isobelmtl

Writing under a Montreal sky

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about

Isobel Cunningham has published short fiction and poetry. Her book, Northern Compass is available on Amazon. She was born in Wales but Montreal is her adopted home. She speaks French, Modern Greek ( it’s a fun story) and a little Spanish…oh, English too, of course. She welcomes comments on her blog and looks forward to chatting with you over cyber-space.

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  • Jewels

          On a recent excursion to the Montreal Botanical Gardens, I spotted berries glistening in the sun.  All around us were interesting plants and, since it is harvest time, we had an opportunity to see corn, sunflowers, cabbage and other crops at the last stage of growth.  Winter is coming and soon these…

  • New Challenges

    “What do you mean, you’ve never been in a canoe?  You’re a Canadian aren’t you?  And so I stepped into a tippy canoe and sat very still and paddled out into the middle of the lake and heard with a chill up my spine the observation, “Hmm….we must look at the little tear in the…

  • Mushroom musings

      Mysterious, magical, malevolent Secretive, seductive, sensual Dark, dangerous, deadly Playful pixie pop-ups Night-born, nefaste, nostalgic After a long dry period mushrooms suddenly appear with the first rain.  Little holes in a spectacular red one show that birds take a peck now and then.  Some mole or mouse takes a little bite from the edges…

  • Just the bare facts

      A pleasant evening stroll in the  nearby town of Parry Sound last evening brought my host and I face to face with a large black bear.  It was about 20 meters away enjoying a flower garden in a residential area  of town.  In my shock and surprise I ducked behind a car that had…

  • Nature pulls a number

        Torrential rain fell in the Muskoka region on Tuesday.  The creek became a raging torrent.  The electricity cut out.  The beach disappeared because  the lake  rose rose so much.  But the next day…..mushrooms were everywhere!

  • Jasmine Blossoms

    It was windy last night.  An empty garbage can banging around woke me up to fears of racoons, skunks, robbers or worse.  A check of the garden revealed Jasmine blossoms blown off the potted bush that will soon have to come in.  For now they scent up the kitchen.  The pretty runner made by a…

  • Light Source

      My garden is fragrant with rosemary, basil, lavender and the many blooms of a Jasmine plant.  Summer is ending and my roses are few but this is the golden season.  It seems to me that sometimes plants give out light.  These brown-eyed susans and the wild golden rod in the lane are luminous. Sunflowers…

  • End of a Drought

    For about thirty days there was no rain in the Muskoka area.  “great summer”” good boating weather!” ” good for haying” and then a little concern “for the farmers”, more frequent watering of flowers and veggies, some uneasiness, more attention to the weather forecast, grumbling about the ban on bonfires.  As the hot and brilliant…

  • Playing Cards

      I don’t.  I have no knack for remembering what has already been played.  My past partners have gawked at my beginner’s luck or tutted in annoyance at my carelessness, stupidity and lack of competitive spirit.  I have trouble remembering the rules of various games and when they tell me there are two types of…

  • Culture in the Country

        Even in the wilds of farm country, there are surprises.  Here is a little library which contained some Archie comics, Jackie Collins and….Girl on a Train.  And here is classical statuary leading to the barn.  Without the barn, without hay, without cows….no books or statues.  Remember…..