Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost

Two days in a row ....

2008-11-18T07:07:00.002-04:00

......... to you! Even if I haven't too much to say this morning, perhaps an enouraging word and a pretty picture will benefit someone out there in cyberland.

Sooooooo .........

2008-11-17T15:41:00.003-04:00

........ you thought that I was lost, didn't you? ....... No. I wasn't. Busy, perhaps .... but not lost. Late autumn is upon us in the 'northland' ...... and the temp took a drop today. It has been unseasonably warm ....... but that is about to end. Winter preparations are almost complete as we anticipate the cold and snow that is soon to arrive. I'm digging through my yarn stash looking for some wool as I've been commissioned to knit a friend a pair of socks for her husband as a Christmas gift. The picture above shows the pygmy goat kids meeting my Basenji during one of their first outings last spring.

Where does the time go??????

2008-07-10T09:22:00.003-03:00

...... And, not only has the time speeded away on me, by the time I manage to get on here and under the correct account most of what I wanted to say has vanished! Nevertheless, I'll share a bit with you ............ It's been a busy spring and early summer here in southern Nova Scotia, and now the FOG has struck this coastline! ....... so thick that I heard a friend remark earlier this morning that 'even the seagulls are walking' ........ Now, that's thick!! Though the fog keeps things damp, it's only a surface dampness, and we've had a number of forest fires in the area already. Hoping and praying for rain here ..........

Birds have been plentiful at the feeders and it's always a joy to see them.

Knitting of socks continues. There's something about that process in that you can never have enough socks IMHO.

Going to the hairdresser this afternoon. Will be a boost during the 'foggy season' ....... :-) .......

~ Dawn

2008-04-15T10:45:00.002-03:00

"I was beginning to learn that spring was not a specific date on the calendar, but a gradual relinquishing of the bonds of winter." - Isabel Edwards

It was a long winter ........

2008-04-15T10:04:00.003-03:00

..... but now only the occasional day has snow, and the snowfalls are changing to rain, the winds are still cold and strong but once in a while the sweet promise of a warmer wind mixes in ......... Ah, Spring begins to stir the earth again! While the winter hung on I knit and read and took a few pictures ........ I bought a spindle and some rovings ........ the lady that I bought the items from gave me a hugh handful of fleece to 'practice with' ........ which was very nice of her. I haven't practiced yet .......... but I've bought myself a couple of books that should help ............. Spin It by Lee Raven, and Start Spinning by Maggie Casey. And, Heather and I bought some livestock last month and became 'farmers' ....... or would we be 'shepherdess?' We bought a pair of Pygmy goats ......... a breeding pair ....... and Annie, the Nanny was pregnant. Note that I said 'was' ................ A week and a half ago we were blessed with two doe kids .............. so now I'm buying hay and Hobby Farms Magazine. All are doing well ....... lively and healthy ....... promising much fun for the weeks ahead.

Winter came early this year

2007-12-19T05:40:00.000-04:00

Still autumn, and yet winter has been upon us since the latter part of November. A fierce winter storm went through the Atlantic provinces last weekend giving us low temps, much snow, and far too much wind. In the middle of it all the temp went up and the heavens poured water down, which washed away a lot of the snow, then the temp dropped again and left us with frozen earth and ice. Yo yo weather ..... :( .......

My computer is back from the 'computer hospital' and is 'well' again. Isn't that grand?! Meanwhile my son bought himself a computer bringing the total computers here up to four. Now, mind you, this is with dial up and one phone line. So far we are being courteous to each other. Hopefully that state will continue.

December 15th was Dream's 10th birthday. Hard to believe that this little girl has been with us almost 10 years. When we picked her up at the airport in Halifax she was 10 weeks old and weighed 6.6 lbs. Just a little baby bundle.

It's very peaceful here this morning. The winds have dropped and I saw one lone star off toward the east earlier. I'm listening to one of the two tapes I bought myself as a treat. Celtic Hymns and Celtic Serenity ....... easy listening ...... I hope all is peaceful at your house as well .........

2007-11-20T10:52:00.000-04:00

-3C earlier this morning ............ brrrrrrr ...... winter is coming! The trees and bushes are bare for the most part now here in NS ........ lakes and streams are filled to the brim ........ it's time for winter to move in.

It's been since September 30th that I've posted. Were you wondering what I was doing during October? I was sick with an upper respiratory infection that just would NOT give up, and has left me with a lingering cough. :(

Getting back to the knitting ...... I did finish one pair of socks; however, all that I had planned to knit this fall is still in skeins and balls. Looking forward to accomplishing 'something' through this winter.

A wood fire going in the furnace today ........ hmmmm .... love the wood heat. There's nothing quite like it for heating a body thoroughly!

No pics today ...... sorry .......... my main computer is at the 'computer hospital' having come down with a case of 'computer fits' so I am using my laptop here, and as my laptop was completely cleared and redone a while ago the pics folders are empty on here. Must raid hubby's computer for some pics to use down the road. :-)

Hello out there in Blogland .....

2007-09-30T22:32:00.000-03:00

....... Nice to see you again! I'm happy to know that some still check to see if I've written anything here from time to time. Lately it seems as though the days aren't long enough to get everything done that I'd like ......... and I must confess to spending a fair amount of time on Facebook when I am online. Leslie keeps up with me there. She knows that I'm not lost ...... just missing in action. Hi Leslie! :-)

DH and I managed some time down at the cottage this weekend and stayed overnight on Friday. He spent yesterday clearing off the bracken and tall grass which had covered our lawn area there for the summer. There is sooooo much for him to do and try to catch up on during the weekends now that he is working away each week, something had to be put on hold this summer and it turned out to be the cottage that was neglected.

My interest in knitting waned over the summer; however, as the cooler weather came on and my feet felt the chill, I took knitting needles in my hands once more and have begun to knit socks again. Heather's socks, that I had started earlier in the summer, have become one whole sock with the matching sock about to begin.

Canadian Idol was of major interest in our household this summer. Though I personally don't watch such shows that much, this year was an exception. A local young man was competing and made it to the Top Four. Dwight d'Eon is our local star!

Lunar Eclipse pictures .......

2007-09-07T03:43:00.000-03:00

..... taken near my home on August 28th. Blogger is being kind to me early this morning and allowed an upload quite promptly. Nice Blogger ...... Hope you all enjoy the pics.

I'm frustrated with Blogger

2007-08-31T22:04:00.000-03:00

I had wanted to upload a few pictures of the lunar eclipse that I took earlier this week; however, Blogger has seen fit to block any photo uploads from my computer ......... :( ......... so I'm sitting here 'crying in the rain' ........ Yes, we're having rain. Rain is good for us right now as things were beginning to dry out. Plenty of fog and moisture keeps the surface wet ...... but down near the roots is where we needed water.

Blogger is frustrating ............ I'm going to do some chatting on Facebook instead ..........

As time speeds by .....

2007-07-18T11:05:00.000-03:00

WoW! Is the summer going fast! July is already over half way through ..... hard to believe, but it's true ........ As a child I was often told that time went faster as you age ........ now I am finding out just how true that is. I am healing well from my highflying act ........ knitting more socks ...... contemplating a fabric project or two ....... contemplating I said ....... :-) ........ keeping in contact with relatives and some friends on Facebook ....... and I did think it was time to bring my Blogger friends up to date ........ again. Two articles from the July/August 2007 Issue 13 Cloth.Paper.Scissors magazine are what has interested me in regards to fabric projects ........Graffiti Composition by Alisa Burke, and A Year Captured in Fabric by Tracie Lyn Huskamp. Both interesting concepts ..... and being 'handwork rebel' of a sort, I wouldn't be doing mine exactly as they did. Don't get me wrong ...... I admire 'sane work' but prefer 'crazy quilted' or 'patchwork' type methods ......... I like to 'colour outside the lines' nowadays. Spent many years of my youth 'colouring inside the lines' to please the adults.

Hubby arrives home again tomorrow evening and will be off on vacation for the following week. His vacation this year will be spent in the woods finishing up cutting and hauling out wood, and catching up on the lawns, both here and at the cottage. A 'working vacation' ........ No trip to MO this year ....... or to the Blue Ridge Mountains ....... :-( ........ maybe next year ....... :-) ........ Oh yes, he'll also be spending time on his radios. Being a Canadian Amateur Radio Operator he loves to make contacts around the world.

The songbirds are busy here this morning taking turns at the feeder and perching in the trees singing. I woke to fog earlier but it has burnt off to overcast skies with a touch of blue. A while ago a hummer arrived at their feeder on the window and she had her half grown baby with her. Showing the little one the ropes.

Have a happy and blessed day wherever you are .........

2007-07-09T06:41:00.000-03:00

Columbines ........ an old favourite.

A new week beginning ..... and I decided to get off to an early start by rising before the sun this morning. Hubby is back to work up near Halifax so I'm on my own for another week. Watching the hummers coming to the window feeder beside my computer desk .......... they are adorable! and feisty too!! The weekend was a combo of good and bad weather, but hubby and I spent quality time together and that's what counts. The songbirds are singing beautifully this morning .......

Time travel ....

2007-06-27T15:04:00.000-03:00

Going back in time to 1986. Heather is up on Whiffit and Zip is my mount. This is one of our many 'mother/daughter' horseback rides together. Lots & lots of fun.

Update ....

2007-06-25T09:28:00.000-03:00

Another absence ..... so, another update ..........

I've been nursing a battered and bruised body this past week, after falling down my front steps ...... all eleven wooden steps ....... a week ago yesterday. I was attached to Dream by a leash as she chased a squirrel off the verhandah ...... para-sailing down the first half, I landed on my back and bumped from step to step on the second half ...... ending up with a sore back, two bruised elbows, a bruised and swollen left ankle, and one battered toe on my right foot. No broken bones, and no snapped neck ........... it's apparent to me that God doesn't want me in Heaven quite yet! I'm healing well and slowly getting back on the computer. Finally felt like knitting this morning so I started the second sock to the latest pair that I am making for Heather.

My lilac bush in bloom earlier this month.

Another pair of socks

2007-06-10T21:03:00.000-03:00

These are for me, and I have another pair on the needles for Heather.

Hello Blogger Friends .....

2007-06-06T17:39:00.000-03:00

I haven't been lost, but I have been busy ...... checking on an ill step-father-in-law, setting up a page on Facebook for communicating with cousins, nursing a sore leg, and knitting ....... among daily chores of course. :-) Heather has claimed the pair of socks that I had been knitting last month that you see in this picture. I am now working on another pair for myself and almost ready to start decreasing for the toe on the second sock ....... so should soon have another sock pic for the blog. Wind and rain have been stalled with us for the last days; however, the latest report says sun is on the way. That's a pleasant thought for the immediate future. The scenery is still beautiful this time of year regardless of the weather though, isn't it?!

Kelly and me .......

2007-05-31T15:10:00.000-03:00

.......... back in the summer of '67 .........

Those were the days .........long hair ..... blue jeans ...... bare feet
....... Roy Orbison glasses ........ and a Basenji ........ it was a
wonderful summer!

...... Isn't Kelly adorable?!

Cooking all done ......

2007-05-31T14:52:00.000-03:00

........ and though I didn't achieve the nice yellow shade that Cyndy did, I did manage a soft beige and had fun doing the experiment. Anyone know of another springtime natural dye for me to try? Btw, my son wanted to know why I didn't just drive in to town and pick up some yellow yarn, if that was what I wanted. Guess he doesn't understand the challenge, eh?! {g}

What's cooking?

2007-05-28T15:12:00.000-03:00

Pretty yellow dandelions simmering in a blue enamel pot on my kitchen stove, and Cyndy ...... they don't smell weird to me. I think they smell quite nice. They'll steep overnight and tomorrow we'll see what I can do about dyeing a skein of wool with them. The experiment has begun. Dream went with me while I picked the danelions. Questioning looks followed my every move, and I've had to lift her up twice so she could smell the simmering dandelions. She seems to think they 'might' be tasty. We're having fun. :-)

From the past .....

2007-05-08T11:29:00.000-03:00

Sunny springtime weather always stirs the desire to 'maybe' have horses again. I'll quench the urge today by sharing a picture with all of you. This was taken in the late 80s ........... my daughter Heather riding my horse Zip for her dressage test during a Pony Club C Rally in the Annapolis Valley at Applewood Farm. Pony Club testing is quite intense. They must first pass a written test, then an oral test, and then do a riding test which consists of a dressage test, cross country at speed over jumps, and then must come back and do a stadium jump course. We enjoyed those years of Pony Clubbing and eventing. Great fun!

New growth

2007-05-08T11:04:00.000-03:00

I love to walk around our property in the springtime and see the new growth coming. Viewing the greenery as it emerges from the cold ground amidst the blandness of last year dead foliage gives one's heart a lift and a joy ........... knowing that new life is arriving once more. My snowdrops, though still showing this year's blooms, are also making seeds to expand their numbers.

The wild mayflower, which is our provincial flower, greets May.

Lupine leaves holding raindrops ...........

Hungry?

2007-04-23T17:22:00.000-03:00

. . . and thinking banana bread. Looks good doesn't it?

With spring weather here and outdoor activities getting going not one ounce will be added when the scales are brought out next, right?!

Winged Friends

2007-04-18T04:37:00.000-03:00

Images are from a couple of weeks ago. The last few days there haven't been many photo opportunities as we are in the midst of the nor'easter that is visiting us as it leaves the New England coast. More rain and high winds are expected to continue today, and there storm surge warnings for our coasts as we experience high tides. Flooding will occur again today more than likely.

This little Chickadee ponders which tasty morsel of grain he will choose next.

Canada Geese heading north ......... after spending the winter months disquised as 'Snowbirds.' :-)

A male Marsh Hawk soars above as he searches for 'lunch' .............. and a plumb Robin sits in a maple tree and sings.

-2C and a 40% chance of flurries

2007-03-29T10:35:00.000-03:00

Windchill -9C and NNW winds 33 km/h gusting to 45 km/h

Did spring run away again?? She did a fancy dance around for a day or two, and then ran. While she's off to other lands we'll gaze upon some pictures from another spring season . . . . . .

Snowdrops by the stonewall . . .

Pink ladyslippers in the nearby woods . . .

A special treat that we see most years. A white ladyslipper . . . . so nice to find among the pinks.

Monday March 26th 2007

2007-03-26T20:10:00.000-03:00

Along with the Spring, I am hoping to emerge from my semi-hibernation state. Winter was long and wearisome, and I am looking forward to warmer weather and more pleasant times. With rising temps and disappearing snowbanks I have been walking in the woods taking pictures and watching the earth come to life again.