Advent Calendar

It's almost two weeks since my last post which was on my friend Terri's birthday. Craig and I joined her for an impromptu drinks get together to celebrate, and guess what? I had my camera with me :D The festive atmosphere has begun this week and I have been out shopping more than once to find the perfect something something. Of course I have also been busy making stuff, which I enjoy just as much.
One of the projects I started making was an advent calendar. The existing hand sewn one was looking a bit worn out, I probably made it when the girls were only about 6 and 8 years old! I had seen a pretty Scandinavian looking one on a blog a couple of years ago, but never quite got round to having a go at making a similar one myself until now. I used some off white wool fabric and a bright crimson embroidery thread. First I cut out 24 envelope shapes from the wool fabric and sewed them together before attaching them to a length of red bias binding.
Just a couple of mistakes were made along the way. I 'should' have drawn the numbers on before embroidering them freehand, hence some are slightly bigger than others! The second mistake I made was sewing the buttons on 'after' I had made each little envelope! Quite a tricky bit of maneuvering was required with my needle and thread for those. I got a little impatient trying to find some red buttons, which was my first colour choice but I wanted to keep sewing in the meantime as I was keen to finish. I looked everywhere for red ones without any luck, so I ended up using these little white buttons instead, which I already had in my button stash. A length of embroidery thread wraps around the buttons to tie them securely closed once I have put some assorted wrapped chocolates inside. To finish off I tore strips of red and white polka dot fabric and tied little bows between each envelope. I have attached the finished product to the chest of drawers to see how it looks, but should probably take it down until the 1st Dec. In case it's unlucky or something??
With Christmas decorations in my mind as I was browsing in a local hardware shop (looking for the elusive tiny red buttons!) I found this lovely cotton runner that I wanted to show you. It is by Martha Stewart and is quite Scandinavian themed too. I think it will look great on the dining room table for Christmas dinner and also for Amber's birthday party. This weekend I shall be working on altering and adding to Amber's costume for the play, the dress needs to be taken in and I was so lucky to find the perfect petticoat or crinoline in my local thrift store for only $3!!

It is a full length one made to go under a wedding dress, the top is tiered cotton with netting layers underneath and it fits Amber perfectly. I still need to shorten it quite a bit so it just peeks out from under her blue dress, giving it plenty of fullness.
Tomorrow is Craig's company 'do' which should be fun. Christmas dinner and a live band with possible dancing with a bit of luck.
Amber is just a few days away from her 16th Birthday on Dec 1st. The planned party has been postponed until after the school production when she can relax and celebrate with a few friends from school and I can decorate the house for the event.

Hazel x

Snipping and Stitching

Before I get onto the subject of sewing, I have to admit that I was a bit of a plonker a few days ago. I'm not a particularly hairy person, but when I discovered a couple of tiny WHISKERS on my chin the other day (cute on kittens only) I had to take action! So, I decided to try a nice 'gentle' facial hair remover NOT! I won't mention the brand, but after following the instructions carefully I ended up with a nasty chemical burn about the size of a penny right in the middle of my chiny chin chin! It was so painful and resembled a bright red traffic light for a few days. Anyway, lesson learnt and I am thinking that a discrete little pull with tweezers in future will suffice.
This week I have been scratching my head thinking of ways to improve my shop and income, which is not looking too healthy right now, and at this time of year it needs to be. I received some very sweet polka dot cotton fabric in the post, ordered from another Etsy seller. I decided to try it out on a new slightly different birdie design. Inspired by the colours associated with the lovely Cath Kidston I made a set of three, this time adding little felt wings and elongating the tail on my pattern a bit.

I have put one in my shop so far and shall see if it sparks any interest. I just love polka dots, they make me smile :) Also made some more white doves from super soft fleece, which are filled with a mix of poly fill and vanilla scented aroma beads. They represent a Peaceful Christmas and hopefully will be flying off to new homes soon.

It won't be long before I shall be getting out our Christmas decorations, this past time always fills me with excitement. I love to unpack them all and lay them out, remembering when and where we made the very special hand crafted ones. When Jemma and Amber were young we would try to work with a new material each year whether it be paper mache, salt dough, embroidery or felt. Those decorations are the best ever as each one is filled with love, nostalgia and wonderful memories.

The question this year is whether to have a real tree, as we did last Christmas or to use our quite realistic one stored in the attic/basement? Less mess and more environmentally friendly versus lovely fresh scent of pine and a natural element in the house. I am leaning towards the former at this point, mainly because Amber is having a birthday party and would like the decorations up by Dec 1st. I am not sure a real tree would survive for that length of time over Christmas and into the new year looking fresh and remaining intact.

Other sewing projects I have on the go are a little something for Jemma's dorm room and a couple of surprise gifts, but I can't tell you about those just yet.

What other news do I have this week, not much I'm afraid, I seem to be spending more time on the computer these days with regular conversations on MSN with Jemma, face book chats/comments and looking for inspiration in numerous craft sites and blogs.

This time last year I felt that I had no time for myself at all. I missed out on all the pre-Christmas excitement and planning, everything was a last minute rush. This year is much better and I have my daily lists that I can tick off throughout the day and have a sense of achievement. It sounds trivial but it's just the way I am.

Hazel x

Now where did I put that bit of paper........

Moving on again ....

It has taken a while for me to get back into a routine again after Archie's sudden departure from my life, but it really is time to move on. Not a day will go by that I don't think about him and all the happy times, his quirky habits and soft white tummy, that smelled so clean :) I always say a few words as I am hanging out the laundry by the special tree, where he has been laid to rest underneeth the branches. Craig planted some snowdrops there which will remind us of his frisky little spirit that was always awakened in the Springtime.
Amber has been reading her many lines (over 300!) for the school play and I feel as though I have an 'Alice' in the house. Jemma is slowly winding down after a couple of hectic weeks of exams and tests. She still has another 3 scheduled for December, with her last one on December 19th when she will come home for the holidays. We spent this last weekend in Halifax to attend the scholarship presentation after she was awarded the Coy Family award for Science. With continued good marks it will be renewable for the next few years which is wonderful and she certainly deserves it after all the years of hard work she has put in throughout her school days. My little shop is picking up slowly, but of course after a years break it will take time to establish some more fans of my tiny felt animals. It as been ages since I made a 'new' animal design, I am waiting for some inspiration or a special request to add to the designs I currently make, any suggestions?
I started sewing with cotton fabric recently, My friend Terri, who owns and runs a delightful Tea Room, kindly offered to display a few of my items alongside her pastel enamel and polka dot pottery ware.
I made some little wash bags (previously sold as doorstops), tea cosies, egg cosies and cotton birds that all blend in nicely with her pastel colour scheme.
The apples are all gone now and it is so quiet around us with no sound of machinery, moving crates or the steady thud of apples hitting the barrels.
A burst of winter brought snow falls to us last weekend 10cm's in the city, but it has warmed up again to a seasonal average this week so my jumpers have been put away again for a few days.
I really appreciate everyone who reads my ramblings and all your comments (so many for dear little Archie last post - thank you)
Hazel x

We will always love you Archie

Nothing can prepare you for the heart wrenching pain of losing a family pet.

My eyes are raw from crying and my heart feels like it has been shattered into a million pieces. Our very special cat Archie was tragically hit by a car yesterday and his injuries were so bad that we had to make the hard decision to have him put to sleep. Archie came into our lives in 2003 when we lived in New Zealand he was just a tiny 7 week old kitten that I could hold in one hand.From day one he craved affection and gave an abundance of love in return. Crawling up on to us at any given time for a cuddle, to nestle down, purr and have nap. There was no question that he would come with us when we decided to leave NZ and head back to England the following year. We had to leave him behind with a friend for 6 months due to the rabies requirements, having microchiped him, had all the necessary vaccinations and filled in endless forms, We chose this option as opposed to the alternative of having him put in quarantine. The 6 months seemed like forever, but when he finally joined us after the long wait and ridiculously long flight, there was no doubt at all that he was pleased to see us again. Nuzzling up to each of us in turn, it was as if we had never been apart. Anyone who says that cat's aren't loyal should have met little Archie. Due to unforeseen financial circumstances our stay in England was short and we were forced to move once again, this time to Nova Scotia, Canada. Luckily because of the paperwork and formalities already completed we were able to bring Archie over just a couple of days after. He arrived well in advance of our belongings, which took 4 weeks to get to us! He loved the land around our property and outdoor life we had chosen, exploring the garden, running in the orchards, climbing the trees and enjoying the fresh air and space during the day. He never objected to the routine of being brought indoors at night for his safety and happily watched the nocturnal activities from his vantage point at the window of his own little room every night. Having encountered skunks, raccoons and the feisty cat next door over the years here, with only minor injuries. I hoped he had a few more of his 9 lives left.
Until yesterday, when my world came tumbling down as I heard him crying outside on the deck. In a state of extreme shock, dragging the crumpled lower half of his body my heart was wrenched with emotion and love for this poor helpless animal. I will never know how on earth he managed to get from the road to the house, but he came home to us for the last time.
The vet who treated him was nice, but with internal injuries so bad and broken bones the kindest thing to do was to put him out of his pain and suffering sooner rather than later.
I can't ever imagine getting over the loss, I miss him every minute of the day. I keep expecting to see him in his bed, at his window, by my feet, watching me sew or sniffing the cat nip growing in the garden. He has been my companion in the house every single day that we have been here in Canada and part of the family for such a long time.

I hope that somewhere he is enjoying a new kind of freedom, this time with wings and that he will remember the happy life he had here on earth as part of our family.

Sleep peacefully Archie xx

A is for Apple!!

Being that apple harvesting is well underway in our neck of the woods there has been a hive of activity all around us with plenty of pickers scattered amongst the trees, picking all the different varieties of apples. We wake up to the thudding noise as each apple hits the collecting bin before being tipped once full into a wooden crate. These will be the apples for juicing as the eating apples get collected very carefully in special picker bags worn like a baby carrying sling. There are so many varieties again this year;

Royal Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Gravenstein, McIntosh, Jonagold, Cortland, Ida Red, Cox's Orange and Amber's favourite, Honeycrisp. To give you an idea of the size of the Honeycrisp apples we pick, here is a photo of one taken beside what I would consider an average sized Golden delicious.

Crisp, juicy and very sweet. This year it has some fierce competition though in the form of a new variety from the US called SweeTango .

Because there have been so many apples available I have been baking a few batches of apple muffins, which seem to disappear almost as fast as I can bake them! On the topic of food, we went out for a family celebratory lunch last Saturday, which just happened to coincide with Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Jemma heard a couple of days previously that she had been awarded a substantial scholarship. It will help her so much in repaying the student loan she has taken out for her first year at SMU.

We visited a very posh restaurant at the Grand Pre Winery, the food was delicious and the girls both had fancy deserts that we just had to take photos of :)

A little after lunch look around the winery shop to view the various wines for sale, well there's no harm in looking!

Monday brought some more good news, this time for Amber. She has been chosen to play the lead part of Alice in the school production of Alice in Wonderland!

She is so excited and just a bit nervous at the prospect of learning over 300 lines off by heart over the next few weeks!! I expect that once she gets into the swing of reading the script along with her fellow drama students, she will feel more confident.

On the decorating front, after finishing the laundry room we moved into the adjoining mud room, otherwise known as Archie's room. Previously painted a moss green colour. It's the little room he sleeps in at night and watches the nocturnal goings on outside from his vantage point beside the window. No prizes for guessing my chosen colour scheme :) Craig and I worked as a team to finish off this little room last Sunday, I am still working on sewing the curtains.

Ahem! some of us take our painting quite seriously!!

Well, that's an update for this week. I can report that it is getting decidedly chilly outside though. There was even a threat of snow earlier in the week. Shock, horror and it's only mid October!! It wasn't so bad, more of a frost really, but it is coming soon I can tell.

Hazel x

The laundry gets a facelift :)

Here is the laundry after a bit of a 'lift' and change of colour.

The bench is an old one rescued from a yard sale, which got a few coats of paint a couple of years ago. During the summer it stays outside on the front veranda, but each Autumn we bring it indoors for the Winter months. A made to measure padded box cushion came from the local fabric store. Covered with 100% cotton red buffalo check fabric from Etsy seller Honeybeehumble. The red and white striped oxford style pillow is a shirting fabric, also from an Etsy seller 'Vintage Urban Girl' . I was still missing some plain co-ordinating red fabric, which I managed to find at a local thrift shop in the form of a torn red wool blazer that was hiding in a box, for just $1! Once I had used the pinking shears to cut up it up I was surprised at the amount of fabric I could use, more than enough to make the little square pillow below. The rest has gone into my fabric stash to be used at a later date. Inspiration for the hand embroidered birdie pillow came from a wonderful book called Sew Pretty Homestyle, mentioned in a previous blog post last year.
It's now a nice cosy place to sit and read with a cup of coffee or glass of wine by the fire.
Of course Archie couldn't resist jumping up and claiming a spot immediately!

Hazel x

Beautiful Autumn Colours

October is here, which signals the arrival of Autumn or Fall .
There are pumpkins everywhere, all shapes and sizes and the shops are full of Halloween costumes, face paints, wigs, nails, spider webs etc. Summer is becoming a distant memory, but who can complain when the sky is this blue?

I can never resist taking a few snaps of the trees in their rich colours, before all the leaves sail to the ground leaving the branches looking bare and a little sad, until then we can admire their beauty.

Craig and I took advantage of the warmth of the sun on Saturday morning, taking in the beautiful scenery across the Annapolis valley.

I have been warned once again by the people working on the apple farm not to walk up towards the woods at this time of year. A bit frustrating as I do like being outside in the early morning walking along with my latest i-pod tunes playing. Apparently, there are quite a few bears out and about at the moment, stocking up on food ready for hibernation and I don't want to become a 'tummy filler' thank you very much!!

We are adjusting to life without Jemma around during the week and really look forward her coming home for the weekend. This weekend she decided that it was better to stay at University. With upcoming exams already she needs to study and finds the 8 hours spent in the car to get out to us and packing etc. is quite disruptive and the last thing she wants to do when she comes home is study. So, we keep in touch through facebook, msn and skype. The wonders of technology! It will be extra special having her here for Thanksgiving weekend in a few days time.

I try not to spend too much time on the computer as the hours quickly disappear once I get immersed. I feel terribly guilty and should be concentrating on sewing orders.

Today I finished making these 8 tiny animals for a lady in California. As for my laundry, well I am still awaiting some fabric, so that will have to wait a wee while yet. I keep looking out for the raised red flag on the mailbox, but until it arrives, I shall have to busy myself with other projects.

Let there be more light!

Last week I made a 'light tent', in preparation for the winter days when there won't be as much daylight to take decent photos of my 'sewing projects'.

First I had to find a sturdy cardboard box.

Then came some careful measuring .....

Some tricky cutting out .....

Finally I covered the inside of the box frame with white card and the holes on the outside with some polycotton sheeting, taped down with cellotape. The final step was to find a suitable light to place over the top so as to eliminate any shadows.

I am still in the process of finding the best way to position the light and I could possibly do with another one, so I can have one on each side. I found that the light from the energy saving bulb worked best, as it gives a white glow rather than yellow.

The tent (or box) definitely eliminates most of the shadowing but with an extra light source it should be even better. I shall try it out with coloured card too, as I prefer a soft blue background, especially for the felt animals, the white card looks a bit grey.

This week I am working on my laundry room, having ordered some fabric online from Etsy, I am very excited to get measuring and snipping once it arrives in the mail box :)

At the moment I just have a bare canvas, Craig repainted the bench as it was a teensy bit worn from being outside all summer. The blue accessories have been moved elsewhere and it is ready for a make over .....

Hazel x

Getting Crafty :)

I'm not sure exactly why, maybe it's because the daylight hours are shorter and I can't spend as much time outside but I have gotten itchy creative fingers again. With Jemma off at Uni and the house looking neat and tidy after my housekeeping had become a little 'casual' while working outside my home for a year. Anyway who wants to be pedantic about the housework when the sun is shining? The Canadian summers are far too short to spend indoors cleaning all the time!

I do enjoy creating things, but it seems to come over me in waves. Back when the girls were small I experimented with textile paints sewing and painting hats, waistcoats, pillows and nursery pictures which I sold at a local market in South Africa. The sunny climate and white walls of the modern homes went well with the very bright colours I liked to paint with.After a few years teaching primary school children, where any art work seemed to involve glue, paper, glitter and fuzzy pipe cleaners! I lost my enthusiasm for painting and sewing in my spare time. I dabbled ever so briefly in painting in New Zealand, once again using really vivid colours.

Here in Canada starting an online Etsy shop rekindled my love of sewing and from the little cotton birds and bags in the very beginning I found that it was the tiny hand sewn felt animals that seemed to be most popular. My shop has been put on hold for a year while I worked in retail, getting out meeting people and being part of a team made for a nice change. Sorting through all my craft and fabric supplies this weekend, now that everything has been relocated to a new room, I came across some forgotten stock and have been thinking of new ways to improve my designs and think about different outlets to market some of these forgotten items.

They really are quite a contrast to my previous work, much softer colours and pretty fabrics which are more in keeping with my current home decor style and more suited to a shabby chic Victorian home with a touch of Scandinavia :) Little cotton hanging birds and doorstops.

One of my 'to do list' jobs over the next few days is to make a 'light tent' I have found an online tutorial which I shall follow and let you know how it turns out (good or bad). The need for a light tent is so I can take more professional photographs of the small items I make. With the lack of natural light in the winter months it is often a challenge to take good photos for listing purposes and I am hoping that the home made light tent will enable me to improve my winter photos.

Hazel x

Last days of summer

With the sun still beating down on us as a new school term began today, it's sad to think that summer will soon be over, but it has been such fun. Waving goodbye to Amber this morning as the familiar yellow school bus pulled away from the front of our house I felt a small lump in my throat. (just cos I'm a soppy mummy!)
On Sunday Jemma moves into her tiny dorm room at University two hours away, it will be a day of mixed emotions as she leaves the nest to become independent, studying and working part time. She has now met all the other Cultural advisors she will be working with, so feels comfortable and is quite excited at the prospect of starting a new chapter in her life.
We have tried to make the most of the last few days of the school holidays, which always seem to speed up towards the end as we cram as much as possible into the last week or two.
Nothing fancy, just simple memories like the day we had an impulsive lunchtime picnic in the field at a local elementary school. Watching my grown up girls laughing on the climbing frame and sliding down a children's slide, was something I didn't think I would ever see them do again, it was so funny :D
We did a bit more blueberry and blackberry picking, had some 'Paris tea' at the Telegraph Tea Room.Coffee at Starbucks in Halifax, trips to the mall, watched a couple of chick flicks snuggled up on the sofa and had some crazy face pulling sessions??? Well you had to be there :)

The next few weeks I will be immersing myself in household jobs that have been put on hold and getting back to my sewing room, which has been neglected for far too long! Watch this space for new animals in the making :) With the big change around, swapping the study and craft room over it will be refreshing to start up again in a new space.

Hazel x

Hurricane Bill

Hurricane Bill was predicted to arrive with a vengeance earlier today, with the threat of flooding, major power cuts and destruction to buildings and trees. Luckily he just skimmed by our area, with only a heavy downpour and a fairly strong wind. We were well prepared, having kept a watchful eye on the local weather reports for a few days prior to the storm coming inland. All our garden furniture had been put safely away in the barn and Craig secured a couple of the younger fragile fruit trees. We had been especially concerned as we had a family weekend booked up at the lake and were looking forward to spending time in a little cottage, but it looked as though we were in for some stormy weather during our stay. I was able to collect the boys, Curtis and Adam and we headed up to the cottage by lunchtime on Friday and the weather was lovely all afternoon and all day Saturday too.

The children had so much fun on the water, either in the canoe, pedal boat or just swimming out to the floating deck, diving and jumping in the lake, getting along well as a group of four.

Archie hardly knew we were away as Craig stopped in on his way home from work and then I was able to pop down the road early Saturday morning to feed him and let him outdoors so he could spend the day in his current favourite spot under the shade of the Hostas.

Craig and I had the opportunity to get to know the boys a little better too.

It won't be long before the girls are back to school and university as we head towards the end of the summer holidays. I'm glad that this weekend was a special memory point for them.

Hazel x

Enjoying the sunshine

This week I am a single Mum while Craig has gone off to London for a week. Snapping up a cheap ticket, his bags were packed and he was on his way to the airport before I could say "Jack Robinson" (who is he anyway?). Nobody could accuse my hubby of not being impulsive!

The morning after he left two painters turned up on the doorstep with one 'very' long ladder awaiting my instructions! After a quick hunt in the garage, double checking codes written in the decorating notebook it was confirmed that the paint was indeed the right one for the tall end of the barn. The last section to be painted, it was looking pretty shabby but at 3 storeys tall, Craig has no intention of painting it himself. I left the eager painters to do their thing and when I returned from work it was completed and now matches up with the rest of the building. Craig took on the mammoth job of painting the side barn during our first summer here 4 years ago when we were both not allowed to work in Canada. It was a back breaking job that took hours of preparation, but regular maintenance is required to keep the buildings protected in such a harsh winter climate.

With the peonies about to burst into bloom any day now we have all been making the most of the beginning of summertime. The grass is growing at a rapid rate and I am still fighting off the blood thirsty black flies (the NO BITE ME soap kept them away for about 30 minutes I can report) The sticky residue on my skin was quite gross and I couldn't wait to wash the stuff off! I have decided to just take some non-drowsy antihistamine pills to relieve the symptoms as bite prevention seems unlikely. Tried the Listerine again, but the little flies seem to love it!

Some pics taken 'before' the dandelions got chopped:

Amber sitting pretty :)

Don't you think that's taking sun protection a little too far girls?!!

Happy week everyone :)

Hazel x

L is for......

Lilacs, Lupins and Lobelias!
In my favourite shades of blue and purple. I am particularly fond of the two lilac bushes in the garden which, although they only flower for a short time give off the most wonderful scent.The lupins are everywhere this time of year, growing like pretty weeds in all the ditches on the edges of the roads.Craig picked a bunch of them for the dining room table.Our trademark dainty blue lobelia trail delicately in baskets outside the kitchen window, flourishing as they do every summertime, much to the delight of the hummingbirds. My hubby arrived home safe and sound, armed with a few little goodies and special treats for the ladies in his life. He couldn't resist the English sweeties, minstrels, Rowntree's fruit pastilles and wine gums :) The Twilight four book set was a huge hit with the girls, including the latest release 'Breaking Dawn' . I was thrilled with my M&S cotton T-shirts and a copy of Good Housekeeping UK magazine. Craig enjoyed his trip and was able to meet up with his niece and nephew in Buckinghamshire. Casey, Craig and Brendan
He took numerous snaps of the places we lived and visited when the girls were young, post office, school and parks. It took me on a little trip down memory lane just looking at them. Not much has changed really, except that the trees have grown to an enormous size and the roads seem ever so narrow :D The familiar lane leading to our old home in West Clandon, Surrey. I walked down here many times while the girls rode their bicycles
Back here in the Maritimes, we were invited to a local wedding on Saturday. Friends of ours Brian and Jess tied the knot on a perfect sunny afternoon at a local hotel. The reception that followed was lovely, with so much attention to detail and foot tappin' music from a live band. It made a nice change for us to don our 'glad rags' and even get up on a dance floor! I haven't been to a wedding in years and felt a little sad that I have missed both my younger brother's weddings, my sister's and Craig's sister's too :( The downside to leaving South Africa is that we haven't been able just pop back for these special occasions, even though we would love to have done so and shared their happy day Craig and I were even colour co-ordinated in sky blue :)
A visit from our English friends Terri and James on Sunday morning made a very pleasant start to the day. Inspired to do a spot of baking I mixed up a quick apple tea bread, which we ate outside on the deck and drank cups of tea. They couldn't stay very long as they had their own tea room to open up to the public in the afternoon.
This week is a busy one for the girls, with all their end of year exams, for Jemma the end of her high school lessons forever! The Graduation Prom is on Monday and then the Graduation ceremony on Thursday - crikey, it's all so final and my baby is growing up fast.
She is off to Prince Edward Island with the International students on Friday. A wind down after exams before the summer holidays begin. She is very excited to be meeting new foreign students, some of whom will be going to the same University in September. As a 'helper' she gets to go for free, which makes it even better.
Hazel x

Happy Birthday to my Special Hubby!

I wanted to write an extra post this week to let my darling husband know that we are all thinking of him on his Birthday, today :)
It will be the first time that we have ever missed each other's birthday in the 20 years we have been together!! He is celebrating with his family in SA, his sister Tess in the morning and then his other two sisters' Cheryl and Bev in Cape Town later in the day. The Cape Town families haven't seen him for 3 years, so will no doubt spoil him a little. I do know he has enjoyed being with his Dad very much.
Before leaving here, Craig did a great job of installing a new light fitting in the kitchen He then went on to replace the old taps with a new kitchen faucet and veggie spray hose (just out of the pic) I keep admiring his handy work, which looks very professional. The sun is shining once again, August has been a great month so far, yesterday I took Amber and her 3 friends up to the lake for a couple of hours so they could get their feet wet and look rather gorgeous in their bikinis :) Bathing Beauties: Marcy, Jen, Tanisha and Amber
Jemma got a happy phone call yesterday informing her that she had been chosen for the job she applied for at St Mary's. The position is a cultural advisor in the TESL centre on campus and the hours fit in perfectly with her study schedule. Being based on site means she doesn't need to travel to work and with most weekends and holidays off, she can come home. She is so excited and will enjoy the independence of earning a few dollars.
Today Amber and I collected our very first batch of wild blackberries from the bushes up the lane, not overly sweet at this stage, but with a few more days of sunshine to ripen them, they will be delicious.We have only been to pick blueberries once so far this season, Amber's boyfriend Adam came along (they are celebrating 6 months together tomorrow!) Well, it's getting late now so I shall finish off by sending Birthday wishes across the miles to my best friend.
I hope you have had a lovely day
Goodnight
xxxx

Craig visits his Dad in SA

Basil at his 80th Birthday party in 2006

As I write this post my wonderful hubby is on his way to South Africa to visit his dad. Basil has not been very well recently, following a heart attack. We are all very worried and encouraged Craig to get over to South Africa to spend some time with him. Basil is one of the kindest people I have ever met, always keen to help out, putting other people's needs before his own without a second thought. He has been writing long, newsy letters to Craig on a regular basis for many years, often more than one a week. Usually typed on a typewriter that has seen better days, or hand written and bundled into an envelope along with interesting newspaper clippings from Craig's hometown Pietermaritzburg. I am sure that having Craig spend some quality Father/Son time will mean a lot to both of them. Taken 3 years ago on Craig's last trip to SA.
Earlier in the week I drove the girls to Halifax to finalise Jemma's paperwork before she starts University in less than a month! Fees, meal plans and book lists, as well as general familiarisation all need to be sorted out before then and I am sure there will be many more trips over the next few weeks/months.
Now, although I have driven Craig to the airport and back before and done a small bit of city driving (with Craig as a passenger giving me fierce instructions!) I have never been a great fan driving in unfamiliar surroundings, so I had a tummy full of butterflies before leaving on Wednesday morning. As Jemma quite rightly pointed out, she's the one leaving home and has reason to be nervous, not me!!
Anyway I managed to stay surprisingly calm, even though we did miss just one turn off, we ended up taking a different route than planned, luckily there was a map on hand and Jemma is a pretty nifty map reader as it turns out :)
It must have been the relief of finally getting to St. Mary's campus that led to Amber and I having a mild case of the 'Giggling Gerties' while we ate our packed lunch and waited patiently for Jemma to do her stuff. Amber had brought her camera along and took a few snaps as we sat under the trees on the campus grounds. There were quite a few students milling around, much to Jemma's delight many were Japanese and Korean. She will be studying Japanese in her first year at St. Mary's. The Loyola block in the background, Jemma will be living on the 9th floor

Heading home (via the shopping centre of course) we were soon back on the motorway again. Switching back to a manual drive after my automatic car was fine and my fear of stalling at a traffic light in the middle of the City turned out to be unfounded after all :) I suppose using a stick shift, as it is referred to here, is a bit like riding a bicycle, in fact I find it stranger going back to my automatic when I have borrowed Craig's car and find myself wafting my hand around wanting to change gears!
The running around since then to soccer matches, doctors appointments and other local trips, as well as fitting in all the little extra jobs Craig does on the property has meant that my days are going by really fast. I needed to make time to catch up on my computer by taking a little down time over a cup of coffee this evening.
Hazel x

Jemma celebrates her 18th Birthday!!

It scarcely seems possible that so many years have gone by since I held little Jem in my arms for the very first time back in 1991. Now at 18 years old, she is a grown woman ready to take 'flight' or perhaps 'peddle' into the big wide world. For her 18th birthday gift, she requested a bicycle.
The request was specifically for a vintage one, or at least a vintage-style. We found this lovely green bicycle with big wheels, it's in great condition and she loves it. After a bit of a hunt around for a wicker basket to put on the front (lined and attached with two cat collars!) a bell, chain lock and mirror and she was all set. So far she has been riding around the orchards and back roads, but hopes to be able to use it on campus when she starts university in just over a month and possibly make a few shopping trips into town too.

Jemma's boyfriend Curtis has been to visit often during the summer holidays and after a little cross questioning, I mean 'friendly chats' at the dinner table, we feel like we know him quite well already. They have been friends since the beginning of grade 12 and had every class together during the last semester. He makes Jemma happy and that's great.

The proper summer weather arrived with a vengeance this week with the temperature soaring to a sticky 30+ degrees with a very high humidity level. A storm is brewing as I write this post and I can almost hear the growing veggies crying out for a bit of rain. You may remember a few weeks ago, Craig with Amber's help designed and made three little beds and planted summer veggies which are coming along a treat. Each morning I pick a few carrots, onions, baby spinach leaves and romaine lettuce so we can all enjoy a really fresh salad every evening, often eaten on the deck when the sun is not so harsh.Earlier this week I took the girls to one of our favourite places, Dempsey's Farm. It's cherry season and we picked a couple of punnets of sweet cherries to take home with us. The usual farm animals were running amok, especially these hungry chickens, that apparently eat all day long!

It'a nice to be back at home full time. I will miss the money, but am glad to be actively keeping things maintained in the house and garden. Today I have been busy swapping over everything from the craft room to the study and vice versa. Except every time I open a box or drawer I have the uncontrollable urge to sort, tidy and throw out stuff. This is making the whole project quite time consuming. It will be worth it in the end, when both rooms are ship shape and functioning properly. My sewing room will double up as the guest room and the computers will be closer to the wood stove in the winter.

We are hoping our friend Dave will come and visit from New Zealand in September, he hasn't been for a couple of years and we do enjoy his company and listening to his tales from Havelock North.

Back to my sorting now as I hear some teenagers arriving downstairs, a common occurrence these days and nice to have youngsters around enjoying themselves and making the most of the holidays before they begin a new chapter as they all start various universities, colleges and jobs.

Hazel x

Soccer Season

I am so pleased that Amber is enjoying her very first soccer season, after joining the Greenwood team this summer. She was somewhat nervous and aprehensive, as most (possibly all) of the other team members have been playing for quite a few years and are familiar with the techniques, moves and soccer lingo. Trying her very best to be accepted she has managed to attend every practice, game and tournament so far, come rain or shine. This morning the heavens opened up and a heavy tropical like downpour soaked everyone to the skin in the middle of a tournament game. While I made a run for the shelter of the car, the players had to keep going until the end of the game.

I have been trying to capture her on the field amongst her team, while playing, but my camera is not very good at the combination of distance and action shots! Hence Craig took these of her practicing in the back garden the other day.

Amber kindly reciprocated by capturing her Daddy and his ehhhhh....... BBQ/Dance skills??!!!

Craig has been able to offer a few soccer training tips, although rugby was more his choice of sport as a youngster he has been quite happy to kick a ball around with his daughter.

With the continuing soccer activities as well as Jemma's university preparations I have decided to give up my part time job at Wheaton's. My current number of hours are ok right now, but once we hit late July there will be more demand for us to work all day Saturday and Friday evenings, often the precise and rare time I get to spend with Craig and the girls. It was a decision I thought long and hard about and have decided it will be for the best.

I shall miss my colleagues and friends, but hope to stay in touch with them as they do all live close by. In fact this week some of us got together after work for very pleasant 'high tea' at Terri's tea room.

Not sure whether I shall hit my Etsy home business with gusto yet, but I do have a few ideas brewing and am looking forward to getting in touch with my creative side again after neglecting it for the past year.

Hazel x

Jemma's Week

Well this week there is no question as to the subject matter of my (fairly) regular blog post.

My baby is all grown up having completed 13 years of schooling, she graduated from high school on Thursday 25th June - wow, what a milestone!!

Prior to the Graduation ceremony was the Grade 12 Prom Dance on Monday evening.

Sadly for Jemma it was a bitter sweet event. Her relationship with her boyfriend Takuto, came to an end just the week before, but as they had already arranged to go as a couple they decided to go as friends, taking the gossip and rumours on the chin. Tak looked very smart in his Tuxedo and Jemma so elegant in her floor sweeping dress. The Prom theme was the James Bond movie 'Casino Royale' and they both looked the part.

Jemma designed and made her own dress, enduring a fair few frustrating hours at the sewing machine before getting it just right in the short space of time after finishing her final exams.

The graduation ceremony held at a local Arena was long and very very hot, as the weather has been particularly humid over the past few days. With so many people packed into the building for over four hours it was a little stifling. All the certificates were presented along with various scholarships and bursaries. Speeches were made and my hands were smarting with all the clapping for each student! Amber was armed with her camera and quite excited for her big sister and the thought of her own graduation in 3 years time. An evening for parents to be proud and students to congratulate themselves on completing many years of schooling before moving on to bigger things.

Jemma can now take a few weeks off, before planning her move to St Mary's University in September, where she will be studying Science and Japanese for the next four years.

Well done Jemma - we love you

Mummy, Daddy & Amber xxxx

Strawberry Season

Yummmmmy Strawberries!! The fruit of early summertime, so deliciously sweet, picked straight off the bush, still warm from the sunshine.It's hard to believe that two whole years have gone by since Jemma and Amber found this vintage sign for their Daddy on Father's day 2007.Craig had just planted his first crop of strawberries in the garden. The arrow points to 'the spot' It was a lucky find at a yard sale and one of those inexpensive but 'perfect' gifts that you occasionally stumble upon which gives you the warm fuzzies, knowing the recipient is going to like it!

On the same theme, this is the recipe book that where I keep a tried and tested recipe for some shortbread that goes well with the strawberries, served with a little cream. It really didn't matter that the rain was pouring as we ate them this afternoon. The garden was in need of a good soaking after a bit of a dry spell. Last but by no means least, our tiny birds get another mention, well they are only here for a few weeks. Hungrily drinking from the strawberry nectar feeders.They are currently flitting between the feeders and the Pink Weigela outside the dining room, which have just come into bloom and obviously taste delicious to hummingbirds :)

Hazel x

The sky is blue ...

...the sun has riz, I wonder where the birdies iz?
Here is the little film clip I took last year of our own little birdies. I couldn't remember how to add the music, so it's accompanied by the sound of the wind and some chirping instead (please feel free to turn down the volume if it becomes irritating!)

I love this time of year, everything is looking so springlike and fresh, while the hummingbirds are quenching their thirst on the sugar water, the blossoms are out and looking exceptionally pretty having opened up 10 days earlier than usual. Amber took a walk and snapped a few pics for this post.I am on the hunt for a couple of hanging baskets full of blue lobelia this week (as seen above), they have become a standard summertime fixture that works well and gives the hummingbirds a little nectar variety, which they seem to enjoy.Archie, such a typical puddy-tat took full advantage of a sunny spot on the front veranda this morning. I have decided to reduce my working hours at Wheaton's to just a couple of days a week for a while. This will give me the opportunity to keep busy at home through the summer, which I am relishing, especially being able to spend more time with the girls again when they come home from school and during the school holidays. A young student has taken on some of my shifts and is happy to get the hours in before going back to college in September.
Back on the familiar tractor mower it felt quite rewarding as I eradicated all the bright yellow dandelion heads that had shot up, neatly mulching them row by row. It didn't however take very long for the black flies to find me. Even wearing long sleeves and protective netting over my peeked cap they managed to find their way inside and give me no less than 8 little itchy bites on my first mowing session!! I have tried everything in the past from regular bug spray, to a diluted spray of Listerine mouthwash! The latter just gave me icky sticky fresh minty hair! This week I am going to try a new product called No-Bite-Me , a soap, which is a popular seller at work. I shall report on the outcome next week. The black fly frenzy should die down a little in a week or two as the weather gets warmer.

I also wanted to share this lovely blog with you, Daisy Pink Cupcake

I was thrilled and honoured to have some of my own home photos featured on one of her colourful posts a few weeks ago. Every week she manages to find some wonderfully diverse eye candy, which I enjoy browsing through when I have the time.

With Jemma's AP calculus exam out of the way, her thoughts have turned to the fast approaching graduation prom dance. She has decided to design and sew her own dress. I admire her determination and work ethic and look forward to seeing what she comes up with. Even Amber was spotted on the sewing machine recently, completing a home economics assignment, recycling a discarded top and turning it into a cute little bag.

Happy thoughts and wishes :)

Hazel x

HAPPY MUMMY'S DAY

Today is Mother's Day here in Canada and also where my Mum lives in South Africa. I'm not sure why but it's a couple of months earlier in the UK . I feel quite special today and perhaps slightly more deserving this year than previous years, because I'm feeling a bit 'fragile' right now.

Yesterday I took a 'tumble' at work whilst sorting out shelves in the back stock room. I missed my step coming down a ladder, lost my balance and stumbled backwards into an unsuspecting piece of very hard wooden furniture, which I involuntarily whacked with the back of my head!!! Getting back on my feet pretty sharpish, hoping nobody would come rushing over wondering what on earth all the racket was, I carried on as normal. About 10 minutes later the stock room took on a sort of surreal appearance just as my boss called me to the front of the store on the intercom. Walking through the rooms they all looked a little unfamiliar. Needless to say after the staff and customers took one look at my pasty white face and saw the growing egg on my head I was promptly whisked off to the emergency dept. at the local hospital. Bumped (excuse the pun) up the waiting list due to the growing 'egg' and my oddly uneven pupils I was quickly assessed and seemed luckily to have only sustained a concussion. Jemma stayed with me the whole time and Craig was given instructions to monitor me closely for the next 72 hours and wake me up every 2 hours during the night to make sure I knew who I was and could speak coherently (does anyone at 3am?)
I woke up this morning to a lovely cup of tea in bed and the biggest hangover ever! A couple of Tylenol tablets seem to have both the headache and whole pummelled-body feeling under control, for now at least. I think I am over the worst and am getting back to normal again.
My girls have been so sweet today, helping with housework and giving me extra hugs and kisses. Snuggled up on the sofa this afternoon we watched the romantic comedy 'Ghost Town' a very funny movie that had us all in stitches and tears. I love Ricky Gervais's sense of humour.
I spotted this new little visitor outside after the movie, well camouflaged amongst next winter's wood supply. (middle top) He was such a brave little chap coming right up to the back door, sniffing around he even stood on his hind legs and turned around to say "hello". Mr Groundhog, Woodchuck or Gopher
The hummingbirds have also returned, right on cue, they arrive every year after a long and tiring flight, around the 10th May. I haven't managed to capture one on camera yet, but the girls saw them yesterday feeding hungrily on the sugar water outside the kitchen window.
The leaves are almost out on all the trees this week and summer is not too far away :)
Hazel xx

Hands on deck

It's been almost a year since we built the deck on the back of the house and the wood has had plenty of time to cure. Craig started painting the trellis panels, whilst I tackled the spindles. After whizzing into town with Amber to pick up her boyfriend, I returned home to find Craig had been doing a little 'experimental painting', using a quick method of spray painting the trellis (bad idea!) Spray painting trellis can be a messy business he discovered. I offered to take over, with the meticulous but tedious stippling approach instead. After finishing two panels my arm felt like lead and the sun was going down, so I decided to call it a day. I will endevour to try to pick up where I left off in a couple of days or so. Both girls are off to a school Toga party tomorrow, so will be dancing the evening away in white dresses or sheets.

I may delay publishing this post so I can upload a photo of them before they leave. Next day....

The girls opted for white dresses

I can report this week that our raccoon visitors it seems, will NOT be taking up residence in our barn this year - Yay!! This is mainly due to some advanced planning by Craig. He put a radio up in the roof, which constantly plays the local station. The station's current promotional jingle is "We play..... everything" I personally think 'anything' might be a better word to use! I wonder where they dig up some of the songs, and am embarrassed to say that I remember them all so well too!! They seem rather fond of what they refer to as the 'lost' eighties (hmmm, perhaps a few of those 80's songs should stay 'lost'?).

Anyway, the volume got cranked up after we spotted a couple of furry friends perched on the roof about two weeks ago. They were waiting for dusk to break into one if the cupolas. We have seen them using their ultra sharp claws to prize the wooden slats off like matchsticks before. Just to make it quite clear that they were not welcome we aimed a hose pipe as high as possible and gave them a quick shower - this may sound a bit cruel, but it didn't actually reach them with the water, but managed to unnerve them a little. After the huge stinky mess they made last year, it was necessary . You might remember the story of the evacuation of all their babies, which had us all frantically placing duvets and pillows underneath in case they fell!

It has now been two weeks with no sign of them, so we can only assume that they scampered off to someone else's barn with a bit of luck!

Advance apologies to all raccoon lovers reading this blog, and anyone who's favourite music is from the 80's :)

Hazel x

First walk of 2009!!

Things are finally coming alive outside. I have been longing for the snow to melt away, one of the reasons is so I can get back into my early morning walking routine. You see spending 30 minutes on the treadmill whilst staring at a blank wall is not quite the same! I love the fresh country air in Springtime, especially at around 7am.

Today was the day for my first 'outdoor' walk this year and I was looking forward to it.

Wearing my old faithful sneakers, sweatpants and a hoodie I stepped outside and turned on my Ipod...

Heading alongside the towering apple crates, stacked high ready for the Autumn harvest.

Passing by the pond, which no longer resembles a skating rink, all it needs now are a few ducks, dragonflies or possibly some Canadian geese that have returned for the summer. Up the hill in the distanceI could see a herd of deer, they quickly scattered in all directions when they spotted me, leaping and bouncing (the deer, not me!) Not a chance of getting a photo I'm afraid.

I paused at the top of the hill anyway to take in the view (catch my breath). It doesn't look very steep, but my legs told me it was!

Walking along the ridge, swiftly and cautiously bypassing the beehives I headed towards home. Surprisingly I found my own two 'busy bees' hard at work preparing a new veggie patch! Craig and Amber digging and edging a nice bed for some tomatoes, lettuce, spinach and courgettes.

Next week, painting the deck railings?

Hazel x

Spring Cleaning - Yay!!!

I do 'enjoy' Spring cleaning! This week I made a start and hope to tackle a room a week this month.
First it was time to open up the front lounge again after it had been closed off for the 3 coldest months of the year. Opening up the double wooden doors from our cosy winter lounge was like a breath of fresh air. That was until I discovered the amount of dust that had accumulated all over the window sills and skirting boards! I also found more than one little spider had set up home in the chandelier during our absence! I was soon lugging all the furniture back to it's rightful place and it felt great to be able to use the space again.The sun has been shining for most of the day, it was quite warm as we stood in line to register Amber for the girls under 16's soccer team. Soccer is the sport she has decided to give a whirl this year (couldn't possibly have anything to do with her boyfriend being an avid player now could it?) Well didn't Keira Knightley look cute in a pair of shorts for the movie Bend it like Beckham! Some of Amber's friends are quite horrified at the idea of her kicking a ball around a field. I'm sure she will have fun and I think she looks just as good in a pair of shorts as Miss K :)Craig seems to have caught the Spring cleaning fever too. He had sanded and repainted all the door thresholds while we were out! We have to step over them for a few hours until they are dry (Hmmm, has anyone remembered to tell Archie I wonder?)
Two pretty additions to my kitchen this week. Couldn't resist this set of 5 cotton tea towels and the cutest bluebird mini salt and pepper pots. I have actually filled them with cinnamon and nutmeg to sprinkle on my morning oatmeal and apple slices. Hope nobody shakes them over their fish and chips by mistake! Well I shall be off now with a spring in my step until next weekend.
Hazel x

Time for Tea?

That's precisely what Craig and I made time for last weekend. We called in at the Telegraph Tea Room. Good friends of ours Terri and James, recently opened the doors of their new business. Having emigrated from England like ourselves, they fell in love with Nova Scotia and decided to set up home in a beautiful old house and have been working hard over the past few months. With the custom built extension (take a look at this link) and the arrival of the furniture on the slow boat all the way from India it was 'show time'. Their products are fair trade and organic! I have mentioned Terri before in a previous blog post, a Horticulturist by trade with years of experience under her belt, she spent a long time choosing the perfect location, which has wonderfully rich soil. They have exciting plans for the garden, which sound amazing. She is already running gardening talk classes in the evenings.Drinking organic tea in real English bone china cups, it was such a treat to relax and chat in a cosy, relaxed homely environment. Already a popular spot, frequented by newcomers and impressed regulars, their tea room is quite the talk of the town. I hope we will be able to visit again soon as we head into Spring. Hazel x

First 'official' day of Spring in Canada!!

It's true Spring is here! At least according to the radio station this morning as I was drinking my early morning cup of tea. Of course this date does not have anything to do with the weather and I don't think we will see a daffodil or even a crocus for a few weeks yet in Nova Scotia, though I will keep my eyes peeled and shall try to have my camera at the ready :)

Archie is perky though and so keen to get outside and investigate as the patches of grass gradually get bigger as the snow melts away.

Here comes the green grass!!

It is now light when we have breakfast and the girls are enjoying a few days off school on March break.

Jemma is, as of yesterday, properly registered at St Mary's University and will be studying for a Science Degree as well as introductory Japanese, a huge passion of hers for quite a few years now. She is so excited at the prospect of living in the City, being independent and going to Uni.

For the past couple of weeks I have been a little pre-occupied with my own health. Born with a rare genetic liver condition 'Glycogen Storage Disease' Back in the 60's and 70's not much was known about the disease and after being diagnosed at 18 months old the Doctors at that time could offer no help or treatment and my Mum was told that I wasn't likely to make it past 10 years old! I was monitored up to the age of 11 when we moved to Norway. Since then I never managed to find a Doctor who was interested and coped with the symptoms by myself by carefully watching my diet. Just a few weeks ago I had a slightly worrying routine blood test and decided to 'google' GSD out of curiosity and was amazed to find a number of people on line with this rare condition. I have joined GSDlife as well as a group on facebook, for people with type 3. I have been intrigued and uplifted by the stories I have read and the support available. Babies are now being treated 'properly' with cornstarch and there is on going research being done to help the younger generation. This is such wonderful news and something that I just had to mention this week. There is still no cure, but hopefully in time there will be.

Not only is it Spring but I also have a Saturday off work tomorrow so am taking the girls on a long overdue visit to the Mall. We may have a nice bit of girly time checking out the new Spring fashions. It will be nice to see some pretty pastel shades in the stores again in anticipation of those milder days to come.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend :)

Hazel x

Back from Cuba!!

I am so lucky to have been able to visit Cuba for the second time, I just love the place! We arrived back home at 6am Friday morning after a week away. As it was our 20th year together and also my birthday, Craig and I took a holiday on our own for the very first time since the girls were born! Kind of a second honeymoon. I admit I had my worries about leaving Jemma and Amber home alone, which is why I didn't write a blog post before we left. You can't be too careful on the internet, or is that paranoid? We kept the number of people we told to a minimum. Even though they are 15 and 17 and very sensible, the neigbours kept an eye on the house and it was a regular school week for them, with just one snow day. Archie was well looked after, the house was tidy and they are now experts at keeping the woodstove going. We were told on our return that they had both been poorly for a few days. Amber even had a fever, but Jemma was a good nurse and took good care of her little sister :)

Our holiday was wonderful, most days were warm and sunny. Staying on Cayo Coco in an all inclusive 5 star resort meant that the food and drinks were in abundance with just about everything you could imagine available. Fresh tropical fruit, salads, vegetables, grilled seafood prepared right in front of us, special cheeses etc. For those wishing to indulge the selection of sweets was spectacular too, including the flambe bananas, just watching the chef cook those was a form of entertainment in itself! We were fortunate enough to get a 'honeymoon' upgrade with a special room actually opening out onto the beach!

The view from our room!

Friendly waiters and bar staff made for a romantic, fun and memorable trip. Walking on the beach first thing in the morning was like being in a different world and just a 3.5 hour flight away from home.

Now we are back things have quickly returned to normal again, with a ton of laundry to catch up on I decided to take the bedding and towels to the local laundromat for a hot wash this morning, taking the pressure off our septic system!

Craig was back at work within a few hours of being home, driving all the way back into Halifax for an emergency meeting! I had a busy full day at work yesterday, now the cafe has re-opened the customers have been flooding in despite the still falling snow :)
We both feel refreshed though and well rested after a good dose of sunshine and romance.

Hazel xx

Flurries in February

The last couple of weeks haven't been very news worthy, so I didn't update my blog last weekend as there wasn't very much to report really. The snow flurries are still hanging in there, with the occasional wild storm keeping the kids home from school and the buses off the roads for safety. Most of us still make our way into work, for me that means greeting the few and far between customers with a friendly smile, some chit chat and offer of a hot cup of tea or coffee on the house :) Just one more week before the Wheaton's cafe re-opens and things get busy again.

St. Valentines day came and went and Craig surprised me with a bottle of my favourite perfume 'Angel', secretly bought on his business trip to Atlanta, he was going to wait until my birthday, but decided it was more appropriate for the 14th instead, very observent of him to notice that there was just a smidgen remaining in my current bottle! We joined our friends Greg and Tina for a lovely lunch while Jemma and Amber spent the afternoon with their boyfriends' and were each presented with dinner, flowers and chocolates. The girls were walking on air when they came home and couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the evening :)

Earlier this week Jemma booked a tour of St Mary's University in Halifax, which is likely to be the University she will attend later this year. It was an in-service day at high school so Amber and Takuto came along too. Takuto is hoping to be accepted at St.Mary's as an International student.

Takuto puts a protective arm around Jemma

I liked that all the buildings on campus are linked by walkways, so there is no need to actually go outside during the winter months except to the gymnasium. We all followed the guide as he almost sprinted through each department, up and down stairs, it was quite exhausting! We ended the tour by having a quick peek at the rooms in residence. 'Compact' is the word that springs to mind, with barely enough space to swing a cat (not that you would want to), but I guess that's all a student needs, a place to sleep and study away from the hustle and bustle of hectic student life. I got ever so slightly choked up at the thought of my little Jem moving into her own place in the big City, but she will soon be 18 and it's time to let loose those apron strings a bit. On exiting the University the predicted snow storm had hit hard and fast with a good 20cm's of snow now covering the ground. It was a very slow and careful drive home on the yet to be ploughed highway. The journey home took almost twice as long as usual but we made it safely and got the fire going in time for dinner.

Hazel x

Thinking of the people in Victoria

I'm sure at the forefront of every ones minds right now are the victims in the State of Victoria, Australia. It's hard to imagine such horror as terrible fires have raged through vast areas taking numerous lives causing awful injuries and leaving many mourning the loss of friends and loved ones. I cannot comprehend that some of these fires have actually been started deliberately! It is unthinkable, cruel and so vicious.

The brave firemen who have risked their own lives in selfless acts of courage, deserve so much praise, they do a great job.

That being said I shall be thankful that we have the cold climate and shan't complain one bit this week.

This is a photo of a 4ft long icicle (you will have to take my word for it) outside our back door, with the sunset in the background, taken by Craig as he came home from work the other day.

Over the weekend Craig was asked to join some guys on an impromptu snow mobile jaunt. The conditions being just perfect for outdoor sporting activities; lots of packed snow, little wind and a clear blue sky. His initial reaction was that he didn't really fancy it, but he decided to go along for the first time, grabbing a few necessary items, including waterproof gloves and a balaclava! Leaving at about 9am and only returning late afternoon, stopping half way for a lunch of fish and chips at a bistro. I believe they clocked up 90 miles in total! He absolutely loved it I am happy to say! Just a little sore the following day from the intense concentration and balancing required, aching muscles not normally used I suspect :)

He will definitely join the gang next time they ask him along. One of the group members was a chap in his mid 80's, fit as a fiddle, belting along at top speed with a sharp sense of humour to boot!

No such excitement in my life! I am still enjoying February though. The girls will be seeing their respective 'friends' on Valentines day and are looking forward to that. Craig and I will most probably join some of our friends for lunch in the village. The orchard looking quite naked in the pristine snow.Footprints 'to' the school bus and 'from' the school bus :)

Til next week

Hazel x

February is here - Yippee!!

It's the month of February and that makes me smile :)
Here are a few reasons why...
1. I'm almost over the flu :)
2. The mornings are going to get significantly lighter :)
3. There will/should be fewer snow falls, slippery roads and frozen fingers and toes :)
4. Valentines Day is in the middle :)
5. My birthday is at the very end :)
6. Archie finally gets to go outside and play :)
7. Exam pressure is over for Jemma and Amber, for a while :)
8. We might just see a groundhog, or perhaps a 'real' chipmunk :)In fact, even though we are still snowed under quite literally, it's not so bad. This morning I had a little rummage through some old photos and came across this one: Little Jemma aged 2, happily playing in the snow, so proud having built her very first snowman!!
And now all these years later, some things never change :)

Also, I am happy because my wonderful hubby Craig came home safely from his trip to Atlanta and I realised just how much I missed him :)

Hazel x

It's just too cold!!

We are experiencing the coldest temperatures here in Nova Scotia for about 25 years and I am not exaggerating!! The past five days have been bitter, with windchill temperatures of -30 degrees. Having now closed off the front room, dining room. The downstairs hallway is only just bearable (when walking on the treadmill or running quickly up the stairs). It is the main topic of conversation amongst the locals from the village post office to the girls at work. Now if another person tells me to 'embrace' the winter I shall scream!!! Embracing winter is really not possible for me, I am definitely a summer person, in fact this picture taken from the 'out of bounds dining room' is currently my computer backdrop to remind myself that Spring will be back in a few months :) .While we are freezing our bums off here in Canada, my friend Kathy living in Sydney is cooking in the Australian heat! In fact so are my Mum and sister in SA and my good friend Keriann in NZ (I am just a smidgen envious I have to admit).

Off the weather topic, Jemma has recently been accepted into two local Universities and is growing up so quickly it's unreal. I popped into her bedroom to check on her and see how her studies were going yesterday and took a snap of her tastefully decorated walls.The huge mirror is a recent addition, her main Christmas gift. She is contemplating whether or not we should re-paint it or keep it the current bronze colour. Her own dress designs are multiplying now that she has discovered that her creative side is a calming and fun break from the books occasionally!
This is what her room looked like when we bought the house.Grey walls and bottle green carpet - not very girly!
My own fingers have been creating a few more felt tinies this weekend with a group of 8 heading off to Texas tomorrow.Signing off now as my fingers are numb and blue and I am struggling to type - I do believe the coffee pot is calling me!

Hazel xx

20 YEARS !!

Just a brief post from me this week as I sit here nice and cosy in my winter woolens. Another snow storm has hit Nova Scotia today, sending down about 15cm's of snow this afternoon! I predict a day at home for the girls tomorrow, as the roads will be too dangerous for the buses to run.

This weekend it is an incredible 20 years since Craig and I set eyes on each other on board an overnight KLM flight from Cape Town to London on Jan 10th/11th 1989! I am a great believer in fate, since neither of us were looking for a serious relationship at the time. It was just meant to be that we were allocated seats beside each other for the duration of the journey. With Craig on his way to England for the first time on a visitors work permit to stay in a shared house in Clapham North (the dodgy end!). I lived south of the City in a village called Purley. Both of us worked long hours in downtown London so our dates were usually after work on a Friday, where we met up at a restaurant or club. On holiday in Greece in May Craig 'popped the question' and we were engaged on the romantic, unspoilt island of Poros. The rest is history as they say and our journey together so far has been exciting, emotional, sometimes stressful, but mostly loving and fun as we have moved from country to country with our two daughters'.

I can't imagine cramming as much into the next 20 years, but who knows?
Hazel x

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

I hope that 2009 brings all my friends and family good health and happiness.

I can hardly believe how quickly 2008 went by. They say that time goes by much faster the older you get and how true that has been for Craig and I over the past 12 months.

Taking down the Christmas decorations and packing them away for another year is something that I usually do alone and I find it a little sad I admit. This year I asked the girls if they would help me as they were at home and we had a chuckle at some of their hand made ones from years ago like the gold 'reindeer and sleigh', a masterpiece of margarine tubs and paper mache, carefully copied from the English Children's TV program Blue Peter, as well as a few hand sewn creations too.

We have closed off the front room for the remaining winter months making it feel much cosier and warm in the family room adjoining the kitchen. Craig also surprised me by painting the front hallway one afternoon before I came home from work. I had been procrastinating for the longest time, always finding an excuse to delay it even though I am usually quite happy to have a paint brush in my hand. The mustard yellow has now been painted a Dulux shade called 'combed cotton'.

Things will return back to normal tomorrow when school resumes after the 2 week holiday. Everyone up at 6am, packed lunches, fighting over the hairdryer and a mad rush to get out the door and on board the school bus by 12 minutes past 7!!

This coming Saturday it will be exactly 20 years since Craig and I met each other! We celebrate it as our anniversary every year, instead of our wedding date which is sometime in June. As I am scheduled to be working on the 10th Craig took me out for lunch at a new restaurant called 'The Tempest' a week early. The lunch was delicious and I was particularly impressed by the little 'towel pods' found in the washroom. As I had my camera in my purse I took a quick snap of them!Hazel x

Merry Christmas 2008!

Merry Christmas to all my friends, family and blog readers.

My sister Heidi calls it the 'Silly Season' which I think is very apt. Amber had a few of her friends stay with us over the weekend and they enjoyed playing in the snow.Christmas eve saw a steady stream of customers rushing into the store to buy those last minute gifts. Plenty of them men I might add - funny that :) Many with their young children giving them advice on gifts for Mummy.

There had been no friendly visit from the jolly man in the red suit when we awoke this morning. We had overslept by an hour to find that we had no electricity! Quickly racing down the stairs at 7am, torch in hand Craig and I surveyed the damage. We live in a very old house with its own well and sump pump which, when the power goes off ceases to work and it's amazing how quickly the water builds up. During the night the rain had come down in buckets plus the snow had melted. Our basement was on the verge of being seriously flooded and the actual pump was completely submerged while the contaminated water was rapidly seaping into our well. Not a good start to Christmas day at all. The next plan of action was to wake the girls so they could help bail out some of the water and move everything to higher ground (you can imagine how two rudely awoken bleary eyed teenagers felt about that). Actually they were a big help, lighting candles, phoning the electricity board and moving stuff upstairs all the while giggling, can you believe it?

Luckily we have a really good friend Greg, who lives fairly close by and came to our rescue with his portable generator, we managed to pump all the water out of the basement before it did too much damage.
Finally the panic was over and the daylight streamed into the house and I looked sadly at the forgotten Christmas tree with no presents beneath it. I don't think we would have got away with that a few years ago somehow! No, the days of Santa quietly visiting in the middle of the night, leaving his footprints and nibbling on the mince pie so carefully chosen and placed alongside a glass of milk or wine are long gone for us :(

Heidi take note, enjoy them while you can, they are truly precious and innocent years.

On the bright and less nostalgic side, Craig and the girls were all pleased with their gifts, which did eventually find their way under the tree and the giggling carried on until this afternoon when we were all a little too full of home cooked turkey dinner and terry's chocolate orange. The electricity was thankfully back on by midday and all is well again, we will just be drinking bottled water for the next few days.

So here I am typing away and planning on going downstairs to watch a movie 'Love Actually' a little later this evening with Craig and girls and possibly a glass of mulled wine :)

I got a few special little treats myself under the tree this year including a sweet little Christmas heart in white emboidery anglaise with red trim from my friend Keriann in NZ and arriving in the post from England just yesterday, the Judith Glover 2009 Note Nook Calendar which is adorable and will adorn the wall in my kitchen for a whole year.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Hazel xx

Another special birthday celebration

Last weekend we celebrated Amber's 'real' birthday. I say real because she tried an experimental 'half birthday' in June to see what it would be like not so close Christmas time. The outcome was that although she enjoyed the day it just didn't feel quite right. So, with Dec 1st falling on Monday (a school day) we had a special lunch together at Boston Pizza on Sunday. Her present was a long awaited and well deserved Ipod nano chromatic, or is that a shuffle? Anyway it's a pretty nifty looking gadget. I have a lovely green Ipod that has, wait for it..... a total of 50 songs downloaded and no photos (how embarrassing). Amber's already contains over 500 songs !!! as well as videos, images and photos. She absolutely loves music, all kinds from Indie and jazz to the current pop sounds. This is the child that likes to get up and dance as we are yawning and ready for bed!

My other little girl who is heading swiftly towards her 18th birthday in the summer is suddenly seeming very grown up too. With the upcoming semi-prom only weeks away she began a little project and turned this.......

Into this! I would like to call her a 'chip of the old block' but I'm not particularly fond of the word 'old' . She is most certainly creative in her own right and very determined, not needing a stitch of help from me, as she created a sweet little dress that is unique and was admired by her friends on the night.

Both Jemma and Amber had a great time at the school semi-prom dance, Amber wore a pre-loved black taffeta number that had been altered to fit perfectly by her big sister too!

Today it's 6.30 am. as I write this and I have a Saturday off work - yippee!! Why am I not having a lie in you may well ask. I just have too much on my mind and don't want to miss a minute of the day I suppose. Also I was feeling in the mood for writing a blog post :)

My Etsy orders are doing fine considering the little time I spend working on promoting! I have had a few local orders through word of mouth. My friend Mel requested a couple of tiny Westies with the initials BFF embroidered on them for her young daughter and best friend to remember each other by. They are soon to be moving to another part of Canada. I was so keen to give them to her that I forgot to take a photo, so perhaps I will make a couple more and list them as a pair in my shop. Also had a cow request to complete a farm set locally and a custom brown bunny using my guinea pig pattern!

Traditionally the weekend following Amber's birthday is decorating time! This morning Craig is going to collect the tree they picked out last weekend and after a quick shop for groceries I shall return for a family tree decorating afternoon, which I shall endeavor to report on next weekend if I get the chance.

Hazel x

Any sign of Mr Tumnus?

This weekend we woke up to a land resembling Narnia! It would appear that Winter has arrived a little early for us here in the Maritimes. Icicles on the roof. Driving home from work in blizzard conditions on Thursday I was very glad to have had my snow tires fitted in time. Everything came to a standstill as the snow had drifted into such deep dunes by Saturday morning that we couldn't get out of our driveway to go anywhere.
Having been very excited about my appointment with the hairdresser on my day off, it didn't look likely that I would make the 9am slot! Sure enough, I phoned to discover that I wasn't the only one trapped by a giant snow drift. Most stores and shopping malls were only going to be open by lunchtime at the earliest.
Well this did mean that we had no choice but to remain indoors keeping cosy by the wood fire. Actually that is not not entirely true. Amber had an invite to her friends house for a sleepover and as we had 'promised' she could go I volunteered to do the driving (kind or mad - I'm not sure). A local farmer showed up by lunchtime and ploughed the driveway so we could at least get the car out on to the road.

It took a little longer than usual, cautiously driving through 'mashed potato' type snow is interesting, guessing where the road, ditch, fences etc merged with my nose practically pressed against the windscreen! Needless to say I managed to get Amber delivered to her friend's door and make the trip back safely, with only a couple of dodgy manoeuvres along the way. Some of the roads had been ploughed, but on one side only, not that I encountered many fellow drivers crazy enough to be on the road! There were however plenty of cheery folk out shovelling and blowing snow, all sporting rosy cheeks and cute bobble hats! - keep in mind that this is early in the winter season and still somewhat of a novelty. Grinning doesn't come as spontaneously as the weeks of snow go by, unless they are frozen ones :D
This afternoon the sun is shining and the girls are home from school and already wearing their snowsuits and giggling as I write. Archie on the other hand is quite perplexed by the whole snow deal and would like some answers please.

Archie gazing out of the window, looking a little puzzled. On second thoughts, some extra biscuits would be nice!

Hazel xx

Ships in the night ....

At least that's what it has felt like over the past couple of weeks. Between my erratic working hours the girls with their various after school commitments, volunteer work and Craig's full time job almost an hours drive away. So last Sunday Craig decided that we should go on a 'family drive' forcing us to spend 'quality' family time together. This was met with groans, rolling of eyes and slumped shoulders, and that was just me! Only kidding, we all went along with his special request and meandered around the back streets of the valley for a couple of hours, only getting lost once, which after a quick group study of the map set us in the right direction again.
Our unplanned route took us past this place Tangled Garden

Run by a friendly lady called Beverley who chatted to us whilst preparing some herbal concoction behind the counter. Her business and premises are quite enchanting and we will most certainly be going back for a visit in the summertime when her gardens are looking their best. If you are into gourmet food then it's a gem of a find, some of the jellies looked yummy and the bottled vinegars quite intriguing!

I can see myself snuggled up by the wood stove on a snowy Saturday evening sipping one of her new liqueurs too :)
The girls disappeared outside with the camera to take a few snaps in the now out of season garden which still looks delightful. You can see from Beverley's website link that it does look stunning in the summer.

Jemma amongst the 'tousle bushes'

All in all, our spontaneous drive went very well, with a more than a little reminiscing taking place in the confined space of our car. Remembering what, when and where funny and memorable events have taken place over the many years and several countries on our travels can be quite challenging but between the four of us we came to realise what a huge catalogue of memories we have built up and it was a great afternoon.
Thanks to Craig's persistence I might add ;)

Hazel xx

Orange is not my favourite colour

Personally I'm not terribly crazy about Halloween these days.

Orange isn't my favourite colour and there are giant pumpkins 'everywhere' at this time of year! October 31st means that Winter is just around the corner, in fact the clocks go back this weekend so it will at least be light again when the girls catch their school bus in the morning for a while. Today Craig got some winter tires fitted on my car, no more pirouetting on the road for me then :D
Both Jem and Amber had fun dressing up for school today. Amber for the second time this week as she also went to a Halloween party on Wednesday night and had a great time.

They are both a little too old to go 'trick or treating' this year. Thank goodness we don't live in town where the residents apparently get close to a hundred groups of children/teens visiting them, many armed with a big black garbage bag which they expect to fill with treats by the end of the evening! I probably sound a bit mean and grouchy, sorry. I think the younger children are very cute all dressed up going door to door, but not the ones with facial hair, who look like they are pushing 20 years old!

This afternoon I prepared a stress free quick and easy family meal. I am the first to admit to NOT being the greatest cook in the world, but Craig and the girls seem to like my home made turkey burgers. There should even be enough left over for tomorrow, so I won't need to do any cooking when I get home.
Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean turkey mince
2 large eggs (whisk with a fork)
1 large carrot (grated)
1/2 apple (grated)

1 medium courgette/zucchini (grated)
4-6 fresh sweet basil leaves finely chopped (dried leaves can be used) 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbs breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp sea salt
Mix all the ingredients together well, with the mince added last.

Spray a wok or non-stick frying pan with a little oil, when hot drop in tablespoon sized portions. I do 3 at a time, flattening them down with a spatula. Cook for about 3 mins each side until golden brown. Turn onto some absorbent kitchen paper before putting on a plate. Voila! Served with wholewheat rolls and a baby spinach, peach and toasted almond salad - oops I seem to be out of almonds today!

I think it's the Sweet Basil that makes them extra flavourful :)

Finally, I shall share a sad little foxy tail....

A customer contacted me a few days ago with a special request for a tiny felt fox with a 3/4 length tail! He is to represent a little fox cub called Fitz from a family of foxes, which Annika has been photographing since April. The poor little guy showed up a while ago with a third of his tail missing :( OUCH! To make matters worse he now seems to have vanished and hasn't been seen for several days. I really hope that he does show up, I will be sure to let you know if I hear any news from Annika.

Ok, maybe orange isn't such a bad colour after all.
Hazel x

Apples for bicycles?

Jemma and Amber spent some time on Saturday morning picking apples to help raise money through the school, for bicycles in Africa (no further details forthcoming from the girls at this point!) There was a good turn out of kids, despite the chilly early morning air as they set to work filling their buckets.

Gathering the fallen apples, destined for 'juicing'

A break for a little 'tree hugging'

Almost home with thoughts of hot chocolate and a biscuit :)

My mum and dad are visiting my brother Michael and his family in Adelaide Australia this week and I am really looking forward to hearing all about their first trip to the land down under. They will also be spending some time with my aunt in Sydney, a city I would love to be able to visit one day. It's strange to think that they have the whole summer ahead of them in Aussie and also in Africa when they return home, while we are making some serious preparations for winter.

Today Craig and I swept the chimney!! It was quite a complex hands on procedure requiring some strength and inginuity. Armed with an extra strong home made bag to catch the soot we proceeded to shove the custom made brush up through the chimney from the laundry room. Gradually attaching 5 interlocking fiberglass 5ft. rods to push it right to the top. It took some tricky maneuvering and we were a little apprehensive when the brush got stuck a couple of times. Running outside I was relieved to see the 'poof' of soot finally appear at the very top. Actually it wasn't nearly as messy as I had expected and my laundry is now back in use! We can now safely light our first wood fire in a week or so, without the risk of the chimney catching alight. I know we could have got the experts in to do the job for us, but where is the adventure in that I ask?!

Hazel xx

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

The changing colours of 'Fall'
Today is 'Thanksgiving' here in Canada. That means we all get the day off work and school - Yippee! As a family we don't usually celebrate the holiday but the girls asked if we could make a special effort this year and join in the Canadian spirit of things.
I cooked a roast chicken along with sweet potatoes, carrots and red peppers, all tossed in olive oil with a sprinkling of brown sugar and cinnamon. Pureed pumpkin, broccoli florets, gravy and homemade cranberry sauce on the side made for a colourful and delicious late lunch. Desert was an apple and caramel cake with maple/walnut ice cream. Unfortunately the battery is flat on my camera so I wasn't able to capture it on film.
Following our meal we played board games while laughing hysterically at random things (but you really had to be there)
Alas the sun did not shine, though yesterday was beautiful so we can't complain. Jemma went into Halifax with two friends on Saturday and we visited some new English friends at their lakeside home in the evening. Two different lots of visitors went home with bags full of our apples yesterday as well as a few baby potatoes from Craig's experimental 'potato crate'! Personally I thought it seemed like a lot of hard work for a meagre offering of spuds - but I think he had fun, especially dismantling the crate and digging in the sawdust by hand, along with his friend Greg, (boyish memories of mud pies perhaps?)
This afternoon we have (well, Craig mostly) insulated a few windows. Every little helps and the big picture windows lose a lot of heat so we have put up some temporary plastic film. The type that can be dried taut with a hairdryer. We used the stuff way back when Jemma was born, in our first home in Camberley and it worked well then.
No news on my shop this week, I have stopped promoting my animals on-line, if fact I hardly ever seem to get on the computer these days, just not enough hours in the day to do everything. My work hours at Wheaton's have been longer than I had anticipated for the last month. I apologise to my friends on facebook who I feel I have neglected recently :( I think I may need some practice at 'time management'
I actually cheated on the photo above (it was taken this time last year looking across at our next door neighbour's house and garden). Since it was taken their beautiful 'pavilion' gazebo got blown into a crumpled irreparable heap (rather like ours did in Spring!)
Hazel x

Archie, will you ever learn?

I wonder?

It's just as well he has 9 lives. Since living in Nova Scotia he has managed to get himself attacked by a Racoon, had a few near misses with fast moving trucks and has even had a very close encounter with a skunk! (not a pleasant experience). His current enemy is the stray cat our next door neighbours have adopted.

You see, Archie, being a creature of habit only goes out for about 15 minutes early in the morning at this time of year, then a couple of hours before it gets dark in the evenings. He even looks forward to his 'bedtime routine' and usually comes and meows at us a few minutes before 10pm. He is quite happy to be put to bed in his little room where he views the nighttime activities safely behind a window. The Tom cat next door however is a little more streetwise and of the nocturnal variety. He struts his stuff along our barn late at night and we have even spotted paw marks outside Archie's window. Well, all of this taunting has led Archie to seek some revenge I think. I always know something is wrong when he doesn't come home on time. Sure enough a couple of days ago he finally emerged with one eye half closed, blood stains around his neck and ears, looking very ashamed of himself. After gently wiping him down with warm water followed by a baby aspirin for the pain and a large dose of sympathy, he is once again on the mend.

Archie aside, this weekend Craig and I joined some friends and went to watch a live show featuring singer songwriter Coco Love Alcorn. Sitting in an intimate lounge setting in the Wick pub, her one off performance was a sell out. Even though jazz/folk is not usually my cup of tea, I thoroughly enjoyed her amazing voice and sense of humour. A very talented lady. We were even lucky enough to get a special limited edition fabric poster. Coco, along with her new hubby screen print pre-loved tee-shirts and men's cotton shirts, which they sell at various events. For this particular concert they designed just 8 posters for a select few who attended the show.On Sunday Craig and I left the girls at home and went out to buy some fresh organic veggies and fruit. Pumpkins, squash, peppers and of course apples are in abundance at the roadside stalls this time of year. Whilst out we decided to call in on a friend of mine, Terri and her husband James. Both from the UK and fairly recent immigrants to Canada like ourselves. They are in the middle of doing a big renovation project on their home as well as an extension for a tea room and very special garden. Terri is a horticulturist who worked on The Eden Project and Lost Gardens of Heligan in the UK, so has a ton of experience and a passion for plants. Her love of William Morris was quite evident in her collection books featuring his work as well as a selection of rich wallpapers that will one day grace the walls of her home. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon spent chatting about all sorts of interesting topics. Terri grew up in Zambia and Craig in Zululand, so they had a few childhood memories in common.

We ended the weekend by splitting and stacking more wood for the winter! It's that time of year already, our hard work will hopefully pay off in the months ahead.

Craig sorting out the best logs to split in the hydraulic monster wood splitter.
As you can see, the leaves are now turning orange and even though the evenings and early mornings are a bit nippy, the sun will be shining all week. It's such a beautiful time of year.
Hazel x

Family Team Work

It was the first title thought that came into my head this morning as I started to write this weeks blog post!

On the home front, my brood has really pulled together over the past couple of weeks, adapting to my sudden absence as we have moved into a new chapter.

Jemma and Amber are now quite capable of preparing varied meals (that don't come in a packet or tin). Dirty clothes are finding their own way into the laundry basket, they don't get washed otherwise! Archie is now 'extra' affectionate to the younger members of the family, he has cottoned on the fact that they are the ones feeding him at around 5pm! I still get my 6am friendly wake up 'leg weaving' as I stumble towards his biscuit bowl. Craig is becoming a dab hand at picking up the odd top-up grocery shopping, as well as fetching and dropping off the girls when I am not around.

The dust bunnies hiding on the stairs and under furniture generally wait patiently for my day off, as does other housework and ironing of course. Well they wouldn't want to rob me of that privilege would they :D

I shan't bore you with too many details of my own day to day activities at work, except to say that I am enjoying my job and learning something new every day. I really must invest in a good pair of comfy work shoes soon. It has been many years since I worked in retail and the one thing I don't remember too clearly was how sore my feet are at the end of the day! Or is that just because I am not 18 anymore? Thank goodness for Peppermint foot lotion and my soft M&S bunny slippers.

I am now able to 'speed eat' in the 15 minutes we get to 'inhale' our lunch, as it is referred to by one work colleague. Don't think I fancy liquidised salad, but soup and yoghurt are always a good option. I need a quick cup of coffee in the afternoons too, something I haven't done before, as I couldn't get to sleep if I had caffeine after midday.

A little update on the girls.

Amber, fast approaching 15 and the social butterfly, has been making lots of new friends in high school and there seems to be something going on every weekend from movies, school dances to bands playing in basements. She is revelling in all this new found social activity. This week she completed and handed in her Bronze Duke of Ed. and will be getting her certificate in October.

Jemma has so much on her plate in this final year of high school, but seems to be coping well with both extra AP courses. These on-line lessons linked into other schools fill in her 'spares' whereas her friends get to go out to fast food outlets or go home early, she is always working. It will all be worthwhile in the end and she does enjoy the challenge. She also single handedly runs the school campus store and has been busy designing and ordering new merchandise for the winter. Being creative rather than just academic makes for a healthier balance.

Both girls have now got regular babysitting jobs locally, so they are quickly becoming independent and responsible young ladies.

Today is Sunday and we are just relaxing at home as a family. I have promised to make up a batch of turkey burgers, using my special recipe which includes sweet basil, garlic and our own grated courgettes. Always a favourite served with wholewheat buns and a side salad. Then a family movie this afternoon before the predicted power cut! Yes, hurricane 'Kyle' is heading our way this evening with 120km winds! So far we have only had 100km ones which were pretty fierce. I shall have to report any damage in next week's post.

It's calm outside right now, but looks can be deceiving so I'm off to batten down the hatches!

Hazel x

A little bit of quirkiness!

My friend Kat tagged me last week, asking for a list of 6 quirky, but fairly ordinary things about myself.
So, in no particular order here goes...
1. I have a 'thing' for painting things, often white, sometimes cream or pale blue. Particularly old furniture that's in need of some TLC. I love the Swedish or Scandinavian decor style, especially when it's a little distressed, simplistic and fresh.
2. I actually enjoy doing my ironing, outdoors preferably if possible in the summertime. I find it calming and the perfect time for creative thoughts. 3. I absolutely 'hate' brussel sprouts, liver and stew - Yuk! Always have, ever since those nasty primary school dinners that we were made to eat while some very stern dinner ladies or prefects watched over us.

4. I am gluten intollerent (not Celiac's) and I used to think it was just wheat but it is in cornflour and oats too! Just can't digest the stuff and get the most unbearable tummy cramps if I eat some by mistake. So cakes, biscuits and pasta are a no no for me unfortunately. It's not such a big deal as I love so many other foods and will ocasionally treat myself to some 'gluten free' yummies. But not the gluten free bread as it usually resembles a brick!5. I am a bit of a neat freak (or so I am told) If my house is messy I start to get a tad irate and reach for my rubber gloves or a broom quicker than you can say 'dust bunny'.

6. Cold fingers and toes, yep those extremeties of mine struggle to get warm in winter no matter how many layers of clothing I wear. Is that quirky or perhaps a little worrying I wonder?

I don't really like tagging people, or at least not too often but I think my sister Heidi, my friend Kathy (who already has some on her blog) and Lyn might like to take part at some point in the future. I would be interested to read their 6 quirky, but ordinary things about themselves if they feel like sharing them.

Hazel xx

Working Girl

There are going to be a few little changes in our family home starting this week, as I now have a new job!
I will be away during the day, working for a lovely family run company called Wheaton's. I believe I have mentioned Wheaton's on previous posts, it is not only a wonderful store but has a great cafe too, one of my favourite places to have lunch with my friends :)

Following a phone call last weekend, an interview on Monday, and then a job offer on Tuesday to start on Friday! It's only early days so I am still in the process of 'settling in' and learning the ropes. An exciting change for me after doing secretarial work from home and helping children with learning difficulties at elementary school. Not forgetting my sewing business of course. I am in a way, stepping out of my 'comfort zone' the time feels right. Saturday was spent in the Christmas room at work (frighteningly early I know) getting familiar with all the gorgeous products, unpacking, stocking up and meeting some lovely people in the process, both work colleagues and customers. It was incredibly busy, with many customers getting a head start on Christmas shopping, so the day seemed to fly by!

With a resourceful husband and two capable teenage daughters (please do take note if you read this girls!) I am sure our 'new' family dynamics at home will work out, with the word 'delegate' featuring a little more in my vocabulary from now on. Being a great one for list writing and planning, it is a challenge I shall relish (I hope?).

My little shop will continue to remain open. I intend to catch up with my 'stitchery' on Sundays, along with all the other jobs around the house. Luckily there is now a descent stock of felt animals waiting with optimistic anticipation of a busy run up to December.Here on the farm, there has been a lot of 'apple activity' in the orchards this week. Huge piles of crates have been strategically placed ready for the harvesting season. I am sure that both the local and Mexican pickers will soon be swarming amongst the trees and we will hear that familiar hollow sound of apples hitting wood as well as laughter and chattering, while the crates get filled, ready to be shipped off to various places.

The leaves are turning golden and starting to fall at a rapid rate suddenly. Today there is such a gale blowing that it almost knocked me off my feet early this morning. Despite it being of the warm tropical variety it was incredibly powerful, with a headwind going up the hill and a tailwind practically blowing me home again, just in time to see Craig leave for his day in the office.

Well I shall have to dash now, lists to write and a quick load of washing to hang out, making the most of this perfect laundry weather....

Til next week, I hope you have a good one :)

Hazel xx

All good things must come to an end.

After an incredibly long summer break, both girls returned to school on Wednesday. It was eerily quiet with just Archie for company again. At 2.30 the familiar yellow school bus pulled up outside and my two chattering teens tumbled inside, bags and all, with stories to tell and mixed feelings. Amber is no longer in a class with her two good friends, but was pleased to finally be with her big sister in high school. Jemma found her new schedule had been messed up with some of her chosen subjects needing to be sorted out by the guidance councilor. Like many other students, nobody seemed to know exactly what was going on. In other words a normal first day. Thursday and Friday were a little better, with the weekend coming as such a relief that they went to bed early on their own accord, totally exhausted!! That's one good thing about getting up with the birds at 6am.

On the subject of birds, our dear little hummingbird friends seem to be rapidly diminishing. The males, babies and stronger females have already flown off to warmer climates. Left behind are just a few females who will sadly not be able to make the long tiring journey to Mexico. I keep topping up the sugar water feeder with a heavy heart, knowing that when the first frost arrives they will surely die. Nature can be cruel sometimes.

In honour of these brave little birds I have introduced a simple whimsical dream catcher into my shop this week. If it sells I will make another one. Each will be a 'one of a kind', using the various remnants from my fabric collection.

Two cotton birds, a star to wish upon and a single white feather for peaceful dreams.....

Last weekend was our final 'family day' of the holidays and we headed for Upper Clements Park on an impulse visit, using the 'buy one get one free' vouchers I had cut out from some cereal boxes ages ago. I secretly hoped that they would come in handy. The park is very low key as far as theme parks go (chalk and cheese compared to Universal Studios in Florida!) It has always a fun day out, being relatively close to home, we have visited each summer since we arrived in Nova Scotia. It seems hard to believe that it is over a year since we took my parents for the day last summer. The only Roller coaster ride in the park has seen better days and I have to admit I felt a little uneasy as it rattled along. It felt like I had left my tummy behind somewhere along the way! The home made fudge is delectable and always worth a little sample (that would be 'after' riding on the roller coaster of course).

Amaretto, vanilla and peanut butter and chocolate flavours, all equally delicious!

We left at 4pm, just in time to see the first drops of rain as a thunder storm blew in, which we managed to out drive all the way home.

Same time next year? Who knows, we will have to wait and see.

Hazel xx

Bats in our brolly!!

Imagine my surprise a few days ago when opening up the umbrella on the deck, I found two of these little chaps hiding inside!
We had seen them flying around in the evenings and I believe they usually spend the day in trees (but maybe not).

They squirmed a bit and were quite reluctant to leave. After debating whether or not to close the brolly up again I decided that we needed the shade more. Eventually they flew off to another resting place for the day :)

My intended blog post was put on hold last week because I wanted to take part in The Tree of Happiness. I was going to tell you about the 'little vintage clothing trip'. Both Jemma and Amber were really keen to investigate the various used clothing shops in the city. Amber downloaded a street map for us to follow. Wearing suitable comfy walking shoes we trekked the streets in the city centre. Craig and I made a few 'patient' coffee stops at Starbucks, while the girls hunted amongst racks of dresses, tops and jeans. They both managed to find a couple of cute items at bargain prices and were pleased as punch. It was a lovely day with the City having a great Cosmopolitan atmosphere on a Saturday. Such a lovely memory point. As the children don't have a school uniform here (how I wish they did!) their clothes become one way of expressing their personalities. Our local shops are quite limited, with the clothes all being fairly similar, so it is always refreshing to find something a little different in vintage shops and on e-bay occasionally too. Actually some of my own favourite pieces are finds from many years ago in the English charity shops I found hidden away in quaint villages. I have a couple of 'designer' pieces picked up for a song, even though I am not into labels at all they are extremely good quality and classic.
This week I was approached by Rebecca over at The Ardent Sparrow, she is also an etsy seller and has compiled a little ongoing competition with various etsy sellers in Canada donating a 'freebie' from their shops. It has given some sellers including myself a little more publicity at a quiet time of year. With people starting to think about Christmas (crazy I know!). I think her timing is perfect. Also, someone is going to win a great collection of goodies. I included little Hanna, a golden labrador puppy to go into her prize parcel. If you pop over to her blog and you can read more about it.

Finishing off, I just had to include this picture of Craig looking ever so happy whilst picking peaches at a local farm. I love this time of year!! Yummy fuzzy peaches

Bye for now, til next week

Hazel xx

The Tree of Happiness!

I was surprised and delighted this morning to find a comment on my last blog post from Emily , giving me 'The Tree of Happiness Award' Yay! Thanks Emily for choosing me and also for the links to some lovely new blogs to visit.
The award states that I must list 'just 6 things' that make me happy. Well that shouldn't be too difficult so here goes.....
1. My family (an obvious one for most I am sure)
I met my wonderful husband Craig on an aeroplane, it was pretty much love at first sight (sounds cheesy I know, sorry) we have been together for almost 20 happy years! My two daughters' Jemma and Amber have put countless smiles to my face over the years and still do on a daily basis. I am so proud of my family and love them to bits.
2. Friends.
My real friends living in various parts of the world, who accept me for who I am, don't judge me and who I know will be there either in person,on the Internet or at the end of a phone line through the good and bad times. Never underestimate the importance of true friendship.
3. My early morning 'me time' walk.
Every other day I walk the same route at around 6.30am. It's never boring because I don't know what I will see from day to day through spring, summer and autumn. Breathing in the crisp air, being close to nature and the ever changing view from the top of the hill across the valley.
4. Growing our own organic veggies and fruit.
Picking washing and eating it ! Thanks to my husband, who is so much better than me at remembering to water it regularly! Nothing compares to the fresh taste of a salad full of baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced courgettes, tiny carrots, sliced peaches, toasted almonds and creamy poppy seed dressing.
5. The Internet
I like to keep up with the times and the Internet gives me the opportunity to keep in touch with friends and family (not everyone likes to write letters anymore) It enables me to run my etsy business, which I love, find new ideas and inspiration. All of which makes me very happy in a modern world. It also keeps me sane through the long cold winters in Canada.
6.Music.
Whether it's a new song that makes me want to get up and dance or a song that brings back a memory of a different time and place. Something about certain music just fills me with happiness.
Here are a few happy friends I am passing the award to, I would love to find out what gives them their own 'happy feeling'.

Kat, Kathy, Kali and Keriann (all the K's!)

In my shop this week I had a flurry of interest over this little guy!He was a special order made up for Taci who's daughter specifically wanted a green dinosaur with a blue tummy. After designing, sewing and listing him as reserved I had three customers ask for one of their own :) I do enjoy designing something new and this one could be for the boys too for a change!

I hope everyone has a happy week :D

Hazel xx

More Berries......

Moving on from the blueberries last week, we went on this summer's first 'blackberry' hunt yesterday afternoon. I had noticed a couple of days ago that they were coming along nicely at the side of the lane. With a recent dose of rain and some early morning sunshine, the first little berries were just about ready, not as sweet as they will be in a few days but tasty none the less with a sprinkling of icing sugar on top, Mmmmm. It was Craig's birthday on Wednesday, which coincided nicely with a company function we were invited to in the city. All the nearby hotels were fully booked, so we opted to stay in a B&B instead. This turned out to be a very good decision, as we discovered The Pepperberry . A beautiful heritage home in Halifax city centre, run by Mike and Karen, a friendly couple who emigrated from England in 2004. Our room was perfect, in the Garret loft and the breakfast was 'excellent' with fresh fruit and home made pancakes. They were even kind enough to serve gluten free pancakes and toast, which I was able to enjoy!

Jemma and Amber were happy to hold the fort at home taking care of Archie. It was the first time we had left them alone overnight!

My final 'berry' to get a mention is the cranberry, an essential ingredient in a 'Crantini' One of several drinks mixed up at a girls Martini party up at lake George last night. About 25 ladies, including my friend Tina (no men or kiddies allowed). We all had a fun evening sampling a few different Martini cocktails, including the Crantini, Appletini and a Pomegranate martini.

"Ok who's next?"

Cheers!!

Hazel xx

Yummy Blueberries!!

The blueberries are now ripe and ready for the picking!

Amber and I went for our first visit this summer to the 'pick your own' blueberry farm, which is just a 3 minute drive away. Normally I manage to control myself, but they were so juicy and tempting I lost track of my 'tasting' and ate a few too many thus confirming that purple lipstick is really not my colour! It was fun to be amongst other eager pickers in the early morning sunshine. We collected two punnets full, most of which have now been measured into little bags and put in the freezer for later. Of course I left a generous bowl on the table for Craig to nibble on when he comes home from work.
Some other Organic 'edibles' to be found in our own veggie patch are the sweetest baby carrots. When I pulled up this one (or two) I thought of my online blogging friend Rachael.

Cute carrot couple :)

Of course my graphic computer skills are not quite up to her standard but I couldn't resist having a go, just for fun.

The days are slowly beginning to get shorter now with the sun going down at around 9pm. This huge lone and rather ominous looking cloud appeared in the sky the other day. Craig was hitting a few golf balls out in the field and called us all outside to take a squizz, while he took a snap of it.... and gave it the thumbs up too I see :) My little etsy shop remains awfully quiet, but I promised myself that I would not become despondent. I have to remember that it is the very thing that keeps me sane during the winter time, along with my computer, which enables me to remain in contact with my friends. I am trying to sew a couple of animals each day in anticipation of busier weeks ahead. I was however quite upset to receive my first 'neutral' feedback a few weeks ago. A new customer reported on the feedback section in my shop that she hadn't received the tiny puppy I had mailed to her. I quickly made her a replacement for free and sent it with my apologies. The original one did show up, just a little late (I suspect the replacement one did too). By then she had already left her comment in my shop and didn't bother to change the wording. I am disappointed to have my selling reputation slightly tarnished, but am trying not to let it get worry me too much.

My growing army of tiny animals!

Hazel xx

Summer Thrifting

So far this year my finds on the 'thrifting' front have been a little on the sparse side. Perhaps because it's our third yard sale season here and there are only so many 'bargains' a girl can snap up! Craig and I did stop at a couple early last Saturday morning. We met a very friendly lady called Shannon who was selling some of her unwanted items at her parents home in our closest town Berwick. We got chatting and have since visited each others blogs. Shannon even bought a couple of my tiny felt animals!
I didn't find any items of furniture, which I am always on the look out for, just a few small bits and pieces like this cute little recipe book from the 1950's.
I selected some vintage craft books and magazines, which are always fun to look through especially on those cosy winter evenings, if only to laugh at the advertisements.
My shop bought 'Sale' find this week is this pretty candle chandelier. I had in mind the library, above the stairwell as the perfect spot. However, within minutes of bringing it inside the girls had disappeared with a collection of 'props' including my new purchase, to do a little photo shoot under the weeping willow tree!
As for the chandelier, having served it's purpose in a few snaps, it is now hanging in the library thanks to Craig and his diy skills. Quite a tricky manoeuvre, as the sheer drop into the hall below could cause a nasty injury. Securely harnessed by some rope to the bedroom door frame (sounds interesting), he managed to stand on a stepping stool and lean out far enough to put the hook in the tin ceiling. Mainly for decorative purposes I am now on the look out for some smoke free candles, which of course would only be lit when we are in the room. It can easily be reached from the stairs, but I think it's always better to be safe than sorry.
Hazel xx