Black Backed Woodpecker

We went for a ride today, its very cool and crisp, real fall weather you might say.
And as usual I turn the car towards the cemetery for our weekly visit with Mom and Dad before the big snows start and we can no longer go in there safely.

Today as we approached my Grandmother's monument in one of the pine trees nearby I saw this beautiful woodpecker, its a Black Backed Woodpecker,he had a splash of yellow on his head, he didn't care that we were parked there watching him going to town making a hole for what ever it is he wanted.
I have never seen a woodpecker up close like that and I thought I would share with you.

Pantry's

A few days ago on Brenda's blog Cosy Little House she asked everyone if they could have one thing in their kitchen what would it be ???
I said I wanted more counter space, but later I gave that statement more thought, and what I really want is a pantry !!
My mother use to have a gorgeous walk in pantry with rows and rows of shelves,I was very young but I do remember it well.
She kept jars and tins of food, all manners of food to be stored until needed.She also kept some kitchen appliances ,and pots and pans.Baskets that held potatoes and onions and apples.
She had a big blue enamel pan with a lid that we knew she kept homemade cookies for us , and if you needed a snack that's where they were kept !!
I can smell the date squares or the oatmeal cookies with jam in the center still in my mind today yummmm.
That pantry had a foody smell too even tho most of the food was kept in cans or jars.
Mom even kept her flour and oatmeal in a special tins.
The top shelves were forbidden mysteries to us,simply because we could not reach them we were too small.Who knew what she kept up there !
Mom had made chocolate candies once and they were to die for(of course) ,we all got to sample them then they got put away till Christmas, my younger brother could not wait he snuck in there climbed the shelves like a monkey and eat a huge portion of the chocolate and was very sick (ha) served him right for being greedy!
I remember it was a cool room ...almost cold really.

When we were first married when we finally moved into a house , it had oh be still my heart it had a pantry!!!
A smaller pantry not like my Mom's but large enough,my daughter remembers that pantry with fondness just like I do my mother's.
Just like my Mom I kept canned food and baskets of potatoes and onions.Cereals etc..some small kitchen appliances and pots and pans as well.
It was a very cold little room,with some shelves and tiny cupolas, darn handy I must say !

But the pantry of all pantry's belonged to my Grandmother Obeline.She had 17 children,the family lived on a huge working farm.
I remember when she would ask me to go get a pot of jam in the pantry she wanted to make Millionaire Cake (OH MY !~~~ another post someday)

I remember it was a very dark room , the shelves were filled to capacity with jars that looked like jewels to me, with all sorts of wonderful colors. You name the vegetable she canned it.
In another corner was wooden boxes filled with dirt, I just had to have a closer look, in it were potatoes and carrots and turnips.Some walls had strings of onions and garlic hanging there ready for use.
It smelled earthy in there and I loved it !!
The big room right next to it was where they would separate the milk and pasturize it.That was interesting ! They made butter in there too.
But the pantry held my interest and still does to this day!! I would give anything to have a picture of Grandma's pantry and my Mom's as well, they were special to me !
Tell me now do you have a pantry??
Is yours a tiny one just a few shelves ?
Is it a fully stocked one like this ?Is it a one wall affair?


Does it have a lot of canning that look like jewels in the light?
Is it a tidy little space just for food?Or is it a well planned and stocked room ?


I dont have a pantry in this house but I do keep many shelves well stocked in the laundry room that look more like this one with its cans and jars !
A more vintage pantry

Oh be still my heart this one is lovely !


So is this one wouldn't you say ??
So my lovely ladies do you have a pantry ?? Or are you dreaming of a pantry???

Remembrance Day We Shall Remember Them

This is my Father In Law, he was a tail gunner in the Second World War, he did 36 trips over enemy territory.
He was an extraordinary man who left his young family behind and did what was expected of him.
Through his acts of bravery my family and your family live free in our great country.
Thank you very much Steve we will always remember.

Been busy !

I have been playing with my girly things as my hubby calls them.
I really enjoy making jewelry,very relaxing for me.
I dont do this a lot but once in a while I LOVE playing with those beads !!

Smiles All Smiles

I need my smile fix every day !!!
I Can Has Cheezburgers
Its a nice way to start your day wouldn't you say?? !!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!!!!!

Pumpkin Loaf with Cinnamon Honey Butter !

OHHHHHHH the beauty of it all and the smell is deeevine!!!

This recipe is easy and best of all tastes darn good !!!
I made an extra treat of Cinnamon Honey Butter to go with it, the gang will be so happy!!
Supper tonight is beef lentil vegetable soup and being its (only) that...........
I thought I would make a simple dessert to go with it.
That darn soup took me all day to make..... for something so simple its a long process this loaf recipe took all of 10 minutes to do.
I will get the ohhhhs and ahhhhs when they taste everything I am sure.
Real fall cooking!

Here is the recipe I found it on a blog called My Baking Addiction
I changed only one thing .... no chocolate chips instead I added chopped walnuts.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients
3 cups white sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips * I changed this to chopped walnuts

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans. (I used 2 9x5 loaf pans and 4 mini pans)
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, vanilla and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from cans or pans.

The Cinnamon Honey Butter Recipe

1 cup of butter
1 tbsp cinnamon
I grate in some nutmeg
1/4 cup of honey

Beat it till fluffy keep in a small container.

That's it ... wish you could all come by and enjoy some with a tea !!
Your all invited !!!

A few of my favorite things

Crayons ... markers... pens..... Oh My !!!!
Love oak trees their leaves and acorns esp....
Love painting so relaxing.........
The smell of lilacs in the spring make me smile...............
Pysanky makes my heart sing................
Must keep my fingers busy I love to crochet..................
Books books books I read a lot of books,its a whole other world in a new book.................
No one loves scissors more than I do.... and I don't know why..................
I love to travel, I have my son to thank for that !!!!!

Pretty pansy's make me happy ............
Put a coffee in my hand and you have made me smile !!!!!!!.................
I love picnics near a lake, nothing like the smell of the great outdoors in the summer........
I love to feel sun on my skin , it takes all your cares away................
Watermelon is my favorite I could eat it 24 hours a day.....................
I love the friends I have made here your all priceless.........................

Trick or Treat !!!!!!!!!

Its that time of year again spooks and goblins come knocking at your door yelling
Trick or Treat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This year I thought I would make a few decorations out of milk jugs and water jugs and I found quite a few pictures on the internet, some are soooo gosh darn cute!!!





Which one will I make hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ........... they are all so cute!!

Snow !!!

Would you believe we had our first snow fall last night !!!
Here are the pictures to show you !!
Depressing isin't it!!

Hello There!!!

Yes ~~~my bad its been a while since I have blogged.
So many things to do so little time....
I travelled quite a bit in the last while, I went to see my daughter of course, and we took a little side trip to the US, New York State to be exact, we had a great shopping day,I enjoyed that sooo much.
Until we got to the border to cross back into Canada, they held us up for almost 3 hours cars were lined up for miles.
I went to visit my brother in law and his wife in Burlington ,also went to see a concert in Toronto.
I have been playing with my crafts, here are a few pictures to show you.
One is a pillow I gave my daughter,its called Grandma's Garden, it was made with little pieces of paper cut into hexagon shapes, then sewn up,I have enough flowers for a quilt as well I just don't know if my hands will let me as I discovered it very painful to do repeatedly.
I just may add a flower or two a day instead of doing massive amounts all at once, anyone else have that problem?
I did embroidery in black thread in between to show off the flowers,Do you like it?
My attempt try at something like this.

Also I made her a table runner in blue hues, took me quite a while to make all the yoyo's and then I crochet them together with blue cotton thread.


My daughter thinks the world of anything I make her and treasures it.That alone makes me smile and makes it worth while !!
On this last trip I brought a huge bag of cat nip toys for her little kitty Freda,I made 108 to be exact much to Freda's delight.I can't stand spending $5.00 on one little cat toy that I can make hundreds of for about $10.00.

Our family recently lost a dear friend, his name was Joel,a sweet gentle and kind young man he was only 34 years old.
He went to bed in his parents home one night while on vacation there after attending his Mom's retirement party and a wonderful Thanksgiving, fell asleep and never woke up.
He was fun to be around ,always had a ready smile, to us he was special.... he was Jojo, and he was our friend and more than that he was part of our family.He will be missed so much.

.
We will always remember you Joel.
One day we will see each other again, until then rest my friend you have earned it.

First Day of School !!

Today is the first day of school, its a week early this year !

I remember when I was a little girl getting ready for school it was always so exciting, it was cool and crisp or it was raining cats and dogs, the leaves were already on the ground and it meant Halloween and snow were around the corner.

I wore a school uniform in grade school it was a little navy jumper with a white blouse and a red bow at the neck. ( No kidding)
In high school it was the same style of jumper but it was a red wine color (school colors).
Both were run by nuns the Immaculate Conception Nuns,(yes I know), the principal in grade school was called Sister Beatrice of Rome, and she( the poor dear woman) was blessed with the face of a bulldog a very unhappy one at that.

She could go full steam like a freight train, looked like one too in her black veils when she was in a hurry.She ran that school with an iron fist, and a heart of gold.( I am sure it was in there somewhere but being young I didn't get the impression she used it very often.)

My favorite memories were of singing in the choir, oh how I loved those old songs, all in french of course on every Fridays we would sing to the heavens.( I was in heaven)

Religion was number one,~~~ THE SUBJECT ~~~I knew my little catacisim book by heart because if I didn't it meant I would get the stap, I certainly didn't want that !!!
I was a good kid and did what I was told.

Its the part of school that still sticks in my throat , the over bearing religious nuns, math and science and geography seemed unimportant , but religion that was number ~~~ONE !!~~~~~

The high school was run by the same nuns and it was an all girl high school to boot !
To even be down wind of a boy was deemed sinful by the nuns !
I got to know a few nuns very very well, they sure had a good sense of humour .

I made a lot of life long friends in high school, some of the girls I wish I knew where they were and what their life stories are.

Those were the days.................
Do you have school memories to share ??

Can you stand to see a few more ???

I just had to show you a few more pics !
Just look at those stilt walkers and this was up hill too , check out their little teeny tiny shoes, is that not just halarious !!! I don't know how they hold their balance !!


This was in the oldest part of Quebec City, that sign makes me smile.......... ignore than man I have no idea who he was........... with a gazillion people milling around there is always some stranger's face or head in a shot..... ever get that ?/ So frustrating....


This was on the Island of Orleans , just look at that blue hydrangea bush, I have never ever seen blue hydrangea's except in small potted plants at Easter,I just had to take a picture of it, and will ya just look at the antiques on that old porch...

Will ya look at that window so simple..... it was on Orleans Island

Look at these spectacular doors !!! This was the front door to the cathedral of Ste Anne De Beaupre, you could not help but admire the work that went into those doors.


On the trip I spotted someone famous !!!!


Oh yeah......... and it gets better !!!!!!!!!!
Yup its Jack Sparrow !!!!
Captain Jack Sparrow is a fictional character from the who is portrayed by Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean

I was tickled pink !!!! Altho I know I didn't look it there.. we had walked so much that day in over 100 degree heat with a million tourists ,I was hot.... thirsty.... tired... and my knee was killing me.... but no way was I going to miss a chance to have my pic taken with him.!!!

This is called Place Royale in Petit Champlain the oldest part of Quebec City, those houses you see go back to the 17th century, simply delightful to see !!





Your wondering did I stop to smell the roses along the way ???
Why yes I did do that





Now if I can just get my crafting mojo back in gear I will be just fine. While I was gone hubby got rid of all my old pysanky dyes, I was so greatful to him ,he bought me all new wide mouth jars to start over with fresh dyes.I just need to get to it.............

Right now I am knitting my daughter's little cat Freda a sitting/sleeping mat with multicolored wool, it was something to do while my knee was upset with me I need to finish it before I move onto another project..... I am so bad for starting something and not finishing.......... like the quilt but I have an excuse for that one.... my poor fingers were in pain.
So my good friends one thing and one day at a time... right !!

Forgot to mention the very first part of our trip !

My son and I went to The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, they were having a showing of Art from Papal Rome, Renaissance Italian Art ,it was arranged chronological by Pope from 1483 to 1609.
We saw rare works of art by Michelangelo, Greco,Vasari,Boroca, Raphael and Carracci and many others.
It was wonderful to wander from room to room viewing these masterpieces !!
I got my quota of culture on this trip !!!
So sorry about the tiny pictures of the gallery and paintings I had to download them from the internet because as all of you know your not allowed to take pics in any art gallery.



The first week we spent with my daughter in Ottawa, I enjoyed that so much ...
I get to spend quality one on one time with her,she makes me laugh like no one else can,I always said~~~~ she was my sunshine !!!

We went to the markets quite a bit, did some shopping, I even went to work with my daughter one day !

I am back !

A view from the Island of Orleans


Ste Anne De Beaupre near Quebec City
Inside Ste Anne De Beaupre

A lighthouse on the way to Tobermory on the big ferry called Chi-Chemaun

A perfect view of Manitoulin Islands


We fed trouts on a fish farm.

Chez Marie an old bakery from the 1600, it bakes its bread outside in huge brick ovens .
Costume

Costumes
Costumes

Costumes
She was making a fishing net !


People in costumes in Quebec City
Stilt walkers , they went uphill walking on coblestones !


This cannon ball grew surrounded by this tree in Quebec City its from the was of 1759.

This is the back of the Chateau facing the St Laurence river where we had High Tea inside the tall glass windows.
High Tea ...soo delish !

Beautiful Chateau Frontenac where we had High Tea.

Cable Car ride up to the Falls.
Montmorency Falls on the Louis Joliette

Farmland in Quebec near the city.
The fortification wall of Old Quebec City built in the 1700,its near St Louis Street
This is the Avon River that flows through the town of Stratford.
A statue of Shakespeare outside the Theatre
The Festival Theatre in Stratford, where we watched our 3 Shakespeare plays.




The trip was delightful we were gone almost 3 weeks, the plays were beyond my expectations, when ever I see the name Colm Fiore I will go see any play that man is in, he was fantastic !
Of the 3 plays Cirano Di Bergerac was my favorite !

Manitoulin Islands were splendid,quite majestic we took a 2 hour ride on the Chi-Chemaun ferry to Tobermory

We started the trip in Ottawa to visit with my daughter we also took her with us to Quebec City, which made it twices as much fun !

On our way home ,actually we were half way home he got a terrible phone call that my nephew had passed away, so we stopped at a cafe along the highway, made some phone calls and turned around heading back south to Burlington for the funeral.

My husbands nephew was only 36 and had a heart defect from birth, he never let that stop him he lives his life to the fullest, 2 months ago they offered him a heart and lung transplant, he refused it because he had enough , that was his decision.

I have never seen a funeral like his we had 3 police escorts over 1000 attended. The outpouring of love towards this young man was astounding.I always knew he was a people person. He was loved by so many.

As you can guess I am drained .. I slept for 3 days when I got home,but slowly picking up pieces.
I am glad to be back !!
Hug your children !!

Shakespeare !!!

This is the spectacular Festival Theatre in Stratford Ontario
This is the beautiful Avon Theatre in Stratford Ontario.




Yes Yes Yes I am going soon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





To the Stratford Shakespeare Festival !!!!!!!!!

We will be there to see 3 plays in August



~~~~~~ ~~~~~ Macbeth


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Cirano Di Bergarac

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Julius Ceasar




I am leaving this Saturday for Ottawa to visit my daughter, then were going to the beautiful Quebec City for Les Fete De Nouvelle France ,that is such a special time of year to go visit that city.Its the most historical city in Canada.
Walking those old coblestone streets allows you to feel the atmosphere as it was in the 1700,esp when people are walking around in period costumes what a treat to see.
Were going to the Chateau Frontenac for High Tea, plus a boat tour down the St Laurence for the fireworks and of course we always take a nice drive around Orleans Island and down Chemin Royale its so worth the ride its spectacular views are breath taking !!

Then we are headed for Stratford to see the plays ... I have never been and I cannot wait !!!!
3 Shakespeare plays can you imagine !!!
Were booked for a picnic on the Avon River in between plays the first day.... this river is noted for its beauty and swans etc...
Stratford and surrounding area is noted for its antique shops !!! ~~~~~((( Yipeeee)))


Leaving Stratford we will then go onto Manitoulin Island and see what there is to see !!!
I have never been there either but oh my the pictures I have seen are gorgeous !
We will take several boat rides etc...

We will go through Barrie I have an Aunt who lives there I want to go visit, my Dad's sister.

So as you can see it will be a busy 2 weeks away.!!

I cannot wait !!!

I started making a list and packing little things weeks ago, I don't want to forget anything , while trying to pack light ( HA) wish me luck with that... LOL!!
I will take lots of pictures and share my trip when I get back ... see ya then ladies !!!

Afghan Love !

I crochet this afghan ,lots and lots of Granny Squares in a dusty rose and moss green color.
It was created for my daughter with lots of love in each stitch, each one is a kiss from my heart !!


These are impatience from my tiny garden,I love the red color so bright and fun,hopefully they wont drown we have so much rain this summer its incredible.
These grow so well for me because I have a lot of shade in my back yard , I have an elm tree of huge and I am talking huge proportions, it makes a canopy over the whole of my back yard,a sight to behold !!
What grows well for you and why ???

HELLO !!!

Hello !!!

Yes I know my bad........



I have been busy doing my little fun crafts, I will take photos and show you I promise.
We have been having really wet weather with only a sunny day here and there,my poor little flower beds are waterlogged.
My peonies are gorgeous this year.I bought a new plant in a pink color I can't wait for it to bloom so I can see ,it won't be this year, hopefully next year.

Yesterday I made a cherry pie,it took me an hour to pit the cheeries , and that was a messy job ,even with the disposable gloves, but so worth the taste !!

I will be a bit more regular on the blog have patience with me, but you know the old saying ~~

First of May

Happy May Day !!


I can see grass in my yard now, oh joy............ ohhh happy days !!!!!!
Something is growing and its green its a wonderful sight after 7 months of white on white !!

Ottawa

Ottawa is a huge city, but its got that small town feel as well, especially in the market.
The market wasen't in full operation its a bit early yet,its one of my favorite places to go see and experience,I love getting a cold drink and sit in one of the outdoor cafe's and watch the shoppers go by.
I really enjoyed my week there with my daughter and my son,after breaking my arm recently I needed the getaway,I can feel my normal coming back now.
This time my daughter took extra time off and took me to Messina to shop,yup I was in the good old USA for all of 4-5 hours.Its about 2 hours from Ottawa by Cornwall way.
We love going to a few stores there and ending with a trip to a grocery store,I cannot beleive the variety they get that we dont.... why do you American's get such a huge variety of everything to compare to us??
We filled up the car with goodies and because it was mostly grocery items we bought we didn't have to pay duty.
We eat out every night internationally I just love that... and no dishes !!(( Best part))
Ottawa is a gorgeous city well worth the visit with its museums and different places of interest.
I didn't take these pictures myself but I wanted you to see a little bit of what I am talking about.
Have you ever been there???


PS ... Its going to be a rainy week you know what that means????
The snow is going .... going... not gone yet but at least there is hope now....by the way not a speck of it in Ottawa I was in a tshirt all week,coming home to piles of it was not easy after such a sunny warm week....

Happy Easter !!

I hope each of you has a wonderful Easter with your family.I am going to visit my daughter for a week,I can't wait to escape my winter wonderland for greener pastures.
Take care
Diane
PS~~ Its still snowing its been 6 days in a row of snow fall its unbelievable this year !!

Were still buried under a ton of snow !!

Check out that snowbank !!! That's in my front yard at this moment !!
Do you see the neighbors van there .... look for it above the snow bank ......see it now????
This is the neighbor snowblowing his back yard across the street !
This is my hubby shoveling out the car, do you see it???? its right in front of him under that snow !!
This is what I see every morning when I look out the picture window !!
We had ~~ANOTHER SNOW STORM~~ yesterday it was a doosy, they are calling for snow most days this week...............sigh.....................
Some of my dear friends in the blog world are showing their gorgeous flowers in their gardens, and all I have to show is my gray and white world, no flowers here not a single one.

This weekend I am leaving for Ottawa to visit my daughter, she tells me I wont need my winter jacket or boots, just Tshirts and light sweaters..... wow...... it will be heavenly.... but then I will come back to probably more snow than when I left..........sigh........
What can you do when you live in a snowglobe.......who ever is shaking my world can you give it a break till next year please!!!! (( Ha))

What's the weather been like in your neck of the world??

Why~~~~~~~ I want to Know Why ???????

Dont be one of these !!!!!!!!!!!!!



Do you come to a blog sneak a peek then run without leaving a comment?????

Are you one of those???

A lurker ????? A Peeker????? A sneaker peeker???



Go ahead sneak a peek , poke around , read my blog, but please leave a comment.
Pretty Please with sugar on it !!!

I noticed that I get over a 150 hits a day but very few comments,if your one of those , say Hello, I promise not to bite !!
Good comments ,bad comments it does not matter but ~~~~~~~~ Please leave a comment !
Go on I double dare you to say Hello !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy April Fools Day !!!

A Tricksters Day, a Jokers Delight...........
I want to tell you about a trick I played on my mother when she was pregnant with me ,
I decided to be born a month early and I have paid dearly for that ever since !!!!!!

April Fools Day is my birthday !!!
(( Hand over mouth telling my age))
Take a guess !!!!!



The reason I am showing you these pictures of my Grandmere is that she and I share the name Obeline, its my middle name,I love that sweet name I love the sound of it, many of my friends call me Obe.I was named for her and today is my birthday April Fools Day,you cannot imagine the jokes that were played on me because of this day.The story of my birth is a favourite story that my Dad loved to tell over and over to anyone who would listen.
This is my Grandmere when she was a young woman,living in rural Quebec.

This is a photo of my Grandmere and my Mother and myself,at the train station,my Grandmere was going back home after a visit.
On her farm Grandmere had apple orchards MacKintosh apples.

This is my GrandMere Obeline and myself age 3-4


Did I trick you did I ,did I, did I ??????????

It really is my birthday ....... trick is on me!!!!

Happy First Day of Spring!!!

Spring has not sprung here yet we still have 4-5 feet of snow in the yard at the moment, but the sun is out and its only -1 so the trend is warmer~~~~~~ thank goodness because its been such a long winter.

Living this far north is hard towards the end of winter, everyone is pale, ,depressed,tired of shoveling the white stuff, we all dream of summer.....

I can't wait to see green grass again, sit outdoors with the sun on my face, the smell of suncreen in my nose and the twitter of birds in my ears.Ahhhhhhhh summer !!!!

Its Wednesday !!

When you break your arm you adapt ,you learn to do things a different way especially when its your writing hand,its a learning thing ! You adapt!

Getting dressed for instance.... try putting on your bra with only one hand or your jeans !
Getting into clothing is an experience..... meant for contortionist only !!
Just using this computer I am typing with one hand .... well one finger really.... its a slow process.

Yesterday for supper I made chicken and lentil and spinach soup its easy and filling, as I was eating I was using my right hand, after a few spoonfuls I noticed my mouth was having to meet the spoon closer to the bowl~~ my arm was tired, eating with my left hand is messy business I had to make myself a bib out of my napkin.Not a pretty sight ......LOL!!

And on top of it all I am rather house bound not because of my arm or my ankle but because of solid ice surrounding the house, you could skate on the street right now, it rained last night and today is bright and sunny and slippery !! I can't win !!!!!!

When you break an arm you feel sorry for yourself that's normal but you must stop and see the humor in it as well,I have to keep thinking it will be a halarious story someday... right now I am living it one day at a time !!!

Lucky Pot of Gold !!!!!

Wishing you all a Happy St Paddy's Day and my wish is for you all to find your own lucky pot of gold !!!!

I actually went outdoors today and yesterday, I felt wonderful like a huge weight lifted from my shoulders
Just to be able to put on my boots and go for a ride and eat in a restaurant was heavenly !!
A little slice of normal !!

My arm is still weak but I can hold a tea cup for a moment or two and I am keeping up my physio, my ankle is getting stronger too~~~~~~ ohh that was so painful.

I miss crafting quite a bit and I am on my 16th book in 2 weeks.At least I have that to keep my mind busy.

We still have a lot of snow ... about 6-8 feet high snowbanks but the weather is getting milder lets all keep our fingers crossed it stays that way until all the white stuff is gone.
Thank you so much for coming by even tho my posts are not regular... I look forward to each visit from each of you.

I am coming along slowly!!

When you are the backbone of a household and something happens to you ,things change, so do priorities in your home.

I broke my right arm 3 weeks ago, the humerus bone(the big one in your arm) in a skidoo accident,just a fluke accident that should not of happened but did.

No we were not going fast at all, it happened because the path was icy slick with about 3 or 4 inches of ice,the back end of the skidoo spun around((( that's where I was sitting))) and threw both of us off,I landed on my right side, thank heaven I always wear a helmet.
I knew right away my arm was broken because I could not move it and it hurt like something I have never felt before...I never broke a bone before..

The ambulance took 3/4 of an hour to come pick me up,I want to say right now I would not trust my life with the 2 paramedics that came... talk about 2 young men who had no idea what to do, thank God it wasen't a heart attack I think I would be dead.
When we got to the hospital they uncermonioulsy dumped me in the emerg waiting room gave me a number like everyone else and left......

Picture that for a moment....... I have a broken arm and I am still dressed in 3 layers of skidoo clothing boots and all.. I am shaking like a leaf and I am alone to deal with my belongings and a broken arm...............thanks so much for the care...

Thank goodness my son and hubby appeared at that moment, he ran for a wheelchair and from that point it took 5 hours to get 4 xrays and a doctor to tell me it was broken, I was sent home with some pain prescriptions.
I was not put in a cast because I broke it near the shoulder they put me in a sling and sent me home after a 5 hour wait in emergency...(Not even an asperin was offered)by then it was 10.30PM, no supper not even water ......

Thank goodness for the love of my family who pampered and looked after me,its been a long 3 weeks.

In the meantime I sprained my left ankle and got gout in the same foot a day later,needless to say its been really rough for me pain wise.At one point I was so saturated with toxins of pain killers my body decided to get rid of it.....that was not fun either.......

My ankle looks like an ankle now almost, my gout is still there but no so prominent, I have started doing physio that the doctor showed me in the fracture clinic I went to.

I know I sound like I am whinning but oh lordy I have been through so much in 3 weeks.
I want the normal days back......I complained they were boring but I never ever will again,I would rather have a boring normal day than a pain filled one.
So here I am....one day at a time.
My goal is to go out this weekend for a drive and see what the other side of this house looks like.I hope I get my wish...((( depends if I can get a boot or shoe on)))

Thank you all for you good wished ,it all helps me feel better .Thank you !!!!

Update

Hi Ladies

No I haven't fallen off the face of the earth !
When it rains it pours ...ever heard that saying....
Well I sprained my ankle quite badly last weekend,my left ankle and then if that wasen't enough ~~~ I got gout in the same foot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you know it was as big as my head and I could not walk without breaking out in a sweat from PAIN!!!!!!!!!
Let's not forget my broken arm(right arm)it will be 3 weeks tomorrow,and yes it still hurts a lot.
I am very unhappy.I am not having fun !!!
I don't have much energy this will be short and sweet but I wanted to give you sign of life.
Diane

An Accident

I will be out of commission a little while yesterday I broke my right arm while skidooing,today I feel like a school bus ran over me,I need not to move much for a while,because it hurts a lot and I am not wimpy I broke it near my shoulder,the big bone what ever its called I will be around to visit but not today.
Diane

Wishing All of You a Happy Valentine Day !!!!!

Flower Garden Quilt !

I have been busy making flowers for my quilt ,my little fingers fly over material, I love having so much material on hand, I get to chose a different pattern for each flower.Its exciting!


As of today I have 90 flowers made,at the beginning I sewed a few together to see what it would look like, now I am just concentrating on making the flowers, wonder how many I need to make ?? does anyone out there know ????
If you do please drop me a line !!
Eventually I will have to sew them together for now I am content just making them.
Keeps my fingers busy ! (( I am so easy to keep happy))

Would you believe more snow ???

This is the corner of our house ,its just a winter wonderland!
Look how high some snowbanks are, check out the Wendy's sign and the street lights !!
Hubby cleaning the snow in the driveway in the back !Of course we are feeding out little pigeon friends every day,not that many showed up for lunch today but they can still polish off a huge bag of seed.
The stop sign is half buried in front of the house !!!
You won't believe this video of our snow situation!

Who is tired of snow??

A skidoo Ride in a Blizzard !!!

Many of you ladies probably never went on a skidoo ride in the country so I will take you for a spin .. you wont need much.... I had to wear 2 pairs of longjohns, 3 turtle neck shirts,2 pairs of woolen socks,ski pants, a skidoo jacket lined with a fleece jacket, fleece gloves with a pair of triple lined leather long mitts,a balaklava, a helmet that plugs into the machine to keep the face guard frost free,boots that are for minus 50 below weather, and I put hand pocket warmers in each mitt and brought along a spare set.
You will think these pictures are taken with black and white film .... I didn't it was a new digital camera, BUT remember now we went for a ride in a blizzard today !!
****************************At the end of this post are 3 short video's for you to see !!!

Ready set... waddle out to the machine......








The photo on the left is on the middle of Porcupine Lake those little cabins you see are ice fishing huts, as soon as the lake freezes over some people put the huts there and go ice fishing every weekend.That's a truck on the lake, the ice is about 3 to 4 feet deep!!!


This a picture of 2 people walking in a blizzard on the middle of a lake in jeans and jacket only carrying an ice oger... we could not believe our eyes!!!

Winning is Wonderful!!!

I won these 2 books from

SmilingSally

She is an independent book reviewer

And she would be happy to review your book(s)!

Her blog is just lovely on Monday she host(( Blue Monday !!))
And she always has a number of books you can win, go check out her blog !!

Ribbon Bargains !!!!!!!

LOOK at my haul !!!!!!!!

Aren't the colors gorgeous !!!!!!!

The other day I was in a local grocery store that has a floral department , I was told later they were closing that dept .

I was shopping and walking around,I was nearly finished picking up the items on my list, and I spotted a shelf full of reduced articles, I could see ribbon in there, so I walked over and I HIT THE JACKPOT!!!!!!

The spools were reduced to 99 cents, 50 cents 25 cents and 10 cents!!!!!!!!
NO KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!

I was beside myself I was so happy,took me maybe 3 seconds to scoop all the ribbon up into my cart before someone else saw this steal of a deal.

Its all Offray ribbon, all kinds of colors.Half of them were FULL spools those were the big ticket items at a buck each !!!!~~~~~~~((YEAH I KNOW))

Offray ribbon is anywhere from a buck a yard to many bucks a yard, each of these full rolls has~~~~~~~ 100 yards.~~~~~~That dear ladies is a penny a yard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was over the moon happy!!
I don't know what I will do with my haul of ribbon but I am just thrilled, I LOVE RIBBON!!
I have a huge and I am talking huge box of ribbon already bursting with goodness and prettyness, now I feel ribbon rich!!!!

Does anyone know of ribbon crafts ???


HAPPY TODAY TO ME!!!!!!!

Started a quilt !

Its not much to look at yet but this is the beginning of a new quilt,I saw this pattern somewhere on the web and I fell in love with the pattern, its called Gramma's Garden.

Its been keeping my little fingers busy these last few days during the cold snap,and I get to use up those bits of material I have had forever.
Everyone has bits of pretty material hiding in boxes here and there, they cannot bear to throw out,I had started making yoyo's I have several hundred made but that was a few years ago and many projects ago,this appeals to me right now not the yoyo's.Sigh........
Do you know what I mean????

Sitting in a freezer !!!!!!

This morning as I type this the temperature is minus 37 with the windchill its near minus 50!

Were experincing freezing fog.... what is that you ask.....

What is freezing fog?

Learned a new weather term today. It's 'freezing fog.'

First noticed it when I was checking the weather and saw the words 'snow freezing fog' applied to the description of what's going on up there right now.

Well, I'd never heard of that before. (And after having lived in this region all of my life, I thought I'd heard all the weather terms there were.) After a vision of a B-horror movie kind of vicious, snow-freezing fog, I decided to google it.

A definition from the National Weather Service:

Freezing fog occurs when the water droplets that the fog is composed of are "supercooled". Supercooled water droplets remain in the liquid state until they come into contact with a surface upon which they can freeze. As a result, any object the freezing fog comes into contact with will become coated with ice. The same thing happens with freezing rain or drizzle.

And it looks a little something like this...

It means ice crystals are in the air, you breath it in .When its this cold you cannot expose skin too long,its very serious weather.~~~~~~Just lovely stuff ........

I am dreaming of a warm place in the sun right now......... oh well only 4 more months of cold left I can do this... I think.... been doing it 57 years,its getting harder as I get older!!

I will have a second cup of coffee and visit all of you this morning ,so put the coffee on here I come!!!

Winter Up North !!

Were in the middle of a blizzard right now, more snow than you know where to shovel !!

Living up north is like that, you either accept it for all its beauty or move south.

Summer we have back flies and moskitoes that plague every moment we have outdoors.

I was born here and would not live anywhere else...........altho I love to go have extended visits in warmer climate.Wont lie about that... LOL!!!!

This is the great white north I love it here!!!

What chore do you hate most???

Couldn't stand it any longer ............I had to tidy up and spit shine the house.I don't mind doing it at all, hubby vacuums for me I do the all rest and I do it all at once at least once a week,more if it needs it.No problem and I don't even complain about it either.
BUT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have 2 chores I hate doing so much one is cleaning the oven the other is bathroom duties~~~~ yuk to both of them!!

Today was the oven, my next oven will be a piece of modern space age loveliness that will make all foods taste like angels from heaven came down to make it for us and it will clean itself afterwards quick as a wink.

Its worst thinking about cleaning it than the actual doing it.I had that baby licked spotless in less than an hour.
Sigh...........I am done now for a little while, I don't let it get all gungy and icky, I do it regularly, but its not my favorite chore that's for sure.
Which house chore do you hate most???( Just nosy here)

Happy New Year !!

I want to wish each one of you a Happy New Year
And I want to wish you and your family all the best for 2009 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The holidays are over.... nearly.......!

Yup that's me!! quite the getup eh!! I dress in many layers when I go skidooing,and its been so darn cold always in the minus's,except for one day there it rained, what a slippery mess it made, then it snowed and.... snowed......blizzard style.... you would never know we had lost a lot of our snow when it had rained.

Our holidays are almost over my daughter left this morning, we all hate when she leaves, it feels so empty here at home without her and her little cat Freda.But we had lots of fun, lots of laughs, I did lots of shopping with her, we even went shopping for winter tires!! That's a first for me!!

After New Years Day I will begin putting away Christmas..... not my favorite job but it will get done then.I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas !!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE !!!

I want to wish each one of you a Merry Christmas !!!!

My daughter arrives in an hour or two and then we declare it CHRISTMAS at our house.
I will be back in a few days

I want to say how much I have enjoyed each and every one of you fellow bloggers , its been a wonderful year getting to know you all.

May Peace and Love be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!
Diane

First Day of Winter!!!!!

These are photo's from my home town,isin't it beautiful here wayyyyyyy up North !!
Today was brutally cold it was minus 37 with a windchill warning of minus 44.
A sunny crystal clear cold winter day,just perfect for the first day of winter.

Jack Frost

We have been having extremely cold weather and Jack Frost has painted our windows !

38 Wonderful Years Together !!!

December 19, 1970
38 Years Ago Tomorrow !!!

I Made 15 Of Them Can you guess What I Made??

Clue number #1


Clue #2
Clue #3





Did ya guess yet???? I am just wondering do my southern friends make pies at Christmas??
I made 15 meat pies that I share with some family members who don't cook but love to eat, we had one for supper tonight with a ceasar salad yummm it was sooo good.I use my Mom's recipe of course!
Don't I look tired here eh!!!
I still had 4 in the oven and 4 more to cook and a sink full of dishes waiting for me, I only do this once a year.
Today we had yet another major snow storm ,at one point it didn't know what to do it was raining ~snowing ~ hailing all at once!!!
I thought our red pines were going to topple over on the house the wind was so bad.

On the lunch hour we went for our usual Timmy coffee at the lake and fed the pigeons, poor little things were waiting for us , when they saw the car pulling into the parking lot they swamped the car , they knew we are going to feed them, there they were eating in the awful cold wind, they said it was minus 44 in the wind, that's cooold my friends,you don't want to expose skin too long it will freeze.How those poor little birds can live outdoors is beyond me.We love feeding them seeds every day its the least we can do for God's creatures.

The Tree !

I took a quick picture of our tree its not the nicest of pictures but I wanted to show you, and I wanted to tell you a funny story too that happened years ago when my daughter and I were decorating the tree together,I came home from work and I was dog tired and of course one look at my beautiful wonderful daughter's hopeful little face you find the energy to do what ever it is you need to get done... right ladies!
I was too tired to pick up an ornament and walk over to the tree so I was just kinda sat there adding the hooks to the ornaments, and I told her she could do it any way she wanted, she of course could not believe her ears as I have a system for decorating the tree its called ~~~~My way or no way!!!~~~ So to be given the allmighty green light was quite a thrill for her, she kept saying Mom are you sure you want ~~ME~~~ to do it?????

Remember now I was bone tired

I said ~~~~(((I want to be the hooker this year just a hooker !!!!!!! !!!)))~~~~~
Well we laughed and giggled ourselves silly over that one... dosen't take much when your that tired I guess to make a funny... LOL!!!

As you can see I have started wrapping but no bows just yet, .. I am slow this year I seem to be in slowmotion.....

I went shopping today and got most of what was on my list, I just need a few more stocking stuffers, my kids adore their stocking, just as much if not more than all the gifts combined. And it has to be in their childhood stocking no other will do plus they have to be hung from my old hutch no where else will do.... they are sentimental my two ((( I love them so)))
Worst than little kids I tell ya!!!!~~Wouldn't have it any other way!!!

AWARDS~~~~~~ and Decorating !!

Smiling Sally gave me an award!!!
The butterfly is so pretty and what it stand for just tickles me pink !!
I always wanted to be~~~ COOL~~~!!!

Before I started blogging I was lurking(( haha)) I went to this blog and that blog to get a feel of blogland, and of course to see the gorgeous crafty blogs , then I got to appreciate the non crafty blogs that we all know and love.
I wanted to be an all craft blog because back then(2 years ago) I had time to craft to my hearts content and I do love making things with my hands like my little Noel Soon Snowmen, those were hand stitched... I did not do them with a sewing ,I have nothing against sewing machines I just love making things with my hands and I take pride in doing what ever the project is.

But I do love to kabits with all you bloggers who just want to incorporate part of your daily lives in your blog, and in doing so we have all respect and enjoy each other's participation, be it daily or weekly or what ever you have time for.
I feel each of you my dear friends have earned this award, you know who you are I visit you every day and I think all of you are the Coolest Blog!!
Please accept this as my token of enjoyment and appreciation.


Today was a busy one for me, I sent my hubby OUT with the MIL I told him not to come back early that I had things to do.
Tell me are you like me ?? I can't do a damn thing with hubby around, today I wanted to put the Christmas lights in the living room big picture window and in the kitchen window, and every year he stand there waiting to help me but all he does is criticize and he loves to argue ( he thrives on arguing )normally I can take it as I am a very very calm person it takes a lot to ruffle my feathers.

BUT my nerves are still raw and frayed from all the health traumas we have had lately ( that still not finished either) and I can't take much more......., I am on my last nerve and its stretched beyond all limits so it was better to tell him to go shopping and I gave him a small list then do the lights all by myself.!!(((( do you do that??))))

I put up the lights, it looked gorgeous,what a rotten stinking job that is to do.... its so finiky,
I was tired after, then my son comes into the living room and says MOM you didn't leave the male end of the plug in, you did it backwards.!!!!! OMG!!!!!

He told me I would have to start it over, I said~~ listen here~~ if I take it out of the window its going to stay bare, in no way shape or form am I putting that back.... and I would still probably do it backwards.... dammit.... (( They should sell lights with instructions for dummy's who are not electrically inclined!! LOL!! I know it sounds so stupid but I never remember which end to save for the plug in~~~~~~~ I just go for it....... sigh......))
My son is wonderful he said Mom dont panic give me an extension cord and then he fixed it!!! Happy Days!!

Then I made myself a tea to calm down and take a little breather, then I did a load of laundry and looked at the kitchen window and went to town on it, ((I didn't screw that one up)).God loves me he knows I am trying my darndest!!

I just love the look of lights in windows it so festive and soft looking!!

I did our Christmas tree on the weekend, its my first artificial tree, but what a beauty it is, we bought it because you have to touch it to realize its not real that's how gorgeous it is!

Its 6 and a half feet of gorgeousness!!! (Is that a word?)
It went up like a charm and then I slowly added all my favorite ornaments, I use all glass ones, some are new, some are very old ,some are sentimental,some were given to me.

I love birds in my tree every year I add a few new birds, one year I made hundreds of cardinals(yes by hand) and I just loved it nothing else but cardinals in that tree, my kids didn't like it ,they wanted what they call a real tree and I know they meant with Christmas ornaments.

I will post pictures soon to show you, my son has a fancy dancy camera and he is the pro with a camera certainly not me when it comes to taking pictures like that.
Its starting to look a lot like Christmas at my house!!!
These pictures are of Christmas's past.That gorgeous manger scene my MIL gave me when I was first married, it was in the family for many years before that, I have added pieces since, some are sooo very old, luckily I have been able to find my beloved Fontanini by going to yard sales or estate sales.My children love this manger scene.So do I!!

Last year Mom passed away December 16th we didn't have much of a Christmas because I was with her night and day and I am trying so hard to make it up to them this year.

Today I opened a small box marked Christmas .... oh my.......
Near Mom's hospital bed I had set up a little tiny Christmas tree it even had lights in it, and my wonderful sister in law gave Mom a glass tea light that looked like a tall candle decorated with holly and instead of a real flame tea light she had put one of those lights that needs a battery instead and looks just like a candle... we left it on at night beside her bed for her to see the soft glow of the candle, I dont think she saw it, but I sure did, and when I opened that small box today there it was to flood my memories of her in bed so sick and in pain,no matter how hard you try not to remember the bad parts... something so simple as a candle tea light will bring it all back in a rush of emotions.Its so painful to remember all that.I would rather remember the wonderful things , those memories hold me together like glue.I keep them close to my heart.



Take a close look at that Santa below..... look like anyone you might know?????
Ho Ho Ho!!!