me in a 60s convertible!

In case you’re wondering, no, I didn’t actually go for a drive in it, and, unfortunately, it definitely does not belong to me. I came across this photo on my phone and it made me smile, just like sitting behind the wheel of this vintage lovely did that day. A cheerful antidote to the yucky weather we’re having this week! Oh, and driving, or at least riding, in one of these is on my bucket list.

What is on your bucket list? Do you have one? – Maria

My daughter took this photo last year when she was in Italy. One ice cream a day is a must when touring Italy. I’ve added this to the post just now, thinking of Italy and warm weather, while looking outside my window in Toronto, I am seeing snow come down.

It’s April and I know it always snows at least once in April where I live, so I’m not surprised, but I am tired of the cold weather. I want sunny days. Shorts and t-shirt weather. Linen dress weather. Eating outdoors weather. Drinks with straws weather. Strolling weather. Ice cream weather. And fancy ice cream weather. My favourites are strawberry and lemon. How about you? What is your favourite ice cream flavour? – Cris

Kyle is not a sitting-on-people’s-lap kind of cat. However, he does want to be where the action is. As suppertime approaches, that means that the kitchen is the place to be. Combine that with an eccentric – or weird? – attraction to the smell of carrots, and it is Kyle’s favourite place . . . especially if we indulge his little idiosyncrasy.

Do you have a cat or a dog? Does it have weird habits? smells or objects that it likes? Do tell in the comments. – Maria

My father had a strong inner compass. He could always tell what direction he was facing. He knew how to read the sky. Often he would remember how to get somewhere, not because he knew the street name and number, but because he remembered the route and remembered what the house looked like. He just knew which streets went in what direction and he could get somewhere with his intuition.

I’m pretty good with directions, but there are a few places in Toronto where I just lose my sense of direction completely when I’m in those neighbourhoods. Toronto is a pretty easy city to navigate because it runs, for the most part, on a grid. Not quite like New York City. And when I get twisted around I can just pull out my trusty map book. I do not have a compass, but this compass would be lovely to own some day. – Cris

These are crocuses, courageously and persistently blossoming in the garden directly below our mother’s veranda. Somehow they find a way through fall’s messy leftovers. Every year, one of us takes a photo of these beautiful early birds and shows it to our mother, who loves flowers and had an experienced, dedicated green thumb. She smiles at their vibrant beauty and at the proof that her past labour continues to produce lovely results.

To me, they are also symbols of hope and resilience. They remind us that spring and warmer weather will be here soon. I am grateful for the reminder to hang on and to never give up hope.

What is your favourite spring flower? – Maria

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