Trick-or-Treat

Happy Halloween everyone!

Have a safe and spooky Halloween! 

"Halloween Treats, No Tricks"

P.S. I'm home

A picture from my trip:

When you see the 'ONroute' plaza in Barrie, you know you're headed north. 

"ONroute - Barrie, Ontario, Canada"

Just a heads up

In a few days, I'm going to the cottage. I'll be there for a couple of days (or more). At the cottage, I don't have access to the Internet. So, I won't be posting on my blog. 

If you want to tell me something before I head north, send me a comment below. 

Photo credit: here

October feels like summer

How was your day?

Oh, I had a good day. I finished my 5th article, and started writing my 6th. Then, late afternoon, I sat outside and read a few chapters from one of my favorite books... Pure bliss.

Melissa's Adventures in Nature

I was up at the cottage the other day and I took a stroll down the driveway. The leaves were down and the trees were naked.

So, this happened

Something happened yesterday. I won't get into details, but let's just say my life flashed in front of my eyes. 

Photo credit: here

Wednesday Wisdom

In a fast-paced world, nature is our greatest teacher. 

Photo credit: here

Thanksgiving -- Cooking highlights

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon in the kitchen - cooking. Some of the highlights:

Peeled and chopped sweet potatoes 

Oven ready - roasting sweet potatoes, onions and garlic

Roasted chicken, salad, cranberries 

Oh, pass the stuffing!

Apple Blueberry Loaf

It's Thanksgiving weekend. That means, it's time to get my baking on! Today, I tried making a new recipe: an apple blueberry loaf. Ingredients: flour, cinnamon, blueberries, diced apples, milk, a touch of salt, baking powder, vanilla, and no sugar! 

Verdict: It tastes great (and healthy too)!

Long weekend adventures

Picture it - me, on a park bench, watching a blue crane move ever so slowly through the water... 

"A scene from my travels"

i kid you, not

i need a man who loves

hockey, me,

and the occasional cup of tea.

Music Monday

Alicia Keys "Girl on Fire"

Sing along optional:

Everybody stares as she goes by,
'Cause they can see the flame that's in her eyes. Watch her as she's lighting up the night,
Nobody knows that she's a lonely girl,
And it's a lonely world,
But she gon' let it burn, baby, burn, baby.

Pre-thanks-giving

Be thankful for how far you have come and the people that have helped you get there. 

Photo credit: here

Hello, it's me (update)

Oh, the last few days were very stressful. I had a computer problem. I was updating my computer operating system (on Thursday morning) and the update froze mid-way. It locked me out of my computer. I could not access any of my files or documents. It felt like my world was ending. Let's just say, I didn't sleep Thursday night. But with the help of the amazing tech crew at Staples, my computer was up and running again by late, Friday afternoon. 

To sum it up: What I learned is that things can go very badly. It can feel like the end of the road, no return. But there is hope in darkness. 

Photo credit: here

Bad to worse

I am having a really, really bad day. If you want to make me feel better, post a comment below.

This week's challenge

It's easy to be complacent, to fall into routine, to keep doing the same old thing. This is something I write about a lot in relation to teaching. So, this week I've posing a challenge:

Take a risk -- do something differently, think differently or try something new. 

Inspire others! Share your 'risk taking' adventures in the comment section below.  

Photo credit: here

Music Monday (on Tuesday)

On the weekend, I was watching Elvis' classic 1968 comeback concert. I was cooking and dancing to Elvis (I do that by the way - dance while cooking). Anyway, the music slowed and Elvis belted out a beloved tune. I'm sharing it with you now. 

Elvis Presley "Can't Help Falling In Love"

Sing along optional: 

Wise men say
Only fools, only fools rush in
Oh, but I, but I, I can't help falling in love with you