Smiles and Tears

 Our fundraiser rug is near completion and we’ve got tickets printed for the raffle

The border is several rows of black and one of the blue. Looks nice. 

Our evening group celebrated year’s end with a potluck. Can I say I’ve missed a good potluck? From salmon to rhubarb bars, chili and gourmet cheeses. And wines. I am a preacher’s daughter who grew up in Virginia and church potlucks were well deserving of anticipation! 

We even exchanged belated Christmas gifts. 

The woman in the last photo is out 96 year old member who had been at the church hall for six hours the same day doing  refreshment prep for a funeral! 

Does anyone else hate changes? I find them so hard, especially when I’m going through a low time. Thankfully this is not one of them. I think I keep holding my breath hoping things go back to normal but am realizing that they’ve been forever altered, no matter how much the sun shines again. All that to say that I think I’m starting to mourn losses of the last two years… people, pet, friendships… and I’m going to allow that. “A time to mourn.”

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!

 

Easter Greetings

      

Flowers free from local grocery because they lost the price list and were harried.

 Hooked heart by Lauren of rugsandpugs blog. 

I won it in her Valentine draw and finally crossed the border to claim my US mail. Thank you again Lauren. It’s charming and fits perfectly with the great Love sacrifice of the season.

Happy Easter All

Easter Week

 After my normal decluttering clients last week coupled with the dog sitting gig, this week is pretty quiet.

I made another batch of sourdough cinnamon rolls and froze all but a couple for Easter morning.

It really is a super recipe if you’ve got a starter going.

I hung out loads of laundry- which feels soooo good after a long winter if dryer use.

I also finished sewing a backing and loop onto this mat which was hooked by a wonderful blind woman.

She tells me the colours and pattern she’d like and I draw and select wools and then I hook the outline around small areas. 

She hooks inside the outline. These two smart penguins measure about 14x8”. 

The other teacher in this weekly class is in seclusion until her hubby gets his surgery. She’s the dyer and colour planner extraordinaire.

Lastly, I made candles for my daughter.

 Aren’t they sweet ?

 I haven’t made any in a while and she prefers pure peppermint  essential oil soy candles.  Thankfully I found a deal on oil at Marshall’s.

Kate has an interesting blend of thrift and expensive taste. I guess maybe I do too. I shop at thrifts and sleep on  all linen sheets. 🥸

Kate just started her new archives’ job in Montreal.

She loves it! It’s full time (30 hours a week instead of 35 though ) with Fridays off. 

Very different job benefits than what we had in the US.

Happy Easter week. 

If you’re observing the final

days of Christ’s time on earth, may you have fresh understanding followed by a joyful 

reminder that Christ has risen, indeed!

Enchanted April?

 I’m dog and house sitting (again)- all week for good friends.

Sweet dog Jesse and I walk in the strawberry fields near his home.

 

He’s off leash at this place.

When I ask if he wants to go walkies he jumps vertically!

Hubby ordered a sourdough starter and I took some and made an awesome batch of cinnamon rolls—

probably the best I’ve ever eaten.

I used clevercarrot.com for the recipe and added raisins and walnuts and a regular glaze vs. their cream cheese frosting. I mean who wants those extra calories?🤣

Since I took weight off last year and relearned better eating habits, it was not tempting to eat more than one and I froze the remainder.

I completed the repairs on the auction find,

leaving the former repairs someone made in place. 

Call me sentimental.

And after…

         It does need a good steamy pressing.

Picking back up a 2021 Fall rug was hard but I’m gonna work on that sucker. 

Originally NOT an autumn or night rug, I added motifs and subtracted others to the marvellous pattern “Antique Shop” by Sandy of Woolen Memories.

It’s 36x38. Not yet sure if I’ll do that border.

I’ll do some border, of course.

And those red balls in the left centre are apples which need to be pulled out. Too big. 

May our week be full of being in the present, noticing the beauty of Spring around us and helping anyone in need with whatever we’re blessed with- big or small.

♥️♥️♥️