Blogging

Ringing in 2024

January 5, 2024January 4, 2024Natalie73 Comments

Happy New Year and welcome to the first Weekend Coffee Share (WCS) blog link-up in 2024! This is also the 148th WCS link-up since I started hosting in January 2021.

During the holidays, I did a blog checkup and backup. I updated the pages at the top of the blog and the widgets on the sidebar. I keep the same blog theme (Plane). Since this is my first post in 2024, I’d like to share what’s coming up on Natalie the Explorer blog in 2024.

Blog Topics

I hope to continue writing about my exploration at home and abroad and monthly wrap-up posts. If all goes well, this year my blog readers can expect to see posts from my travel adventures to the United States and overseas.

I love sharing my home city so you will see posts on places and events in Toronto as well. In each post I hope to continue sharing images of public art since I enjoy discovering public art and playing with digital photography.

Weekly Post and Link-Up

I hope to continue writing and hosting the Weekend Coffee Share (WCS) link-up weekly. Details on how to join the weekly WCS link-up is on the Linkups page at the top of my blog and in each Inlinkz dashboard. Feel free to grab the WCS badge from my blog sidebar and spread the word to promote the link-up.

Engagement

I’ll reinforce my ‘rule of engagement’ by deleting links from ‘link and run’ bloggers without notice. I read all participating blogs in each WCS link-up and leave comments. I hope to receive sincere comments on my blog. Of course, no one has to feel they must leave a comment on my posts. Just don’t link and run.

I’ll continue participating in photography challenges and blog link-ups when I have something to share and when the timing works out. I’ll do link back and always leave a comment for the host.

Blogging Breaks

I’ll take blogging breaks in 2024 and will keep you informed of my upcoming break. The first break is at the end of January. This means No WCS link-up on January 26.

What’s On in January

My January calendar is full with two family events and an adventure abroad. I’m excited about these trips and look forward to savouring them all. I’ll share more after each trip is completed.

The following untitled mural created by Billal Khan seems to sum up what I look forward to in January: Recreational activities (biking, trail walking in lower left corner of mural), traveling and coming home (airplane and CN Tower on right side of mural). I took the photo last winter.

Mural at Ontario Place by Billal Khan, 2017

Speaking of winter, I’d like to share a ‘cool’ interactive sculpture titled Frost. The two Ys create a snowflake design.

Visitors to Brookfield Place are encouraged to touch Frost. Run your hand along the sculpture and you’ll see that you cast a shadow in the field of light, the same way you leave a trail when drawing on a frosted window.
Frost information board

Link-Up

I’d love for you to share your week’s highlights and/ or photos of public art around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #148 below.

2023: A Year in Review

December 29, 2023December 31, 2023Natalie81 Comments

Photo by Kostas Dimopoulos on Pexels.com

As we head into the last few days of the year, I have been reflecting on all the good things that came my way during 2023. At the beginning of the year, I hoped to maintain good health, spend time with family and friends, enjoy my hobbies and travel. The last twelve months brought many joys and one personal loss. Here’s what 2023 had in store for me.

January & February

I embraced winter and enjoyed exploring Toronto by bike and on foot. I discovered a lot of delightful public art such as the sculptures at the Garden of the Greek Gods and the IceFest Dreams & Fantasies event.

March & April

I traveled to Charleston, South Carolina, in the United States for a lovely reunion with my sisters. We explored historic Charleston and had beautiful weather for a few days.

I headed home in time for Winter Stations and Lumière, two fantastic outdoor art events. Spring arrived with sunny days and gorgeous cherry blossoms (Sakura).

I made a trip to Portugal at the end of March and had a wonderful time revisiting Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra, and exploring Evora, Fatima, Tomar, Coimbra and Porto.

May & June

My sister came for a visit in early May. We explored and loved the Fleurs de Villes Voyage trail of more than thirty beautiful floral installations. I also had fun seeing many expensive cars at the Exotic Car Show in June.

Both trips to Montreal in May and to Philadelphia in June were wonderful. They would be followed by a series of trips to the United States for family for the rest of the year.

July & August

July was fun-filled with trips to Chicago and Washington DC in the United States. I revisited several historic landmarks in the two US cities. August highlight was a fantastic trip to Iceland where I enjoyed stunning landscapes and many natural wonders.

September & October

A trip to Los Angeles in September meant I was able to touch the Pacific Ocean water at Manhattan Beach. On October 3, my Dad passed away. My family and I felt deep sorrow for our loss and gratitude for the love and support that we received.

November

To process my sorrow, I dedicated time for self-care and time with family and friends in Toronto, Dulles, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina. I did 25 nature walks, 8 km each, or a total of 200 km (125 miles). These walks brought both physical and mental health benefits.

About seven weeks after my Dad died, I met him in a dream. He appeared happy with his usual beaming smile as we headed out for a walk. This dream gave me comfort and peace.

December

I enjoyed walks with friends to see the incredible Gingerbread Way, the festive Fleurs de Villes Noël floral trail, the fun Winter Village and dazzling light decorations in the downtown core.

My family and I had a lovely Christmas. I think of my Dad and his smile. I look forward to ringing in the new year.

I’ve been active on the blog in 2023. Here are some numbers:

7th year blog anniversary in October
3 years of hosting the weekly Weekend Coffee Share (WCS) link-up
Wrote and published 48 blog posts
Hosted 47 WCS link-ups and took 3 blogging breaks
Shared about 400 images of public art at home and abroad

Thank you to all who read, like, follow, link up and/ or comment on my blog.

This post is my entry to Terri’s Sunday Stills 2023 Year-in-Review photo challenge.

Gratitude

Reflecting on 2023, I’m grateful for a year of good health, time with family and friends and wonderful experiences at home and abroad. I’m also grateful for the good memories that I had with my Dad.

I wish everyone a healthy and joyful New Year.

November 2023 Gratitude

December 1, 2023December 5, 2023Natalie99 Comments

Goodbye November and hello December! A quick review of my calendar showed many simple joys in November. I’m grateful for a good month with local exploring and travel to the United States. Here’s an acrostic version of what November had in store for me.

NOVEMBER

Nature walks were so enjoyable that I completed 25 walks, 8 km each, or a total of 200 km (125 miles). This is in addition to my ongoing fitness routine and normal walking to get from A to B. I’m grateful for the green space, blue space and my ability to walk.

Outdoor public art hunt yielded many fun finds to add to my Outside the Box digital image collection. I’m grateful for the abundance of public art in my surroundings. Have a look at these six utility boxes painted in pattern-mixing fashion by Toronto artist Hello Kirsten.

Visiting family is something I never take for granted. While in Virginia I enjoyed vibrant Fall colours and viewed chocolate displays at See’s Candies store (not available in Toronto).

Exiting Virginia, entering North Carolina in time for American Thanksgiving holiday last week and returning home this week, I’m grateful for safe travels, sunny weekends, quality time with family and good food.

Meeting friends in Toronto for coffee catch-up and making calls to out-of-town friends brightened up my day. I’m grateful for longtime friends.

Blogging and hosting four Weekend Coffee Share link-ups meant I wrote four and read 100+ blog posts. Thank you to all who join in on the fun every weekend in my virtual nook.

Entering photography challenges was an enjoyable exercise for my brain. I’m grateful that I can play with digital images without accumulating physical prints. Which images to use, how many, and how do I want to display them on the blog? I did it my way here, here and here.

Reading mystery fiction novels was strangely relaxing. I’m grateful for the availability of e-books. My recent reads were The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci, The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths and Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Have you read any of these books or authors?

Holiday Season

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. After sunset, downtown Toronto shines with dazzling lights, beautiful Christmas trees and stunning window displays. I enjoy checking them out and hope to share some photos on my blog later this month.

Toronto’s Christmas tree from my photo archive

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share your November highlights in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #143 below. I’m linking up with Donna, Sue, Deb and J o who co-host #WBOYC, Ju-Lyn who co-hosts #TheChangingSeasons, and Min who hosts #WWWhimsy.

Happy December!

A Blogging Break

October 6, 2023October 4, 2023Natalie66 Comments

My Dad passed away on Tuesday night after a short illness. I will be taking a blogging break to be with my family for a while. I hope to return to blogging on October 27th. If there is any change to this return date, I will provide an update on my blog.

Since I have already created a link for this week’s Weekend Coffee Share linkup #137, I posted it below for your participation. Unfortunately, I will not be available to read and comment on your blogs. Thank you for your understanding.

April 2023 Highlights

April 28, 2023April 29, 2023Natalie120 Comments

The last weekend of the month is when I do my monthly review. What have you been up to this past month? Here’s what’s been happening in my corner of the world and what I enjoyed in April.

Portugal

Week 1 of April was the second half of my adventures in Portugal that I started in the last week of March. I had good weather throughout my trip, with daytime high temperatures ranged from 20C to 27C (68F to 81F). My itinerary included Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra, Evora, Fatima, Tomar, Coimbra and Porto.

I used local transportation systems to get around, walked to explore every day, visited several incredible UNESCO World Heritage Sites, met other travellers, savoured Portuguese cuisine and enjoyed Port wine tasting in Porto. I returned home with wonderful memories and many photos. I’ll publish my ‘Postcards from Portugal‘ starting next week.

Homecoming

Week 2 was a fantastic homecoming week. The highlights include Easter weekend with family and catching up with friends. During week 2, Toronto set new temperature highs (26C-28C) a few days in a row. Suddenly we had summer weather in mid-April. I enjoyed seven consecutive fun outings that include bike rides, walks with friends, bird and turtle watching, and seeing spring flowers in bloom.

Sakura

Week 3 highlight was the viewing of cherry blossoms or Hanami Sakura. The warm temperatures in week 2 encouraged cherry trees to bloom early this year. The cherry blossoms are spectacular but peak bloom lasts only about a week. Such fleeting beauty. I feel grateful to see these delicate flowers every spring.

April 16: Individual blossoms are clearly seen

April 20-27: Gorgeous cherry blossoms at peak bloom

Lumière

Week 4 highlight was an evening walk to see public art at the Lumière: The Art of Light festival. This free outdoor light exhibition allows visitors to explore Trillium Park and experience sixteen light art installations developed by Ontario artists. The theme Renewal of the exhibition celebrates the change of seasons from winter to spring.

To see some of the light exhibits, use the arrows to move through the following 8 slides. For more information about the artwork and artists, click here.

Umbra Transit
Ghost Canoe
The Flora Arcana
Aerolian Soundscape
Fiddlehex
Allochory
The Numerology of Mushrooms
Disco Wall

On the Blog

The weekly Weekend Coffee Share linkup and Photographing Public Art Challenge have been going well in April. Thank you to all who have shared updates, comments and/ or photos from around the world. Here’s the links for April’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

For more blogging fun, I’m linking up with Sue’s #WBOYC and Ju-Lyn’s #TheChangingSeasons.

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share what’s been happening, simple joys from your week and/ or favourite public art photos from around the world in the comments or Weekend Coffee Share linkup #116 InLinkz below.

Happy May!

What’s Been Happening | February 2023

February 24, 2023March 4, 2023Natalie106 Comments

The last Friday of February is a good time for me to reflect on what’s been happening and what I enjoyed during the month. February has been a calm and joyful month that is ending with an exciting travel plan.

Health & Fitness

I continued my outdoor cycling and walking which supplemented my indoor fitness routine of cardio, strength workouts, meditation and yoga. I was pleased with how often I was able to cycle this winter. I enjoyed time in nature – always a happy time for me.

Up until this week, February weather conditions have been mild with above normal temperatures on most days. On Wednesday, an overnight winter storm brought about 15 cm of snow. With a few days left of this short month to go, this would be Toronto’s only significant snowfall for February.

Thin ice in marina (left); Light snow on boulders (right)

Family & Friends

My sisters and I made plans for a reunion next week. If everything works out, we’ll be together for the first time since the pandemic started. I’m looking forward to this exciting trip and quality time with my sisters. Stay tuned for my destination reveal in March.

I enjoyed three walks with family and friends to explore public art exhibits and free cultural events in February.

Walk #1 was the Icefest 2023 Dreams and Fantasies ice sculpture trail. The daytime high temperature reached 8C (46F) so we arrived early to see the sculptures before they melt. We all oohed and aahed over more than thirty incredible ice sculptures. For my complete Icefest23 image gallery, click here.

Walk #2 was to the Art Gallery of Ontario where we saw the remarkable bronze Couch Monster elephant sculpture by artist Brian Jungen. Check out the information board or the link provided to learn why he called this creature “couch monster”.

*Couch Monster* sculpture and information board

Walk #3 was to Toronto Sculpture Garden to see the Afrophilia sculpture installation by artist Frantz Brent-Harris. These sculptures in their vibrant orange and red reflect the energy and attitude of young Black people. This installation celebrates a culture of self acceptance.

*Afrophilia* by Frantz Brent-Harris, 2023

What public art have you discovered recently?

Blogging

I continued hosting the weekly Weekend Coffee Share linkup and Photographing Public Art Challenge (PPAC). Thank you to all who have shared updates, comments and/ or photos from around the world. Here’s the links for February’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

For more blogging fun, I’m linking up with #TheChangingSeasons hosted by Ju-Lyn and Brian, and #WBOYC hosted by Donna, Sue, Jo and Debbie.

Reading

Aside from reading up on my travel destination to prepare for my trip, I also read or listened to four excellent books and discovered four new-to-me authors. Thank you to all who shared the best book you read in January. I read three of the books you shared. Here’s what I enjoyed reading this month:

February by Lisa Moore
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman (on Barbara’s bookshelf)
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (on Donna’s bookshelf)
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (on Jennifer’s bookshelf)

What’s the best book you read in February?

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share what’s been happening, simple joys in your week, and/ or favourite public art from around the world in the comments or via Weekend Coffee Share linkup #108 InLinkz below.

Happy March!

What’s Been Happening | January 2023

January 27, 2023February 1, 2023Natalie110 Comments

The last Friday of January is a good time for me to reflect on what’s been happening and what I enjoyed during the month. January has been a calm and joyful month in lots of ways.

Exploring Outdoors

I enjoyed time in nature – always a happy time for me. Outdoor cycling and walking supplemented my indoor fitness routine. Toronto has experienced relatively mild temperatures throughout January and just had a major snow storm on January 25.

Socializing, Art and Culture

I celebrated New Year’s Day and Lunar New Year’s Day with my family. Good food, good company, and twice in three weeks, what not to love? We all hope for a year of good health, peace and joy.

I also met up with friends for a few fun outings. Outing #1 was to the Bentway Skate Trail which is under the Gardiner Expressway, a major road in Toronto. On display at the skate trail is artist Shellie Zhang’s Beacons installation of five colourful flame-like features that light up at night.

Outing #2 was a nature walk and coffee catch up in the downtown core where I photographed Thing’s End sculpture by artist James Carl. I love the crafty title, the unique design of a rubber band and the soft blue colour.

Outing #3 led to discoveries of public art in Chinatown.

Chinese zodiac animals and a bronze guard

Blogging

My blogging and hosting the weekly Weekend Coffee Share (WCS) linkup has been going well. Thank you to all who have shared updates, comments and/ or photos from around the world. Here’s the links for January’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

For more blogging fun, I’m linking up with Ju-Lyn‘s #TheChangingSeasons and #WBOYC hosted by Donna, Sue, Jo and Deb.

Reading

This month I enjoyed discovering four new books and three new-to-me authors (Mandel, Patchett and Picton). While all four books are very good, the most delightful is The Knighton Women’s Compendium. It was published on January 4, 2023, set in Australia, and told from a child’s point of view.

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
The Knighton Women’s Compendium by Denise Picton

What’s the best book you read in January?

Weekend Coffee Share

Please note that starting in February, I’ll end the WCS linkup on Sunday at 5 p.m. Toronto time. The start date and time stay the same. This change should not affect regular participants since all add their links on Friday or Saturday and before 5 p.m. on Sunday. If any blogger wants to join in after the linkup is closed, feel free to leave me a comment with the link to their WCS post or a pingback. Thank you.

Happy February!

Wrapping Up 2022

December 16, 2022December 19, 2022Natalie100 Comments

Hello and welcome! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 50 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share (WCS) linkup #100 which includes the Photographing Public Art Challenge (PPAC). Feel free to link your WCS or PPAC post to this post. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

This is my last post for 2022 before the holidays. I’d like to wrap up my 2022 with beautiful lights and gratitude. Below is my selection of blue light displays for PPAC and Sunday Stills photo challenge.

Beautiful Lights

I started my walk at Nathan Phillips Square to see the 56th annual Cavalcade of Lights in Toronto. The event is on from November 26 to January 7. It includes lighting of Toronto’s official Christmas tree and thousands of energy-efficient bulbs adorn the heart of downtown Toronto.

Along Bay Street, all the major banks have glittering trees and holiday decorations. Royal Bank of Canada displays their signature blue and silver tree for the holidays.

I ended my walk at Union Station. The Pixel Matrix, created by Michael Awad and David Rokeby, is a three-dimensional cube made up of 30,000 individually controllable LED lights on strings, with constantly changing lighting effects.

On another walk, I discovered an intense blue aluminum sculpture. I thought it would be fun to add it to this post.

Gratitude 2022

On January 2, 2022 I hoped to continue focusing on Health, Home and Leisure to live a healthy and enriched life. Reflecting on 2022, I feel truly grateful for an amazing year.

Here’s the gifts in 2022 for which I am grateful.

My good health throughout the year. I enjoyed cycling on recreational trails, exploring from Hanlan’s Point to Ward’s Island, kayaking around Toronto Islands, playing disc golf, sailing in Toronto Harbour in the summer, and walking. I love being with nature and taking in the beauty around me.

My family and friends near and far. I’m grateful for the opportunities to meet some of them in person in Calgary, Hamilton and Toronto after a long gap due to COVID-19 pandemic.

My home and city with many cultural and recreational opportunities. I appreciate Toronto’s festivals, events, art, history, parks, gardens, beaches, ravines, rivers, Lake Ontario, trails, and more.

Hobbies that are fun and enriching. I celebrated my 6 years of blogging in October. I appreciate all the visits, likes, and comments on my blog and contributors to my weekly Weekend Coffee Share linkup and Photographing Public Art Challenge, as well as my fellow blog hosts. I’m grateful for easy access to books and films from the Toronto Public Library.

Travel: I’m grateful to be able to explore amazing natural wonders in Newfoundland and Labrador, on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and enjoy fun adventures, historic sites, delicious seafood and desserts in these three beautiful Canadian provinces.

My three ways to give back in 2022:

Met with family and friends at local eateries and Indie cafés to support small businesses.

Volunteered to run my first food drive for Daily Bread Food Bank, and helped out at one public art event and six running races.

Traveled in Canada to support Canadian airlines, hospitality and tourism industry.

A friendly reminder that there is no WCS linkup on December 23rd and 30th. I’ll return with a fresh post on January 6, 2023.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Loving Life in October 2022

October 28, 2022December 15, 2022Natalie106 Comments

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.

Top row: Cherry Street South bridge and Fall foliage on the trail.
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.

Top row: Entrance and boardwalk to Hanlan’s Point Beach.
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.

Celebrating 6 Years of Blogging

October 14, 2022October 18, 2022Natalie121 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 41 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #91. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

October 10, 2022 marked the 6th anniversary of my first post on the Natalie the Explorer blog. The milestone inspires me to share some of my thoughts on blogging, hosting and participating in blog linkups and photo challenges.

Blogging

I started the blog on Blogger in October 2016. I moved from Blogger to WordPress in May 2019. The move to WordPress is good for me as most of the bloggers I connect with are on WordPress, and it’s convenient to read blogs and leave comments when you’re on the same platform.

What I enjoy about blogging:

Having a hobby, a creative outlet and a digital record of my adventures.
Sharing the beauty and wonders of our planet Earth by text and pictures.
Connecting with and learning from other bloggers and blog readers around the world. I’ve had the pleasure to meet several bloggers in real life.

Thank you to everyone who visits Natalie the Explorer. I appreciate all the visits, likes, comments and shares over the years. I value each and every one of my blogging friends and everyone who took the time to leave a comment. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement through the years.

Hosting

I experimented with hosting the monthly Wellness Wednesday linkup in 2018-2019 and the monthly Wellness Weekend linkup in 2020. I’ve been hosting the weekly Weekend Coffee Share linkup since January 2021. I hope to reach the 100th linkup soon. 100 sounds like a nice milestone.

What encourages me to host:

Receiving comments from linkup participants who take time to read my blog and leave a comment.
Seeing a good number of bloggers join weekly and connect with other bloggers via comments.
Seeing linkup participants do link backs and pingback to promote the linkup. Here’s WordPress how to create a pingback.

A linkup becomes stale when bloggers join in without leaving comments for the host and other participants. It’s like having a party with no conversation and no social connection.

Some blog hosts use InLinkz. Some hosts have participants leave their links in the Comments and the host does the roundup of participants. I’ve been using InLinkz for the weekly Weekend Coffee Share linkup, however, I’m thinking about using the Comments and roundup in the new year. I’ll let you know when I decide to change how I host my linkup.

Thank you to everyone who actively participates in my weekly Weekend Coffee Share linkup. I appreciate all the comments, contributions, link-backs and pingbacks.

Participating

I enjoy participating in selected blog link parties and photo challenges to support my fellow blog hosts and have fun. The following gallery (and my header photo) is my contribution to Terri’s Sunday Stills October colour challenge and Denyse’s Words & Pics linkup.