Toronto

[caption id=“attachment_2687” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] “Traditions have been replaced by lifestyles.” – Lars Svendsen, A Philosophy of Boredom[/caption] Christmas is just around the corner. I was trying to figure out what it was that impelled me to go over to the nearby Garden Centre on Friday and buy some evergreen branches. I did hear that Santa was coming to town in Toronto on Sunday and that the Santa Claus Parade was taking place. But was it that? “No!” I had begun to feel Christmassy. Christmas had begun in my heart. “It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” (W T Ellis) ...

[caption id=“attachment_2662” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] To live in hearts we leave behind Is not to die. ~Thomas Campbell, “Hallowed Ground”[/caption] What a way to remember one’s dead! The Day of the Dead or Dia de Muertos celebrations took place here in Toronto yesterday at Harbourfront and is taking place again today. It’s a two day Festival which has its roots in Mexico. The atmosphere was festive rather than mournful - although all the paraphernalia surrounding death was visible there. “The Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, takes place over the first two days of November. Its origins are a mixture of Native American traditions and a set of Catholic holidays. While the holiday’s observances include spending time in cemeteries, making shrines to the dead, and displaying artistic representations of skulls and skeletons, the occasion is festive, rather than morbid. Death isn’t seen as the end of one’s life, but as a natural part of the life cycle; the dead continue to exist much as they did in their lives, and come back to visit the living every year.” (Factmonster.com) Would that we would all be like the Mexicans who are able to have joyful and celebratory feelings about death and dying. This is truly a blessing. ...

[caption id=“attachment_2645” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” ― Confucius, The Book of Rites[/caption] When two gifted Curtis Institute graduates take to the stage and combine their talents, you know you’re in for a memorable musical treat. Teng Li, the Principal violist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Meng-Chieh Liu, an international concert pianist, gave a rare performance last Thursday at the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto. It was the first time I experienced the viola as a musical instrument in its own right. ...

[caption id=“attachment_2540” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] There are hundreds of languages in the world, but a smile speaks them all. - Anonymous[/caption] It was “Mabuhay” time in Toronto at the end of August. The Philippine Independence Day Council’s Mabuhay Philippines Festival was held at David Pecaut Square. It was a very colourful and beautiful event which I enjoyed immensely. I didn’t know what the word mabuhay meant so I decided to find out. “This is our eternal greeting to everyone here and abroad, our salute to life as we raise our San Miguel beers. The word roughly can be translated to mean “to be alive, to live life!” It is a call to bring that sense of celebratory joy to everything about life…and that is why the resonance of the DOT slogan “ Its more fun in the Philippines! Mabuhay encompasses all the colorful fiestas of our country, where community seeks to come together to celebrate something. Even funeral wakes are a way to bring people together for poker and mah-jong!” (echonewspost.com) ...

“Hula is the art of Hawaiian dance, which expresses all we see, smell, taste, touch, feel, and experience. It is joy, sorrow, courage, and fear. ” – Robert Cazimero Sometimes we don’t have to cross the ocean to have that “aloha” feeling. Last Saturday there was an amazing Hawaiian themed afternoon at the Grenadier right here in Toronto’s west end. It was a beautiful day and hula dancers graced the outdoor patio entertaining everyone with their gentle swaying movements. A professional hula dancer together with a vibrant, spirited musical accompanist, entertained in the social area upstairs as well. Two parties - both Hawaiian - taking place in the same building. The spirit of aloha abounded here. “The real meaning of Aloha in Hawaiian is that of Love, Peace, and Compassion. It’s the guidelines of how to live – a life of Aloha is one when the heart is so full it is overflowing with the ability to influence others around you with your spirit.” (Local’s Guide to Kauai) The staff at the Grenadier definitely created that Aloha spirit. ...

What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness. ~John Steinbeck This is the time of year when it’s easy to feel “down” with the weather. Christmas is over and all the bright lights, Christmas trees, get-togethers, and festivities of the season have come to an end. The freezing winter temperatures have descended upon us and it’s only January. Winter is a challenging time for getting around especially for those of us who are Senior Citizens. We worry about slipping and falling, getting the flu, shovelling the snow, not to mention all those layers of clothing we have to put on to even go outside. ...

We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden (Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe) As another year comes to a close, it seems like a good time for me to look back on the year past and reflect for a short while on my journey through the course of 2014. It seems that it wasn’t so long ago when I began “Late Blooms” and wasn’t quite sure what I was doing. At the same time that I had the opportunity to make collages, I started writing, scrapbooking, and all the other elements you see displayed in my posts. I`m still learning and evolving as I go along and having fun at the same time. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that there would be 51,727 reads of my posts. It is very humbling and, at the same time, very encouraging. Thanks to all of you out there and especially to my brother of Simply Spectacular Designs who gave “Late Blooms” a totally new look just before Christmas and is hosting this blog. ...

At Christmas-time, we tend to forget that many people are alone. This could be intentional or the result of circumstance - death, divorce, broken friendships, family far away, or an endless variety of reasons. For those who choose to spend the time in solitude meditating or with other plans, there’s joy in being alone. For those who would prefer to be with others but have no others, it can be a very hard and lonely time. ...

Toronto’s Allan Gardens is worth a visit over the holidays. As you can see from the above collage, the theme this year is musical. There’s someone playing a piano and to the right, there’s another musician with a bass instrument. “During the Victorian Christmas Show, the conservatory is decorated and filled with thousands of flowering plants and over 40 different varieties of poinsettias. The opening on the first Sunday in December features Christmas carollers, horse and wagon rides, hot apple cider and freshly baked cookies. The show runs until the end of December and the conservatory is opened late on weekends and can be viewed by candlelight.” (Wikipedia) ...

Christmas renews our youth by stirring our wonder. The capacity for wonder has been called our most pregnant human faculty, for in it are born our art, our science, our religion. -Ralph Sockman It’s wonderful to see the Christmas lights and decorations around Toronto as the big day approaches. Toronto’s City Hall Square is ablaze with lights and many skaters were on the rink the evening I was there. “Located in front of City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square is an events landmark in the centre of the city. During the summer, the square is in motion daily, with people watching concerts and dance performances, viewing art at outdoor exhibitions, shopping for fresh produce at the farmers’ market one afternoon a week, attending weekly children’s events or sitting mesmerized by the fountain, eating lunch. The Peace Garden is a small green haven in the square, ideal for quiet contemplation or reading. In the winter months, the reflecting pool becomes a skating rink, with skates available for rental. Ice skating during the winter months runs from mid-November to mid-March each year.” ...