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“At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love” ― Martin Luther King Jr. Yesterday was the federal holiday in the U.S. for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. As I looked at Facebook today, I realize that many of my friends had made note of this event and made their own personal observations and tributes. My post is my tribute to this great advocate for racial equality and civil rights - all done in a non-violent manner. In this present day and age where violence seems to be the order of the day, it’s good to reflect on this great man and the legacy he left. ...

Why would anyone want to blog? That’s a question I’ve been asking myself. A myriad of blog topics are at the disposal of everyone who’s on the internet. “There are actually more than 8 million blogs online, and what is more amazing is that a new blog is created every 8 seconds.” (quora.com) Some blogs are written for the purpose of business and cover more serious subjects and others are of a lighter nature and just for fun. Fun and games aside, some bloggers make money from blogging - but If there’s no monetary reward, why bother to blog? ...

[caption id=“attachment_2762” align=“aligncenter” width=“800”] An operetta is simply a small and gay opera. (Gustav Mahler)[/caption] Sigmund Romberg’s Student Prince at the St. Lawrence Centre was one the highlights of the holidays for me. It was put on by the Toronto Operetta Theatre and we enjoyed every moment of it. A live performance! This was our family’s New Year’s Eve outing. It was delightful with all the singing, dancing, acting, beautiful costumes, and sets. The next best thing to doing the dancing and singing yourself is to get caught up in the excitement and magic happening on stage through the voices and movements of the professionals there. Since the music in this production has always been very special to me, I want to share some of my favourite music from Student Prince with you. I have never done a post in which I shared a You Tube video - this is a first. Hope you enjoy! ...

As we approach the end of 2015, thoughts about years past and particularly 2015 come to mind. My own experience of life after 66 years on the planet reveals that there are always many varieties of experience - some that bring untold happiness and some tinged with sadness and grief. This is true of any given day or year. My own personal review of this year finds me thinking about the massive job it was to downsize from the place we called home for 30 years. This job took up most of the year. There were challenges along the way but with wonderful teamwork and support, the job got done. It’s nice that this particular season of life is over and another has begun. “Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.” (Thomas Merton) What was planted in my soul this year is the fact of impermanence - things change and we move with the changes. I thought at one time that I would live and die in that house but my feelings about ownership and possessions changed - all for the good. ...

Dear Father Christmas: I haven’t written to you since I was a little girl. I know that your specialty is children and specifically bringing toys for all the good boys and girls across the globe on Christmas Eve. You’re a jolly fellow and there’s even a popular song written about you called “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.” Since you are in the “happiness” business, it occurred to me that you might be someone to ask for help with the crises we face in the world today. When I wrote to you a long time ago, my needs were small but these days, they are big. ...

We’re so fortunate in Toronto that we have our own Christmas Garden Show. Allan Gardens had the opening of their Christmas Flower Show last Sunday. The gardeners there did a magnificent job decorating the entire greenhouse which houses many different kinds of poinsettias and other flowering plants. The theme this year is winter and you will be able to see the skaters and the tobogganer in the collages below - all beautiful topiary creations using plant material. There were horse and wagon rides for old and young alike, carollers, and a visit from Santa himself. The hot apple cider provided was a welcome treat but the cookies were gone by the time I got there. Apparently this show was recognized as the “Garden Event of the Year” at the 2015 Canadian Garden Tourism Awards. Hope you enjoy the collages! ...

I haven’t blogged for a while and began to feel the urge to blog today. I decided that I could blog about anything really - so here I am blogging about Mehndi. In my colouring book , “The Colours of Nature,” there was a page with intricate patterns on a hand. You can see the hand in the above collage and the colours that I used. When I was in India several years ago, I fondly remember having henna body art done on the palms of my hands. This was done by two young boys sitting on boxes under a tree. It was evening and the light in which they did this work was not very good. They were good artists though and it was very cheap. The art of applying henna to the hands and feet is known as Mehndi, and is traditionally used for celebrations and rites of passage. Every culture and region of the world uses henna tattoos in its own unique way. For Hindu weddings, henna is painted on the bride to symbolize joy, beauty, spiritual awakening and offering, while Moroccans often paint doors with henna to bring prosperity and chase away evil. Depending on where you get henna tattoos, they will look different. Indian tattoos feature fine lines and floral patterns, while Arabic henna designs tend to be larger in scale and African henna patterns are more bold and geometric. (huffingtonpost.com) ...

[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. ...