good bye to 2021

 it's time, more than time actually to close the door on 2021....what a year!!!

Forest fires, heat domes, floods and Arctic outflow temperatures for many days now.

This was taken yesterday after the snowfall the night before.

Special gifts received.  Definitely making Christmas merry and bright.

The hand made ornaments graced our tree.  I put the paw print in a bauble so it's Sully safe...he feels that everything in his range is his.    

The pop up card made by Nadine is amazing.   I smile each time I look at it.

And speaking of Sully,  he is ready and willing to help with opening....everything!

Special treats from Gracie.

Given the chance he would have enjoyed all his treats in one go (lol).

As for Christmas Day, our family meal was put on hold due to the weather.   Driving conditions were terrible so the normal commute time would have taken so much longer reluctantly we decided that it was better to see Vanessa and the boys safe at home and plan a special lunch for a later date.  Fingers crossed, it is planned for Sunday (weather permitting).

No matter what has happened this year,

and  be thankful, grateful and blessed.

Looking ahead to 2022,

Fiber plans

And stitching plans too.   Jardin Prive has a wonder Weather Project 2022.

Happy New Year!

between the atmospheric rivers

 I'm still here...and the days on the calendar must have been caught in the wind as it's now the end of November and there's not been a post since October.  My goodness

So here goes,

I'm thankful for.....

A plan coming together.   Snowflakes crocheted from hand spun yarn attached to a narrow knit icord then added lights and garland....a little bit of Christmas!

A completed pof ball of hand spun ready to knit.

A plan for December.....

With outdoor lights hung.  Even the hummer feeder got a do over this year,

Bright lights of the season, yes a bit early this year.  It is nice!

A treasured envelope of gifts.

I can hardly wait for the Tour next year!

I'm blessed for the roof over our heads, food to eat  and gas in the car.   In BC due to the atmospheric rivers many folks are experiencing hardships.  And it's not over yet.  

And grateful for friendships, near and far.

take care everyone.

and like that it's October

 My goodness, the calendar page tuned to October and here I was still planning another September post.....

Bit by bit I'm catching up  on everything.   These days everything seems to take longer.  Is it that I'm getting older  or the fallout of covid times???   Who knows......

Canadian Thanksgiving is Monday.  We're so lucky to be able to share Sunday lunch with our daughter and grandsons tomorrow.   The provincial guideline for gatherings this weekend is to keep it small.

I've gone with making everything ahead so that tomorrow it will easy to just warm up and serve.  And all the pots and pans are cleaned up and put away.   Of course I've done extra so to send home enough for our daughter and family to enjoy on Monday.  Now I did buy the rolls and pumpkin pie  as it was easier.  Had those items not come on the grocery order then I would have made both.  Instead a bit of free time gained.

Earlier this morning I tried to do a blog list tidy up, well that' wasn't my best idea because whatever key I hit saw my blog list gone...poof!   and there wasn't an undo option.   So bit by bit I'm re entering blogs.

Photos updates to come.

In the meantime

Always, always

Thankful.

Grateful

and Blessed.

Come September

 things would be better....lol with that theory....covid numbers continue to run amuck......

At least the heat extremes have settled  in to more fall like temperatures.    We've had decent rainfalls too.

Our daylight hours are slowly dwindling too.

I've always had a list of things I'd like to try:

One being English paper piercing.    I dove into fabric stash bit, cut far too many small hexagons (next time will definitely use a larger size) and per the tutorial put together in groups of 4, 44 groups of 4....sigh.     I opted to make a mat.  It's still to be finished and in the meantime made up the remaining hexi's for coasters.

Next up dry parsley other than air drying..   Online I found a very simple method for oven drying parsley in 20 minutes.   Very pleased with the results.

My old dehydrator never managed this good on parsley or anything else for that matter.   It happily went to the thrift store as I'm sure someone else would still find it useful.

After much thought, review and considerations of $$, I went for this basic Nesco dehydrator..   At the moment drying mushrooms, carrot and eggplant..   

Last on the list (for now) making pumpkins.  They were quick to crochet.  It was a great way to use up small amounts of yarn too.   Three was enough.

My progress on hand spinning has  of course been interrupted but that's ok.  

next time not so long till another post

pen to paper

 on July 21, 2021 wrote this

We remember our yesterdays,

embrace our todays

and have high hopes for our tomorrows.

by debbie

on the list of things

 that I won't miss is this year's mixed up weather, between the heat extremes and forest fires it feels like a very long summer and we're only half way through.

nor will I miss the reports of the continued  toll that covid  continues to take.  Just when we've 'rounded a corner' guess what, we haven't because surges continue.

what I do miss most is family....

Due to health issues we had only just returned weekend family lunches.  That too has been turned upside down due to second grandson falling ill and in hospital.   Lots of tests  and not many answers. Grandson one is doing somewhat better but this week has turned things sideways for him as well.

And out on the patio, the garden might be a miss (due to the heat)  but Sully is a hit.  There can never be too much creative comforts.  And a buddy to sit with him well it doesn't get any better!

take care   

all is quiet

The patio seemed so quiet.  We can only hope that Cheep does well.

This was the issue.   No wonder it couldn't  get out of the house.

Meanwhile the hummers make themselves known.

for something different

 an intervention....ok a rescue .......

hello world I'm Cheep, not sure where my parents are but......

I'd like to stretch my wings, just a bit but  

there seems to be a bit of a problem  with my foot and I'm stuck here

and help arrived  

just a bit more  pulling and then Cheep was ready to get out of the house

it only took a few snips to remove the tangled threads, fluff and whatever from  it's foot

and then a rest stop in a hanging basket.

let the cheeping continue

and exploring commence

and seeing a friendly face again Cheep came closer to visit

(and cheep)

looking straight up and pondering options Cheep moved around the patio flying a bit 

and cheeping for parents to return.  It took about an hour and there was a reconnection of family.  

                                    

And like that Cheep has flown the bird house.

this is dedicated to

 

Noah

Happy 13th Birthday!

It's been a long year with many challenges for our grandson.  Today is to celebrate Noah!  

and his brother too......Nate loves a good party.

the heat is on

we're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave......what?????  this is only the start of summer and now we're under a heat dome........ and it's going to last well through next week too......

I'm ready for tour de fleece spinning.  It was fun to use the blending board.  My  blending inspiration was this.

As for actually watching the Tour on tv, options are few and some expensive.   We will just enjoy what we can.

Thankfully both DH and I received our second vaccine shots this past Sunday.   It was nice to get this done.  Of course it doesn't mean that things are back to normal just yet.  As it stands family visits won't happen till early July.

stay safe, stay cool!!

good bye to May

 and here we are, the last day of May.....   

Here's what I've been up to,  a simple coverup made from hand spun roving.   

The patio is taking shape, even in this corner things are growing just fine.  Photos of the rest of the patio saved for another day.

                                

At the slider door,  a diy covering to keep bugs out (mostly) and allow Sully to go in and out at his pleasure.  I used what I had on hand, the brown sheer hung of a length of bamboo pole and the whole thing slipped in the existing drapery hardware.   It works!

till next time...

with a little sunshine

 ....everything looks so much nicer!   And a picture is worth a 1000 words....

Patio 2021 is coming together.  It is amazing just how much can be tucked in the space I have.   I call it shuggle (shuffle and snuggle)  And so far it's turning out ok.  Now, if mother nature provides us more sunshine and warmth then we'll be set.

           

 

                                     

till next time.