Summer Stock Sunday - 44

Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos, and to visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.













On this rather sombre day of remembrance on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, my family is celebrating my sister's first wedding anniversary.

She and her husband chose the date of Sept. 11th specifically to begin turning the energy of that date to something positive.

Their wedding last year at his family's cottage was filled with joy, love and dreams coming true.

May we all fill the world with these things, today especially, and every day of the year.





































Photo by Anita Coady

Summer Stock Sunday - 43

Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos, and to visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.












Traditionally, summer has been the perfect time to hit the road and make a pilgrimage to visit faraway family and friends.

I have been the happy recipient on many occasions of summer visits from my friend of 23 years, Lisa. We met as co-workers in the late 80s and have been soul sisters ever since.












One of the earlier summer visits was this one, when she brought her little guy to see me and Brad when we lived in Toronto. Lisa and her husband had moved to Belleville at that time, and this was a two-hour trip into the city for a new mom, bringing a welcome interlude of reconnecting to herself as Lisa, while I had the fun of laughing with her son.













Her latest trip to see me was a few years ago. This time she traveled from Cobourg, Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia.


























On Monday, Lisa will celebrate her birthday. I wish she was here for a hug In Real Life. Maybe next year!

My visits to Lisa seem to roll around in the fall and winter. Until then, my dearest friend...

Summer Stock Sunday - 42

Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos, and to visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.

Normally my vintage summer offering would go back a little farther than last year - but no matter.

Last year at this time, my sister Michelle was attending two bridal showers given by each side of her family. The first was given by her best friend, our cousin Julianne. The second one was given by her sister-in-law Reta and mother-in-law Joan.

Something I really love about bridal showers and baby showers is the rite of passage element to them. I think deep down, people need these sorts of rituals. I know they make me feel connected, not only to my own community of women, but to the generations of women who came before me and who will follow. The multi-generational aspect of showers really highlights that for me.





Shower 1









































































Shower 2

Summer Stock Sunday - 39

Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos, and to visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.
















Heading into our Way Back Machine, these shots were taken in the 1970s during an epic road trip out west.

My husband Brad and his family were born and bred in Toronto, except for his dad who hailed from Manitoba, one province west of Ontario.

One summer his Aunt Pat - the Aunt Pat who is always listed as the photographer whenever I post Brad kid pix - took my husband and his brother for a memorable vacation, about which he often reminisces.
















Aunt Pat took the two youngest, Jeff and Brad, and showed them the Rockies, Lake Louise, the Columbia Icefields, as well as touching base with family in Winnipeg.

Summer - a perfect time to dust off the suitcases and see the sights that stay with you for a lifetime.

Summer Stock Sunday - 38

Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos, and to visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.












Summer - a perfect time to be silly.

This shot was most likely taken by my mom, while my grandfather took my sister and I for a ride on the lawnmower after a family barbeque. In the 1960s we lived in Michigan. We had both sets of grandparents nearby, and a host of aunts and uncles. So there were lots of family dinners.

There was also a lot of silliness, which was fairly evenly spread by everyone, really. We're a silly bunch.

My dad creeping up on the tricycle was par for the course.

Summer Stock Sunday - 37

Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos and visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.














This shot was taken by my husband's Aunt Pat in the 1970s at the family cottage. They spent their summers in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario, the cottage nestled along Lake Clear.

I got to spend a wonderful weekend there with my sister-in-law and two nieces about 14 years ago - it really is a magical spot.

Shown in the picture are my sister-in-law Karen, my husband Brad, my brother-in-law Jeff and my late father-in-law David.

Summer Stock Sunday - 36

Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme continues - she invites all to post summery photos and visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.

After a few weeks off of posting to this meme while I was away in New York City, I'm continuing with my vintage look at summer.













This shot was taken in the late 1960s on Centre Island in Toronto, Ontario.

My late father-in-law was a member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, and every summer my husband and his brothers and sister would enjoy the union family day out at Center Island, an easily-accessible oasis of small-town vibe a ferry ride away from the downtown core of Toronto.

For the thirteen years I lived there, I always cherished every day trip out to Centre Island. It runs the gamut from an amusement park area to a serene wildness area, gorgeous beaches and a fairy-tale cottage village where residents have the best of both worlds - a lake view, a cityscape view, only foot traffic, century-ago peace-and-quiet, with all the amenities of a metropolis at one's fingertips.

Shown in the picture, L to R:

My sister-in-law Karen, brother-in-law Ken, peeking out behind is my husband Brad, brother-in-law Jeff, mother-in-law Joan and Brad's late Grandma Smith (otherwise known as Esther.)

Summer Stock Sunday - 35

Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme continues - she invites all to post summery photos and visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.
















This is a shot from the late 1960s, taken when my family lived in Michigan. That's me in the back row, waving at the camera.

We had a street full of kids who liked to put on little shows. This is a show presented by my best friend's sister Barb, my best friend Mary and our neighbor Kimmie.















Of course, when the 'kids' put on a backyard show, I'm sure the moms were the unsung heroes, setting up the chairs, making lemonade and finding sheets and streamers to decorate the stage.

Summer Stock Sunday - 34

For the third year running, here comes one of my favorite bloggy events - Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme.

She invites all to post summery photos and visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.

Last year I decided to post only vintage photos for this feature. They were so enthusiastically received that this year I'll keep 'em coming.










This shot was taken by my dad in the late 70s, while I was in my Little House on the Prairie obsessive phase.

I still have these phases. They're a part of my creative process. It's all good.

Anyway, because I used to obsess about Laura Ingalls' red calico dress and her 19th century boots, my mom indulged her sewing/costuming cravings and made me and my sister our own Little House dresses.

I still have this dress. It's hanging in my closet at this very moment.

Thursday Thirteen - 166 - 13 Blogger Spotlights

A few Thursday Thirteen's ago, my fellow Weekend Writer's Retreat blogger Alice Audrey (who writes the serialized story Suzie's House) showcased thirteen bloggers she likes to visit - which I thought was a marvey idea.

So I'm stealing - er, running with that bit of inspiration - and here are thirteen bloggers from my blogroll.

These are all bloggers which draw me back again and again. Some of them I've been blogging with for years. Some are brand new to me. All are delightful.





1 - Apprentice Writer

Maya Missani is a budding comedy writer marking milestones on the road to dropping the 'apprentice' portion of her name. Posting from the Toronto area, she writes book reviews which include comments on the cover art, posts in-depth author interviews and shares hilarious visual humor in the name of mental health.








2 - Around the Island

Robin blogs from just outside Tel Aviv in Israel, the originator of the Sunday photography meme, Summer Stock Sunday. She sells her fine art photography on Etsy, and shares incredible glimpses of life in a country that shimmers with the energies of today and its ancient yesterdays.





3 - Art Predator

Gwendolyn Alley is a published poet from California and an exhibiting artist. She's a returning participant of the Burning Man festival, and is an environmental and social activist.





4 - Elephant Small

Stan Ski has a poetry blog, which I found through Poetry Train Monday. He posted new work without fail for the month of April (National Poetry Writing Month challenge.) He began life in England but now has a family in Thailand, and shares some of his everyday moments along with his highly-accomplished poetry.





5 - Everything and Nothing

Akelamalu blogs from Lancashire, England, where depending on her mood, she may tell us everything, or she may tell us nothing. She travels widely and always takes us along, and is an expert at crafting short, twisty tales.










6 - In The Midst of This Season

Toni is a homeschooling mom of four who blogs from Indiana. Her liquids-spurting-through-nose-inducing humour portrays the anything-but-ordinary lives of herself and her family. She remains ever watchful for those daily blessings that help her to view her cup as half full.







7 - Ire...

Nikita Banerjee blogs from Mumbai in India, posting photography, short fiction and lately the path leading to her upcoming wedding. Keep in mind - Nocturnal Mire. You Mess With Her. You Perish In Her Ire.




8 - Janet's Journal

Janet Corcoran is a new addition to my writer's group here in Nova Scotia. A Real Life friend as well as a Blog Buddy! She posts serialized humorous romantic suspense for the Weekend Writer's Retreat, shares the highs and lows of the writing life and calls us People of Blogland.








9 - Ma Vie Folle

Sheila's Crazy Life chronicles family shenanigans with a wry sense of that’s okay because that’s what life is all about…and if you can’t laugh at yourself then you’re in trouble!






10 - Romance Bandits

The Romance Bandits are a collection of 20 romance writers who turn every blog post into a party once it hits the comments section.





11 - Sans Pantaloons

Andy blogs from Aulde Scotia where he works on new sources of income and hopes someday to grow up and become a useful adult. A self-described curmudgeon, his irreverent humour appears as remarkable photoshopped jokes. I've followed his development as a graphic artist with admiration, especially his obsession with the rose imagery of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.









12 - The Gathering Nest

Debby blogs from Ontario, where she creates incredible collage art, both 3-D and digital versions. She posts photos of all the vintage material she gathers to make her creations, as well as the pieces she swaps with other art bloggers.






13 - Trav's Thoughts

So here's the thing, Travis' blog header says. I have thoughts and I'm sharing them. Travis' previous header reminded everyone that Diversity need not be divisive. The originator of the 5 on Friday music meme, he also writes passionately from the Pacific Northwest about dance shows, shares outstanding poetry, composes moving tributes to those who pass to the Other Side, and fills us in on military history with a sense of immediacy and always with humanity.

Colleen says I'll be sure to check out a few. Thanks!

Kim Richardson says Thanks for sharing these, Julia! They sound really interesting!

Jehara says I can see why you read all these blogs regularly. They all sound lovely. I am off to check them out now.