Weekend in Black and White.

We have an old dam that is now a museum here in Stave Lake. We decided to go and visit there a few

weekends ago and took a few pictures of the huge turbines that turned the water into electricity. I think the old building and its contents really goes well in black and white!!

I can't imagine the noise in this place when all these turbines were working to capacity. It must of been deafening to those who worked here.

This was just one of the numerous panel boards at the dam. There was signs everywhere too about live electricity. Must of been a high danger job!

They painted footsteps on the concrete floor for tourists to follow on a self tour of the dam. Another view of the huge turbines.

I like the patterns on the walls behind these turbines.

For more photos of Monochrome Weekly, please go and visit http://blackandwhiteweekend.blogspot.com/

Skywatch Friday

For Skywatch Friday, I have pictures I took last night when hubby and I went out to Mission Heritage Park to watch an outdoor concert. This is the first time in a long time we got to see some clouds in the sky and I think they look kind of impressive!!

I listened to the Weather report the other day, talking about rain. Usually in July we have about 40 mm. of rain in the month. This month we have so far only had .6mm of rain. That is why we haven't had any clouds!!

Here they were just setting up the Stage for the evening's concert. In the picture above to the left of the awning, you can see Mount Baker in the background.

People coming setting up their chairs to enjoy the concert. The sky was just as nice to watch as well!!

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

Watery Wednesday

I caught this Robin, looking for its lunch the other day, just to the side of a water sprinkler watering the lawn. As I slowly crept up on the Robin, the sun was shining on the waterdrops of the sprinkler at just the right angle to produce a rainbow!! Here are the Waterdrops glowing in a rainbow.

Another photo from the same area is a little pond with a tiny fountain. I liked the patterns of the ripples on the water in the pond.

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

Macro Monday

A past trip to a huge Antique store is an awesome way to spend an afternoon when you have a camera with you. Here are a few pictures of things long past, maybe still used in a few homes but some things I remember seeing in my home when I was growing up.

How about you? Do you remember these few things??

I don't remember if my Dad ever smoked a pipe, he did smoke cigarettes though. My father in law smoked pipes, hated them. The smell, everything.

Of course, there were these stand up ashtrays by the couch or the chair that Dad claimed as his chair. I remember them in my Uncle's place as well.

My Grandmother had a Gramophone that we inherited after she passed away that played these round cylindrical tubes. My brother now owns the Gramophone and a box of these "round records"

Some homes used wood stoves to heat thier homes or otherwise wood stoves you could also cook on. We used to fight over who got to put wood in my grandmother's wood stove. And those big cast iron kettles on the top of them with water constantly boiling to return some humidity to the air.

And what home would not be complete without the treadmill in it!! Here are a couple of early versions of the present day treadmill. Pretty primative and it looks like torture to me!!

Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane. What kind of things do you remember at your home when you were growing up??

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

Skywatch Friday

Here are almost evening/night photos from White Rock, B.C. for Skywatch Friday tonight!!

The sky was partly cloudy and the air was warm. It was a good evening for beachcombing.

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

My World Tuesday

Every year in the month of July our town throws a big party to celebrate the harvest of Berries we are famous for. It is called the Berry Beat and celebrates the harvest of Raspberries, Strawberries and Blueberries, all grown locally. This young artist was there and demonstrating his craft. He painted a whole picture for us in about 15 minutes, all using cans of spray paint.

He used the lid of a Cookie Tin to make the sun in his picture.

He had to wear a gas mask because of the fumes from the paint. I had to position myself too so I did not get the fine mist spray from the paint on me or my camera.

He used chunks of blank paper to block off certain sections and just kept adding layers over layers to create his picture.

You can see the painting now taking shape.

And finally, the finished painting.

This guy paints and sells his paintings for his livelyhood. This painting was on sale for $40.00.

As this is my first entry to My World Tuesday, please go and visit http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

to see other entries for this Photo Meme!!

Monochrome Weekly

I always find that old things make really good Black and White shots. We went to the Stave Lake Power Dam Museum today and found a few old things there to photograph.

No fancy chairs here, just basic office chairs that served thier purpose.

Both of my Grandmothers and my Aunt owned and cooked on a stove similar to this stove. My aunts frst stove that I remember was a wood stove she used to cook on and to heat her home. We kids used to fight over who got to add wood to the stove, but never over who got to clean the ashes out of it!!

The oven control was a slide lever you slid for one side to the other to set the oven temperature.

They don't make them like this anymore.

For more photos of Monochrome Weekly, please go and visit http://blackandwhiteweekend.blogspot.com/

Friday's Fave Five

It's been a while since I have visited Friday's Fave Five, and I am feeling the need to express my gratitude about all I have in my life at the moment. I shouldn't just do this when life is challenging, such as it is right now, but anytime we look at all we have I think is a good thing

1) My home is my solace and my refuge. All kinds of things can happen while I am out, but I know at the end of the day, I can go home. It is the quiet port in the storm of my day, the place where I long to stay in the mornings and long to return to in the evenings.

2) My Hubby, always home for me. My home is a home because he is there, whether or not he is home or at work, it is the place he returns to, my constant. My home is my home because he is there for me, with me and by my side always.

3) Understanding, others out there may not get me but here in my home, it is the place where I can be me, totally me and it gets me. No other place is safe to be me such as my home is. It is a deep and abiding relief to be able to let my self just be my self.

4) My sustanance is here. I can ask for what I need, I can give what is needed. I don't want for anything. My needs are met, and I am able to give and receive.

5) My surroundings, the park behind our house, the sundeck where I am sitting outside typing this. The lavender roses on my deck, and their sweet scent. My two cats, Speed and Scarf who love me unconditionally and who just happen to leave cat hair all over my house as well. It's all good. My surroundings ground me, they shelter me, and make up the home I call home and come home to. How could I regret any of that, even the cat hair!!

All kinds of things can happen to me in the big bad world, but I am blessed. I am loved and I am protected and valued. My life is beautiful.

For more entries to Friday's Fave Five, please go and visit http://susannesspace.blogspot.com/

Watery Wednesday

Here are a few pictures taken last weekend out at Harrison Lake which we visited to attend the Harrison Festival of the Arts.

A lot of these bumper boats are rented out for fun in the water. You can bump into other boats without fear of getting hurt, and each boat has a watergun as well in it so you can soak your opponent!!

Water Skidoos are fun things to ride on the lake. These are available to rent as well.

And of course hanging out at the beach, swimming, sunbathing. Enjoying the sunshine.

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

Macro Monday

Some small Liquer glasses carved from Onyx. Beautiful patterns in the onyx.

The Onyx is cool to the touch in your hand, I'll bet if you put the glass in the fridge for a while before adding your liquer, it would keep the liquid cool for a longer period of time.

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

Skywatch Friday

This is the view from Prospect Point in Stanley Park, in Vancouver, B.C.

You can see the boat from my previous post here in the water.

The sun setting on the water.

I like the rays of the sun shining through the clouds.

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

Can it finally get any nicer than it was today?? Summer has finally arrived in all its blue sky splendor. Its warm and a bit breezy outside, perfect boating weather, if I only had a boat!! Here are a few boats doing what would be oh so nice on a summer day to do!!

And another slightly larger boat!!

And a larger boat, I think this one is a tour boat.

For more photos of Watery Wednesday, please visit http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

I have been feeling a bit orphaned today for some reason, so thought I would share with you in Macro form a recipe I cooked for supper today, that really reminds me of my parents and growing up. My brothers and sister will recognize this one right away!!

Even the recipe card is old, and gooped up from previous cooking. It has some history!! And it comes out of the old recipe box that stood on my parents counter for years.

The ingredients along with a few pounds of Spareribs. I substituted Orange Juice for the water. And a few more cloves of garlic.

Everytime I cook, I am reminded of my parents, the old measuring spoons and measuring cups came from my parents home after my Dad passed away. I could get newer ones, but these ones have memories for me.

(Measure out the dry ingredients and grate the garlic as above.)

Isn't it the truth, that some things so pretty can just make you cry???

The finished product!! Every year on our birthdays we got to choose what we would have for our birthday dinners. I always chose these Spareribs. These are pure and simple Comfort food for me now. I don't cook them often, more times than not when we do have spareribs it is with bottled sauce on them. But every once in a while I pull out this old recipe of Mom and Dad's and all the ingredients and make a bunch of Ribs. And I am transported back to a simpler time when Mom called, Supper's ready and this is what was for supper.

It's about the little things in life that bring you comfort and peace. Macro photos also challenge you to look a little closer and see those things you might pass by otherwise.

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