Busy as a...... Flutist!! And more 'Fall Gifts'

I love my life as a musician. Right now it is exactly where I want to be. I have a full studio of fabulous students, with only a few available lesson slots left. And it's still September!! I've been practicing hard, preparing for 3 performances in November. I'm playing 2 full recitals in Ontario, and then I'll be performing in Canmore, Alberta, as part of the Vic Lewis Festival. Exciting!! I'm very much looking forward to it. The past couple years I've spent most of my practice time practicing technique- scales, scales, scales and more scales, and I have to say that it's pretty nice to feel that all that work is taking my playing to the next level. I LOVE playing my flute, and I am especially enjoying being able to play the more virtuostic technical passages with ease, and musicality. Love it.

Around the Coach House we are in the process of switching into fall mode. The straggly summer plants have been replaced by gloriously huge mums and there's a new mat at the front door to greet all of my students. Although I have to admit that the mat makes me pretty happy every time I come home too!! It could have something to do with my love of birds, and the fact that the new mat has a super cute Chickadee on it!!
As you can see in the above photo, there have also been more instances of 'fall gifts' around the Coach House. I found a perfect peanut, still in it's shell, nestled in with the petunia's yesterday. And today, when I went out to photograph the mat, I found this: Right outside our front door!! I'm pretty convinced that it is the same white bellied grey squirrel who is leaving all of the goodies, as I heard him rustling in the tree behind me while I was taking the pictures!

I will never be a hand model.

It's funny how we discover things. I have just discovered that I will never, ever be a hand model. No Palmolive commercials are in my future. I do NOT have photogenic hands. They look quite nice, at least I think so, in person. But in a picture? NOT AT ALL. However, I digress. Let's see what even made me decide to attempt taking a picture of my hands.

How is it that in the past 28 years, being quite a girly girl, I have not ever had a French manicure? I've had a normal manicure on the very rare occasion (re. weddings), but I just don't function like a normal person when I'm wearing nail polish. I can't look in my purse for fear of denting the polish, and then there's the matter of trying to undo, or do up a zipper, without chipping anything. Don't even think about gardening, cooking or cleaning. Even while wearing rubber gloves I have managed to mangle a manicure. It seems that no matter how hard I try, the nails look fabulous for a hour, and then I bash my hand into something and the glamour is destroyed.

Yesterday, while celebrating the last few days of my friends single life, we decided it would be fun to get manicures. Knowing that my nails would need to stay beautiful for over 2 days until the wedding, I decided to forgo the usual red, or dark polish in favour of something...... lighter. And behold!! A lovely French Manicure!
So far so good, and it's almost been 24 hours. Keep you fingers crossed I can make it another 24!! (And yes, I do have a thumb, it just didn't photograph well).

Fall Gifts

I know that Fall is just around the corner, but it sure doesn't feel like it with the 33 degree weather we are having today! Still, the animals know that the seasons are starting to change. The first big flock of geese flew over our little coach house this morning while we were drinking our coffee and listening to the radio. Then, on Jeremy's way out the door to work, we discovered this present left in our plant, presumably left by the cute, grey, white bellied squirrel that quickly scrambled up the tree when the door opened.
"Hee, hee". Jeremy and I laughed about this seemingly random storage place for an apple. Imagine my surprise when I went down to do some laundry later on and discovered this at the bottom of our front steps!
I especially love the little nibble marks on the top left corner. I am even more amused at the scene pictured in my mind, of the little squirrel dragging along this massive loaf of french bread, so pleased with his bounty. I'll be giggling about that all day while I'm cleaning house. I'll just have to make sure the image doesn't pop into my mind while we're playing cards tonight. It is not a good thing to immediately follow an "I'm all in" with uncontrolled giggles!!

A reading adventure!!

Instead of reading the newspaper, or watching the news every morning, I allow myself a few minutes to peruse the latest happenings in the lives of the people who write my very favourite blogs. (Look for an new side column with links in the near future)

This morning I was thrilled, having just finished reading a book, to find a post on a blog I frequent inviting readers to enjoy a book, all together. I love the idea of all of us readers/writers/bloggers reading and enjoying a book at the same time. I've often thought about joining a book club to experience the joy of reading a book at the same time as someone else. To be able to discuss our thoughts, our feelings. I'm so excited to finally do it!!

Such a clear picture comes to mind- It's late at night, the house is quiet. A window is open to allow the crisp, fall air to gently blow in. Beside the window, I am reading by the light of a solitary lamp, wrapped in my favourite throw. My cup of tea is just about empty. Glancing at the clock, I discover it is way past my bedtime. I get up, but instead of crossing the room to my bed, I head to the kitchen and put on the kettle for a fresh pot of tea. It's going to be a little while yet before sleep beckons.

If any of you want to join me, I encourage you to check out this fabulous blog, Tales from Pixie Wood, not only for the invite, but also to discover all of the fabulous adventures in housekeeping, recipes, inspiring posts, and great writing. Enjoy. I hope some of you decide to join us.

2 more.....

Okay, let's add just 2 more choices into the mix.

7.
8.

If you prefer both arms showing.....

Let's call these choices number 5 and 6....

I've ruled out these choices for now. Please feel free to let me know about choices 7, 8, 1, 2, 3 or 4!

Thanks for all of your input so far!!!

Press Shots.....

I was in need of some press shots, and needed them very, very quickly- and cheaply. Enter Jeremy with our digital camera, me spending much more time to get ready then I like, and an afternoon hiking around High Park in search of a great shot. The following four are the ones we liked the best.... what do you think? 1, 2, 3 or 4?

1.

2.

3.
4.