Have you seen this?

This is a non-native invasive weed called HOG WEED and apparently, is spreading all over North America. It is dangerous to touch the sap of this plant as it causes burns and blindness.

A few years ago, while I was in Atlanta, Georgia, I discovered another invasive non-native plant known as Kudzu. This plant is a climbing, coiling plant which literally smothers trees and any plant in its way.

I have visions of a hitch-hiking plant disguised with glasses and a moustache at the side of the 401 with a sign saying "Anywhere"?

Mausey Weather!

In one of my NL quizes, I used the word "mausey" and this is the perfect word for the weather all across NL and of course, the rest of Canada and the US. HOT, HAZY and HUMID!

We were 29 degrees yesterday and with the humidity, it was about 35. But by the time the sun went to bed, the cool ocean breezes cool down the house and I slept without any fan or air conditioning. We are lucky but then, we pay for it in the winter.

Here are a couple of pictures of the Bay of Islands after the rain on Sunday, complete with a rainbow. The other looking towards the west from my deck. Keep cool!

Number Three and I am Free!

Well, my third little mat is now completed and I am free to start a new project! My goal as you may recall, was to finish all the small hookings before I thought about anything else. This is the mat from the creative stitchery course with Molly from "Molly Made". I did not finish the grass in the suggested brick/basket stitch as I tried but could not achieve that stitch. Sorry Molly but I need a refresher.

I really love the course I took and used the reverse stitch on the pathway and the sky. The clapboard on the house is done in a straight stitch with a darning needle and not hooked. I finally learned how to do a French Knot for the flowers.

The weather in western NL has turned very warm and today, we have finally reached 29 and it has been quite humid and rainy the past few days but today, we are in brilliant and very hot sunshine. The good thing about being on the east coast is that we don't need air conditioning. At night, just open all the windows and catch the cool breezes!

Number Two Finished!

This is the little tea mat I started in February. I never felt the colours were right but glad it is finished as I am tired of it.

I watched Deanne's video yesterday afternoon and it is like she says great mats are sometimes purely by accident. If you have something that's not working, Deanne says stop worrying about it!

What an inspirational artist she is, and the ebb and flow of her pieces often leave me speechless! She is not worried about where her stitches go and if they line up like little soldiers. It is the overall movement and colours that make the difference.

Mat #3 is the small creative stitchery mat that I started recently and will finish next.

One of my fellow bloggers, Jacque from Ohio, asked about using wool yarns. I love the versatility of yarn, the texture of using slub and fleece and of course, the availability. Try yarn for a change!

Summer Snoozes!

Dogs seem to be able to snooze no matter what's going on. I on the other hand, have a disorder called FMS.

FEAR OF MISSING SOMETHING??!!

It is the terrible truth and seeing everyone is being honest about their shortcomings in the media, it is my summer confession.

No Puffin!

Well, the beginning of summer has been beautiful but busy. I have three small mats to finish and of course, the larger one which is a fall/winter project. This little puffin turned out very well in my own humble opinion.

This pattern is a small one I designed for my mother but she found it hard on her shoulders, so I finished it. I used primarily wool yarns and some acrylic yarn.

Mats two and three are next!

A Picture says a Thousand Words!

For any of my fellow rughookers, this picture says it all!

Overwhelmed!

All I can say after not posting for more than a week, is I am overwhelmed! So much going on in my life right now, I wouldn't know where to begin.

Anyway, rughooking on the back burner for at least the next week. Just wanted my dear blogging mates, I am fine and should be back on track soon. (fingers crossed)

Creative Eye!

My mother always is trying to learn new things and is independent and active as possible. My recent attendance at a creative stitchery class held by Molly was a wonderful addition to my rug hooking. This is a picture of the group all holding our projects. I am the third from the right.

I am continuing to work on the mat from the class but silly me, I have two others mats also in progress. I vowed not to do this but alas, I have to finish up all these projects and hopefully, before something else catches my creative eye!

Lovely Day!

While the rest of Canada and many parts of the US are in record high temperatures, we have only had one day of 16C so far this year.

Last year, only one day edged to the 30C mark, so we are blessed with moderate temperatures in Newfoundland. In the evening, just open the windows and doors to the cool ocean breezes; no need for air conditioning!

Here are a couple additional pictures of different views of the garden.

On another more serious side, after receiving a number of comments which were linked to commercial and/or spam sites, I have changed my comment options to allow moderator approval.

I love comments but if you too have a number of inappropriate comments or ones that are linked to a website, maybe you should consider the same option.

The Joy Of Gardening!

Neighbours always comment on our garden saying it must take hours of work. The secret is, it doesn't if you routinely weed and tidy it.

Oh sure, the infrastructure was indeed, the hardest and most physical part. Hours of rock collecting, shaping, amending the poor soil, planting etc. But what joy it gives you looking back at the fruit of your labour.

I do everything in little bites, somewhat like April's Ten Minute Hooking Challenge and before I know it, mission accomplished.

Just a word of warning, gardening is addictive!

Pansy Delight!

After a medical appointment yesterday with the weather finally warm and sunny, I made a stop at a local nursery.

In my garden, I have loads of perennials but I usually place pots of annuals for bursts of colours in between the rock garden.

I have become a real fan of the much unappreciated lowly pansy and as such, I bought a flat of a variety of colours. I potted up 9 medium size pots and planters with the bearded wonders and I am not one bit afraid of any late frost to harm them! They are a hardy plant and although, they settle down their blooms in August, I can have loads of colours until then!

Beautiful Day!

We had lunch yesterday down by the port in Corner Brook. Weather has been abit on the wet and cool side but that's life in the East.

I opened up my pond when I got home from lunch and this morning, I drank my coffee with the delicious warmth of the sun, the chirp of a thousand song birds and the soothing splash of my fountain. Does life get any better than that?

Creative Stitch Workshop

Attending my first workshop yesterday, I learned to give my rug hooking pieces more dimension by adding texture and embroidery stitches. It was a lovely day of learning, socializing and it sadly, ended all too soon.

These are a few of the pictures I took of Molly's pieces. What I learned most of all is that there is no end to where you can take your rug hooking. I used to think there was one stitch you can use. How wrong I was!

Grow where you are Planted!

I saw that little saying in one of the seed/planting catalogues I was recently browsing through. As someone who has lived in three provinces in my life time, I believe that saying is the absolute truth. I feel that I could grow and be happy no matter where I am planted.

I think that inner growth and happiness are the essentials that anyone should be packing into their lives above all else. The things that we think are essential; the big house, the flash car, the fancy clothes are not essential. But it seems it takes a lifetime to figure that out.

Tablelands!

I realized this morning that it has been a while since I thought of my blog posts. But I have an excuse as this week has been consumed with watching hockey! Of course, I am a Montreal Canadians fan and unbelievably watched the best hockey I have seen in years from them. Seventeen years to be exact!

Hockey in Montreal has been called a religion and I heard that this week in Montreal, people were going to St. Joseph's Oratory to pray for the team and go to Mass. It must have worked because the team that wasn't supposed to even make the play-offs, are in the Eastern Conference finals.

These two pictures are from a nice drive we had last weekend to Norris Point. The first one is looking towards the Tablelands and the second one is looking out from the Norris Point marina.

The weather hasn't been good and still quite cool. I putter in the garden in between rain/snow showers.

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the special mothers of the world and especially, to my mother!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mother's birthday and from across the miles, I wish her a wonderful day.

Learning New Stitches!

Way back, more than year ago, when I first decided to take up the art of rug hooking, I purchased my first kit from Molly Made Fibre Arts in near by Rocky Harbour.

Since that time, I have continued on learning through books and youtube, but never had an opportunity to take any classes or workshops.

I noticed the other day a new post on Molly's site and saw a one day workshop coming up and couldn't resist. It will be held in Norris Point during the Trails, Tales and Tunes festival and here is the link for the festival website.


http://www.trailstalestunes.ca

I want to learn different stitches and how to add texture to my rug hooking and also, it will be nice to socialize with other rug hookers from NL.

E. R.?

Well, the weekend was going along nicely and quietly, until Sunday morning around 2 am. Maddy started to feel sick and I thought it was just some bad bug or grass she had eaten.

Throughout the whole night, she shivered and would not settle. By 5 am, I took her out for a walk and then, put her in her crate for awhile, thinking it would pass. It didn't and by noon, a call was made to the E. R. and the vet met us at the clinic.

After x-rays and bloodwork and a through exam, Dr. O felt it was gastritis. Apparently, two days before she picked up some old silicone caulking on the ground and before you could say "Jack Rascal", she swallowed it. Thinking it would just pass through the GI tract, we didn't worry about it.

But Dr.O said it irritated her stomach and caused belly cramps and gas. You have to know Maddy as she has such a low tolerance to illness or pain. Most dogs would just be quiet, but Maddy shivers and cries like a baby.

The good news is that she is back to her old self. Yesterday, I picked up this beautiful rock and decided that as I would never have a real pitcher plant in my garden, I would paint one.

A Rose by Any Other Name!

Many of my blog friends have a variety of pets or as I like to call them, fur/feather babies. Do your fur babies have "pet names"?

Maddy has several and her formal name is Ms. Maddy Mae Petunia Brown. Often, we use the less formal "Boo" or just Maddy.

We recently had to board her at the local critter camp and her camp name was "fatty Maddy". Not nice but understandable after a long winter of too many cookies and not enough exercise. She was able to trim down and came home looking much slimmer.

Here she is after her spring bath and hair cut, looking slim and vampish! Fatty Maddy, no more!

Coming Along.

I haven't been doing alot of hooking but just taking my time with life, in general. Sometimes, you have to stop and take account of everything and see where you stand.

Weather is dull and cool but trees are starting to push out buds. This is the time of year in NL where things seem to be stuck in a time warp. With winter behind us, spring is slowly, slowly releasing her treasures!

Class of '69

I recently connected with a high school classmate who is trying to arrange a class reunion. I graduated in '69 but went back for one extra year, to get algebra, geometry and chemistry credits necessary to enter nursing school.

Most often, you lose touch with the people you went to high school with but you still remember some of their names and wonder where they are now.

A class list was sent and I took a quick look. It came as a shock to see that some of my classmates have passed away. I still see them in my mind's eye, full of life and eager to embrace the future. Somehow, I can't see them any differently and they will remain captured in time and space.

Spring Yesterday!

Winter today. My poor flowers must be shivering in their beds this morning. Here in NL, a spring storm with snow this morning which will change over to rain later today.

No playing in the garden today. All taken in stride as usual.

Same Path!

Something I have learned through blogging and being linked to other likeminded bloggers, is how similar we all really are.

We are all on the same path, not really knowing where we are going to end up in the life we are living. The twists and turns, u-turns and road blocks and all without a map!

Playing in the Garden

Today was a beautiful day and I was able to poke around the garden to look for signs of life. I found several signs including snowdrops, crocus; the tulips and daffodils are just 3-4 inches tall and no flowers yet.

I sat in the sunshine and enjoyed the birds; finches, chickadees, sparrows and of course, crows and bluejays. Inside, I watched Lily and Henry sprucing up in their birdbath. Yes, spring is here and everyone knows it!

Back on Track!

Well, some time has passed since I last posted. But, here I am again, back on track. All went well for P's surgery and now, a slow, road to recovery. I haven't had a chance to do much on either of my rug hooking projects, but here is the smaller project, the table mat.

The weather is great and I have tulips and crocus coming up out of the cold earth. Pretty soon it will be time, to take off the winter coat in the garden and put on her spring coat!

Quiet as Horses

Anyone who knows about horses, knows that is definitely not true. During the winter, our neighbour houses two horses in his barn which is really his garage. Lately, the horses when inside, have been kicking and kicking. I think they feel spring in the air and want to get out and kick up their heels.

Today is P's 59th birthday and on this auspicious day, she is in St. John's and meeting with the heart surgeon who will perform a miracle on her defective heart valve.

Do you ever wonder about the people you trust with your life. What kind of year have they had? Do they have any health issues? And the obvious, how much they drink the night before the big day?

Many times per day, we trust our lives in the hands of perfect strangers and never give them a second thought. The truck driver in front of you, the bus driver, the pilot, the mechanic, and yes, the surgeon.

A little Distracted!

John Lennon once said, Life is what happens, when you are busy doing other things. And so, I have been a little distracted with some of life's curves.

I decided with my little rug hooking group to do a little table mat along with them and here it is. I am doing abit now and then, and will go back to Hearts and Flowers later on.

Still haven't seen a robin but I think I heard one yesterday.

Spring?

While we have had very mild weather, my search for our first robin of spring has proven fruitless.

On seeing the first robin of the year, I have been known to recite the spring poem. You know the one; spring is sprung etc. It is bad luck to chant it before seeing the first robin of the year, so I won't finish it for now.

A couple of chickadees have taken up residence in one of the birdhouses and are busy nest building. But a spring storm is looming on our horizon for the next two days so I hope, if any eggs have been laid, that they will survive the blast.

Dear Julie,

Shape up. Long walks. Small meals.

Please see an optometrist... for goodness sake... thread-repaired glasses from 2004 are wrong. Leave your partner's t-shirts in the closet.
And one more thing, and please don't take this the wrong way,
but maybe you don't need to share *everything* in hOOkwOrm.


Just saying.


Love, Your Inner Voice

If you want to be Happy,

BE HAPPY.



I heard this quote yesterday which was attributed to the Dalai Lama. So simple and so true.

Often, we look for complex answers to complex questions but could Ockham's Razor be the truth.

'Frustra fit per plura, quod fieri potest per pauciora'. ('It is vain to do with more what can be done with less.')

I tried to carry this theme into yesterday's hooking group. Rug hooking was a simple and inexpensive chore of necessity and yet, is it in danger of becoming large, expensive and elitist?

It was a small but enthusiastic group. Next week, we will work on a small project and transferring the design onto the backing.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

As an person of Irish descent on both sides, I am tipping the hat to all the lads and colleens today.

In NL, there was a time when the island was 90% Irish and you can see and hear the remnants of this influence everywhere you go. It is in the language, the accent and even, the look of the geography is so similar to the emerald isle.

We are so Irish in NL, that it is a provincial holiday. Monday, most offices, schools and stores were closed because of the St. Patrick's Day holiday. They took the Monday instead of today.

Today, is the first meeting of our at-work rug hooking group lunch bunch. I will let you know how it goes!

Alpacas of Newfoundland

Along the Port a Port Peninsula, there is unusual wildlife not native to the province. The Alpacas of NL were out as we took our road trip on the weekend, and I could not resist taking a picture to share.

A couple, who were former OPP officers, retired to the province several years ago and decided to raise alpacas. They opened a craft shop complete with alpaca fibre, alpaca knitted goods etc.

The shop wasn't open as it is abit early in the season for travellers but these beautiful creatures were willing to pose for me.

Weekend Trip

St George's Bay














Three Rock Cove













Red Island, Gulf of St. Lawrence















West Bay








The weather was so beautiful that it called for a road trip. The weather has been very unusual for the island and that was clearly evident. We headed for the Port a Port Peninsula which is approximately 80 kms away from Corner Brook and took the French Ancestors Route around the Peninsula.

As NL was settled by a variety of fishermen from many countries over 500 years ago, many of the names and influences remain. French, Irish, English to name a few. The scenery along the way always amazes me in its rugged beauty.

At this time of year, the ice usually moves in and surrounds the island with its icy arms of white. The only ice in any bay was at the end of the French Ancestors's Route, West Bay and it was only frazzle ice; not the usual thick pans of ice.

Progress on Mat

Kim must have been reading my mind and I was thinking too, it is about time to update the progress on Hearts and Flowers. It is coming along but I am not sure about my chosen colours at this point.

But I will persist as I am not going to do any reverse hooking. It is going in a small room and I wanted it to have some light shades to brighten the room. We shall see.

Going ahead with the rug hooking group at work and have set a date for next week. So far, there are five of us and there would be more but some employees have a different lunch time and a shorter one. But there is quite a bit of enthusiasm within the group.

the hOOkwOrms

This picture was sent to me of a beautiful albino moose in the woods in Nova Scotia. If you look carefully, there is also a bird (I think a whiskey jack) in the shrub!

Well, I will be starting a small group of hOOkwOrms at lunch time at the Day job. After my infamous article in the Western Star, I have had lots of interested coworkers suggesting that we start up a lunch time group.

With all the upheaval in the work environment, there is nothing like a distraction for our mental health.

Women's Day-March 8th

First of all, it is International Women's Day today and I have been taking the time to think of a list of 50 women who changed the world. Back in the 70s when I first moved to Toronto, I was a part of the Women's Liberation organization in that community.

Where have all the "libbers" gone as we were called in the day. Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Kate Millett, Germaine Greer all aging as I am. Has the movement aged into oblivion? What happened to the passion for change that fueled the consciousness raising of forty years ago?

Who knows but are we all toddering in our gardens, muttering to ourselves?

I am hoping that the spirit of the movement will continue to inspire us all. The struggle remains, sadly.

The Tax Time Blues

Well, with longer days and thoughts of Springtime in the air, tax time rolls around once again.

Don't get me wrong, I live in a wonderful country and understand that the social services we enjoy must be paid for by those who can enjoy them.

But why does tax time tax us so much?

With Glowing Hearts!

I am not such a fan of the Olympics but when it comes to hockey, both men's and women's teams, that's another story.

To say the least, for the men's hockey team to win four straight after the defeat to Team USA was unbelievable.

To my dear American friends, we are brothers and sisters in arms, great neighbours and close to each other in many ways, but not when it comes to hockey!