Poppy's Paparazzi and Doreen the Biscotti Queen

Hello, my friends!

The holidays are here!

 Warm greetings on cards and

sweet gifts wrapped in tins

travel across the globe

  to bring us good cheer!

After seeing this cozy (but blurry) window display of Santa being pampered by his adoring Mrs., his festive table (from what I gather), topped with richly iced cakes and other delectable treats, can you blame me for craving such seasonal sweets, especially when, 
this year, I don't have time to bake them myself?

Fortunately, an early delivery by St. Nick did the trick!
My sassy gal pal, Doreen, who blogs over at House Honeys,
 sent me a batch of her famous chocolate walnut biscotti
and a few other varieties. My pic does not do them
 justice - they are a sight for hungry eyes and the perfect
  sugar fix for one's taste buds, anytime of the day. 
Thank you my multi talented mon ami!

Now, because Santa's such a sweetheart to have thought of  me, crazy busy as he is, in the midst of his millionth delivery, I wanted to show my appreciation with a Christmas creation, a memento of that potentially pretty store window, he just might enjoy. So, thanks to some photo shop flair, gone was the glare and the intrusive sheen of those two paparazzi, (a certain mother and daughter team!;)). And lastly, by simply pressing a key, the setting was also free of that not so attractive bumper to bumper traffic, amid the cold and congested concrete jungle that so spoiled the scene...whew! 
Know what I mean?

Thanks for visiting!
Wishing you all 
Happy Holidays,
xxx
Poppy

Charmed

As a little girl growing up in midtown Toronto,

autumn, dressed in all its spectacular, seasonal

splendour, was always my favourite time of year.

I'm sure my passion for colour comes from those
 flaming fireballs that pierce cool, azure blue skies.

What fun we used to have, diving into brittle heaps
 of dry, crispy, crumbly leaves, swimming in hues of
 burnt sienna, hot crimson, and muddy merlots.

 And so, as you all know, this Toronto autumn has

been my first in 16 years, and I have been busy

 

reacquainting myself with its many myriad of moods -

from the bright and bubbly,

to the dark and melancholy.

And guess what?

  

I found them all to be enchantingly intriguing.

Thanks for visiting and
 Happy Thanksgiving to
all my American friends.
xo
Poppy

Sharing at:
Tweak It Tuesday

Floral Flashbacks

High Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Autumn 2015

In Toronto's High Park, autumn flowers and fall foliage
still exist in happy harmony, but very soon, most
leaves and all petals will take their final bow, and the
landscape that is their stage, will have its final curtain call.


Special Delivery

And so, I took a trip down memory lane, and along the
way, gathered a bunch of bouquets to remind me of all
 those times when these dainty, floral darlings delighted
 me with their vast and various cast of characters!

A Mother's Day Bouquet

This bright Mother's Day bouquet I chose for
my mom last year beautifully complements the
crockery behind it, don't you think?

Forever Fall

A close up of one of my favourite decorative
 plates, which has repeatedly presented me with
delicious servings of whimsy when I crave it,
which in my case, as you know, is constant!
 

Rita's Roses

Pretty petals in paintings are precious, and even
though I cannot breathe in their fragrance, they
 are always a breath of fresh air for the soul.

A Rooftop Refreshment

Fresh fruit and flowers from my  summer garden

on the island whet my appetite for al fresco fun.
 

Scents for the Senses

The sweet scent of narcissus in this early spring posy
also transports me to the hilly meadows of Crete,
where these wild flowers cheerfully dot the
 countryside for weeks with their happy faces.

Of Sky and Stone: Contessa's Home

A bunch of silk blooms warms up stone and stucco
walls, as its reflection softly glows in the mirror.

A Spot of Tea

Open shelving in the breakfast room back home
makes space for seasonal, fresh flowers, in
  addition to the permanent pretties on plates.
 

A Mother's Day Bouquet

 

Ultimately, having access to flowers, whatever the season, calms me, so, when I came across this flower delivery website, I was pleased

 to discover that local florists can provide stunning bouquets,

 (and bundles of inspiration), to you and yours, all year round.



A Little Bit of Drama



Thanks for accompanying me on my

floral flashback, in the middle of fall!

xo

Poppy

 

P.S. Clicking on the title of each pic

will take you to its original post.

 

No compensation was received for this post.

 

Sharing at:
Tweak It Tuesday
The Art of Home-Making Mondays
Five Star Frou-Frou

Feathered Nest Friday
Simple & Sweet Fridays
Home Sweet Home

A Thanksgiving Thought

Technically,
the Canadian calendar
shows that today,
Monday, October 12th,
is Thanksgiving Day.

But many Canadians,
myself, included,
celebrated with family
and friends yesterday.

Ultimately,

giving thanks and being grateful

for all the goodness in our lives,

is an everyday occurrence, isn't it?



 

Still,

 getting together with loved ones,  

and sharing in God's abundance of

bountiful blessings, makes for a special

occasion, indeed, whatever the day.

 

 

For me, I'm especially thankful to be

 spending my first Thanksgiving in over

16 years, in my hometown of Toronto.

To you, thanks for visiting, and

Happy Thanksgiving to all

 my Canadian friends!

 

xo

Poppy

 

P.S.

The pics are all of Liberty's neighbourhood,

and my walking wonderland.

Sharing at:

What's It Wednesday

Tweak It Tuesday Tuesdays at Our Home

Mosaic Monday Amaze Me Monday,

Make it Pretty Monday Fabulous Fall

The Art of Home-Making Mondays

In Fall's Midmorning Light

 

The older I get, the more the four seasons fly by in a flash, 

to such an extent that, during a recent, short trip on a

 swing, summer's silky, green leaves morphed into 

burning corals of  bling!

 

 

But the skies are still blue,

and the sun is still bright,

and the pretties still bloom

in fall's midmorning light.

 

 

I trust, soon enough, cool gusts will whisper

  to me autumn's secret recipe, particularly, how

it stirs that crisp, morning air with such flair

to create a mood that doesn't compare with

any other season - not even spring's.

 

 

Until then,

the skies are still blue,

and the sun is still bright,

and the pretties still bloom

in fall's midmorning light.

 

Wishing you all a very

Happy Wednesday,

and a wonderful week!

 

 

 

Sharing at:

Wow Us Wednesdays

Image-in-ing

Through My Lens

Tweak It Tuesday

Roses of Inspiration

Tuesdays at Our Home

The Art of Home-Making Mondays

Make it Pretty Monday

Amaze Me Monday

Sundays Down Under

Saturday Sparks

Fabulous Fall Party

Home Sweet Home

Feathered Nest Friday

Simple & Sweet Fridays

Home & Garden Thursday

Cooking & Crafting with J & J

What's It Wednesday

 



In Season

 

A woman of autumn, I am, 

in this third stage of my being,

lightly seasoned with sage,

 clearly no longer green.

'Mountains in November', Julia Lesnichy. A landscape
 of  Dewena's beloved and beautiful, Blue Ridge Mountains.

But I know a wise, wintry soul

 from the south, who gently calms

stormy hearts from afar, in a manner

sweetly reminiscent of spring, 

for the blooming smiles and

  warmth that she brings.

'Carolina Wren in Autumn', Janet Zeh

Our minimalist, mutual friend, 

whose yearning and yen for 

wabi sabi and zen, fittingly 

nests in the home of a wren, 

and whatever the season,

meets and greets the world 

 from her window.

This post is dedicated to two sweet hearts,

my friends, Dewena and Tammy. 

Wishing them both a speedy recovery!

Thanks for visiting 

and have a lovely week!

xo

Poppy 

Sharing at:

Home & Garden Thursday

Sundays Down Under

Saturday Sparks
What's It Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesdays

Fabulous Fall Party

The Art of Home-Making Mondays

Amaze Me Monday

Roses of Inspiration

Tuesdays at Our Home

If I Were a Storybook Character

 

Hurst Bakery, Aurora, Ontario

 

 When I walk into a shop that makes me feel

as if I'm stepping straight into a storybook, well,

 let's just say I become somewhat animated, myself!

 

A beautiful neighbourhood in Aurora, Ontario

 

In storybook land, all the roads are paved with

 pastel pretties, to detain us from our intended 

destination, thus creating some scented suspense!

 

When we finally do get there, we don't want 
to leave, for the messy array of trinkets on 
the vintage stove stops us in your tracks!



Not to mention the irresistible display of decadence
 that suddenly has me walking on air - a sweet love affair
 that started with a luscious lemon square and presently 
knows no end to all things coconut and creamy!



And so, I turn the pages fast, quickly flipping to

the last, as I leave behind the land of sweet treats

and nostalgic eye candy.  Yet, something tells me

that the chapter on this most charming town will

continue in this storybook that I cannot put down,

until I've wandered through its entirety completely.

Thanks for visiting, 

and have a lovely week!

xo

Poppy

Sharing at:

Tweak It Tuesday

Make it Pretty Monday

Cooking & Crafting with J & J

Sundays Down Under

Saturday Sparks

The Beautifully Creative Inspired

Home Sweet Home

Feathered Nest Friday

Simple & Sweet Fridays

Home & Garden Thursday

What's It Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesdays

Roses of Inspiration