Stitch Lines

A Peek in my Backyard...

2012-05-28T23:55:00.002-03:00

What's happening in your backyard these days? Mine is alive with feathered friends at the feeders, and things in bloom... My feeder with niger seed is very popular with the finches, sparrows and chickadees; sometimes I look out and all three are on it.. nice that they all "get along"!! (some people could take a lesson.. just sayin'...) The hummers are still zooming about and they stop for a quick sip at their own feeder. The water-filled ant moat (which does a great job of keeping the ants away from the feeder - available from Lee Valley) is also popular with the birds as a "watering hole". It's fun to watch them hold on and dip their beaks for quick drink. I spotted some Cedar Waxwings in the apple trees yesterday- hadn't seen them around for a while...

My Horse Chestnut tree is in bloom again! Yay! (You can read the story on it here - I have a bit of a sentimental attachment to it, I admit.) It has grown into a good sized tree now; it is just outside one of my studio windows and does a great job of shading the room in the hot summer. Doesn't it have a lovely blossom?

Do you have favourite trees? I have two favourite trees on our property, this Horse Chestnut and the maple on our front lawn. There are several other trees in the city that I love too- I keep an eye on them all year long and enjoy their seasonal changes. There is just something about a beautifully shaped tree.... Sigh.... I was doing some reading on Horse Chestnut trees the other day, and did not know that the"fruit" of this tree is not a "real" chestnut. Not the kind from the famous song "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...." The "nuts" from this tree are actually called conkers, and they are slightly poisonous if ingested. The squirrels have a great time burying them in the fall so I never know where I'll find a tiny new tree sprouting up come spring.. I found two in a flower bed a few weeks ago, so I potted them up - any takers?

I don't have a great lot in bloom in the flowerbeds yet, but I did snap a few quick pics today as I circled the house. Very nearby the Horse Chestnut is my Solomon's Seal - although it is often thought of as a woodland plant, it is doing very well in my garden. I have a good sized clump and it's slowly spreading each year. I love the little bell-shaped flowers which hang down from the arching stems.

Also close to the Horse Chestnut is my little "crop" of forget-me-nots. I think they are such a darling little flower. So dainty -
when I was small I used to imagine fairies wearing them for hats. They are such a lovely shade of blue... ( of course you know I love any shade of blue)

My Bleeding Hearts are in full bloom now, I have both white and pink... and the hostas are growing like crazy. In less than a week they have gone from just shoots to fully open. How can one small plant produce SO many huge leaves so quickly...

The alliums just started opening yesterday. The heads do not seem to be as big this year.. perhaps I've been a bit neglectful on the fertilizer and bone meal the last few years... once the foliage dies away, I forget they are there! Shame on me!
Well I think that's enough for tonight. You are probably thinking "Will this woman ever stop showing us her garden photos?!" You see, I have no quilting, sewing or stitching to show you lately, so this is all I have to offer!! ha!
I will likely be taking a bit of a break from blogging over the next few days. I am off to Quilt Canada, and although I'm sure I'll be taking many many quilt photos, I doubt I will have the chance to blog. But I promise- lots of pics when I get back! Have a great week, everyone!

Peace,
Linda

If you would have a mind at peace, a heart that cannot harden, go find a door that opens wide upon a lovely garden. ~ French Proverb

Playing Catch-up...

2012-05-27T21:45:00.000-03:00

It's Sunday evening and I am frantically trying to get caught up on things so I can head off to Quilt Canada 2012 with a clear conscience. I'm gradually ticking things off my list. Our Spring Concert is over - it was huge success. We packed the house- (selling out always feels good!) and got two standing ovations so I guess the audience was happy! I have to admit, I think it was our best Spring Concert ever - we had a great selection of music and more than once I saw a few people singing along (I think it was the 60's medley that did it!!) It's the first time I've gotten through an entire concert without the use of music. Memorizing 15 songs is not as easy as it was 40 years ago lol. So that's a BIG check off the ole list.
I've tried to get all caught up on gardening chores: Vegetable garden is tilled and waiting for seeds, new perennials are planted, hostas have been split and 10 new plants off to a good home, all perennial beds have been top-dressed with "magic mixture" but for one, which needs some drastic attention immediately upon my return, planters have been delivered to Grey's for planting... yep I'm whittling down the list. Not bad for a few days work, eh?
I am behind on my TAST stitching.. 2 weeks now.. ugh. I knew there would be some weeks when things got busy and I would fall behind... I'll get caught up but it might take me a bit. There certainly won't be much stitching done this coming week. Stay tuned.

I have crossed off another book on my Must Read List.. Left Neglected by Lisa Genova. What a good story.. (I can't wait to get my hands on her other book, Still Alice.) Left Neglected is the story of Sarah, a "career-driven Supermom". After a tragic traffic accident, she is left with a traumatic brain injury which "completely erases the left side of her world." She is no longer aware of anything on the left- including her own body, food on her plate, the left side of the room... and she must rebuild her life and learn to overcome this challenge. It was hard to put down and certainly reminded me I have absolutely nothing to complain about in my life. Sometimes a little reminder like this is a good thing...If you haven't read this book yet, add it to your list. You won't regret it...

Peace,
Linda

If you can't be content with what you have received, be thankful for what you have escaped...

A Song in my Heart

2012-05-25T23:54:00.012-03:00

Another busy weekend coming up. Our Ladies Choir Spring Concert is on Sunday afternoon and we are doing a great selection of music. I think it will be the best spring concert we have done so far. We are currently at around 100 members, our numbers are always down a bit for the winter/spring term. (We have around 135 for the fall term.) It is such a thrill to sing in this Choir and we are sooo lucky to have two great directors and an awesomely talented accompanist...
I have so much gardening work to get done before I go away next week; I am singing/practicing and going over words as I garden... lol
Can you find me in the sea of faces above? If you are local and would like tickets, there should still be some for sale ($10.00 each - bargain!!) at Westminster Books. There MAY be some left to be sold at the door.. Concert is at 3pm on Sunday, May 27th at St. Dunstans Church. Doors open at 2:15.
I'd love to see you there!

Peace,
Linda

Music makes the heart sing!

White Wildflower Wednesday

2012-05-23T06:24:00.002-03:00

It seems all the wildflowers I have photographed this past week are white! Good thing there's lots of green to go with them!! Who doesn't love green- the color of nature!!
First up is the White Violet- it appears to be simply a white version of our provincial Purple Violet - same flower shape, same size, same leaves, same habitat, same clumping tendency...and equally as beautiful. Its proper name is actually Northern White Violet (Viola pallens). I love the tiny bit of purple veining on the bottom petal. This flower is not to be confused with the Sweet White Violet (Viola blanda) which is smaller, has a sweet scent
and tends to grow in drifts rather than clumps. I found some of these in the lawn at my friend Gail's cottage last week, but it was a breezy day and my photo is not the best- those sweet little violets just wouldn't stand still!

Another darling little white flower I found at Gail's cottage was the Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) which is part of the Buttercup family. The Wood Anemone has a slender stalk and tends to tremble in the breeze, so has been called the Wind Flower. (Those we saw were definitely trembling!) The petals (actually sepals) are white but often have a pale pink tinge on the reverse side - I think you can just see the pink. This delicate little beauty is common in most of Eastern and Central North America.

The Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum) is easily identified by the inverted pink V at the base of each white wavy-edged petal. As the genus name suggests, the floral parts and leaves are arranged in three's - 3 petals, 3 sepals, and 3 waxy leaves. The Painted Trillium requires humus-rich, strongly acidic soil and tends to be found in the shade of acid-loving trees such as eastern white pine, red maple, red spruce and balsam fir. I've been on the lookout for this plant for a few weeks now, and found just two plants near my friend Donna's cottage on Saturday. I was walking down her road after photographing another plant in the ditch near some cattails (you'll see it next week).

Something beckoned me off the road and into the woods. Within 40 feet I found the first Painted Trillium, then ventured a little further and found the second. Isn't it funny how you just get a "feeling" you should explore a little further...? There were no more anywhere in sight; I felt very lucky to have found them... I think it is the most attractive of all the Trillium family...

Lastly today (you've no doubt had your fill of white flowers by now!) is the Starflower (Trientalis borealis) of the Primrose family. This delicate little flower has long been a wildflower favourite of mine. It is fairly common and easy to find in the Maritimes, and is sometimes called the May Star or Star of Bethlehem. Usually with 7 petals and 7 yellow-tipped stamens, the petals have long pointed tips and certainly appear star-like. It rarely grows to a height of more than 8".
So that's it for today. Are you all "flowered out"?
I hope to have more wildflowers for you next Wednesday. Hope you'll come back then... Of course I hope you'll come back before that too!!

Peace,
Linda

"Flowers always make people better,
happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul." ~ Luther Burbank

What a weekend!

2012-05-22T14:35:00.000-03:00

What a beautiful weekend we have just had! Not to mention it being a holiday weekend (Victoria Day here in Canada) the weather was HOT and SUNNY! For four days in a row!!! Glorious! It's been a while since we've had four days of sunshine... and it felt sooo goood. There was lots going on this weekend- Laura came home unexpectedly, Prince Charles and Camilla were in town, our friends Donna and Pierre were down from Quebec City to open up their cottage at the lake, etc. etc. So we were busy.. I took a pass on trying to get a glimpse of the Royals, having seen Charles several times before, and I just can't get excited about seeing Camilla... Rather, we opted to spend some time with friends. Hubby spent the day Friday

helping with work at the cottage and then we returned on Saturday afternoon, I took along my camera, hoping to locate more spring wildflowers (more on those tomorrow). We went for a few short walks and I was happy to get a few "interesting " photos. I love this one above of the backlit maple (a Red Maple, I believe) - these little winged "fruit" were simply glowing in the late afternoon sunshine. Very close by was this huge tree, I'm not even sure what type of tree it is, but it is massive and has obviously been there a long time. It towers over the white birches nearby. I will revisit it through the summer for sure - trees like this just emit such a sense of strength, power, even knowledge.. you just have to wonder what stories this tree would tell if it could talk? (Okay, I'll admit, I have a small love affair going with trees, along with most things in nature...)
Not far from this tree, after hubby and the others had lost interest in my photography and wandered away, something moved in the grass a little too close to my feet.... My immediate thought was ... snake! (I do NOT have a love affair going with snakes.. no sirree) But upon closer
inspection I spotted this fellow - I believe he is a Pickerel Frog. He sure did blend in well with his surroundings, My knowledge of frog species is ~~pretty minimal~~, okay I'll be honest, it's non-existant. But after googling (don't you just love Google?) I decided he fitted the description - "irregular rectangular brown spots in rows" - check. "common along streams and lakeshores" - check. "also forage along grassy-sedge woods roads, roadsides, meadows and old fields" - check. Yep, he's a handsome specimen of a Pickerel Frog. He was very obliging to sit still while I stole several shots of his gorgeous self... Thank you Mr. P. Frog.... No doubt he was more scared of me than I was of him...

Tomorrow is Wildflower Wednesday.. come back to see what I've found blooming this last week...

Peace,
Linda

"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks."
~ John Muir

Ahhh, sweet May...

2012-05-18T23:37:00.000-03:00

Aaahhhh the merry month of May is here, with all its glorious sights, smells and tastes. The eleven apple trees in my backyard are in full bloom- a little earlier than usual, but what a glorious sight. And smell! The sweet fragrance of those blossoms, wafting in my familyroom window, is one of my favourite smells of spring. It's only a few short days before the apple blossoms start to fall, looking like giant snowflakes on the spring breeze, so I try to breathe deep and "fix" that glorious aroma in my mind and memory. The white blossoms

tinged with pink are a favourite with someone else too - look who was visiting this morning. I took these photos from an upstairs window as three hummingbirds were busily visiting as many blooms as they could. Their speed and diligence is amazing - they rarely stop for more than a few second's rest. Oh to have their energy!
And my favourite tastes of May? That's easy- fiddleheads and rhubarb. I've ~~stuffed~~ treated myself to both this week...several times.. it just doesn't get any better than fresh steamed fiddleheads served piping hot with butter and vinegar, or a bowl of warm Rhubarb Crisp topped with raspberry sherbet.. yummm
Ahhh, sweet May....

Peace,
Linda

"The flowers of the apple are perhaps the most beautiful of any tree's, so copious and so delicious to both sight and scent." ~ Henry David Thoreau

Wildflower Wednesday

2012-05-16T15:35:00.001-03:00

Once again, a wildflower for you to enjoy. This is one of my favourite spring wildflowers and it's easy to find here in the Maritimes.. in fact, they grow right on my back lawn. Hubby, the lover of "picture perfect" lawns, would happily spray to get rid of these "weeds" but I plead with him each year to "leave my violets alone!!" This is viola cucullata, better known as the Purple Violet, the floral emblem of New Brunswick. Also known as Blue Violet and Wood Violet, it grows in damp woodlands, meadows, fields and along roadsides. And in my backyard (yay!!) It is a
small low- growing plant, the
blooms being about 1/2" - 3/4", but if left alone, it will develop into a nice clump. I'm thinking of digging a few out of the lawn and planting them in my perennial bed. The purple violet was adopted as the official floral emblem of N.B. in 1936, and is also the state flower of Illinois, Wisconsin, Rhode Island and New Jersey! It has no scent but the young leaves and the flowers are edible. You can see the wonderful veining in the petals and the tiny white "fringe" in the throat of each little blossom - such beauty!

Peace,
Linda

Violets

I had no thought of violets of late,

The wild, shy kind that spring beneath your feet

In wistful April days, when lovers mate

And wander through the fields in raptures sweet.

The thought of violets meant florists’ shops,

And bows and pins, and perfumed papers fine;

And garish lights, and mincing little fops

And cabarets and songs, and deadening wine.

So far from sweet real things my thoughts had strayed,

I had forgot wide fields, and clear brown streams;

The perfect loveliness that God has made.—

Wild violets shy and Heaven-mounting dreams.

And now—unwittingly, you’ve made me dream

Of violets, and my soul’s forgotten dream.

~ Alice Dunbar-Nelson

TAST Week 19 - Half Chevron Stitch

2012-05-13T13:32:00.000-03:00

Here is my Take A Stitch Tuesday work for this week - Half Chevron Stitch. I enjoyed working this stitch, it is not difficult and it works up fairly quickly. To me it is a marriage of the Chevron and the Cretan stitches - half of each. I explored several different weights of thread and reversed, layered, and stacked the stitch. I've used Perle 8's and 12's and once again one of my most favourite threads - Stef Francis hand-dyeds. I think if I did more of this stitch, I'd explore more beading - lots of possibilities here!

Wishing all the Mothers out there a very Happy Mother's Day. Take some time today to put up your feet and read, stitch or whatever makes you happy.

Peace,
Linda

"Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life." ~ Sophocles

This weather is for the birds!

2012-05-10T20:27:00.000-03:00

Rain, rain, go away... Yes, we have had enough rain now for a while. A good long while. Enough already! At times today it was torrential. The ground must be pretty well saturated by now, our basement pump has been running frequently. Ollie and I have had a fairly lazy day. He has spent a lot of time on the back of the couch, one of his favourite spots to survey ~~his kingdom~~ the backyard. He has a particularly good view of ~~potential lunch~~ the birdfeeders. When the rain slacked off for a few short periods, there was lots of activity to keep Ollie engaged. There were finches and chickadees at the feeder, and the mourning doves were doing a fine cleanup job underneath - such great entertainment for Oliver. He chirped back at them and twitched his tail, no doubt fantasizing what a wonderful friendship they could have if only... ah, well, you know...

Later in the afternoon when the rain was heavy and the day seemed dismal, we looked out and spotted this little sparrow sheltered under a chair on our deck. He had found a dry spot and was all fluffed out, probably trying to dry his feathers somewhat before heading back to his sodden nest. Although he quickly spied my telephoto lens and Ollie's ~~leering~~ admiring glassy-eyed stare, he stayed rooted to his spot, unwilling to yield an inch...

Peace,
Linda

A Bird

A bird came down the walk:
He did not know I saw;
He bit an angleworm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw.

And then he drank a dew
From a convenient grass,
And then hopped sideways to a wall
To let a beetle pass.

~Emily Dickinson

Wildflower Wednesday

2012-05-09T16:23:00.002-03:00

I did a few "Wildflower Wednesday" posts last year, and I'm hoping to do more this year. That means getting out to find some different wildflowers.. not much fun showing the same ole thing... *wink So here are three I have not shown before...

The Purple Trillium is no stranger I'm sure. The trillium family (part of the lily family) is fairly well known in Canada and easily identified by it's three leaves and flowers with three petals and three sepals. The Purple Trillium has a rather unpleasant odor and was used by early herbalists to treat gangrene. I'm hoping I can also find some white and/or some painted trilliums (my favs). If you live in my area and know of any nearby, please let me know...

Another common spring wildflower is the Trout Lily, more commonly known as the Dogtooth Violet. The name Trout Lily (more suitable since the flower is not a violet) refers to the brownish mottled leaves, similar to the markings on a brook trout. The single yellow nodding flowers have 3 petals and three petal-like sepals. If you
look closely the petals are yellow and the sepals are yellow "inside" but a bronzy yellow on the "outer" side. (See the photo below, taken "from behind") I can remember so vividly picking bouquets of these each spring for my mother, while walking home from school as a child. There were several large patches and I watched them in great anticipation until they were blooming and ready for pickin'. It gave me such pleasure to bring my mother fresh-picked flowers and she always acted, day after day, as if they were the most precious and rare roses or orchids on the earth... My maternal grandfather was a great nature-lover and knew the woods well - he knew right where to go to find a particular plant and taught my mother so much about wildflowers and nature... Oh how I wish he was still here to take me on a woodland walk...

Lastly, the "mystery" flower I showed yesterday is Bloodroot. A member of the Poppy family, the blooms last a relatively short time, opening in sun and closing at night. The flower stem rises from the centre of its curled leaf. The red-orange "juice" from the roots and stems was used by natives as a dye for clothing, baskets and war paint as well as for insect repellant. (Info from the Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers)

Peace,
Linda

"Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.~" ~ Gerard De Nerval

Today's Recommendations...

2012-05-08T23:15:00.004-03:00

It's been a while since I shared a recipe with you, and this one is certainly worth sharing. It's a new one to me- I just found it a few weeks ago on a Blog I now follow regularly: Mennonite Girls Can Cook. If you aren't familiar with this wonderful blog- do yourself a favour and start having a look on a regular basis. There are lots of great recipes there and they are all catalogued on the left sidebar so it's easy to find anything, or browse a category. The one I will recommend today is the Oatmeal Toffee Cookies with Hazelnuts. They are divine!!! I followed the recipe exactly, except I used dark chocolate chips instead of white chocolate. They were SOOO good.. and believe me they didn't last long. The hazelnuts were a pleasant change from the walnuts, almonds or pecans I usually use. Sorry- no pics- we ate them all before I even thought of taking a photo! But there is one on their blog with the recipe. Go ahead- give them a try next time you make cookies. You know you want to!!

I have finished Caleb's Crossing. It was a good read, but I cannot say I liked it quite as well as the other two books by Geraldine Brooks I have read. Although the story is fictional, "Caleb" Cheeshahteaumauk was a real person and was the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. Set in the mid 1600's, this story follows his unlikely friendship with Bethia Mayfield, the daughter of a white English Puritan Calvinist Minister in the small settlement on Martha's Vineyard, and their ensuing difficulties as they each try to pursue an education. They both struggle with the cultural and intellectual differences that divide their two very different cultures.I'd give it a 4 out of 5.

Another recommendation: (I'm just full of ideas tonight, aren't I?) If you ever have a chance to see one of the Wingfield plays starring Rod Beattie, RUN to get a ticket. I attended Wingfield's Inferno on Sunday afternoon past, at our local theatre; it is the sixth in the Wingfield series, and continues the hilarious hijinks of Walt on his farm in Persephone Township in Southern Ontario. Laughter truly is good for the soul and you can be guaranteed a huge dose of laughter at any Wingfield play. Rod Beattie does an amazing job (each Wingfield play is a one man show) of changing his voice and expressions to bring to life all the unforgettable "characters" in the community. I LOVE his performances, he is so very talented. The continual laughter felt sooo good...

I was out doing a little photography this morning... come back tomorrow to see what wildflowers I was chasing today... In fact I'll leave you with a little puzzle- can anyone tell me what this plant/flower is? I'll reveal the answer tomorrow. It is a spring wildflower with a woodland habitat, although this clump is in a friend's garden...

Peace,
Linda

He who laughs, lasts....

After the rain...

2012-05-07T21:57:00.000-03:00

We've had some rainy days... a few days of sunshine and now the forecast is five days straight of rain again... Blahhh... I thought you might like to see some photos I took on Saturday during a break in the showers... this is a small clump of "bunching tulips" that I have had for a while. They are actually not quite as vivid a pink as they look here, but they sure were "glowing" in the hazy sun after the rain...
I love a walk "around the garden" after a rain.. everything looks so fresh and clean.. Don't these just look good enough to eat?

Peace,
Linda

"If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere." ~ Vincent VanGogh

TAST Week 18 - Crossed Buttonhole Stitch

2012-05-06T17:18:00.002-03:00

Another week has flown by and here is my TAST piece - this week we were to do Crossed Buttonhole. It is a simple modification of the regular Buttonhole stitch, with the upward "arms" crossed. Once again I have done a small sampler, with a few variations. The first two rows have evenly crossed "arms", the second row being a narrow cross with an elongated detached chain stitch added. The other three rows have angled uneven arms. In the fourth row I have stacked the stitch, and the fifth row is a back to back repeat. I tried to do a mirror image, but just couldn't get my head around it; I think I'd have to do a left-handed version from right to left and after several stabs at it (ok, sorry, that was a bad pun!) I gave up. I found this an easy stitch to do, and I
can see great possibilities for it along a CQ seam with some beading added. Thanks Sharon for another great week. Can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve for us next!
Thought I might pass this along for what it's worth: I have been saving my leftover ends and bits of threads and putting them in this clear Christmas ornament (below). I won it at our Embroiderers' Guild Christmas meeting, and the suggestion was made to fill it with bits of threads from a project. At the time I wasn't quite sure if I would do that... but once I got going on the TAST Challenge, I thought it might be fun to look back and see each week's threads, built up in layers. It's looking rather full already!

Peace,
Linda

"The greatest accomplishment is to make work seem simply like play." ~ Linda LaTourelle

What Will She Do Next?

2012-05-05T14:10:00.002-03:00

You may remember a few days back I told you dear daughter was off to Alberta on a Canadian Military Journalism Scholarship.... She is 1 of 12 Journalism students from across Canada to do this 9 day course, sponsored by the Canadian Defense and Foreign Affairs Institute and the Center for Military and Strategic Studies, with co-operation from the Department of National Defense and the Canadian Forces. Part of it is "in class" at the University of Calgary Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, and three days are spent at CFB Wainwright on "Operation Warrior Ram". That's where she is right now, and she just sent these two photos to her brother's phone.... Isn't she gorgeous?? I hardly knew it was her... Her caption with the photos was "This should be interesting, since we can't shower here..." Several minutes later the text conversation went something like this:
L:Did you show Mum the pics?
M: Yes
L: What did she say?
M: Said she could hardly tell it was you
L: Oh good, it works!

(She's on the left in both pics, in case you're not sure.... In the photo at left, that's the former Miss New Brunswick on the right - Laura's roommate from last year) I'm sure they'll be pretty happy to get back to Calgary tomorrow and a hot shower and comfy bed... No doubt she'll have many many interesting stories to tell... My daughter, the adventurous one.... Who'd have thought..?!! These photos are SO going on the Photo Collage board at her wedding reception someday.... ;)

Peace!
Linda

"Oh Canada! We stand on guard for thee."

So many books.. so little time...

2012-05-03T23:52:00.001-03:00

What are you reading these days? I've just finished Sanctuary Line by Jane Urquhart (it was okay, not fabulous), and now I'm on to Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. I love her writing and have read two of her other books - Year of Wonders: a Novel of the Plague and People of the Book, thoroughly enjoying both. Another by Ms. Brooks is on my list too - the Pulitzer Prize winning March- the story of Mr. March of the Little Women family...
Do you keep a list of "Books I Want to Read"? My list just keeps growing. With a number of friends who are also avid readers, I keep adding their suggestions to my list (Thanks Carole, Judy, JK and Barb!) Yesterday I headed off to the city library with list in hand, hoping to find Still Alice and Left Neglected both by Lisa Genova - neither were in. I did find Caleb's Crossing which was on my list; then I stopped at the "New Fiction" section.. big mistake. Picked up three more books there... I'll never get my list whittled down!! I think I'm going to have to tell myself I have to read one book on my list for every book NOT on the list... Yes that sounds like a plan... How do you manage a long reading list?
Caleb's Crossing is the story of the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College (1660's). I'm only 75 pages in, but already hooked... Stay tuned...

Peace,
Linda

"Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future." ~ Ray Bradbury

April Blues

2012-04-30T23:45:00.001-03:00

Not much to say tonight, my brain is tired... mushy...blah... but I thought you might like to see and enjoy some of what's blooming in my garden right now. Not that there's a lot... and there seems to be a lot of blue.... of course that has nothing to do with the fact that I love blue... (wink) After enjoying some really nice weather (seems like so long ago now) we seem to be back to more typical temps. In fact it's been downright chilly. Tonight again it's dropping below zero overnight... yuch.. All my poor little blossoms will be shivering... So at right we have Chionodoxa (common name "Glory of the Snow"), and below top to bottom, Pulmonaria (common name "Lungwort" and also called "William and Mary", I believe), Scilla Siberica (common name "Squill") and lastly, one lonely tulip in a Squill sea, compliments of the neighborhood squirrel population - they love playing tricks on me, rearranging my bulbs...

Peace,
Linda

"Beauty is the gift of God." ~ Aristotle

TAST Week 17 - Wheatear stitch

2012-04-29T15:48:00.002-03:00

Here I am again with another
Take A Stitch Tuesday sampler. This week's "assignment" was Wheatear stitch, which is new to me. Not difficult at all, but I have to admit I was not terribly inspired or creative. Just too much else going on in my life this week I guess.
Because the stitch can look very much like shafts of wheat, and because my daughter is off to Alberta today, I chose "wheat-y" colors to work with. My stitching is fairly simplistic, I just did the basic stitch, then stacked, wove and did a sort of mirror image of the stitch. I think my last row is my favourite- the palest peach color- simple wheatear with an extra straight stitch added on each side, and then beaded. I think this has great potential for use along a CQ seam. Done in the right colors with perhaps a few more straight stitches added, it could almost look like Cleome - an annual I plant each year to fill in spots in my perennial beds...

Peace,
Linda

"Act the way you'd like to be, and soon you'll be the way you act." ~ Leonard Cohen

TAST Week 16 - French Knots

2012-04-25T22:01:00.002-03:00

It's time to share some stitching with you again - this past week's assigned stitch was French Knots. I have done many French Knots over the years and there really is not much you can do to vary the stitch other than to use a different number of wraps, and try different weights of threads... So I have
experimented a bit with various threads- from perle cottons to silk buttonhole twist: I have used Finca and Valdani Perles, SassaLynn perles, Caron Wildflowers and Japanese Silk Buttonhole Twist by YLI. So here is my sampler, nothing fancy, just an exploration of French Knots in some seam treatments and a few "snowflakes" and flowers.... The smaller knots are one wrap, the larger two wraps... I'm not overly thrilled with this sampler, but it will do, "done is good", time to move on to this week's challenge...
I've also included a few photos of French Knots on past projects. Some in silk ribbon, some in thread... Click here to see others' work for last week - click on the comment links, and here for the highlights of the week.

Peace,
Linda

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

April Showers bring spring flowers....

2012-04-24T23:28:00.002-03:00

I can't believe it's a whole week since I last posted. The days fly by... I've been busy but just nothing much to tell you about. I am now done teaching for this term.. Woohoo! Did my last out of town class on Saturday up in Grand Falls for the Gorge Quilters' Guild. Thanks gals, for a great day!
After several days of much needed rain, things are greening up and spring flowers are appearing. My crocuses are nearly done, and the daffodils, chionodoxa and scilla are now in full bloom. They've taken a beating with the heavy rains but I hope to get more photos tomorrow....
I guess there is a little exciting news. Dear daughter has won a Canadian Military Journalism Scholarship - she is one of twelve Journalism students from across Canada chosen to attend a course in Alberta this spring. The course is designed to introduce prospective journalists to the Canadian Forces and issues involved in covering the Canadian military in the new millennium, and takes place in a mixture of classroom and field settings. It will certainly be excellent training, exposing her to a wide variety of situations and experiences similar to what a foreign correspondent would find in Afghanistan or other areas of deployment. Who knows where the future will take her... (hopefully NOT to work as a Foreign Correspondent!) She's happy to be finished her exams, and has four of her six marks back already (all excellent - smile...). Today she was pretty pleased to see one of her stories published in our local newspaper, with cut line and all... Yup, I'm one proud Mama bear...
Next up.. my TAST for this past week...

Peace,
Linda

Children are the flowers in the garden of life.

Spicy Spiral Finish

2012-04-17T12:03:00.000-03:00

I have finally finished up my Spicy Spiral table runner. I am happy with it, even though it isn't really "my colors". I may give it away to a good friend who has built a new home- it matches her home much better than it does mine... we'll see. I used a fusible batting and I found the perfect green batik with a bit of brown in it for the backing.
How do you finish off something that will not be bound? Do you dislike the "stitch all around but leave an opening to turn it through" method- then you have to try and get a smooth edge where you must handstitch the gap? If so, you might want to try my method.. (Sorry - never thought to take pics, but I'm sure you can do it just from my written description.)

Cut your backing a few inches longer than your "top" and cut it in half widthwise , then join your two halves with a 1/2" seam. I use a fairly short stitch length at each end of the seam, but in the middle section of the seam I switch to a machine basting stitch. (This basted section will become your opening to turn it through.) Press seam open. Now you are ready to layer your project. It must be layered in this order- batting, your finished piece- runner, placemat or whatever on top of the batting with wrong side down against batting, and right side "up", then your seamed backing ON TOP, right side down against runner. So what you have is your two fabric pieces - runner and seamed backing - right sides together on top of the batting. Your seamed backing MUST be on the top or you will not be able to turn it right side out. (I trim the batting to the size and shape of my runner or placemat before placing the backing on top.) Once layered in this order and pinned all around the edge, you carefully open the basted section of the seam with your seam ripper. This is the opening which you will now turn the whole thing through. Stitch entirely around the edge. Trim seam if necessary. On this runner, I trimmed the two pointed ends and notched the curves. Turn right side out and press edges well so that backing does not show on the front. Now all that's left is to close up the opening in your backing with a small neat hand stitch. Because you pressed the seam open, you have two good creased edges to stitch together. (I used my new Clover Black Gold needles for this handsewing- wow- they are just like a hot knife through buttah! Thanks again Jan!!) I really like this method as it ensures a good smooth edge all around your piece, and I don't mind having a seam across the back - who ever looks at the back anyway? I use this all the time for runners and placemats or anything I don't want to do a binding on. Easy Peasy!

Piece,
Linda

"Success in any endeavour depends on the degree to which it is an expression of your true self."
~ Ralph Marston

TAST Week 15 - Stem Stitch

2012-04-15T15:00:00.003-03:00

This week's stitch for the Take A Stitch Tuesday Challenge was stem stitch. It is a stitch usually used for outlining. I spent most of the week trying to decide what I would do, looking for designs, etc. (Am I the only one who does this? Please tell me No...) As the hours remaining were getting short, I ended up doing this tree. It was not my Plan A, but here it is. (One of my mottos is Done is Good!) I think I might like it better if it was filled in, but since the assignment was Stem stitch, I have left it simply outlined with the assigned stitch. I have used a variegated brown Valdani thread, and the two variegated greens are Perle 8's. I have not done a great deal of Stem stitch before, but did enjoy working it on this fall quilt below. The stem stitch is used for the pumpkin vines, the sunflower stem and the crow's legs.
We're having some warm temps here today - yay!! Hope you are enjoying a beautiful Sunday wherever you are. Come back tomorrow to see my finished Spicy Spiral table runner.

Peace,
Linda

"Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can." ~ Danny Kaye

With a Little Help from my Friends...

2012-04-13T23:59:00.001-03:00

Image from Quilters Cache site

Remember the line of that song "I get by with a little help from my friends"? That's certainly my song for today...
Yesterday I sent out an email to 47 quilting friends - many of them here in the Maritimes, but others were from across Canada and the US. I attached a copy of the photo of the Old Maid's Eyebrows block and asked if anyone recognized it or knew it by another name. And ...Bingo! I hit the jackpot! My first reply was from Sally Schneider in Albuquerque who said it was very similar to Hickory Leaf and Rose Petal blocks, both found in Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Appliqué. Gail Fearon emailed that she had found it in a book and it was a variation of Diamond Five. (Not sure where that fifth diamond is...?) Then a call from local Guild member Marg Wood who said she found the exact same block in a New Brunswick Women's Institute publication (1977) and it was called Star and Crescent. After that Judy Morningstar of Manitoba answered with a whole list of names for the block, including Star and Crescent and Star Crescent. Other names for the block were Star of the West, King's Crown, Compass, The Four Winds, and Star of the Four Winds. These names all came from Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Quilt Block Patterns (1993). At the same time, an email from another member of my Guild, Trudy Corey, who had looked in her copy of The Collector's Dictionary of Quilt Names and Patterns (with 2400 patterns!). She found identical names - Star and Crescent and Star Crescent, as well as The Four Winds, Star of the Four Winds and Star of the West.
I was amazed, not to mention impressed, that so many people replied so quickly and had taken the time to look through their quilting libraries to help me out!! THANK YOU ALL, dear quilting friends! This little "project" has been great fun - if you haven't already read the background story, click here to read my previous post.
Now I will tell you the rest of the story.... when songwriter Donna Rhodenizer first replied to my email asking her about the block name "Old Maid's Eyebrows", this is part of what she wrote:
"A bit of background info for you: I chose Old Maid's Eyebrows for the song because the name intrigued me. All of the quilt names in the song were gleaned from a box of quilt patterns collected by my great-grandmother who cut them out of the newspaper. If you have heard of the high-end clothing retailer, Suttles and Seawinds, there is also a connection there. Vicki Lynn Bardon who founded the store, is the daughter of my family's doctor when I was a child. Vicki went away to design school in New York (I think) and wanted to come home to work. She decided to begin a cottage industry with local sewers making quilts and clothes that she designed. She came to visit my mother for quilt pattern ideas and my mother let her peruse the box of quilt patterns her grandmother had collected. Many years later, I sorted through that same box of quilt patterns to choose the quilt names to include in a new song I was working on. After I wrote "The Quilt" we went to visit Vicki and sang her the song. She agreed to create a quilt using all the patterns in the song. From the same box of quilt patterns came a world-renowned business, a song and a quilt! Vicki Lynn Bardon's quilt became the cover of our CD "Ship of Dreams".
SO- now I will write to Donna again, and ask her if the pattern from the newspaper clipping was actually labelled "Old Maid's Eyebrows".. I suspect it was. Interesting huh? How one design can be known by so many names... I was thinking that perhaps her great grandmother had just come up with that name herself, just as any of us today might give a quilt a name of our own. So, there you have it. Mystery solved.. with a little help (okay a LOT of help) from my friends!! Call it whatever name you prefer- Old Maid's Eyebrows, or Star and Crescent or one of the others.... As for me, I have to say, the name Old Maid's Eyebrows still intrigues me.. I'm trying to picture said old maid... were her brows bushy? sparse? nicely arched? oddly shaped? drawn on poorly with a brow pencil?
What's the oddest quilt block name you have heard?

Piece! (or Appliqué! lol)
Linda

Right next door or miles apart, friends are always close at heart.

Old Maid's Eyebrows...Revealed!

2012-04-12T09:00:00.000-03:00

I know you have been waiting with baited breath, since you read this post two weeks ago. I have received a photo of the Old Maid's Eyebrows block from the Songwriter - it's one I don't remember ever seeing before. I will be curious to see if anyone out there in Blogland recognizes it or knows it by another name? If so, please leave me a comment and tell me what you know about this block. Thanks so much!

Piece!
Linda

"It is the dim haze of mystery that adds enchantment to pursuit." ~ Antoine Rivarol

Sometimes Life Just Doesn't Seem Fair...

2012-04-11T21:53:00.001-03:00

I haven't felt much like blogging the last few days. I lost a friend on Sunday afternoon.. I've only known her for a few years, and not real well either. But I have known of her for years, and have known her sister Heather for almost 40 years. I met Bonnie three years ago when she joined our Ladies Choir and sang alto with Heather and I. Bonnie was one of those people that you just couldn't help but love right off the bat. She was always smiling, always positive - just one of those people who had a real passion for life. A retired educator who taught many children in the city before becoming a Vice Principal and then a Principal, she has positively impacted countless people in this city, including myself. Whether it was on the golf course, in sorority, choir or in one of the countless other activities she loved, she had a tremendous impact on so many lives. She recently became a neighbour and occasionally would give me a drive home from Choir. Choir practice last night was difficult as we sang Danny Boy, one of her favourites. Rest in Peace, sweet Bonnie. You will be sorely missed....
Heaven has gained a beautiful angel, and she's singing in God's choir now...

Peace,
Linda

To live in the hearts of those you leave behind is never to die...

TAST Week 14 - Satin Stitch

2012-04-08T13:20:00.002-03:00

Happy Easter from snowy New Brunswick! Yep, we got about 5" of white fluffy snow overnight and it's still coming down!!! Looks more like Christmas than Easter! I guess this year's Easter Bunny must have been a snowshoe hare! I have all kinds of plants up - daffodils, poppies, alliums, etc.- I'm sure they're about as impressed as I am with this snow....
Back to TAST. Last week Sharon gave us a "catch up" week, so there was no stitch assigned. Since I was caught up on the stitches, I got caught up on my binder- getting pages in place, getting the journalling of stitch descriptions done, etc. For those who thought they might experience serious "stitching withdrawal", Sharon did challenge us to either blog about how we make time for stitching, or do a piece combining 3 or 4 previous stitches. Since I had lots to do last week, I chose to do neither. I really don't have much to say about how I make time for stitching - I just do. Usually I stitch in the evenings when ~~watching~~ listening to TV. I am a night hawk so it's nothing for me to stay up till 1a.m. or later working on finishing a stitching piece. I enjoy those late night hours when the house is quiet, hubby is already snoring in bed and I can choose the channel... :)
So- on to this week. Sharon counted last week's mini challenge, so she calls this Week 14. I am numbering my stitched pieces so for me this week's stitch - Satin stitch - is number 13. Although satin stitch is certainly not difficult, it does take a little practice to master. Choice of thread is one factor- you want your threads to lie flat and close to each other so no fabric shows between them- ie. you want good "coverage". I had a few "issues" with fabric and thread, so it took me a few tries before I
found the "right" fabric for my Perle 5 thread. I ended up using a soft green 25 count Lugana with Finca Perle 5 threads in rather "neutral" colors. I chose to do two simple star designs, and for the first time used a magnifying light that was my Mum's. It sure made stitching on the fine count Lugana much easier!
The other photo is from a piece done two years ago- stitched on silk fabric with 1 strand of cotton floss - tiny padded satin stitched "berries". Each berry is roughly 1/8".
Once again there are lots of interesting pieces being done this week by TAST participants. Click here to see Sharon's picks of the week. Happy Easter everyone- hope you ~~find~~ make some time for stitching, or whatever makes you happy!

Peace,
Linda

"Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." ~Joseph Addison