Random 5 Friday

 Nancy, over at A Rural Journal

is taking a vacation from blogging to enjoy the Holiday Season

but since I had my Random 5 done I thought I would post it here anyway…

One

I bought the Mister a Canon Rebel T4i for Christmas…shhhh

I am a Nikon user but 

this might be like when I was 6 years old and got my Mom a fancy skipping rope for her birthday

…so I could use it…

Two

The puppies went to the spa this week…

so they are all ready for Christmas

Three

On the continuing saga of our roadwork…
They put in the curbs last week and paved the road this week…

but sidewalks will have to wait until spring???
Something to do with it being too cold for the concrete to cure properly?
(you mean those City Planners didn't know it gets that cold here in the winter?)

So I have to live for another summer with a dug up front yard and gardens on hold... 

*pout*

Four

I am just starting to get my Christmas decorations out of storage in the basement. 

Sometimes I don't think I finish decorating until the 24th…

(or even by then but at that point I call it finished!) 

and then I take it all down as quickly as possible afterwards. 

I have simplified many other aspects of Christmas, you'd think I would be able to simplify this aspect! 

Five

Can I tell you how incredibly proud I am of my daughter?

A 'selfie' of my daughter

Years ago, I went through a few tough Christmases as a single parent, 

where all I could give my kids was a stocking with a few books and candy from Santa. 

I felt like the worst Mother on the planet those years. . . 

When I got back on my feet, I told my kids I could buy some small presents 

for the upcoming Christmas and asked them to make a list. 

My daughter, then 12 years old, asked for a foster child, 

my son, who was 16, asked for the money so he could take a homeless family out for dinner. 

In that moment I knew that the experience of a few gift-less Christmases had done them no harm 

and I told them that they deserved to be very proud of themselves.

Over the years we went back to buying regular gifts, 

though we never went as 'over the top' as my kids had been used to 

prior to those tough Christmases.

This year, when I asked my now 28 year old daughter what she wanted for Christmas, 

she asked me to donate the money that I would be spending on her gift to Sick Children's Hospital ! 

I am so incredibly proud of my little girl !!

Wrapping up my Mom's estate and getting ready for Christmas
may result in a brief hiatus myself…
so in case I don't "see" you before then,
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season with
Love in your home,
Joy in your world
Peace in your heart…

Janetxo  

{polka dots} 52 photos project - Challenge 33

When I saw Bella's 'polka dot' challenge on

52 Photo's Project

I immediately thought of this photo!

Since I am in the never-ending process of 

organizing my photos...  

*big sigh*

…it took me a while to find it!

This is a picture of our niece…

she is a miracle and a treasure

as well an endless source of entertainment.

I have over 600 photos of her tagged

in Lightroom…

and this wasn't one of them, so in the process

I found many more photos to be organized.

What can I say…

It is an ongoing project! 

I am sure I have other polka dot photos as well

but they have yet to have been tagged!

Who knew?

There are some awesome interpretations of the 

challenge this week…

be sure to pop over and see them!

Janetxo

{dessert} 52 photos project - Gallery 32

Falling a bit behind here

with 

52 Photos Project 

Gallery 32 

{dessert}

but as they say….better late than never!

Hope to have the post

for Gallery 33 up a bit sooner!

(with any luck - tomorrow!)

This was the dessert I made for 

a monthly gathering of friends..

when we did "Christmas" last Friday.

 The gas company came to change the meter while I was mid-baking!

I sent them away until it was done…

they kindly cooperated and returned just as I finished decorating them!

I realized after they left that I had green icing

all over my face.

Awkward!!

Janetxo

Texture Tuesday 3.12.13

Have I mentioned that I am not a fan of the cold?

I have to push myself to go out and take photos at this time of year…

It often seems so cold and dreary!

When I get out there, usually fooled by the sun into believing it is warmer,

 I am almost always rewarded with the beauty of the world at rest.

Last weekend's Black & White 'Clematis Swirl'

and today's 'Grass in the Snow' 

are examples of that beauty

This photo was treated to two layers of

Kim Klassen's kk_BB1 from the Brett Set

one in Soft Light blend mode @ 100%

and the second in Multiply blend mode @ 17%

Posting to Texture Tuesday

Janetxo

Be sure to pop over and join in
or to check out the wonderful work on display
at

Macro Monday & Mom

Today is the anniversary of my Mother's passing

Next to the Mister, she was my biggest supporter!

She loved my photos, especially the macro ones,  

and she had them framed around her home 

and even had my blog header

as her desktop wallpaper on her computer..

My mother loved flowers

but always claimed she had a 'brown thumb'

…meaning she couldn't grow them.

Yet I remember peonies and mock orange bushes

and lily of the valley at my childhood home

These were her favourites

(maybe because they would grow!) 

In honour of my Mom, I have chosen three of my photos 

that she had framed for today's 

Macro Monday2

Closing with a little poem I wrote this morning

and a photo of Mom blowing bubbles at our wedding last year…

(we had bubbles in lieu of confetti of rice)

Last time I saw you,

you were crying and holding me tight

You said, "I am going to miss you so much."

Just like I did when I was a little girl…

I said, "Don't worry. I'll be back before you know it"

Just like you did when I was a little girl…

A year ago this morning we talked on the phone 

as I boarded the plane for my honeymoon...

you told me to have fun and to tell you all about it when I got home

Just like you did when I was a little girl…

I will never understand how, within hours and without warning,

You were gone forever…

I think of you every day and I miss you so very much.

I wish you were here to hold me tight when I am crying

Just like when I was a little girl…

Janetxo  

Macro Monday 2