2023 SO FAR

 

Our backyard Eastern Screech Owl is back for another winter.

Normally I find the time between January and April drags on. By this time we’re all tired of Winter, the cold, and are looking forward to the newness of Spring.

Not this year though, the last few months have flown by. We started planning a kitchen renovation in early January. The work started in February and now here we are in the middle of March, kitchen reno is pretty much complete except for the unpacking and reorganizing of the new cabinets. This blog isn’t about the kitchen though, I think I will do a blog about that separately. This blog is just a bit about what else went on in our lives since the new year started.   

Delicious brunch at Toast on Bloor.

 

During the first weekend of the new year we did two of my favorite things, brunch and birding. After another delicious brunch at one of our favorite brunch spots, Toast on Bloor, we were off in search of a Red-shouldered Hawk being seen at a park close to home. This was my first real birding out in some time, and it brought back all those fun spring twitchiness feelings of May, when migration is in full swing. We did quite the search for this bird, also ran into a friend, and success! We found the Red-shouldered Hawk. Now, I’m not much a hawk girl, but I was quite smitten with this one, it’s a good looking hawk, and was also a lifer for Rob and I.

Red-shouldered Hawk, a lifer for both of us.

 

Rob and I are Marvel fans, and we started watching them in timeline order the beginning of January. We hadn’t watched them in this order before, and are catching things being said in different movies that make much more sense now. We work different shifts, so Saturdays are Marvel Movie Night, perfect way to spend a winter evening, and we are almost done as we’ve done some double features as well. We have not yet seen Wakanda Forever, so are looking forward to ending our marathon with that.

 

Some years we acknowledge Valentines Day, some years we don’t. Poor Rob, I felt bad for him this year. He took the time to order me flowers to be sent to work, and they didn’t arrive. They didn’t arrive the 15th either, and finally showed up on the 16th. He was more upset about it then I was, I was happy he took the time to arrange that. It was only the second time he has sent me flowers at work, which I love, but maybe not on Valentines Day going forward.

Valentine's Day cookies I ordered. 

My beautiful but late flowers.

 

We hadn’t been to my Cousin’s Andi’s since Christmas time, so Family Day weekend was the perfect time to get together. As always, Andi prepared a delicious feast. Seafood this time around as we missed doing that in the Fall. The boys aren't as big of seafood fans as us, but she always makes sure they have a delicious meal as well. I brought dessert, as per normal. The lemon meringue pie I order from House of Good, in our neighborhood is their favorite.

Family Day Feast!

 

Our backyard Eastern Screech Owl, AKA “Little Al” has been around regularly again this winter. We had a scare with him a couple months ago, when Rob found a dead one not far from us on the road and we didn’t see him for a couple weeks during the warmer temperatures. But much to our relief it wasn’t him, and he returned with the next cold snap and snow. Still feel bad for the one he did find, most likely a car strike. We still have our fingers and toes crossed for a mate and babies.

Little Al hanging out in our Cedars.

 

We also rediscovered another brunch spot of ours, Starving Artist. We hadn’t been there in three years, and had forgotten how good it was. We’ve been back a couple times since.

My brunch at The Starving Artist.

 

We also introduced some friends to another new to us restaurant, Azarias. Like us, they don’t mind doing an early dinner, or as I call it, “Senior Supper”. Was nice to get out with friends to enjoy a delicious meal and I can get my oyster fix. This Bloor West gem has quickly become our go to dinner spot. Wonderful staff, and truly mouth watering food. We’ve already planned another dinner there when our friends are back from their trip.

Azarias, a Bloor West gem.

 

Every year I try to make a snow angel as a nod to my inner child. I just joke I need help getting up now! Saturday March 4 I made one after a snow fall, and I had a feathery friend watch me as you can see here.    

 

And to end my catch up blog post, a sure sign of Spring…our resident chipmunk, Boop, woke up this week!       

Spring is close!