How fortunate

I was out watering the famous garden last eveining and had to reflect on how fortunate we are here. Earlier in the week I received a letter from a friend of mine who lives in Queensland. In the letter she told me about the drought they are currently enduring and the extreme water rationing they are having to do. Here I was pouring water on our little garden...and on top of that ...it rained last night so I likely could have saved myself the trouble. I am well aware of water shortages, living on a well as we do but I know I have never had the drought conditions she described.

I have also never had to undergo the terrible flooding that is happening in the American midwest where the Mississippi is overflowing its banks, or in Manitoba where a few years ago acres of farmland and homes where flooded by the Red River.

Mind you my little town did have a tornado rip through it in the early seventies, before I moved here. No one was injured, but all the trees that lined Main Street were ripped up and the only building that sustained serious damage was the town hall which had been sitting empty while awaiting demolition!

I have to share is this robin's nest which is perched on one of the light fixtures just outside our garage. This picture was taken last Saturday and those eggs have now hatched and there are 4 baby robins in the nest. The nest is in an excellent location, high off the ground, under the eaves so it is shelted and well away from predators. As you can see we can only peek into it using a mirror and we are careful not to do that too often so as not to scare the mama bird. I can't get a photo myself because I am not tall enough to reach up and hold both mirror and camera...I expect I'll soon be able to get a shot from the porch of 4 little beaks clamouring for food!
On the stitching front I have completed but not assembled two ornaments. They are from the JCS ornament issues from 2001 and 2000 respectively. They are over one on 32 count natural linen. Awhile back I went throught my ornament issues and picked out some ornies to stitch this year. Alas it seems that all I chose were over one...go figure! I have to be in the mood to tackle them but I guess these past couple of weeks....The time was right.

Orvus is amazing

I finished Betty's Border Collie and put him to soak overnight in orvus. What a difference! Here he is all cleaned up! The grime came out of fabric and even some of the white which had been stitched and had yellowed is white again! I think she will be pleased with her latest Collie. They already have 5 live ones! These two pieces belong to Sharon sho is one of the Friday stitchers. She has a grand daughter mad about all things Pooh related...
... and she and her husband belong to a motorcycle club. She used PCstitch7 to produce this motorcycle, which she stitched and will have framed. She is donating it to the club and it will be raffled off for a children's camp charity which the club supports.

Updates

Splendor II ... is coming along. I haven't touched it in a week or so because I am working on finishing the Border Collie for my friend Betty. Apparently Betty's sister started this for her a number of years ago. Judging by the grime on the fabric I'd say it was quite a few years ago...anyway she asked me to finish it and I am. There was not much left to do...just some dark gray on the right side of his head and a good deal of the gray/white on his chest. All that is left for tonight is the white and the backstitching around his eyes..then a good long soak in some orvus. She called it a job for me but I will not take any money from her but since she sews rather well I think there may be a bit of barter happening...I have the fabric for Kaleidoscope and I do want it made up into a pillow...
Here is an update on our famous garden. We are very pleased with how the plants are progressing.

And this is Barbara, who took the class I offered recently. We all stitched "Claret" from Rosewood Manor. Barbara is the first of the 5 to finish stitching and to make up the bellpull, which she is planning to give her grand daughter. Barbara took the class to learn how to work on evenweave fabric...she took to it like a duck to water !

Thursday stitchers

My stitching has been sporatic as best these last few weeks...company last weekend, more this weekend so I just have not been able to get much done. However the Thursday stitchers have come through with some great finishes...

These geese from X's and Oh's were done by Lisa...

Pretty Pumpkins (on 32 count) are Barb's as are the two great Prairie Schooler flatfolds.

Children

Last Sunday we spent almost the entire day on the road visiting people. Here is a shot of me holding my newest grand-nephew, Ethan who was exactly one week old at the time. This is a picture of the happy parents and the baby and Madonna of the Garden which I stitched in honor of the new arrival.

When we left their house we traveled over to see Dan's Dad...no pictures.
Then we went north to celebrate our grandson's 4th birthday. Here is the Lightning McQeen birthday cake.

And this is Michael and his brother Nicholas blowing out the candles. There are 5 candles but he only turned 4! Last but not least I have found two new "must have" patterns but I can't figure out how to picture them here on my blog. I will post them whenever I can...meanwhile to tantalize...Lizzie*Kate is releasing a new series of double flipits ...Christmas themed... and I love it. If I can somehow get it from my e-mail to here you will see it and love it also.(How do I do that Dani?) I have ordered a whole bunch for the store so I will be able to sell them as they are released to customers who want an automatic mailing!

The other one is a Long Dog piece called Bubbles and Froth which I will also be purchasing for the shop and for myself! It is on the European Cross stitch site.

I really need more stash for myself and for the shop ....right???

Cooking class pays off

Last Saturday night Dan and Judie demonstrated some of the skills they have acquired at class..

Dan studies the recipe....

The chefs taste and confer..
Dan does delicate stuffing and wrapping....
Ann and Ed watch...
Dan and Judie proudly show off their handiwork...A close up of potato galette, stuffed pork tenderlion and grilled asparagus...Enjoying the fruits of their labour...
Actually in this picture (above) we were enjoying the leek and potato soup which Judie had brought!

What a feast.

Cross stitch updates

I have not been doing as much stitching of late. However I do have some progress to show on this Hearts Contents piece...Splendor II. At Thursday stitching Jane remarked that I was coming along really well with it...then I mentioned that I have been working on it since around 2001! It is over one on 29 count linen (that's what came with the kit) and I really have to be in the mood to work on it..I do like it though...it's just very slow going... I switched over to the Hearts Content piece when I got tired of the colour changes in this one by Bizzi Creations... Sunbathing... It is fun and I am enjoying working on the Crossed Wing Collection hand dyed fabric.

We had a great weekend which you will see pictures of and hear all about as the week progress...I actually have stuff to blog about...

Saturday night Dan and Judie created a feast for Ed and me ...stuff they had learned at their cooking class...

Sunday, I visited my niece and her husband and got to hold their one week old son...he's gorgeous...just ask his grandmother (my sister-in-law)... actually you don't have to even ask Susan...I swear she is going around telling total strangers about the gorgeous baby that is her grandson!

and then we went to our 4-year old grandson's birthday party ... the cake was Lightning McQueen...there are pictures for those of you not up on the current idol and best friend of 4 year old males ..

today we went up to Burleigh Falls (what seemed like Northern Ontario wilderness) to check out a venue for a reunion we are holding in 2010. In July we will be going south into Prince Edward County to check out venues there (much more civilized)... We are only 2 of the organizers but I think you can see which way we are leaning. Man...August in northern cottage country...we would all be carried off by the mosquitoes!

Anyway there are pics coming up as the week progresses of the food, baby and birthday!

Oh Yeah...there is stuff "shoosting up" in the garden too...very exciting!