Since I have some extra time on line today, I thought we might have a visit over a virtual cup of tea this afternoon.
Step into my living room. You can sit in my favourite corner of the couch, where you can gaze out the window and enjoy the view.
It's cloudy this afternoon, and kind of cool outside; my very favourite kind of weather. I have lots of energy on days like this and love to go out for walks around the neighbourhood. The colours of the flowers show so brightly against the grey sky, and lots of people take advantage of the cool weather to work in their gardens or to get out and about as I am, to enjoy the sights.
My neighbourhood is very green right now. Trees are wearing heavy canopies of leaves, and abundant crops of nuts and fruit adorn many of them like jewellery. The evergreens are dropping their cones right now and squirrels travel along the aerial highway the power lines form, carrying the cones away to stash them for the winter months. Some of those cones end up in my foraging bag too, destined to be crafted into Christmas decorations.
The river is very low now, chuckling over the rocks where it passes through the park down the street from my house. You can walk all the way across it now, without ever needing to swim. At the swimming hole, children and dogs are busy playing, even in this cool water. The sound of their laughter drifting up through my window as they bike their way home makes me smile.
I've baked a coffee cake just for you.
The whole apartment smells like cinnamon, and warm steam curls up from our teacups, fragrant too.
So...How have you been?
I've been pretty busy lately. July and August are busy times in my little town. We have the 39 Days of July Festival from June 24 to August 1, with live music downtown every day, the Rock of the Woods Music Festival, and the SunFest Country Music Festival, as well as all sorts of other smaller events in the other towns around us.
I'm not a crowd person so I avoid the big events, but I do check out the smaller ones. I enjoyed the music downtown and have made several visits to the Forest Discovery Centre. I've walked much of the Trans Canada Trail here in the valley and especially enjoy the sections in the Cowichan Valley Provincial Park.
My sister and I spent a day in Chemainus and found what may be my favourite coffee shop ever, with walls of books, jazz music, and - of course - good coffee. It was a real treat!
I've been writing too. Here's my latest piece from b-attitude. There's a lot more on all my blogs, in draft form. I hope to have enough library time in the coming weeks to publish some of it for you.
You guys know how my magpie mind works, right? I'm interested in all sorts of things. Here are some on line things that have caught my eye recently:
And here are some beautiful things have captured my attention:
This sweet yellow vignette in my living room
Path in the Woods by Vincent VanGogh, shared by the VanGogh Museum
This beautiful Monet-inspired photo from The Butchart Gardens
(Cadboro Bay is about an hour's drive south of where I live.)
Milky Way at Skutz Falls by David Chang Photography
(Skutz Falls is part of the Cowichan River Provincial Park, located about 1/2 hour's drive west of where I live.)
Thank you so much for visiting with me! I'd love to hear your news too. If you have stories or photos or interesting links to share, please post them in the comments below my link to this blog at Aunt B's Kitchen on Facebook.* I'll look forward to seeing them the next time I have time on line at the library.
I hope that whatever the weather is like where you are, and whether you are enjoying busy times or quiet, life is bringing you things that make you happy. I hope that you have time to enjoy the gifts each day gives you and that you're able to dream big, happy dreams while holding those you love close to your heart.
Take good care of you. I hope we can visit again soon.
*G-Rated and family friendly comments, photos, and blog links only please. No politics, either. I'll delete anything I think may offend my readers.
