Last Paddle of the year...2012

On the last Sunday of October (28th), with long sleeves on and long pants... Terry and I, along with our kayakin' friends, Robin and Bill, make our way out to McGill Lake.  It was my first time this year to go to McGill, even though the past 3 years its been one of our favorite lakes.  This year we kayaked in so many different rivers and lakes..... we didn't even make it to McGill.  Or, I should say, I didn't make it there... Terry has been with Bill and some guys.  The water was choppy in the main part of the lake, and the winds were bitter cold.  We met up with an old gentleman on a 4 wheeler and we chatted for a bit.  He told us that they opened the dam up yesterday, and we might have trouble getting to the next lake.  But we put our boats in at the little wooden bridge and headed towards Big Mollie (I think).  But on our way there.. there were beautiful stumps and coves to explore and by the time we made it to the bubbling, torrent of water that was coming out the channel that goes to the Mollie.. we had paddled enough.

 It was not easy getting into this stump to get a picture.  There were jagged rocks all around the stump and leading into the stump and we sort of played a labyrinth game to get there.  We squeezed into the stump and my mind was racing.... thinking... how many of the giant spiders are living amongst the knots and gnarls of this trunk.   A few pictures and then we carefully backed out of the labyrinth... not as expertly as going in.. and both Robin and I scrapped into rocks and tipped a few times... laughing all the way.  I was just happy to be away from the stump... to tell you the truth.

After paddling the shoreline for 10 minutes, to find a place to pull in, we found a spot with no wind, lots of places to pull in, and exit the water without risk of tipping in.  I must say, we were very careful this time, to find a safe spot to park... since the water was FREEZING and neither of us were that eager to get even a little wet.  All of our excursions this summer were a little more carefree...  and we usually ended up at the end of the trip with wet legs, wet feet, or wet all over (mostly Bill).  

 The colors were spectacular, the sun was warm and the view was awe inspiring.  Terry built a little rock tower in honor of his sister, who started this tradition in Cape Breton this summer.  We will paddle back next summer to see how it made out during the winter!

The end of a great day... the end of a great Kayaking season.  I am sad to put them away for the winter.. and already looking forward to next summer.

Perfect Fall Saturday

Truly, the most perfect fall Saturday I have had in a few years...  Just one of those days that made you feel warm and fuzzy about all the golden beauty everywhere.

Our day was filled with leaf removal, pulling up old plants and putting away yard furniture and decorations.  Imagine... end of October and it was warm enough to do this is a teeshirt.  

We took several breaks (or I should say, I took several breaks).  I am still suffering from my cold, plus I had lots of indoor chores to do too.. so I was in and out all day.   

Our compost got filled with golden leaves from the back yard and all the vines and the rest of the  old flower pots.  Two weeks ago I emptied the majority of them before the killer frosts but that day was freezing and we had to wear mitts and jackets..  Something about yesterday was so glorious.

This time last year, I was in Fredericton waiting on a stubborn baby to come along... today was Michelle's due date.  Being her first, the norm was that Jack would be over due.. but still... she was so big... and she actually went in with labor pains...  I couldn't wait... I drove up... and when I arrived... the pains had stopped... and I was met by two very sad kids...  I spent the next few days there.. keeping them busy, and baking and sewing and going to Market.  It was a glorious weekend for me... filled with final moments of taking care of my little girl (and my little Scotty boy too).  When I went to leave though... we had a snow storm... and I had to stay... one more day!  Terry and I talked a lot today about that weekend and how fun it was..  and that is why NOTHING got put away properly last year.  We were so distracted by "the waiting for Jack" game... that we really didn't do much here. 

Kind of fun to see some of these fall pictures of Jack.  Hard to believe he is here.. and he is walking and  communicating.  Hard to believe a whole year has gone by since that weekend in Fredericton when it was my job to cheer up two very nervous, sad and cranky kids.. waiting for Jack to arrive.!

Fall looking garden.  Pond is full of leaves and we will leave them there for the winter.  Helps to insulate the water lilies for the winter.  Maybe even a frog or two.

Before the vines were taken down....

After the vines are down.  The cats are thrilled with the warmth and sunshine.. but I think they know what is coming.  

Morning Glory seeds are gathered for next year.....

Scarlet Runners are gathered too..

Ready for the winter.  Awning is gone, furniture is gone... nothing left but a few "safe and warm" spots for the cats.

I Found it.....but the search has created a monster!

Yes.  My gold tin, filled with fabric already cut out for an I Spy quilt.  I found it in amongst my boxes of church craft supplies.  Go figure.  I didn't even bother looking at that stuff the first night, because really... who would put their sewing tin in amongst craft supplies for church.  Apparently... me.
I am sad to say though... I got a really good look at all the extra stuff I have piled in my craft room.  I try really hard not to have my craft stuff anywhere else in the house, except a knitting or hand sewing project I am currently working on.
Therefore, my one room in the house filled with my passions... is busting at the seams.
Now, I feel I need to start purging and I am challenging myself (for lack of a better word) to start purging on small part of this room everyday for the whole month of November.  I am going to set up a purging station in my Rec Room with boxes for give away... be it, the Diabetic Association, the Opportunity Shop, the Christmas Shopping Party at school or just to friends I know will be able to use stuff.

I am totally embarrassed to show these pictures.  But, its time to come out of the closet... I am a craft hoarder!  This is my craft room.  Filled with flat surfaces that get piled up with "temporary" projects or things I don't have time to put away.

 I have two particular loves.  First and foremost, fabric.. for sewing. I love sewing ... quilts, dolls, clothes, paper piecing, fun little projects...  therefore, I have a collection of fabric that spans the full gambit of project potentials.  I keep every scrap.. for paper piecing, I keep large quantities of basic cottons, in basic colours.. black, white, cream.. plus seasonal prints.
Ask me when is the last time I sewed a quilt, or anything for that matter...  well, its far and few between.  I blame my computer.. really... first.... Pinterest, although its full of amazing projects to do.. and I have pinned thousands.. I spend more time looking for them.. then actually making anything.
All my other social events on the Internet also take away from my craft room.. but really, not.  Its just an excuse to sit..
Well.. I am going to try and get back my creative desire this winter.. but first I need to clear out some of that fabric.  I certainly don't need it all.
My next love it paper.. and paper crafts. Scrapbooking, cards, tags, origami... even colouring.  Therefore, I have bins of paper, shelves of photos (not even including all the digital stuff).  I also own all the family photos from my childhood, my parents old albums.  I have my kids photos, their trips, their scrapbooks.. I have ribbons, and brads, and glue, stickies, markers and hole punches. Books on how to scrapbook, half made scrapbooks.. oh my. Its crazy.

So, today, the purge is beginning with fabric.  I have filled three boxes of large pieces of fabric, small or partial fat quarters... patterns I will NEVER use.  Knitting books (I actually hate knitting, just so you know).  I was given an entire  set up for "felting" stuff.. you know.. all the tools, all the wool,  all the instructions.  I never wanted to try it.. and so.. its going. I am passing it on to someone who might like to try it... or it might go in a donation box.. who knows.. but its not staying!

Its just the beginning, but I am sort of excited to get rid of things.. to make room to actually work.

I have a *sniff sniff* ... code....

Its my first cold since Nov 2009.  I have had the odd sniffle (not that I remember any, but I must have)... but this is my first honest to goodness, head pounding, nose running, dry mouthed, chest hugging cold since I had H1N1. I have forgotten how foggy and miserable one feels when you have a cold.. and I promise to be more sympathetic to those who get a cold in the future.  In the words of my friend Debbie.... "when you have a cold or the flu... all you want it to feel normal again!".   So true.

Now, I am not sure if it's the foggy brain, or the general "unorganized state" of my sewing room but I have lost a gold tin can that my sister gave me last Xmas (or birthday).  In it was a large number of hexagon cut pieces of fabric. Each bit of fabric is cut around a particular print that highlights something interesting (to a kid and a grown up) and its the makings of an "I spy" quilt that I will start for Jack so that he will enjoy it maybe in the spring.

this is my goal, to make one just like this one in the picture, but with maybe a yellow background... with lots of trucks and Elmo's and kitties and doggies... and birds and cows...
My sister has made a few of these, and I even made one years and years ago but not this detailed.  I am excited to start working on one for Jack that is personalized to the things he likes.
Problem is... I can't find the Gold Tin... and the really sad part it.... its the second time I have lost it!  When Gail needed a few extra shapes for a BIG project she is working on and I knew that I wouldn't be using all the pinks and barbies and girlie things in my I spy.. so I told her I would sort through my tin.  Well.... after a month of searching.. I found it... I sorted it out... and I tucked it away.
So, tonight.. with a pounding head, a dry dry mouth... a painful cough and flannel pyjamas on... I am tearing my house apart to look for the tin again!

I will keep you posted...