steamy

Like the rest of the country, we've been having a summer of extremes with our weather. Swinging from one thing to the next. Yesterday it was very hot and humid. I felt like a limp noodle. Today it is grey and misty.
I still have an active feeder on the end of my deck and yesterday decided to go out and refresh some water I have in a small bowl for the little birds, butterflies, bees and squirrels that might need it. Well, there happened to be a wee squirrel feeding greedily on some seed and he dashed off at my approach and then proceeded to scream and chatter at me from a nearby branch. The nerve. I'm the one that feeds her! :)
Later in the afternoon I did see some chickadees taking quick sips from the water I poured. Especially in hot weather, it is nice to set out a saucer of water if you think of it. It will be appreciated.

This a trailer for a movie that I am really looking forward to:) I bet you will too once you have watched it:) A true story about John Keats the poet and Fanny. It is directed by Jane Campion who directed the Piano. Remember that one?

Elsie's

I've been busy showing off my city....
The other day,we popped into this wonderful wee store on Queen Street.....Elsie's

It is a clothing and accessory store with a lovely whimsical sense of style :)



Did you notice the pattern on the scarf?


I LOVE this idea! She has taken some decorative cloths, tea towels and embroidered handkerchiefs etc. and transformed them into curtains!

Sunday

Moira in the sunshine. It is sunny again today, hooray! We've had a very wet summer:(
My visiting friend was very curious to see the "Mystery Walls", so I took her on one of our rare sunny days. I've only ever been there in the autumn or spring and it was interesting to see how overgrown it was in summer. Fascinating to ponder it's origins and imagine the people who constructed it.
I drove to Moncton in the pouring rain on Friday to fetch M . who had been visiting with friends. What a downpour!!! Did not let up for the entire three hours. My daughter came along for the ride and we listened to old Beatle tunes and sang the whole way! So it actually was fun.

Yesterday, on our drive home, M's sharp eyes spotted a deer barrelling out of the woods and bounding towards the highway. I hit the brakes ( luckily there was no one behind me) and the hapless creature shot across directly in front of me. Without M's warning, if I had not braked when I did, we would have connected for sure! First time in all my driving years around here that I've had such a close call.

Tall Ships at Dawn

Only a few souls about, finishing up the night watch. Waiting for the sunrise.





The moment I have been waiting for:)



So lovely and quiet. Here is a container ship slowly entering the harbour.



As it got brighter, more people started appearing. This boardwalk is a great place to walk and run. That is The Bounty behind them.





I went to move my car and loved the light from the east flooding this facade.









Me, with my back to the water getting a self portrait in a window as I waited for the sunrise.

summer fun

Ocean Farm available now on eBay

Well, the big ships left us yesterday underneath blue skies and warm balmy breezes. They are now headed north for Cape Breton Island. We drove out to the lighthouse at Chebucto Head to watch them all disperse in the distance. Handy things, binoculars. Many people were out on the grass and rocks high up on the bluff, with picnics, blankets and high spirits. It was fun.

Tonight I think will be a Harry Potter excursion. Off to see the new film:)

splendid

I've been up since four thirty. I went down to the harbour and took some pictures of the tall ships in the beautiful buttery light of early morning. It was lovely there, only a few photographers about and the weary souls finishing their night watches on boats. Eventually runners and walkers started to appear and the occasional person on their way to an early work start. This picture is from last night. It is the Bounty of the infamous mutiny. I have yet to upload today's pics but wanted to check in. Today is the Parade of Sail as the ships leave this port of call in all their unfurled glory. Not sure where we will watch it.

Friday

Yellow Poppies up for grabs on eBay now:) I did this on a stretched canvas which is quite nice, but the shipping is a bit more more expensive:( Shipping from Canada is ridiculously high anyway, sometimes it costs more to ship within the country than outside it!

Wednesday night I took M to a night of fiddling with my friend photofiddler. M has been playing for two years now and I told her to bring her violin because I knew it might get some use:) There are about two dozen people who get together at a community center every Wed and play. Each person takes a turn at the mic with two songs and everyone follows along, accompanied by guitars and two keyboards. It was splendid! First we stopped off at the famous John's Lunch for some haddock tips and chips and John himself came outside to our picnic table and had a a chat with us. Good times.

Tall ships are in full swing. My camera is getting a workout!

Three Blue Chairs

Just popped in to let you know I just listed this quirky painting:) on eBay.
Cheers!

Tuesday

Busy as a bee these days so you might not be hearing as much from me in the next week or so. I have a friend visiting from Vancouver:) This wee bee is burrowed into the borage growing in a pot on my deck. One of my fave herb/flowers.

Paul McCartney July11

Well, it was a remarkable night. Great music!
We were about six rows from the front so had a WONDERFUL vantage point. I was hoarse and deaf by the time it was over:). Still haven't found my voice. At one point Paul had all 50,0000 of us sing along to Hey Jude, goose bump time. Later we all sang again, men vs women to Let it Be. Fun. Fireworks, rock n roll, bagpipes, quiet acoustic stuff, old classics.....the show had it all.

I was mesmerised. This guy is one of the legends. So relaxed on stage, such a huge catalogue of songs.He sang 36 songs.Terrific night it was:)

At one point Paul stopped after Calico Skies, he'd flubbed a line....and said "here I am trying to remember the lyrics to a song, perform it well and I've got that sign distracting me" The camera managed to get a shot of a crude bristol board that said Will you sign my arm so I can get it tattooed!!!. "What do you think?" he asked the audience. We all cheered him on and much to her delighted shock, the girl was escorted to the stage, he signed her shoulder, she hugged and kissed him and all the band members and then flounced deliriously off the stage, escorted by security:) He then said"You'd better get the tattoo done now!"

Looks like he's ready too bonk me with the guitar:)

At the end of the concert, tons of red and white confetti was shot out into the crowd. Quite surreal really. We all drifted home in a happy daze.


I didn't mention how good local boy, Joel Plaskett was...he opened the show and it must have been such a huge thrill for them to look out and see a sea of 50,000 faces! Largest crowd they've ever performed for I wager:)

P.S. Did you notice the tattoo on the arm of the guy in the first picture?

"Baby I'm amazed...."

Paul leaving the final sound check in the afternoon. The hand waving through the window on the opposite side is my daughter's!! How bizarre that I would snap a picture of the two of them waving:) We were walking to the concert and just happened to be in the right place at the right time. It was a remarkable show.
I will post some more pics later. Tired this morning:)

"The long and winding road"

"Baby you can drive my car" ..... right to the concert! This picture is Paul's first concert in the United States, Washington Coliseum, Feb 11, 1964. Tonight will be his first concert in Halifax.
He did a sound check last night much to the delight of many fans. One of the songs rehearsed was Mull of Kintyre complete with local bagpipers(you know how I feel about those:) and only the second time done live. This I was told by a lady from the United States who has seen him a bazillion times and is flying to New York after this concert to see him again and then again at another concert after that one! I wasn't at the sound check but was there in the afternoon to scout out the place and see what was what for today. There were quite a few people from "away" who have arrived to see this show. I am getting excited.

a weekend in Halifax

A quaint scene in Europe? No..... it is is Argyle Street in Halifax! Five streets up from the harbour. We have a lovely wee downtown squeezed between the water and Citadel Hill, our fortress, now a national museum. These pics were taken on one of our recent foggy days. The picture below is looking down Prince Street towards the Harbour. The Press Gang is a small restaurant with an outdoor patio. Years ago Press gangs used to roam the streets of 18th century Halifax, scooping up unfortunate drunks and pressing them into service for the Navy warships, like it or not. Anyone between the ages of 15 and 55 was fair game.

Today, the city is buzzing with Paul McCartney preparations. The outdoor stage is set and the sound check scheduled to happen this afternoon. The Nova Scotia Highland Games are also scheduled for this weekend, the Jazz festival starts and the Lebanese Weekend is on! Next week the Tall Ships arrive. Always something happening in this wee city. Tonight I hope to go get some Za'atar on fresh roasted pita! Yum! I'm so thrilled the sun is shining for everyone:)

...and the winner is......

HOLLY RODDAM!!!!

Hooray! This was fun:) The people in the picture are from the German Police Force performing in the Nova Scotia International Tattoo. It was a fabulous show as always.Here are some other glimpses.....



Swiss gymnasts



My daughter and her friend on one of the German bikes:) After the show, the performers come back out and people are encouraged to go down and meet them.

Be still my beating heart.....nothing like massed pipes:)

A link to my new fan page if you would like to join in the fun:)

summer red

YUM! First crop. You have no idea how excited I was to go outside this morning and fill this wee bowl! Our very first strawberries. It is just a small patch but next year, look out! I also plan on putting some straw around them to foil the slugs. These were some delicious ones that got away:)


Today is it! If you were thinking about buying a print to possibly win a ticket to see Sir Paul , the deadline is midnight tonight. I've got 5 names in the hat so far:) Fun! I can hardly wait to give that ticket to the winner:)

mini art for kids

These cutie patootie wee paintings are for sale at LoveMe, Boutique in Halifax with more to follow:) Chara has a small children's section in her shop and wanted some art available for them:) She has a terrific idea about starting an art collection early and each year adding to it. I think that's a great thought. Great to enjoy growing up and fun to take it with you when you leave to set up your own place.

So, tomorrow is the last day to buy a print from me and be eligible for a ticket to see Paul McCartney in concert! I only have one person who purchased! Well actually I have sold more prints than that since this started but only one person locally has bought and if no one else does, that lone purchaser is going to the concert:) Good time to think about buying that birthday gift for someone!
I drove by the commons and saw them setting up the stage. What a huge production! It is going to be exciting:) I'll try to take some pics.