Garden dept:)
Sedum is a magnet.For so many little flying treasures.
I could watch and watch and watch.
Art dept;)
Fun watercolor books..Arteza..cheap and cheerful..good for mixed media..3 books to a pack.Amazon:)
Baking dept..
With Sarah's little beehive cakelet pan..I dressed up my sideboard for DA:)Hope to see it:)
In other news..
I am often complaining that we NEVER go downtown anymore..unless we have an appointment.
Years ago..it was fun to go to the markets..Little Italy..Old Montreal..
the last 3 yrs have been utter chaos for us.
I live in the country surrounded ..by..shhh......
and butterflies and bees ..
Here I just look about and see the sky..
In the city you must look up.
We went yesterday..
Took 1.5 hrs to get there.
It's really 45 mins from here.
Our beautiful city is still beautiful but..as even downtowners will say Orange ConeVille these days..Huge new hospitals being built..interchanges....wow.
All my old Ipad/pics..through the window and not.
Detour is règle du jour.
Men at work..wait..women too..many many ..at work are everywhere.
How the merchants are surviving all this is beyond me.
These brave guys I tell ya..
Imagine me alone w/ no sense of direction..Oh lala.
Rue Barrée..means Road Closed..OMG..what would I do? CRY.
Everything is in French here.
But you will find the majority can speak English in stores downtown and in Old Montreal.
I live in an English enclave.
I have the very best of both worlds.
I was brought up syaing Oui and Yes in the same breath.
All my primary and secondary schooling was done in French.
College..English..
and then McGill University..English.
My family is bilingual..from the biggest to the littlest.
It's a gift really.
I am always grateful.
It's like most cosmopolitan cities..lots of black..lots of men in suits..lots of men in tight suits now..tight jackets shorter pants and jackets..
Lots of BEAUTIFUL people.
The shortest skirts.. the tallest heels..
Don't wear orange lol.
To me Montréal is so beautiful..the architecture..the boroughs..
The trees..the Old part..truly a city to be so proud of.I grew up there until the age of 10.
Then we moved to the suburbs.
As a young bride..we moved to the country.
It's been over 43 yrs..
I have been sort of gardening..not much to do in Sept..
Crocheting..
Working on a Lucas blanket..went and bought Max blanket yarn:)
At Michaels..I picked up a small bid 60% off and it just fell and broke it's tail.
My husband was in tears when I tell him what I did..what I always do.
I brought it to a clerk and told them and asked if I should pay for it.
Don't worry they said.
ME? Not worry.
Fat Chance.
Have a great weekend.
I'll be enjoying quietude.And watching the leaves change as I speak..
No football this w/e..they are palying out of town..last weekend we watched Lucas and Max now both on the same high school team.
I only have eyes for them.
Beautiful seeing 2 brothers together..
The Littlest..played elsewhere and we couldn't be in 2 places..
This is the kind of Little he is..
3 touchdowns.. 3 injuries.
:(
He gets up and keeps going..never complains..
He lives breathes and eats football.
That's not an unhappy face..that's a focused face on how can I win this game with my team.
I adore all my 4 grandsons.
They are my sweet..funny..lovely and loving rewards of my later life.
Tante bellissime fotografie, mi sono soffermato sulle farfalle che le trovo fantastiche.
ReplyDeleteBuona serata
Buona serata!!Grazie!
DeleteYour butterfly photos are excellent. We will have to plant Sedum. Must tell Todd. Your watercolour is such a pretty painting. I love it. You have so much talent Monique. I will look for the watercolour books. I need to take a class. Maybe after October, and this time I shall devote myself to it. Your cakes turned out lovely. Love the little Bees. Downton Abbey came out here yesterday. We have not been yet, but I am torn. Do I go to see now? Or do I wait for the DVD? Choices, choices. Movies are so expensive to go to nowadays. I am a country girl. Well, not too country, but definitely not a city girl. We live at the edge of a small city with suits me to a "T". Busy but not too busy if you know what I mean. I remember going to Old Montreal on an exchange trip the summer between Grade 11 and Grade 12. It was beautiful. We were billeted in an old Monestary overnight.(Creepy!) I wish I was Bilingual. My father, French/Bilingual. My children's schooled for the most part to be Bilingual. Me, only high school French. My mother spoke only English and wouldn't even attempt to speak French. English was the only language spoken at home. I wish it had been otherwise! I have a whole family that I can barely communicate with, but I try. I hear you about breaking things in shops. I never pick anything up because I know if I broke it I would never forgive myself. What a sweetheart your littlest Football player. You have beautiful grandchildren, so handsome all of them, and they are so lucky to call you their Grandmother. Have a super weekend! The sun is shining here! yay! xoxo
ReplyDeleteany of my childhood friends were anglophone and to this day do not speak any French.Back in the day..French learned English..picked it up on the strret like my francophone husband did..not so for the English.
DeleteEnglish ruled and ruled..
Things changed ..anglos fled the province in droves.
I hated those uncertain times.
Still complaints..but mainly peace.:)
Don't let my traffic pics scare you lol..Montreal is still fabulous:)
Have a great day:)Thank you for all your nice words as always:)
The best of all worlds, toi! I grew up bi-lingual and am still in awe of this phenomenon! That little painting, Wow!
ReplyDeleteI will get to Montreal at least one more time...but interesting about all the construction...Littles are getting bigger...
Some people may navigate more adroitely but it seemed all was chaos..Turco interchange..etc..downtown..tricky:)
DeleteBon weekend!
I have to remember to plant some sedum! How great that you are bi-lingual.
ReplyDeleteLucky draw:) That's all..Yes Sedum at this time of year is..gold:)
DeleteWe're up north and I'm beginning to see the colors change -- not a lot yet, but enough to know that fall is coming. And yes, on the way we saw more than a few orange cones. In Michigan they say there are two seasons, winter and under construction.
ReplyDeleteSo much loveliness here -- what a pretty Downton vignette -- I'm seeing it next week. The flowers, Arteza painting, all beautiful in every single way. You do water SO well! I have trouble with that. And I'm so glad you had a day in Montreal. That's one of the places I really want to visit -- and it shouldn't be THAT hard for us here from Michigan. Maybe someday I'll get there and we can have tea! So lovely visiting you -- my blog happy place!
Wait until the Turcot interchange is done lol!You would love Old Montreal with the port..cobblestone streets..artists..Les Jardins Nelson inside courtyard for lunch with music💕💕The Ritz downtown for tea!I went once💫LittleItaly and the market..Botanical gardens..👏🏻👏🏻
DeleteI love those winged creature shots on your sedum! I am impressed that your sedum is upright and not fallen over like many I see here. OY, that construction! We have plenty here too but Milwaukee is a piece of cake to navigate compared to Montreal. We're not quite a million in all of the Milwaukee area and suburbs and Montreal is over 4 million! I love your DA scene ♥ Oli is a real trooper! I can't believe Mack is turning 10 this week too. Such sports boys they are!
ReplyDeleteI used to love going to Mtl now I will have to ask for a day there as a birthday gift😂Rain checked to summertime..easier driving to Vermont☺️10 years old..🎂🎂🎂🎂So fast!2 little girls came to my door this aft selling their home made cookies..both in Olis class..so adorable!!He only ever talks about football lol..I will ask about Them..so socute!
DeleteConstruction should end one day🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Your photography is lovely. I love watching the butterflies and bees. I shall look into sedum. Your DA vignette is wonderful. Thanks for sharing your visit to the city. I prefer country living. I see beautiful blue skies around us. It is quiet here and I do not see another house. Happy Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI love quietude too:) As I lay in bed..I think how lucky am I to not hear one single solitary sound.
DeleteUntil my chicken calls;)
Dearest Monique,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post! Well, I still enjoy my Montréal bought MarcCain shoes (friend Hélène got them for me as there are NO stores in the USA) but it's quite a while ago that I walked there myself... But I love Montréal and Québec City!
Oh, it sure tells that you love the Sedums, you are an artist behind the lens, you paint your passion by clicking and by brush!
Love all your photos.
Hugs,
Mariette
Merci!! Will check those shoes out:):)
Delete"Rue Barrée..means Road Closed..OMG..what would I do? CRY." And I did in 2004 when I visited you. Before GPS. I was so lost. I pulled off the road and I am sure there were some tears. I cannot read maps.
ReplyDeleteA kind sanitation worker took pity and helped me out.
When I visited this past July it took us a little over 30 minutes to go into the city from your area but close to 2 hours to return to the hotel. That was a combo of traffic and misleading GPS directions. A fabulous city to visit.
I hope you went in for something fun.
Well it wasn't fun..but it was so good..6 yrs ao this Jan..Jacques had a tumor removed..in an operation..malignant but not aggressive..however first 3 yrs every 6 months check up..after 3 yrs every yr..this was the last one..He said now you only need to come back if necessary and it's not..Five start visit.No more appts.:)For that;)
DeleteYou guys were troopers here!!
Monique, Austin is growing so quickly that traffic is a mess almsost any time of the day. We pick and choose where and when we go. I specifically dislike sitting on the express way when it is a parking lot, and that is happening more and more, creeping up to times other than rush hour. I often go the back roads, even though it means stop lights.
ReplyDeleteI'm eager for the movie too. I think it opens here this week, though no plans as yet to go see it. I need to check times and theatre. Your gorgeous image is a beautiful tribute. You make the little hive look so exquisite. Next time I make these I'm going to just use a dusting of powder sugar. I like the look!
:)
DeleteI told Jacques I would treat him to the movie lol..:) A matinee..on a rainy day..forecast is full sun ..that's my movie luck..He loved DA so I can lure him in I hope!
I am such a patient person..but I get frazzled know J is at wit's end w/ the traffic..so I hate it:):)
Beautiful photos! I love the dowtown shots...Montreal is always under construction. :) Hope you are well! xo
ReplyDeleteYou are right..but this year? Oh lalalala..Love it right here in this sleepytown;);)xx
DeleteI was amazed to see all the Monarchs floating around in Maine! And you have them too.
ReplyDeleteI was in Monreal one time long ago. All I remember was snow, snow, snow very high. And COLD.
'Boys to men'.