Home-free

Well it sure feels weird and wonderful 

to be without a fixed address for a while!

The house sold today, we are stationed in a small rv park

by a gentle river, and the house search continues 

from here.

The French Canadian family closest to us have 2 boys around

ten and twelve. No mother.

They like Lucy dog and were all wide-eyed

when I told them we’d been hunting frogs by the water.

They didn’t know they were there.

(Reggie cat is living with a friend until we find a house).

I’m working on another free pattern

There will be many shapes around this gray blackbird

but I will stitch all in black—

except for an orange pumpkin.

A very Fall-y look I trust.

Lunch today was garlic scapes cooked in

olive oil with preserved lemon and salt,

served over rice and a side of bacon.

I’m trying to get creative with all the veggie 

CSA boxes we get— 8 per month!!! 

I think we may have to share with the rv park soon.

Our book club is reading Outline by Rachel Cusk.
She is a talented author, no doubt,
but I was more in the mood for an adventure
thank a character/s study.
Any recommendations for our next book?

Nap time in the rv....
There’s rest to catch up with after days of cleaning
and moving and signing papers.
And the 71 degree temps and cool breeze
make it ideal♥️

New Moves

We sold our house!!

And can’t find another we like

so we will be in the rv for a bit.

Storage seems like a waste of $ but we’ll

have to use it.

I finished up the free cross stitch pattern

And I love the single colour.

It is actually straight.

I’m going to miss the yard

but not the old house issues nor 

property tax. 

So I’m packing and burning candles which

are low on wax so I don’t have to pack them.

My favourite remain those by Gable House Goodes!

Happy new week

Summer Solstice

We’re experiencing August like weather here

in New Brunswick.

Wow.

And a covid setback.

Boo.

My garden is in and I’m already fighting

tiny, winged bugs.
I mixed up liquid Castile, water and a dab of oil.
It seems to be effective. 

I planted tomatoes , peppers, chard, squash, peas,

lavender, thyme and oregano.

And my husband is nurturing 3 cannabis plants
which are not in the photo.
I have mixed feelings on this, but as they are legal
they are here.
I even give them water if he forgets.

We turned our tv in for a projector and huge
screen.
Last night we moved these to our yard and showed
Moonrise Kingdom under the moon!
A big success!

After 20 years I’ve picked up my cross stitch
and out down my rug hooking.

This is a freebie pattern and I wanted it to
look like a coverlet so I’m using all navy blue.

Here are the cool labels going on all
the rugs hooked within our guild during covid:

We accepted an offer on the house!
If all goes as planned we will be out of here
July 15!
We want to stay in town but have no idea where
and there are few houses on the market.
I’m strangely calm.

I sure hope this finds everyone well.
We are glad to see minorities rising up, being noticed,
and protesting for change.
As a person of privilege I’m being challenged
and recalibrating constantly.
May the foundations of North America be
re-laid with justice and mercy! 

Zoom zoom

Happy Wednesday —if that’s what day it is.

Two Zoom rug groups were pretty successful.

Not many glitches and it was so good to see everyone!

Normally this local group meets twice a month thru June but

now we will meet online every week.

Most of the ladies are retirement age+ and I 

think they’re particularly lonely as several have lost partners.
Heck, we’re all lonely.

Deanne Fitzpatrick of Amherst, NS hosts

a free Facebook class every Thursday,

 at 2:00 Atlantic Time...

She has the most laid back hooking style but it seems to work
 as she is popular.

This Thursday people are invited for a casual

hook-in— join us!

My 1840’s rug is coming along—

almost done! 

There’s a big nipple in the middle where the rug

is bulging but I will iron it several times.
Also, I think I will use a brighter gold on the
third ring out from the centre.

The corners have rainbows which aren’t quite
visible and which I did to add color and motif.
Just realized they could be covid rainbow tributes.

New Brunswick has had only two covid cases in three weeks

so we opened retail stores today. 

I went into our local book shop and coffee store
and tried to support them.
There were only two other shoppers.

Why do we feel reluctant to jump back into the world?

For me, I’ve gotten lazy and hate to dig out my bras 

and make-up again.
And yes, the virus has made me cautious.

Perhaps you feel the same?

Our family member is fully recovered from the
virus but continues to check oxygen levels.
Their province is short on hospital beds;
thanking the Lord a stay wasn’t necessary.

Here is what we are contending with in New Brunswick :

We are sooooo ready for warmth.

And after two months this is how our new cat
and old dog have bonded

Blessings of the week and safety to each of you!

CSA Wisdom

Well didn’t Sunday’s birthday parade just 

go great?

The 60 year old birthday girl had no idea what was 

going on as her daughter got her settled in the yard 

with a glass of wine...

A line of cars, decorated with balloons and banners

came around the corner and slowly passed

in front of her.

We honked, we yelled, we sang,

and we circled back to leave gifts and tp on her lawn.

She cried.

Top photo is birthday girl,

Bottom is two friends.

And she loved the hooked dog!

I finished another UFO:

“Pumpkin Perch” is sold by W. Cushing.

It’s hooked in a 6.

And here’s a bit of advice to take or leave...

In anticipation of possible food shortages AND

to support local growers,

hubby and I enrolled in a CSA 

(Community Supported Agriculture)

to take weekly delivery of a large veggie box.

This begins in June and lasts 20 weeks.

Since there are only two of us 

we will eat some and freeze some. 

Our CSA offers meat boxes too but meat

isn’t high on our needs list.

We will grow a few things on the deck but 

this will ensure a steady supply.

A family member has fallen ill to Covid

but is young and a runner and so far

headaches and fatigue have been the 

only issues.

Prayers abounding...

Willie Nelson

The dog is done!

Minus the backing....

Willie Nelson

The birthday gift for friend Sandy.

He is 8x13”.

Hand cut #6 strips.

I think she will like him.

I get more creative when I can’t go out and shop.

So here is how we will celebrate Sandy’s 60th Sunday:

I’ll give her a call and ask her to sit on her front stoop.

A “parade” of cars with friends will troop by her house.

The cars will bear signs of celebration and each

will pause to leave a gift (and a roll of tp) on her lawn.

Keeping distance is not the best way to celebrate 

but it’s one she won’t forget.

Today...

Even in this time when days blur together hubby

and I have a Friday schedule.

We have wine on the sunny deck at 4,

supper of apps later on and then we watch

a movie or two with our dog and cat.

Yes, they both like tv.

I’m trying to balance mourning a life that won’t

soon be the same for a while with things that 

soothe me: walks, hooking, fam connections, prayer...

Most days I don’t feel balanced but my friends don’t either

So maybe this is normal. 

I don’t find it hard to concentrate 

But sometimes it’s hard to breathe

♥️♥️♥️

Hooking Dog

I set my 1840s rug aside to hook up

a facsimile of my friend’s dog for her 

60th next Sunday.

“Willie Nelson” is about 10”x5” and will

be a wall hanging.

(I’m going to work more on his eyes.)

Willie came up from NC with 10 other unwanted dogs.
Eastern Canada has a shortage of dogs for adoption so the
dogs found homes quickly.
My friend was so pleased to find him;
they’re a good couple!

I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies-
added oatmeal to half as hubby can’t have it.
I took some to another friend who turns 81 today.
Her bigger gift was a load of garden dirt.
This friend is both blind and deaf and has
the greenest thumb of anyone I know.
Imagine!

Eastern Canada has very low crime rate but
a few days ago a man was murdered in the
park across the street from us and
news about the Nova Scotia killings proliferate
the airways today.
I can’t listen too much.
But I pray for the families and friends.
I pray for the earth.

May we all live in the miracle of life
And the beauty and sounds of Spring!