by Marja-Leena 
a lovely scene to awaken upon
catching falling snow
snow lace on skylight and a paper snowflake
while writing here
the piano is being tuned in the next room
with curious girls watching
looking forward to violin/piano duets Christmas Eve
Later: mountains on fire:
by Marja-Leena 
Interesting date today, isn’t it? This sent me for a quick look through my archives for posts on past December 12s. On December 12th, 2005, I wrote about juggling the many roles in my life in this busiest time of the year. Not much has changed though I do try to do a little less. In 2008, I wrote about snow, with a rather lovely photo if I say so myself.
No snow today, in fact we even had some rare sunshine so we were able to put some outdoor lights on shrubs by the front steps and hang the door wreath. I clipped cedar branches to tuck in the wreath and in some pots by the door. Let the snow come at Christmas.
Today an article in our local paper titled ‘Santa butts out’ piqued my interest. To quote:
Pam McColl has self-published her own edited version of the classic ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, taking out the line about Santa smoking. Now she’s getting international attention and the book is being endorsed by the Canadian Cancer Society.
The two lines that were excised:
“The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
“And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.”
Read more in the Vancouver Sun (hope you can see it without registration).
by Marja-Leena 
8:12 a.m., November 15th, 2012
In a very wet month,
a rare moment of brilliant light
mirrored in water
softened by fog
(Compare to November 19th, 2008)
by Marja-Leena 
Some of us were out this morning at violin lessons and running errands. During our last stop, a message came from home with an image of deer in our backyard!
At home, we heard about how they had come in the yard, sniffing around and feeding on berries. Younger granddaughter had been excited and gone outside the back door but they were not alarmed. The two deer rested and chewed cud on the grass most of the afternoon, keeping an eye on us quite calmly whenever we looked out or stepped out for photos. Eventually one of them finally got up to feed some more under the berry bushes. After a little affectionate snuffling and licking of each other they quietly walked into the bushes in the corner of our garden and off through the neighbourhood.
We’ve seen deer and warning signs in areas farther from us for all the years we’ve lived in the area. This is the first time we’ve seen them right in our neighbourhood. Such beautiful, gentle creatures, I think these may be black-tailed deer. Yet we know how damaging they can be to gardens. Oh dear!
by Marja-Leena 
Yesterday’s surprise when the clouds lifted: the mountain tops dressed in white. Beautiful – the first of this fall.
The weather report warned of a chance of frost overnight: I scrambled to take cuttings of some of my pelargoniums and bring in a few pots. No frost here last night. Today I potted up the cuttings, but have much more to do yet. Such a procrastinator am I, though I partially blame some uninvited guests (the rainy weather and this cold bug that is overstaying).
by Marja-Leena … it’s pouring, thundering on skylights, roofs and decks,
gardens become sated with drink after a long drought,
three days of rain after months of scarcely a drop,
still more watery days to continue
remembering one magical sight of white branches
glowing in a forest of reds, yellows and greens in brilliant sunshine
now I watch water flowing down skylights, distorting views
yellow leaves fly about and stick onto wet glass
this is fall on the west coast of BC
by Marja-Leena 
Today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. I first wrote about it in 2004, for myself as I researched its roots, and for readers unfamiliar with the Canadian custom that is held much earlier than its American version. In our home we celebrated yesterday with a delicious harvest dinner with family that is near us, while missing family not able to be here. Farmers are reaping bounteous harvests thanks to our continuing record breaking sunny and warm weather even as the drought is causing problems in many areas.
Here is an unusual Thanksgiving grace full of delightful humour written by the mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson – enjoy! Some of the local references may elude you so just look him up if you wish.
In the meantime, I’m still alternately too busy then too tired to download the photos and write the promised posts about last week’s events centered around the Japanese art exhibition. Hope to do so very soon.
We are particularly missing our eldest daughter whose birthday is today – happy birthday!***
Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers!
UPDATE October 9th: *** Pardon the little white lie, in case daughter might have been reading this. We did see our daughter on her birthday yesterday – her partner had organized a surprise party for her. It was a success, with many friends and family in attendance!
by Marja-Leena 
1. Garden: We had a record dry August and September here, and still no rain. I have trouble keeping up with watering. With cooling nights now, the last of the tomatoes were harvested, with the green ones ripening in a basket indoors. The pepper plants came in too. I’m trying to repot houseplants before bringing them inside after a summer outdoors and it is time to take cuttings of tender annuals. I need to find and plant some small trees, shrubs and spring bulbs for a new garden area next to the new neighbour’s wall. The fall is as busy as the spring, mostly in reverse mode.
2. Art: Working hard on a series of prints at home and in the studio. Saw a wonderful exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery which I must tell you about when I have time. And tomorrow evening is the opening of the exhibition by Japanese artists.
3. Letters: Busy with correspondence with a cousin in Finland whose brother P. has been very ill. This morning I learned that P. had passed away. Went looking through photo albums from the 70’s when he’d visited us in Canada. I scanned some of those old photos along with a little story and sent it to the family over there. All the older generation in those photos are no longer with us. Sigh.
by Marja-Leena 
One day last week when I was leaving the studio and walking back to my car, the changing colours on the trees and shrubs along the path made me slow down to enjoy them. Feeling as if I were five years old, I picked a bunch to take home and have fun with the scanner.
Along the south side of the road home are many tall trees. The sun was low even in the early afternoon so there was a lovely flickering of light and shadow through the trees as I passed. It’s something I love and have noticed many filmmakers do as well.
The last day of summer was cloudy, such a change from the bright sunny and sometimes hot weather we’ve had so far this month, though the shadows have been lengthening increasingly every day. This morning is cloudy/foggy and today is the first day of fall for those of us in the northern hemisphere. The coming of spring seems to be celebrated more because of winter’s end but autumn is a favourite of mine as well. To me all the four seasons make a wonderful cycle and marker of time’s passing with its variety in light, weather and changes in the gardens and woods.
by Marja-Leena 
– when a grandchild brings you a couple of leaves in the colours of fall
– when going back to the print studio feels like going back to school
– when dear artist friends gather together again after a summer break
– when Indian summer comes with hot afternoons and cool nights with heavy dews
– when the last of the tomatoes are almost all ripe
– when the bell peppers are finally turning red
– when juggling new schedules and fitting in visitors too