Monthly review – Natalie the Explorer

5 Favourites from February

March 1, 2024March 1, 2024Natalie87 Comments

Hello March and goodbye February! Before I get into my February favourites, please note that there is no Weekend Coffee Share link-up on March 8 as I will be on a blogging break. I will resume hosting on March 15.

After having an adventurous January in Boston, Philadelphia and Spain, I enjoyed a relaxing February at home. I intentionally kept my February calendar as light as possible and set two fun challenges for my mind and body. I love how the month turned out and feel grateful for two consecutive wonderful months.

1. Family

My family and I celebrated Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon, on February 10 and Family Day holiday on February 19. We enjoyed delicious food and good company. It was two wonderful family gatherings to ring in the new year and to have fun on a long weekend.

Dragon display at Nathan Phillips Square and delicious Thai food

2. Friendship

I met up with a good friend for a brisk 8 km walk together. She was away on a beach holiday while I was away in Spain so we had fun catching up. We saw the Jimmy Mount Rushmore mural at Jimmy’s Coffee. It features four musicians, from left to right: Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jimmy Buffet and Jim Morrison.

*Jimmy Mount Rushmore* mural by artist Christiano De Araujo, 2014.

On our second brisk 8 km walk date, we visited the new and inspiring art installation “We Are Shaped by the Obstacles We Face“. It features a life-sized bronze statue of Terry Fox before he was diagnosed with bone cancer and three tall granite pieces in a small park.

The installation is designed to flow east-west, akin to Terry Fox’s journey, with visitors entering from Queens Quay and ending at vantage point at the southwest corner of the park. From this unique perspective, the granite pieces visually transform into a familiar silhouette of Terry Fox during his Marathon of Hope. (Look at the gap that the granite pieces create).

*We Are Shaped by the Obstacles We Face* by Jon Sasaki and landscape architects DTAH.

3. Being Outdoors

Just for fun, I set a challenge to cycle and/ or do brisk 8 to 10 km walk every day in February. This year February brought only one light snowfall so I scored 29/ 29. Even on cold days, I came home feeling warm, happy and grateful from my bike ride and brisk walk. I enjoyed the fresh air and nature’s sights and sounds. We are getting longer daylight hours and closer to Spring!

4. Being Indoors

After being active outside, I enjoyed being cozy inside, doing strength training, practicing yoga, blogging, reading and writing. Also for fun, I set another challenge to take daily Italian lessons on Duolingo for 30 days (from January 31 to February 29) and did 30/30.

I’m currently reading Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin after finishing:

The Measure by Nikki Erlick (a thought-provoking book)
The Wake-Up Call by Beth O’Leary (a light read)

5. Trip Planning

I researched and made the essential bookings for my upcoming trip. I look forward to embarking on new adventures. I’ll share more by end of March.

Link-Up

This post is my contribution to the #WBOYC link-up co-hosted by Donna, Sue, Jo and Deb.

I’d love for you to share your February highlights and/ or public art from around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #155 below. The next Weekend Coffee Share link-up will be on March 15.

Happy March!

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.

Blogging

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!

June 2023 Highlights

June 30, 2023June 30, 2023Natalie94 Comments

Greetings! The last weekend of the month is when I do my monthly review. Similar to May, June is a month well spent with family, friends, nature and travel. Here’s what’s been happening in my corner of the world and what I enjoyed in June.

Family Celebrations

On my June calendar there were birthdays, Father’s Day, my niece’s wedding, school graduations, and two visits from my aunts and their husbands (different weeks). So, every week we had something special going on. Aside from the celebrations, we explored gardens, beaches and parks along Toronto’s waterfront.

We enjoyed a few free art exhibits. One of them was the intriguing Stitched in Ages by Moya Garrison-Msingwana, also known as GANGBOX. Each of the five figures in the exhibit is dressed in upcycled Canada Goose materials and is artfully positioned within a small park to reflect the importance of the human impact on our environment and wonderment of exploring in nature.

We admired some of the world’s greatest sports cars and classics at the 13th annual Yorkville Exotic Car Show. Admission is free and proceeds support Melanoma Canada. The outdoor red carpet event was well attended and well organized with at least 100 stunning cars on display. It exceeded my expectations. Here are a few cars that I’ve seen at the show.

Fitness & Friendship

My June fitness calendar includes cycling, walking, indoor strength training and yoga. Some of my nature walks were with friends to catch up on what’s been happening and to appreciate nature’s beauty together. We enjoyed walking in ravines (for shades and hills), near wetlands (for aquatic life) and in gardens (for birds, butterflies and gorgeous flowers).

Travel: Philadelphia

I just got back from a fantastic family trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was good to revisit Philadelphia and explored some of the great sights in the City of Brotherly Love. More to follow after I find time to write my ‘postcard’.

On The Blog

I had fun sharing Toronto’s public art and seasonal flowers on my blog. Here’s the links for June posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

For more blogging fun, I’m linking up with #WBOYC and #TheChangingSeasons.

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share your June highlights and/ or favourite public art photos from around the world in the comments or Weekend Coffee Share linkup #125 InLinkz below.

Happy July!

May 2023 Highlights

May 26, 2023May 31, 2023Natalie116 Comments

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

Family & Fleurs de Villes

My sister visited our Toronto family for ten days. The weather was mainly sunny during her stay. We did family activities together, including multiple outings, BBQs and a Mother’s Day celebration. The ten days flew by. I’m grateful for the quality time we shared.

While my sister was here, we walked the Fleurs de Villes Voyage floral trail on a beautiful sunny day in the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood. We oohed and aahed over more than thirty incredible floral arrangements. It was my sister’s first time to a Fleurs de Villes event and she really enjoyed it.

I include a slideshow of ten of the floral designs below, five outdoors and five indoors. To me they are art and since the event is free, it’s public art. Click on the arrows to move through the slides.

Champagne floral sculpture
Canadian Mountie mannequin
Chinese floral lanterns
English Garden
London Phone Booth
Germany mannequin
Japan Cherry Blossom mannequin
Spring in the Netherlands
Scotland mannequin
Spain mannequin

Fitness & Friendship

It’s been lovely to get outside and enjoy spring. I continue my cycling, walking, strength training and yoga. After having so many beautiful bike rides and walks this month, I feel like a multi-millionaire. Spring is in full swing which means everywhere I look there are newly blooming flowers.

Some of my 8K walks are with friends. We choose a different route for each walk and since we are in a big city called ‘A city within a park‘, we often start and end in a park. I greatly appreciate our friendship and the green space to absorb the peace and natural beauty of the outdoors without leaving the city.

Travel: Montreal

Last weekend I traveled by train to Montreal for a three-day visit. As I was in Montreal more for family than tourism, most of my time was spent with family. I took walks every day and enjoyed being in this dynamic city.

In the following gallery, top left, clockwise: Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, a National Historic Site of Canada; The Cathedral dome seen from Dorchester Park; Murals in Montreal Central Station designed by Toronto artist Charles F. Comfort and carved by Sebastiano Aiello depict Canadian life, cultures, industry and passages of the national anthem.

Gallery: Buildings and Murals in Montreal

On The Blog

The weekly Weekend Coffee Share and Photographing Public Art Challenge continued to thrive in May. Thank you to all who have shared updates, comments and/ or photos from around the world. I wrote my three ‘Postcards from Portugal‘. Here’s the links for May’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:

I’m contributing this post to #WBOYC and #TheChangingSeasons link parties.

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 #120 InLinkz below.

Happy June!

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!

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.

Loving Life in September 2022

September 30, 2022September 30, 2022Natalie75 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 39 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #89. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

It’s the last day of September and a good time for me to reflect on my 2022 focus on Health, Home and Leisure. Here’s my monthly update for a social and adventurous September.

Health

I maintained my wellness routine and enjoyed a lot of cycling and walking throughout September. There is always something beautiful and colourful to see along the way.

Home

Family – My sister and I had a nice evening out together. We enjoyed good conversation, tasty dinner at a new-to-us pub and a walk along the waterfront. The Redpath Waterfront Festival was on that weekend so we saw the For A Better Planet floating installation by Bonterra and Theodore TOO Tugboat, the 65-foot working replica of the original TV character.

Community – I was up early on two Sunday mornings to volunteer for the annual Terry Fox Run and the 40th Longboat Roadrunners Toronto Island Run. The Terry Fox Run raises funds for cancer research. Longboat Roadrunners partner with SchoolBOX North, an organization whose mission is to make education possible for kids in Indigenous communities across Canada. It felt good to contribute to these events.

Friends – A friend and I went for a two-hour walk on a beautiful morning, followed by a break at Dark Horse Café where we got delicious coffee, quick service and nice outdoor seating. This is the last stop of my Tour of Indie Cafés for 2022 which I started in April.

Four friends and I rented a sailboat to go sailing in Toronto Harbour. We lucked out with the weather and enjoyed a glorious, sunny afternoon. It was a fabulous farewell to summer 2022. In the image gallery below, our boat is the closest to the dock on the right.

Leisure

Blogging – I’ve included the links for September’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up.

Traveling – My adventure of the month was to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. I started and ended my tour in Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia.

*An adventure from beginning to end, around and across the Bay of Fundy*

After I arrived in Halifax, I met with Dar (An Exacting Life blog) for dinner. I greatly enjoyed our first meet-up and conversation. In hindsight I’m glad that we met before hurricane Fiona hit Eastern Canada.

I had a wonderful trip, visiting two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nova Scotia and exploring the Bay of Fundy and surrounding cities and towns in New Brunswick. Now I have loads to write about, but it will have to join the queue.

I was in Saint John, New Brunswick when hurricane Fiona hit east of Nova Scotia on Saturday September 24. By the time I returned to Halifax on Sunday September 25 afternoon, the sun came out and downtown Halifax was lively.

Top left, clockwise: *Sunset in Saint John on Sept 24th; Sunrise over the Bay of Fundy on Sept 25th; The MacKay Bridge and Old Town Clock in Halifax on Sept 25th post-hurricane*.

While I was safe and didn’t experience any hardship, many people in Atlantic Canada experienced devastation caused by the hurricane. I found ways to help. Here’s how to donate to Fiona relief for Atlantic Canada.

Gratitude

When I think about my 100 days of summer this year, I’m grateful for a summer of health and happiness. I’ve explored and enjoyed Toronto’s beautiful beaches, islands, parks and Lake Ontario. I’ve supported local businesses and volunteered for community events when I could.

At the beginning of 2022, I hoped to resume travel to see family, friends and explore new-to-me places. I’m grateful to have an amazing adventure to Newfoundland and Labrador in June, joyful time with family in Hamilton in July and in Calgary in August, and a wonderful tour in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in September.

Happy October!

Shared with #2022WOTYlinkparty, #TheChangingSeasons.

Loving Life in August 2022

August 26, 2022August 31, 2022Natalie73 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 34 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #84. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

The last weekend in August is a good time for me to reflect on my 2022 focus on Health, Home and Leisure. I was in two cities, Calgary and Toronto, this month. Here’s my monthly update for August.

Health

I continue my wellness routine throughout a hot August. To manage the heat waves in Toronto and Calgary, I drink a lot of water, wear sun protection, and go out earlier in the morning when it’s less hot. While I was in Calgary, I took daily walks on a trail near where I stayed.

In Toronto, most mornings I cycle along the shore of Lake Ontario, stop by a park and enjoy nature. I also go to the beautiful Toronto Islands to kayak and explore the many waterways. I love being enveloped by nature and seeing aquatic plants, waterbirds and turtles from my kayak.

Click on any image in the gallery to see its bigger version and caption.

Home

Family – Home in August is with my family in Calgary and Toronto. Calgary is in the western Canadian province of Alberta, about four hours by plane from Toronto. My flights to and from Calgary were both on time. I traveled with a carry-on so there was no waiting for baggage. It was my first time back in Calgary since the COVID-19 pandemic started and it was joyful to be with my family there.

Friends – After my trip to Calgary, I had some catching up to do in Toronto. My friends and I continued our Tour of Indie Cafés of 2022 and met up at Fahrenheit Coffee. Fahrenheit Coffee is within walking distance to St. James Park so we took our cappuccinos there and enjoyed our coffee chat in the lovely gardens. We hope to meet again in September and will end the tour once the weather gets too cool to sit outside.

Community – In August I volunteered for two events:

The SuperPower race: Funds raised through the SuperPower race go directly to the Holland Bloorview hospital to help kids with disabilities.
The Terry Fox Run: Funds raised through the annual Terry Fox Run support cancer research. Even though the Terry Fox Run is in September, there is work to do before race day. I’m happy to be sharing Terry’s message of hope, courage and determination and giving back to my community.

Leisure

Photography – I discovered many amazing artworks on my walks. Here’s a sampling of some of the colourful murals that I’ve seen. They depict Toronto’s urban wildlife with remarkable details and realism.

Which mural is your favourite?

Another source of joy is summer blooms in public gardens. August blooms include different varieties of bougainvillea, coneflowers, daylilies, dahlias, daisies, hibiscus, hydrangeas, marigolds, moss roses, sunflowers and more. The flowers in my header photo are Trumpet vine flowers. I’m sharing a sampling of some of the gorgeous daylilies below.

Which daylily would you choose for your garden?

Reading – In August, I read four books. Here’s my list by author’s last name:

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
The Recovery Agent by Janet Evanovich
The Chase by Candice Fox
Donut Fall In Love by Jackie Lau

Writing – Before today’s post, I wrote three posts about my experiences in Newfoundland and Labrador. I’ve included the links for August’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up.

Overall

Similar to July, August has been a beautiful and joyful summer month. I’m grateful for time with family and friends in Calgary and Toronto and all the good things that happened in August. Happy September!

Shared with #2022WOTYlinkparty, #PPAC61, #TheChangingSeasons.