Where is the Joy?

                  It seems that Covid has been draining the joy out of things lately. 

                I find myself consciously searching for activities that will keep my

                spirits up.  Looking back over and editing my photos confirms that

                I am actually very lucky to have had many great post-covid moments.

                Since Autumn is my favourite season,  I decided to create another 

                photo blog featuring the delights of my September and October.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           

                                               time to make chili sauce

        

                                             first fall apple

                                      and out with my six foot pole and mask, I go "a visitin"...

 

                                    Cambridge with Dina & Mark

                                             Tamarack-Linda's dead trees come down

                                              Covid "entertainment" for neighbours Kathy & Richard and I

                                        Mennonites do not like to have their photos taken but their horses are ok with it.

 

 

 

                                           Heading to Midland

                                                   Budski Wend after ankle replacement surgery

                                          

                                    

                                           Hedgerow Farm, Sunderland

                               Newly retired Carolyn and Neil enjoy their amazing chunk of Ontario even more.

                                  "The Intimidator" is exactly that; helping tame the overgrown roots and trails.

 

                                                 Red squirrels have been busy squirreling away pine cones.

                                         

                                  

 

                                          'Meet you at the rock pile', said Fred to Wilma.

                                          Still in Sunderland even though it feels like Italy

Neil's extremely successful honey production...yay Bees!  

 

                                         

                                                   best toilet brush around

                                            Emma's Iris paper folding

                                                      detail including sushi "grass" and copper screening

                                                      Emma's sweet smile

 

                                                   Pooch for Pet Medical in Australia

                                         The back, working-side of the teapot shows how each small piece

                                               is folded and taped in place.

                                         Carolyn assists Emma with artworks like my groovy teapot.

                                           Great weather permits an Uxbridge porch visit with Sheila and Steve

                                                     The "other Finn" watching Koi in Carmel's pond.

                                                     walkies in Sunderland for little Lucy

                                                      Bear

                                                   Mumma-Sadie is a Bernese Mountain dog....pups were

                                                           fathered by a Standard Poodle-Newfie

                                   Tough evening visiting a batch of puppies at Lynda Cunningham's

                                                   learning the concept of sharing

                                                   I think my expression says it all!

                                                     La mousissure au fromage

                               so busy taking these shots, I forgot to get a photo of Carmel saying "Cheeeeeese"

                                      meanwhile, in Udora....

 

 

                                 

                                        "The Rocket" gets overhauled into a guest bunkie.

                                                  Yup, it has an outdoor shower.

                                                    Interior decorated with "We are the Dinosaurs" sets

                                                    Udora's finest denizens Patricia & Magoo

                                 "And then the sun took a step back, 

                                the leaves lulled themselves to sleep

                                and Autumn was awakened."  Raquel Franco

                                                      We had an extra long tomato season this year.

                                              Second Monarch to hatch in my studio in October.

                                                      Autumn is long-shadow season.

 

 

 

                                                           a blur of Nuthatch

                                           Classic cars head indoors until Spring.

                                          Many summer flowers were still blooming into November!

                                         Looks like a sizable harvest this year for orange cable.

 

ploughed corn field selfie

 

Gromit and Shawn help with the fall harvest.

fruit cakes made and stored early

 

gotta love a warty pumpkin

 

Tamarack gold

I have yet to hear any concerts on this driveway pump organ.

In its glory.

Ready to drop.

 

blooms just kept on coming this year

 

 

 

    Optimist Club raised funds with donated tiles for the new splash pad

   in Bayfield's Clan Gregor Square. By chance, a Christie clan stone  

was laid near Finn & Flora's. (Christie is my Mom's family name)

 

 

                                         Canna Lilies had an outstanding year growing many baby rhizomes.

                                          Fall colour was luscious this year and stayed for almost eight weeks.

                                         One rare sunny fall day blasted the colours in Clan Gregor Square.

                                       rusty gold

                        

                  

                We are lucky to stay in touch with family: Sam and Pat, Dina and Mark, 

                Jane and Marilyn, Liz and Curt and Genevieve, Dot and Malcolm through

                social media.  Phone calls and texts keep us in the loop with our friends. 

                The thing that keeps our lifeblood pumping the most; are the texts, photos

                and face-time calls we have with Dani and Al and Finn and Flora and Salty 

                and Pretzel in Scone, Australia. The following photos, in no particular

                order showcase what we are missing the most during Covid Times:

                our grandchildren growing up. 

 

                                           Dressed as favourite book characters.

                                           Flora and Finn wave bye bye as Mom goes to work.

 

 

                                                     Barrettes from Grammy are a big hit!

 

 

                                                Al learns the joys of being a Dadda to a girl.

                                        Finn & Flora's cousin Genevieve in Cambridge, Mass.

                                             The doctor will see you now......

                                                         selfie with the grand kids

                                                          tippy toes

                                              Flora pushes all of Mumma & Dadda's buttons

                                            The little Flora that could

                                           One year just flew by!

                                                    Halloween in Auz.

                                                     Music 101: Kazoos

                                           Salty and Pretzel love their humans.

                                            Boys will be boys!

                                            Pretzie girl turns six.

 

                              McEachern family Christmas and Hope it's better New Year's card.

 

matching

 

 

                                               Grammy tries to "turn that frown upside down".

                                               Pet 'Rex' is in the mail for Finn's fourth Birthday.

                                         One has to love the beautiful innocence of childhood.