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200 words, Alberta, Calgary, Chateauguay, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, fall, happy, joy, life, photos, Quebec, sorrow, summer, Tourist in my own city, winter
I never get tired of the blue sky – Vincent Van Gogh
I grew up in Chateauguay, Quebec. Summers were humid and stifling hot. It was hard to sleep at night.
Winters were brutal. The bitter cold and snow were made worse with months of dark skies overhead.
Autumn was my favourite season – Indian Summer in all its glory – warm days and cool nights. Maple trees bursting in colour, more brilliant than any summer flower.
Autumn made up for it all
Calgary has a dry climate – Thank God! But summers are shorter and cooler. Winters seem to drag on forever. Over the years, I’ve seen it snow in every month!
But no matter the season, Calgary has the most sunny days of any other city in Canada.
330 of 365 in fact – and this means days upon days of blue sky.
Calgary’s blue skies make up for it
Where you choose to live and why, comes with its high points and low points. No place is perfect.
In the same way, life comes with its share of joys and sorrows.
~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~
May your joys always make up for your sorrows
Minuscule Moments said:
Love the blue, blue skies Diana. I think we must appreciate what we have instead of wishing we were somewhere else. There is beauty everywhere. You just have to open your eyes. You live in a gorgeous place.
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dianasschwenk said:
Yes, there is beauty everywhere Kath, and thanks, I do live in a beautiful place. 😀
Diana xo
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rachelcarrera said:
Where you live looks beautiful! I just LOVE Canada! ❤
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dianasschwenk said:
Thanks Rachel – Canada loves you! ❤
Diana xo
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f-stop mama said:
My grandfather loved the blue October skies. Fall was his favorite time of year. This post made me think of him and how simple things made him happy. Despite the long,rough winters you have found something to enjoy. Nice positive post!
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dianasschwenk said:
Blue October Skies sounds like a good name for a post for you to write. 🙂
My paternal grandmother had eyes as blue as the bluest sky, I couldn’t stop staring at her eyes. ❤
Diana xo
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f-stop mama said:
I may just have to borrow that title for a post 🙂 My grandfather had those same blue eyes. You could get lost in them.
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mrs fringe said:
330 days of blue skies could make up for a lot of snow. Maybe not all of it, but a lot. Wishing you joy,
xoxo
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dianasschwenk said:
It does make a huge difference, even when it’s cold Mrs. F! ❤
Diana xo
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Jean said:
I didn’t know about that many blue skies days in Calgary, but suspected it. I like Calgary’s drier air winters even though we can get dangerously very frostbitten cold temperatures.
I miss southern Ontario for its vivid red-orange-old fall colour and its tree cover compared to the barer prairies. Trees are the lungs of the Earth. It has taken me a long time to wrap my head around Calgary. Its climate for me, is the least difficult thing to adjust to.
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dianasschwenk said:
I hear you on the autumn colours in the fall Jean. If I may ask, what has been difficult for you to adjust to in Calgary? ❤
Diana xo
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utesmile said:
Even if it is cold a blue sky make me feel great! I can ‘t get tired of a blue sky either!
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dianasschwenk said:
Exactly Ute – sunshine and blue skies lift my countenance to great heights! ❤
Diana xo
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Wyrd Smythe said:
There is so much that is ugly in life… Fortunately there is also so much that is beautiful, and the funny thing is, without the ugly, there is no beauty.
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dianasschwenk said:
Smitty you remind me of a particular favourite quote:
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” -Helen Keller
Diana xo
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bulldog said:
What a great saying… “May your joys always make up for your sorrows”… love it…
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dianasschwenk said:
Thanks bulldog! ❤
Diana xo
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jmgoyder said:
I was feeling a bit blah until I read this, then I looked out the window and the sky was bright blue. Thank you Diana.
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dianasschwenk said:
That’s awesome Julie. ❤
Diana xo
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Jennifer's Journal said:
Beautiful. I wish the same for you, Diana. ❤
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dianasschwenk said:
Thank you Jennifer. ❤
Diana xo
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Rob Moses Photography said:
One place is perfect, it’s called Seattle Washington! haha ;).
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dianasschwenk said:
That’s your favourite city Rob? I’m under the impression it rains a lot there. What do you like best about it? ❤
Diana xo
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Healing Grief said:
Your pictures look so beautiful Diana. The sun and it’s warmth are so healing and so good for our body and spirit! Australia has a gorgeous sunny nature too and I appreciate it everyday. 🙂
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dianasschwenk said:
So glad you have lots of sunshine Karen! ❤
Diana xo
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joannerambling said:
If people chose to focus on the good things in life over the bad things in life they they may indeed be happier.
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dianasschwenk said:
I think they definitely will be happier Jo-Anne! Something tells me that’s what you do. ❤
Diana xo
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Val Boyko said:
I love blue skies and sunshine too Diana! I thought I would see how many sunny days there are in Scotland to compare notes. This is what I found:
“Average annual sunshine hours over the whole territory are 1160 (taking 1971 to 2000 as standard) meaning that the sun shines just over 25% of the time.”
That’s what I love blue skies and sunshine so much 🙂
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dianasschwenk said:
25%? It does give Scotland that mystical, magical feel though, I think. I do hope you get more sunshine where you’re at now Val. ❤
Diana xo
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Val Boyko said:
Mystical and magical half light and mists … I guess so Diana. Love that!! Here in Pennsylvania we get lots of sunshine ☀️
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dianasschwenk said:
That’s good to hear Val!
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vanbytheriver said:
Blue sky for 330 days ?..amazing. I get tremendous energy (and vitamin D) from sunny days. Doesn’t matter how cold it is. Thanks, Diana. We’re having a beautiful day here in PA. ☺ Van xox
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dianasschwenk said:
Light works its magic on me too. Great to hear you’re having a lovely day too van – enjoy your sunday! ❤
Diana xo
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markbialczak said:
Amen, Sister Diana. Can I get a Witness? Perfect Sunday Sermon. Message. Point. Hope for us all. ❤ Happy Sun Day to you in Calgary. 😉
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dianasschwenk said:
haha thank you my friend. ❤
Diana xo
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earthriderjudyberman said:
Blue skies … nothing but blue. Now, you have me singing, Diana. Lovely photos and thoughts to ponder.
I suspect our winters in Syracuse, New York mirrored those of yours in Calgary. But we had 85 percent cloud cover. I miss those gray skies, too. I always thought that no one could appreciate spring like a Central New Yorker. But, we are soul sisters on that front. 😉
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dianasschwenk said:
I suspect you are right Judy. I think we may also be soul sisters on other fronts. ❤
Diana xo
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billgncs said:
blue skies cover lots of shortcomings – but you’re right – how we choose to accept things matters even more. Here’s to a sunny day today.
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dianasschwenk said:
I’ve got one here Bill! Hope it’s sunny by you too. ❤
Diana xo
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Deb Weyrich-Cody said:
Aye, balance is good and, if it weren’t for all the good, how else could we bear the bad?
LOL, just now I saw a LARGE Pine branch in the backyard bouncing madly up and down and wondered, “!?!” Then a little Red Squirrel came charging across the lawn (scattering Gold Finches and Juncoes as he went; ) to put the run on a massive Black who’d dared to pick up Black Oil Seed from under “his” feeder…
Happy Spring (finally!!) from Central Ontario, Diana!: )
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dianasschwenk said:
What a visual Deb – Happy Spring to you, the red squirrel, gold finches and juncos! ❤
Diana xo
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Vicki Flaherty said:
Love this and the positivity of it, Diana! I’ve had a number of bloggers come over to my blog indicating that you sent them my way! Thanks so much for sharing! Here’s to appreciating the abundant deliciousness around us!
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dianasschwenk said:
Thanks Vicki and you’re welcome!
I love the sense of community here in the blogisphere and I’m thrilled that people went over to visit you. ❤
Diana xo
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