A Robin's Nest

For some reason that I can not explain, I have always been very found  of the Robins. People complain that they come into their backyards looking for worms and that they are simply "pests".

 Not me...

After a long Winter, when I see for the first time a Robin jumping around on my backyard, I feel so happy the good weather is coming, that over the years the Robin has become a symbol not only of good weather but of "New Beginnings".

As so, when my son came in announcing that we had a Robin's nest on our evergreen, beside the front door, to me it was a sign of new beginnings!

Three beautiful blue eggs that are being watched, this time not only by the parents, but by all of us....

Every time anyone of us goes in or out the door, our first  concern is the safety of the nest (I know that one of us has been watching the black cat, that comes around once in a while, to make sure that he doesn't get too close to the nest).

New Beginnings....

Although at different life stages, we are all going through new beginnings...

Having the Robins' trust to build a nest right at our front door has given me the strength  to believe that everything is alright, that we are all on the right path....

Three beautiful blue eggs that have hatched, giving place to three beautiful baby robins that soon will be flying away announcing that the good weather is on the way!

Tomato Season on Bartlett (Part 2)

But before we moved to this house the tomato business had already started on Bartlett....

Our next door neighbor had already been planting them for over a couple of decades and he continues to pride himself of having the best tomatoes in the area...
Frank has been in Canada for over 40 years and he uses a method that he brought with him from his homeland - St. Michael's Island in the Azores.

Sometimes, I can sense some sort of rivalry in the air... which one has the biggest, the sweetest, the better shaped tomatoes...
We exchange fruits to sample and as the Summer starts changing into Fall we exchange tomato sauce and jam...

God bless you, Frank!

He is also proud of the size of his tomatoes...

Tomato Season on Bartlett

Although we live in the heart of Toronto, when we go to our backyard it's like a whole different world out there!
We call it "Our Summer Cottage"...

One of my husband's hobbies is planting  and one of his favorite plants is the tomato......

He starts early Spring with the seeds and continues through out Spring and Summer, until they become these beautiful fruits....

 

He puts a lot of tender loving care into the whole process by making sure that they are 100% organic.

My lymphatic system...

Those that are close to me, know that, when I am feeling sick, I always blame it on my lymphatic system!

In reality, the lymphatic system is hard at work, with it's lymphocytes protecting  me against viruses and bacteria, which is exactly the opposite... and although I am quite aware of their work, I still blame it on my lymphatic system!

The lymphatic system exists in all our body, except the central nervous system and the major components are located in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland and tonsils.
This system consists of ducts, nodes and organs that transport a clear, watery fluid called lymph between groups of cells or tissues throughout the body to filter out cellular waste and toxins. Lymph helps to distribute immune cells ( B and T cells) and other factors like fats and proteins. This system plays a key role in maintaining the fluid environment in the body.  
Lymph nodes become inflamed when a bacterial or viral infection causes the increased production of activated B and T cells, causing the glands to swell. Common causes of swollen lymph glands include cold and flu; ear infection; tooth infection; throat infection; mononucleosis; tonsillitis; skin infection; gingivitis and mouth sores. Glands remain swollen until the infection subsides.

There are other more serious causes of swollen lymph glands that I prefer not to include in my post today and that I will write about them at a later time...

Exercising

When Cecille came to see me at work, she couldn't believe her eyes! Cecille is a seventy years old petite, black Lady, that has been my client since I have been at that location. She 's very special to me and when she moved to the States, I thought I was not going to see her again..... but once in a while Cecille comes in and I know that she doesn't come just for her finances, she also comes to see me.
"There's something about the way you walk that makes you look so good, girlfriend!" said Cecille, "did you loose more weight? What did you do?"
Coming from Cecille, it made me feel really good, she's very active and always watching what she eats. Cecille has been stopped at the border, because they thought that her passport had been stolen (she looked too good for a seventy years old woman).
"Cecille, I have been exercising... I got myself a personal trainer, and I try to go to the gym three days a week, to get myself in shape. It's hard, but it's well worth!"
"You look great!" said Cecille.
I might look great in Cecille's eyes, but I feel even better, my breathing, my walking, my sleeping, all my physical activities have improved one hundred percent and although I have started a little late in life, I think that it's never too late to improve our health and age graciously....
I encourage everybody to exercise, no matter how old or young.... just going for walks or going to the gym, a lot or a little. The type of sedentary life that most of us have, at a desk, in front of a computer or a TV contributes to all the new age illnesses that have been increasing so drastically.

And to Cecille for being such an inspiration and example, I have to say: "Thanks, Girlfriend!"

Choices

As we go through life we are faced with millions of choices, some more important than others! I have the tendency to analyze everything and base my choices on what's best for everybody, specially for my family. I also don't like to be rushed,off course, so that I have enough time to analyze...
It's a vicious circle...

But, today I was faced with a choice, a very difficult choice indeed, based on my own feelings and without much time to analyze...
"No more pretending!" I was being told...
How do you end a relationship of over 35 years in less than a minute, even if that relationship is already sick?
Memories were coming back in a flash and as I was making my decision to end, we were going over the reasons why we should maintain that relationship.Those reasons weren't enough for me anymore!
So, when I heard the "No more pretending" for the second time, I realized that there was nothing else to be said except...
                         I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD LIFE, FATIMA!

In Honor of the Divine Holy Spirit

When W came downstairs and told us about his dream, we were all curious to find out what was the message behind the dream.
W said that on his dream, he was at the Skydome with Grandpa and Grandma, the three of them were hosting an event, the place was full of tables and chairs, all set up for dinner, the guests were arriving, but there was no food. They were all dressed up for a Gala and W felt that it was his duty to get food for everybody, but instead he woke up with the feeling that there were some unfinished business that he had to take care of. But what?
Thinking that it was his parents that were there with W, my husband called his sister to see if she had any clues, but the only thing that she said was "Don't worry, the rest of the message will come in due time". Later W said that my parents were the ones with him....
More ideas were flowing from all of us and it was my turn to call my sister...

The year my daughter was born, my parents came to spend one year with us, to help me with the kids (both my son and my daughter), since my father was already retired, they could spend some quality time with the grandchildren...
Great memories!

But...

the same year, being a brother of the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of Lameirinho, my son had the honor of being chosen to hold the Crown for one year, that period of time would end with a Coronation and a Function, where all the family and friends participate. Being so far away and having a new baby to take care of, we decided that the Crown would stay at my Sister's for the year and than returned to the Brotherhood.
W was 6 years old at the time and there wasn't much that he could do...

When I called my sister and told her about W's dream, right away she pointed out that this was his unfinished business!