I Wanted an iPad, But The Galaxy Tab S2 Works Great!

Tags

changing seasons, Diana Schwenk, fall, friends, Hump Day Chronicles, learning, living in the moment, photos, Purpose, work

“I want an iPad mini 4 for work,” I said to my boss one day after having decided to take the social media portion of my job up a level.

“Trouble is we have PCs at work and iPads aren’t that compatible with them,” he replied.  So my boss did a bit of research himself and sent me to talk to his contact, Adam at Memory Express.

Well between the two of them, they convinced me the Galaxy Tab S2 was the way to go and I am pretty impressed with it so far.

So here, for your viewing pleasure are some of the photos I’ve taken over the last little while. I’m still learning about, and experimenting with the Galaxy Tab and hopefully my skills will improve with time.

Here’s my friend Susan with her totally hippified car

I took this picture after Susan facilitated a workshop on trauma and addiction for me and my co-workers last week.

Jo’s bike

Cindy filling out the memory book

I took these two photos recently at a celebration of life event honouring my childhood friend Josee.

I met Michaela in Red Deer recently

On a walk with Elizabeth

selfie with visiting blogger, Elizabeth

Visiting friends in Olds

Annie visiting from Scotland

Blurry George visiting from Scotland

Catching up with Terri who was visiting from Winnipeg

 

I’ve traveled to meet with them, or they have traveled to meet with me. It’s been a catching up with others month!

And below are some fall shots I’ve taken in my neighbourhood over the last few weeks.

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~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

How’s fall treating you in your neck of the woods?

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Family Day Monday Panorama Style

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Alberta, Calgary, Canada, Diana Schwenk, Hump Day Chronicles, living in the moment, panorama, photos, Tourist in my own city

Elbow Park

On Monday of the Family Day long weekend, I took the opportunity to play with the panorama feature on my Blackberry.

I know that many of you in eastern Canada and parts of the US have been in somewhat of a deep freeze, so I thought I would share the pictures I took here in Calgary, Alberta this past Monday to warm you up a bit.

I needed to pick up some groceries so I walked the long way, via Elbow Park, to the Safeway grocery store so I could snap some panoramic photos. The photo above was taken at 30th Ave and Elbow Drive SW. There’s quite a bit of ice there so I took tentative steps after shooting that picture down the bank to the path along the Elbow River.

Elbow Park

In the summer I come to the above spot often. It’s my thinking spot. I like to sit on the bench, not quite visible in the center of this photo and listen to the river while I ponder life and whatever is going on at the time. Just out of sight to the left is a small playground with swings, slide and sandbox type toys.

Elbow Drive

Here, I’ve exited the park onto Elbow drive and am heading east to Safeway.

Disappearing cop car

There’s Safeway, but my favourite part of this picture is the disappearing cop car! Who hasn’t wished for that to happen at some point in their life? When I posted this on my Facebook page, people said things like: great cloaking technology or called it a ghost car.

I have to say I really love the panoramic feature on my phone and I cannot wait to try it out it again the next time I head to the mountains. Below is a picture of my favourite residential building in Calgary – The Anderson Apartments located just down the street from where I live.

Anderson Towers

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

How’s the weather treating you where you’re at? Do you have a panoramic feature on your phone?

May your joys make up for your sorrows

Tags

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

Even in winter, we are blessed with summer sky most days..

Carl Saffron building, Calgary AB

Old City Hall, Calgary AB

View from Hope Street, Calgary AB

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

Come on another walk with me?

Tags

17th Ave SW, 4th Street SW, Alberta, Calgary, Canada, Diana Schwenk, Elbow River, happy, Hump Day Chronicles, joy, living in the moment, moody, photos, Spring, walk

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”
― Pablo Neruda

I had so much fun sharing A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words with you that I would like to invite you along on another walk, so to speak.

Forecasters had called for a sunny day on Friday, with temperatures possibly rising to 20c/68f. Although it was warm enough for me to go out wearing only a jean jacket over my jeans and t-shirt, the sun was losing its battle with the clouds.

A moody sky at noon with a sliver of a chance for sun

I don’t remember why, but my mood was dark. It seemed to be reflected in the sky as I headed out. Walking usually lifts my spirits, so with my BlackBerry in hand, I set out to capture photos of places I hadn’t shared here yet.

On the corner of 17th Ave and 4th Str SW

If I had a nickel for every time I saw a tourist pose with, and in the same stance as, this piece of art – well, I’d have a lot of nickels!

St. Mary’s Cathedral

I crossed over 4th Street and turned south toward St. Mary’s Cathedral. Up the road, just a little past the FCJ Centre is a bridge that crosses the Elbow River and leads to pathways that follow the river. Back before Michaela was born, I used to ride my bike all through there. Calgary has an amazing pathway system, you can get most anywhere by bike.

Backyards along the way border the Elbow River

I love the reflection of the house and trees in the water. If you click on the image, you can see that damage from the 2013 flood still remains along the riverbank.

I wouldn’t sit on this bench!

Last week I showed you my thinking spot. That photo prompted Don over at Candid Impressions to write Thinking Spots.

Don I thought of you when I shot this bench – I wouldn’t recommend sitting on it though – see how the bank is completely eroded under it?

The pathways are shared by geese and people alike

It’s like they don’t even notice people. These geese didn’t even flinch or glance at me when I passed. I continued on toward the bridge (top right)

View from the bridge

This was my view from the bridge. When I stopped to shoot this picture, a woman walked past me. I soon caught up to her (I’m a fast walker) and said a cheerful ‘hello’ as I passed her.

Westways B&B

I’ve lived in this city 25 years and have never noticed this Bed and Breakfast before.  I took a few shots and settled on this one to share with you. My Smartphone doesn’t do it justice, the B&B and its property are so pretty. While I stood there, the woman I’d passed earlier walked by and said, “See you in a bit!” We both laughed.

Recycling, compost and trash bins

On my way back home, I saw these bins and immediately thought of Mark’s post, Binished Fusiness.  Mark, this is what our bins look like. Blue for recyclables, green for compost and black for trash.

One of my writing spots (13th Ave & 8th Str. SW)

On Sunday, notebook and pen in tow, I headed to my outdoor office (above) to write my Tuesday post for my other blog. Often, writing in long hand helps the words flow better or maybe it’s just my age and it’s somehow more familiar to me, comforting, reminding me of an earlier time.

A Rickshaw on 17th Ave

I also saw my first rickshaw of the year that day – like budding trees, rickshaws are evidence that spring is here!

Well I hope you’ve enjoyed your second tour of my city. It’s been fun having you along!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Walking does me a heap of good. How do you snap yourself out of a dark mood? Which of the above pictures do you like best?

Good, Gooder, Best

Tags

Alberta, Calgary, Canada, Diana Schwenk, friends, happy, joy, laughter, life, passion, photos, Purpose

WOW!! IT’S BEEN a whirlwind of activity for me this week!

The good news is I’m busy and feeling productive and loving it!

The gooder news is I’m busy building community. Doing things that recognize and employ all the gifts of people around the table. Doing things that align with my personal values.

The best news is I’m connecting with people and I love people! I love talking to people. I love listening to people. I love smiling at people and having them smile back at me.

I feel happy. Peaceful. Joyful.

The not-so-good news is that I’ve had less and less time to read your blogs and write my own posts.

I do miss that!

So just because I think the world of you, I’ve created a montage of 7 months of photos I’ve taken in Calgary for your viewing pleasure.

Enjoy!

May. At the zoo with Michaela – monkeying around.

May. Stephen Avenue Mall

July. Sandy Beach

July. Canada Day.

August. Music in the park

Sept. Elbow River

Sept. Hanging with friends

October Pumpkins

November. I finally got a tour of the affordable housing building I helped raise funds for – it is amazing!

 ~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

What have you been up to?

Canada Day Celebrations

Tags

Calgary, Canada Day, Diana Schwenk, Hump Day Chronicles, Millennium Park, Olympic Plaza, photos, Stephen Avenue Mall

I think it’s high time for me to share a lighter post!

On July 1st, Canada celebrated its 146th  Birthday. In comparison to many countries, Canada is still quite young and she is a beauty! I feel grateful and blessed to be a Canadian.

This year’s celebrations started out in Millennium Park instead of the usual Princess Island Park which hasn’t totally recovered from the recent floods.

Canada Day activities continued on Stephen Avenue Mall and Olympic Plaza with a grand finale of fireworks on the Centre Street Bridge.

I truly meant to check out the fireworks this year but I was just too tired to head back down there. An afternoon in the hot sun, no doubt, played a role in knocking me off my kilter.

I hope you enjoy the photos below. Happy belated Canada Day to all my Canadian readers and a very Happy 4th of July to my American friends tomorrow.

Two boys enjoying popcorn in their ultra cool wagon at Millennium Park

Fireworks photo by 680 News

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

How did you spend Canada Day?

Related articles

• Calgary Canada Day celebrations ‘a chance to take a breath’ from flood says mayor Nenshi (metronews.ca)