"God's Garden".

One afternoon in early Setptember I was feeling decidedly listless. I wandered aimlessly round my apartment and park looking for inspiration, but I was uninspired. Fortunately, I don't experience many days like this as I am a "creative" person by nature and usually there are not enough hours in a day let alone waste them feeling sorry for myself! However, on this particular day I was feeling nostalgic and missing some of my dear friends. Not even my beloved computer could relieve my restless spirit!

In desperation I decided the best idea was positive action! I would take my camera for a walk, escape the confines of the apartment and find peace and tranquillity in nature.

 My aim - to photograph flowers which I would then attempt to make into greeting cards.

 I was not disappointed...

when arrived at the end of the path ...

 as I was rewarded by an amazing garden of flowers

which I named "God's Garden".

Toronto in the Summer. Photos by Idalina da Sila

Toronto last night

My summer projects; knitting, crochet & and crafts

I have always liked to do arts & crafts. Have knitted and crochet, this and that. Never had a strong desire for knitting or crochet until a few months ago. I find it very therapeutic for me. So this summer I have decided I would start (and finish) a few projects; Scarf, Baby Receiver Blanket and a Afghan made of diferent colour yarn squares (for the Canadian winter evenings), also good to use up those bits of yarn that have no more use. So, to make it more interesting I am posting photos of all projects as I go along.

PS: When you only have a few yards of yarn left, don't throw it away! Crochet a chain with it and wrap it around an index card. Use it to tie a "bow" on a package instead of using regular ribbon. Your you can make a toy (like this one I made) for a child to play with. You can mix and match colors, and the variegated yarns really look nice!
Fabric crafts:
With some of these fabrics I will make(I will try)toys suitable for babies and toddlers..... surprise, surprise!

Kensington Market, Toronto, Canada

Kensington Market

Toronto's most unique neighbourhood, Kensington Market retains its charm and wonderful diversity through its eclectic mix of vintage clothing stores, Latin American grocers, fresh produce, cafes and watering holes. Defiantly independent and progressive, Kensington hosts street festivals like Pedestrian Sundays in the Summer months and December's annual Festival of Lights. Often overlooked but not to be missed is the stretch of Nassau street between Augusta and Bellevue, home to spots like I Deal Coffee, Kid Icarus and This Ain't the Rosedale Library.

History & Background

Originally intended to be the site for large English-style country homes on huge estates, Kensington Market was divided into smaller plots of land with small houses and became home to many of the new immigrants who arrived in Toronto. By the 1920’s Kensington was home to 80 percent of the Jewish population, and was known as the Jewish Market. The market area has seen a transfer of populations, which has added to its rich layers of cultures- Ukrainians, Hungarians, Italians and Portuguese. In the 1960’s Kensington Market narrowly escaped an urban restructuring project that would have torn down the small houses to make way for large apartment-style housing. In the 1970’s Chinatown joined the market as it moved westward to Spadina west.

Today, Kensington Market is a mishmash of many cultures and ages. You will find an array stores, including food, clothing, health food, a knitting shop, and patios and a park surrounded by houses. Today, neighborhood groups work to keep the market local and have successfully prevented chain stores like Nike from infiltrating the market. Other groups are working to prevent gentrification through projects that reinforce local identity and sense of place through story telling projects and online public forums.

Peace Garden in Portugal

Buddha Eden, BombarralThe amazing Buddha Eden is a 35 hectare garden with “6000 tons of marble and granite Buddhas, lanterns, terracotta soldiers and various oriental sculptures,” amongst the hills and trees of the Quinta dos Loridos, an old wine producing estate just outside the dull Portuguese town of Bombarral. The ‘peace garden’ was created by Portuguese businessman Jose Berardo following the destruction in 2001 of the Bamyam Buddhas in Afghanistan. According to the garden’s official website “so saddened and outraged was Mr Berardo of the callous and deliberate destruction of the cultural heritage of the Afghan people ….that he embarked on the creation of his …..project as homage to the Bamyan Buddhas.” Of course the people of Afghanistan are very unlikely to ever be able to console themselves for the loss of their Buddhas by visiting this ‘hommage’ in an obscure corner of a country half way across the world (but then, that’s perhaps just as well, as they would probably want to blow this up too.)

I am having a cup of ice coffee and enjoying the summer beauty. Somehow my thoughts are sent to far away places where women, children and man do not have the opportunity to enjoy the moment I was living. They do not have a place where they can find peace. I felt sad in my heart! I thought of a place in Portugal where one can walk on the paths of peace. The Peace Garden in Bombarral, Portugal. Here are some photos taken there a few years ago. If you have an opportunity pass by and enjoy it. I felt much at peace when I walked them.

Lagoa d'Obidos & Sao Pedro de Moel Beach, Portugal

                                                        Lagoa d' Obidos, Portugal

A Lagoa de Óbidos

In a natural way, the Óbidos lagoon, such as coastal lagoons in the medium or long term, would become swamps to settle his regime remained.  However, human intervention accelerates the process of silting of attraction you see that causes constant changes in the watersheds that lead to an increased production of sediment.  On the other hand, the population tries to reverse the situation by intervening through dredging carried out in order to increase the depth of the system, extending thus the life of these aquatic environments.  It has a total area of approximately 6.9 km2 and an average depth of two meters, with elevations ranging from two feet to five feet. Estende-se para montante essencialmente por dois canais, para Oeste pelo Braço do Bom Sucesso, e para Este pelo Braço da Barrosa. It extends upstream for two main channels for the West Arm of Good Success, and The Arm of the Barrosa. Lagoa de Óbidos is the land border with the municipality of Caldas da Rainha to the north (the parishes of Foz do Arelho and Nadadouro) and the county south of Obidos (parishes of St. Mary and Ford).

Vila de Obidos

Vila de Obidos

Óbidos

Moorish castle.

After the fall of Rome, came under the influence of the Visigoths, although specific records are missing. The Roman town of Eburobrittium was abandoned in the 5th century for the more secure hilltop where today the principal settlement located. Sometime after 713 the Moors established a fortification on this mountain, while a Christian community of Mozarabs lived in the Moncharro neighbourhood.
The area was taken from the Moors by the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, in 1148. Tradition states that one knight, Gonçalo Mendes da Maia, was responsible for the successful storming of the
Moorish castle.

The retaking of Óbidos was a final stage in the conquest of the Estremadura region, after the settlements of Santarém, Lisbon and Torres Vedras. Following the control of the region, the settlement received its first foral (English: charter) in 1195, during the reign of Sancho I. In 1210, King Afonso II gave the title of this village to Queen Urraca. Since then, Óbidos has often been patronized by the Queens of Portugal, giving rise to its informal title as Vila das Rainhas (English: town of the Queens); several royal consorts enriched the village with donations from the Middle Ages until the 16th century.The castle and walls of Óbidos were remodelled during the reign of King Dinis I.[1] The limestone and marble structure was strengthened and elaborated, while the keep was created in the 14th century, by King Fernando. By the time of the first remodelling project, the settlement had also grown beyond the gates of the castle.The Church of Santa Maria in Óbidos was the setting for the wedding of King Afonso V to his cousin, Princess Isabella of Coimbra, on 15 August 1441, when they were both still children aged 9 and 10, respectively.
　

Sao Pedro de Moel Beach, Portugal