Hello and welcome to Weekend Coffee Share #43! I’m glad you’re here. Please come on in, help yourself to a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate at my coffee station and let’s chat.
This Week
- I enjoyed three cycling trips and six walks in nature. One of the walks was with my neighbour. Beautiful Fall colours have been showing up.
- I chose new music playlists for my strength training and yoga at home. Energetic music for strength training and calm music for yoga.
- An e-book that I requested arrived – perfect timing for me to stay indoor and read while it was rainy and windy outside on Monday and Tuesday.
- I read this news article with interest since I’ve been using the app Duolingo to learn French and Spanish daily to keep my brain healthy.
- I thought about future travel after Canada lifted global advisory on non-essential travel outside the country. The global travel advisory was put in place in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
5 Portals
On a cycling break at College Park, I walked to explore the park’s features and a temporary art installation, titled Portals. The introduction for the art installation states:
“Each space we traverse can be traced through our steps and the directions we take. As we pass through each space, we reflect inwards adding a new dimension. With each step we take and reflect – look back, stand still and hopefully see new horizons.”
The five artists invite visitors to walk through this exhibit of self-reflection and ponder on the spaces we traverse. Here are the five colourful Portals, shared with #LifeThisWeek, #PPAC20, and #ThursdayDoors.
5 Years of Blogging
The five Portals reminded me that I reached five years of blogging on October 10. I re-read my 4 Years of Blogging post to see what stayed the same and what changed over one year.
What stayed the same
- I keep my blog name
- I stay on WordPress and keep my blog ad-free and award-free
- I post one post per week, with a small number of exceptions
- My blog is where I share my explorations, discoveries and photos
- I continue to enjoy blogging as a hobby
- I greatly appreciate my blog friends, readers, commenters and followers
What changed in 2021
Hosting the weekly Weekend Coffee Share link-up starting in January 2021 was the main change for me. We’re now at the 43rd link-up. I want to say Thank You to all my blog readers, commenters, and active Weekend Coffee Share participants. I greatly appreciate your contribution and support.
I hope all participants enjoy the link-up, and together, by visiting blogs, leaving comments, linking back, and spreading the Weekend Coffee Share word, we keep the weekly Weekend Coffee Share link-up thriving. Have a wonderful weekend!
How was your week? What blog-related changes have worked well for you this year?
Copyright © 2023 natalietheexplorer.home.blog – All rights reserved.
Natalie the Explorer 
This is a wonderful post, Natalie. I love your carful stops at each portal to reflect, and to share the image with us. These are great doors, nd I think you so much for sharing them with Thursday Doors.
Although I officially took over Thursday Doors in December 2020, I, too, started in earnest in January. The most rewarding part has been the support of participants and readers. Thank you for your support, and congratulations on your five-year anniversary. I am happy I found your blog.
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Thank you, Dan, for your kind comments. The 5 Portals are colourful and fun to walk through. I arrived early in the morning to take photos before more people arrived. The portals have lights installed in the reflective panels and they illuminate when visitors traverse through them.
I took over Weekend Coffee Share from another host, too. I agree with you that the most rewarding part has been the support of participants and readers. I enjoy Thursday Doors and participate when I can. Thank you for hosting Thursday Doors. Have a great weekend!
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Hi Natalie – congrats on 5 years of blogging and for the coffee share nearly being a year old. Time certainly flies and I couldn’t believe there’s been 43 of them already! The portals were interesting too – the same but different.
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Thank you, Leanne. I’d like to think that “time flies when we have fun” 🙂 It’s been five wonderful years for me. You’ve taken good care of your ‘garden’ and it’s time to enjoy its beauty. Thanks again for your weekend coffee share. Have a great week!
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Hi Natalie – congratulations on 5 years of blogging – definitely a milestone. I’m glad I caught this post. I really like that portal exhibit. Did you step through them too? I would find it hard to resist! Here’s to another 5 years of blog posts 🙂
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Thank you, Barb. Yes, I stepped through the five portals several times in both directions and examined the art work at different angles, up close and from afar. There are lights installed in the reflective panels and they illuminate when people walk through the portals. I arrived early to take photos before more people visited the site.
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That’s so nice that the have lights. I was thinking that would be a popular walk-through, especially kids. And you answered my question about whether it was a busy place. I can just imagine bringing our 4 boys there when they were younger. I’m sure they wouldn’t have been able to resist walking through!
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This park is in a busy neighbourhood. After I finished taking my photos, people started arriving. Everyone, kids and adults, walked through the portals and paused to take photos.
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Congratulations Natalie! I love that you take stock every year to see what you’ve kept and what you’ve changed.
The Portals are so impressive – I know I’ve said this before, but I really think street art in Toronto is unparalleled!
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Thank you, Ju-Lyn. It’s been five wonderful years. I think you’re right that street art in Toronto is unparalleled. The city welcomes local and international artists to share their talent. I explore the city almost daily and discover new art every time. It’s truly amazing.
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Appreciate so much you sharing the delights you come across!
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Congratulations on your 5th year of blogging, Natalie! Thanks for sharing the exhibit with us. It’s so beautiful with all of the bright colors. Enjoy the weekend!
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Thank you, Jill, for your kind comment. It’s been five fun years of blogging. I also like the cheery colours of the five Portals. The panels are reflective and have lights that illuminate when people walk through. Have a great weekend!
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Love the pictures of the portals, especially the ones with the perspective of seeing the other portals. Very colorful! Are the insides mirrors? Also, why do you keep your blog award free? I don’t have any “awards” either, but I am just wondering. I enjoyed this post very much, and congratulations on your 5 years!
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Thank you, Betty, for your kind comment. Excellent questions. Yes, the insides of the five portals are mirrors. They also have lights that illuminate when people walk through.
I choose to keep my blog award-free because I don’t need awards to validate my blog and I like to keep my blog layout simple and uncluttered. I write and share photos for fun. If readers like what they read or see and leave me a comment or decide to follow, that means a lot more to me than an award. Have a great weekend!
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I love those portals – the colors and the concept behind them. Lots of reflection must be going on there! I’m glad you are still able to enjoy the outdoors this fall, Natalie. Last but not least: congratulations on five years of blogging and thank you for hosting the Weekend Coffee Share! You’ve done an amazing job with that and have been a fabulous supporter of your fellow bloggers for years.
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Thank you, Liesbet, for your kind words and for linking up. These portals have cheery colours and patterns. The insides are mirrors with lights. I think the five artists did a great job. Next week’s weather forecast is sunny and cool. I look forward to do more cycling and walking outdoors. Knowing what it’s like to be a blogger and a blog host, I try to support my fellow bloggers as often as I can. Have a wonderful weekend!
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These photos are so very cool and wonderful 😀 😀
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Thank you, Cee, for your comment. I greatly appreciate it 🙂
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Congrats on your blogging milestone. As usual your photos are lovely. You do a lot of things in one week. You must have endless energy. As for blog-related changes I’ve made this year, I’ve given up on WP Reader and only follow blogs via Feedly. It’s been a revelation about how much easier it is to keep track of y’all outside of WP.
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Thank you, Ally, for your comment. I have a good amount of energy but not endless, hehe. I do the activities that require more energy earlier in the day and less taxing activities in the afternoon and evening. I’m glad to hear Feedly works well for you. Have a wonderful weekend! Don’t let your dragon have too much Halloween candies.
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These make me smile ..great images.
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Your comment made me smile 🙂
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Hi Natalie, congratulations on 5 years of blogging and I’ve always enjoyed sharing your adventures with you through your beautiful photography. The Portals are amazing, such a colourful exhibition. I’m coming up to 7 years in blogging in January and I’m surprised I’ve made this milestone. Thanks for hosting #weekendcoffeeshare and happy to be able to contribute again this week.
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Thank you, Sue, for your comment and for linking up with me. I’m glad you liked the portals. I like their happy colours and patterns. You’ve done so well with your blogging. 7 years is a significant milestone. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Gorgeous pictures again and thanks for hosting the weekend coffee share. Congratulations on 5 years in the blogosphere!
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Thank you, Barbara. I’m so glad you liked my photos. Enjoy the weekend!
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Congratulations on five years of blogging and what a super idea for a thursdaydoors post.
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Thank you, Anne, for your comment. I thought these portals would be a good ‘entry’ for Thursday Doors, too.
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Congratulations on 5 years blogging Natalie. I always look forward to seeing your beautiful city through your blog. I love the 5Portals and just felt I wanted to be there to walk through them
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Thank you, Jennifer, for your comment. I had fun walking through the five portals in both directions, and examined them up close, at different angles, and from afar. I’m glad you loved them. You’d have fun traversing them.
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Congrats on 5 years and on the year of hosting the link up. It’s a lot of work. Love the portals too.
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Thank you, Lydia, for your comment and contribution to Weekend Coffee Share. I greatly appreciate both.
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congratulations on 5 years. Always a pleasure to see your post come up in my feed. Love the portals, as any chance to find a place for reflection is a thumbs up for me.
I had a good week too. Blogging changes for me. Right now, I am just trying to catch up with bloggers I enjoy. What I want is to get into a routine like I used to have a year or so ago. Thank you for always being here. Donna
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Thank you, Donna, for your kind comment. I’m glad to hear you had a good week. Getting into a blogging routine helps. It makes me feel more organized. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Those portals are so cool! I love your public art pics. And congrats on 5 years of blogging! That’s no small accomplishment. Hope you have a wonderful week.
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Thank you, Janet, for your comment. I’m glad you liked the portals. They’re fun and welcoming with their cheery colours, patterns and interactivity. Have a great weekend!
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That was an interesting and unusual way to do public art. I’ve not seen anything like that before. Toronto is very good at this I think. Thanks for sharing it Natalie.
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Thank you, Gary, for your comment. Torontonians seem to appreciate art in various forms and the artists have shared their talent and creativity. Win-win.
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Congrats on your five years! Those portals are beautiful and perfect images for this post. You are one busy lady with your outdoor activities and blogging.
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Thank you, Janis, for your comment. When I saw these portals and their titles, I thought they were great for this post. I enjoy being outdoors and blogging is fun as long as I moderate my blogging time.
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I couldn’t really tell, but were mirrors on the surfaces of the portals? Ore are they just to look through to the next one? Nice that you’ve gotten a good life’s routine going!
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The mirrors were on the inside surfaces of the portals. There were lights inside the frames as well. Hope you’re enjoying the weekend.
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Thank you, Natalie! I appreciate the answer!
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You’re welcome, Lizl. Glad to answer your questions about the portals.
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Hi Natalie, Congratulations on your 5 years of blogging! I’m on my 3rd blog but I haven’t been writing much since I returned to work in April. It’s a great achievement to still have that passion after doing it for so long. Regards, Christina
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Hi Christina, Great to see you at the link-up. Thank you for your comment. I hope all’s well with you. I blog for fun and to have a record for me. Blogging once a week works for me this year. I understand with a full-time job, it would be challenging to write much. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Congratulations on your 5 years of blogging, Natalie! And thank you for inviting me to your link-up at the beginning of this year. I’ve really enjoyed it every week and found some really nice blogs and enjoy the chats we have in the comment fields of our blogs! I visit the linkup and people’s blogs also when I don’t join in with a link myself.
As you know this year has been a year of constant blog changes for me! I’ve been so unsure about how I want to blog, but the recent change I did some week ago, finally dividing my blog into two, with subdomains, feels like the best I’ve done and something that will work.
It’s so nice to see how many art exhibitions you always have where you live!
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Thank you, Susanne, for your comment and positive feedback about the link-up. I’m happy to hear you’ve enjoyed it every week. I think you did a great job tweaking your blog until you’re satisfied with it. Toronto has a vibrant art scene. I enjoy exploring the city and taking photos. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Congrats on 5 years! The five portals do look interesting. Glad you were able to get a lot of outdoor activity in this week – it was pretty wet and cold here. Have a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead!
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Thank you, Trent, for your comment. We had rain two days last week and today. The weather forecast is sunny and cool for the next several days so I hope to do more cycling and hiking. Have a great weekend!
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Congrats on five years! Your photos are awesome!! No color on trees yet except dead brown leaves, but I love the underfoot crunch.
Be well!!
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Thank you, Ruth, for your comment. Oh yes, I also love the underfoot crunch. Fall colours are looking great here. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Congrats on 5 years. So fun. I love those portals. So cool!! I love this linky party. I’ve found so many fun blogs to read. THank you for hosting.
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Thank you, Kirstin, for your comment and for your contribution to the Weekend Coffee Share party. I’m happy to hear you love this link-up. It’s a great place to read a variety of blogs in one place. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Happy belated 5th blogiversary to you! I’m so glad you continue to enjoy blogging as a hobby. I’m also so glad you took over weekend coffee share this January and want to say you’re doing a great job of hosting it.
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Thank you, Astrid, for your positive feedback about my hosting. I’m glad you join the weekly Weekend Coffee Share link-up. Have a great week!
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What a great city you live in! I always love your photos!
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I greatly appreciate the vibrant art scene in my city. I’m glad you love my photos 🙂
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I am very curious about the portals and the self reflection that might be involved. The titles of the portals/art work intrigue me. Is there somewhere we can read up more about it?
Happy 5 years of blogging? Have you only been around for five years? For some reason, I feel like you’ve been around for a lot longer! I think it’s great you host this space as hosting is quite time-consuming. But you’re right about the connections we make. Hope you have a wonderful weekend and thanks again for sharing so much of your lovely city with us.
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I may have snapshots of the info board of each portal. I’ll check and update my post tomorrow.
I’ve been blogging just five years. You’re right that hosting is quite time-consuming. I’m OK with hosting weekly this year since I’m at home more due to the pandemic. Thank you for linking up with me. Have a great weekend!
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Always nice to view you photos and take a tour of the community up there. Thanks for hosting.
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Thank you, Deborah, for your comment. I’m glad you enjoy my photos.
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Wow, coffee share #43. Where has the time gone?
Happy blogging anniversary.
Love the colourful portals. Thanks for the virtual coffee Natalie.
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Yeah, hard to believe we’re at coffee share #43 and nine more weeks left in 2021. Thank you for stopping by Shari. Have a great weekend!
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You’ve done so well with your coffee share and five years of blogging, Natalie. I’m so glad we met. You always inspire me. Thank you for linking to PPAC. Your pictures and posts are always so unique and beautiful. The only portal that made sense – fit the name – to me was the quilting one. That one actually looked like a quilt. Not fitting their name, though doesn’t take away from their interest. 🙂 talk to you next week. 🙂
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Thank you, Marsha, for your kind words. I’m glad we met, too. Maybe one day IRL. Stay safe and well. I’ll hop over to your blog shortly.
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That would be nice. IRL. You are always welcome to come to AZ. We have a spare guest suite in our home. Your town is so beautiful and inviting. I’m looking forward to seeing some more posts this winter. 🙂
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Thank you for your invite to AZ, Marsha. That’s very kind of you to offer your spare guest suite. Toronto is a vibrant city with a lot to explore. I’m almost certain I’ll share some more posts this winter 🙂
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Awesome!
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Those portals are so cool. Very beautiful. What a wonderful week you had. Congrats on five years of blogging. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
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Thank you, Patrick, for your kind comment. I greatly appreciate it. Enjoy this Halloween weekend!
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Wow! You’ve been hosting this coffee share for almost a year now?! Time truly does fly! Congratulations on this hosting and on your five years of blogging.
Loved the portals!
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Thank you, Donna, for your kind words. 2021 is flying by and the blog link-ups have been part of the fun this year. Have a wonderful weekend!
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5 years of blogging that is something to celebrate!! Awesome Natalie!
The biggest blog change I’ve made this year was to delete my old blog SagittariusViking, and create GreenDreams. My old blog helped me to find my way home, and my new blog represents me better. “GreenDreams” is a great reminder to myself of what’s important to me.
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Thank you, Maria, for your kind words and for being part of the Weekend Coffee Share blogging community. I’m glad we’ve met via blogging and you decided to return to blogging with GreenDreams after closing your Sagittarius Viking blog. Have a wonderful weekend!
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The portals are amazing!! Thank you for the tour.
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I’m glad you liked the portals, Antoinette. Thank you for stopping by.
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First off, huge congrats for 5 years of blogging, Natalie! October 31 marks 10 years of mine in WordPress! My blog has morphed a bit over the years and like you, I’ve hosted a challenge or two. And you were a guest hostess for Sunday Stills too. Secondly, these portals are so inspirational and I’m glad you got out for some good walks and weather this week. I wonder if you saw the aurora last night?–“they” said it was easier to see more east than here. Have a fab week, my friend!
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Thank you, Terri, for your kind words. It’s been a fun five years of blogging for me. I’m so impressed by your ten years on WordPress, Wow! I went out last night but didn’t see the aurora. It was drizzling then. Today the sun came out and the next few days are sunny so I plan to go cycling during the day and walking at night to hopefully see the aurora. Happy Halloween and have a wonderful week ahead!
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I’ll keep my fingers crossed for warm days and great conditions for the aurora 😄
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Huge congrats on 5 years Natalie, your blog is always an interesting and informative place to visit.I love the idea of the 5 portals, how clever and reflective too. #lifethisweek
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Thank you, Debbie, for your kind words. It’s been five fun years of blogging. I made a good decision to live in Toronto. It’s a vibrant city that offers many places and things for me to explore.
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The portals are super neat! The way they look as well as the concept of them! Congrats on 5 years of blogging! That inspires me to not give up on my own blog, even when sometimes it feels like I don’t have anything to say. The fall colors of the trees are so beautiful. 😍 It’s so nice to get out and appreciate the natural beauty around us. I hope you have a great upcoming week!
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Thank you, Angela, for your comment. Blogging once a week works for me this year. Fall is beautiful here so I go outside and explore as often as possible. I hope you had a fun Halloween weekend. Have a great week!
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These are super-cool. I wish I had a real portal to jump through. I would spend my life following the sun!
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The sun with its light and warmth is certainly a big attraction.
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Happy Blogiversary Natalie!
I love the 5 portals. Very Stargate-like. Lovely weather again in those pics and that first one with the colours of the leaves is stunning.
You’ve made me ponder the idea of DuoLingo. I learned some Portuguese years ago and barely remember any but wonder if it’d help if I refreshed my memory – and as you say – work my brain a little!)
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Thank you, Deborah. Over here Fall colours are peaking and look glorious in the sunlight this week. I’d encourage you to play with Duolingo Portuguese lessons for fun.
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Wonderful post. Congratulations, and best wishes for the completion of the next five: constancy and change.
The portals are a very interesting installation. Interesting how different artists can introduce their personal variations on something this standardized.
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Thank you, I.J., for your kind words. I’m glad you found the portals interesting. The five artists certainly showed their individual take on the theme.
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Congratulations Natalie on both your 5 years and the work you do hosting the Weekend Coffee Share link up. I am so pleased you continue to visit my link up and keep in touch. I loved those portals and am really interested in the visual picture they gave me for my life as it is now. Really great.
It’s been great to have your blog post linked up for the week on Life This Week.
Thank you so much. I look forward to seeing you next Monday too. The optional prompt is Sharing Your Snaps (photos).
And a big thank you for showing your appreciation for guest blogger, Mr Whelan, in 2021.
Take care, Denyse.
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Thank you, Denyse, for your kind words. One post each week and somehow I’ve reached five years of blogging and 43 weeks of hosting the WCS link-up 🙂 I’m glad you loved the portals. They’re colourful, reflective and interactive. I look forward to sharing my snaps next week. Have a great day!
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Congratulations on five years of blogging! Also I love how to find new public art. But that’s the perks of exploring on foot and bicycle versus driving a car.
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Thank you, Julie. Cycling and walking are the best and least expensive ways to explore downtown Toronto. I like the freedom, flexibility, environment-friendliness, as well as health benefits.
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Congratulations! Your post has been featured in PPAC for this week.
I sure hope you have a terrific weekend.
https://ceenphotography.com/2021/11/05/ppac-21/
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Thank you, Cee, for featuring my post in PPAC. My weekend is off to a great start. Hope yours is fantastic.
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Congratulations on being featured in PPAC, Natalie. This was a great post. 🙂
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Thank you, Marsha. That was very nice of Cee and you to feature me in PPAC. Have a fabulous weekend!
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