All posts in one place!
Happiness Project Week 10
Did you sing last week? Out loud? How did it make you feel? I hope you found the power in your own voice. This week’s happiness prompt and affirmation requires another person, or two. I hope it brings you a few minutes of joy and happiness. And I encourage you to write down how you…
Read More Keep reading
Happiness Project Week 9
So how was last week? Did you walk 3 times? Did it bring you some happiness? Were you able to get into a natural space? I can’t wait to hear. This week’s happiness prompt and affirmation can be done while absolutely alone or maybe even for an audience. It all depends on you and your…
Read More Keep reading
The Mothering Circle and Gooseberries
It feels like eons ago when I became a mother, and thus have celebrated many Mother’s Days. The early days of spaghetti necklaces, friendship bracelets and homemade cards splattered with paint are far behind me. I miss them somehow. Fast forward to yesterday and for the first time ever I celebrated Mother’s Day at my…
Read More Keep reading
Exploring the Hollows in Saint Martins
Beneath the waters of the Bay of Fundy lay sea caves carved by the Atlantic Ocean from the soft sandstone cliffs. You don’t have to go diving to explore these amazing hollows, you simply have to wait. Each day in a twelve hour cycle the tide goes out revealing the ocean floor and the beautiful…
Read More Keep reading
Happiness Project Week 8
As you probably already know, exercise is a fantastic mood booster. As we exercise, even moderately, three times a week, our brain produces a variety of feel-good chemicals. One of them is Endorphins, the hormone that kickstarts that happy feeling. This week I challenge you to some light exercise so that you can experience that…
Read More Keep reading
Happiness Project Week 7
If it’s spring in your part of the world you may see some beautiful blossoming trees. There’s really something magical about trees that flower to beat fruit later in the season. It speaks of hope and abundance. This week’s Happiness Project is all about noticing and appreciating that abundance, while acknowledging your own blossoming. If…
Read More Keep reading
From Fear to Joy: Should you be Fearless
We often hear the phrase BE FEARLESS. It is shouted out at us across the divide, echoing in the canyon as you stand on the precipice about to take the leap. As business leaders, entrepreneurs, students, and anyone trying to achieve their goals in life, we keep coming across the phrase BE FEARLESS. But should…
Read More Keep reading
Happiness Project Week 6
Welcome or welcome back to the Happiness Project, where each week we live mindfully so that we can let joy and happiness into our lives. How many hugs did you give last week? This week’s prompt asks you to stop and notice something that is available to all of us. Then feel the feelings and…
Read More Keep reading
Happiness Project Week 5
This week’s happiness prompt is simple (aren’t they all). And that’s exactly the point. It’s about the simple little things. The simple pleasures that inject a little happiness and bring us joy everyday. I hope you enjoyed last week’s prompt, all about the beach, and were able to use it to encourage more of the…
Read More Keep reading
Abigail’s Tea House A Cozy and Elegant Afternoon
It was a rainy spring day, the kind tailor-made for an unrushed cozyafternoon tea. And Abigail’s Tea House in St. George, Ontario was the perfectspot to indulge in some hygge and cozy relaxation over High Tea. The welcoming green door on the corner of Main St. in the quaint littletown of St. George is impossible…
Read More Keep reading
Happiness Project Week 4
Remember days spent at the beach? These are usually lounge-worthy days, full of sunshine and blissful relaxation. Reading a good book, building sand castles, going for a long romantic walk, cold drinks and juicy fruit, whatever your flavour, beaches are evocative of happy memories. Can you hear the sound of waves, children laughing, dogs barking?…
Read More Keep reading
Happiness Project Week 3
Sometimes it’s easier to do for others and love them than it is to love ourselves and give ourselves time. This week’s Happiness prompt is all about you. 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…
Read More Keep reading
Happiness Project Week 2
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…
Read More Keep reading
Nickel Beach and Port Promenade in Port Colborne
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…
Read More Keep reading
Happiness Project Week 1
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…
Read More Keep reading
Afternoon Tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel A Place for Friends
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…
Read More Keep reading
12 Things to Love about Prince Edward Island
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…
Read More Keep reading
Rainy Days and Sundays: Bloganuary
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…
Read More Keep reading
Walking in the Footsteps of Lucy Maud Montgomery at Green Gables
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…
Read More Keep reading
The Carter House Port Colborne and Anne of Ingleside
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…
Read More Keep reading
Magnolia Alley Niagara Falls Love at First Sight
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,…
Read More Keep reading
Spring is Late and I’m Craving Flowers
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…
Read More Keep reading
Anne With an E and the Beauty of Nature
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…
Read More Keep reading
Where to Find Cherry Blossoms in Niagara
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…
Read More Keep reading
The Story of the Great Lakes Freighters
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…
Read More Keep reading
What is the Meaning of Spring
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.…
Read More Keep reading
Time is Love: Here’s How I Know
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…
Read More Keep reading
When Sundays Were Slow
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…
Read More Keep reading
The Story of La Grande Hermine Dreams Lived Dreams Broken
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…
Read More Keep reading
Learning to Accept Change Like the Seasons
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…
Read More Keep reading
Montefioralle A Tiny Italian Village Hidden Behind Stone Walls
In Tuscany between Florence and Sienna you will find the prettiest tiny Italian Village tucked neatly behind stone walls. This is Montefioralle, a place that dates back to the 11th century where double stone walls were built in an elliptical shape as fortification against the marauders that existed in the Chianti area. Let me take…
Read More Keep reading
Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens A Secret Wonder
Just down the road from Niagara Falls, one of the world’s natural wonders, is a beautiful botanical garden with 99 lush acres of flowers, plants, trees and plenty of open spaces to wander and relax. The Niagara Parks Botanical Garden truly is a secret wonder, because when we visited, there were only a handful of…
Read More Keep reading
Gage Park Greenhouse A Joyful Winter Respite
February in Canada brings some sunny days, but plenty of cold, often snow or at least rain of the freezing variety. Unable to escape to warmer climes means that we can find the tropics right here at the Gage Park Greenhouse in Hamilton, Ontario. This greenhouse is fairly new, having opened in March 2019. I…
Read More Keep readingHappy Valentines Day
Hope you have a lover in your life on this special day that celebrates love. Modern North American celebrations include wishing even those who are not your one true love. So Happy Valentines Day! If you haven’t found your one true love, here’s my little message for you. Love is unstoppable! May you know love…
Read More Keep reading
If Snowflakes Were Love: A Story of Love Loss and Acceptance
Every February 10th Stanley and Betty would find their way down to the shoreline to celebrate their special day. It was a place of memories, both good and bad. They met here on the beach as teenagers, in a time when you could drive your car onto the sand, sit on the hood and watch…
Read More Keep reading
The Joy of Celebrations
It is February 1st, the beginning of a new month and according to the Chinese calendar the beginning of a new lunar year – The Year of the Tiger. Tomorrow will be groundhog day, here in Canada. And in a few days the start of the Olympics will be celebrated in Beijing. We also celebrate…
Read More Keep reading
Walking on the Ocean Floor
Just before my feet hit the soft white sand the pressure in my ears cleared. It was the kind of quiet rarely experienced on the surface of the planet. My eyes adjusted to the pale turquoise water, and I noticed the coral with fish swimming about unhindered, and uncaring of my presence. Walking upright, barefooted…
Read More Keep reading
Mystery in the Woods
Here’s a Bloganuary prompt I can get behind. When asked, “Write about something mysterious,” that’s easy. I already had this post ready, at least in my head. And what a mysterious conundrum it is. Watch this video and let me know your thoughts. How did it get there? Who put it there? Is it something…
Read More Keep reading
Snowstorm Adventures and Some Joy
Southern Ontario received a walloping today. We were well advised of this snowstorm and it came through as promised, not the usual weather hyperbole. With between 30 and 50 cms being dumped in just a few hours (depending on where you were) the roads were a mess, major highways were closed, and there were plenty…
Read More Keep reading
Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple: A Place of Peace
The warm sunshine and cool air mixed together under a clear blue sky setting the tone for a beautiful day spent at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple here in Niagara Falls, Canada. It is also known as the Sarira Stupa and Chan Shan Temple. Completed in 2001, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple is a seven…
Read More Keep reading
Gratitude on a Summer Walk
Yes, it is the middle of winter here in the northern hemisphere, so why a summer walk now? Because from my perspective, this is exactly when I need it most. Come along with me and let’s see what we find. Walking in the woods, just being quiet in nature brings a lot of joy, and…
Read More Keep reading
It’s No Laughing Matter
The sun is setting on my Bloganuary efforts and I have three reasons why. Let me tell you. If you would like to listen. For one, this virus is playing a great game with me. Sometimes using my head as a futbol and at other times burning me like I’ve taken a trip to the…
Read More Keep reading
Inspired or Not
Today’s Bloganuary prompt from WordPress asks, Who is someone that inspires you and why? To me, inspiring people are everywhere. I could write at length about great minds from earlier times like Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, and everyday heroes that are working through this pandemic tirelessly. I could also write about people like yourself…
Read More Keep reading
I Wish I Knew: Bloganuary Day 5
Today’s Bloganuary prompt from WordPress is, What is something you wish you knew how to do. For me the biggest thing I wish I knew how to do would be to go back in time when international travelling was easier. Provided of course we don’t have to come back and live through all this madness…
Read More Keep reading
Childhood Toys: Bloganuary Day 4
It was about 3 am when my brother whispered quietly, but excitedly, “Santa’s been here!” I crept down to the bottom edge of my bed, which gave a narrowed view of the living room in the distance, to verify his exclamation. He was right! The dim night light outlined shapes on and around the sofa…
Read More Keep reading
Comfort Zone: Bloganuary Day 3
Today’s Bloganuary prompt from WordPress is, Write about the last time you left your comfort zone. What’s more important is knowing when to stay in your comfort zone. Yes there are times to just stay in bed with a cup of ginger tea, serene and comfortable. Times like when you have COVID.
Read More Keep reading
Road Trip Dreams in Italy: Bloganuary Day 2
Today’s Bloganuary prompt from WordPress is, What is a road trip you would love to take? That’s easy peasy, because a road trip to anywhere conjures up great visions of summer freedom and fun. I have a romantic notion of road trips, the open road, rest stops along the way, naked feet up on the…
Read More Keep reading
Listen Up Kid: Bloganuary Day 1
Today’s Bloganuary prompt from WordPress is, What advice would you give your teenage self? For me, I’d tell my teenage self these 9 things: Enjoy that Big Mac and large fries. You probably won’t later on because you know, health and guilt.Skinny jeans will be back in vogue, but don’t keep them because they won’t…
Read More Keep reading
Happy 2022 The Year of Hope
Today we’re putting 2020 version 2 behind us. And even though it’s been a difficult year for millions around the entire world, there was some joy to be found, making 2022 the year of hope. There were moments of simple joys to be recognized in between. https://lifewithalegria.com/2021/08/05/finding-joy-in-the-in-between/ There were historical stories inspiring us to move…
Read More Keep reading
Things to Do and See in Bayfield Ontario
Bayfield Ontario is a quaint little village that sits perfectly on the shores of Lake Huron. Part of the Bluewater municipality, Bayfield has a population of about 1200 people, and the entire village was designated a heritage district in 1982. It has a long history belonging to early Canadian settlers who travelled here along the…
Read More Keep reading
Finding Joy in the In-Between
Joy is that emotion defined by the Oxford dictionary as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” But it is so much more than that. While happiness is something that everyone pursues fervently, joy is that feeling of contentment that is permanently coupled with peace. You can’t have one without the other, but you can…
Read More Keep reading
The Little Inn of Bayfield History and Luxury in a Perfect Romance
When I was looking for places to stay in Bayfield, Ontario for our summer roadtrip along the shores of Lake Huron, one place kept popping up in my search, The Little Inn at Bayfield. The romantic notion of staying in the oldest inn in Ontario with its double verandahs and big old willow tree out…
Read More Keep reading
Big Bay The Stone Skipping Capital of Canada
Have you ever skipped stones? A lazy day spent by the lake tossing stones and watching them skip on the surface of the water is a summer dream. It takes practice and many summers to perfect the skill. And though I’m not very good at it, I tried my hand at it in the Stone…
Read More Keep reading
A Walk by the Sea by Krisztina Csiki: Book Review
A Walk by the Sea written by author Krisztina Csiki is a story about relationships and the depth of feeling that comes from both beautiful and difficult ones. If you’re looking for an autobahn speed fast-paced thriller this book isn’t for you, but if you are looking for depth, lyrical prose, and a story that…
Read More Keep reading
Centennial Lilac Garden Niagara Falls
There was a time when if you were driving along the Niagara Parkway from Niagara Falls towards Queenston, you would have driven right by the Centennial Lilac Garden in Niagara Falls, and may have missed it. Thanks to a new road sign by Niagara Parks you will be tempted to pull into the driveway especially…
Read More Keep reading
Post It Notes and Freedom
Have you ever used a Post-It note? You know those little colourful squares that you can write on and stick anywhere? One of man’s greatest inventions. If you’re like me you’ve used these little stickies as reminders to yourself or others, placed them along pages in a file folder, written little instructions and stuck them…
Read More Keep reading
Into the Dark by Robert Hookey Book Review
If you follow Robert Hookey’s blog, You’ve Been Hooked, then you are already captivated by this author’s writing. So, when I heard that The Hook had written a book during the pandemic lockdowns, I had to grab it. As a genre I would not have picked up this book, but then I would have missed…
Read More Keep reading
Riedel Winewings Winged Satisfaction
She moved through the square. The weight of her bejewelled deep purple gown made lighter by the merriment around her. Each handsewn gem and jewel glittered like the night sky in the Italian countryside. The shimmer compounded by the brilliant February sunshine. Her feathery wings swayed gently as she stepped through the crowds with…
Read More Keep reading
The Green Book: Friday Fictioneers
Victor sat in a dark coffee shop mulling over his plan. Water had flooded the floor making the tiles as slick and shiny as the varnished wooden table he shared with his postal worker friends. The burst pipe had caused a distraction, and cacophonous chatter filled his ears, but he was not averted from his…
Read More Keep reading
The Green Book Are We There Yet
“I hope this isn’t a sundown town.” She whispered quietly to him. Their hands rested together between them on the Caribbean blue vinyl front seat of their brand new 1958 Packard. Her thumb rubbed the back of his hand tensely as she spoke. The road ahead was dark. He lifted his hand away to rub…
Read More Keep reading
A Celtic Connection: Beronia and John Hemingway
John stood at the big picture window in his living room. The olive green carpet where he stood had been worn bare by his long and wistful starings out the window. He looked up and down the street, not a soul in sight. Shrouded in silence he stood between the orange and pink floral curtains…
Read More Keep reading
Hernder Estate Winery
Hernder Estate Winery is a generations old family business in the heart of Niagara wine country. Drive along the back roads of the beautiful Niagara region to experience the countryside that is a stunning precursor to an equally beautiful winery. The Winery The covered bridge is a magnificent introduction to all that awaits you on…
Read More Keep reading
Hernder Winery Baco Noir a Triumphant Dance
She danced, twirling in a daze. Her short chiffon skirt trying to keep up with the energy of her movements as she pirouetted and flew into a perfectly timed jete. She was used to the crowds, the uproarious clapping, and the flashes from cameras, but today it was silent. Today was a day of practice,…
Read More Keep reading
Artist Antonio Merino is One in a Million
Antonio Merino sat in the dappled sunlight with his heart open for everyone to see. Pieces of painted rocks brought together in shapes on the wooded ground under a canopy of trees, and art created from natural elements existed in a symphonic cacophony of Antonio’s love, positivity, and joy. In my occasional search for Uli,…
Read More Keep reading
Lola and Pelee Island Ruggles Run
Lola walked along the shoreline, the ferry in the distance had left the dock about 20 minutes before. She had said her goodbyes and headed back to the cottage with plans to sit in the sunshine with a glass of wine and a good book. This would be the salve this afternoon. Goodbyes are always…
Read More Keep reading
American Dream: Friday Fictioneers
Manuel looked out over the water with thoughts of his father flipping through his head like a rolodex of memories. Pedro had taken the bold step of courageously sailing across these waters, leaving everything he knew and loved behind. He did it in hopes of a better life and for one day raising an Americano…
Read More Keep reading
Chilean Wine: Take the Quiz
Take a free and fun quiz to test your knowledge on Chilean Wines. Just 8 questions will help you learn the basics of the wines from this beautiful country and its amazing wine regions. When you’re done read my story about a Chilean Wine here. To Learn more about Chilean Wine you may choose to…
Read More Keep reading
Cono Sur Colchagua Heaven in Chile
Imagine riding a bicycle through the miles and miles of vineyards in Chile. You may find yourself in the Colchagua Valley, a wine sub region in central Chile. The bicycle on the label brought great visions of a gentle excursion. A long stick of bread, some Chanco (Chilean cheese) and a bottle of Cono Sur’s…
Read More Keep reading
Women
Like a river I run Wild and Free Reflecting the sky Seeking my destiny Sometimes calm Sometimes raging beneath That power is mine and must be released The rocks and boulders Can’t hold me now I tumble I fall But I’ve made it somehow I am woman This river is me Flowing together We become…
Read More Keep reading
Chateau Timberlay Bordeaux The Story
The Mercedes moves deftly, silently alongside the Garonne River. Claude rolls down the window that separates driver and passenger and asks if I would like another glass of wine. I’d like to, but I just reapplied my red velvet lipstick, the colour of the sensual residue in my glass. And with a tilt of my…
Read More Keep reading
We’re Moving Out: Friday Fictioneers
It wasn’t easy, but Jenna and Steve somehow managed. School all day, working evenings. She a waitress. Him delivering Amazon packages. 83 year old Jim was her regular customer and neighbour. Every evening as Jenna busily waited tables, she’d always spend some time with Jim. They learned the hardships and joyful stories of each others…
Read More Keep reading
Haunted Bertie Hall and the Underground Railroad in Niagara
On the corner of Phipps St. and Niagara Blvd in Fort Erie stands a Greek Revival mansion named Bertie Hall. A legendary Niagara home with a long history, Bertie Hall was a safe house to slaves escaping into Canada via the Underground Railroad. The house has seen many lives pass through its doors and tales…
Read More Keep reading
What Do You See
It’s that time of year when winter seems to be dragging on. Add to the ice, snow and cold, the misery of this pandemic, and life may seem as bleak as the grey salted asphalt roads. Out for a walk the other day I saw a ditch. A ditch? You ask laughingly. She’s going to…
Read More Keep reading
The Story of Josiah Henson and His Escape to Niagara
Josiah Henson was a black man born into slavery in Maryland, USA on June 15, 1789. He is a popular figure in Niagara history and the history of the Underground Railroad to Freedom. His journey to Niagara was long and arduous and included unimaginable experiences that he circumvented and conquered. In his narrated autobiography which…
Read More Keep reading
Believe Everything you Read: Friday Fictioneers
“Have you seen my pills?” “They’re on the desk.” Dorothy said pointing. “Where on the desk?” “There beside the things!” “What things?” “The things I tidied up, in the corner. Don’t make a mess.” Cecil ambled over, feeling around with his thin wrinkled hands. At 92 he was slower than Dorothy, but as sharp as…
Read More Keep reading
Hope: Friday Fictioneers
Hail pelted the windows. Large golf balls, smashing glass, denting vehicles, turning the streets to an icy wasteland with shards pointing skyward. Some ran inside to burrow, wondering when the misery would end. Some battled, thinking their path out of the melee was the only one. Some brave souls weathered the storm, picked up the…
Read More Keep readingGone But Never Forgotten
I’d been driving for hours. My brain and body aching for sleep. Searching, searching, for anyone. For any human life. But I am surrounded only by dirt and trees on these broken roads. The rusty door of my pickup truck creaks as I push it open to stand on the dry soil at the end…
Read More Keep reading
Coutada Velha 2018
Imagine walking through a vineyard in Alentejo. Imagine the breeze gently rustling the vines, green and full as they grow in the Portugese sunshine. Rows upon rows of vineyards drinking in the sun and the softness of the summer breeze. In the distance the winemaker checks the grapes, are they ready? He wonders to himself.…
Read More Keep reading
This Wine Needs a Label
Abilio pulled the leaves off the vine giving the grapes space to breathe. He checked each cluster with a precise eye, imagining the wine that would come of his labour. His hands, dirty and dark from digging at the dirt, checking the root stocks, and testing the grapes between his fingers, waved excitedly as he…
Read More Keep readingThe Man Who Knew Infinity: Friday Fictioneers
Srinavasa’s pencil moved quickly across his paper. He worked briskly, rushed, with urgency, trying to get the thoughts out, and the numbers out of his head. Calculating, desperately searching for the answer, moving in circles around his desk covered with papers. Rubbing his chin, eyes to the ceiling, the electricity of his thinking palpable in…
Read More Keep readingBienvenidos: Friday Fictioneers
Simone was in awe. Her head swiveled in every direction trying desperately to take it in. The flowing white curtains, the sun, the sand, the immense pieces of art on the wall reflecting on the highly polished marble floors. She walked through the gargantuan lobby mesmerized by the view of the Caribbean beyond. Azure waters…
Read More Keep reading
Niagara Winery Red Wines for your Holiday Table
Here are some great suggestions for red wines for your holiday table that will get you in the Christmas spirit. All are VQA wines that I have personally tasted and are sure to please. These wines are sure to amplify your holiday memories and we certainly need some amplification this year. I’ve posted this as…
Read More Keep readingThe Daily Escape: Friday Fictioneers
Felicity wrung her wrinkled hands as she peered through the upstairs window. Every afternoon as the sun went behind the house the shadow of the chimney glared at her like a sentinel, ensuring she remained locked inside. It had been fifty long years. How would they know she had been beautiful before this merciless pandemic…
Read More Keep reading
20 Bees at Lakeview Winery
If you are looking for a fun winery experience with an extensive variety of great tasting wines, Lakeview Wine Co. in Niagara-on-the-Lake is your place. The Winery Located in the popular winery zone on Niagara Stone Road, Lakeview has a good-sized tasting room that has plenty of space for wine tasting and shopping. The friendly…
Read More Keep readingAn Apple a Day: Friday Fictioneers
Everyday at school Rachel uncovered the dreaded apple packed neatly at the bottom of her brown paper lunch bag. Everyday, mom’s fruit of choice was an apple. “How boring,” Rachel thought as she tucked yet another apple into the bottom of her locker. Everyday Rachel lied to mom when asked if the apple was eaten.…
Read More Keep reading
Uli’s Stairs a Handmade Dream
I don’t know Uli. I’ve never met him, though I wish I could. I have walked his stairs down the Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton, and his story fascinates me. There are plenty of stories surrounding Uli’s stairs. His name, Ulrich shortened, is sometimes not remembered, just the way he likes it. The lady I met…
Read More Keep reading
Villa Bacchus Winery: Italy in Niagara
Perbacco what a place! And what wines! Villa Bacchus is a boutique small lot winery and Bed and Breakfast on the Niagara Escarpment in Beamsville wine country. Aptly named after the Roman God of wine and grapes, this place is absolutely heavenly. The Experience The arrival at this Italian style villa sets the tone for…
Read More Keep readingWhere’s the Floor: Friday Fictioneers
The taxi made its way up the dirt road, dust spewing into the air, squirrels darting away from the tires that bumped over mounds of uncut vegetation. As it came to a jerking stop Ursula jumped out into the summer sun, arms stretched towards the sky and squealed, “We’re here! It’s ours! Bags forgotten she…
Read More Keep reading
Calamus Estate Winery: Wine with the Stars
During these times of lockdowns, social distancing and staying six feet away from other people we are in search of ways to socialize while remaining safe and responsible. A great way to accomplish this is to spend time at a beautiful Niagara winery like Calamus Estate Winery. My afternoon lazing in the vineyard, sipping Calamus…
Read More Keep reading
Dolphin Escapes Marineland: Friday Fictioneers
Misty looked out at the early morning fog. The lake moved in tones of grey and blue, undulant, rolling, reciprocating the peace she sought. The cozy blanket soft around her shoulders. Hands wrapped around the warm ceramic of her coffee cup. In the distance, out of the water rose an unusual figure. A dolphin? In…
Read More Keep reading
The Wine and Cellars at Villa Le Corti
It was a beautiful sunny Tuscan day, the kind you dream about, or read about in books. Our driver wound his way along the Via Raccordo Autostradale on our way to Villa Le Corti in San Casciano in Val di Pesa. Set on 230 acres in the Chianti countryside about 25 kms out of Florence…
Read More Keep reading
What’s the Hurry in St. Kitts: Friday Fictioneers
He raced around the island, stopping at every tourist attraction. The view from Timothy Hill was fantastic, parting the Atlantic and the Caribbean. The time spent at Wingfield Estates was well worth it, but the speedy drive around the road that circles the island was making me nauseous. “What’s the hurry man?” I asked him. …
Read More Keep reading
Old Fort Erie Niagara Ontario
On the Canadian shores of the magnificent Niagara River, which connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, stands an old fort that has a long history of protection and preservation. This is Old Fort Erie, sometimes referred to for student education and in historical journals as Fort Erie National Historic Site of Canada. Forts are often…
Read More Keep readingNo More Pillow Talk: Flash Fiction
She stood at the kitchen window pensive and disconnected. The sink full of dishes had been waiting all night. Her wrinkled hands picking up a dish absent-mindedly as she gazed into her neighbour’s kitchen. The early morning sunlit rays highlighted the dust floating in the air. She followed the beam with her eyes. It landed…
Read More Keep reading
The Gardens at Villa Le Corti Chianti Tuscany
This narrow door beyond the lavender was an inviting focal point for me in the garden at Villa Le Corti, the residence of the Principe Corsini and his family in Chianti Tuscany. The 230 acres of the estate set in the Tuscan landscape is splendid, but this garden door set in an ancient stone wall…
Read More Keep reading
Book Review: Trillium by Margaret Lindsay Holton
Experience Niagara through the eyes of three families in this historical and adventurous multi-generational fictitious epic by prolific Author, Margaret Lindsay Holton. Trillium is a riveting story set around the shores of Lake Ontario, covering 250 years and begins with Tom Hartford. Tom, the eventual patriarch of the Hartford family, crosses the treacherous Niagara River…
Read More Keep reading
Thursday Doors in Florence Italy
The doors all over Florence, Italy are enormous heavy wooden doors that grace the façade of buildings and lead to fabulous courtyards tucked away from the bustle of the city. This magnificent door is on Lungarno Torrigiani which runs along the Arno river. This river that runs through Florence separates the neighbourhoods geographically, but the…
Read More Keep readingBrown is Better: Flash Fiction
We sat under the sunshine warm and toasty waiting for those rays of gold to do their work. We weren’t good enough as is, we needed to be brown. Brown was better. People wanted brown. By afternoon we were ready. Shirley picked us up one by one shining our smooth skin with the soft cloth…
Read More Keep readingThe Pianoman: Flash Fiction
The bell had rung. The line had shut down. The place was empty. Artur did his rounds as he usually did. Securing doors, turning on alarms, unplugging the toaster. Then he’d sit and practice. Two hours every night without fail. He was going to be a famous pianist one day. Go to school they…
Read More Keep reading
Legends Estate Winery
On the shores of Lake Ontario in Beamsville sits 30 acres of lush vineyards. This is Legends Estate Winery. The vineyard is a stunning backdrop for a wedding with its lovely white gazebo overlooking the lake. Or imagine a picnic on the grounds with a Legends Estate wine in hand. The wine shop offers Legends’…
Read More Keep readingLoading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Life with Alegria 