Whimsy Bower

17 August 2026

Summer Sights

Alpine Rose

My favourite part of my week are the walks I take on nearby trails and in parks. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority is doing a great job maintaining the wildness of the green spaces, while also keeping them welcoming for human visitors (a little too welcoming at times, as I noticed they're encouraging golf in some spots for whatever reason). The places I visit along the Etobicoke Creek are replete with plants and wildlife. Yesterday I got to watch goldfinches feasting on thistle seeds, and spotted sandpipers strolling along the shore of a small lake. I didn't get pictures of those birds, but I do have some pictures to share that I took a little earlier in the season. Enjoy!

Look at this happy blended family!

I'm confident it's a blended family because there were more than two adults, and about half the goslings were larger than the others. I think it's sweet that geese raise their young communally.

People like to joke about how scary Canada Geese ("cobra chickens") are, but from my observations, they're cautious, not mean. If you give them their space (especially during nesting season), they'll leave you alone too. They're also really beautiful, with adorable babies. I have a whole new appreciation for them after interacting with them this past year. Canada Geese rule!

Solomon's Seal after rain.

The same plant flowering (you can spot a couple of flowers peeking out in the photo above).

Alpine Rose

These roses grow wild around here. Sadly, they don't have much of a scent, but they do produce large hips that feed the wildlife.

And lastly, not wild plants, but some peonies in a garden I had to share because they're just so pretty...

What plants and wildlife have you spotted lately? Share in the comments...

Cheers,

Aspasia

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.

All photos by Whimsy Bower/Aspasia S. Bissas.

My Books

Bleeding Heart

Love Lies Bleeding

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

10 August 2026

This Week's Inspiration (10-08-26)

Saturday was International Cat Day (to mark the occasion, I posted about caring for your cat's claws), so cats are a little more on my mind than usual.

I love this brooch-- not only is it handmade and adorable, but it shares a great message. I've never met a black cat that wasn't a total sweetheart. If you're loved by a black cat, you are lucky indeed.

This particular brooch is no longer available, but the design is credited to Sojung Kim McCarthy. Unfortunately, the person who made the brooch seems to have disappeared, so if you know who they are, please let me know.

What do you think of black cats? Share in the comments...

Cheers,

Aspasia

My Books

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.

03 August 2026

Smashed Avocado Chickpea Salad (Recipe)

I'm currently taking part in my local library's summer reading challenge. It's been a lot of fun, and it's definitely something I'll participate in again. One of the tasks was to borrow a cookbook and make a recipe from it, so I chose Powered by Plants by Ocean Robbins (love her name). It turns out most of the recipes were rather elaborate, and I'm currently not in the mood for making fussy recipes. Luckily this chickpea salad was in there.

(Once again, I meant to take more photos. Once again, I forgot.)

Smashed Avocado Chickpea Salad

1.5 cups/445 mL (15 oz) can cooked chickpeas, drained

1 avocado

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground cumin

2 to 3 Tbs (30 to 45 mL) lime juice

1 Tbs (15 mL) apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1.4 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, avocado, pepper, turmeric, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, lime juice and vinegar.

Smash the avocado and chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until most chickpeas are fully smashed.

Mix in the onion, celery, and cilantro. Taste and season with salt, and more pepper, if desired. Sprinkle with more paprika.

Serve by scooping a generous amount of chickpea salad into a collard/kale/lettuce leaf or flat bread. Wrap and enjoy.

Variations:

-Sprinkle with microgreens, radish, kimchi, or sauerkraut, and sprinkle with sliced almonds or hemp seeds.

-Add 1 to 2 Tbs diced jalapeno and 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder for less heat). Or add crushed red pepper flakes.

-Omit cilantro or replace with dill.

-Omit celery, if desired.

Serves 2. Store in fridge in a sealed container for up to 7 days.

This makes a tasty, healthy, quick meal, and is open to all kinds of variations.

What are your favourite additions to chickpea salad? Share in the comments...

By the way, you don't need a challenge to read my books! Links follow...

Cheers,

Aspasia

My Books

Bleeding Heart

Love Lies Bleeding

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.

First photo by Whimsy Bower/Aspasia S. Bissas.

27 July 2026

This Week's Inspiration

I've decided to start a new post series: This Week's Inspiration, featuring anything I come across that catches my eye and ignites my enthusiasm :)

This week I'm sharing a collection of green glass and jadeite perfume bottles. I love jadeite. I love glass in general, and happily collect it, but jadeite is my absolute favourite. There's something about it that's both modern and vintage at the same time. I think it's gorgeous.

I found this image on Pinterest (follow me there). It originally came from eBay, but the listing (alas) is no longer up. What I wouldn't do for a collection like this...

Are you a fan of glass, jadeite, or perfume bottles? Share in the comments (and feel free to leave a link to your Pinterest profile too)!

Cheers,

Aspasia

My Books

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

*Blood Magic

*Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Books marked * are free everywhere other than Amazon. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.

20 July 2026

Crocheting with Dollar Store Yarn Part 2

A while back I posted about crocheting a cowl with dollar store yarn. If you remember, that whole project came about because I'd found a single skein of unlabelled yarn in a colour I loved (also at the dollar store). Before I did anything with the mystery yarn, I decided to experiment with some other yarn first. The experiment went pretty well, so I decided to go ahead and replicate it with the mystery yarn (which turned out to be "Knit It!" Cable Knitting Yarn in 100% polyester).

Well, I finally completed a second cowl in the dreamy colour that happens to match a hat and mitts I already had. Yay! Not in time for winter, but hey, it'll be winter again soon enough.

By the way, I don't know why these photos are so washed out. The yarn looks vaguely grey, but it's actually a lovely aqua colour.

I used the same pattern again for this cowl. It's meant to be striped, but I didn't want a second colour this time. I just switched up with stitches as I went to get a striped texture instead.

I also used the right size hook this time.

It ended up narrower at one end again. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong (probably multiple things, and that's what I get for being self taught). If anyone has any tips or suggestions, please leave them in the comments...

It's a cowl! (And this photo shows the colour a little better.)

In the end, this cowl fits a little better and is less stiff than the last one. I think that's probably because I used the correct hook (and maybe because I didn't cut or alternate yarns? I just crocheted along, switching stitches when the pattern said to, without starting a new row.) I'm really happy with it and look forward to wearing it when the weather is right.

I still think dollar store yarn is a good choice for newbies or those of us with more amateur skills (and/or budgets). I've noticed the selection doesn't tend to be great, though. If there's ever a really nice colour, it's guaranteed they'll have only one skein of it. At most they seem to carry only three or four skeins of basic (browns, greys) colours. And they never re-stock. So if you want to use dollar store yarn, stick with smaller projects and get all the yarn you need right away. That, or be prepared to drive around to all the stores in your area to get the amount you need.

Don't forget to get my books! I promise I write better than I crochet (links below)...

Where do you go for decent quality, affordable yarn? Share in the comments...

Cheers,

Aspasia

My Books

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

*Blood Magic

*Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Books marked * are free everywhere other than Amazon. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.

All photos by Whimsy Bower/Aspasia S. Bissas