August 25 - August 31, 2013

I have to admit, I thought the Morning Glories were toast this year as not a bud was to be seen. But happy days, they are blooming in profusion and it makes my heart glad. When I was a teenager at camp my Mom would send me postcards with a tally of how many daily were in bloom along the backyard fence. The highest bloom day was over a hundred. I can't believe she took the time to count them, but she knew of my passion. I couldn't have asked for a better Mom.

Another picture brooch of the lovely fountain situated near the end of Boulevard Saint Michel looking up towards the Jardin du Luxembourg in the far distance. Tres magnifique!

When I left my old job in Toronto, a friend made me a brooch with my beloved Eiffel Tower on it (you will see it in a later blog),............... and this one. I'm not keen on masks and this one is a little spooky don't you think???? but it was kind of him to give it to me anyway. When I wore it to my current workplace more than a few eyebrows were raised. You would think they would be used to my brooches by now.

I have 2 of these portrait kitties. Bought them decades ago in London England from a store called Katz. There is something about enamelled brooches that are so appealing. Wish I had bought more. As a side note. I lost the 3rd brooch also decades ago - if you see a brooch that's heart-shaped, with a white cat face on it with blue eyes and 1 of the blue eyes has "exploded", that's my lost lamented brooch.

Love this funky ceramic fish. I think he could tell a good fish story or two as he looks like he's lived an interesting life.

Look you cry, another Toulon pin. When I like something, I really like it. I find this so beautiful, the lovely detail.

I had to make sure that I wore my last CGIT pin in August. When I was a teenager my CGIT camp days were in August at Ryde Lake Camp near Gravenhurst. It was and no doubt still is a beautiful spot. My young life at camp was full to the brim. One of my favourite places was a quiet spot that was set aside for contemplation and for sermons - Alma held lovely sermons/talks. I will never forget the intense peace and quiet; sitting on logs or large flat rocks; facing the setting sun over the water and the long fingers of shadow among the trees. Such places hold a time and memory in my heart.

I was thrilled to receive this pin as it reminded me of happy times in the Food Building at the CNE in Toronto as a kid. You were fed royally for free. I still have miniature (about an inch high) glass Coca-Cola bottles, no, not filled, that were given out along with a ton of other advertising "stuff". I wore this to the Paris Fair as a nod to past times.