Looking East

This is another view of the garden. The lily bed, stone bench and fountain in the background. People always think that a garden this size takes hours and hours of work and that is my secret. Other than spring and fall clean up, put away or take out stuff, the garden once put in, just takes a bit of daily maintenance. And to be truthful, sometimes, it isn't even done daily.

I always putter around the garden in the evening, pulling a handful or two of weeds. This weekend, I am planning to top up the mulch which does help weed suppression. I said some because weeds grow no matter what. The lawn around the garden is green and cut regularly. I am not one of these people who crave a perfect, weed free lawn.

Last night, I did finish the pitcher plant and started the background colour of this square. A soft, buttery colour seemed to look good. I am using mixed fibres, both wool strips and wool yarns. I am using my sit on lapframe for now as the Cheticamp frame still on the drawing board. Thanks to Anne and Deanne with more pictures, we finally understand how this frame is made.

Secret Garden

My Garden is no secret and anyone who has visited it seems amazed. Sometimes, when we are sitting on the deck, we too are amazed at how beautiful it has turned out.

Some people don't do anything in their own yards; we are not like that and no matter how small or large the homestead has been, we have always taken an interest in making the outdoor space pleasant. But, in Newfoundland, there is so many things that are available to add to the garden. All of the stones and rocks were brought into the garden in our small trailer over the past 8 years and lifted and placed many times.

We Love Thee Newfoundland

Just starting the new project. It takes some time to take the pattern and transfer it to Red Dot and then, transfer again to the actual backing. But nonetheless, this was a nice quiet weekend with lots of hooking!

Chickens Finale

I thought I would show the chickens as they have been finished since last week. This morning, I am transfering Anne's pattern to red dot and then, onto burlap as I would like to get the new one started.

Days of Summer

In the rest of Canada, the lilacs have completed their springtime dance but here in the east, they are just at their best.

My garden is just beginning to bloom and look nice. The humid, damp weather is also making the weeds thrive. Isn't it funny how easily the weeds grow? My guess is that they are tough and of course, opportunistic. There may be a lesson there.

DayJobLess!

Well, I wasn't sure that if by the end of day today, I would still have a Day Job. But I do and I am happy to say that for the moment, I have something to support my many crafts and projects.

Approximately, 130 people lost their jobs today in the place where I work and I am sad for their loss. It could have very well been me and it may be me, later on if the industry doesn't improve. Don't believe the politicians saying the worse is over because it isn't by a long shot.

Of course, I had a couple of Plan Bs,Cs and Ds, all prepared, just in case my name came up today. Happily, these alternate plans can stay on the shelf for now and gather some dust.

I am going home tonight and will be toasting Good Luck and Good Health to our fallen coworkers who by no fault of their own, are now DayJobLess.

Got the Gears!

As I was saying the other day, I received Deanne's Fitzpatrick's Cheticamp gears. They came with a nice diagram but as we have never seen a Cheticamp frame, it was quite puzzling. So I sent a "help" email to Deanne but didn't expect that she would have the time to help with her busy schedule.

In true fashion, Deanne sent me three close ups of the frame with the gears for a sample. What a wonderful person she is to help out. I hope to attend one of her rug camps some day as I believe that this would be on my "bucket list" for sure!

1000+ Milestone!

Well, besides the wonderful birthday greetings, I reached a milestone on the weekend of 1000 views to my blog!! It is as good as gold to me that I have acquired a circle of rug hookers all across the country.

I have learned alot from my fellow bloggers: about their challenges, their accomplishments, their interests and of course, about rug hooking in general. This weekend, we went for a nice drive on Saturday to Trout River and Norris Point. Beautiful places indeed and quite a few of tourists from the USA already. In fact, I noticed one license plate which read ISTHEBY and had a good laugh. Newfoundlanders are everywhere and they never seem to lose the love of home.

As a tri-provincial person: born in Quebec, worked and lived in Ontario for many years and in NL on a steady basis since 2000, I have come to see the good in each of the provinces I have called home.

Thank you to all who have visited and enjoyed this little spot of mine. Oh by the way, chickens finished and I will start Anne's pattern this week.

Counting My Blessings!

Today is my 57th birthday and I wondered to myself this morning what a learning curve that my life has been. Nine years ago on this very day, I was having my first of 25 radiation treatments, five months after major surgery. Not that it has been easy, but at least, having survived and later on, thrived!

So many people I have known since that time,weren't so lucky and that makes me wonder about the twists and turns of our lives. And how, things that were important when I was 21, are no longer so now.

I am counting my blessings today: Good health, loving family, good genes, great doctors, and abit of the luck of the Irish.

Who could ask for more!

Summer Days

Finally, here on the most eastern province of Canada, summer is in the air. Hard to believe it after such a cold spring.

Summer days are short and to be enjoyed to the fullest as they are so fleeting. Along with summer, comes lovely gardens which are at their peak in the next few weeks and then, sadly, downhill from there.

I spend most of my offhours outside this time of year and only go inside late in the evening. I love getting up first thing in the morning and taking my first cup of coffee on the deck. I listen to the splash of the pond, the birds, the gentle breeze in the trees and the silence of the sleeping.

It's Arrived!

Anne's beautiful pattern arrived in the mail last night and I can't wait to get started. But first, I am finishing the small table pad of the chickens. This picture doesn't do the pattern justice but I wanted to post it as the beginnings of my next rug journey.

Anne's style of rugs really captures the true spirit of outport Newfoundland and many of the traditions of days passed. The journey of this rug is soon to begin.

Post Weekend Debriefing

What a weekend for gardening. My hands are rough, my back and arms abit sore, some sun on face, and some bug bites! Gosh, I had fun!

All the annuals are in their baskets and all the seeds in their beds. I even transplanted a few hostas. It was great and yes, Wendi, pictures coming soon. At the end of day, yesterday, I almost finished the chickens and have to rework a small corner before starting the new project.

I am glad to be at the day job for a rest!

On my Own!

Unlike my friend, Wendi, I had the house to myself yesterday. Well, of course, my little rascal, Maddy was there for some company. I was able to poke around in the garden, planting dill, beets, carrots and swiss chard. I am not finished yet, though.

It is a bit late for planting but the weather hasn't really been very cooperate the past few weeks. I have annuals to go into pots and distributed through the garden for a splash of colour. Last year, I had 27 pots of annuals in varying sizes. Needless to say, I have a very large garden.

I ordered gears from Deanne Fitzpatrick so that I can have a Cheticamp frame made up for my larger rug hooking projects. I am waiting the arrival of Anne's pattern so I can get started on that one.

Looking forward to the weekend but haven't made any plans for anything definite. In the silence of the house last night, I realized how much my small family means to me.

The Apple doesn't fall far!

My mother has been in Newfoundland visiting for the past few weeks and is heading back to her home today.

I have always been close to my mother and although, sometimes, we get on each other's nerves, we are very close. I am sad that we are so far apart and both too entrenched in our homes to change that.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree and in this case, the apple is still on the tree!

At first, if you don't??

I tried to make labels for my rug hooking and other fibre crafts. Easy enough? I will design a label and then, out a lunch to buy some transfer paper. I got back early and figured out how to flip the text...necessary for it to look right when ironed on the fabric strip.

DIDN'T WORK? Gummed up the printer at work and took most of the afternoon to pick out the goop. Figured out, I have a laser printer at work and used inkjet paper. Guess what? You cannot mix up printer paper.

All's well that ends well. Printer working again and I will do the printing at home on the old inkjet.

My Idea of Heaven!

I was looking into the Welcome Mat last week and the question of the day was where do your ideas come from for rug hooking projects? As a new rug hooker, I haven't had much inspiration on my own. Instead doing the kit rugs and the basic sunflower, puffin etc. My own idea finally dawned on me over the weekend.

My idea of Heaven! I have always pictured my heaven as a little house and beautiful garden and a yard filled with all my little pets over the years. The two dobermans, the two mini schnauzers, my little rescue Jack Russell and my current little rascal all playing with one another.

Now, if I could only draw!

Friday and the Sun is Shining!

This beautiful rug was designed and hooked by Anne in Lord's Cove, Newfoundland. Anne has agreed to creating a pattern for me with some changes and this will be my next hooking project.

My interest in rug hooking has led me to meeting via the internet, such amazing and skilled artisans, locally and across the world.

I did design a small project for my mother; a puffin and a whale, as she has expressed a desire to try a bit of hooking. I am artistically challenged but overcome this by using clip art and the photocopier.

I am sure glad it is Friday at last as this week has been challenging with lots of work and a vehicle in the repair shop. Why can't things last without needing repairs?

Peace Within A Garden

There is a peace within a garden
A peace so deep and calm.
That when the heart is troubled
It's like a soothing balm.

There is life within a garden.
A life that still goes on.
Filling empty places
Where older plants have gone.

There is glory in a garden
At every time of year.
Spring Summer Autumn Winter
To fill the heart with cheer.

So ever tend your garden
It's beauty to increase.
For in it you'll find solace
For in it you'll find peace.

By Lady Langham Rosamund

Spinning Wheels Go Round and Round

This spinning wheel has been a part of our furniture for sometime. Years and years ago, my father was an antique dealer and he obtained this spinning wheel in the Eastern Townships of Quebec.

He never sold it for some reason and it ended up staying in our house while he did not. That's life. Anyhow, last year, my mother gave it to me and now, it is part of my rec room. I never really took any notice of it until I started taking an interest in a varity of fibre arts and discovered many people who love to spin their own wool.

This spinning wheel as I found out, is circa 1840s and is a double wheel variety. It has all original parts including the bobbin and is only missing a small piece of metal which holds the bobbin. I don't know who used this wheel but when I touch it, I wish I could get a snapshot of its past. Something like the Red Violin: a great movie.

Almost finished the chickens and looking for a larger project.