isobelmtl

Writing under a Montreal sky

Author: isobel cunningham

  • It’s nesting time and … baby groundhog time

  • I plant these seeds more for the wonderful evocative name than for the actual bloom. They’ve only been in the window box a few days and there they are emerging bravely from the dark earth. Even the stems are red and the long clusters of showy red tassels are loved by birds as a treat.…

  • I went to take care of my mother’s grave yesterday. As she used to scrupulously wash her face before bed, I washed the gravestone. And the box bush needs cutting back. I planted some hollyhocks and we will see if they come up . On the way down the mountain saw some wonderful chestnut trees…

  • And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why you don’t wait until tomorrow to take the picture. A few days ago this crabapple tree was adorned as a bride but Now she’s over her honeymoon and …. I missed the shot! Spring is turning into early summer here in Montreal. So seize the moment friends or…

  • This was in the utterly soulless hotel close to the Madrid airport where I stayed on May 2 . May 3 was travel day and the airport shuttle- the raison d’être for such a booking – took me to terminal 1 in plenty of time for my flight. Plenty of time also because the plane…

  • My buddy, Gilberto drove like the wind and brought me to Avila. On the other side of the highway were traffic jams of people going away for the May 1 holiday. It is labor day and May 2 is the province of Madrid holiday as well so people were streaming out of the city. I…

  • It seemed an eternity stretching out but all of a sudden it’s time to pack my bags properly and think about the return home. All of us are tired. I think if one is going to do this sort of work there should be one day off per week just to have a chance to…

  • They were ten people including 5 kids. In spite of their attention to dining graciously the boys, all under 10, were running wild when I noticed them scaling a wrought iron gate liberally adorned with vicious looking spikes. I did warn them off and drew their mother’s attention to the danger of them being impaled…

  • There are already over 50 pilgrims in the albergue and it is only 4 o’clock. My worst nightmare will be turning someone away. One of my colleagues is an early bird and she goes off to bed quite early. The kitchen as jumping lady night and I admit to being a bit grumpy when people…