FABulous Fall

It has been a fabulous fall weather-wise and the colour was spectacular. I am very behind on blogging, so far behind I may meet myself coming back! But even though most trees have now dropped their leaves and what colour is left is not as vibrant, I want to share with you some of my favourite images from Autumn 2016. I will no doubt do a few more posts with autumn photos once I do some more sorting and editing. For now... a few favourites. I am joining Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie at Normandy Life. This is my first time back at MM since Maggie started hosting. It feels good to be back. I hope to make it a regular occurence.













The maples were spectacular this year, almost beyond belief. After such a dry summer I did not expect the colours to be so rich and vibrant. It seemed that everywhere you looked there was another tree, more beautiful than the last.

There is so much variety of colour in the different species of maples. Some turn a brilliant yellow, others are yellow with orange tipped leaves. Some trees will be green, yellow and orange all at the same time, others will be yellow and red at the same time.












But without a doubt the most beautiful maple in my eyes is the maple that turns red, and many were truly scarlet this year. This old red maple is at the foot of my street. It is much older than I, and I marvel at its colour every year.
This photo really does not do it justice at all...

Look at the variety of colour... these are all maples.

The berries are plentiful, perhaps the sign of  a hard winter ahead?

A few other random favourites to finish off....

This is the burning bush (Euonymus alatus) on our front lawn, before it turns totally red. I actually prefer it like this.















 Apples fallen on the back deck.


















Pumpkins and frost-bitten zinnia, definitely signs of autumn...

I hope you'll stop by Normandy Life to visit  the other Mosaic Monday participants.


Peace,
Linda

"A tangerine and russet cascade of kaleidoscopic leaves, creates a tapestry of autumn magic upon the emerald carpet of fading summer." ~ Judith A. Lindberg

Lest We Forget

Once again Remembrance Day is upon us. We thank and honour our fallen war heroes, those still with us and those who presently serve our country. We owe them so much. It's also a day to think of peace.... world peace and peace within our nations.

REMEMBRANCE

Long ago and far away
across the ocean
wild and wide,
the young men stormed
an alien shore
where many of them died.
Here and now
old men remember
the valor and the gore,
and the boyish faces
of their youth
that are young for ever more 
~ William Bedford 

Peace,
Linda

Freedom is never free.

Can't even begin to think of a title for today...

Like many of you, I'm sure, I am in shock today over the American election results. I don't even know what to say. How are you dealing with today's news? We all handle stress differently; I chose to spend time in the kitchen making a big pot of turkey soup. Soothing, calming comfort food. It won't help the situation much, but at least we'll feel better for a short while at suppertime.  :)
I'm also studying music for our upcoming Ladies Choir Christmas concert, and that got me to thinking about a piece we have performed in past concerts- Make Me A Channel of Your Peace, based on the prayer of St. Francis. I do my best to keep my blog free of political and religious views, but I think these lyrics might be appropriate for today when so many are feeling sad, angry, worried, despondent. Let us hope that as we go forward, the deep divisions among the American people will heal...

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury, your pardon Lord
And where there is doubt true faith in You

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness only light
And where there's sadness ever joy

O Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are  pardoned
It is in giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we are born to eternal life

Praying for Peace,
Linda

Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

"Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." ~ John F. Kennedy

And lastly, Jack Layton's wise words: "My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear.  Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."

God Bless America.         God Save America.           God bless us all.

Winding Down...

Fall is winding down. We have had a beautiful autumn with glorious colour, sunny warmer-than-usual days and lots of sunshine. I do love the fall colour but hate to think of what is to come next... I guess one should just appreciate each day and try not to look too far ahead to that nasty "W" word.
Since all our October company left, we have both been working hard to get all the outdoor chores done in preparation for "the next season".. I can't bear to say that "W" word yet...
So, I have planted all my new tulips and other spring bulbs, pulled out chopped and composted all the annuals, cut down all my perennial beds and covered them with leaves for their long winter sleep, emptied

all planters and a few other small jobs which I'm too tired to remember right now. The vegetable garden has been tilled. The end result.. I'm pretty much DONE. I can feel myself slipping into hibernation mode. (I think I'd make a good bear!) My studio beckons; I am anxious to get into a more creative mode and get working on some long overdue projects, both new and already in progress.

I am always sad to see gardening season end as I derive so much pleasure from my garden. Even as plants wither and die there is still a simple beauty to be appreciated, if one takes the time to look. Dark blue berries appear on the Virginia Creeper vines. Early frosts fade colour as flower petals wither, ferns curl and turn brown, hosta leaves yellow and wilt. The end of a season, end of a cycle. All is now prepared for the long winter sleep.

Peace,  
Linda

"Walked for half an hour in the garden. A fine rain was falling, and the landscape was that of autumn.
The sky was hung with various shades of gray, and mists hovered about the distant mountains - a melancholy nature. The leaves are falling on all sides like the last illusions of youth under the tear of irremediable grief. A brood of chattering birds were chasing each other through the shrubberies, and playing games among the branches, like a knot of hiding schoolboys. Every landscape is, as it were. a state of the soul, and whoever penetrates into both is astonished to find how much likeness there is in each detail." ~ Henri Frederic Amiel

Happy Hallowe'en!

Happy Hallowe'en from Noah! Isn't he just the cutest little bear?! Wouldn't you just love to squeeze those chubby little cheeks? At three months, he's a little young for trick or treating door to door, but one's never too young to dress up!

I hope you had some cute little trick-or-treaters at your door tonight...

Peace,
Linda

Ghosts and goblins, spooks galore,
Scary witches at your door
Jack-O-Lanterns smiling bright
Wishing you a haunting night!

The End Is Near...

The end is near... the end of gardening season, that is. There are still a few plants in bloom, but overall, things are winding down. The fall asters are at their peak as are the Japanese anemones and the toad lilies. There are still a few nigella (also known as Love in a Mist- isn't that a sweet name?) and a couple of very late poppies. It seems my first and last bloomers in the garden tend to purples and pinks... This is a short post, but I thought you might enjoy seeing these last few blooms...  the colours are quite a change from all the glorious yellows, golds and reds we are enjoying in the fall foliage.

Peace,
Linda

"Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers." ~ Veronica A. Shoffstall

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We have been so lucky to have beautiful fall weather and the leaves are turning their brilliant colours. I am a bit surprised, after such a dry summer, I thought maybe the colours wouldn't be as intense. I am so thankful to live in such a beautiful part of the world; there's nothing like a New Brunswick October! I'll have more fall colour photos soon.











I haven't been in blogland much lately as I've been busy getting prepared for Thanksgiving and a house full of family. Laura and family are home for two weeks, Mark and Maggie are home for five days as well, and Ian and Claire are here for two days. When you live in a quiet house with just we two ole farts and two kitties, seven extra people makes quite a difference! Claire at 3 has an abundance of energy... Noah hasn't been sleeping all that well, Laura and Dan both have colds... Yep, it's interesting! But it is so wonderful to have everyone here together. We are very thankful for a wonderful family. We feel very blessed!

Last night we had a yummy turkey dinner with all the fixins... We were so happy that Maggie's mother came from Moncton to join us and how lucky to have her to take a few family photos for us.  I think there's going to be a lot of this going on today..... Zzzzzzz....


Happy Thanksgiving from the Hubbard clan.




Peace,
Linda

One of the best gifts you can give someone is the gift of thanking them for being a part of your life.

Another small finish

Another small finish to share with you today. I did this piece recently as another sample for my Walking Foot Quilting class, it's about 11" square. "Matchstick quilting" is the term given to straight lines of quilting evenly spaced very closely together; these are 1/8" apart.  It is really quite easy to do once you know how. It's a great exercise in getting familiar with your walking foot and learning to use it properly to space your lines of stitching. Many quilters don't come close to using this foot to its full potential and are surprised to learn there are markings on the foot and ways to measure with the foot so that no marking on the fabric is required.







I had fun with the matchstick stitching of this piece, using a rainbow of Sulky rayon threads.
Have you ever tried matchstick quilting?

Peace,
Linda

Quilting is the answer, I don't care what the question is!

Do you salsa?

Do you salsa? I'm talking about the condiment, not the dance...
Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes... I feel like I have tomatoes coming out my ears! It's been a bumper crop this year, I'm not complaining but I am getting a little tired of dealing with TOMATOES!!! We've been eating them, freezing them, making salsa, and giving them away. And I still have lots! There are still many on the vine, and we are now covering them each night as it is getting pretty cool and there have been a few frost warnings, although we've been lucky so far... So if any of my local readers would like some tomatoes, get in touch. I'd be happy to share some with you. Come and get it!

Just in case you too have lots of tomatoes to "deal with" here is my salsa recipe in case you'd like to try it. Quick and easy, healthy and yummy too!





Salsa

7 cups fresh stewed tomatoes, (or 2 - 28oz. cans tomatoes)
1 14oz. can tomato sauce
1 red pepper and 2 green peppers, finely chopped
2 cups chopped onions
2/3 cup white vinegar
3 Tblsp. white sugar
2 tsp. coarse salt
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 - 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste - depending on how hot you like your salsa
**Of course you can adjust the amount of seasonings to your own taste. I often add more garlic and oregano.
Combine all ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened.  Bottle in hot sterilized mason jars, cap and let cool completely, then freeze. Be sure to leave enough space at the top to allow for expansion when it freezes. Makes about 5.5 pints

Peace
Linda

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." ~ Lewis Grizzard

Signs

Every once in a while I come across something on Facebook, or receive an email from a friend that I think is worth sharing. This arrived last night in my inbox and it made me chuckle, so I thought you might enjoy it too... It's a dreary wet day here, a good day for a laugh!

SIGNS TO MAKE YOU CHUCKLE

Sign in a shoe repair shop:
We will heel you,
We will save your sole,
We will even dye for you. 

Sign over a Gynecologist's office:
Dr. Jones, at your cervix

Sign in a Podiatrist's office:
Time wounds all heels.

Sign at an Optometrist's office:
If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place.

Sign on a plumber's truck:
We repair what your husband fixed.

Sign on an electrician's truck:
Let us remove your shorts.

Sign on a maternity room door:
Push. Push. Push. 

Sign in a Veterinarian's waiting room:
Be back in five minutes. Sit! Stay! 

Sign at the electric company:
We would be delighted if you send in your payment on time. 
However if you don't , YOU will be de-lighted.

Sign in the front yard of a funeral home:
Drive carefully. We'll wait. 

And the best for last...
Sign on the back of a septic tank truck:
Caution - This truck is full of political promises.

Peace,
Linda

"A day without laughter is a day wasted." ~ Charlie Chaplin

A Small Finish

It's a good day to show you a small finish as it's been a while... This is a small piece measuring 10.5" x 11" (I think I'll call it a candle mat) that served a twofold purpose. It was my first experiment with hexagons. These are referred to as "modern hexies" because rather than being hand sewn to each other as is done with English Paper Piecing, they are applied to a background fabric with spaces left between them. They are glued in place with a good quality fabric glue that remains flexible when dry. Then machine quilting passes through them to secure them in place. I chose to quilt a grid through the hexies, passing through each point. This is the second purpose, to serve as another sample piece for my "Quilting with the Walking Foot" class.
Much as I admire EPP, it's not for me, but I do enjoy the "modern hexies." I have another slightly larger piece ready to go, hexies all made and positioned, ready to be glued and stitched, and also fabrics chosen for a much larger piece, made with larger hexagons. It'll be a while before I get to it, but the hexies are something I can chip away at. They are formed over stiff paper hexagons and the folds are held in place with a few hand stitches. Then they are pressed well and papers removed. An easily portable project and great for handwork in front of the tv.
What sort of handwork do you enjoy?

Peace,
Linda

In my perfect world, fabric is free and sewing makes you thin...

Update on Noah

For those of you who have been asking how my grandson is doing, here's a little update. Noah is doing just fine! He is gaining weight steadily, I think my daughter must be producing pure cream! He has gained close to 6 pounds in 8.5 weeks! He will be two months old tomorrow and is finally settling in to better feeding and sleeping patterns. And.  he.  is.  CUTE!!

He is learning to smile and laugh!!

















Mr. Chubby Cheeks!!!

Official "two months old" photo!



Now, you have to admit.. he IS pretty cute, isn't he? Of course I could be somewhat biased...




Peace,
Linda

When you're drawing up your first list of life's miracles, you might place near the top the first moment your baby smiles at you. Bob Greene

Late Summer Busy-ness

The busy-ness of late summer and garden harvesting is finally slowing down. We have been enjoying the fruits of my garden labours for a while now... I always say we must be our healthiest in August and September because we eat so many fresh home grown veggies!   :)
A garden is a lot of work but sooo worth it. I love just going out and picking as much as I want of whatever is ready... peas, beans, lettuce, carrots, whatever. Despite a fairly dry summer, the garden did well. We had a bumper crop of green peas, my absolute favourite!  :)  Of course the lettuce, peas and beans are now done, as are the cucumbers. All that remains in my garden now are beets and carrots and a slooowwww ripening crop of tomatoes. I will do my pickled beets this week and get the carrots dug.
I have been stewing tomatoes for the freezer as they ripen. I use them all winter in spaghetti sauce, chili, etc. and love never having to buy canned tomatoes. And of course we've been eating tomatoes and cukes daily.... toasted tomato sandwiches... broiled cheese and tomato sandwiches...
I have made peach jam (recipe here), Lady Ashburnham pickles (story here, recipe here), 11 day crock pickles, and have a big batch of spiced apple jelly underway today (recipe here.) Still to do: pickled beets, red pepper jelly and salsa. And freeze more tomatoes. Then I'll be done... The garden will soon be tilled and put to bed for winter. (whew!)
Our raspberries did not produce much of a crop this year, but after last year's mega harvest (50+ qts.) I still have lots in the freezer. Anyone have any good recipes using frozen raspberries, other than for pie?
So now you know a bit of what I've been up to "in my absence here." Up next are updates on Noah (growing fast!) my two new kittycats (settled in nicely!) and some finished quilting projects (about time, I hear you saying.) Also pics from some local quilt shows.. so y'all come back!
OH! One last thing! A movie recommendation.. if you haven't yet seen the movie The Light Between Oceans, DO see it! It's playing locally, just for another two days... GREAT movie. Beautiful cinematography, good story, well acted!

Peace,
Linda

"The first gatherings of the garden in May of salads, radishes and herbs made me feel like a mother about her baby - how could anything so beautiful be mine. And this emotion of wonder filled me for each vegetable as it was gathered every year. There is nothing that is comparable to it, as satisfactory or as thrilling, as gathering the vegetables one has grown." ~ Alice B. Toklas