Raining on my Parade

So. I super don't like rain. 

I don't particularly know why but I usually blame the shear uncomfort of being damp mixed with the lack of sunshine. 

That being said, I've been working on changing my physically adverse reaction to cloudy days by looking for the beauty in the rain. 

It's not really worked... Still hate the rain. But there are some pretty good shots of my misery! Yay!

-Andrea

The Half-Assed Hobbyist

Fall Light Take 2

I've been going on little hikes before work, out in Rouge Park. 

The morning fall light is spectacular. I fell in love with the little ravine walk, with it's little stream and tall eclipsing trees. Fall light is my favourite light. White and crisp but still warm.

Anyways. Pictures do most of the talking. <3

-Andrea

The Half-Assed Hobbyist

Fall in Ontario

This past thanksgiving we had the BF's (or I guess Fiancรฉ now! FF for Fancy Fiancรฉ?) sister down from Ottawa. More on the meal in a future post, but here I wanted to share the amazing walk we all went on in the Don Valley, ET Seton Park. 

I've lived in Toronto for over a year now and it has been the toughest year of my life. Struggling with making friends and finding work and personal health problems, last year I missed the entirety of Ontario's Amazingly Beautiful fall. Not this year! No way. 

Coming from Alberta, fall is Very brief, if not just a winter hick-up, rather than an entire season to itself. But here I am Blown Away by the colour and the warmth and the general Fall-iness of, well, the Fall. I've never seen so many red and yellow and green leaves mixed in together. And for so long! It's week three of gorgeous fall colours and weather! It's inspiring to see nature getting ready to go out, in style. 

Anyway, enough with my gush over leaf colours. I'll leave the pictures to do that for me. But I did want to have one final gush over a butterfly. I saw my first Monarch butterfly in almost 20 years on this walk. When I was a kid in the 90s we used to get Monarch caterpillars at school and let them chrysalis in a shoe box, out of harms way. That was the last time I saw a real live Monarch butterfly. So I know fall is supposed to be the end of the growing season but for me it's like the beginning of something new. <3

(Unintentional third gush about seasons. It happened.... =P)

-Andrea

The Half-Assed Hobbyist

Spon-train-eous.

Slowly coming to a close is this Wonderous summer. I've had a total of 11 people come visit and stay over the last 6 months and it's been quite the epic. 

The latest company was my lovely lady Danielle. She's my spirit twin. So she spontaneously decided to hit up the GoTrain and get us some waterfall time!

I haven't been to the falls in about 6 years. It was nice to be once again under their majesty. 

Also. You know. Besides them. With a good glass of wine. 

Cheers!

-Andrea

The Half-Assed Hobbyist

Hiking to The Falls

'All the things, All the time' is a sentiment that I live my life by. As a result, I have a tendency to do all the things, all the time. I find no greater happiness than doing all the things outside in the sunshine with some of my lovely friendlies. Back in April, I got to do just that. 

It was a lovely hike up to the Cataract Falls. Sun and fun and a picnic lunch was had. I'll let the photos speak for themselves!

Miss all Y'all

Miss all Y'all

-Andrea 

The Half-Assed Hobbyist