What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

A special day. It is Canada Day today Wednesday, July 1.  I have a couple of Canadian things to share. One of the Quilt Bible blocks is a maple leaf, rather an iconic symbol of Canada. It pleases me to see how many maple trees are growing on this property.  I pieced one block to get a hang of it and in colours that match the others. A couple of things could have been done differently so I guess I'm still learning.

The tools of my trade these days...I fill my pink weed bucket about four times a morning when I'm out in the garden weeding. By then I'm tired or too hot or hungry. This garden, the cultivated almost 1.5 acres, is a real work in progress especially in my very amateur hands. It is also real work but luckily I enjoy it very much.  

Happy Thursday!

Hot June; up in the night. Murphy with me and it was 24 degrees C outside. Windows were wide open after being closed all day. What did she hear?? If only she could talk to help me understand what was so interesting to warrant barking and waking me and then look at me with hopeful eyes as if I can tell her all about it.  

I have my work cut out for me, literally. I've done research on the history of that phrase and have found the most prevalent explanation as one that comes from the sixteenth century: "This phrase is supposedly a metaphorical allusion to the preparation of fabric to be worked on: once the shapes have been cut out, the tailor still has a lot of sewing to do, by hand in the past, before the cloth

I have my work cut out for me, literally. I've done research on the history of that phrase and have found the most prevalent explanation as one that comes from the sixteenth century: "This phrase is supposedly a metaphorical allusion to the preparation of fabric to be worked on: once the shapes have been cut out, the tailor still has a lot of sewing to do, by hand in the past, before the cloth

Thirsty, Busy, Romantic Visitors

June seems to be nesting season at Arkaroola. There are lots of pairs of birds around, and I’ve even been seeing a few different species collecting nesting materials. A Little Crow went past my lounge room window on the weekend with several large sticks in its beak. The Mallee Ringneck Parrots seem to be collecting moss or lichen from my roof. And all the lads have started trying to impress their dinner dates by bringing them to the very exclusive Chameleon’s freshwater café and bar.

The nights here have become very cold recently, which ...

Last year was the first year for the perennial garden just outside my sewing room. Some of you might who've been reading along for awhile might remember that we made stepping stones to place in the garden while it was being laid out and that four of them were personalized for the grandchildren. Here's Gregory a year ago with a side-by-side shot from the same spot today for comparison; things are

Last year was the first year for the perennial garden just outside my sewing room. Some of you might who've been reading along for awhile might remember that we made stepping stones to place in the garden while it was being laid out and that four of them were personalized for the grandchildren. Here's Gregory a year ago with a side-by-side shot from the same spot today for comparison; things are

Hello all, It is ceiling fan time at the wooden house. Thankfully these are in all rooms (except the small ex sewing room) with two in the main area.

Hello all again.
  Hubby had been hesitating to go for a ride with his little gang of motorcycling men but the lovely sunny weather last Wednesday tempted him and he went. Of course, he thoroughly enjoyed himself. Met the group in a parking lot where social distancing was not a problem and off they went. They did not stop for lunch like they usually do but he came home a tired but very happy camper. And that's a good thing here at the wooden house where we are still very much in isolation otherwise.  Here he is with his ...

It is the green season right now. Amazing how the earth renews itself and I am equally amazed by the transformation every spring. But amidst the greens, little spots of colour also so welcomed. The tiny violets are popping up in the back garden too thanks to the sunny days this week we've enjoyed very much.

Flowers in the garden have slowed down, with a couple of very late freezes in mid May turning all the azalea blooms brown.  It has slowed the emergence of the rhododendrons and mountain laurel too.  I missed going to the downtown Garden Jubilee festival this weekend, which was canceled and moved to individual garden centers.  In the past, we would spend a whole day there looking at the flowers and plants on offer in all the booths, buying some pretty things to plant, eating some festival food and enjoying the music.  But there is plenty going on, so get ready ...

Spring continues to play hide and seek with us.  Ottawa has now recorded lowest temperatures on record for a few of the days this week and snowflakes keep dancing outside my windows (but not landing thankfully). Now they say Saturday will be normal for here. It seems a little like a carrot on a stick so I am not, as the saying goes- preparing my joys.
We continue to spend our days in a certain amount of busyness. The two of us are basically happy hermits who for the most part, find enough to do in our near surroundings without ...

I spent a lot of time in the kitchen last week, moving forward with my bread-making pursuit. At this time I have two, different, sourdough starters going. These loaves are a result of the second starter, it's a recipe from my life thirty years ago;  originally, I received a cup of starter as a gift from a neighbor. At that time, with children at home, I made two to four loaves each and every