Category: grandparents

Photography Lessons, It’s Never Too Early to Learn

photography lessons
~ Loreeebee ~ 2 Comments

As most of you know, I thoroughly enjoy the time I get to spend with my grandchildren, especially the one on one time. Each grandchild has their own unique personality and interests which are becoming quite evident in the oldest three. The two youngest are still babies; their turn will come.

Recently my two and a half year old granddaughter has shown an interest in photography. Since she has been the subject of the oh so many pictures her parents and grandparents have taken on our cell phones since her birth, it is no small wonder she wants to try it herself. She is very independent, and getting more so every day.

I thought I would let her “show me how” to take a picture on my cell phone, and I was amazed at how proficient she is at it. Sometimes. Eventually. When she remembers to keep her fingers off the lens. It is amusing and fascinating (and so cute) to hear her talk herself through the steps.

  • Find the red “camera” button
  • Hold up the phone
  • Look for Grandma (I was her subject)
  • Move my (her) fingers
  • Push the white button

These were her first few attempts at getting the fingers out of the way…

Practice makes perfect; she did get better as she kept trying…

She is definitely a quick learner…as well as very determined and perseverant, all wonderful personality traits.

Button Jars, are they Obsolete?

~ Loreeebee ~ 3 Comments

My grandmothers and mother used to keep a jar full of buttons. I loved their button jars, chock full of miscellaneous sizes and colours of buttons. Of course in those days spare buttons were much more useful, you never knew when you might need one. These days it is more common or acceptable to run out and buy a new piece of clothing from which the buttons are missing. Or at least a new package of buttons. Does the younger generation know how to sew on a button?

This recollection of button jars bubbled to the surface of my memory recently when my two and a half year old granddaughter was “helping” me sort through my sewing drawers.

She loves pulling out each tiny drawer to inspect the contents and is especially fascinated with the buttons. And loved the fact that most of the drawers contained at least one button. An hour later we had all the buttons, from each drawer, scattered on the floor…

Then came the chore of putting all the buttons into two (they would not all fit into just one) drawers and putting them away. That step took a while, she did not want to relinquish those buttons!

A few hours later she asked to go play with the buttons again. I think we’ve discovered her new favourite toy!

Fun (and safe) Things to do with Kids During a Pandemic

~ Loreeebee ~ Leave a comment

Are you having a difficult time keeping your kids or grandkids entertained during the pandemic? Luckily for me, my grandchildren love the outdoors and nature, giving us lots of options to choose from.

Last week we took a road trip to my grandparents farm where they could run around outside while I had a socially distanced visit with my aunt and uncle.

This week we stayed in Ottawa, driving a short jaunt to the Log Farm. Pandemic precautions were in place, but fairly inconspicuous for the children.

  • lots of hand sanitizer around the spacious farm yard
  • masks mandatory in the gift shop and indoor bathroom, but not outdoors
  • tickets purchased online to control number of visitors
  • two 90 minute sessions available with farm yard activities cleaned between sessions
  • attractions, activities well spaced out to encourage social distancing
  • outdoor bathrooms available

It was a beautiful fall day, perfect for checking out the animals and exploring the farm yard activities. Check out the pictures!


Another popular outing for us takes advantage of the many groomed woodland trails throughout the Ottawa area. My grandkids love to wander through the forests and across the wetland boardwalks, feeding the birds and looking for frogs, turtles and the like.

  • feeding chipmunks
  • feeding birds
  • looking for frogs
    looking for frogs
  • calling the birds

Hazeldean Woods is right in my neighbourhood, so readily accessible. Now that kids are allowed back on play structures at the city parks, we can walk to the park and through the woods. And back to Grandma’s house, without encountering the Big Bad Wolf!

            Hazeldean Woods

When the weather keeps us indoors, baking is always a hit, especially the mixing bowl clean up and taste testing!

By the way, in case you were wondering, the feature picture (top of article) is a reflection of my 3.5 year old grandson and I looking for frogs, lying on our tummies on a boardwalk, along one of the mentioned trails.