Enjoy the Ride

Filling the Pantry Shelves

Nothing makes me smile like watching the shelves in my new pantry begin to fill up with homemade canned goodies. We have managed to make.......ok....well first let me confess that I actually have done none of the canning. Andy has canned everything and I have pretty much just eaten it. Which actually makes me smile even bigger at our pantry.  haha

We have raspberry jelly; blueberry jam and apple jelly. Spiced Bourbon blueberries was a recipe we knew we had to try and it was amazing with the pork roast it suggested you eat them with. I will share the recipe tomorrow. He also did peaches when they came in season....two versions actually. A regular one and a spiced one with cinnamon and cloves. He did a few jars of pickled beets, chow chow and something else but I can't seem to recall it.

Primitive Folk Art Patterns

Just wanted to let my blog readers know that I have updated under "My Patterns" and added a few of the downloadable Epatterns I have created. Also want to let you know that as soon as this craziness of the craft market next weekend, I am adding NEW PATTERNS!!!!!!!!!!  If all goes well......I shall be adding at least 10 new patterns. It has been way too long

Thanks for being patient while waiting so long. I love seeing what folks create with my patterns.

31 Days of October

One of my best friends Heather, made a post about a blog challenge that she is taking part in for October. Right away I was all jumping around my creative space and thinking OH YEAH.....me too! Me too! Then just as quickly, I stubbed my toe, lost my footing and landed face first into the mountain of doll parts and painted canvas on the floor by the end of the bed.
Seems as I am up to my eyeballs with muslin, thread, paint tubes, canvas and dirty water for a craft market in less then a week......here is the scoop :

I sat down and quickly made myself a logo. Figured best way to get ready to commit is to have spent time fighting with the PSP program I have. Nothing gets the creative mojo flowing like that. So the logo is now added (and I'm actually loving it).

I wrote on bright post it notes and stuck them in strategic places that will catch my eye each day, like the desk and my panty drawer......I will do my best to sit down at some point in each day and add something to the blog. Sometimes you might luck out and get a big old ramble about something. Other days, it could be a snapshot of something I'm sewing on or maybe painting. Other days you may hear what I had for lunch and see a photo of one of my cats.

I'll do my best to aim high ;)

Tigger

Then Tigger thought the best place to dry those wet feet was on top of the truck while watching the two new windows get placed in the livingroom. The weather was perfect : blue skies and no bugs!

Wet toes

The grass in the backyard was still covered with a layer of morning dew and someone thought they needed to follow me down to the toolshed when I went for the rake, hoe and wheelbarrow. I love kitty feet :)

Shattered Heart

So much pain and hurt being felt. Not just because today is the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. I was blessed enough while growing up to go to a International school for a few years while living overseas due to my fathers job. I became friends with children from around the world. Glimpses into their lives and cultures were given to me and those memories have stayed close. They bring me great happiness and laughter can escape my lips when remembering the times back then. Blessed again I became when I was able to reconnect with so many of them thru social media elements such as Facebook and Twitter.
Catholics. Jewish. Hindi. Muslim. Buddist.
I watch the torment happening around the world and feel a small piece of my heart shatter each time. I think of my friends around the world now with families of their own. Some are doing well. Some are in the midst of the chaos happening.

I pray for PEACE and the simple sound of laughter to return to children.

Remembering September 11

Annapolis Royal Farmers Market

Saturday mornings (Mid May - Mid October) 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

What a glorious way to spend Saturday! The big storm was heading our way Sunday evening and who knows what sort of mess we'd have to be cleaning up and taking care of so we talked about it and opted to head to Annapolis Royal early Saturday.

The fog was thick when we first left and I was beginning to think it wasn't the best of ideas we could have come up with. That thought quickly past as the fog burned off and the tables beckoned us with their wares.

Tigger Kitty loves when we are outside with him but he wanted nothing to

do with the snapping and cracking heat maker we were sitting next too

......so up onto the winter woodpile he climbed and laid down.

Silly Kitty!

Playing with Fire

Ok so actually I wasn't the one who was playing with fire.

He built and burnt the whole shabang but it was fun to unwind 

from the day and snap some pics of the flames licking about.

Hope you enjoy them. 

For the full effect....click the photos and you'll see them full size.

Evening Bonfire

Rustic Backyard Beauty

One of the old apple trees that needs to be taken care of to bring her back to being able to produce some wonderful crunchy orbs of delight. The cat likes to race at her quickly and climb up her twisted trunk. I am keeping my eye out for the perfect wind chime to hang from her gnarled branches

The sunlight reflecting behind the many pieces of Queen Anne's Lace growing wild in the field. Lupine bloomed earlier that stole my heart. Goldenrod blooms at the moment as well.

Pantry Progress

Some primer has been added to the now sanded smooth shelves in my pantry space. I am madly in love with this room that he built. We have already been super busy canning different fruits and veggies to stock the shelves. A wee bit "horse before the cart" but its working

Queen Anne's Lace

Simple snapshot of Queen Anne's Lace growing wild in the back field

I dream of a Ride On Lawnmower

We have been doing our best to gain back lawn that has overgrown the last few years into quite the wild field. This home has been in his family for many years and the field used to be a number of large gardens and orchards of multiple types of fruit trees. We are SLOWLY working on creating that again.

I really really really........

have I mentioned REALLY

want to own a ride on lawnmower!

This is the path thru the back field towards the woods that we have managed to take back again. It quickly gets out of hand with rain and sun though so we have to try to keep on top of things.The backyard we take turns keeping mowed. In the next few years we've talked about planting peach, apple, pear and maybe even a few plum trees. A small strawberry patch used to be back there in a raised bed that he hopes to make happen again as well.

Silly cat that we have.....the other evening, we couldn't find him anywhere. I was calling his name and shaking the treat bag. Nothing. We knew he was inside and the treat bag is usually the best way to gain his attention.
Then I remembered that we'd opened the door into the bedroom being worked on. Some boards had been placed inside out of the rains that were due in the next few days. I peeked in and spotted this.......

 From his scrunched cheek....you can tell there isn't much room for him in this space he thought he'd take this little cat nap.

He looked like he was comfy so we left him slumbering for a few hours......it was the least we could do after he worked so hard at finding this new spot.

Word Jumble

Not using it as an excuse per say.....but many nights the thoughts that I want to spill out onto this blog page just seem to smack around in my head and stay jumbled.So frustrating to fight with the thoughts and act of writing. I am working at getting better.

Where do you blog?

Where do you blog? Are you set up on a desk with a full on PC? Do you use a laptop so you can sit in the comfy chair next to the large bright window in the kitchen nook area? Are you blogging using your phone?
Do you think it makes a difference in how you write?

I have my main computer set upstairs on my desk hutch in the far side of my bedroom. The hutch holds all my "writing tools" like dictionary, thesaurus, quote journal, vodka bottle......ok so not really a bottle....more like a small flask ;)

I have a laptop but don't find myself using it for blogging. I like the feeling of sitting at my desk and writing. The desk covered with scraps of paper with quick ideas and messages jotted down in my hen scratching.

Tracy(Cedara)Dunn of Thru The Attic Door

Guy's Frenchy's

Work is going well still at GUY'S FRENCHY'S in Digby........hard to believe that I've been working there since January. The gals I work with are great and many giggles happen during a shift.

Bear River

Don Rice had his pottery wheel going as well. Watching the clay move around the wheel with the wet sponge and his fingers gliding over it....magical!

Bob Snider

Singer/songwriter Bob Snider is equally at home playing music on the street or in the largest concert hall. He's been called a national treasure, a folk hero and one of Canada's best songwriters.

and it wouldn't be a Bear River celebration without hearing Bob's guitar and voice floating at you from the midst of it all. He was just sitting on the edge of one of the picnic tables and strumming out his tunes. Here is a sample of Bob's music.

Bob Snider singing one of his original songs

Bear River Nova Scotia...... more artisans along the waterfront

Different folks had their portable easels and art supplies all set up.....pencil sketches, ink dawings, pastels.....it was so awesome to watch their work just jump off the pages before our eyes. This fella was amazing.......his sketches spoke to my soul and make me want to get my ink pens out of the back drawer again soon.

Then an older couple had pulled in next to us at the parking lot. He set up a small table and still life props. Pastels were his choice of medium.



Bear River,Nova Scotia celebrates Canada Day 2011

Many different Artisans from the Bear River area come out to the waterfront to showcase their talent.

Woodworkers

and more woodworkers

Just look at the detail of this carved box......it was stunning pieces of work!
As we moved on thru the trees along the waters edge....

She was making a few small pottery pieces right there on her table. He really liked her mugs and I fell in love with her plates and little bowls.