Walking on Water!

On the way into the Day Job this morning, I thought I was seeing things. The birds were walking on water. Well, at least, it looked that way.

Most of the ice has disappeared with the milder temperatures but overnight, it got abit cold. Cold enough to create a skim of pure clear ice and the birds looked like
they were walking on water.

I am always amazed at the survival of the birds during the hardship of Canadian winters. How do they survive with only a few feathers and bare feet? And to top it it all off, they don't even complain or ask for media time to expose their plight?

Is this January?

This little Newfoundland Pony in Summerside can't believe the little snow we had is now gone again. How funny the weather is this year? All my pictures of snow and ice in the Bay are now only a distant memory. Gone with the warm wind and rain.

The bay is now wide open.

More Pictures

These pictures were taken by friends who were skidooing on a trail near Marble Mountain and the ski hills.

To give you some perspective of the proximity of the city to the country, you can see the steam coming from the mill in Corner Brook in the last picture.

It's Finished!

I started the Icons of NL on June 28, 2009 and completed the last stitch on the top border this weekend.

Now, I am working on the finishing. Thanks to April's blog and her tips, I used Cindy Gay's technique and zigzagged the edges several times before cutting off the excess burlap. I am using cording and whipping it with a contrast colour and I must say, it is spectacular.

I worked on this mat which is approximately 32 inches by 28 inches for at least ten minutes per day; afterall, I am a member of the ten minute challenge group! The materials are wool yarn and some wool strips. It isn't perfect but I certainly learned alot about rug hooking and considering I am self taught, it is amazing.

Now, this week it will be finished to be a wall hanging and the Icons of NL's fate will become clear!

Bay view Pictures

These pictures are looking out from Corner Brook into the Humber Arm. The steam is rising from the Corner Brook papermill where I work. The bay just started to "catch" as they say here this week with the very cold temperatures.

The ice is abit late this year as we have had a mild winter with only small amounts of snow. Corner Brook has a population of approximately 25,000 in and around the surrounding areas. It is a beautiful place with mountains older than the rockies, clear lakes and brooks and wonderous forests; all within 10 minutes.




The seals have moved into the harbour and here is one basking on the ice outside of the fish plant in Curling and only a few feet from Marine Drive.

Prorogue?

Now, there is a word that only a few Canadians knew the meaning of, a year ago.

To prorogue means to delay, to suspend or to defer, to extend or to protract.

Personally, I would like to prorogue my weekends and shorten my weekdays. Unfortunately, that is not to be and by the posts in my fellow bloggers, I am not the only one with this preference.

Maddy is having one of her naps with her head on a pillow by the fire and a binkie close by. It has been so cold that she doesn't stay outside for long and the bay is starting to "catch over".

But the days are getting longer, perhaps, proroguing a little more every day!

Almost!

Almost finished the Icons of NL on the weekend.

It was another whirlwind weekend of tidying up after some renovations, regular housework, shopping, snow removal and a nursing assessment for Veteran's Affairs.

Needlessly to say, the weekend as usual flew by and I am back here at the Day Job wondering where it went. I am teasing out the last bit of hooking as I prepare for the finishing. I am going to make this lovely rug a wall hanging and I am using some of my fellow bloggers as resource people. Afterall, I have never completed a rug of this size, so it is a bit of a learn-as-you-go project.

Ahhh, now, the mystery will be revealed later on its destiny. Stayed tuned.

The Answers to Yesterday's Quiz

I think that I am being selfish as I get such a great laugh at some of the answers to the NL Quiz. Great job Kim and Cathy!!

It has been such a hard week at work with the economic downturn in the industry that it was wonderful to have a good laugh.

Here we go:

1) Jackabaun:A mischievous, untrustworthy person or a nickname for a politician. I guess you could say we have quite a few jackabauns around in Ottawa!

2)Mollyfodge: This is the soft green brown lichen that forms on rocks. In the old days and probably still today, NL rug hookers would use the mollyfodge to create a yellow-green dye for their hooked rugs and mats.

3)Ursena: I like Kim's definition but it is really a sea-urchin. I guess it was a slang word used in the old days.

4)Ragmoll: Almost just like it sounds, this one means a tattered, unkempt person.

5)Bangbelly: This is a type of pudding or cake made in the woods with flour, fat pork or suet and can be boiled, baked or steamed.

Almost finished the last icon and will start the border and hopefully, finish it on the weekend. Then, more to come on what will become of my beautiful mat.

Yes, Virgina, another NL Quiz!

This is beautiful NL art by thegrumpygoatgallery, Cara and Pam. Isn't this lovely?


And now, another NL Quiz for you Mainlanders. What does this mean?



1)Jackabaun

2)Mollyfodge

3)Ursena

4)Ragmoll

5)Bangbelly

I can't wait for the answers to this one.

Unsubscribing the Welcome Mat!

I read something odd the other day on the Welcome Mat. Something about getting an invoice. Then, more mentioned on the blogs of other members about the upcoming "charge" to belong to the Welcome Mat.

I don't want to get into a mudslinging diatribe but I have always suspected that the Welcome Mat (or the Unwelcome Mat?) was becoming more of a business venture and not that of a free discussion group.

Many of the wonderful bloggers I have met on the web have either etsy shops, or eBay accounts, or small home business but absolutely none of them, force you to purchase their information or their products.

I will be supporting Rug Hooking Daily and opting out of the Welcome Mat. That's just my two cents worth for what its worth in the scheme of things.

Gone in a Blur!

The weekend went by in a blur! Alittle shop therapy on Saturday and abit of housework on Sunday but I did work on the Icons of NL. In fact, I am in the preliminary of arranging my first monthly Pay It Forward and it involves the Icons. If it goes the way I am hoping, I may be able to do two Pay it Forwards in one.

The weather turned colder and abit of a dusting of snow on the ground. But would you believe that we were able to hose down the two trucks on Saturday to get off the two inches of sand/salt before it turned cold.

I didn't get a chance to take any pictures but will once the final icon is done this week. I will be making the Icons into a wall hanging and now, have to start preparing this part. I have finished small projects using cording and whipping but not quite certain about this and will have to consult my books and my hooking friends for this part.

Busy, busy busy!

I have been so busy with meetings etc at the Day Job, that it hasn't left time to do much else.

Do more, with less people is the name of the current situation and the future doesn't hold much change. On a lighter side, the weather of the West Coast of NL has been downright balmy. Plus temperatures and absolutely no snow. But truthfully, we are all holding our collective breath and hoping we don't get it all back in February!

Working on the final icon in my rughooking project and should be able to start the top border this weekend. I will post some pictures over the weekend!

My Resolve to Pay it Forward

I don't make resolutions but this is a special year for me and I wanted to do something to highlight my appreciation of life itself.

I am going to take on a "Pay It Forward" Challenge with a twist. Pay It Forward is a kind of a pyramid scheme in which a favour given to one recipent is paid forward to any third party rather than paying the favour back directly to the original donor.

My Pay It Forward Challenge is going to have a twist. My tree of good deeds is going to have a monthly "branch" deed and be highlighted right here on hOOkwOrM.

I am going to do something nice and meaningful and expect nothing in return at least once per month.

Welcome 2010!

This is my first work day of the new decade and I am still wondering where the time went.

My hope for this year in fibre-arts to refine my skill at rughooking and of course, to complete any projects once started. I am currently working on the final icon for the NL rug; it is a Newfoundland dog and then, the top banner.

I am looking ahead at the type of finishes for this rug and am leaning towards a wall mount. Once completed, the NL mat will find a home and I am thinking in terms of donating it to an appropriate cause.

Any suggestions?

Blue Moon and the End of a Decade

Tonight, there will be a second full month in the same month and this phenomena is known as a "blue moon". This doesn't happen very often and of course, it is the end of the first decade in the 21st Century.

I am very happy to be celebrating both these events. Ten years ago, it was a different story for me as I was starting my battle against a health monster. It was hard, it was frightening and it was the most intense time of my life.

Looking back is always easier than looking ahead as you know the outcome. Since that time, I have lost friends and family to the same monster; Mary Ellen, Mike, Kim, Donna and Martha. And I think of fellow bloggers Jane and Sherri who are now taking on the same battle.

I am grateful every day of my life and I will be celebrating and remembering all my dear friends and family this New Year's Eve and always.

Christmas Over for Another Year

Well, I stayed home and enjoyed myself on my days off. Having finished the Santa's, it was back to the Icons of NL project.

Here is the second to last of the icons, an Orca whale and her baby. Living in the middle of the North Atlantic, whales, porpoises are certainly all around us. I can remember two autumns ago, watching the porpoises put on a little show in the bay. Jumping, twisting and playing. Better than any show with animals in captivity.

One more icon to go and then, the top border to complete this project. And already, thinking of the next one.

Merry Christmas to All

With everyone so busy and no time for blogging, we wanted to wish all my friends and family a special and warm Merry Christmas.

I have enjoyed meeting so many new and wonderful people, connecting through our mutual love of all things fibre.

Anne Kirby, Cathy G, Kim, Phyliss, Lynne from Jersey, Shawn, Jennifer, Wendi, April, Gene, Cindy, Deanne, Jane, Mary from BC, Corinne, Dulcey, Heidi, Sherri, Tammi,Cara and Pam, Urve and all the people who drop by to have a look.

You have all made my rughooking life special and I think of all of you as friends.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours.

Love and Blessings,

Julie,P, Maddy the Jack and of course, the birds, Henry and Lily!

Reflections

This is the scene on Sunday morning from my deck overlooking the beautiful Humber Arm of the Bay of Islands.

Gorgeous reflections which always remind me that we should reflect on the past year and give thanks to the Creator for all the gifts and challenges we have had. Sometimes, I marvel at how fast time passes and wonder if I am on the right path to the place where I am supposed to be headed.

Everyone, sensing their own mortality, dreaming of Christmases past and future. Reflections of lives lived.

Newfoundland Christmas

This is a lovely presentation of NL Christmas and there are certainly some ideas for rugs here!

Don't shop, Adopt!

I always believed that hOOkwOrM would maintain its overall interest in rug hooking and stay clear from any political or personal opinions. But it is at this time of year, that I strongly urge people to consideration adoption of pets and not purchasing.

I have had six beautiful dogs in the past 25 years and I used to obtain my pets through breeders and/or pet stores. There were my two Doberman, Babe and Bonnie, my two mini schnauzers, Heidi and Pepper, my first Jack Russell, Weezie and now, my second Jack, Maddy.

Weezie was my first rescue dog and her life, a tragedy of abandonment and starvation. We only had this darling dog for five years and lost her to kidney disease likely as a result of her earlier malnutrition.

Maddy has never been mistreated but she was just "too much" of a Jack Russell for a senior in Lewisporte. She is almost three and has turned out to be a beautiful and intelligent little darling and we love her very much.

With so many abandoned animals in our communities, consider not shopping, but adopting a suitable pet. These are two lovely pets available at our local shelter.