Friday, July 17, 2015
5 on Friday -- Set 275
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 2:49 PM 1 comments
Labels: 5 on Friday, Blondie, Dire Straits, k d lang, Mike Golch, Music, Summer, The First Class, The Flamingos
Thursday, August 8, 2013
I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas today
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 12:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Guest blogger, Summer, The Popculturedivas, TV obsessions
Sunday, September 11, 2011
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
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 10:41 PM 2 comments
Labels: Around the Island, Newt, Robin, September, sister, Summer, Summer Stock Sunday, Wedding
Sunday, August 28, 2011
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...
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 10:09 PM 2 comments
Labels: Around the Island, Lisa, Robin, Summer, Summer Stock Sunday, Visiting family and friends
Sunday, August 21, 2011
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
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 9:29 PM 3 comments
Labels: Around the Island, Bridal shower, Rites of passage, Robin, sister, Summer, Summer Stock Sunday, tradition
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Summer Stock Sunday - 41
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.
This is one of the most iconic photos from my childhood.
My sister and I grew up alongside my two cousins as a group of four, with our two families spending both quantity and quality time together.
Because our two dads were scuba divers, we spent many magical days at Polly Cove, near Peggy's Cove. The men dived, the women set up the day's base camp and enjoyed one another's company - while we kids ran over the rocks, climbed, ran, explored, watched the waves, made return visits to the moms for snacks and juice, and generally made the kinds of memories that loom the largest when I think of the happiest times of my life.
Clockwise from left, back row: my sister Michelle, my cousin Charlie, me, and my cousin Julianne
This is my dad with Polly Cove in the background.
This photo was taken by my uncle, Charles E. Doucet - it's one of my favorites of his art photography pieces.
Taken out where we had so many great times together.
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 11:06 PM 5 comments
Labels: 1970s, Atlantic Ocean, Childhood, Cousins, Dad, Nova Scotia, Polly Cove, Summer, Summer Stock Sunday, Uncle Charlie
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Thursday Thirteen - 223 - 13 Views of the Garden 2011
1 - Biggest garden thrill this year: I planted two lilac bushes several years ago, and this year one of them bloomed. When I first saw the buds early in the spring, it was like spotting-my-teenage-heartthrob time.
(That would be Les McKeown, from the Bay City Rollers, in case you didn't already know that.)
2 - The next big thing for us was the emergence of our daffodils. I'd planted these a few autumns ago, but they'd never turned up the following spring. Mom and I chalked it up to raiding squirrels and left it at that.
Suddenly, this spring - voila. Daffodil.
3 - Forsythia and tulips in the front rock garden.
4 - Kolkwitzia, a flowering shrub we planted in the backyard beside the deck
5 - Pink clematis in the backyard, a gift from my sister, and dark blue clematis in the front yard, which came with the house
6 - Lady's mantle, which just appeared all on its own
7 - Angelica, which I planted outside the backdoor
8 - The Monster Rose Bush, otherwise known as an American Pillar rambler rose along the side of the house (which I grew from cuttings,) a delicate Rugosa rose which my sister and got from the side of the road by Grand Pré in the Annapolis Valley (in the front rock garden,) and the Aunt Sheila Rose, also known as a Subzero Brownell rose.
9 - My mom's container gardens, featuring some gorgeous purple lobelia and her favorite, pansies
10 - Orange lilies, originally from my husband's great-grandmother's Ontario garden, daylilies in the front garden and heritage lilies at the backdoor which I got at a farm museum plant sale.
11 - Hostas in the back woodland garden
12 - Wild asters near the rugosa rose bush
13 - Balsam near the back door, at the edge of the woodland garden
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 11:40 AM 12 comments
Labels: Angelica, Asters, Balsam, Clematis, Cole Harbour, Container gardening, Daffodil, Forsythia, Garden, Kolkwitzia, Lady's mantle, Lilacs, Lily, Nova Scotia, Rose, Spring, Summer, Thursday Thirteen


