Ch, Ch, Chihuly

This week Jim and I visited his friends Tim and Marjorie in Toronto and they treated us to a visit at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) and the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario).
I've wanted to see the Chihuly exhibit ever since I heard about it's visit in TO. It's only the second time his work has been to Canada. What I did not realize was that I sought out a glass chandelier by Chihuly when Sangita and I went to Harrod's in London.  I find his work mesmerizing and it appeared that many others shared this opinion.

 

The Children's level with a balloon sculpture imitation a Chihuly.

Inside looking up the stairwell.

Outside the ROM

Earlier in December I took Lexi to a work shop where we made 3 Christmas ornaments in fused glass. I think she enjoyed it, I know I did.  We also had our annual gingerbread decorating contest and in a blind vote, Lexi's house won (on the far left). It's times like this that I returned home for.

We have been very busy getting my house ready for sale and hopefully we will put the sign up on the lawn tomorrow.

Thanks to Tim and Marjorie for such a great day. And thanks to Sangita for not giving up on finding the Chihuly in Harrod's and a wonderful visit this Christmas.

HaPpY NeW YeaR!!!! 2017

Found Some Inspiration

The one great thing about living in different places is the ability to make new friends. Unfortunately you have to leave them at some point. But, the pleasure of visiting later is something to look forward to.
This weekend I've been so fortunate to have lunch with Dawn from Nipissing while Melanie and Sophia visited for the weekend (from NorthBay).
So I found something to warrant me taking my camera out of the bag. We visited the Butterfly Conservatory in Breslau. It's just around the corner and yet I've never been there. My dad used to take the kids when they were little so I never needed to make the trip.

Trying to make an escape or just daydreaming.

A photographer in the making.

Sophia is fearless, she loves worms and insects.

Looks like it's dancing.

A beautiful finch.

I guess inspiration will find me, I just wish it was more consistent. Thanks for the visit Melanie I needed it more than you will ever know.

Missing You

It may sound terrible to say or perhaps it's just because I miss England but "Ontario is really boring." I feel like we have no history and the few points of interest have become so ordinary that they don't warrant me taking my camera out of my purse. Many of my friends have noticed that I don't keep a blog anymore but I'm really feeling uninspired.

I found myself volunteering to help a friend photograph her first wedding and I am so glad I did. The wedding was not the grandest I've seen but the couple were. They are the best example of a loving bride and groom that I've ever met.

Then Leah asked me to take some family pictures for her and once again I'm so glad I did. They were a wonderful family to photograph.

Then later that day my son Andrew had invited me to a screening of a video in Toronto. He took part in the making of a short film in a 48hr project. I am so proud of his accomplishments and the fact that he wants to share it with me just makes my day. His group placed 5 out of 67 entrants and they won for "Best Director" and "Best use of Genre."  I am so glad to be home for these moments. 

Downtown Toronto, at the theatre where we had to evacuate during the screening for a false alarm.

Jim took me to Stratford on the bike for Art in the Park where I was inspired by an artist there and have started and almost finished a painting for Leah. She asked me to do a painting of poppies for her front room and I was so pleased. When I was in England I really wanted to paint the poppies that grow wild along the roadside so I actually have photos to reference.

Renovations are underway. We ripped out a wall to put in a pocket door in our bedroom.

I was blessed with the opportunity to do my annual shopping trip with my girlfriends which I have not been able to do in 4 years. Unfortunately the woman we asked to take our picture could not hold the camera and push the button at the same time.

We've had a tough time with Harlow, she has had to adjust to moving too many times in her life and as a result she is suffering with separation anxiety. Whenever we leave her alone at home she rips the house apart. 

This was the funniest, a bag of recycling (beer cans) and a feather pillow greeted me in the basement, it looked like a frat party. You might think... "lock the door so she can't get in" but she knows how to open doors and if we lock it she tears it off the hinge.

But isn't she pretty? She is a beautiful, smart and energetic girl and we all love her. So I read up on how to help them and we are following the SPCA's guidelines and have recently had a great success story. We left her for the first time (5hrs) in more than a month and she didn't destroy anything. YAY!!!!

We left her to go on a our last bike ride of the year and have dinner on Puslinch Lake where a woman felt the conditions (16 c) were still good enough for waterskiing.

So I guess it's not boring, I just miss England and I miss my friends and family so much.

Overdue

This post is terribly overdue. I have been adapting to normalcy since being back in Waterloo. I've enjoyed a summer of just friends and family, I have hardly even pulled out my camera.

Three years ago just a day before my birthday I received the news that I had been selected for the position as an art teacher in England which would change my life.  This year a day or two before my birthday I received an email informing me I was accepted onto the WRDSB occasional teacher list. I'm sure my friends and family in England must have heard my screams, this is the job that I flew home in June for an interview.
I was asked by the principals "why I flew home for just an interview", my response was " everything that I have done over the past 7 years was so that I could sit across from them right now".
So the stress of finding a job was lifted.

Update on the summer:
-Jim took me to Goderich, Port Elgin and Tobermory for my birthday and it was beautiful.
-We enjoyed another great day at Wonderland for Lexi's Birthday.  This year we had Andrew, Magyn, Leah, Matt, Lexi, Lexi's friend, Jim and myself.  I love having my family back full time!
-For the first time in over two decades we attended a Werth family reunion, what a joy to see everyone.
-I've been working on several renovations including helping Leah and Matt move into their first home together.
-Tomorrow is the first day of school.  I'm secretly hoping I don't get called tomorrow because my mom and I are hoping to visit family friends in Orangeville.

I am already missing my friends and family in England and thinking about my visit in a couple years. I never imagined my life this way, I feel very blessed.

Below is a picture I took the weekend before leaving Grimsby.  When I was young my grandmother(from England) would send me Christmas annuals with comics and picture games. I loved the one of children around a lake playing with sailboats.  When I was walking along the beach in Cleethorpes I saw a man carrying a boat and followed him to the boating lake.... this was like jumping into the story book.

Sunset at Port Elgin

Tobermory

Lexi is on the far right, I'm thankful she still enjoys the simple rides but unfortunately she was tall enough this year for Top Deck(below). Last year she cried when she could not get on, this year she rode it several times.

Kevin and I went to see a movie in Elora and then on the way home we stopped at the casino and took in the horse races.  It was challenging to take photos at night and panning.

At the end of the night a local soccer team entertained the audience with a bouncing pony race.

I love being home but I really missed not being in Grimsby and enjoying our first day of school together.