Week 40: The Joy of Christmas

Debby

Family is the joy of Christmas as is giving and sharing. Crocheted gifts for charity, food items for the food bank and letters to soldiers overseas. Time spent with old friends. All of that is my joy.

Carol

The grandbaby asked for three things from Santa: an Elsa doll, cookies, and books. Needless to say, her wishes came true. There was a lot of joy to be had on Christmas morning but I think this smile says it all.

Week 39: Merry and Bright

Debby

Out for lunch with “My Girls”. Makes me think of the movie White Christmas. Remember that song and dance routine......Sisters, sisters?

This is what is merry and bright for me this week and always.

Carol

Between family feuds and a very sick senior cat, the “Merry” has been sucked right out of the holiday for me, but at least I can show you my Christmas tree to make things a little brighter.

Yes, that is a hat on the top of it. The granddaughter insisted. And one should never argue with a three-year-old (almost four!) at Christmas!

Week 38: Comfy Clothes

Debby

I absolutely love my old denim jacket. I always thought of it as a “dressier” style of denim because of the styling. It has zipper accents at the wrist and zipper pockets on the front.

I have worn this jacket for years, even in winter in lieu of a winter coat.

I knew it was getting frayed at the cuffs and the denim was faded but I had not realized exactly how worn it was until the other day.

The one shoulder is worn almost white from the ongoing friction of carrying a purse with a shoulder strap. Not something that is noticeable when hanging on a hook at the door. Maybe if I ever hung it on a hanger I might have seen it sooner.

I think the time has come for me to buy a proper winter coat. And I might just look at the denim while I’m at it.

Carol

Comfy is an oversized shirt and leggings. And as you can see, I really like being comfy. LOL

Yes, there are a lot of plaid shirts in that closet, although not all of them are oversized. A lot of them are flannel though, which is the ultimate in comfy-ness.

Week 37: Deck the Halls…

Debby

I don’t do any decorating for the holidays so I love to see the stores all bright and full of cheer.

Found this little fellow and couldn’t resist. A Canadian moose in his best dressed Christmas finery.

Carol

To be honest, when I came up with the idea for “deck the halls” I had the idea of going to a store and taking a picture of some of their “boughs of holly”. Unfortunately, nobody had any. LOL

So instead here’s a picture of the wreath I got for our front door.

Week 36: Baby It’s Cold Outside

Debby

I’m an avid crocheter so my kids always had a plethora of hats to choose from at any given age. It is a mother thing that I think kids need to wear a hat, especially babies.

The other day I saw a woman waiting by the school for her son, with a younger child in a stroller. The mom was the only one wearing a hat. No no no, Mom. That’s just wrong.

I know, I know. When kids reach a certain age and are out of sight they do their own thing. Still think it’s important so I was happy to make these hats for a friend’s day care kids. There’s a good Mom.

Carol

The weather finally turned cold - winter was here at last. But as soon as Debby picked this week’s topic it warmed right up and started to rain. And rain, and rain!

I was ready to take a picture the remains of a mound of snow before it melted away completely under the onslaught of rain, but then it turned cold enough that the rain turned to snow. I snapped this picture quickly – not willing to take the chance of being without proof of the cold, however short lived.

Week 35: Comfort Zone

Debby

Temperatures are dropping and snow is on the forecast. My cupboards are full of groceries so I can play hermit because my place is my comfort zone, full of yarn and paint supplies to keep me occupied.

“Oh the weather outside is frightful but inside is so delightful...”. The words may not be correct but you get my meaning.

Carol

My comfort zone used to be my recliner – I could sit up or recline, watch T.V. or work on a hobby. I recently replaced my recliner with a cuddle chair turning that whole corner of the living room into a comfort zone. It’s every bit as comfortable, but has a lot more space around it.

When the granddaughter comes to visit, she turns it into her comfort zone. But at least she doesn’t have to fight the cats for her corner. LOL

Week 34: Something Used

Debby

Something well used. For sure that would be my paint brushes. There are usually brushes lying beside my sink along with dirty dishes. After all, I firmly believe creativity comes first. There’s even a magnet on my fridge that attests “Creative minds are seldom tidy”.

That’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it.

Carol

We’ve lived in this house for 40 years, and that’s a lot of years to collect well used “stuff.” Recently, the hubby decided to purge the basement of stuff we no longer used/wanted. Some of it went back on the shelves to be re-evaluated at a later date, some of it was donated, a lot of it went right into the trash.

This is the second pile that’s to be taken to the dump – all of it well used, all of it having outlived its usefulness.

Week 33: Rainy Days and Mondays

Debby

I ventured out on a dull and dreary day to have coffee with my son at his work place, which just happens to be beside the lake. While I was waiting I took a number of photos as I found the clouds and light fascinating.

There are so many layers of clouds, and in the distance the sun is shining with blue skies, adding some sparkle to the lake.

Autumn weather can be beautiful with its bright colours, but also dark with its storm clouds and rain. Maybe that “bad” weather is a warning of weather yet to come.

Carol

Given the amount of rain we’ve been having lately, I thought the subject for this week was kind of appropriate. But wouldn’t you know, when I went out with my phone the rain slacked off and the wind came up instead.

So then I’m sitting in my living room, which has a view through the dining room straight out the deck doors into the backyard, and a gust of wind sent a swirl of leaves past. And I thought, there’s a different idea, a rainfall of leaves!

And of course when I went outside it was to find most of the leaves had already been blown off of the trees and while they’d still swirl a bit in the wind, it didn’t really make for much in the way of a picture. Still, it’s the only picture I could come up with, so it’ll just have to do.

Week 32: Signs That Winter’s Coming

Debby

In the spring I had the good timing to be at the Marina as a couple of large sailboats were being put in the water. It was always a sign of summer to see the marina full, with the show of masts.

The reverse is also true I realized as I drove by the marina and saw the stark emptiness, the empty docks leading out into the water, leading to nothing.

Another season is done, as the grey skies, the rain and the cooler temperatures will attest. Winter is not far off. What does it have in store for us this year?

Carol

Normally I love the fall. I love the changing colour of the leaves and the bright sunshine with the cooler temperatures making the air feel crisp and fresh.

Unfortunately, this fall has been cold and windy, dismal and wet – not typical at all. And the trees are telling conflicting stories. The chestnut and walnut trees were virtually empty this year, a sure sign of a mild winter. However, the pine trees are loaded down with cones, a sign of an intense winter.

In the meantime, the pool has been covered and there’s a carpet of leaves on the ground, still to be dealt with. Signs for sure that winter’s coming. Only time will tell which of the trees are correct in their prediction of how bad it’s going to be.

Week 31: C is For . . .

Debby

Nothing like a drive on a sunny day down a country road. This is from a couple of weeks ago, as we’ve not had sunny days, and I’ve been without my car.

I hope to get out again, this time for the colour, before the cold sets in. The weather channel predicted that our days of double digit, and that’s Celsius, temperatures are done. Oh joy. I’m not ready.

Carol

C is for . . . cats!

I can remember only one year in my life, the year I was first married that we lived in an apartment, when I didn’t share space with at least one cat. And even then I could go to my father’s house to visit my cats any time I wished.

I have a friend who has something like eight cats currently – at one time she’s had as many as ten, most of whom were feral cats that she made friends with then adopted. The most I’ve ever managed is six, and that was two adult cats and four kittens (we also had a dog and three rats at that time).

Pictured here are two of my three remaining furry overlords, waiting for their supper. I think it would be in my best interest to feed them, don’t you think? LOL

Week 30: B is For . . .

Debby

The sky looked ominous when I set out today for a day trip to Fowler’s Corners, a village north of here. We were fortunate the rain never advanced beyond a drizzle all day.

My “B” selection was to be for BIG, and my photo the big chair outside the Crafters Marketplace. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there and I was disappointed the huge rocking chair was gone, replaced by a big Adirondack chair, complete with steps. I suppose people ignored the Keep Off signs and so the huge chair became a liability.

So “B” could be for big, or with the photo I took of the sky, for black and blue. The lake is a strange colour, as is the sky, a perfect picture of the weather warning for tonight and tomorrow.

Despite the weather it was a good day out with an old friend, and a very successful shopping trip.

Carol

B is for . . . blue betta fish!

Isn’t he pretty? His name is Tiddler, after the fish in one of my granddaughter’s favourite books. She picked him out, so she got to name him. Technically, he’s her fish, he just lives at my house and I do all the feeding and tank cleaning. LOL

Tiddler is not my first betta. Several years ago I had a more colourful betta who lived in a big, jar-like vase with a plant on top. The thing is, although bettas can live in small containers or murky water, it’s not the ideal conditions for them. They do better in larger tanks (at least a gallon or two) with something they can hide in. Merlin, my first fish, lasted a little over a year in his less than ideal conditions.

It’ll be interesting to see how much longer Tiddler lasts with the extra TLC he gets.

Week 29: Thanksgiving

Debby

Thanksgiving is a time for family, but sometimes the gathering you hope for just doesn’t happen.

My daughter was not cooking as Thanksgiving fell on the anniversary of her father’s death, always a bad time for her.

I was invited, as I am every year, to celebrate with my son’s in-law relatives. But the sudden death the day before of my daughter-in-law’s uncle cancelled those plans.

My sister-in-law was sick all weekend and didn’t cook. They were fortunate to have good neighbours who share, and delivered plates full of turkey and all the fixings.

I have no such neighbour, lol, and made do, my Hungry Man and I, for a turkey dinner.

Carol

Thanksgiving seemed like an obvious choice for this week, seeing as the Canadian Thanksgiving was celebrated over the weekend.

Due to the expanding nature of the hubby’s family, for several years we found it easier to rent a hall and have dinner there, everyone bringing their favourite dishes and the turkey being cooked in the hall’s oven. A little cold and impersonal to my mind, but it worked. But now the kids are mostly grown and have families of their own, so we're back to separate dinners.

I meant to take a picture of the table all nicely set, the food steaming in the center, everyone waiting to dig in, but as usual, I forgot until we were already started. We may be a small family, but there was a lot of love, as well as food, at our table.

Week 28: Harvest Time

Debby

As our growing season comes to an end, we see the last of the harvest in all its glory. Apple trees, their branches bending with the weight of their fruit. Fields full of those huge round bales of hay... all lined up, and wrapped up.

Is there anything that says fall better than pumpkins? There are the carved pumpkins for Hallowe’en, the ever popular Jack ‘O Lantern. And then there is an abundance of pumpkin flavoured offerings like the Tim Horton’s Pumpkin Spice Latte.

I admit I am a traditionalist. I like my pumpkin in a pie, maybe a muffin, but not in my tea or coffee, or any other very inventive concoctions.

Just pie, plain or fancied up with some whipped cream. And isn’t it nice that the weekend is our Thanksgiving. I see a slice of pie in my future.

Carol

Harvest time. Boy, does that bring back the memories.

This is a farming community, or at least it used to be. When I was in high school and the teacher would start taking attendance in September, a good third of the class would be missing – “Brian’s out working tobacco” or “Sarah is picking apples.”

Apples, corn, and tobacco, the big three. People are more health conscious these days, so you don’t hear much about the tobacco crops, but we still have an abundance of corn and apples. Friday nights you’re bound to run into swarms of the migrant workers, imported from Jamaica or Mexico, as they cash in their well earned pay cheques and load up supplies for another week.

While it would have been great to take a picture of one of the bountiful harvests that are still just a few miles beyond the town limits, it’s been a pretty rainy week – not exactly the best weather for road trips or pictures. So instead I offer a picture of my own meagre harvest. My neighbour with the big garden has a rule – what grows through the fence is mine. I’m thinking it’s almost time to harvest my crop.

Week 27: Let the Sunshine In

Debby

I have a fascination with abandoned buildings. There is such a history to be told in each and every building, lost when boarded up and left to wreck and ruin. I can watch the pattern, as it progresses, not the right word, to total neglect.

First there are the curious, maybe those acting on a dare, who cover the walls with lewd comments and other graffiti. Then there are those who aim to add to the damage done by nature and neglect, who break windows and doors.

As if someone cared, the windows are boarded up, the doors locked, the memories closed tight within to haunt the empty halls. Here is a place that begs to let the sunshine in, but I’m afraid the darkness will win out.

Carol

I love the sun. Specifically, I love the sun from a distance. I like to sit outside in the summer when the sun is shining and I’m in the shade with a cool breeze blowing. I also like sitting in the cool, dark house and just look at the sun shining outside.

This summer I spent a lot of time sitting inside with the curtains drawn to keep the sun out. I may be a fan of the sun, but not of the heat it generates. And we’re not even going to discuss the humidity.

This week was not a particularly sunny one, but we had at least one day bright enough for me to take my picture. One of my fondest memories of going to church with my mother is the way the sun shone through the enormous stained glass windows.

My bathroom window can’t really compare, but it still brings a smile to my face.

Week 26: In Memory

Debby

It has become common place to see a cross or a bunch of flowers, at the side of the road where a fatal accident has occurred. A deadly reminder to those on the road to go with care and caution.

These sites make me stop and I give a moment of silent sympathy for their friends and family. Many years ago a young woman was killed when she was thrown off the back of her boyfriend’s moped. They were riding on a dark country road, without lights and drove into the back of a parked car.

The monument that has been built there I find really disturbing. The roadside weeds have been cut back and a small grassy area is contained with wooden edging. There is a post with a box on top that displays the photo of this poor girl, protected behind glass.

I drove by there one year in March and noticed that it had been decorated for Christmas with artificial garlands and poinsettias. They were faded and worn, blowing in the wind and I was upset seeing this obvious neglect. Who goes there to decorate with the seasons and holidays? Why there, at the place of death, such a painful reminder of their loss? Why not flowers taken to the burial site, to remember a life ended too soon, than to constantly be reminded of the manner of death?

I went there, thinking to take my photo, and found more faded decorations. But a flowering bush has been added to the mix which will hopefully survive and change with the seasons. I can’t help but wonder which memory that girl would rather her family cherish. I find cemeteries a peaceful place, so that would be my choice.

For my photo I chose flowers left on the fence alongside the railroad tracks. The tracks, the flowers and the setting sun in the background. Time will only tell what kind of memory, or remembrance this area will become.

Carol

Once upon a time we had a dog named Kelsey. She died early one spring and the hubby dutifully dug through the half-frozen ground to give her a proper burial. When spring was a little more temperate, we created a small garden with a fountain in the center as a memorial to her.

This garden became known as Kelsey Park and over the next few years three cats and several gerbils joined her. Only the hubby knows for sure where they’re buried and apparently he already has spots reserved for the remaining three cats.

The garden doesn’t look like much right now, but early in the summer it’s the showpiece of the backyard. Our memorial to our pets that have passed over the rainbow bridge.

Week 25: An Apple A Day

Debby

Fall’s sweet bounty. I love apples, and with the cooler temperatures there are no end of apple recipes to try. I remember the ongoing argument I had with my father-in-law, about apple pies. I love cinnamon and he was a nutmeg guy, so, of course I had to make both. For my Dad it was apple dumplings. Been awhile since I’ve made either, apple cake and muffins for sure, but not a pie or dumplings.

Just saw apple tacos on Facebook. The tacos baked with a coating of cinnamon and sugar, the apples cut up and cooked with brown sugar. Looked very tasty.

So many recipes, so little time.

Carol

When I came up with this week’s idea, we were in the midst of a couple of days of cooler, fall-like weather. The fall always makes me think of apples – apple pie, apple cider, or just biting into a sweet, crunchy apple.

Of course now we’re back into the hot and humid weather, but apple season is still upon us. I just won’t be baking any pies yet. :-)

Instead, I’ll just go down to my freezer and pull out an apple loaf that I made in the spring. It may not have come straight from the tree, but it works for me!

Week 24: Butterflies

Debby

I never took the time to visit the newest park downtown, though I would often drive by. I’d see the skaters on the outdoor rink in winter, and the butterflies flying high in summer.

I stopped and walked the park when I selected the Love Locks Bridge for an earlier blog photo choice. This was the first time I’d seen the beautiful butterflies up close and could appreciate what a lovely addition they were to the park.

Colour and movement. The breeze from the lake causing ripples in the shallow water that fills the winter rink.

I should get out and around this town I call home more often.

Carol

I love butterflies!

Many years ago I used to walk home from work, cutting across a park that was more like a big field. One day, I had to step carefully because the grass was covered with monarch butterflies. I’m guessing they were taking a rest from their yearly migration, but it was an amazing sight. Too bad there wasn’t such a thing as a camera phone back then, it really had to be seen to be believed.

Sadly, the butterfly population underwent a sharp decline, but over the last couple years they started making a comeback. This year I’ve seen more monarchs than I have in the last several years put together, some even in my own back yard. Hopefully they’ll continue to multiply and some day I’ll get to see a field of butterflies again.

Week 23: By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Debby

When I decided on last week’s topic of painted rocks I assumed, incorrectly, that Carol might do some painting with her granddaughter as I had. She never ceases to surprise me, for her submission was totally unexpected.

I forgot about the rocks, as I was painting canvases instead, and had to rush to get something done in time for the blog. And since I had all these rocks on my table I kept on painting, and ended up painting a piece for this week’s Full Moon.

I can safely say I am done with rocks, but it gave me some fun and the break I needed.

Carol

I love the full moon. I love the way the light reflects on the water or shines through the trees… I love the way it lights up the landscape at night.

The full moon this week was the Sturgeon Moon, so named by the Native Americans because this is the time when the sturgeons start to spawn around the Great Lakes. So it seemed only natural that I drag the hubby down to Lake Ontario to take my moon picture. The moon was a gorgeous reddish colour and reflected on the calm water of the lake.

It was so beautiful that I went home and got my good camera to take what I thought would be better pictures. Alas, National Geographic is not going to be beating down my door for my photos. The ones I took with my phone pretty much showed a reddish dot in the sky. The ones with the good camera caught the reflection of moonlight on the water nicely, but the moon itself looked like a cluster of three.

But then, as I was feeding the cats before going to bed, I noticed the moon outside the kitchen window. It had risen high enough I could see it clearly over the tops of the trees behind our house. So I took my phone out onto the deck and took my pictures – every one was a winner, but this one was the best. LOL

Week 22: Painted Rocks

Debby

This was my suggestion and you would think, because I gave Carol weeks of notice, that I would not have been caught unprepared. Thing is, I’ve been painting like a demon for the last few months, and other things have fallen by the wayside. Not pleased with my effort and as a point of pride will have to do another and put more effort into it.

Word of advice for anyone wanting to paint rocks...a coat of gesso to prime makes the surface smoother and the paint go on better. Recipe for homemade gesso is 1/4 cup talc, 1/4 cup water. Mix together and add 1/2 cup white acrylic paint and 1/4 cup white glue.

The house is my submission. The cats are for you Carol as an apology for being late.

Carol says: I’m posting both pictures because the cats are just so darned cute!

Carol

As soon as I received this week’s topic from Debby I knew what I was going to take a picture of.

Our town has an ecology garden just above the west beach, with a boardwalk separating the two. There are many beautiful features of this garden and one of the most interesting is the display of painted rocks.

In case you can’t quite tell from the picture, the sign says: Take a rock for motivation, leave a rock for inspiration. I find these rocks very motivational!

Week 21: Red

Debby

I didn’t seem to have contact with something red over the weekend, and will be honest and admit I forgot. I hoped to come across some jazzy red car, but not likely in my neighbourhood.

Today, I was in the Bulk Barn and planned to take a picture of one of the candy bins, but it was too busy, Seniors Discount day and all.

So here are the red candies I bought for the grandkids. Picked out the red ones and it made me think of that Smarties jingle. “When you eat your Smarties do you eat the red ones last?”

Carol

I had just the opposite problem - so much red to choose from! Red placemats, my favourite red coffee mug, old red book covers…and my antique wing chair is upholstered in red velvet. I finally decided to go with the red daisy in the planter on my deck, a gift from a friend.

After a great start the gardens are starting to look a little wilted these days, but this plucky little daisy is still doing great. It deserves to be showcased.

Week 20: Sunrise/Sunset

Debby

Sunrise, Sunset, a beautiful old song written by Lewis Brock Jerrold and Sheldon Harnick:

Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset,
Swiftly fly the years,
One season follows another,
Laden with happiness and tears....

Carol

Like Debby, the first thing that came to my mind was the song, Sunrise, Sunset, from one of my all time favourite movies, Fiddler on the Roof.

This wasn’t an easy picture for me to get because early morning and late in the day are both my busiest times of the day and it was hard to get out of the house. And then the weather wasn’t very cooperative either – we’ve had a lot of cloudy, overcast skies lately. I finally checked what time the sunset was supposed to occur one evening and then dragged the hubby with me down to the lakeside where I managed to get at least one decent shot.

And for the record, that's not a distant hillside the sun is hiding behind, that's a cloud bank. :-)

Week 19: A Taste of Summer

Debby

I asked my grandchildren what they considered the taste of summer. I thought they might say chips from a roadside chip truck but their answer was a resounding ICE CREAM! So we ventured downtown to the ice cream shop where they serve Kawartha Ice Cream, the best tasting ice cream in Ontario, in my humble opinion.

The flavours in the photo are, a very obvious Blue Bubblegum, and Moose Tracks which had swirls of chocolate, peanut butter and tiny peanut butter cups. It was all delicious.

Carol

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of a taste of summer is vegetables fresh from the garden. In some ways I think I was spoiled as a kid. Although we lived on the edge of town we had a huge vegetable garden, and besides making jams and jellies, my mother also made relishes, pickles, and chutneys. I used to love putting the tomatoes, onions, and peppers through the meat grinder.

I’ve had a couple of failed attempts at vegetable gardens in the past, but my next door neighbour has great success and loves to share her bounty. I was going to post a picture of the cherry tomatoes that my husband and granddaughter planted (they’re covered with tomatoes) but my neighbour sent her granddaughter over with a much larger selection.

The only thing better than fresh produce is a neighbour who likes to share. :-)

Week 18: A is For . . .

Debby

I was stuck for a topic this week, and frustrated with the blank canvas on my tabletop easel. So this week, A is for Art, or the absence of art, as the case may be. I’ve stepped away from decades of creating abstract art and have tried my hand at some realism.

It’s all Chuck Black’s fault. He’s a 32 year old landscape and wildlife painter from Montana who has a plethora of art videos on YouTube. I tried a couple of landscapes but was not satisfied. Why not try a more abstract approach I thought.

Then I discovered Scott Naismith. He’s a young Scottish landscape artist who is known for his bright colours and abstract approach. Again, I became addicted to YouTube.

I think I need to experiment with all that I have learned to find my own style. What used to work for me doesn’t seem to work any more. I’m waiting for inspiration, and hope the blank canvas doesn’t stay blank much longer.

Carol

Yeah, I went for the obvious with this one. A is for apples.

At first I was going to go to the grocery store and either take a picture of the produce section or buy a variety of apples and pose them artistically to take my picture. But I had a few apples that needed to be used up and I had some little frozen tart shells in the freezer so ….

Apples usually make me think of the fall, not summer, but in this case I was willing to make an exception. :-D

Week 17: Bridges

Debby

In 2013 our local hospital had a fundraiser called Love Locks. They sold gold coloured locks to be attached to a bridge, built over a small creek in a downtown park. The concept was based on a scene from a movie set in Paris. The characters placed locks on a chain on the bridge balustrade, for love, for memory, for hope.

I purchased a lock for each of my children, as this campaign coincided with the 10th anniversary of their father’s death. The locks were engraved “To Dad” with their name. My daughter placed hers on the bridge, my son placed his out on his property.

This was my first visit to the bridge and I was surprised with the variety of locks, not all, sadly, purchased through the hospital. I never hear any news that this is an ongoing fundraiser, maybe because it was not a big money maker. But I like the idea, and may one day add a lock of my own.

Carol

I think I acquired my love of bridges (the older the better) when I was a kid. One of the parks we used to visit up north had an old wood and stone bridge spanning a slow moving river. We’d cross it to the oak trees on the other side, search for acorns, and on the way back stop in the middle of the bridge to make wishes, tossing the acorns into the water.

That bridge has long since been replaced with something more modern, but I’ll always cherish the memory. There just seems to be something inherently romantic about old bridges, don’t you think?

I took a couple of different bridge pictures, one was metal and spanned a wide river, one was small and wooden, spanning a dry river bed, and finally I settled on the following bridge. It’s not big or important, it only spans the nearby creek, but it serves its purpose with character.

Week 16: Fences

Debby

What’s that old saying...something about good fences make good neighbours?

I’ve seen a number of different style of fencing from the natural cedar hedge to tall wooden structures. There’s the unappealing chain link and the old fashioned wrought iron.

One of my favourites is a fence made from split rails. They don’t offer much in the line of privacy, nor are they going to keep intruders out, but they have an appealing old country look.

This photo was taken at a country house, far off the beaten path. The gardens, once lovely, had been left to grow wild for the past year. Still, this little corner held some appeal. I don’t know my flowers so the name of this shrub escapes me. But doesn’t it still have some beauty, even as it stands dry and colourless?

Carol

When I was a kid we owned a big chunk of property behind our house and my mother had a humungous vegetable garden that was bordered on one side by a split rail fence. I always loved that fence. So naturally I thought of that fence when I received this week’s picture topic.

There were several interesting fences around my neighborhood, including a white picket fence that I chose not to try and photograph because of the children playing behind it. How sad that you have to take these things into consideration these days.

I guess the split rail fence has gone out of fashion because the one I had intended to take a picture of, just around the corner from us, has been replaced by a wrought iron fence. It’s still an attractive addition to the garden on either side of it, but it seems to be more of a formal, elegant fence without the charm of the split rail.