Bridge to somewhere

This is the covered pedestrian bridge in Wakefield, Quebec. I watched young men climbing through the diamonds to leap off into the cold clear water below, their bicycles left behind, but it turned out they were motivated not only by the heat.  The owner of a vintage bike with a pretty wicker basket was lying on a sunny rock downstream, already surrounded by admirers.

White on white

This picture reminds me vividly of my uncle's basement circa 1975:

He and my aunt had a plastered hallway painted white - so cool and still - that they'd lined with white bookshelves full of stories that could take you anywhere.

Skiving day

The only thing better than spontaneously skipping work on a sunny summer day?

Mini-putt.  (with new red shoes.)

You're facing the wrong way

I like to sit down as much as the next person, but I don't think I could break my gaze long enough to do it here.

Steal this look

Last week I visited a cafe full of tables with unironed vintage cloths over them (I strongly suspect mine had a sheet) and I was enchanted.  Not least because I have a good few vintage tablecloths and not a lot of enthusiasm for ironing.

Also enchanted by: wraparound screened-in porches.  But those are just a little less spontaneous to copy, dagnabbit.

Back in my day

A few weeks ago I visited a train museum with an impressive collection of old Toronto Transit Commission subway cars.  This is the model I rode on when I first moved to the city:

You know what?  I really miss it!

Long-awaited

Did you hear about the postal strike we had in Canada a few weeks ago?  A lot of stuff got held up for the duration, much of it way more important than my mail (like, bees and other live things that kind of needed delivery to stay live) but as mail started to come through again I couldn't help wondering when I was gonna get my New Yorkers already because a girl can only read vintage copies of the Bobbsey Twins for so long before getting more than a little crazy.

So this is a welcome sight:

Very, very welcome.

An empty chair

I took this picture the other day to test out some photo processing software...

and was surprised by how well it captures my feelings.

Snow

My porch doesn't look like this today:

I almost wish it did because it is so terribly hot these days, but then I wouldn't be able to take my spinning wheel out there. I'm settling for enjoying the memory while enjoying the breeze.

Chipped paint

This is the Gramma Step:

As I understand it, it was made by a teenaged boy and his dad so his Gramma could climb up into his first pickup truck and ride around the countryside with him.

It's been painted a few times and was well-used by Gramma, and then by a Nana with bad knees, and now by me... as a footstool, as a chair when I'm weeding, as a backdrop for photographing some knitting, and even as a little step to reach up high.  It weighs a ton - there's no way it's gonna tip over when you're on it - but that strap on the end makes it a cinch to cart around to wherever you need it.

I am very attached to the Gramma Step, with its chipped red paint that speaks of years and years of constancy and usefulness and love.  But at the moment I think I value most the fact that it makes the chipped paint on the porch look rustic and charming.  Because I really don't want to paint the porch again this year.

Surprise

One thing about being so swamped you only retain really vital information: you don't know what colour hydrangea grows outside the office window until after the blooms develop.

Pink!

The prettiest snack

I highly recommend treating yourself to small pieces of vintage kitchenware - and then using them. (oh, and eating fresh berries. Delicious!)

A train

The best thing that happened to me yesterday:

riding with friends on a vintage Toronto streetcar (one I like to think my grandfather, who was a carpenter and worked in  the Toronto Transit Commission's repair yards during the Depression, might have touched) and being reminded of a short train route to try on another day.  I love to be happy, but happy and anticipating more happiness all in the same moment?  So great.