Bibliothèque St-Jean-Baptiste...

  I've walked by this historical site countless times over the last four years.  On more than one occasion this looming Gothic structure has stopped me in my tracks. Other times  the persistence of everyday life pulled me past without a thought. While I could clearly read the sign stating that it is in fact a library I wasn't convinced. I've never actually seen anyone walk in or out.  Timidly I entered to find this...

Library St. John the Baptist is located in the former St. Matthew's Anglican Church, next to a city park formerly associated with the church. The origin of St. Matthew's Church dates back to 1822. It was then the gravedigger's house. In 1827, the house was transformed into a temple. However, during the great fire of 1845, the temple was destroyed and rebuilt in 1848 in a Gothic Revival style.    

(Information from Google.)

This is a very informative link...click here. 

 It was sensory overload.

 I wanted to race up and down the rows...but the idea of missing something 

stabilized my eagerness. I felt like my camera couldn't capture all the details and my words would not do it justice. In this case I think less is more.

I hope you enjoyed another piece of Quebec City.

A little Audrey

Tautou... that is!

In an article I recently read, Miss Tautou talked
about leaving acting for her Plan B.

 If you were given the option for a Plan B what would you do?

I feel like I've already moved on to Plan K.
With each move I've tried something new mixed with something I've already done.
As far as the next Plan....I'm not sure. Right now, I'm still enjoying the sweetness of the bakery.

If you haven't seen any of Audrey's  films I suggest taking a little bit of "me time" today to watch one.

May I suggest Amélie or Coco Before Chanel.

Have a bright~happy Sunday!

Have a wonderful day....

What is one word you would use to describe your week?

366

February 29th..... Leap Year

 

In keeping with the theme of nature gone awry, a whimsical tradition dating back at least four centuries holds that leap years confer upon women the "privilege" of proposing marriage to men instead of the other way around. The convention was (in literature, if not in reality) that any man who refused such a proposal owed his spurned suitor a silk gown and a kiss — provided she was wearing a red petticoat at the moment she popped the question.

Written Source/Photos-WeHeartIt

Additional info....

 The tradition of a woman proposing on a leap year has been attributed to various historical figures. One, although much disputed, was St Bridget in the 5th Century. She is said to have complained to St Patrick that women had to wait too long for their suitors to propose. St Patrick then supposedly gave women a single day in a leap year to pop the question - the last day of the shortest month. Another popular story is that Queen Margaret of Scotland brought in a law setting fines for men who turned down marriage proposals put by women on a leap year. Sceptics have pointed out that Margaret was five years old at the time and living far away in Norway. The saying is not said to have become commonplace until the 19th Century.

It is believed that the right of every woman to propose on this day goes back to the times when the leap year day was not recognised by English law. It was believed that if the day had no legal status, it was acceptable to break with tradition.

As the snow continues to fall..... imagination is a beautiful thing!

 “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” 

― Albert Einstein

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

~ Queen Bicycle Race, Fat Bottomed Girls

Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free, untrammelled womanhood. ~ Susan B. Anthony 1896 

Do you have a bike?  

 Any plans for the weekend?

Lead Stick....

While my days of red lipstick have truly been minimized to almost nil,

 I still love the look of it and the idea of it. 

Just last week I was having a conversation with a friend about toxins in cosmetics. (She who wears little and I who wear...some.)  A part of me was like..".oh well"  (I love it. I use to sell it. I love it. I would still sell it. I love it.)  and then I got to thinking about the responsibility of the cosmetic companies and we the consumers. My "oh well" faded into the back of my mind, but didn't go away. There was a little nagging...lingering thought. Ironically, I ran across this article today about the percent of lead in lipstick. New FDA analysis finds lead in all 400 lipstick products tested

Though the FDA maintains that the amounts of lead found are not dangerous, their site does note "Although we do not believe that the lead content found in our recent lipstick analyses poses a safety concern, we are evaluating whether there may be a need to recommend an upper limit for lead in lipstick in order to further protect the health and welfare of consumers."

I'm not going to throw away my makeup or my lipstick. 

 Lord knows I wouldn't do such a crazy thing like that. No. No. No. 

I guess I just like the idea of educating myself...and you.  

1. Thoughts?

P.s. Did you know there was lead in candy bars?A little more lead info.If you're interesting in alternative cosmetics...or more education.