Friday, July 22, 2016
Now, who could argue with that!
“The fact is, that, of all God’s gifts to the sight of man, colour is the holiest, the most divine, the most solemn…The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love color the most.”
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Just back from an amazingly warm ocean swim!
We couldn't believe how warm the ocean was today and it was great fun seeing our beach friends who have been missing us. Sad to hear that, Anna, someone who spends most of the day at the beach had a fall and broke her right arm (she's right handed) so now has to live with her sister for a while who lives in East Vancouver so very little beaching for Anna for quite a while. She was crawling over rocks to the neighbouring beach...very bad idea...it could have been much worse.
Finally, summer seems to have arrived in Vancouver
We're heading to Bikini Beach and expect to have a swim in the ocean. It will be great to see our beach friends again.
http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-forecast-july-21-2016
http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-forecast-july-21-2016
I've been missing these photos.
Eric must have been away escaping the heat for a while. High 45 C Low 30 C in PS today.
Palm Springs Thursday sunrise. 5:45AM. 7.21.16
- Eric Norland photo
Palm Springs Thursday sunrise. 5:45AM. 7.21.16
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
This seems like tremendous fun!
Like Susan, I could never really get into the colouring book thing....too fiddly. But she was recently given a watercolour colouring book to review and she is having a lot of fun with this as I think I will too.
She actually did these ones on copier paper from some free designs on the Internet.
More info on the book I bought and that Susan reviewed:
http://passionforpaper-passionforpaper.blogspot.ca/2016/07/painterly-days-watercoloring-book.html
One thing about moving is you find things you had forgotten about! I bought a cheap box of watercolour paints at the dollar store but then discovered I had tubes of watercolour paint and other stuff. I just spent a few minutes trying this out and realized why people love watercolour....it's a lot less hassle than acrylics!
Stuff I have and I see I even did a few paintings...such as they are.
My first foray into the Painterly Book.
She actually did these ones on copier paper from some free designs on the Internet.
More info on the book I bought and that Susan reviewed:
http://passionforpaper-passionforpaper.blogspot.ca/2016/07/painterly-days-watercoloring-book.html
One thing about moving is you find things you had forgotten about! I bought a cheap box of watercolour paints at the dollar store but then discovered I had tubes of watercolour paint and other stuff. I just spent a few minutes trying this out and realized why people love watercolour....it's a lot less hassle than acrylics!
Stuff I have and I see I even did a few paintings...such as they are.
My first foray into the Painterly Book.
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Wonderful birthday gifts for Jim from Elaine!
Elaine always puts so much thought into our gifts and they are very appreciated, dear friend. This year she included Don''s gold Cross pen...a real treasure Jim will enjoy so much.
Mainly Sunsets
I put 356 photos of mainly sunsets and a few sunrises mainly in Vancouver and some in Palm Springs into a photo album and hooked it up to our large screes TV yesterday. It was so much fun watching them and they are truly amazing. I think you become even more aware in the incredible variety and beauty when you see 356 of them in a row.
Now, we don't get anything like this at Lost Lagoon but we are amazed how much we love this view and it is so incredibly peaceful. It must be the quietest part of the West End for sure. And we hear almost no garbage and recycling either. We didn't hear much at Beach Ave either. In both cases we were at the end of the street so I think that makes a big difference.
Our sunset at Lost Lagoon the other night.
Now, we don't get anything like this at Lost Lagoon but we are amazed how much we love this view and it is so incredibly peaceful. It must be the quietest part of the West End for sure. And we hear almost no garbage and recycling either. We didn't hear much at Beach Ave either. In both cases we were at the end of the street so I think that makes a big difference.
Our sunset at Lost Lagoon the other night.
Monday, July 18, 2016
From The Good Life France
"Lovely Colmar with its uniquely colourful old town - it's one of the driest cities in France...
Alsace #lovefrance"
Alsace #lovefrance"
Sunday, July 17, 2016
The Good Life France
"Today, I continue to post photos that show why we all France. Please feel free to share your photos too - just post them here (or timeline)...
Photo: Belcastel, Aveyron, a peaceful Sunday morning in the medieval village..."
Photo: Belcastel, Aveyron, a peaceful Sunday morning in the medieval village..."
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Three days of official mourning in France
From The Good Life France:
"France will hold three days of mourning for the victims in Nice (16,17 and 18 July). I will post photos for those days that show why we all France - please do feel free to share your photos here..."
Sunflowers for sure and I'm looking at a bouquet of sunflowers as I post this. For my blog, I will only post the daily photo from The Good Life France to respect the three days of mourning in France.
"France will hold three days of mourning for the victims in Nice (16,17 and 18 July). I will post photos for those days that show why we all France - please do feel free to share your photos here..."
Sunflowers for sure and I'm looking at a bouquet of sunflowers as I post this. For my blog, I will only post the daily photo from The Good Life France to respect the three days of mourning in France.
Friday, July 15, 2016
Nicki and Stan came for a visit!
It was great to see Nicki and Stan today and they loved our place. It was kind of last minute. They were in for a medical appointment for Nicki and they will be in next week as well so hope to see them. They live in Pitt Meadows so we're aways away from each other. . Nicki is doing pretty well but her second knee replacement ended up being more difficult than the first...then other concerns, dentist, physio, etc. I guess it's just our age when medical appointments seem to dominate. Nicki continues to have a great spirit!
More of good times in Nice...it makes me feel better to think of these.
Above....more of Niki's wonderful statues on la Promenade des Anglais.
This picture was taken on our 2002 trip. We had only just arrived in Nice and we were enjoying the fabulous view from our balcony at the Hôtel Suisse on the Promenade des Anglais. We were very jetlagged but the view and the wine revived us. Thanks to Monique for recommending this hotel. Don and Elaine stayed there too when they came to visit us in Carqueiranne this past year...they loved it too!
Indeed, what in the world is the question?
We are in mourning, for the 84 dead and all the wounded, and all the families. Oh, Nice. We are in mourning for you. For a world that has seen too many atrocities. And once the time of mourning is over? How do we combat this shadow, this darkness? With light. But for now, we grieve. Oh dear Lord. Not again. And again. What in the world is the question, if these acts of horror are the answer?
From Louise Penny on Facebook.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Better memories of Nice
We have spent a lot of time in Nice. We always arrived there to begin our wonderful sojourns in Carqueiranne when Jim was teaching there. In those days we were living in Victoria, so Victoria to Vancouver, to Frankfurt, then to Nice. We rented a car and somehow packed four large suitcases and four carry ons in a sub compact car (before they charged for baggage). I'm into travelling light but Jim always has books, teaching materials, research materials, etc. Then we always overnighted in Nice before the drive (about 4 hours to Carqueiranne), the first time (and other times) at the Hotel Suisse with a balcony and view over la Promenade des Anglais. So wonderful.
That first time in January, 2002, it was after 9/11 which took place in September, 2001. There was very heavy security even in the Victoria airport and Vancouver. Things were rather different in Frankfurt. Well, we had entered the EU. There was almost no security after that. On the plane Frankfurt to Nice, it was old home week. Everyone seemed to know each other on the flight, the door to the pilot's cockpit was wide open and passengers and crew went back and forth having lots of laughs. The flight was only about an hour and it was before noon but the cabin crew managed to get three rounds of drinks out and most people were drinking booze of some sort. There was nobody around when we arrived in Nice and the gate was locked. We waited about 5 minutes and then the crew from the plane arrived, laughed, and kicked the gate open and we all went through. We reflected that things were rather different in the south of France and the horrors of 9/11 seemed very far away.
Other times we went to the Ibis because there was free parking. (I think we paid about $100 for parking the first time we stayed at the Hotel Suisse...but worth every penny. ) There was a mini bar and we cracked open some champagne then went to the market in the "old town" and bought cheese, meats, and bread and wine of course, and sat on our balcony enjoying the sunset over la promenade des Anglais. In January, we were quite warm after the flight and everything else, but people seemed to be bundled up. They viewed us curiously since we were in shirtsleeves.
On our way home we always spent some time in Nice after dropping off our car so we didn't have to worry about parking. A wonderful jumping off point for many places and we took full advantage.
From Nice, you can get a local bus ticket for a couple of Euro to go to all the villages of the Alpes-Maritimes like Vence where the wonderful Matisse Chapel is. And Nice itself is so wonderful with the Chagall Museum, etc.
And there are all these wonderful huge sculptures by Niki de Sainte Phalle along the Promenade des Anglais. One of Louis Armstrong just in front of the Hotel Negresco which was a background for all these horrible recent images. I gain strength from all our wonderful memories of Nice and France. Our thoughts are with everyone who is suffering from this horror and loss.
That first time in January, 2002, it was after 9/11 which took place in September, 2001. There was very heavy security even in the Victoria airport and Vancouver. Things were rather different in Frankfurt. Well, we had entered the EU. There was almost no security after that. On the plane Frankfurt to Nice, it was old home week. Everyone seemed to know each other on the flight, the door to the pilot's cockpit was wide open and passengers and crew went back and forth having lots of laughs. The flight was only about an hour and it was before noon but the cabin crew managed to get three rounds of drinks out and most people were drinking booze of some sort. There was nobody around when we arrived in Nice and the gate was locked. We waited about 5 minutes and then the crew from the plane arrived, laughed, and kicked the gate open and we all went through. We reflected that things were rather different in the south of France and the horrors of 9/11 seemed very far away.
Other times we went to the Ibis because there was free parking. (I think we paid about $100 for parking the first time we stayed at the Hotel Suisse...but worth every penny. ) There was a mini bar and we cracked open some champagne then went to the market in the "old town" and bought cheese, meats, and bread and wine of course, and sat on our balcony enjoying the sunset over la promenade des Anglais. In January, we were quite warm after the flight and everything else, but people seemed to be bundled up. They viewed us curiously since we were in shirtsleeves.
On our way home we always spent some time in Nice after dropping off our car so we didn't have to worry about parking. A wonderful jumping off point for many places and we took full advantage.
From Nice, you can get a local bus ticket for a couple of Euro to go to all the villages of the Alpes-Maritimes like Vence where the wonderful Matisse Chapel is. And Nice itself is so wonderful with the Chagall Museum, etc.
And there are all these wonderful huge sculptures by Niki de Sainte Phalle along the Promenade des Anglais. One of Louis Armstrong just in front of the Hotel Negresco which was a background for all these horrible recent images. I gain strength from all our wonderful memories of Nice and France. Our thoughts are with everyone who is suffering from this horror and loss.
Nice....mon amour...another very sad event.
We’re just sick about it. We were to celebrate Dick and Susan's’ 30th anniversary tonight at a French restaurant. We have cancelled. I’m too upset to do anything. It’s terrible to happen anywhere but somehow when it happens in places you love it makes it so much worse.
Our hearts go out to everyone.
A few new things....
I just came up from the laundry room. What a difference from Hollyburn's ancient machines you used tokens with. You load a card (the one I was given already had $10 on it). They are super machines...look brand new. And of course a "free room"
A bit of a glow....
I guess we'll have to go Beach Ave side to get the spectacular sunsets. Now, that's something I will be missing!
And I found a place for Fern's quilts on my summer blanket.
And I found a place for Fern's quilts on my summer blanket.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
My old friends...
Just as Jim had to give up 4/5 of this books..."his friends", I also had to take paintings out of frames and put them away. I gave away all the frames. We don't have room for anything else in any permanent way since I want to save some space for new paintings but I looked through them today...all 58 of them. A lot of these were my early drawings and paintings and they mean a lot to me so I came up with a way to show them.
I'm going to make a sort of "headboard" and put them up with double sided tape. Since they're all just paper it won't be a problem in an earthquake. I figure I can put up around 8-10 at a time. I think you can get the idea from the photo.
I am going to create a new blog where I will post photos of these "old friends" and also take photos from my art portfolios of the artwork I've given to friends. Probably around a hundred items. Cindy, if you are still reading my blog, thank you, thank you, thank you for suggesting keeping a folio of my artwork especially since I was giving away a lot.
I think it will work out. This is an example of my art portfolio entry for a painting I gave Monique.
Oh, and I found a few places for a few last paintings and posters....
I'm going to make a sort of "headboard" and put them up with double sided tape. Since they're all just paper it won't be a problem in an earthquake. I figure I can put up around 8-10 at a time. I think you can get the idea from the photo.
I am going to create a new blog where I will post photos of these "old friends" and also take photos from my art portfolios of the artwork I've given to friends. Probably around a hundred items. Cindy, if you are still reading my blog, thank you, thank you, thank you for suggesting keeping a folio of my artwork especially since I was giving away a lot.
I think it will work out. This is an example of my art portfolio entry for a painting I gave Monique.
Oh, and I found a few places for a few last paintings and posters....
Fajitas at Las Margaritas...
Jim tends to stick with the same thing but I try new things from time to time. This is a real winner and we could share one for lunch. Jim got some too and lots left over for tonight along with my leftover pasta from last night.
We got our favourite server again today. She remembers everything like the bottle of wine we want and that we want it first, lemon in the water, Jim's order, and then to know that I might not have my "usual".
We got our favourite server again today. She remembers everything like the bottle of wine we want and that we want it first, lemon in the water, Jim's order, and then to know that I might not have my "usual".
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