Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 43 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #93. Come on in for a coffee or tea and let’s chat.
It’s the last weekend in October and a good time for me to reflect on my 2022 focus on Health, Home and Leisure. Here’s my monthly update for October.
Health
Fall colours have been stunning this October. I enjoy views of yellow, orange and red leaves and feeling the crisp, cool air when I go cycling and walking. There’s no shortage of interesting places waiting to be explored.
One of the parks that I was thrilled to revisit this month is Tommy Thompson Park. I wrote about it here. I cycled on the Waterfront Trail, passed the brand new Cherry Street South bridge to Cherry Beach and all the way to and through Tommy Thompson Park. It was pure bliss to be surrounded by the sights, sounds, and feels of nature on the trail and at the park on a gorgeous, sunny day.
Bottom row: Views of Toronto’s skyline and pedestrian bridge at Tommy Thompson Park.
Home
After an active summer with monthly out-of-town trips, October is the month for me to relax at home with family, reconnect with friends and complete home maintenance tasks.
I enjoyed small gatherings with family and close friends to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and Thanksgiving. It so happens that the special occasions spread out in October so there is a celebration every week. It was wonderful to catch up on what’s been happening with everyone.
In addition, there was a coffee date with my sister, a 8 km family walk on Toronto Islands, another 8 km urban walk with a friend, and a coffee date with another friend. We visited the Manulife Elevate Global Photography Exhibition in a beautiful garden and the World Press Photo Exhibition 2022 at Brookfield Place.
For the family walk on Toronto Islands, we walked from Hanlan’s Point to Ward’s Island, visiting the beaches and trails in between. It was a gorgeous morning with blue sky, soft white clouds, calm wind, and the water mirrored the scenery.
Middle row: Hanlan’s Point Beach and Trout Pond.
Bottom row: Toronto’s skyline and Fall colours.
Leisure
I balanced outdoor physical and social activities with indoor quiet and creative activities. I baked, listened to podcasts and music, read books, sorted my pictures, wrote blog posts, and researched potential travel destinations.
Photographing Public Art – In August 2012, a group of twenty three emerging youth artists and volunteers created an amazing 80 foot long mural from beautiful tiles and grout, under the artistic guidance of artist Cristina Delago.
Here is the Shore Stories mosaic mural located by the Toronto’s Ferry Terminal exit. Enjoy the following images and if you have 6 minutes and 20 seconds, watch this YouTube video on how the mural was created.
Writing – I’ve included the links for October’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:
Overall
I’m grateful to have special occasions to look forward to and enjoy with family and friends throughout a beautiful October. I hope to share the first post on my adventures on the Bay of Fundy next week.
Happy November!
Shared with #2022WOTYlinkparty, #PPAC, #TheChangingSeasons.
Copyright © 2023 natalietheexplorer.home.blog – All rights reserved.
Natalie the Explorer 
Hi Natalie – those Fall leaf colours are absolutely amazing. It’s rare to see anything like that here in Australia – we get some colour changes but not as spectacularly as you do. The mosaics were also very impressive – that’s a lot of tiles cut and re-imagined and grouted!
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Hi Leanne, Fall colours are usually beautiful in Ontario. This year they’re truly spectacular thanks to some cold nights. It took twenty three people to finish those mosaics in a few weeks and I wanted to share what a beautiful legacy mural that they’ve created.
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Just the right balance of creativity, time outdoors and comfort. Sounds like you had a great month! Love the mural, packs a punch looking at it as a whole but each section is fascinating in itself. Wishing you a great month ahead.
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Thank you, Helen. October has been wonderful for catching up and enjoying spectacular Fall colours. I hope you’ve also had a great October. Wishing you a fabulous November!
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Beautiful fall colors and a delightfully upbeat take on October. You do charm us with your life adventures. May November be just as wonderful for you, for all of us.
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Thank you, Ally. Fall colours have been spectacular here this year. Wishing you a wonderful November!
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It sounds like you’ve had a wonderful month! Love seeing the water and fall colors. I hope November is even better for you.
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Thank you, Janet. October has been beautiful and wonderful. I hope your book editing goes well and you’ll be able to relax and enjoy November.
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The mosaics are beautiful. Thanks for a great coffee share, Natalie.
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Thank you, Shari. Enjoy the weekend and Halloween!
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What a wonderful choice to relax in October, and reconnect with local life and beauty. The fall colours are stunning. Thank you for the coffee.
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Thank you, Maria, for your comment. It’s been good to catch my breath in October and savour the beauty of Fall at home.
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❤
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It appears that you’ve had a well-balanced month: time with friends and family mixed with quieter time for yourself. That lovely wall mosaic reminds me of the one we saw in North Creek, New York several years ago. (They have a Facebook page, if you are interested in seeing it: North Creek Mosaic Project).
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Janis, Thank you for letting me know about the North Creek Mosaic project. I love the colours they use to make such a beautiful mural. The helpers of that project are young, too. October has been great for me to catch up and enjoy Fall at home. Have a great weekend!
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What gorgeous fall pictures, Natalie. The mosaic wall is amazing. Put into a gallery the way you did, it almost looks like a digital quilt! I love that way of displaying the photos. 🙂 I will email you about PPAC.
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Marsha, Fall has been spectacular here this year. I used the ’tile column’ option in WordPress to display my image gallery of the mosaic wall. Glad you liked it. Looking forward to your message.
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I sent it, and look forward to hearing back from you. 🙂
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loved the murals Natalie.
Great stuff!
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Thanks, Gary. Have a great weekend!
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It is grey and raining here this morning, and your bright, cheerful photographs and post have really cheered me up. What a great month.
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I’m glad that my post and photos cheered you up. Fall has been spectacular here and the colourful leaves seem to set ablaze in the sunlight.
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Oh wow; those mosaics are incredible.
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Yes, those mosaics are beautiful art legacy.
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Beautiful autumn colours! My dream is to visit Canada one day. My husband used to live there, but I have never been.
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Apples of Gold, Welcome to my blog and thank you for your comment. What part of Canada did your husband live in? I hope you visit Canada one day. If you like my blog, I hope you visit often and become a friend. I’ll visit your blog soon. Have a great weekend!
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My husband lived in Sudbury Ontario for 5 years. He would love to take me to Canada to show me. He says it’s very beautiful.
Thank you!!! You have a great weekend too!!!
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Yes, Canada is very beautiful 🙂 I hope you visit soon and have an extended stay to enjoy Canada from coast to coast.
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Loving life in October- who could resist that as a title, Natalie? Glad your month lived up to it.
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Thank you, Jo. October has been great to me. I hope it’s been good to you, too.
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Sounds like October has been kind to you Natalie. I live the mural with its beautiful colour. The swans are gorgeous.
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Jennifer, I’m glad you liked the mural. It captures many things that I love along the shore of Lake Ontario. I hope October has been kind to you. Have a great weekend!
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Ohhhh Natalie…love those mosaic art!
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Thank you, Teresa. The emerging artists and volunteers did a wonderful job. Glad you loved the mosaics.
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Hi Natalie, I adore the Fall Colours and also the mosaics are beautiful . Thanks for sharing and have a lovely November x
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Thank you, Sue. I hope you have a wonderful November.
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P.S. Thanks for joining us for the WOTY link up, Natalie. x
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You’re welcome, Sue.
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Your trees are lovely this time of year. We have some changing, but most are going right to brown with no color.
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We usually have beautiful leaf colours in Fall season. The colours are spectacular this year.
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We used to have lovely colors, but now they change mostly to brown and skip the color stage.
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Yes, weather conditions affect the leaf colours. I hope lovely colours will return next Fall for you.
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It has been years since we had a lovely fall color to our trees. They mostly turn brown and fall off.
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Happy November, Natalie – Your autumn trees are stunning. Sadly, our Vancouver Island fall leaves are not quite as brilliant. I’m glad that October brought you relaxing time at home with friends and family. That is my plan for November. My November goal is to sleep in my own bed every single night (day trips only). Wish me luck! 😀
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Hi Donna, Best of luck to achieve your goal of sleeping in your own bed every night in November! I plan to continue relaxing at home in November 🙂
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I love the fall colors and your update. Those mosaics are gorgeous. Wow! How fun to have celebrations each week. That entrance to the park is so pretty!
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I’m glad you liked my update and the mosaics. The entrance to the beach is made of tree branches. I thought it was really well done with natural material. Fall colours are spectacular here this year. I hope to share more Fall pictures next month.
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These are some wonderful photos from your walks! I love the autumn colours and the mosaics. The entrance to the beach looks lovely. We finally have some autumn colours here too this year! I hope you’re enjoying the weekend.
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Thank you, Susanne. We’ve had mostly mild and sunny days and a few cool nights in October. The forecast is the same for next week. Fall colours are spectacular here this year. It’s beautiful to walk outside and see the leaves set ablaze in the sunshine. Have a great weekend!
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It sounds like you had a good month and visited some cool places. I will admit that October is my favorite month, and being out and about in October is the best. I really like the Shore Stories mosaic mural. Very cool. Enjoy your weekend and have a wonderful week!
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Yes, October is usually beautiful with nice temperatures for outdoor activities and Fall colours everywhere. The Shore Stories mural is such a great project for emerging young artists and they created a gorgeous art legacy for everyone to enjoy.
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Wow, that mural is spectacular!! It looks like you had gorgeous weather in October and plenty of activity to keep you busy!!
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Hi Liesbet, I’m glad you liked the mosaic mural. October has been beautiful. The forecast for the first week of November is mild and sunny. So I’ll be out exploring and enjoying life 🙂 I hope your week is going well. Have a great weekend!
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Sounds like you had a fun filled October! Thanks so much as always, for sharing and taking us along.
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Thank you, Kathleen, for joining the conversation. Have a fun Halloween!
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Hi Natalie, I am glad to hear that October is a happy month for you. These photos prove that. All these are happy moments and I like the photos that show fall colours. The mosaic mural is beautiful too.
Have a great weekend!
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Thank you, Amila. Fall has been beautiful here. I’m glad you liked the mosaic mural. It captures many things I love along the shore of Lake Ontario. Have a great weekend!
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The colours have been beautiful this year. Thanks for sharing.
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Anthony, Thank you for your visit and comment. Ontarians are fortunate to have such a beautiful Fall. If you like my blog, I hope you visit often and become a friend. Have a great weekend!
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I love the mosaics! Thank you for always sharing such beauty.
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You’re welcome, Pam. There is beauty everywhere when we look. I’m glad you liked the mosaics. The young artists and volunteers did a wonderful job creating that mural.
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I’m glad you had a good month! The Fall leaves are muted here because we lost so many early in the hurricane. I am looking forward to your Bay of Fundy posts!
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Dar, How are you? Hurricane Fiona caused a lot of damage. I hope my upcoming Bay of Fundy posts (there will be three) meet your expectations 🙂
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The fall colors and public art pieces are beautiful, Natalie, but I love the views of the city the best.
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Dan, I also love the views of the city. We’ve had pretty good weather this Fall. On the day we walked on the islands, the lake was calm and the reflections were amazing. Have a great weekend!
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Lizl, Thank you for you contribution to #weekendcoffeeshare. Have a nice weekend!
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Lovely post Natalie, and your surroundings have much to admire and pay close attention to. One thing I am looking forward to when we move back to the capital city of NSW next year, is getting back into Sydney itself and seeing the many changes. Things like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House remain pretty constant but not the many works created around them. I already have a list!! Visiting from WOTY
Denyse
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Thank you, Denyse, for stopping by. In a vibrant city, there is always something new. I’m sure you’ll have plenty to explore and enjoy once you move back to Sydney. Have a great week!
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Always inspiring walks and sights to see in your world. Thanks for the tour.
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Thank you, Antoinette, for your kind comment. Nature is inspiring and Fall has been spectacular here this year. Have a wonderful week!
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Natalie, I love that you consistently maintain balance in your life. You have perfected a healthy mix of all that you value. Thanks for sharing yourself (through your blog) in such a meaningful way.
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Suzanne, Thank you for your kind words. I love the freedom to design my day and practice self-discipline when it comes to what I fill in every day. I’m happy with the results so far 🙂
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I love the mosaics. I have planned several mosaic projects for rainy winter days. I’d love to attempt something on the scale of the street art!
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I’d love to see your mosaics when you finish them. If you have a garden wall, it may be a good place for your mosaic mural.
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What a beautiful October. So many great pics and love mosaics. So very beautiful.
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Thank you, Patrick. I’m glad you liked my pics and the mosaics.
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The depth of colour of the foliage, contrasting with the blue of the sky is gorgeous!!
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Yes, Fall has been gorgeous here this year.
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The bridges and paths look very inviting for walks. The fence with the archway is very pretty.
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That archway is made of tree branches. The places that I shared in my post are great for walking.
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Ah! Fall colours! So lovely to see them in your post …. as you know, Singapore doesn’t have distinct seasons, so I really do enjoy autumn (my favourite season) sights vicariously!
What fun that you had time to catch up with family, and that your returned to Ward’s Island for your family walk.
Wishing you a great start to November!
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Thank you, Ju-Lyn. I’m glad you enjoy autumn sights. I hope to share more pictures of autumn in a future post. Wishing you a wonderful November!
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Such wonderful autumnal colours! I love that mosaic mural too.
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Thank you, Nikki, for stopping by. Autumn colours are spectacular in Ontario this year. I’m glad you love the colours and the mosaic mural.
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I love the murals! Always such great pictures. And a question, that feels ignorant, but not. What are traditional Thanksgiving foods in Canada? I am wondering if they differ from the turkey, mashed potatoe, etc that is typical (but not commanaded!) here in the US.
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Michele, Thank you for stopping by. Typical Thanksgiving foods in Canada are similar to the US (turkey, mashed potatoes, etc.). However, our Thanksgiving is on the second Monday in October. I hope your writing is going well and October has been kind to you.
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Thanks Natalie, Fall is my favorite season and October may be my favorite month. Since I have been able to return to my home town four Octobers in a row, I am nothing but thankful. Still trying to find a good pace for blogging, but one of the big accomplishments this past trip was putting finishing touches on our first full draft of a book that has been three years in the writing. It is now in the hands of our Beta readers, waiting for next steps. So balance, balance, balance.
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Congrats on your book progress! Keep us posted whenever you find time to blog.
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Beautiful mosaics and views. 💜
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Rachel Ann, Thank you for your visit and comment. I’m glad you liked the mosaics and views.
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