Whimsical Seesaws

In the Quartier des Spectacles in Montreal there is this delightful installation - a series of seesaws. As you balance up and down, the light illuminates on the downward side and a tone is emitted. Tones change depending on the height reached.








Up
and
Down



It was great fun to watch the action of people of all ages.



But that was nothing compared to joy of playing on them. My inner child popped out along with gales of laughter. It was nothing like the dreaded days as a child when someone would inevitably try to make you drop rapidly to the ground resulting in a most uncomfortable landing. On this seesaw I felt like I was floating. The accompanying tones added to the delight. It was easy to forget about the winter cold and play!

Too Cold to Sit

I love sunny winter days - there is something energizing about the combination of cold and  sunshine. It was not a day to sit and sunbathe, but walking was a delight. With the right layering of clothing I was toasty warm. And the sun just lifts everyone's spirits.

Monte's Chocolates

Over the years I have been privileged to have the friendship of Monte. We have played music together for almost 30 years, both in each other's homes and in Flutissimo (a recorder orchestra). Along with music, one of his passions is making chocolates which he does every year and then shares with his friends. He makes a large variety, from chocolate dipped orange rinds to clusters of nuts and dried fruit, chocolate covered biscuits, chocolate-coated almonds and his own variety of turtles. And even chocolate covered halvah.



Several years ago, he came to my place and we made chocolates together. He shared his "secrets". I tried making them once more on my own, but did not have the finesse of Monte. His friendship has been a treasure. The chocolates are just a bonus!

Boggle and Chocolate

We love playing Boggle - but by our rules. We don't use a timer and we play in two languages - English and French. We often try to get creative with language and the dictionaries are there to back us up - or not. My spouse worked in French and reads French newspapers daily; I read a lot of books. As a result we each have a very different store of vocabulary. My French vocabulary has expanded since playing as has my spouse's English vocabulary.

Games are interspersed with squares of dark chocolate - sometimes 80%, sometimes with mint and sometimes with ginger. I can't supply the chocolate - but I can offer you a chance to play.



Now it is your turn to find some words. Only 4 letter words and longer are allowed in "Big Boggle". Have fun!

And Then the Sun Came Out

The weather has been distinctly not winter-like. Rain fell most of the day and when there seemed to be a pause we went out for a walk.  As we were walking the sun came out for a brief period, casting its golden rays on this school. As I write this, it is raining again.

Snowshoeing is not in the near future!

Sad Snowman

This poor snowman is in a state of decay. The rain has been falling lightly, but much more in the forecast. Its time will be short.

Behind it is Westmount Conservatory, another sad story. Early in the autumn one of the glass panels fell from the ceiling (learn more here). As this is an old style green house, it takes special craftspeople to fix it. So no winter escape to this oasis. I shall especially miss the spring flower exhibit which usually opens in March when snow is still on the ground. I am sure the city will get it repaired, but it will be a long costly process.

Potential

Anyone who has followed my blog for a while knows I love orchids. Their complex blossoms fascinate me. They last so long. The fact that they re-bloom is a huge bonus. This orchid has been dormant for quite a while but these buds will be opening soon. They are the gift that keeps giving.

Just click here and you will see some of the many posts I have devoted to orchids.