Today's Flowers

I hate to admit I did not see one real flower this week. There it is, it's out there.
We did go to a huge Antique Store though and I saw a few there, not real but painted on various things. So I thought I would share Flowers from the Antique Store today for you all!!

This was painted on the side of a lamp.

This flower was painted on a huge Chinese fan. The lines through the fan were each panel of the fan.

Another section of the flowers on a Chinese fan.

I think this flower pattern on these teacups is a common one. I am not one to drink my tea out of a tea cup but they are pretty to look at.

To see more of Today's Flowers please go and visit http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Words

"Never underestimate the power of the spoken word."

Just a simple line, for sure but its true. Sometimes a floodgate of memories can be released when a word is spoken. Sometimes we do not realize the power of our words will have on someone else.
Written words can be the same. I can read something and long after I have put the passage down, the thoughts are still in my mind.

The words on these pages for instance speak of times long gone, times I could not remember because I was just born. My grandmother though, thought to capture these moments on paper and today, many years after my grandmother has passed I can read this and see in the words written, her feelings and her thoughts of that day. I can see in her writings that it was her that made the Christening dress that I wore, and that I, years later, put on my own daughter to bring her home from hospital. The words are links from a time long gone to a time in the present.

Reading the words of my Grandmother's diary is like sitting down for tea and having a conversation with her. Like meeting her for the day and spending some quality time together.

The words on this page tell of my Grandfather's Funeral. I was two years old when he passed away, too young to remember him. I see his pictures and look into the eyes and long for a bit of time to get to know him as well. All I have are words written on yellowed paper to remember him by.

Words are powerful. Words can soothe the soul, lighten the load, gladden the heart, or cut to the bone. We all have the ability with our words to make a difference in the lives of those who hear us speak. We all can choose that impact our words will have.

I was cut today by a word. And when this person discovered it hurt me they repeated it again. I asked them not to but they did anyways.

Watch your words, because you never know. Make your words a soft place to land.

Friday's Fave Five

1) In this last week of the Olympics, I have been really enjoying watching the Figure Skating competitions. It is my favorite thing to watch whether it is the Olympics or other events. Joannie Rochette's emotional skate was something else to see.

2) I got to spend three days this week catching up on paperwork. For my job, spending that much time and having that much time to spend is huge! I powered through a lot of stuff that I've been behind in.

3) Firsts I got to experience this week, all at work with my clients. We went to LaserTag to play a game, something I have never done before. I had so much fun! It's going to be something I go and try again. Always good to try something new!

4) I am very grateful that my kitten Scarf came through her little operation on Monday with flying colours. She was spayed and her ear tattooed as well. She has a little scar that is healing well and although they promised it would slow her down for a bit, it has not stopped her at all!

5) My hubby bought a camera for our business and we went out this weekend so he could learn it. It was different to go out with him and both of us looking for photo ops!! I have my camera and I also use it for our business, but for both of us to go out and just have fun snapping pictures it was a lot of fun.

For more of Friday's Favorite Five's please go to visit http://susannesspace.blogspot.com/

Skywatch Friday

For Skywatch Friday, the sky over Clayburn Village. An old red barn made a perfect foil for a beautiful blue sunny sky.

Clayburn Village is one of the oldest villages in the province. Across the street from this barn is the old church, just recently renovated. It stood empty for years until it got its facelift!

For more photos of Skywatch Friday, please visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Today's Flowers

These are a few of the many spring blossoms blooming here right now. And it is not even spring!!!

I have been getting a few pointers on Photoshop so this is played with! There are daffodils coming up everywhere.

Crocuses growing right in the grass. People here are already cutting thier grass and its growing. Still seems a bit early for cutting I think.

You can buy tulips at any flower stand or shop all over. These two lovelies are from the bouquet of tulips I gave my hubby for Valentine's Day!

For more flower pictures from Today's Flowers, please visit http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Straight Out Of The Camera Sunday

I have a few pictures my hubby and I took today when we went to visit a small town called Fort Langley.

It was a beautiful sunny warm day out, not wintery at all. Lots of flowers growing, trees budding. And a big blue sky!!

Lots of heritage homes to be seen in Fort Langley, even some houses that although look heritage were only built a few years ago. This house is one example.

Next to the home in the picture above, is an old cemetary. There are a lot of former soldiers from world wars buried here. We wandered through and took a few pictures before continuing on our way.

The Railway runs through the end of town, following along the Fraser River. The Railway Station is to the left here.

The Fraser River, off in the far distance you can see the white tops of the Coastal Mountains.

Across the river one of the oldest Church's in this area.

The bridge over Fraser River. The road used to lead to the Albion Ferry which crossed over to another town called Maple Ridge. That ferry now is not in service.

I have more pictures which I will post tomorrow!!

For more pictures of Straight out of the Camera Sunday, please visit http://www.murrieta365.com/

Skywatch Friday

A couple of shots from Hayward Lake this past weekend. It as a cloudy and gloomy kind of day, with occasional breaks in the rain.

Sometimes a break in the clouds is all you need!!

For more pictures of skies of the world, please go and visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Today's Flowers

Sunday and a Valentine's Day and Today's Flowers all on the same day!! There will be a lot of flowers given today and the roadside flowerstands, flower shops etc. will be doing a booming business. So many pretty flowers to choose from, its hard to make up your mind!!
Tulips and Daffodils are all out right now, blooming in flower stands and sproating up in the gardens. Spring has arrived here on the west coast.

To see more pictures of Today's Flowers, please go and visit http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Friday's Favorite Five

This week has been a hard one for me. I have woken up each morning dreading to have to go and do the things I have to do, especially go to work. I notice when I have trouble with one thing in my life, it takes the balance out of all of the rest of my life. So I thought for my list I would use this opportunity to bring to my attention things I know I have in my life to be grateful for.

1) My clients at work are all developmentally delayed and all have special challenges that for the people that give daily care to them, can be very taxing. Some days are especially hard and no matter how much we love and care for our clients we all sometimes watch the clock, have our jacket on and car keys in hand to run out the door with what is left of our patience and get as far away as we can and closer to the sanctuary of our homes as fast as we can. We all work together as a team and bounce our difficulties and trials off of each other so I am grateful for the clients who continually test me and my limits and the staff who hold me up.

2) Somedays I get home from days such as above and have not managed to process the day before bringing it into the home. I am grateful for my hubby who makes me a cup of tea, clears a spot in his day and gives me undivided attention and listens to the remnants of my day. He helps me put it all into perspective and see the silver linings.

3) Sometimes I feel like I am running close to empty and don't have much left to share with people. It always happens at those times my energy is at its lowest that a challenge appears to shake me out of myself and encourage me to make a choice to step up. My hubby likes to bring home "strays" as we sometimes call them. For years we fostered Level 3 behaviorial teenagers, those kind with lots of letters behind thier names, such as FAS, ADHD etc. We were one of the last of the line for these kids and although we could not save them all, one or two made it all worthwhile. We have been out of fostering for a while, buy hubby still works with teens and now and then has to bring them home until he can find homes, jobs etc for them. So on my worst day this week at work, he brought home a teen to stay at the house. So it shows me that as much as I think my circumstances are rotten at any given time, there is always someone who has much worse states than I am in at any time. Gives me back some humility.

4) I have to put a couple of things on this list that are not so depressed sounding!! So here goes! Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. I am going to make these for hubby for Valentine's Day. Along with a dinner to share before dessert of course. I watched a cooking show that showed how to do this, so am going to make this for my Valentine!!

5) Love Hearts! I bought a bag of these to photograph them for a photo contest I entered last weekend, and I have been eating the sweet things since.

To see other's posts for Friday's Favorite Five, please go to visit http://susannesspace.blogspot.com/

Skywatch Friday

For Skywatch Friday this week, I have chosen a few pictures from Matsqui just down the highway from here. I got caught at a Railway Crossing and so had some time to snap these pictures.

One of my favorite sounds to hear is that of a train whistle from the distance. Just a childhood little piece of trivia to share with you all!
For more pictures of the skies from around the globe, go and visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Watery Wednesday

What do you get when you get Pink Rubber Boots, a Duck Pond and a Curious Girl???

Of course there is a limit to how far you can get in pink rubber boots and how close those ducks will let you get!!

For more pictures of Watery Wednesday, please go and visit http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

Macro Monday

Valentine's Day is just about here, and love is in the air.

Anyone care for a Love Heart???

For more Macro Monday pictures, please visit http://lisaschaos.com/

Today's Flowers

We have had such a mild winter this year that even though it is really the middle of winter here, things are already starting to bloom in a big way.

Crocuses are popping up everywhere....

Even the Irises are blooming.

For more pictures of Today's Flowers please visit http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Friday Fave Five

1) Our spring like weather - It may be the middle of winter here but the weather has been very springlike, so much so that cherry blossoms, crocuses, daffodils etc. are blooming away. Our weather is not what the Vancouver Winter Olympics would call wonderful though. There isn't nearly enough snow on Cypress Mountain and they are having to truck it in from Manning Park. There are no upcoming reports of snow in the forecast either.

2) Spaghetti with Meat Sauce - that my hubby cooked for supper tonight. I was so starving after getting home from the Seminar on Bookkeeping I attended today I could of chewed on my own arm. Those two pieces of Raison toast for Breakfast did not last long.

3) My new book on Colour Correction for Photoshop. Something new to learn.

4) Survivor - actually just counting the days until the first show on Thursday. And last but not least!!!

5) My daughter Lora - who is celebrating her birthday tomorrow. My beautiful daughter has grown up to be a kind, thoughtful and gentle woman. All the things we had to go through especially in those teenage years have made her the wonderful human being she has become.

To read other Friday Favorite Fives, please go and visit http://susannesspace.blogspot.com/

Skywatch Friday

For Skywatch Friday, a few pictures from the west coast of Vancouver Island in a small town called Sooke. My brother has lived here for years and the ocean is only a few steps from his front door. 110 steps to be exact!! It is a beautiful place to watch sunsets and sunrises, to sit on a log with your morning coffee and contemplate the day.

The pictures from my previous post are also of this beach if you have some time to check those out as well.

To view other pictures of Skywatch Friday, please go and visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/

For Watery Wednesday I have a couple of pictures I took during my recent vacation in Victoria.

If you take 110 steps from my brother's front door, stop and look left this is what you see!

If you look to the right this is what you see. My brother lives 110 steps from the ocean, lucky duck!!

For more pictures of Watery Wednesday, please go and visit http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

Macro Monday

The Pictures I have chosen for Macro Monday were ones I took on my recent short vacation in Victoria, B.C. They were taken at the Discovery Center Underseas Gardens in Sidney, a small town just outside of Victoria.

These are Jellyfish, pretty to look at but this is about as close and cosy as I would want to get to them.

These jellyfish are quite deadly to anything that strays within thier long stringlike tentacles.

They secrete a deadly neurotoxin that effectively paralyses thier prey.

These are straight out of the camera shots as well. I took over 700 pictures on my little trip and haven't time right now to put some through Photoshop. Please click on the pictures to enlarge them to see the full picture.

For more pictures of Macro Monday shots, please go and visit http://lisaschaos.com/