Spring has sprung in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere lightening the air and lengthening the days. Oh what joy. I hope you enjoyed last week’s prompt and were able to use it to encourage more of the simple joys to enter your life. If you missed week 1, see it linked below along with…
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There’s something about Port Colborne that I really like. It has a quaintness to it that isn’t imbued in perfection. It’s rough edges similar to the coarse brown-sugar Lake Erie sand found on Nickel Beach. There’s something very human and personal about this little Niagara town and I have lots of happy memories of summer…
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Today is the first day of Spring, a time of renewal, rebirth, and rejuvenation. As we emerge into this new season I do so with gratitude and joy as much as I can. So today I am beginning the Happiness Project. It is my way of sprinkling happiness like fairy dust everywhere I go. We…
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There is something divine and decadent in the ritual of afternoon tea. Experiencing it in the lavish Drawing Room at the historic Prince of Wales Hotel in beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake certainly elevates the affair of afternoon tea, especially in the company of good friends. Afternoon tea was something I grew up with. Not as resplendent as…
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I’ve had a fascination with and a long distance love affair with Prince Edward Island ever since I read Lucy Maud Montgomery’s books as a young girl. Her descriptions of the island and its many natural spaces have held my interest for decades. As fortune would have it I was able to visit this beautiful…
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The song from my parents’ record player wafted through the house with Karen Carpenter’s voice. One line stuck in my memory, “rainy days and Sundays always get me down.” Rainy days certainly do not have that affect on me. I love rainy days. They offer an opportunity to slow down, get things done indoors, and…
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With the sweet taste of Amapola still lingering on my tongue, I threw myself onto the day bed in the front verandah of my childhood home. As I often did on summer afternoons while others siestad, I pulled a classic from my father’s collection. What I didn’t realize at the time was the indelible impression…
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There’s something about grand old houses that rouses the storyteller and the curious cat in me. So, when I serendipitously came across The Carter House in Port Colborne Ontario I was smitten. A little bit of Googling produced the results. The house was built in 1867 for the Carter family and remained in the family…
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Magnolia Alley in Niagara Falls is a feast for the senses. A nature lovers delight. And don’t say I didn’t warn you about falling in love here. I can’t gush enough about this place and I feel blessed to live so close by. I have visited in every season and every season has its wonders,…
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It’s been particularly cool this spring in Niagara, Canada. Cherry Blossoms have barely budded and the lilacs are still tiny pods waiting to burst forth. As I wander around my garden, I can’t help but crave the colour and beauty of flowers. What do you do when you are craving flowers and it has been…
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Lately I’ve been watching Anne with an E. It is, I am proud to say, a Canadian show based on the classic book series beginning with Anne of Green Gables. The television series is a partnership between the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Netflix. I’ve binged watched the three seasons, and yearn for more. Apparently the…
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In about a month Niagara cherry farms will glow in shades of pinks and soft whites as cherry blossoms come to life. It is a beautiful time of year as spring brings with it the blooming of fruit trees throughout this spectacular region. Cherry blossoms seem to be the favourite for people all over the…
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Ice thins and water seeps through the cracks severing winter’s grip. The softening March air and warming sunshine expedite the process and the canal returns to its former liquid state releasing the huge Great Lakes freighters that dock here in Port Colborne for their compulsory winter’s rest. This is the life of a Great Lake…
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Happy first day of Spring! Here she comes bringing joy and hope. Full of meaning. This past week Spring provided a teaser. We had two beautiful days of almost summer weather with temperatures as high as 20C. Suddenly, the birds emerged singing their beautiful songs, flitting from branch to branch with excitement in the season.…
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As a young person coming of age in the 80s I bought in to the North American ideals of success. My big hair, six inch heels and peplum style designer suits were the lexicon of the era. Rushing was valued and achievement, at any cost, was applauded. I bought in completely and without question, and…
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If you are from my generation you’ll remember a time when Sundays really were the restful day of the week. Shops and malls were closed. There was time for a leisurely breakfast after a slow wakening. And some people found joy in taking the day to visit church and immerse themselves in their faith. I…
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If you’ve driven along the QEW between Toronto and Niagara Falls there’s a good chance you noticed the pirate ship in Jordan Harbour. The story of La Grande Hermine is about dreams. And it was someone’s dream that brought this ship to the Niagara Region of Lake Ontario. In 1535 the great French Explorer, Jacques…
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Change isn’t easy, but it is a part of our daily lives. Depending on the change we’re facing we may choose to dig in and hold fast to our belief systems even when they don’t benefit us. Learning to accept change like the seasons keeps us evolving. Nature teaches us many joyful lessons, one of…
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Life with Alegria 