permits and on the way home, just after crossing the
bridge, on North Street, I could smell coffee roasting. Heaven.
Java Blend Coffee
has been in business since 1938. A small family operation that has
managed to hang in there through hard work, great coffee and lovely
personalities. They even have a blog
(check the bottom of their page). A neighborhood favourite, Java Blend
has been licensed by TransFair Canada since 1999 to roast and
distribute Fair Trade Certified Coffees. Many of the restaurants around
town get their coffee here.
It
was a gorgeous late sunny afternoon. People were even sitting outside
at a few tables sipping and reading, in late November! I popped in for
an Americano, my current fave.
Ha,
this pic makes my coffee look like a giant cup of Joe but it was really
just a regular:) It is not a place I get to very often because it is
out of my normal path but everytime I visit I think, must do this more
often:)
Thanks to everyone who has purchased calendars:) I've been wanting to do one for ages.
I only have a few left in this order so if you are interested....act soon.
Getting the flu shot today.
