Summer time...

It is quite warm outside right now. Even in the shade the heat is a presence sitting across your shoulders like an enormous blanket. I sat out on the back lawn, under our silver maple tree, eating sweet green grapes and browsing through a book. But even that minimal amount of activity proved too oppressive and so I fled to the house for a break in its air conditioned atmosphere.

This morning I was up at 7:00. Those who know me well are probably gasping in shock. I don't do mornings. At least not voluntarily. I have to get up at 5:30 during the work week, but I'm darned it I'll be an early riser on the weekend. But today I had incentive to rise and shine at such an un-Godly hour. Our local library was having it's annual sale. Every year, in June, the Georgetown library lugs boxes full of books out to the front lawn of the building and sells them for real cheap. Some of these books are obviously old library books that are no longer being read, I guess. But others have to be donated by people just for this sale. Over the years I've managed to pick up a few great deals. I'm picky about my books, when bought second hand. I don't want them to look worn, or dirty, or torn. And they certainly must not SMELL! You know, that sour, musty smell that mildewy books have. I only buy books that, for all intents and purposes look new. Or close to it. Well, last year I did make an exception for a book about Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan but that book was special. Its a little well used, but still in reasonable condition. Anyways, I guess that makes me a books snob or something. We all have our faults.

The book sale is also on the same day as the official opening of the Georgetown farmer's market, with lots of vendors and events. The street is closed off to traffic for the day and its a very festive occasion. Lots of things to see, buy or eat. You run into tons of people you don't know, and a few that you do, not to mention their dogs.

Tomorrow is Classic Cars for Cancer at the fairgrounds. Rows and rows of cars of every vintage and make and model arranged for viewing by the public. The entrance fee going to the Cancer Society, of course.

Oh, and I bought 6 books at the sale. Two novels and three "reference" books and a book of quotes from Canadian actors called "Standing Naked in the Wings" which I've broused through and found to be hilariously funny. One reference book is a Pierre Burton book about the Klondike, full of old pictures. One is a picture book about the Rocky Mountains, full of glorious photos. And one book is about Canadian nature. Yummy stuff.

It's Wednesday...

I've been ignoring my blog again. Well, things have been quiet around here and I haven't been inspired to write. I read everyone elses blogs faithfully, about once a week for each and I love to see the pictures that people post of their current cross stitch projects. It makes me feel connected in a small way to a world wide community of cross stitches and inspires me to keep stitching away at my own small pieces. I would love to tackle some of the bigger projects that many others do, and I do have some patterns like that sitting in my cupboard, but I have this niggling little voice in the back of my head which keeps insisting that "I could never do something like that". So I work on my smaller projects and try to build up my confidence to start a bigger project, such as "Scent of Old Roses".

For the last couple of weeks I've been working on a project by Lori Gardner, from a book that I have of hers called "Sweet & Simple Country Cross-Stitch" .
The pattern is "Stacked Animals" and is a variation of that classic country design of four or so farm animals standing one on top of the other. This one is a chicken on top of a sheep, on top of a pig, on top of a cow. I may give this one to the little brother of the Laura, Hannah and Naomi. His name is Josiah and he's just over a year old. I have done about 3 quarters of the cross stitch and then I just have all the back stitching left to do. I've been taking it to work with me and getting alot done there.

We have a bunny coming to our backyard. He shows up early in the morning and again at night. He first appeared in the front yard, munching on the fermented cherries that fell from our cherry trees in the spring. Then he moved to the back yard and the bird seed that covered the ground under the bird feeders. I didn't know bunnies ate bird seed. Anyways, I've been taking him a carrot chopped up into bite sized pieces whenever I see him out there. I can get within a foot of him and I think that he's begining to recognize my voice and knows that I mean him no harm and am bringing him treats. I can sit close by and watch him eat, and groom himself (herself?) and hop around looking for food. Of course he has helped himself to one of the plants in my garden, and stripped the leaves from many of the stems. But new leaves are growing in and I figure that it's a small price to pay for such a delightful visitor. Yes, I'm smitten. A sucker for a furry face. Cheers!