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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

December 30

Christmas tree down and decorations taken up stairs, but not put away. That is a chore for today. The left side of the stairway going up is cluttered with things, and I take one or two items up on my way. The oomph has left me again so I can see that getting the rest of the things up and put away is going to take some time.

We had a nice little snow storm yesterday, leaving about 20cm on the ground. Our driveway is not ploughed, so I am house bound, not that I would be on the road which looks a bit icy.

A special family of carollers come to share Christmas music
each year. One of my favourite things about Christmas.


Granddaughter L trying to take a picture of C & R.


Not a very spectacular tree, but it served its purpose. In
the background you might notice a choir collar. Yes, once
again, I wore it home from church......nobody noticed......



This is sort of mid-storm I think



The birds enjoy the seed pies.


I think this will be my last post
until the new year.
I hope to do better at
blogging in 2016.

Wishing everyone a very
Happy New Year!

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

December

I cannot believe that it is December 20th, but it is. I get my dates and my days mixed up, but I am pretty sure that Christmas Day is very close...........

Ummmmmm..........

I can't believe that it is December 22nd, but it is........I sure didn't get much written on the 20th did I?

There have been so many days when I sat down to write something on this blog, but as you can tell from the date of my last post......well, let's just say I have been inactive. I don't know why, but there are times when even though I have the urge to write, I do not have the energy, or I do not have any bright things to say.

Life goes on, and the days of December have passed quickly. Last minute felting, and church/church related activities become a bit of a blur. Our small but mighty choir has done a wonderful job of offering special Christmas music. God blesses us, as eight voices sing out with all the fervour of a 20 voice choir. It has been nice to get back to directing, as my talented assistant took over the piano, so that I could lead. It is most difficult to do both, and a really nice change. I think I may be a better director than piano/organ player.

It has been my pleasure to play for a few church services at our local assisted living home. The folks so enjoy the music and hymn singing, and the Pastor is wonderful.

Christmas shopping done. Presents wrapped (almost), tons and tons of baking done (Not), though some dear friends have dropped of some yummy goodies. It has been a little sad, as I miss my Sadie helping me get things done for Christmas. I had to do all the stuff alone instead of having Sadie following me around, supervising the wrapping, sniffing the presents and laying under the tree....and listening to me sound off or sing or just talk to her about what was going on in my mind.....she never judged. Strange, isn't it how a little dog can be so much a part of what you do.....

Well, enough of that......I haven't taken many pictures of late, either, but I will share what I have.



First Snow, now gone

Downy Woodpecker having a little snack

Felted bears

Granddaughter L with her school Drum Line performing at the local mall
in Santa Claus Parade

Ditto


My Christmas Card this year


And now
as Christmas nears
and with it the good wishes
Friend to friend
family to family
I wish each of you
who read this
a Christmas of
Joy
Hope
Peace and
Love
May the spirit of this season remain with
you in the days and months
to come

Thursday, November 5, 2015

November. Really?

The beginning of November, with the red and orange leaves fallen on the ground, and the yellows and browns still clinging to the trees. I am still clinging to the trees as well, trying to prolong the coming of winter and its snow. Bare branches are reaching for the grey clouds moving swiftly overhead. Hang on little leaves, hang on.

The previous ten months seem to have passed in a flash, and we ask where did the time go. How could it possibly be November when just yesterday the summer was beginning. Wasn't it just yesterday? Now the days are shorter, the evenings darker and the wind colder.

Harvest is over on the farm. Another sign that the winter invasion is coming closer. I am so pleased that D was able to make a donation Feed Nova Scotia. She has been able to do this for the last 3 years.





I did manage to do a little bit of felting for a few days. It is a dangerous hobby when you keep putting holes in your thumb. Needless to say, it is important to stop the bleeding before continuing to felt the white wool, or else......candy canes...

It is not as bad as it looks. My thumb was stinging a bit so I squeezed it and four little spurts of
blood appeared from four little jabs. When I make small things my thumb is a larger target. :)



Just a few of my latest creations

The evening skies can be very strange looking
but beautiful

It has taken me three days to get this much down 
so I shall stop here;

Until next time,
may your days be peaceful



Sunday, October 18, 2015

Colours Around the Farm

........Not too many words this time, just a few pictures I took yesterday when I had the opportunity to sight see on the farm........












Friday, October 2, 2015

What am I Doing?

The last day of September already. October will bring with it more activities and special services and the month will go by in the blink of an eye. Days run into each other, and with my dark cloud accompanying me lately through the days and nights, each day is a struggle. I detest it when this happens, and you would think by now I would know how to fight it, how to get through it, how to manage it.

Staying up late to watch a lunar eclipse, and then watching a leader's debate two nights later, and being unable to get to sleep until the wee small hours of the morning, is not conducive to a decent frame of mind. I should know better of course, but I have a feeling that I would not have slept even if I had gone to bed at a decent time, since last night I saw 2 am. I lay there thinking I should get up and do something, but I haven't the energy to do so, and then I lie there willing myself to sleep, willing myself to turn off the thoughts that circle around in my head. I have not done one creative thing in the last week or two, except for a few cards. I can't seem to get going, and wasting time also makes me feel inadequate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now it is the 2nd of October.......and it has been raining and probably will continue to be rainy for a few day more, even in to next week, hopefully with a few breaks. It makes apple picking a bit of a chore, picking in the wet, but I see the barn door is open, and D is starting her day. It's pretty wet out there, but the faithful pickers are arriving.

I have no pictures to share in this post, but perhaps between the showers, if I can get up the energy I can take some in the orchard. No promises............





Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Quite an Experience!

Well, I must tell you of my adventure last evening.......

I had picked up granddaughter L from her after school Drum Line practice, and we were chatting about school and playing the drum and classes, just regular stuff. As we passed my house, L said "Grammy there was a hawk by your porch."   I hadn't looked so didn't see what she saw, but couldn't believe that there was a hawk just sitting by my porch. L said it looked like a lawn ornament.

After dropping L off, and returning home, sure enough, there was a Hawk by my porch. I approached it carefully, knowing that it must be injured. That would be the only reason that a wild bird like that would just be sitting there. I walked right up to it, within a foot and it watched me, but didn't move.

"Camera," said the little voice in my head, so I went in, put my purse down, grabbed my camera and went out. The Captain had gone out to have a look not believing at first, what I told him. I took my pictures before the Captain went out,

Now, there is a guardian angel of wild life here in Nova Scotia. Hope Swinimer is the founder of a wildlife facility, where they rescue injured wildlife, give medical attention, and rehabilitation to injured or orphaned animals, with the hope of releasing them back to the wild. This special place is called Hope for Wildlife, and is in Seaforth, near Halifax, quite a ways from where I live, almost two hours away. (www.hopeforwildlife.net )

Really concerned for this beautiful bird of prey, I called Hope for Wildlife, and talked to Hope. I told her about the bird, and described it's action, as it had now started to hop across the yard, dragging one wing. I think we had made it nervous with all the door openings. Hope thought that it should be brought in to get the help it needed, and while she would try to get a person to come the distance to pick up the bird, she suggested if I could, to see if I could get it into a box, to contain it until someone arrived. I took a blanket (not a heavy one, just the handiest one) and a big box and went out to secure the bird. It was frightened and did not realize that I wanted to help, and it went into the bushes at the back of the property, finally coming to rest on the branch of a fallen tree. Again I was within a foot of it, talking to it as though I could make it understand that all I wanted to do was help. Its beautiful eyes seemed to be filled with fear, its beak open as though it was panting. I wanted to cry. It was so beautiful and so badly injured, a badly broken wing. My first try at covering it with a blanket in order to capture it, went awry, and it got caught up in blackberry branches. Having it partly covered with the blanket, and being the complete novice that I am, I thought I could just move it into the box that I had laying on its side as best as I could in the brambles. I am not sure now whether it was the beak or a claw that caught my finger through the blanket. Ouch! That hurt. The poor hawk was really frightened now, so I thought I had better leave it for a bit, to let it settle. I also realized I had better do something about my finger, which at this point was dripping blood. I managed to stop the bleeding, wound some gauze around it, and grabbing some heavy gloves, and  trying to slow my heart rate, I was off to make a second attempt at capture. The frightened hawk had clutched the blanket in its claws and by lifting the blanket with the bird attached I was able to get it into the box. I carried the box with its priceless life inside, to a spot near the house, that was in the shade. I put a cloth over the top, and hoped for the best.

I then went in and got supper ready, as if I hadn't had an incredible hour of rescue. D and L came up to have a look at the bird, as I had texted L to tell her she had been right about seeing a hawk.

Hope had told me that someone would call me regarding a pick-up of the hawk, but I hadn't heard anything by 7:30. I had known it would be hard to get a volunteer to drive all the way to the valley, but also knew that Hope had remarkable volunteers who did just that. Anyhow, I called Hope back, and she was still unable to get someone, and had also had three other injured hawk calls since my first call. We considered my keeping the hawk over night, which I would have done, but it was in pretty bad shape. I wondered if we could meet a volunteer half way, in Windsor. Hope jumped on that, and again put the call out. I had just hung up from talking to Hope, and the phone rang - the volunteer driver would meet us in Windsor at 9:30. She told me her name but I can't remember it to personally thank her.

My daughter D had earlier suggested that she would drive the hawk to Seaforth, (she had taken an orphaned raccoon in last year). I now called her to see if she would be willing to drive to Windsor with me to meet the volunteer. She willingly agreed and she, L and I with the hawk, that was now sitting up in the box, set off for Windsor, about 45 minutes away with D driving.

After a short wait in a Tim Horton's parking lot our rescuer arrived. I gave her the information she needed, and thanked her, and off she went taking the hawk to Seaforth. I told her how wonderful it was that she would do this. Then we headed for home.

I had initially thought that the hawk was a female Northern Harrier, after checking my bird book, but the rescuer took one quick look and told us it was a juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk. Checking my faithful bird book again after getting home, I realized that a Red-Tailed Hawk is a big bird, and was glad that this one was a juvenile, or I might be missing a finger today.

Here are the two pictures that I was able to get. Such a beautiful bird. I hope it makes it through the surgery last night. I cannot predict the outcome for this creature, but am thankful that I was given the opportunity to help it. Some might say, 'let nature take its course', but perhaps they haven't looked into the eyes of a helpless creature.






I hope things went well for you Red-Tail

Thanks to D and L for helping me to help him.

And an extra special thank you to

Hope For Wildlife

and the volunteers

for all that you do.



Thursday, September 3, 2015

September Daze

September…. A time for back to school adventures… a new grade, and a new school. My youngest granddaughter set off to high school early this morning, and the oldest one will leave for university on Sunday. Even when you know it is coming, it is still hard to settle it in your mind that the little ones have grown up so much.


Soon it will be time to get back to my regular activities, choir practice and Bible Study. I have to start revving up my mind to thinking about these things.

I have spent some time lately doing felting and have come up with these little creatures




I have also been doing some painting, and hopefully will get it done before too long. I am working on a picture of a deer in the woods.

A little update on the card from the last post. I counted years, even on my fingers and am sure it could not have been my 29th birthday, as neither one of the girls could have made it when I was 29. Perhaps they were trying to be kind, and took 10 years off.  Very strange. J





I was able to have a little get together with D, R, L and R’s friend C and his mother C. It was a nice evening, and I was happy to do it as a way of wishing them a good year. C’s mother brought me lovely potted mums. So pretty.

Have a great week and best of luck to all the young people who read this blog. Blessings as you return to school. 

Oh yes, I'm the one who is in the September Daze.........

Monday, August 31, 2015

Margaretsville and Other Stuff

     Last Tuesday, I decided to take a little trip to the Fundy Shore, to Margaretsville. It is not far from here, about 30 -40 minutes. I wanted to visit a little art shop, where a friend of mine has her paintings. I asked granddaughter # 2 to go with me, and she did. I was able to get this painting, and I was so glad.



L. posed for me against the backdrop of the water.
She is growing up so much

As you can see there was fog lying just off shore

This is the Margaretsville Lighthouse. I have painted 
it before, but I might do it again.
I really enjoy going over to the shore, and I don't get there
often enough.

Other Stuff.....

I have been doing a little felting. This is supposed to be a gnome.

And this is a card I found....from long ago......






......it was made quite some time ago by HJ
I thought it was really cute.
(Toby was our cat, and Dingy was our budgy just in case you thought I
gave strange names to my kids, :))
I found several cards from the girls when they were small, and it was nice to read them. It's amazing what kids think about their parents when they are young. I had some good laughs and a little cry too.

There's not too much else today, except to say that soon R will be leaving for university, and L will be going to High School. Where did the year go, never mind the summer.

Hoping for some nice fall days ahead, good for apple picking.

Have a great day.





Saturday, August 22, 2015

The End of an Era

   When we started to harvest our apples, many, many years ago, it was decided that we would sell some on a stand out in front of the house. The Captain built a covered stand on a ski-doo trailer, and moved it beside the driveway where it has stood for 20+ years.  As the years passed it became a sort of landmark, and something people would recognize when trying to find our house. "It's the house with the white stand on the lawn."

           The years have passed and the stand has withstood the winter snows, the wild winds, and heavy rains. It was weathered and the roof had a big sag in the middle. We have not used it since we stopped farming, and I really wanted to take it down, but the job was way too big for me. After realizing that it was next to impossible to take it down myself, (I had visions of me wielding a sledge hammer or some such thing), and had more or less given up any hope, out of the blue, a gentleman drove in the driveway and said that he had looked at the stand for years, and seeing that it was no longer in use, he asked if he could get it from us. Picture me pumping my arms up and down, dancing in circles and shouting to the rooftop, "Yayyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!" I asked him if he was serious and he said he was. He had a use for the whole thing, and could he come back and dismantle it. I asked him if he had looked at it closely, and he told me that he had. I led him to the stand to look again, and he pointed out what he would be doing. I asked again if he was serious......I couldn't believe it.

           Today he came with a truck and tools in hand, and within a couple of hours the stand was taken apart, loaded on the truck, and he was ready to go. The trailer will take a separate trip.
Of course I had to take pictures of this momentous occasion. I just couldn't believe it.

           I just received a call and he is coming back this afternoon to get the trailer......


#1 Poor weatherbeaten stand


#2 There goes one wall  

#3 and another..

#4 and the back wall down
The roof just sort of rolled up and died.

The base of plywood and RR ties

The lonely trailer

It marks the end of a chapter in our lives.
Perhaps I will put a little garden of annuals in this spot next spring.

The End
Fond Fairwell

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Off to White Point Beach

       #2 Daughter, HJ treated me to two nights away, at an ocean front resort. It was so enjoyable, to be able to sit or walk on the beach, watch and listen to the surf, and talk and laugh with H.
I have been to the ocean many times, but for me this was a little vacation away from everything. A recharge as I mentioned in my last post.

This is the main Lodge where the dining room, lounge,
and pool are found, along with other activity rooms

A look at the lodge from a ways down the beach.
We walked to where I took the picture. 
It took a while, with lots of stops, but
I made it there and back without H having to carry me.

The surf, with folks in wetsuits catching some waves. This
is the Atlantic Ocean so that water is very cold.
H and I had our poor little feet in the water, and they became numb very fast.

White Point is known for its rabbits and this little one, which
I called Flopsy spent a lot of time outside our cottage.

We did not have a cabin on the ocean, but rather our back deck
looked out on the estuary. It was lovely, and peaceful.

This is the other end of the beach where there were very large
rocks. Spent my last morning sitting here watching the waves,

This is a huge fireplace/chimney in the main lodge.

We have several webcam views of various places in Nova Scotia. You can view the beach
and hear the surf with the webcam at White Point. (http://www.novascotiawebcams.com )

To be quite honest it was hard to leave this lovely spot, where the only decisions I had to make
was when or what I wanted to eat, and whether or not I wanted to walk on the beach or go for
a swim in the heated pool. And no housework, dishes, laundry or meals to get.

Ahhhhh, so nice. Then after 2 nights away, it was back to my reality. It seems the Captain
required his supper and had been waiting for me to get it. (I got home just after 6 pm)

Hmmmmm...Yes dear...........(would this be Wed, Thurs or Fri supper? Oh Kentucky Fried did
Wedensday and Thursday? You don't want to know, so it must be Friday's. I am so indispensable .........)

I want to go somewhere else, now!

Just kidding.......
no I'm not.....
Oh well....