laura bachynski

0 Ash Wednesday

February 27, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

Laura with ashes

Terry and Jazz with ashes

Rehearsing for masses

YESTERDAY WAS ASH WEDNESDAY AND MARKED THE START OF THE 40 DAYS OF LENT.

LENT ACTUALLY BEGINS 46 DAYS BEFORE EASTER (THIS YEAR APRIL 12, 2020) BUT IS ONLY OBSERVED MONDAY TO SATURDAY AS SUNDAY IS VIEWED AS OUR CELEBRATION DAY. THEREFORE, LENT IS OBSERVED FOR 40 DAYS.

SO WHAT IS LENT ALL ABOUT ?

WELL THE HISTORICAL RESPONSE IS THAT FOR ABOUT 12 HUNDRED YEARS FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS APPROACHED THEIR ALTARS ON THE ‘ DIES CINERUM ‘ , THE DAY OF ASHES , TO RECEIVE THE ASHES ON THEIR FOREHEADS. THE ASHES ARE ( STILL !) MADE FROM THE BURNT PALMS THAT WERE BLESSED ON ‘PALM SUNDAY’ OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THESE ASHES ARE SPRINKLED WITH HOLY WATER, AND BLESSED WITH PRAYER AND INCENSE.

THE BIBLICAL RESPONSE MIGHT BE THAT THERE ARE OVER 40 PLACES IN THE BIBLE THAT MENTION AND ASSOCIATE ASHES WITH MOURNING AND GRIEF. SOME FOLKS WOULD ROLL AROUND IN THEM , OR PUT THEM ON THEIR HEADS OR EVEN PUT THEM IN THEIR FOOD! THEY DID THIS AS A SIGN OF THEIR REPENTANCE.

THE RESPONSE I CAN RELATE TO THE MOST IS THAT I KNOW THAT I AM A SINNER. ASH WEDNESDAY REMINDS ME THAT I AM ‘ ONLY DUST AND TO DUST I WILL RETURN’ . I AM NOTHING WITHOUT MY GOD WHO GAVE ME LIFE. DURING THE SEASON OF LENT I LIKE TO TRY AND GET CLOSER TO GOD THROUGH PRAYER , FASTING , AND ACTS OF KINDNESS. DURING THIS MONTH WE PREPARE FOR SOMETHING CALLED ‘ HOLY WEEK’ WHICH REMEMBERS THE PASSION AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS.

GOD IS AMAZING! HE LOVES US . HE IS THERE FOR US AND HE FORGIVES US TOO.

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE EXPRESSIONS I RECENTLY HEARD IS : ” GOD KICKS ASH ! ” HA HA.

0 Promoting Peace

February 25, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

WE PASSED THIS INCREDIBLE YARD ON THE WAY OUT OF TOWN ON SUNDAY. IT WAS THE BLAST OF COLOUR IN THE DESERT THAT CAUGHT MY EYE.

UPON CLOSER INSPECTION IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE PROPRIETOR WANTED TO PROMOTE LOVE , LAUGHTER AND ART ! I DID LAUGH AT ALL THE CRAZY VIGNETTES SET UP IN EVERY PATCH OF WHAT WAS ONCE PERHAPS A LAWN.

THERE WERE BABY DOLLS LEANING ON ONE ANOTHER , A PINK TELEVISION SET , PLASTIC ‘WISEMEN’ INTERSPERSED WITH PLANTS AND PLACARDS.

AND EVEN WITH THE OWNERS’ PROMOTION OF PEACE THERE WAS A POLITICAL STATEMENT OR TWO. HA HA.

I TRY NOT TO LOOK AT THE POLITICAL NEWS IN THE STATES BECAUSE I FIND IT DISTURBING BUT I ONLY HAVE TO READ OUR CANADIAN PAPERS ABOUT OUR POLITICIANS TO READ NEWS JUST AS CRAZY IN MANY WAYS. WE SEEM TO BE LIVING IN A TIME OF VOLATILE ANGER …. THE PEOPLE MAD AT THEIR POLITICIANS, THE POLITICAL LEADERS ACTING LIKE DICTATORS, AND NEIGHBOURS MAKING MORE EYE CONTACT WITH THEIR PHONES THAN WITH EACH OTHER.

TODAY LET US MAKE A TINY EFFORT TO BE KIND. LET’S LOOK UP AND SMILE AT SOMEONE. LET’S DO AN ACT OF KINDNESS. LET’S CHANNEL PEACE TODAY IN THE WAY WE LIVE….

0 La Quinta

February 23, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

New song soon

Enjoying our back yard

Funny name!

Car booths !

Detail

Giant Big Boy

Typical street name

La Quinta

Beautiful Mountains

Stairs

Giant Road Runner

My Guy.

OUR TIME IN CALIFORNIA IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE SO WE ARE MAKING THE MOST OF EXPLORING THE AREAS NEAR PALM SPRINGS.

AS PER USUAL I WORKED OUT IN THE POOL (I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE FOUND THIS GREAT VRBO) WHILE TERRY WENT TO THE NEARBY GYM. I THINK TODAY WAS THE WARMEST DAY YET SO THE WATER FELT WONDERFUL. THEN I WORKED ON MY MUSIC AND I COULDN’T PLAY FOR VERY LONG WHICH TELLS ME I HAVEN’T BEEN REHEARSING ENOUGH. MY CALLOUSES WERE TOO SORE !

WE HAVE BEEN ON A ‘KETO’ TYPE DIET FOR THESE TWO WEEKS AND IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL ALTHOUGH TODAY I REALLY CRAVED BREAD. I LEARNED THAT I CANNOT LEAVE MY EATING UNTIL I AM STARVING HUNGRY BUT MUST ALWAYS LEARN TO SNACK ON HEALTHY FOODS TO FIND MY WAY THROUGH THIS. I DIDN’T ‘BLOW IT’ BUT JUST READING THE WORD ‘BISCUIT’ ON THE LUNCH MENU ALMOST HAD ME DROOLING IN PUBLIC…HA HA.

WE ATE NEAR A PLACE CALLED ‘RANCHO RELAXO’ . I THOUGHT THAT WAS A FUNNY TITLE. THERE IS A MASSIVE ANTIQUE MALL HERE WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO AVOID SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH PACKING ANYTHING BREAKABLE WHEN WE GO HOME.

THEN OFF TO EXPLORE THE CITY OF LA QUINTA WHICH HAS A MEXICAN FEEL TO IT. VERY PRETTY…LOTS OF FLOWERS AND TILE WORK ON THE BUILDINGS.

TOMORROW WE FLY HOME. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS PART OF THE WORLD AND VISIT WITH OUR DAUGHTER, LANA. BUT I AM EXCITED TO GET HOME AND GET BACK TO WORK. I WILL TAKE THE WARM MEMORIES WITH ME TO GET THROUGH THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF COLD AND SNOW. I LIKE BEING A ‘SNOWBIRD’ !

0 Modernism Week

February 21, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

Terry In front of the Modernism Week sculpture

CLEARLY , I AM NOT A VERY ‘ MODERN’ GIRL. THE HOME DESIGNS WERE NOT MY THING … VERY MINIMALIST . I PREFER MORE OF A MIX OF THIS AND COZY FURNITURE AND WARM COLLECTIONS OF ART AND OBJECTS. THESE SAMPLE PLACES FELT COLD AND SPARE TO ME … BUT I’M SURE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WERE WONDERFUL.

BUT , THAT SAID , I THOUGHT THE MODULAR HOME IDEA WOULD BE SO PERFECT TO HELP HOUSE THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITIES WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE HOMELESS. WE WALKED THROUGH A 400 SQ. FT. HOME THAT HAD ALL THE EXPECTED ROOMS … BEDROOM, KITCHEN, BATHROOM, LIVING ROOM, ETC. … CLEAN DESIGN AND PERFECT FOR SOMEONE WHO JUST NEEDS A PLACE TO REST THEIR HEAD AND THEIR BODY AND MAKE IT THEIR OWN.

I DO REALLY LOVE THE RETRO DESIGNS FOR CARDS THOUGH. I LOVE THE OLD HOLLYWOOD LOOK OF THE LETTERING AND COLOUR SCHEME.

I HAVE BEEN SURPRISED THIS (ALMOST) 2 WEEKS AT HOW PREVALENT THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY IS HERE. THE PRETTY RAINBOW FLAGS ARE EVERYWHERE …ON HOTELS, IN THE CROSSWALKS, SHOP WINDOWS … I AM NOT USED TO SEEING SO MANY SAME-SEX COUPLES OPENING WALKING AROUND HOLDING HANDS AND BEING AFFECTIONATE. IT’S GOOD TO HAVE A PLACE TO BE YOURSELF.

WE FIT INTO THE ‘OTHER’ COMMUNITY… HA HA.. OLD, SEMI-RETIRED, COUPLES , GOLFERS (TERRY), SNOWBIRDS.

AND THE CARS HERE ! I DON’T REMEMBER SEEING SO MANY MINT CONDITION CLASSIC CARS AND OF COURSE CONVERTIBLES . IF THE OLD STYLE CARS WERE BEATEN UP I’D HAVE A CORNUCOPIA OF IDEAS FOR MY FUTURE PAINTINGS !

SECOND LAST DAY HERE. I GUESS I BETTER GET GOING AND ENJOY IT…..

0 El Paseo, February 19th,2020

February 20, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

ALTHOUGH PALM SPRINGS IS DESERT COUNTRY THERE IS STILL A LOT OF COLOUR TO BE FOUND.

WE TRIED THE ‘RUGGED ROUTE’ THE OTHER DAY SO THIS TIME WE DECIDED TO CHECK OUT SOME ‘RETAIL THERAPY’ .

I FOUND OUT ABOUT EL PASEO ON LINE AND WE TOOK A DRIVE OUT TO SEE WHAT WAS OUT THERE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A VERY ‘UP MARKET’ TYPE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE ( SAKS FIFTH AVENUE SORT OF STORES) AND THAT IS A LITTLE TOO PRICEY FOR MY TASTES. WE NERVOUSLY LAUGHED AS WE HEARD THIS MAN JOKINGLY CHASTISE HIS WIFE SAYING, ” OH NO, HONEY, I WANT YOU TO SPEND ANOTHER $600.00 ..I’M SURE YOU COULD GET IT UP TO $1,000 IF YOU TRIED HARD ENOUGH ” . ( YIKES ! I FEEL A FIGHT COMING ON!)

WE STUMBLED UPON A SECTION CALLED ” THE GARDENS ” AND IT WAS A PRETTY, INNER COURTYARD WITH TURQUOISE POOLS, FOUNTAINS, MANY CACTI , FLOWERS , AND STATUES INTERMINGLED HERE AND THERE. ( TERRY WAS A GOOD SPORT WHEN I ASKED HIM TO POSE WITH A STATUE BUT HE SAID ONE WAS HIS LIMIT …HA HA.)

LUCKILY , THERE WERE ALSO MANY SHADED AREAS TO SIT ( IT WAS 85 DEGEES) AND WE SOON FOUND A SPOT TO HAVE A COFFEE AND PLAY SCRABBLE . ( TERRY WON BUT I FOUGHT HARD TO STAY IN IT.)

THIS BREAK FROM WINTER HAS BEEN GOOD FOR MY SOUL ….AND MY JOINTS . BECAUSE WE ARE STAYING IN THIS INCREDIBLE VRBO WITH A PRIVATE POOL I AM ABLE TO WORK OUT ( AQUAFIT) EVERY DAY. THE SUN WARMS MY BODY AND I DON’T SEEM TO HURT AS MUCH HERE. BUT ALTHOUGH I DON’T MISS THE SNOW I MISS MY HOME SO MUCH. I MISS MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS BACK IN EDMONTON – ( MY AQUASIZE FRIENDS AND MY SISTER, MY DAUGHTER ESPECIALLY) ….. AND I MISS USING MY CREATIVE ABILITIES TO THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL.

THIS YEAR I BROUGHT MY WEE TRAVEL GUITAR SO AT LEAST I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ‘KEEP UP THE CALLOUSES ” AND I EVEN WROTE A NEW SONG HERE. BUT THIS IS ANOTHER YEAR OF TRAVEL. THE TOUR CONTINUES A SHORT 3 WEEKS AFTER WE RETURN HOME. I’M NOT COMPLAINING. LIFE IS INCREDIBLE RIGHT NOW AND I AM AWARE OF MY MANY BLESSINGS.

BUT AS DOROTHY FAMOUSLY SAID, ” THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME. ”

1 Tahquitz Canyon Success

February 18, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

YESTERDAY TERRY AND I DECIDED TO CHECK OUT TAHQUITZ CANYON.

THE CANYON IS RIGHT NEAR OUR V.R.B.O. IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY AND IT HAS BEEN HOME TO THE CAHUILLA TRIBE OF NATIVE AMERICANS FOR AT LEAST 2,000 YEARS.

WE TOOK OUR WATER BOTTLES AND I GRABBED MY CANE INCASE OUR WALK AROUND THE CANYON HAD SOME UPHILL ELEVATION. LITTLE DID I IMAGINE WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO ACCOMPLISH /ENDURE FOR THE AFTERNOON.

WE SOON DISCOVERED AFTER WE PAID OUR ENTRANCE DUES AND ENTERED THE CANYON THAT THE SANDY PATH WAS INDEED AN UPHILL CLIMB… THE ENTIRE TRAIL IS A TWO MILE LOOP GAINING A TOTAL OF 350 FEET ELEVATION AND COVERED IN STONES, ROCKS AND ROCKY STEPS TO CLIMB .

WE CONSIDERED OUR OPTIONS ( TURNING BACK OR TAKING OUR TIME AND FORGING ON) AND WE DECIDED ON THE SECOND ONE. I WOULD GO SLOWLY AND IF I FELT I WAS ‘DONE’ THEN WE WOULD JUST STOP. THE TRAIL BECAME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT AS WE CONTINUED. I FOOLISHLY THOUGHT THAT THE PATH WOULD BE MOSTLY ACCESSIBLE BECAUSE I SAW HANDICAPPED PARKING SPOTS OUTSIDE THE INTERPRETIVE CENTRE . BUT THIS WAS NOT ACTUALLY THE CASE.

TERRY HAD TO CONSTANTLY GO AHEAD OF ME TO GIVE ME HIS HAND AS I MANEUVERED ROCKY STAIR AFTER STAIR AFTER STAIR. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON’T KNOW ME…MY KNEE CAPS ARE ‘BONE ON BONE’ SO THIS WAS LITERALLY A ‘GRIND’ FOR ME.

I NEVER CONSIDERED HOW HOT IT WOULD BE EITHER. OF COURSE I KNEW WE WERE IN THE DESERT BUT EVEN STOPPING TO REST MEANT SITTING IN THE GLARING SUN . THIS PROVIDED LITTLE RELIEF. THE VIEWS WERE AMAZING THOUGH. WE SAW A SNAKE ON THE PATH AND TERRY SAW A COOL GECKO. THE PHOTOS DON’T ACCURATELY REFLECT HOW MASSIVE THE ROCKS WERE THAT WE PASSED. THE WILDFLOWERS WERE BEAUTIFUL AND SO WERE THE MOUNTAIN AND STREAMS.

FINALLY , JUST OVER HALF OF THE WAY TO THE TOP WHERE WE WERE TO REACH A WATERFALL WE CAME UPON A SHADY SPOT WITH A SLIGHT BREEZE AND A ROCK TO REST UPON. I TOLD TERRY THAT I WOULD BE FOOLISH TO CONTINUE AS I STILL HAD TO CLIMB ALMOST A MILE BACK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN BUT THAT HE SHOULD CONTINUE ON AND TAKE PHOTOS OF THE WATERFALL. HE AGREED AND OFF HE WENT. ( THERE IS AN ATTACHED PHOTO OF TERRY POINTING AT OUR MAP WHICH SHOWS EXACTLY WHERE I HAD TO STOP ON THE JOURNEY UPWARDS. THE STARTING POINT BEING THE BOTTOM LEFT. )

I MUST ADMIT THAT I HAD A LITTLE CRY. AT FIRST I FELT SO SORE, SO TIRED , SO UPSET THAT I HAD COME ALL THAT WAY AND COULDN’T FINISH THE ‘JOB’.

BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT I ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED SOME GREAT THINGS TOO! 2 SUMMERS AGO I HAD MY FOOT AND ANKLE COMPLETELY REBUILT AND WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR. WITH TERRY’S HELP THIS YEAR… I JUST MANAGED A HUGE CLIMB AND HIKE THROUGH ROCKY TERRAIN! AND THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW AMAZING THIS IS ( MY HIPS ARE REPLACED AND I WILL NEED KNEE REPLACEMENTS…) I FELT REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF.

AND .. TERRY DID BRING BACK PHOTOS OF THE WATERFALL ,HE TOLD ME THE CLIMB GOT EVEN WORSE FOR BIGGER ROCK STEPS, AND THAT THERE IS NO WAY I COULD HAVE MADE IT ANYWAY! I MADE IT ALL THE WAY BACK WITH NO INJURIES TOO.

SO , YES! I WILL CALL MY TAHQUITZ CANYON HIKE A SUCCESS !

0 Orange in Orange

February 17, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

Walkin’ around this cute town

Proud proprietor

Hats !

So nice to see flowers in February

I like this shop front

Our destination

Oh boy !

Amazing lunch

WE HAD A LOVELY DAY YESTERDAY IN THE SWEET TOWN OF ” ORANGE ” IN ORANGE COUNTY.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY ANTIQUE STORES IN ONE PLACE. I THINK AT LAST COUNT I SAW 7 WITH 2 FULL ANTIQUE MALLS AS WELL.

OUR DAUGHTER, LANA, HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN HERE WITH HER BOYFRIEND, JEFF, AND THOUGHT WE WOULD LOVE THE CUTE TOWN AND GREAT TEAHOUSE THERE. SHE WAS RIGHT ! ( MY BESTIE, BARB, WOULD UNDERSTAND WHEN I SAY THAT IT WAS VERY MUCH LIKE ‘ ANNABELLE’S ‘ IN KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO.)

AFTER WALKING AROUND THE TOWN AND CHECKING OUT THE VARIOUS SHOPS ( TERRY SCORED A COUPLE OF NICE VINTAGE SKINNY TIES) WE ENDED UP IN THE PARISIAN THEMED TEAHOUSE , ” PARIS IN A CUP CAFÉ AND TEA SALON “ .

I LOVED THE DECOR AND WE DECIDED TO CHOOSE THE HIGH TEA OPTION CALLED “MARIE ANTOINETTE ” I BELIEVE. THE FINGER SANDWICHES WERE DELICIOUS. MY FAVOURITE WAS THE CHICKEN SALAD CROISSANT. OH! BEFORE THE TRAYS EVEN ARRIVED WE WERE GIVEN A CHOICE OF 3 HOMEMADE SOUPS …WHICH ARRIVED IN A CUP AND THERE WAS A VERY TASTY SALAD ON THE PLATE BESIDE IT AS WELL. I CHOSE THE BROCCOLI /CHEESE SOUP AND WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED .

I COULD ONLY FINISH ONE OF THE 2 WEE SCONES ( THAT INCLUDED HOMEMADE JAM, LEMON CURD AND/OR WHIPPED CREAM ) AND I COULDN’T EVEN THINK ABOUT DIVING INTO THE TOP TRAY OF DELECTABLE SWEETS LIKE A MINI CHEESECAKE AND LEMON TART…. ( BOXED UP FOR LATER OF COURSE… ;) )

AND OF COURSE WE EACH HAD OUR OWN POT OF TEA TO ACCOMPANY THIS WHOLE GUSTATORY ADVENTURE. ALL OF US HAVE BEEN ON ‘DIET TYPE’ EATING PROGRAMS SO WE DEFINITELY TOOK AN AFTERNOON OFF FOR THIS ADVENTURE.

GETTING TOGETHER WITH OUR FAMILY ALWAYS MEANS LOTS OF GREAT STORIES AND LAUGHS SO IT WAS TOUGH TO SAY OUR GOOD-BYES UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN. AND BACK HOME IT IS FAMILY DAY. SO HAPPY FAMILY DAY TO OUR CANADIAN FRIENDS AND HAPPY PRESIDENT’S DAY TO OUR AMERICAN FRIENDS !

2 Long Beach, California

February 17, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

St. Anthony’s

Through the highway widening

Gorgeous Mosaics

Long Beach !

Almost coffee time

Art Deco architecture

Neat Building

Some sort of industrial island

Rainbow crossings

Toto , we’re not in Edmonton anymore

HA HA HA

Why ?

HUGE yoga group

Piano on the back of a truck !

PSpringsUsDowntown TERRY AND I ENJOYED A BELATED CELEBRATION WITH OUR DAUGHTER, LANA, IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

WE DROVE OUT YESTERDAY AND HAD A NICE TOUR OF LANA AND JEFF’S APARTMENT WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL . LANA HAS BEEN WORKING OUT AND ON A TIGHT EATING REGIME AND SHE HAS ALREADY LOST 11 POUNDS. I AM SO PROUD OF HER BUT SHE ALWAYS LOOKS GORGEOUS.

THE 4 OF US HAD A NICE PUB LUNCH OF CAULIFLOWER BITES, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, AND SALMON SALADS BEFORE WE RETURNED TO PLAY ONE OF MY FAVOURITE GAMES : ” CODENAMES “. WHAT FUN !

THAT NIGHT WE HAD ANOTHER YUMMY MEAL AT ‘OPEN SESAME’ , GREAT LEBANESE FOOD . I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A FELLOW PROP HIS PIANO UP ON A BRICK ON THE BACK OF HIS TRUCK AND START TO PLAY !

TODAY WE WALKED AROUND THE TRULY LONG BEACH OF LONG BEACH. WE STOPPED TO GRAB COFFEES AND ALL CRACKED UP AT THE SIGN ON THE RESTAURANT WHICH SAID IT WAS ‘WORLD FAMOUS LOCALLY’ ….HA HA.

I LOVED CHECKING OUT ALL THE GREAT BUILDINGS IN THE AREA AND THE WEATHER HAS BEEN PERFECT.

THEN ALL OF US DROVE TO ” ORANGE ” ….TO BE CONTINUED…..

0 The Living Desert

February 13, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

WE HAD PERFECT WEATHER FOR OUR VISIT TO THE ‘ LIVING DESERT’ TODAY.

WE SAW SOOOO MANY KINDS OF FLORA , FAUNA, AND ANIMALS. THE PLACE IS WELL LAID OUT WITH GENTLE PATHS THROUGH ‘NORTH AMERICA‘ AND THEN AFTER WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH ( I LOVED MY CURRY SALAD) WE THEN WENT OVER TO ‘AFRICA’.

THIS ZOO SET UP REMINDS ME OF THE KIND OF OPEN AIR ZOO EXPERIENCE I ENJOYED WITH MY SISTERS IN WINDSOR, ONTARIO. LIKE THE ‘AFRICAN LION SAFARI’ THERE MOST OF THE ANIMALS ARE ROAMING FREELY IN LARGE ENCLOSURES. ( NOT SO FREELY THOUGH THAT WE HAD TO STAY IN OUR CARS LIKE THE AFOREMENTIONED HAMILTON ZOO.) WE HAD THE CHOICE TO TAKE A TRAM BUT WE DECIDED TO TRY AND WALK THE WHOLE THING.

THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF CACTI AS YOU WALK THROUGH AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY ONLY ABOUT 70 DEGREES TODAY IT FELT VERY HOT BECAUSE OF THE DESERT TERRAIN.

WE SAW BIG HORNED MOUNTAIN GOATS, FURRY PIGS ( PECARRIES), BAT- EARED FOXES, CHEETAHS, ZEBRAS, BALD EAGLES ,MEER CATS, PORCUPINES, LEOPARDS AND SO MANY MORE.

I WAS SURPRISED WE DIDN’T SEE ELEPHANTS OR LIONS OR TIGERS IN THE AFRICAN SECTION.

THIS MIGHT BE THE CLOSEST I EVER GET TO AFRICA..HA HA..AND WE BOTH REALLY ENJOYED THE DAY. WE WERE THERE ABOUT 4 HOURS . IT’S FUN TO PLAY TOURIST IN A NEW CITY.

0 Books !

February 11, 2020
by Laura Bachynski
· Blog

THESE ARE SOME OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS THAT I HAVE ENJOYED FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED TO READ. LIKE MOST PEOPLE ,READING BECAME A WAY TO ” TRAVEL ” BEFORE I REALLY COULD PHYSICALLY SEE THE WORLD. I REMEMBER READING AND LOVING THE ‘TRIXIE BELDEN” MYSTERY BOOKS WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GIRL AND LOSING MYSELF IN THE STORIES AND WISHING I COULD HAVE A LIFE THAT EXCITING. WHEN I WAS A NEW MUM I JOINED A BOOK CLUB IN CALGARY AND HAVE BEEN IN 3 ADDITIONAL CLUBS THAT I STARTED AFTER I MOVED AWAY TO DIFFERENT NEIGHBOURHOODS OR CITIES. THERE IS SOMETHING WONDERFUL ABOUT GETTING TO KNOW A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME LOVE OF READING AND DISCUSSING BOOKS. YOU GET TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR CHOICES OF BOOKS AND WHAT THEY LIKE OR DON’T LIKE ABOUT THEM.

I HAVE READ MANY MANY BOOKS ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST BUT THE FIRST 3 BOOKS ABOVE WERE SOME OF MY FAVOURITES. THE “ROSIE PROJECT” BOOKS ARE LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY. ( I DIDN’T INCLUDE THE ‘ROSIE EFFECT’ BECAUSE IT WASN’T AS GOOD AS THE FIRST AND LAST BOOK IN THE SERIES).

I HAVE READ ALL OF THE ” NUMBER ONE LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY “ BOOKS BY ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH. ALL OF THEM BRING SIMPLE MESSAGES OF WISDOM AND INSPIRE HUMAN KINDNESS .I’VE ALSO READ EVERYTHING I COULD GET MY HANDS ON BY MITCH ALBOM. THESE BOOKS ALL BRING GREAT LESSONS ABOUT LOVE AND SO MUCH MORE. “ART LESSONS” IS WRITTEN BY A LOCAL EDMONTON WRITER AND I LOVED IT TOO.

” WONDER “ HAS NOW BEEN MADE INTO A MOVIE AND BOTH BOOK AND MOVIE WERE INCREDIBLY WELL DONE. ” WASHINGTON BLACK “ TAKES ONE ON A CRAZY JOURNEY AND IT TOO IS VERY WELL WRITTEN. ” BEAR TOWN “ AND ” A MAN CALLED OVE “ ( ALSO A WONDERFUL MOVIE) WILL FILL YOUR HEART UP WITH JOY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.

” EVERYBODY’S SON “ AND ” THE HOME FOR UNWANTED GIRLS “ ARE MORE DIFFICULT TAKES ON WHAT OUR SOCIETY HAS DONE TO EACH OTHER. HARD TO READ SOMETIMES …BUT WORTH IT.

” FEEDING MY MOTHER “ , ” EDUCATED “ , AND ” KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON “ ARE ALL BASED ON TRUE STORIES AND THEY ARE ALL TRULY GREAT READS …ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S , BEING RAISED IN A TERRIFYING FAMILY, AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OSAGE PEOPLES ..RESPECTIVELY.

THE NEXT 4 BOOKS ARE INCREDIBLE THRILLERS AND THEY WILL KEEP YOU GUESSING UNTIL THE LAST PAGES. MY FORMER UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR PROFESSOR AND THEATRE DIRECTOR , BILL PINNELL , WROTE ” THE OFFSPRING “ AFTER HE RETIRED AND IT IS EXCELLENT.

THE FOLLOWING 2 BOOKS IN THE LIST, ” BURSTS OF FIRE “ AND ” IN LIEU OF FLOWERS “ WERE ALSO WRITTEN BY FRIENDS OF MINE. I MET SUSAN FOREST IN THE THEATRE YEARS AGO AND NOW SHE HAS WRITTEN SEVERAL FANTASY NOVELS. I LOOK FORWARD TO READING THIS ONE. TERRY’S BEST FRIEND ( AND ONE OF MY VERY BEST FRIENDS TOO!) WROTE THAT LOVELY BOOK OF POETRY AND HE NOW HAS SEVERAL MORE TO HIS NAME ….ALL EXCELLENT !

THE LAST BOOK ( THERE IS NOW A REVISED COVER BY OUR DAUGHTER LANA) “ORDINARY GUY / EXTRAORDINARY MARRIAGE “ WAS WRITTEN BY MY TERRY. IT TELLS THE STORY OF WHAT WE WENT THROUGH ( DEALING WITH MY ARTHRITIS AND RAISING 4 CHILDREN, ETC….) AND HOW TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE AMAZING. I CAN VOUCH FOR THE BOOK EXCEPT TO SAY THAT TERRY IS NO ‘ORDINARY GUY’ . HE IS AMAZING AND I THINK YOU WILL FIND MUCH WISDOM IN HIS VERSION OF OUR STORY.

I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO YOUR LIKING IN THIS ECLECTIC LIST. TRY ONE OUT !

ENJOY!

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