My Charming Neighbourhood

Naturally, not every autumn day looks like this: sunny and bright and warm and beaming with vibrant colour, but when it does, well, isn't it just pure paradise? You'd think I was wandering through Ontario's cottage country, or maybe on holiday in the beautiful Maritimes, but believe it or not, this serene, pretty scene is just a short 15 minute stroll to

this stunning beauty, situated on a busy street; in fact, it's a highway! A luxury condominium complex, inspired by the elegant French château style, it is a clean lined classic among its bulky and awkwardly built counterparts that have popped up all over the Greater Toronto Area in the last five years, and a mere 10 minute amble to

 

quaint heritage homes that have been turned into flourishing businesses on Main Street Unionville. On Saturdays, Liberty and I love to grab a specialty coffee and a freshly baked treat from one of the many cozy cafes and make our way to

Toogood Pond Park, literally, just steps away. Isn't it simply idyllic? We come here to simultaneously relax and recharge. Oh, and did I mention that there's all day, free entertainment for passersby?

We always manage to get front row seats, especially for the matinee performance.  This particular interpretation of 'Swan Lake' is quite avant garde, commanding a standing ovation, every time. Of course, the leading ladies adore the attention; obviously, they are all prima ballerinas, are they not?

As talented as my feathered friends may be,

there is no doubt that the true stars of the season

are all the leafy lovelies that brighten the many

pathways, shortcuts and long and winding

roads that cheerfully greet me on my walks

through my charming neighbourhood.  

 Thanks for visiting!

Happy weekend,

my friends!

xx

Poppy 

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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.

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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

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Wine Design

Willow Springs Winery, Stouffville, Ontario, Canada

Am I the only woman on the planet who visits

wineries for their naturally distressed barrels,

instead of indulging in what's hiding inside them?

The Patio, Gallucci Winery, Stouffville, Ontario, Canada

Do I strike you as completely crazy for trying to capture

 the bucolic essence of these vine lined estates, when I

 should be sipping on a glass of smoky Sauvignon Blanc? 

My mom observes our lovely tour guide, Gwen. Willow Springs Winery, Stouffville, Ontario, Canada

And, why is it that while others excitedly await to tickle 

their taste buds, I am obsessed with the sense of sight - 

might that beam of sunlight be too bright for my pics?

Frilly, white flowers beautifully fill the windows at Willow Springs Winery.

I've even been criticized for getting drunk on the
sheer elegance of flowers, when I should be 
smelling the roses infusing a glass of Pinot Noir!

Gallucci Winery

But, for some strange reason, I'm suddenly
craving something slightly more bubbly!

 Won't you join me?

Gallucci Winery, Stouffville, Ontario, Canada

 Thanks for visiting

and happy weekend!

xoxo

Poppy

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Finally, Peonies!

I've been dreaming of peonies - for more than 30 years,

 since they don't do well in the Med's frontiers, where
  heady jasmine and honeysuckle bloom profusely.

'Sunny side up' Krinkled Whites, looking deliciously sweet.

Their fluffy, silky petals, and squiggly, sunny centres

Blaze Peony

shine brilliantly, even on dark,
 North American rainy days.

Pink Firelight Peonies

And that fragrance...Few scents are as sweet
and refreshingly uplifting, wouldn't you agree?

Over 300 varieties of peonies were on display at the
 11th Annual Peony Festival, in Oshawa Ontario.

Thus, when the city of Oshawa hosts its annual
Peony Festival, people come from far and wide,

travel over land and sea, (like yours truly, 
appropriately clutching a pink cardie, in
 honour of my beloved, bold, pink peony, the
 magnetic and magnificent, Myrtle Gentry!).



Others, living in the near vicinity,
waddle and waltz right in, and being
 very neighbourly, make themselves at home.

For, there is a lot to see, like the many
rows of lovelies in the peony pageantry!

Other pretties will stay forever young,
painted in portraits very complimentary,

while buckets of beauties, soaking their stems,
will be picked for their signature scent, in the end.

Each festival peony was a pure delight for me,
whose perfume still lingers in my memory,

but only one, in particular remains close to my heart,
which was neither a contestant, nor a model for art,



for it arrived in the mail,
 gracing the front of a card,
whose words of friendship and love,
 I hold in the very highest regard.

Thank you, Dewena. And yes, these giant, but
delicate lovelies are, indeed, Festiva Maxima;
 you know your peonies well!

From my brother-in-law's garden, Festiva Maxima peonies perfume the late spring breeze.

Happy weekend, my friends,
 and thanks for visiting!

xoxo
Poppy

Decor to Explore on Lake Ontario's Shores

source

Meet the talented Michael Penney:
decorator, retailer, husband and father.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Michael,
 when we visited his beautiful shop in the
 pretty town of Whitby, Ontario, last week.

My mom, my sister, my daughter, and I spent some
time studying the charming rooms,  at Penney & Co.,
 114 Dundas St. West, in the heart of downtown Whitby.

The entire space is furnished and accessorized by 
items that Michael has hand picked himself. 

Before heading back home, we made a stop near the city's marina. Being a Pisces, I am naturally drawn to water. Thus, whether it's the saltwater of the deep blue Aegean, or the cold freshwater of Lake Ontario, waves on hydro runways, seagulls floating in the misty air, and the muffled echo of voices in the distance, always demand a barefoot march along rugged coastlines, 

or simply a leisurely stroll near the sandy shore.

Thanks for visiting!

xoxo

Poppy

Birds, Bees, Lilacs and Peonies

'Canadian' colours welcome me to Unionville, Ontario, where my sister
   and her family have been living for the past 16 years, and Liberty for 3!

Hello, my friends,

I've missed you!

On Main Street, black shutters frame white windows,
 allowing for peeks into a reno taking place, 'inside'.

I arrived in Canada on May 7th, and have been enjoying
 the sights and sounds of my favourite season.

A perfect pale purple, luscious lilacs scent their
 surroundings, providing a sweet surprise for passersby.

On my walks around the neighbourhood, I am greeted
  by frilly, fragrant lilacs, which instantly transport me
 back to the pretty gardens of my childhood.

Another ebony and ivory beauty, this one complete with French windows
and doors, facing a pretty pathway, leading back to a welcoming front porch.

The grass is green, the sky is blue, the birds
 are singing, and everything's 'brand new'!

An empty swing sways in the cool, morning breeze, as eager, early
 bird shoppers, (yours truly, included), hunt for charming treasures
inside this beautiful, barn red house holding a contents sale. 

Don't you just love it when serendipity sneaks up on you,

 smack -!- in the middle of your prepared plans, and 

suddenly plants a happy  smile on your elated face,

 because you just 'happened' to run into an old friend, or,

 oh, I don't know...stumble upon a brilliant estate sale?!

I do!

On her way home from work, Liberty stopped to
smell the peonies, after snapping them for her mama.

But when it strikes TWICE, (coming across pure pink

peonies in full bloom!), it's cause for celebration, and

 that's exactly what we did, as we celebrated Liberty's

 26th birthday, and Poppy View's  3rd, on May 18th.

A lemon cream cake, baked with lots of love, for my very sweet Liberty.

Thanks for visiting! As you know, I've been busy with my

 sister's move, buying new furniture, and packing up the old, 

with little breaks in between, seeing friends and relatives.

 I hope to catch up with you, too, all this week, since

 we are expecting 5 (!) days of non-stop rain. 

On the bright side, I was honoured to be featured

   at Junk Chic Cottage's wonderful series,

'Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind the Blogger'.

Please come by and say hello to our charming

 hostess, Kris, and me; we'd love to see you!

Finally! Peonies - in person, after 30 years of  adoring them from a far!

Wishing you all a very sunny Sunday, and

a happy Memorial Day to my American friends!

xoxo

Poppy

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