Natalie the Explorer

Advance Notice and Murals

November 21, 2025November 21, 2025Natalie56 Comments

I hope everyone had a great week. Mine was very good with more travel adventures to enjoy. Since we are approaching the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, I want to give some advance notice to my blogging community regarding the weekly Weekend Coffee Share link-up.

Advance Notice

November 28: I will take a short blogging break next week. There is no Weekend Coffee Share link-up and no Public Art photo challenge on November 28. Please plan to join me again on December 5 when I will resume hosting.

December 2025: I intend to post and host weekly through December. If you are available, please plan to join me every Friday in December.

January 2026: At this time, I am unsure about hosting Weekend Coffee Share weekly in the new year. If I continue hosting, it will be without Inlinkz. Bloggers are welcome to leave a comment and the link to their post in the Comments section of my post. Comments with links will be moderated.

Inlinkz has not been working well with some Blogger or WordPress blogs and it does not link to Substack posts. When I access the Blogger or WordPress blog via Inlinkz dashboard and try to submit a comment, I get an error message “Sorry, this comment could not be posted.” I reported it to Inlinkz a couple of months ago and so far have not received a solution from them.

I added a poll. It’s my first time using this feature on my blog. Let me know your answer by selecting one of the two buttons, or leave me a comment below. Your feedback would help me decide whether to host or not in the new year.

Public Art

Here are three murals that I photographed last Fall in Toronto. I hope you enjoy them.

Mural by Anishinaabe artist Emily Kewageshig, 2024.

Nowhere Now Here mural by The Broadbent Sisters

I would love to hear from you in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #231 below. If you have public art images to share, please leave link in the Comments or create a pingback. I would love to see your photos.

Remembrance Day and Gratitude

November 14, 2025November 18, 2025Natalie62 Comments

Greetings! I hope you are doing well and had plenty to smile about in the last two weeks.

Remembrance Day

November 11th is Remembrance Day in Canada. So I took a moment on that day to honour all Canadian veterans who have served and continue to serve in upholding the peace and freedoms we enjoy today.

Gratitude

Here are some things that I am grateful for in the last two weeks:

The freedom to travel
The opportunity to visit Greece again
Safe flights to and from Greece
Riding the Metro in Athens by myself without getting lost
Ancient archaeological sites, incredible museums, picturesque towns and interesting landmarks in Greece that are available for visitors to explore and enjoy
The chance to meet and make new friends
Clean and comfortable accommodations
Plenty of tasty Greek food and wines
Good weather for outdoor excursions

I hope to share more about my adventures in Greece when I have time to write a summary.

Public Art

Poppy outside Royal Canadian Legion Branch #344

The Caryatids at the Temple of Erechtheion in Athens, Greece

How were your first two weeks of November? I’d love to hear from you in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #230 below. If you have public art images to share, please leave link in the Comments or create a pingback. I’d love to see your photos.

October 2025 Highlights and Favourites

October 31, 2025November 11, 2025Natalie71 Comments

Please note that I will take a short blogging break next week. There is no Weekend Coffee Share link-up and no Public Art photo challenge on November 7. Please plan to join me again on November 14 when I will resume hosting.

October was all about family, friends and self care. I reached 9 years of blogging on October 10th. I love viewing brilliant autumn foliage and flowers at this time of year. Here are a few highlights of what I enjoyed in some of my favourite places in October.

Family

Canadian Thanksgiving is on the second Monday of October, which was October 13th this year. I cooked turkey and side dishes for a family dinner; all turned out really well. I am thankful for a lovely family gathering, good food and good company.

Prior to Thanksgiving, we spent a beautiful day on the Toronto Islands and had a wonderful time cycling, walking and revisiting our favourite places on the islands such as Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, Centre Island Beach and Pier, Ward’s Island, Far Enough Farm and more. It was nice to see some of the farm animals before they are moved to a warmer place for winter.

Friendship

I enjoyed catching up with friends while we went out for our walk dates, coffee chats, afternoon concerts and movie nights. We walked and admired beautiful and exuberant autumn foliage in several of my favourite parks. I created a gallery for Dawn’s Walktober.

Next, a gallery of October blooms for Terri’s The Flower Hour. From top left clockwise: White anemones, azure monkshood, purple dahlia, sunflowers, white dahlias and orange mums.

Self Care

Being home the entire month means I stay consistent with my health and fitness routine. I biked, ran, hiked and walked regularly. I also did strength workouts, pilates, and yoga three times per week. One of my hikes was in High Park where I enjoyed beautiful nature and said hello to some chipmunks.

Ninth Blog Anniversary

On the blog, I reached my 9th blogging anniversary on October 10th. I still enjoy blogging so I intend to share more posts and photos in this space. Thank you to everyone of you who have encouraged me with your comments, follows and “likes”.

Public Art

Three murals for this week:

Monarch butterflies at Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Artist unknown.
A volcano, the sun and the moon by Caylen Monroe.
The Long Walk to Equality, a 600-metre rainbow road painted by Travis Myers, 2024. This is the longest rainbow road in the world at the time of completion. Located on Toronto Islands at Hanlan’s Point it commemorates the significant queer history of Hanlan’s Point while celebrating love, equality, and authenticity.

So those have been some of my October highlights. I hope you have had a good month too, and happy November!

How was your October? I’d love to hear from you in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #229 below. If you have public art images to share, please leave link in the Comments or create a pingback. I’d love to see your photos.

In Memory of Trent McDonald

October 26, 2025October 28, 2025Natalie68 Comments

Some of you may have noticed Trent of Trent’s World has not been posting recently. I regret to share that Trent passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, October 5, 2025.

Resa, a WordPress blogger, informed me of Trent’s passing. To view the obituary online, please click here.

Trent was a regular participant at the weekly Weekend Coffee Share blog link-up that I have been hosting for five years. He also wrote his Weekly Smile posts and collaborated with other authors/ bloggers.

I feel sad that there won’t be any more of Trent’s coffee shares about his week, his pets and his hobbies, with either a New Hampshire or a Cape Cod mug photo that kept us guessing where he was. Trent generously shared his writing, poetry, drawings, music recordings, sky photos, and more. He was a thoughtful blogging friend who read my blog and left comments that usually ended with a warm wish or a smile.

I gathered that Trent liked the outdoors as he wrote about running in the woods in New Hampshire, kayaking on the Cape and winter skiing. I think Trent would like this trail with beautiful fall foliage.

Rest in peace, Trent.

Assorted Attractions in Edmonton and Calgary

October 24, 2025October 29, 2025Natalie53 Comments

In September when I visited Western Canada, aside from exploring Jasper, Yoho and Banff National Parks, I also explored a few interesting places in Edmonton and Calgary. Here they are in the order of my visits.

1. University of Alberta Botanic Garden

The University of Alberta Botanic Garden is located about 15-minute drive from Edmonton city centre. My visit focused on the two beautiful and distinctive Aga Khan Garden and the Kurimoto Japanese Garden. Water is one common element that I love in both gardens.

From top left clockwise: Aga Khan Garden quadrilateral layout, reflecting pool, cascade of flowing water and a star-shaped fountain.

From top left clockwise: Kurimoto Japanese Garden bridge and pagoda, reflective pond and bell pavilion, a stone lantern and waterfall.

2. Canada Olympic Park

Canada Olympic Park was one of the venues for the 1988 Winter Olympics, being the primary venue for ski jumping, bobsleigh, and luge. Two cool things that I got to see here:

The Calgary Flames hockey team practice in the Winsport Event Centre.
The original bobsleigh used in the 1993 Walt Disney movie “Cool Runnings“. The movie is based on the Jamaican bobsleigh team in their Olympic debut at the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympic Games.

3. Heritage Park

Heritage Park in Calgary is Canada’s largest living history museum that depicts western Canadian history from the 1860s to the 1950s. I enjoyed the informative and interesting guided tour of the Historical Village. We entered two family homes and a school, as well as walked by many buildings in the village.

Heritage Park buildings – From top left clockwise Town Hall Office, the Thorpe House, The Prince House and Weedon School and Barn.

4. Gasoline Alley Museum

Gasoline Alley Museum houses one of the world’s largest public collections of antique vehicles and oil and gas-related artifacts from the 1900s to the 1950s. I did a self-guided tour and chatted with museum staff at the end. The impressive and well-documented collections made this visit a fun discovery.

5. Stampede Park

Stampede Park is the home of the Calgary Stampede, an annual event that attracts millions of visitors to Calgary for ten days every July. I discovered two large art installations at the park entrance:

Spirit of Water designed by sculptor Gerry Judah and installed in 2024.
By the Bank of the Bow features 15 horses and two cowboys. This sculpture was created by artists Bob Spaith and Richard Roenisch and unveiled in 2012.

6. Calgary

Two public art installations in Calgary and at Calgary International Airport caught my eye:

Wonderland sculpture by artist Jaume Plensa, 2013.
Drum Dancer the Messenger AKA Painted Pony by artist Joane Cardinal-Schubert, 2005.

How was your week? I’d love to hear from you in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #228 below. If you have public art images to share, please leave link in the Comments or create a pingback. I’d love to see your photos.

Postcards from Yoho and Banff National Parks

October 17, 2025October 21, 2025Natalie73 Comments

In September I revisited Jasper National Park, the Columbia Icefield and Banff National Park in the Province of Alberta in Western Canada. I also added a visit to Yoho National Park located in the Province of British Columbia.

Last week I shared my postcards from Jasper National Park and the Columbia Icefield. Today I am sharing my adventures in Yoho and Banff National Parks. I had an amazing trip and enjoyed many wonderful sights and experiences.

Rather than writing a long, comprehensive recap of each location I visited, I will share a few highlights in a bulleted list and a few photos at each destination. I hope you enjoy the postcards. To view captions, please click on the photos. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the Comments.

Postcard from Yoho National Park

Walking along the shore of the serene, jade-coloured and mirror-like Emerald Lake.
Marvelling at the Natural Bridge, a natural limestone arch sculpted by the rushing waters of the Kicking Horse River.
Visiting the Spiral Tunnels at Kicking Horse Pass, the highest point on the Trans-Canada Highway and a National Historic Site.
Watching a Canadian engineering phenomenon in action as a super long train disappeared into one Rocky Mountain tunnel and emerged from another at a different elevation on the steep slopes. The pink amidst the trees in my photo is one train!

Postcard from Banff National Park

Admiring the stunning turquoise Peyto Lake which resembles the shape of a wolf’s head. The water colour in my photo is unaltered.
Walking the shores of the iconic and spectacular Lake Louise and Morraine Lake.
Revisiting Bow Falls and the Hoodoos (unique rock structures formed over thousand of years of erosion).
Riding a gondola up Sulphur Mountain (2282 m or 7486 ft) for fantastic views.
Visiting Two Jack Lake, walking the pine-lined trails and having a picnic at Lake Minnewanka.

Public Art in Banff

While staying in Banff, I explored public art in the town centre and on the Art in Nature Trail along the Bow River. Below is a small sampling. I also enjoyed the excellent The Ancestors Are Talking – Paintings by the Indigenous Seven exhibition at the Whyte Museum (no photography allowed inside).

How was your week? I’d love to hear from you in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #227 below. If you have public art images to share, please leave link in the Comments or create a pingback. I’d love to see your photos.

Postcards from Jasper National Park and The Columbia Icefield

October 10, 2025October 14, 2025Natalie75 Comments

I just completed an eight-day trip to the Canadian Rockies in Western Canada in September. On this trip I revisited Jasper National Park, the Columbia Icefield and Banff National Park in the Province of Alberta. I also added a visit to Yoho National Park which is located in the Province of British Columbia.

My trip went amazingly well. Flights were on time, everything flowed smoothly and I enjoyed many wonderful sights and experiences. Weather, road conditions, accommodations and meals were all good. I met some nice people along the way. I was able to stop and enjoy more sights than I initially had in mind.

My collective outings were a good mix of nature (exploring botanical gardens, glaciers, lakes, mountains, trails and waterfalls, as well as looking out for wildlife) and culture (visiting museums, National Historic Sites, the mountain towns of Jasper and Banff, and the city of Calgary).

The driving distance from Jasper to Banff is approximately 288 kilometers (179 miles) along the Icefields Parkway, also known as Highway 93. The Icefields Parkway is one of the world’s most spectacular roads so I took time to explore the area.

I am writing two posts for this trip:

Postcards from Jasper National Park and the Columbia Icefield
Postcards from Yoho and Banff National Parks

Rather than writing a long, comprehensive recap of each location I visited, I will share a few photos at each destination. I hope you enjoy the postcards. To view captions, please click on the photos. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the Comments.

Postcard from Jasper National Park

Jasper National Park is the largest national park within Alberta’s Rocky Mountains and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park, spanning 11,000 km² (4,200 sq mi), contains the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, springs, lakes, waterfalls and mountains. Highlights included a boat cruise on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island surrounded by stunning scenery, and watching longhorn sheep, elks and eagles in Jasper National Park.

Postcard from the Columbia Icefield and Glacier Skywalk

While the mountains, the lakes and the waterfalls are all majestic and awe-inspiring, a visit to the Columbia Icefield, the largest ice field in North America’s Rocky Mountains, is a unique and not-to-miss experience. To ride aboard one of the Icefield Explorers and to able to step out onto the ancient ice of the Athabasca Glacier is extraordinary.

There are only 23 Icefield Explorer vehicles in the world, with 21 of them located at the Columbia Icefields in Canada, one in Antarctica and one in unspecified location. These specially-designed vehicles are used to transport passengers over glaciers.

The Glacier Skywalk is a U-shaped, glass-floored walkway 280 meters long (918 ft) above the Sunwapta Valley and extends 30 meters (100 feet) from the cliff’s edge. Before reaching the glass platform, guests walk along a 1-kilometer interpretive path that offers educational exhibits on the area’s geology, ecology, and history. The glass walkway offers unobstructed views of the surrounding rugged terrain and glaciers.

Public Art in Jasper

Two Brothers Totem Pole in Jasper, by Jaalen and Gwaai Edenshaw (2011).

Stay tuned for more stunning turquoise-coloured lakes, mountains and waterfalls in the next postcard.

This weekend is Thanksgiving long weekend in Canada. Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian blog readers and followers!

How was your week? I’d love to hear from you in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #226 below. If you have public art images to share, please leave link in the Comments or create a pingback. I’d love to see your photos.

Five Fun Things This Week

October 3, 2025October 7, 2025Natalie71 Comments

It has been a good week catching up with family, friends and life at home after my trip to the Canadian Rockies. I am looking forward to the weekend!

1. Biking

I happily resumed biking and made four 20km bike rides to bodies of water and parks. I enjoyed watching fish and turtles at the Brick Works. I biked to Biidaasige Park to see the fantastic A Lake Story by Melissa McGill, presented by The Bentway. It was a beautiful sunny day and such a visual treat to see the moving artwork.

A Lake Story is a large-scale procession celebrating the connections above and below the waters of Lake Ontario. More than 100 canoes will paddle in unison along Toronto’s eastern waterfront, each carrying wind-activated colour field paintings created with pigments sourced from the lake. Local volunteers paddle together in this immersive, moving artwork, creating a stunning visual experience for both participants and spectators.

Harbourfront Centre website

2. Lunch with Friend

I met up with a longtime friend for lunch at Eataly. We enjoyed Italian food and drink before browsing the various food stations and beautifully-packaged products of Italy. One of the perks living in a big city is to have this kind of specialty store. We left with a plan for our next meetup.

3. Walk with Friend

I met up with another friend for a 8K lakeside walk. The lake was sparkling and mesmerizing on a sunny day. We saw Canada geese, trumpeter swans and mute swans. After our walk, we had tea then went to Brookfield Place to view the World Press Photo Exhibition 2025.

Lakeside boardwalk by Marilyn Bell Park.

4. Water/ Fall Festival

I took four solo 5km walks, three of which were in nature and the fourth walk was to the Water/ Fall Festival at Harbourfront. I enjoyed the harvest-themed food & drink market, live music concerts and public art exhibits. The Copper Canopy installation was eye-catching.

Copper Canopy by RAW Works and Anex Works (2025).

Closeup of *Copper Canopy* installation.

The outdoor installation, made from a suspended grid of copper leaves, reimagines the shelter of a forest canopy with each leaf individually cut and hung to form a floating canopy above. By day, the leaves catch the light and scatter soft shadows across the ground. By night, lighting transforms the installation – casting intricate patterns on surrounding surfaces and shifting the atmosphere of the space entirely. As wind moves through the piece, the leaves gently sway and rustle, adding a subtle layer of sound to the experience.

Harbourfront Centre website

5. Autumn Colours

Autumn colours are slowly showing up as we have been having extended summer weather and the trees still have a lot of green. I look forward to seeing more autumn colours in the next few weeks.

How was your week? I’d love to hear from you in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #225 below. If you have public art images to share, please leave link in the Comments or create a pingback. I’d love to see your photos.