Hook-In Hurrah!

 At last!! First hook-in in a couple years and it was good fun! Yes, there were some noticeable differences indicating all was not as it once was.

 Our bigger than life members Sandra and Carol were gone, taken by cancers. Lovely homemade fare was replaced by pizza (delivered) and salad (served by one person) and the faces of friends were half covered by masks… ….

but there was celebration and excitement at gathering. Here are some photos.

I did not post two exquisite people hookings done by blogger Julia as I hope she posts them again on her site.      They are extraordinary for capturing detail and expression. Please show us Julia. Hint hint.

The vendor was Krista Taylor of Get Hooked in Fredericton NB. I think she did well! 

The hook-in theme of sunflowers and sun

was very fitting and everyone left with a mug rug and a parsley plant and a smile

Tail end of May

How can May be wrapping up?

A quiet day for me, so I’m doing odds and ends that have been needing my attention. The winter hats and scarves and mitts got a wash and are drying and sunning on the line before going into a summer hibernation. It’s a delight to do.

My kids are together in Marseille today.

What a joy to see them travel—- they both have keen wanderlust and curiosity for the world. And a working French vocabulary…

        Can son Sheehan really be turning 32 soon?!

A long delayed hook-in is coming up this weekend and I’m helping out. Here is a peek at two gift baskets that will be raffled:

Those lovely canned treats in the second basket are from blogger Julia.

 Someone is going to be very lucky indeed!

Early June, our Evening Matters group will have our season ending potluck and Christmas gift exchange. 

Obviously we all missed the Christmas party 😢

And my rug is coming along in fits and starts. It’s obvious that planting season is close and my thoughts are turning to the outdoors.

The chair in the yard was almost invisible and is now prominent.

I’ve got cinnamon sourdough in the oven and a friend is coming by soon. 

This is a relationship I am hoping to patch as we had covid disagreements. There were too many of those and life is precious as are friends♥️

Hooking and book reviewing

 I’ve been working on my Woolen Memories rug, filling in the night sky and debating how much border to do and what shades… lights or darks…

The finished size is 36x38 but working that much border in is not my idea of fun. 

Our hooking group is supplying gift baskets for the end of May hook-in and collecting items that are local only has been challenging and fun. 

Reader and fellow blogger, Julia, donated jars of canned goodies from her gardens, one hooker gave her homemade soap, another fashioned a small penny mat, another donated regional wine.

Let’s just say that the winners will be very happy. 

As Spring arrives and summer makes suggestions of coming, I set my hook down more. Anything outdoors calls to me— walking, gardening, hanging clothes, bird watching…

I’ve thoroughly been enjoying an audiobook whilst I still hook; it’s Susan Cheever’s American Bloomsbury. Weaving the lives of the genius writers of 1840s Concord Mass., Cheevers brings life to the colourful characters: Louisa May Alcott, Emerson, Thoreau, Poe, Dickinson, Melville, Hawthorne and some lesser knowns. 

Lots of research went into the non-fiction tome. 

And if any of you have been to Concord, I think you’d agree that it’s very atmospheric with it’s air of history. I’ve been twice and if I’d seen Alcott in person, weeping over her sister’s grave I would not have been surprised.  

In 2013, I went on a 3 week tour of Greece. It was given by the university here and completed my credits for a degree. Greece is another place that oozes with history and intrigue. 

I’m reading A Thing of Beauty, Travels in Mythical and Modern Greece by Peter Fiennes. Have any of you read his other travel books? 

I’m typically a mystery reader and one book at a time, thank you very much. But I’ve discovered that I can read non-fiction simultaneously and not get confused. 

Lastly, for book club, I read 

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margo by Marianne Cronin.

 Cronin is all of 31 and wrote with both finesse and an amazing understanding of chronic illness, though I’d say this novel was more humour than bleak. 

I’ve reserved A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox as the master’s student in the reading group is organizing a trip to Salem Mass. for Fall. She’s a studier of the witch trails and I’m the historical house nut, the others will be along for the wine. 

(Hawthorne’s great great grandfather, John Hathehorne, judged the trials and Nathaniel left Salem because of the lasting taint to his name.

He even changed his last name. )

So all books mentioned get my thumbs up. Minus the last which I’ve yet to read…

May you enjoy this month of daffodils and warming earth!