Corner View: Typical Souvenir of Your City

It hasn't been easy to find a typical souvenir of my city. I live in a small town and after many discussions with locals, we couldn't find a typical product made locally. On the other side, when we talked about places, landmarks that represent our town, we agreed on La Porte des Maires.

We also talked about the market place (built in 1876), the uptown arch, the Yamaska river also. The city is redoing the landscaping close to La Porte des Maires, where the nautical center is (we can rent kayaks, pedalos, canoes). In wintertime, when the ice is thick enough, we can also iceskate on the river, the access being right behind La Porte des Maires.

This project made me realize that there are many wonderful places in my town. I'll showcase some more soon...

... And Red!

Last day of the Autumn Color Week.

I see... red!

A classic, le Moulin Rouge... À Paris, bien entendu!

Stop!

Parisian red doors. Very elegant, don't you agree?

Tomatoes at Marché Jean-Talon, in Montreal.

A gift from my oldest daughter, many years ago...

Brown

Here comes the brown!
(Fourth day of Autumn Colour Week, an invitation of Poppytalk)

Miranda's favorite cookies, it reminds her of her childhood (she's 13 ;-)

Hotel in Paris. Sighs...

Dice, dice, dice. Hell's Kitchen flea market, New York.

Grand Canyon...

More pictures from this fabulous week on flickr...

Corner View: White

Three sisters in black and white, a long time ago. Guess who's who!

The same three sisters in black and white a very long time ago...

Orange

Third day of the Autumn color week, an idea of Poppytalk.
Let's go orange!

When the sky is gray, I really like colorful flowers on my work table...

Boston's Quincy Market's pizza, delicious!

A foggy autumn morning on my street.

Very old houses in St-Denis-sur-Richelieu all have something special.

Green

Let's continue Poppytalk's Autumn Colour Week with green

The girls' tree house. A nice feature of our large yard.

An artist card I made. We exchange them when we go to Creacamp.

Some of the treasures I found on Matane's shore last summer.

Yellow

Poppytalk started an Autumn Colour Week, so here I am with my yellows!

Jardin des Métis, Grand Métis

Seattle Central Library escalator, Seattle

Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas

Alizée's birthday theme: daisies

What Do You Think?

I've been thinking about this for two days now and I don't know what to do. Someone has been giving out on her blog, a poster she had made : How to be a Goddess. I printed it and then I realized how similar it was to another poster I have (bought it two years ago): How to be an Artist.

I wrote a post on "the Goddess" blog mentioning I thought they look alike. My comment was posted automatically, and then erased the day after. I was expecting, I don't know, an explanation or something. Now it just looks weird don't you think? On top of it, on the Goddess FB info section, her first inspiration is SARK, the author of How to be an Artist...

Yesterday, "the Goddess" mentioned that you could buy her poster, but this post has been erased. Maybe she understood she was clearly making money out of someone else's work?

Now, what do you think I should do?

(I went on SARK'S website, to let her know, but we can't email her directly.)

Any suggestions?

13 Things I Like About My New Kitchen

1. I can finally display the dishes I like so much: bowls and miniatures. I'm using them all the time!2. Even if it's getting old, our stove doesn't look that odd in here.
3. Hurray for the stool we use to sit on and step on to reach the higher shelves.
4. Drawers, not only cupboards, great idea!
5. A little bubble gum curtain. Fun, colorful. With the turquoise on the walls, it's lively.
6. The open shelf over the wood countertop where I keep recipe books and my vintage cake stands.7. The metal border for the countertop. It gives the kitchen a little retro/dinner American look.
8. The countertop itself. Makes me think of my grand-mother's kitchen...9. Even with a very unconventional shape, the entrance of the kitchen is spacious, airy.
10. We managed to integrate the old wood countertop. It has scratches and all but I love it anyway. Hubby sanded it and put teak oil on it, very effective.11. My mother-in-law's glassware. Used only in special occasions by her, it is part of our daily dishes. I also like milkshake and sundae glasses a lot.
12. On top of the window where there is no curtain, we decided to add a decorative shelf. We use it to display blue glass bottles and vases.
13. The workspace. We used to have only the space on top of the dishwasher to cook. What a change!

Are You Happy?

Found here
Being happy can be so simple!

Corner View: Out the Car Window

Picture I took waiting for the ferry between Baie Ste-Catherine & Tadoussac, during my solo Road Trip going to Sept-Iles this summer. The view was breathtaking and it was only the beginning. I enjoyed it so much that I am planning another Road Trip next summer, this time probably with girlsfriends. Any volunteers?

Dear Lizzie...

My favorite part from the movie:
Fitzwilliam Darcy declaring his love to Elizabeth Bennet, the second time.
Sighs...

"You must know.
Surely you must know it was all for you.
You are too generous to trifle with me.
I believe you spoke with my aunt last night and it has taught me to hope as I had scarcely allowed myself before.
If your feelings are still what they were last April tell me so at once.
My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever.
If, however, your feelings have changed, I would have to tell you, you have bewitched me, body and soul and I love... I love... I love you.
I never wish to be parted from you from this day on."

Matthew Macfadyen is irresistible in that scene, don't you think?

Corner View: September

Summer is almost gone, September is at its peak. The apple trees branches are loaded with apples. The maple trees' leaves are changing colors. I am going to have a magnificent view very soon...

Julie & Julia

After seeing the movie Julie & Julia, big rush of ideas, lots of thoughts...

•I really have to cook more, I am missing somehting, I know. The sink and countertop are going to be installed September 22nd, it will help ;-)

•Great stories always start with a passion. Complications often follow, sometimes we feel a little discouraged to finally we achieve our goal. Must remember to be passionate, to feel the joy, throughout the journey. This way, whatever the result, at least we had fun!

•I too have a wonderful husband. Who thinks my ideas are great. Always remember that. (Easyyyyyy)

•I am a woman. My hormones sometimes drive me nuts. Typically feminine. Must learn to deal with that...

•Eating is pleasant. Sensual also. Cooking, eating are honourable actions.

•Working on perseverance is key.

•Never listen to your mother if she hinders you to become a better you. (I hope I'll never be Julie's mom with my daughters)

•Our daily dramas are tomorrow's funny moments.

Imagine

I found a very inspiring post on a blog: Mondo Beyondo. So inspiring in fact that the author has even developed an online class. But what is that, you're asking yourself, vaguely curious?

Well it stems from the principle that a dream, an aspiration, a wish, when voiced has more chances to become reality. And no, it's not that simple. Of course we all have dreams, but we are so used to control ourselves that our dreams, the real ones are buried so deep within our soul, we forgot about them, or we rationalized them so much, that they are not our dreams anymore.

Naturally, I found the class a little too late, it was already sold out, but I really want to register to the winter session. I dream a lot, I've got millions of ideas, I wish for so many things, I aspire to do so much that I sometimes have the feeling I am losing myself. I am all over the place and I get bored. So for now, I"ll continue to explore, I'll take notes, until January...

I'll keep you posted... ;-)

A Glimpse

The yukky work in the kitchen is almost over. Still missing a countertop (it's gonna be something!), a sink and the plain white (large tiles) backsplash. So little to do, compared to the mess we had to live in mid-August. I can't believe how beautiful it is. I regularly end up in there, just admiring everything, enjoying it.

It even inspires me to write fridge poetry.

This morning light in there was fabulous...

I...

I AM a positive person

I WANT my daughters to stay happy forever.

I HAVE an incredible husband

I KEEP learning, every day.

I WISH I COULD be more motivated to do yoga.

I HATE people who are grumpy.

I FEAR skunks, but hey that's something you might already know.

I HEAR babies giggling and I'm instantly happy.

I DON'T THINK I'll ever be a grouchy old lady.

I REGRET that I lost my time with people who were so not nice...

I LOVE sewing, listening to music, watching movies (or DVD series), reading, writing, surfing the Internet, traveling, dreaming...

I AM NOT able to work, work, work. I need a more serene life.

I DANCE like crazy, can't wait for a party, who's organizing one?

I SING in the car. And I'm loud baby, I'm loud!

I NEVER remember phone numbers, well, numbers in general.

I REALLY want to publish a book with my friend Tanja.

I CRY WHEN people are awful to me.

I AM NOT ALWAYS tidy (Yesssss, I cured myself from my obsession to organize, tidy everything, all the time).

I HATE when people scream and swear especially in front of children.

I AM CONFUSED ABOUT my left and my right. I've always been.

I NEED my family, my friends.

I SHOULD go buy Alias 3 this weekend, I can't wait to see what's happening to Sydney!

In One Word

Let's start the week with one word questions and answers:
(If you feel like answering them too, go ahead!)

Cell? iPhone
Love? always
Hair? ponytail
Mother? distance
Father? closer
Children? happiness
Thing? dreaming
Goal? create
Place? home
Hobby? reading
Afraid? skunks
Future? peace
Yesterday? pool
Personality? eclectic
Gift? books
Childhood? Sainte-Rosalie
Clothes? capri
TV? off
Pets? never
Computer? everyday
Mood? energized
Missing? nothing
Car? old
Makeup? light
Store? Anthropologie
Summer? fantastic
Color? pink
Laugh? often
Cry? rarely
Obsession? notebooks

13 Things I Learned About Myself This Summer

1. I can drive for long hours if there's good loud music playing
2. I like the St-Lawrence River more and more
3. I can't stand to stay under the sun for long
4. Weather doesn't affect me when I'm on vacation
5. My hair now curls naturally. Hormones I guess...
6. I can avoid spending when I decide to
7. I like retro stuff ("diner" style)
8. I prefer stripping off paint to painting (how bizarre)
9. I am becoming a zen person
10. I am a quiet person, but when it's party time, here I come!
11. I prefer going to the movies during the day (cheaper, less people)
12. Eating less meat is easier than I thought
13. I LOVE road trips. I'm planing another one next summer. Direction? Brooklyn!

My New Ancient Piano

If this piano could talk... With its notes in ivory and ebony, the lacy wood that allows us to see the hammers hit the strings, our piano tuner told us it had at least 100 years old. I am very happy I took the time to strip the coats of paint covering it and paint it again, in white. It looks astonishing don't you think?