Second Half of the NEW YEAR.

Good Morning and Welcome to a very Windy Tuesday.

The sky was overcast earlier but is beginning to clear.

With hopes of a bright sunny day with no rain.

We do need the sunshine.

The crops and gardens need the sunshine as do the animal life including we humans.

 

Last night after work we went out for our walk.

It was super cloudy with a great chance of rain or so I thought by the looks of the sky.

But I wanted to get a second walk in if it were possible.

We were just a few doors down when I heard music turning my head to listen, I was startled by someone calling my name.

One of our friends down the street was in her front yard and was partially hidden by her tree.

She wanted to chat.

Her son had made her a new wooden television stand and she had a brand new t.v.

He did a beautiful job as the pieces of the stand were carved and then put together.

Very nice.

So we chatted and was nice to catch up.

During this time it started to pour so when we left no further walking.

We ran to our house.

I dried Mr. Alvin off including his ears.

He is prone to yeast infections in his ears if they get wet.

So always watching them.

 

Last night after supper,  I had brand new combination smoke/carbon monoxide detectors installed on all three levels of my house.

So happy to have that done.

The last ones had expired as I did not realized that they had to be replaced.

They are hard-wired HOWEVER the battery life of the detectors only last a specific amount of time before need to be replaced.

The new ones are 10 years.

2030 they will need to be replaced.

Will check the date on the box to ensure that they weren’t sitting on the shelves for a year or more.

Very happy it has been done.

Another job checked off my TO DO LIST for this summer.

I am most grateful.

 

I noticed on the front door wreath last night I had a little visitor.

I suppose he/she stopped to take a rest perhaps thinking what a pretty flower.

Sorry it was not a real flower.

So beautiful.

DRAGONFLIES are one of my most favourite creatures on this Earth.

Also reminded me to find a way to clean that wreath which is starting to look a bit on the dingy side.

 

Well time to get to work.

We were up early before settling on the sofa.

I believe it was 3:30 a.m.

I gave MR. Alvin his very last pain med with hopes that he could settle down and sleep.

I woke up with a headache.

Go figure.

So decided against coffee this morning.

Just water today.

 

Time to go.

Wishing you a great day.

Maybe something will come off your “TO DO LIST.”

Remembering always to live with kindness and respect for all living creatures and our environment.

I/We, shall remain,

Always, Carol & Mr. Alvin

It is a NEW YEAR.

Good Tuesday Morning.

The sky is odd this morning with a mix of shine and cloud.

It is warm already in the house OR perhaps it never really cooled down.

We have a few really good fans that kept us cool during the night so that we could sleep.

It is another reminder to get the Central Air Conditioning serviced.

I have to make that call.

But for now we are comfortable with the fans.

Yesterday we squeaked in a walk before the temperature was too warm.

By after work it was too warm for us to go.

We decided to work in the backyard for our exercise and additional fresh air.

Alvin loves to sit outside.

In fact, earlier this morning he just sat outside for a few minutes before we had to return upstairs for his Momma to get ready for work.

Wow, that was a mouth full.

Anyway, he does loves to relax on the deck.

*********

How are you doing today?

I hope that you are well.

Question for you?

Do you choose your outfit the night before bed for the next day?

Or are you a let’s see what strikes me kind of person in the morning?

Well generally I am the first.

I like to be organized.

In the morning our routine was pretty much set before COVID19 hit.

Since being home it has changed somewhat but I still choose my clothing right down to the underwear the night before bed.

Okay, when you get dressed ….

Is there sometimes and I have found now that I am home that I just cannot make a decision?

Nothing seems to fit right?

Nothing seems comfortable?

Nothing works?

I know that I have put on some weight.

Yup, another thing we can blame on COVID19 which is a lot easier than blaming oneself.

Okay, I know it is not COVID19’s fault (and here I am speaking about it as if it is a person, oh my goodness sake).

But then the sun comes out and you put on something that makes you feel like a million dollars even with the extra weight.

The colour suits you and the cut is amazing.

It is that little top in your closet or perhaps a pair of pants.

That you always feel good wearing.

For some reason it does not hit the top of the list often enough.

I have that top on this morning.

The colour is good on me.

Turquoise blue.

It has an embossed dragonfly with some gold sequins and other coloured ones.

The cut is good.

My buddha belly is semi disguised although not entirely.

It is just a top that was well made.

Short sleeves.

Has the right amount of stretch to be flattering.

I love this top.

I was just thinking that it would be fantastic to have more of this top.

But alas it was a hand me down and I have no idea of where it came from and most likely they don’t make this anymore.

But for this moment, for this day, I shall run with the feeling of a $million dollars$$.

 

Mr. Alvin has a vet appointment at lunchtime to check his ears.

I believe that he has an infection in his left one.

Better to be safe than sorry.

He has been uncomfortable the past couple of days and I surely do not wish him to suffer.

 

Okay, time to start drinking that “to go” mug of coffee.

Have an awesome day.

I hope that you have that “turquoise top with the dragonflies.”

Something that makes you feel special.

Cause you are, you know.

 

Living my life with kindness and respect and of course a tinch of fun.

I/We, shall remain,

Always, Carol & Alvin

 

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 17th day of July, 2017.

WOW, another week closer to my vacation.

So excited.

We certainly had a mixture of weather this past weekend and I am so grateful for a couple of cooler days.

I am like the flowers and plants, I wilt in the heat.

Alvin is not a fan either.

 

Alvin slept once again until the alarm went off.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that we went to bed at almost 10:30 p.m.

Or the late walk!

 

Today it is all about the flowers.

I hope that you have a garden or some beautiful flowers in a pot.

They just make my day.

THE LILIES are BLOOMING ….. such a gorgeous Burgundy red.  Happy with my flowers.

Missing two other flower pots ……

I love the snapdragons that my friend gave me ….. they are growing like crazy.

Also the tomato plant is huge and the photo in the bottom right hand corner does not do it justice.

PEAS, I have pea plants.

Have an awesome Monday.

Special Hello to: All the lovers of flowers …..

Always, Carol & Alvin

Thought for the day …..

Good Morning and Welcome to Saturday the 16th day of July, 2016.

BRIGHT AND SUNNY.

One of my most favourite things on the planet is FLOWERS.

I love them.

The different palette of colours.

How each petal is different .

How the scents just carry you away to the best places.

Here are some of my flowers over the years since I have moved to Edmonton.

I must download this year’s flowers from my tablet to the computer.

I have some lilies that are burgundy and so pretty.

My front flower bed is do well despite some hard rainfall and hail.

So today I just want to make you smile.

Perhaps you will go for a walk and check out the flowers in your neighbourhood …. that is if you do not have any at your home.

Happy Saturday.

Flowers

AND Dragonflies, I love them.

Each one is different and so beautiful.

FLOWERS FOR FRIENDS

Summer of 2009, my first summer here in Edmonton

“Someone else loves flowers, too.”

Flowers for Easter ….. Happy Spring.

Wishing you the best day.

Now back to work.

My friend is coming for a visit and things have to be just SO.

Special Hello to: my friend “V” ….. only three sleeps now.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

P.S. Alvin is excited for the new company.

Thought for the day ….

Good Morning and Welcome to Sunday the 20th day of September, 2015.

Three more days until it is officially fall, September 23rd.

There was no rain when Alvin and I were first up at 4:30 a.m. ….. I have an early bird for a household companion.

Woe is me …… well actually not, because he does lay down after he goes outside and eats breakfast.

Now it has been raining for a few hours not exactly sure how many.

I am so grateful that I spent the time outside yesterday doing yard work.

Mowed the front including my neighbours and the back.

Raked it all including some leaves that have turned and fallen.

Pulled flowers and cleaned out some of the “13” flower pots that I planted.

The impatiens out in the front flower bed are doing well thus far so I left them.

Also left some of the pots out back as they were doing well.

Rearranged and tidied up the garage.

Pulled some weeds between our garages and our houses.

Watered the remaining flowers …..

Even enjoyed a snack and coffee on the deck in the sunshine.

It was fabulous.  So nice.

Back inside: I finally rearranged the basement (after the dry wall now complete); did six loads of laundry, vacuumed and dusted and bathroom…… whew.

Closet in the office will have to wait for another day……

Alvin was outside this morning and he was looking up and barking.

He barked for a few minutes before I figured out what he was barking about ….. it was the lily pad ornament and piece of rock that I had set up on the railing by the garage but had forgot to put away inside.

Mr. Alvin reminded me to put it away …… a bit late but better late than never, right.

What a guy.

I am going to whip up a batch of pancakes.

My daughter is coming for a visit this afternoon and we will have pancakes for a snack/late lunch.

Alvin gets another haircut and bath.

Seems like I just cut his hair …. yes, only a few weeks ago.

Later when my friend finishes her Steeped Party sales I will enter them and submit the party.

I also have to run out for a couple of errands at the store / drugstore.

Then after supper I am going to simply relax and watch some of the new fall line-up.

I hope that you are having a great Sunday and make sure that you take the time to relax.

So important to your well being.

I know sometimes if you are the only one that does the house work, outdoor stuff, you work, children and or pets, part-time job, and whatever else you may have on your plate or all of the above…… taking the time to RELAX does not feel like an option but you must.  If you are not well then none of those things will get done.

Well it is time for this gal to get the show on the road ….. whip up the pancakes and make them so just have to warm them up….. so easy peasy.

Then cutting Mr. Alvin’s hair well that is not exactly the easiest most especially his paws.

But I will do my best as always.

Happy Sunday.

Special Hello to: all the inhabitants on the this planet whether two or four-legged, fish or fowl … Hello.

Not to forget the Ants, LadyBugs, Dragonflies and such.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday the 7th day of July, 2014.

It is a pure “light” blue sunny sky here from my home in Edmonton, Alberta.

There is a nice breeze keeping the early morning hours – cool.

All of this week the forecast is in the high 20’s – celsius that is.

Yesterday morning when my daughter came to pick me up for work (so lucky she drove me to and from the store yesterday).

She found just comfortably attached to my front door wreath another one of the biggest dragonflies I have ever seen.

I did not notice them to be so big years ago but the last two or three they are huge.

We snapped some photos for you to see.

 

Are not dragonflies the coolest insect on the planet.

They are my favourite.

Every time that I see one I feel so blessed and lucky.

It is like they draw positive energy into my body.

Just make me feel so good.

It seems that for the past three years one of them has always landed on the front wreath just waiting for me to come and snap a photo.

So on this gorgeous Monday I hope that you are feeling great as well.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Special Hello to: everyone who loves dragonflies.

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the day…..

Good Morning and Welcome to a Lovely Rainy Thursday Morning the 19th day of June, 2014.

The grass almost immediately begins to turn that glorious green once it has been touched by Mother Nature’s Nectar.

I do love the rain ……

Yesterday I uploaded (if that is the correct term) some photos and in my computer wisdom somehow I deleted them before I was able to publish.

Anyway …. here are some of the things that I love ….. my favourites ….. I would love to share photos of family and friends but decided puppies and scenery …… and stuff.

Ah, my puppies ….. Elton and Penny

Alvin’s first stocking …. from his family.

“Head in the clouds”

Shades of purple…..

For You

This is what happens when you make things!!

Beautiful roses,
Not long away,
My gift to you,
Happy Easter …..

FLOWERS FOR FRIENDS

 

Special Hello to: my family and friends all over the world.

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day….

Good Morning and Welcome to Monday, the 8th day of July, 2013.

 THIS MORNING

Sun coming up.

The mist rising off the water nearly covering the flock of geese as they slowly made their way from one side to the other.

You could hear peeps from the baby goslings and see varying sizes of them amongst the elder geese.

The air comfortable for our walk.

Alvin stopping frequently to sniff something buried from sight.

The fragrance of the roses fills my senses, and enters my body.

My mind wonders as we stroll.

I smile, and feel an incredible sense of happiness.

Now on our way home ….. this morning.

********

Well time to go back to work ….. I am so grateful that the end of my vacation had me feeling healthy once again.

On Saturday night after Alvin and I had returned home from our walk … I noticed a huge beautiful dragonfly resting on the wreath of flowers on our front door.

At first I feared that it might not be alive but then I very gently touched it and it moved ….

I love dragonflies …. they are my favourite creatures other than my Alvin and grand-puppies of course.

It looked so regal on the wreath.

I let Alvin into the house and very gingerly lifted the dragonfly up and moved it from the front door to my flowers in the backyard.

It rested for a moment and then very gracefully flew up and around me and then away.

I am always grateful to see dragonflies.

They restore my faith that things will work out for the best.

I also saw one on television in the most unlikely of shows.

So it was my day for faith and healing.

As always, I am grateful to be alive and for all the many blessings that surround me.

Special Hello to: YOU

Always, Carol and Alvin

Thought for the Day……

Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday, the 19th day of March, 2013.

As we approach the official day of spring we are all taking a collective deep breath and hoping that Mother Nature is kind.

We have snow banks on our street that are over my head by several feet.

It is no longer an easy task to shovel the snow from our walks.

The main streets have been cleaned so going to and from work has been relatively easy but in the “hood” …. it is a different story.

Yesterday someone mentioned that by the beginning of April we are to have in the plus double digits.  WOW.

I so love spring.

The sights, the sounds and the smells.

The last bunny I saw was still white and no wonder with all this snow.

Despite everything we are collectively doing to this planet the animals still get it right.

You see during most of January we had mild temperatures, and in February when it was melting the bunnies remained pure white …. no hints of brown.

They know.

So once I see the bunnies starting to turn brown I know that spring is on it’s way.

I love the sound of the birds ….. like robins and long to see a hummingbird.

I love dragonflies and ladybugs…. ooh, I gotta go.

My ride will be here soon.

Thank you to all those people who are reading my blog ….. I am eternally grateful.

I hope that everyone has a great day.

Special Hello to:  YOU and YOU …..

 

Always, Carol and Alvin

 

Thought for the day….

Good Morning Everyone ….. today is Tuesday, July 17th, 2012.

Today marks the one year wedding anniversary of my neighbours and good friends, Sherie and Todd.

I hope that they have a wonderful day.

The SKY IS BLUE, LIGHT BLUE and the SUN is SHINING.

YAY.  After several days of cloudy skies and RAIN, it is wonderful to see the sun shine.

All of the plants, trees, grass and flowers are excited to have the sun shine after all of the rain.

I was in the process of downloading some photos that I snapped last night of a couple of the lakes that are close by my home but alas I could not get them downloaded in time.

As you see I had over 400 photos to download (hadn’t realize there were so many) …. actually forgot that the memory card is the same one that the kids used with my camera when they were in San Diego.

So hence all of the photos.  Anyway, I am close …. will download them this evening and post some tomorrow on my blog ….. it is truly incredible how much water and how high it is ….. crazy.

Anyway, I hope that everyone has a truly wonderful, amazing, crazy good/great day.

Alvin and I sure enjoyed our walk around part of the lake last night even though we had to go up to the sidewalk at the top (you will see what I mean when I post the photos).

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you all.  Guess what I saw on our way home last night …… me and Mr. Alvin were just walking by my friend Gillian’s house when I saw these huge DRAGONFLIES.

They were the size of a small bird …. I would say close to a hummingbird and at first I saw one, then two and then several.  I didn’t have time to get my camera out as they swirled about us.

They were beautiful ….. I believe that these are some of the most unique creations ….  love them….. I felt like I was in another place.  They lifted my spirits and carried me home.

Well …. time to go…

Please take the time and enjoy those moments when they arise …… it truly can be a most rewarding experience and make you feel so good/great/awesome.

Special Hello to: all those people affected by the rising waters and the forest fires ….. we wish you good contractors and some dry days, and safety and rain…..take care.

Always, Carol and Alvin.