Pumpkins for Cathey

Happy blogoversary Cathey!   Please check out Pumpkin's blog at  pumpkinpatchandco.blogspot.ca

till next time  .....

 

see you in September ...

September mornings are lovely.  There is a definite coolness along with a later sunrise each day.  It was even foggy. Trees are starting to show color....  Nice.

Thursday afternoon and early evening a very miserable storm came through.  It started with rolling thunder, not much, just enough to get the attention of one little dog....thunder, bark, thunder, bark and so it continued for the next few hours.   Thunder claps moved closer, along with lightening under one or two very loud cracks and then TV/internet/phone service was out.   Power remained on in our area.  For Metro Vancouver, in an hour there were 200 lightening strikes.  This continued out the Fraser Valley as well.   To round out the evening the heavy rain started, so much so the parking lot looked like a small river coming through it.  And when it seemed to be done, the rain came down even heavier.  Eventually calm did return.  And there was quiet in the household too.   From all his guard duty/barking Quincy had to catch up on his zzz's.   I made a cup of tea, put the radio on and had some stitching time.  By the time DH got home from work, it was dry outdoors, TV etc was working again, all was well.

It must be late summer madness....went to the market and along with regular purchases picked up a case each of pears, peaches and tomatoes.   The first two are 20 lb boxs which sound like alot but really isn't that much but the time you take some out for fresh eating/sharing with family.  As for the tomatoes, the 40lb box of #2's was the same price as the 20 lb box of #1's so of course it was the larger box.  Roma tomatoes are wonderful,  I just keep telling myself that.   There is one pot cooking on the stove for sauce.  Another batch will be for the Tomato Salsa recipe from the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog.  Fresh tomatoes are added to everything!  I will use some of the pears to make pear butter.  Very easy oven recipe.....it's like applesauce but with pears.  Once cooked the ladled in to canning jars and a short water bath.

To add to "what to do"  that wasn't planned,  one of the wire closet shelving came adrift from the wall.  Great....take everything out, including stowed away dog toys....really neat thinks Quincy.....DH mutters about getting rid of stuff ...ha!   After some discussion it seemed a better option to upgrade to a heavier style of closet organizer.  After a trip to Home Depot, one large box  purchased and back home again....this box has so many pieces and an instruction book, not a mere page...it will be nice but definitely not a quick build.

Tomato tosses were considered.........

Have a great week!



 

Last weekend of August

It is the end of August...just where did the time go??  It's been a wonderful summer.  And still the sunshine continues. 

have a good one!

 

check out a giveaway

Be sure to check out Lindalee's giveaway.
lindalees-crossnmystitches.blogspot.ca/

summer silence

It has been far too long since my last post.  Now we're heading for the end of August, then onward to September and Fall.  Summer is great but Fall is the best, the perfect blend of warm days and cool evenings.

We've been enjoying an awesome summer.   The really hot spell only lasted a short time.  Otherwise it's been mid twenties every day.   And as much we need the rain the lack of it has been quite a change from normally damp summers.

Many batches of roasted tomatoes have been made and frozen, along with jams (strawberry/guava, peach/apricot  and red current) and sauces (rhubarb/onion).  And bread and butter pickles too.   Now it's time to get chopping leeks, celery and peppers to freeze.   And kale pesto....turned out wonderful. 

We've enjoyed time with our grandsons too.  My goodness the boys are growing.  Pictures next post. And their Mom and Dad just celebrated their 9th Anniversary.  Congrats!

This time has been busy with my parents as well, medical appointments are now part of our routine. It's ok.  I'm glad we live close enough to be of help. 

Knitting needles are still going, stitching needle is currently gathering dust...........I think I need a kick start to get going again.   One piece of aida cloth is currently under a coffee bath.   The warm brown tone is looking pretty good.

We attended a local Blueberry Festival  two Saturdays ago.  My main reason was to visit the Pic-Knit displays.   I came across one vender selling fleece, rovings, wool.....sooo many tempting things...I can away with a hand spindle and some fleece to try hand spinning.  At the indoor area many ladies had floor spinning wheels (tradional and modern styles).    Definitely fun to watch.  Outside again there were many displays and food to try.  Home made blueberry pie....it was yummy.  The event actually carried over many of the streets of Dowtown Cloverdale.  Next year we will plan to stay longer and take in more of the venues.  And take a camera!

And that fleece...still in the bag...I've much more reading to do!  I'm pleased with the Ashford spindle from NZ, compared to making one, this one is beautiful.

From this corner, have a good day everyone!  And a great weekend! 

I do appreciate your comments.

till next time.....








 

nothing but blue skies ...........

Our weather forecast continues sunny and warm for at least another week!  Temperatures in the mid to high 20s and cooler at night, perfect and not the heat wave that we've being having the past few days. 

I'm still trying to sort out things with the move to Bloglovin.  I can see/read other blogs but still can't post a comment.  And that 'posting a comment' part, I know I'm way behind and am trying hard to catch up.

It's just after 5 am  and quite light outside  The coolness of the morning, birds singing and stillness is wonderful.  I left out quiet because the AC is still going indoors.   It is a balance.   A nice time for coffee and toast.  A nice time to collect thoughts, mull over ideas and make some plans.

Yet another work day for me.  Hopefully by next week I can move to a shorter work week for the rest of the summer.  The time off will be nice.  The time spent with  family, priceless.  My parents are getting older and they have both been having health issues.   Giving them their space but being around to do more for them, it is something to be worked out.  And that's fine with me.

DH and I haven't made any travel plans thus far and it might end up being put off till next year.  That's ok too.  Day trips are fun and a change of place.  There is nothing better then heading to the beach. 

That's all for Wednesday.

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Happy Canada Day!

Whew, it's just after 5am and already warm .....this heat wave has hit....welcome to July! 

Thus far this weekend we've been busy with family activities.  Saturday afternoon it was a trip to the Aquarium at Stanley Park.   We shared the afternoon with our grandsons and their parents.  Enroute home we stopped for dinner.  It was a very nice day out.   Yesterday Vanessa, Kevin and the boys came for lunch.   We had a small inflatable pool set up for the boys.  There is something about playing in water.....and the pool did require refills, many times ...  pictures to follow.

Plans for today, keep cool and enjoy Canada Day.  Wishing everyone a wonderful day!

race day out

The sunshine was streaming in so nice this morning, very early in fact, perfect!  We had an quick breakfast, got ready and were out the door by 7:20 am.   The decision to ride Skytrain rather than drive to Vancouver proved to be a good choice.  Lots going on in the city, roadways closed for construction, a movie shoot taking place, and dragon boat racing, cruise boats in, the half marathon and 5K races taking place.   It's been ages since I've been downtown.

We headed for the area of Lost Lagoon at the entrance to Stanley Park.  The 5K runners/walkers were to come down the street and head around back by the lagoon enroute the 5k course.

While waiting for the race to start we had a chance to enjoy the view on the lagoon and park.

The opposite view faces towards downtown.  This is part of the West End, lots of highrises, lots of runners, bikers, boarders.......and here come the5ker's

 

and there they go............

 

and trying to find  "the" one face,  "the one" person in the crowd .....priceless .....DH spotted our daughter (bottom left with puzzle piece on her tshirt back) and before he could get the shot, she was moving on .......these walkers were keeping the pace!

Even this low runner was have a blast!

And these two.......very busy too!

 

water down and water up

 

and that's our day out.  It's been a good one.

summer solstice

The longest day  and looking out my window this morning it continues very grey but at least the rain has stopped.   The drive home yesterday looked and felt like fall.  Tall trees were shrouded in very low dense mist, almost fog really and the rain pounded down.

For the first day of summer it feels cool enough indoors to put the fireplace on.......

I have  made some progress on a knitting project, no photos yet.  A small stitching project is underway as well.   Patio planting/changes are coming along slowly.   All we need is the 'warm evening' to enjoy sitting outside.

Now it's time to make some coffee and warm up. 

Here's to summer!