Wednesday Memes and weeding time

And here we are at the end of April!  I started weeding yesterday, time to get out the mosquito nets too!  It was 25C (77F) yesterday.

 

Birthdays and Movies

 Sharing some cloudless skies experienced on a walk this past April 17.  

Well my children have celebrated their April birthdays and I watched a few good movies.  I finally watched Good Will Hunting a 1997 movie with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Robin Williams.  It won awards and it was really well acted.  The Life List is new Netflix movie and I loved it too.

Magnesium Supplement

 

Daughter L started taking these magnesium supplements recommended by her OB and our optometrist.

Apparently is it good for diabetics and people with high blood pressure.  It also supports muscle function.  It is also available from foods in your diet.  I am inclined to just ensure I have enough in my diet, any thoughts?  

Magnesium is found in milk, flour, tofu, whole grain breads and cereals, fruit such as bananas, dried apricots, legumes, nuts, peanuts, peanut butter.

Men need 400-420 mgs per day, Women need 300-320 mg.

Here is a good link to the benefits of magnesium.

Sunday Smiles - Circular Saw

 Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles.

On Heat Absorption

 As warmer weather approaches, here is a reminder of cooler colours to wear.  White and yellow are winners,  although pollinator insects are attracted to yellow.

Friday Art - Ostrich Portrait

 Welcome to Friday Art!  This is my Ostrich portrait ACEO (2 1/2"  3 1/2").

Linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art for Fun Friday.

Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date - Favorite Birds theme and Smashed Red Mini Potatoes

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date's 'Favorite Birds' theme. I did a Puffin in flight, an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2").

 

 For the Dinner Date, I made these smashed red mini potatoes because I felt they could be chokers eaten whole.  

4 tbs unsalted butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tbs Italian seasoning

Mix all ingredients together and melt in a small saucepan.  Mix the sauce with the potatoes and bake 425F 25 minutes on a tray lined with parchment paper.  Smash the potatoes after they are cooked.

Wednesday Memes

 

Easter Celebration 2025

Calla Lilies

 

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday celebration with extended family hosted by husband M's sister.  Her step daughter brought this delicious 5 layer cake (Brownie, chocolate chip cookie, red velvet cake, cheesecake, Oreo cake) in honour of her daughter's 24th birthday so we happily sang in her honour.

My sister-in-law always has fresh flowers on display, I am showing her beautiful calla lilies.

Himalayan salt urn

She had placed the Himalayan salt urn which contained her recently departed husband's ashes in the back yard garden.  It will eventually wash away in the rain.  There were 2 bags of ashes inside.  One bag will be spread in the ravine behind their house, the other bag will be spread in a beach up north near their former cottage.

Shower Cookie

 Daughter L went to a baby shower and brought us this cookie they gave out.  It is so pretty.

Sunday Smiles - Ketchup and Easter

Happy Easter!

 Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles.

Newborn Diapers

 Daughter L's girlfriend had her Dad drop off these newborn diapers and some calming tea.  Apparently her baby daughter has already outgrown her newborn sized diapers, not even a month old yet!  L hopes they will fit her son, who knows what size he will be!

Friday Art - Deer in the Park

 Welcome to Friday Art! I did a deer in the park , an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2").

Linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art for Fun Friday.

Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date - Bubbles theme and Carrot Cake

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date's Bubbles theme. Here is my soap bubble ACEO(2 1/2" x 3 1/2").

 For the Dinner Date, I made a carrot cake from a cake mix and used store bought icing.  It was enjoyed.

Wednesday Memes

 

BE GRATEFUL THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH CHOCOLATE YOU EAT, YOUR EARRINGS WILL STILL FIT.

A wonderful celebration of life

 

My husband's brother-in-law was laid to rest a few weeks ago.  It was a lovely celebration of a life well lived.  B passed at 80 years old of Dementia complications.

M's sister and her departed husband have a successfully blended family who have kept in close contact over the years.  M's sister has 2 adult children while her husband had 2 children.  At the service, the sister's daughter made a touching speech.  She said 'When my mom married B, it included me and my brother.  He guided us professionally and personally through our lives. ( Their dad was also a part of their lives). I teared up at how much the daughter loved B her stepfather, it was evident. Indeed, in his final  days in palliative care, the daughter was there with her mom every single day of the 5 days.  The other kids who lived in the country also visited every day. 

 

I noticed during the service B's son sat in the front row with his arm over M's sister's shoulder in comfort, with his wife on his other side. His 3 children listened carefully to their dad's speech that day. When B's son got up to make his speech, his wife scooted over to put her arm on M's sister's shoulder.  I was struck by the closeness of this blended family.

 

B's son started off with a memory of when he was 10 years old and he set the school alarm off.  Of how he suffered all weekend and fessed up on the Monday morning.  After the parent meeting at school B's stern but calm expression 'have you learned anything' has stayed with him through life.  

There were also memories of B dedicatedly driving him to 11pm hockey lessons, of fun trips to Tim Horton's after the game until he finally got a car (thanks to B's friend at the bank) and could drive himself.  He recounted memories of how he tested the limits in the ice and snow and being caught speeding 140 in an 80 km zone.  The ticket was downgraded slightly and he learned yet another lesson from his father's stern expression.

He thanked M's sister for looking after his dad so well in these last few years.

M's sister always hosts her extended family at Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, all these years.  The family has built a closeness and all were in attendance.  It must be the secret to keeping family together, you always make an effort to stay in touch.

Natural bottle nipples

 As daughter L is expecting, we are learning of all the new changes available for babies these days.  There are these new natural nipples that look and feel like a breast, designed to release milk only as the baby drinks.  There are nipples with different flow rates for babies from 0 - 6 months.  It is quite a study.

Sunday Smiles - Milk Paint

I think you can make your own milk paint, have never tried.

 Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles.

Freezing Rain

 Last Sunday morning we woke up to freezing rain.  Husband M took this great photo.  It was a day to stay in if you could.  

Friday Art - Erika's Tulip

 Welcome to Friday Art.  This is Erika's tulip 'Face' that I painted.   She kindly gave me permission.

Linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art For Fun Friday.

Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date - Pools theme and Baked Salmon

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date's 'Pools' theme. I went with tide pools from Botanical Beach, Vancouver Island. I have seen the tide pools in San Diego but not these ones. It is an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2").

 For the Dinner Date, I baked some salmon 425F 15 minutes which I felt was perfectly cooked.  My brother-in-law who is a good cook thinks 10 minutes would've been enough.  Maybe I will try that next time, it is just a matter of checking it at that point.  

Wednesday Memes

 

Bulgogi Pizza

 My sister had bulgogi pizza at Costco Seoul, she enjoyed it.  Who knew that your Costco card is good worldwide!

Cherry Blossoms - Seoul

 One of my sisters is travelling in Soeul, South Korea and shared this photo of the cherry blossoms there.  I may do a splatter painting of it.

Sunday Smiles - Mangoes

I had no idea mangoes were so old.

Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles.
 

Windstorm

 There was a fierce windstorm a few weeks ago, I was walking with a friend the next morning and saw the result.

The plumbers did an excellent job replacing our main washroom toilet this past Monday.  We will give them excellent reviews.

Friday Art - The Flattering Outfit

 Welcome to Friday Art.  This is British Actress Jessica Gunning at the SAG Awards recently.  I had posted about this here.

Linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art For Fun Friday.