Summertime… and the living is JAZZY!

"Summertime and the living is easy…"
-George Gershwin

"In summer, the song sings itself."
-William Carlos Williams

"Jazz does not belong to one race or culture, but it is a gift that America has given to the world."
-Ahmad Alaadeen

A cute picture Jana texted to us while we were in Montreal
my grandkids by the ice cream bus downtown Saskatoon
by where our jazz festival takes place… year after year!

Mariah and Beau after Mariah graduated from grade two…
at their great grandparents by their lovely flowers, with my father in law, Greg.
and purchasing new fish at pet land.

Jazz festing in Saskatoon the week before Montreal…
here with my buddy Ella at two different free venues…
we went several times and enjoyed music together!

Our dear friend, Robin popped by before we left
 for Montreal for a visit
on our deck!

Our talented 14 year old niece… Rowen,
showing a piece of art from school she did,
She and her mom popped by for a visit the night before our trip.

Our trip was filled with lots of fun stuff…
here are a few pics of Brian and me together
in front of our Hotel Ambrose, at a restaurant, out for happy hour at The Hyatt,
and an evening in old Montreal…
we had many different photos together, lots of selfless, too!

I took in lots of JAZZ at the famous Montreal Jazz Festival…
one of the biggest ones of it's kind in the world.
Their's had a free concert by Diana Krall even… among many other
free concerts for it's duration from June 26th-July 6th 2014.
Their emblem of JAZZ CATS were seen every where in Montreal!

Brian and I did a few visits to the famous Old Montreal area…
so fun and full of life and colour ... along with historic scenery and buildings.

The day of the free Diana Krall free concert … I got a few fun photos,
Hard to get a clear one of Diana herself… but there is a great youtube article
on her with some of her performances.
Note the tall beer server in the crowd… his shirt said 7'1" on the back
he really stood out in the crowd… I thought he was wearing stilts at first,
but he wasn't!

We were able to capture many nice photos of my son, Colin and his girlfriend, Caro…
But Colin prefers to not have his face showing up on the internet, so I can't share those ones here!
I did put the one of him and Caro walking from behind in their area of Montreal.
The one with Brian, Caro and me is in Colin's back patio…
the others are in scenic areas near by!

While in Montreal we met with my sister-in-law, Gail on Canada Day for a nice supper…
(she was there from Vancouver, for a work conference)
We met up with Nels's sister, Ingrid, and her boyfriend for drinks one night…
 and also met up with Colin's friends…
Shani, his wife (also named Caro)…
and their adorable son, Sidney.

Clowning around in Old Montreal … they were out everywhere in fun costumes!
I do love a clown!

Something else I love is CHOCOLATE!
Here we are at a place called the Chocolatier…
our two desserts were 17.00 total… pricey but so yummy!

We ate out in many restaurants and places and tried lots of foods…
but our best meals were at Colin and Caros'…
they are such good cooks… meals at their place
 are in lower left hand
of this "collauge!"

Lots to see and do in Montreal… beautiful churches, paintings,
and good company, too…
Here is Caro with her sweet cat, Filou!

From Montreal to home again…
After leaving our hotel on Stanley and Sherbrooke...
We had a lunch with Colin and Caro in Old Montreal before
returning home again… and last night had Jana, Nels and kids over for
a BBQ supper. Mariah loves hanging with Shuffle…
and look… Beau learned to ride a bike!

We picked up Shuffle from the daycare when we got home…
and the little sign they had up in their office said "Home is Where your Dog is!"
Shuffle was as happy to see us as we to see her…
and she is loving her
home turf again!

Yesterday we picked up Mariah from her mom's store where she is reading in photo…
and brought her to hang out with us for the afternoon…
she is growing up so fast… reading
...and playing scrabble now, above
with her grandpa and me!

Beau seems to have grown up in the week we were gone as well…
and riding a two wheeler already at the age of 3!
Last night he was enjoying some watermelon on his mommy's knee…
such a little cutie!

Last night the grandkids enjoyed playing on the swings in our yard…
it's been a while since they have done that…
I sure missed my little swingers, while we were away!

This is an adorable photo Jana texted to us while we were in Montrel
to let us know the kids were missing us, too!
I may be biassed… but I think they are pretty darn cute…
right down to their candy necklaces.
They are so precious to us and they help JAZZ up our lives
all year round!



Once again thanks for popping by to read my blog...I believe this is my longest lapse between blog posts, which is the reason for so many photos this time!


We have enjoyed our summer so far from our Saskatoon Jazz Festival to the bigger one in Montreal last week, too…
Summer time and the living is JAZZY!


We did enjoy our trip to Montreal and as you may or may not know… I do enjoy taking photos… but take so many it is hard to narrow it down to just a few… so this is only a handful of the many I have taken since my last blog entry.


We had such a nice time visiting my son, Colin and his girlfriend, Caro, while there, too. In fact our very best meals were ones they cooked for us while there. I did miss our Yahtzee… or YUM as they call it in Montreal… last year we played many games … this year no games were played, which left more time to just visit!


I did more JAZZIN' it UP then ever before in Montreal. Brian didn't come to much of it… but I went on my own…and also met some new "SOUL" mates in Montreal while festing!

Brian enjoyed going to places he likes to see and just simply enjoyed people watching while I was out Jazz Festing!… so whether we were together or doing our own thing 
we both had fun!


I mentioned above the free Diana Krall concert… but I saw many free concerts of many great artists, both ones I had heard of as well as some new ones. I had really wanted to see the concert featuring the band dating back 42 years… named "EARTH, WIND & FIRE"… I don't really consider them a jazz band… but they have always been a favourite dance/soul type band for me. We had checked the Jazz website before travelling to Montreal to find their concert was sold out. However I checked on the day of the concert and luckily so... for tickets became available hours before the show. They apparently save tickets for special dignitaries and family of band, etc…and release them when they know they will not get used… so I ended up getting the best seats in the house by just being in 
the right place at the right time!!!
I also met a new jazz buddy named Pat there, too. She not only sat beside me at the "E, W, & F" concert… but we Jazzed it up all night together and met another night there as well!… Fun… another new jazz buddy for me!


My love of Jazz music originates from my parents. They instilled it in me, and we shared so many Jazz festivals together when they were still alive. I felt their presence on so many occasions at the festivals in both Saskatoon as well as Montreal… it was like they were right there enjoying it with me, at times. I heard many tunes that remind me of them, too, including their favourite, "Satin Doll!"


It is funny that my kids and hubby don't really have the same passion for jazz music… but we all have different interests and tastes in music I guess! Jana and Nels did attend a concert at our Jazz festival… but it wasn't Jazz… they went to Lauren Hill and really enjoyed it!


I think the jazz festivals are becoming more and more diverse in their genres of music these days… they are quite a bit more of a MUSIC festival! I did hear many kinds of Jazz though and I loved it all! 
I think being right there to whiteness it "live" 
is the best part…
and fun to people watch, too!


I think it is fun to get away … but I am such a home body that it is so nice to return home again after the holiday is done. We were happy to have our good friends, Ella and Vern pick us up at the airport. We were also grateful to have our neighbour, Heather taking in our mail and watering our plants, along with our nephew, Sam, 
mowing our lawns while away.


It is always fun to reconnect to our family and share all our good times with them when we get home, too.I went to the gym again this morning and even that felt good, too… although I did get lots of exercise while in Montreal by walking a lot in their very hot humid weather.

I thought of my mom on her birthday in Heaven on June 29th. I did some jazz and had some ice cream and chocolate in her honour, too! I thought of my Auntie Mary last week too as she celebrated her birthday on July 4th.


We celebrated Canada Day in Montreal… we attended a parade for that there. There were many other eventful things going on while we were there. Another funny thing that happened... on our second last day there… we were out eating at our favourite little salad bar called Mangia…on their patio, when about 50 nudist bikers drove by… I did get some pics… but chose not to share those ones!!! wink wink!


Today I am remembering this date 42 years ago when I was a bridesmaid at my oldest brother's wedding.
So I want to wish BOB and ARLEEN a "Happy Anniversary" today… and hope they have many more years of 
wedded bliss to come!


On that note… here is my rhyme of the day…


Another blog… another rhyme…
All about JAZZING in the summer time!
So many bands and singers, too,
Lots to see… and hear … and do!
Travel is always a lot of fun,
I love coming home, when it's all done.
Family and friends... we have quite a few,
I have even more now, I met new ones, too!
I love JAZZ FEST… I love it when it's hot,
I love all the sunshine that we got.
I wish summer time could really last,
But every year it just goes so fast.
I live in the moment and enjoy what's great,
This summer has been really fun to date.
My home, my family and all of my friends…
I love my life… and all of it's blends!