Waiting

Here I am spending my day waiting for a phone call that hubby is coming home.  He had knee replacement surgery on Monday and it went well.  He is now learning to walk and go upstairs and then he can come back to the nest.  I am now the sole caregiver of the chickens, dog and cat.  

I have been getting some things done that otherwise might have been put in the 'procrastinate' drawer but I can't get outside to do the garden in case the phone rings.  However, we are only the late middle of September so there is lots of time for that-unless of course, it snows!

Last night was interesting.  I was a little later than usual going to bed as I watched the Blue Jays win their game and it took me a bit to settle down.  I was woken around 2.00 by the cat loudly declaring that she had caught a mouse and I needed to dispose of it.  Ally has a special meow when she catches a mouse so we always know what it is.  At 6.00 Heidi woke me up as she wanted out and when I had gone back to sleep, the phone rang at 7.45 with someone wanting to know how hubby was doing?  Don't people sleep in anymore or assume that a retired person might be?

In between the usual chores, I have been working on my memory quilt.  I think I will also finish a friends knitted tea cosy.  The evenings have been cool enough to light the wood stove.  Our maple trees are looking nicer every day.  The drive to the hospital where hubby is is very scenic with a lot of lakes.  Ontario is a beautiful Province.

Blessings, 

Fair Entries.

 I didn't do as well at the fair as usual but I didn't spend a lot of time preparing things either.  Nearly everything I entered was items I already had.  I didn't make anything specifically to enter. I did get a couple of first, one third and others were seconds.  I took photos of entries that I would like to try next year.  One is a flower arrangement.  I have a couple of totes full of silk flowers as I do the arrangements at church so am sure I will be able to do something.

I spent all my time at guilt group yesterday cutting 6 inch squares from shirt backs to be made into blocks to the memory quilt.  I think I am going to have enough material left over to make a toy or pillow cover.

Tomorrow, I get my new glasses.  I am so looking forward to having them and not have to keep removing my cheater glasses and then putting them on again-after I find them.

It has got quite cool here.  We have brought in most of our vegetables.  I made pickled beets today and froze the cranberries.

Stay well,

blessings,

                                                             One of the fair entries.  These were all hand appliqued.

I Must Have my Tea

 What do you do when your hydro goes out and you don't have a generator?  We had a thunderstorm yesterday and while it was noisy, I didn't think it was severe.  However, our hydro went out.  I have books stored on one tablet so I got that out only to discover it was almost out of charge.  Second choice was card games off line which I did until it was time for bed.

Hydro was still off in the morning and we heard that it was scheduled to be restored at 4 p.m.  I did what housework I could and then sorted fabric.  That kept me busy until the the lights came back on.

We always buy a gas powered stove for cooking so if/when the power goes out, we can still light the elements with a match.  This means I can have my tea and when Anna has her tea everything is right with the world.

Our temperatures have dropped from above 30oC to 20 so it is much nicer for working.

Blessings,

Back to Routine

The Fall Fair is over, our area tourists have returned home and life is back to routine.  I didn't do as well at the fair this year as I didn't make much of an effort.  I had a number of things already made so I entered them.  I have some ideas for next year so will write them down and, hopefully get at them before the due date.

We had a lovely time with both our grandchildren and now they are back in school.  We called them last night to see how the first day went.  Our 15 year old granddaughter said she felt so old because she is now in grade 10.  It is a millstone for her but I admit that hubby and I smiled to ourselves.

We are getting August weather now so it is very warm.  I have picked the beets in the garden and want to get them pickled but will wait for a couple of days until it cools.  The high bush cranberries also need picking and freezing. 

There isn't anything new on the quilting front.  I am still working on the two memory quilts and the top from my customers.  I keep thinking I need to update my social media but I already have more work than I can handle so it might be better to wait.

My heart goes out to all those in Canada who have lost their homes to the forest fires.  How dreadful to know that some of them were deliberately set.  On a happier note, we got apples from our tree for the first time in since we planted it 15 years ago.  They are slightly tart so will be great for baking.

blessings,

Chicks and Appointments

I have my last eye appointment today.  This one is to get fitted for glasses.  I can't wait.  I have been using 'cheater' glasses and they have been fine for reading, looking at the computer etc but I have to take them off for everything else including watching tv.  Of course, even though I have a number of pairs, they are always somewhere other than where I need them.  I tied a ribbon to one set so I can hang them around my neck and that helps when I am watching television and hand quilting.

As I am looking forward to the end of my eye care, hubby is getting ready for his knee replacement.  Appointments, phone calls and more appointments are taking over the time previously used for my eyes.  I am glad we are getting the knee replacement done as he is in so much pain.  In the time we have outside all that, I have been getting some quilting done (mostly for customers) meeting writing deadlines and doing the normal everyday stuff.

We have had a couple of blessed events and now have two little baby chicks that were hatched by one of our banty hens  The eggs were from one of the full size birds so momma banty is going to have her feathered hands full.  We are really pleased to get these additions to our flock as it is much cheaper than buying more birds and, of course, we have the fun of watching them grow.

                                                       One of the chicks and mom

                                            Some of the flock.  Isn't the rooster magnificent?

Our fall fair is this Monday so have been working on my entries. I am not doing as many this year but do have a few things.  I will post them next week.

Blessings, 

Last Minute Preperations.

 I am back.  Our granddaughter went  home yesterday so we are now trying to adjust to not being hugged all the time and learning what a T pose is.  It was lovely having her here as it gave us time to get to know her.  Hubby and I Facetime with her and her brother each week but that, naturally, doesn't really give you much info into who they really are as people.

It has been a long time since I've been a parent (my son is 53) and I am amazed at the different lives young people live now.  It isn't just the amount of computer time they have but they relaxed attitude toward how they choose to identify themselves.  Our granddaughter has chosen her own name and, at the moment is non gender. She doesn't use pronouns to describe herself which I can't manage to remember.

She is still very confident, affectionate and willing to learn.  I firmly believe that those are the qualities which will help her grow into a successful and happy adult.

I am now back to quilting and getting ready for our fall fair.  I never seem to get things done in advance so will be working on my entries right up to the last minute.

I hope you all have been well.  My prayers are with all those affected by the forest fires.

Blessings,

Blessed are the Children.

 Our temperatures have really dropped.  It was close to 30 a few days ago and now, at 10.30 a.m., it is 9C.  Hubby wondered if we should turn up the thermostat but I opted for an sweater.  It will warm up as the day goes on and, really, I do prefer the cooler temperatures.

We had a lovely day at the Burk's Falls Village Quilter's group yesterday.  One of the ladies brought her granddaughter and what a lovely young lady she is.  She is 14 and have the grace and social skills rarely seen in someone much older.  I think we all would have gladly adopted her.  We do hope that she will come as often as possible.

On the opposite end of the age scale, the daughter of one of the other ladies drops in with her daughter and many grandmotherly noises follow the little one.  She is a beautiful little moppet and adds a lot of joy to our day.

Making children welcome at a quilt group is, I think, important to the continuing success of our craft.  If these young people have a good experience being around us, it will carry on with them as they grow.

I wish I had had that wisdom a number of years ago when I had a group in Edmonton.  One woman often brought her daughter and the rest of the ladies really preferred a child free environment.  I discovered some time later that the reason Mom brought her daughter was because her husband was abusive and she was afraid to leave the little one at home with him!  We all need to be very sensitive to the horrid reality that not all people have happy healthy homes.  

I finished a customer quilt and have the top of another nearly finished.  I am also back working on my hand quilted top.

Thank you to those who responded to my query about whether you liked the wrinkled or smooth look for a top.  The answers were even for both.

Blessings,