My New Blog Name.

Now that my Etsy store is closed, I need a new name for my blog. What shall I call it? Hmm... it's about art, inspiration, and photography. Maybe something along those lines... any suggestions?

In the Garden, Part 1

Only one more week until we move to the North Shore. I let my garden to go crazy this year, as I won't be here to tend it. I have decided to take over parts of my mother in law's garden, haha. I am assuming she won't mind!

The rose plants make me very, very happy. They weathered the winter like little troopers, and are so beautiful now! I planted them to remind me of my Mom; my heart skips a little when I look at the roses, and feels glad. Mom has roses in her garden, too. We like to sit in the swing and let the scent waft over us... such a wonderful thing to do.

In the Garden, Part 2

Busy

It's been a while since I visited here. I am working on a freelance animation project, a ten week contract. Life is busy at home, too, as we are in the last throws of moving our stuff to storage and to the North Shore, where we'll be staying with my husband's family for a couple of months, until we move finally, for a while I hope, to Toronto. Phew!

Basketball season is over, for the NBA and for my husband. It was exciting to take photos at the games. There was always lots of action!

Time to get back to work. Enjoy the day!

It's warm and sunny today. Taking time to learn Actionscript 2 for Flash. Frustrating and interesting at the same time.

Bikram Yoga,  and really nice Flickr photo streams here and here.

Enjoy the day!

Colours of Summer

These are a few of the plants and trees that grow at our house. I love the big pink flowers!

Right now the smell of bbq is wafting in through the window, people are strolling and sitting on their porches with a glass of wine. It's a perfect summery evening. I'm relaxing after a day of walking and walking and walking. Boy did we walk! Today we resumed our search for a new place to live. Ben and I checked out an apartment that was in a heritage building- heritage buildings are our cup of tea- but it was too small for the money they were asking. Nice, but too small. The modern fixtures in the kitchen didn't really speak of heritage design either.  Ben spotted a place available in a building I used to live in downtown. It too is a heritage building, so we headed over to see if the manager was there. She wasn't but we chatted for a bit on the phone, and once she remembered who I was, gave us first dibs on viewing the aparment. We are going to see it at four o'clock on Monday. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it fits our needs. 

One of the reasons we are leaving is because of our current building manager. He is a really nice chap, but, how to say this kindly, he is a bit lax in getting things done around the place, and is well, frankly a little old to be managing the property. It's a hundred year old building, and things are bound to go wrong with the property every now and again, quite understandable. It took him six months to get around to mending things, not only to our place but in the rest of the building, and, although we like the place, well it's just not worth the hassle any more.

Another reason we're moving is to downsize our life a bit. We are planning some big moves in the future, and we want to travel light, and it doesn't make sense to stay in a really big place if we don't need to. I'll miss my garden, but if we get the apartment in the building downtown, the beach is only three blocks away. Gotta like that!

 The basket ball game is over- poor LeBron!- so I am going to join my husband to watch a movie. He wants to watch a Naked Gun and I want to watch a Tarkovsky. Maybe it'll be a double feature tonight. :)

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Energy

Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's a renewed excitement in art and photography, I don't know, but something's come over me! I have so much energy, more than the last two years. Yesterday I accomplished so much, which was very satisfying. This morning I lie awake in bed before 6, wide awake, I decided I may as well get up. I made a cup of Earl Grey and sat in the little room off the kitchen, listening to the birds. I enjoyed the quiet time. 

Ben woke at seven to find me baking an apple pie. The house smells wonderful. It's a great way to start the day, to the scent of baking. 

I don't know how long the creative energy blast I have will last, so I had best just follow it and see where it takes me.

Ben and I are thinking of going to New York for our second wedding anniversary next month. I'm excited! I'll be happy whatever we do, but NY would be fun!!

Enjoy this gorgeous weather today!

Oh my aching muscles!

Have you ever tried Bikram's yoga? I started practicing some moves yesterday, to loosen myself up before I head to the hot classes. It's one of the more difficult yogas I've tried, yet I think it's going to be very satisfying. My chest opened up and my breathing was strong and clear after just a few moves. I'm doing this for both the spiritual and health benefits. I'm moving into a more creative arena, as well as not getting any younger, haha, so I think Bikram yoga will be a good compliment to the goals I have.  

I have been a runner for years now, and I absolutely love it. It helps clear my mind and body, and makes me feel fantastic. I think running and yoga will be good companions to keep me healthy and happy as I grow older. Watching my Mother grow older and ail has really got me thinking about aging. It creeps up on us faster than we know, and we really have to make good decisions about our health now so that we can enter our older years in good condition. 

Right now I'm still falling over with some of the Bikram poses, but I am looking forward to getting lithe and lean and mentally keen. Wish me luck!

Puppy Day Afternoon

The gorgeous weather continues. Yesterday we met the family at English Bay for some sushi before we went to watch Ben play basket ball. Their pup, Tupper, was a hit at the beach and at the game. Men and ladies stop to pet him!

I'm thinking of closing my Etsy shop. I've been feeling for a while now that it isn't a right fit for me, that the kinds of things I want to accomplish can be done elsewhere. It isn't an easy decision to make and I want to be sure that I am doing it for the right reasons. Running the shop takes a lot of time and dedication; I have other things now that I want to put all that time and energy into, and I just don't think the shop is one of them. I have enjoyed the community, the experience of making and selling, that's for sure. There are so many brilliantly talented artists out there, and it's great to have a place like Etsy to sell and inspire.

Who knows, maybe once I really put my energy and passion into what I am doing now, and feel like I am ready to dedicate a part of me to the shop, I'll open an Etsy store again. Just for now, though, I am 99% sure I'm going to close it. Exciting on one hand and a little sad on the other.

Street Stuff

Glory be! Today is a full on summery day! Oh, it feels so good! The light was perfect, so Ben and I took some street photography during his lunch hour. We like Broadway and South Granville for good, busy activity.

The last photo is of Ben giving this gentleman some change for food.

Now I must get back to enjoying this beautiful weather! :)