It is one of those perfect summer days that you just live for. Warm in the sun, but with a gentle, cooling breeze to keep the temperature comfortable. Sitting on the deck cross stitching, with occasional breaks to pick up a book to read for a bit. Lunch on the deck. DH working his way around the garden, trimming and pruning and neatening things up. The birds are singing, and the cicadas are humming. All is right in our small corner of the world.

Sunday's birthday celebration for DH's great aunt Elsa went very well. The weather was perfect for an outdoor party, and the home where the festivities were held was in the country, with the property located right on the river. We got there mid-afternoon, just as the guest of honour was arriving with her son and his wife. Aunt Elsa had one son, he married twice and the children from his first marriage and his second wife's first marriage all consider Aunt Elsa their grandmother. From them she has many great grandchildren and also great-great grandchildren. DH and his sister are her brother's grandchildren. Aunt Elsa has failing eyesight but is otherwise in good health and her mind and her memory are quite sharp. She was having a wonderful time visiting with all her family and friends. A reporter from the local paper arrived to take pictures and interview her. Many family pictures were taken, which often required chasing down the younger members of the family and coaxing them to stand or sit still and SMILE!! I loved the two boards made up with pictures of Aunt Elsa and her family and the places that they'd lived over the years. Some of those pictures being over 90 years old.


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1) Do your reading habits change for the summer months? 2) If so, how?

Actually no, I don't think that there is a change in my reading habits
much during the summer. I love to read, and have a lot of books that
I want to read and it's a great way to spend part of a summer day.

Not all this time has been spend in relaxing and goofing off. Yesterday DH helped me to clean the library. This requires climbing on chairs to clear off the tops of the bookcases and then vacuum. Also, emptying smaller bookcases to shift and vacuum behind. It took us about three hours to do. With DH working with me I was kept from stopping every five minutes to pick up a favourite book to browse through, and reread my favourite parts. Thus we finished the job in one day.

For a shady, nondescript place in the garden there is nothing like a variety of Coleus plants to add colour and whimsy to the spot. This is the area between our house and the neighbours, next to the gate into our yard. These Coleus plants start out less then a foot tall when planted, and by the end of the summer are almost waist high on me. I love them.

DH and I are starting two weeks holidays. Pardon me while I dance around the room for a few minutes.......okay I'm back. The nasty hot weather with temperatures reaching 117 degrees with the humidity factored in finally left us on Wednesday night with one of those summer storms that appears out of nowhere and turns day into night. We can open the windows at night for sleeping, and sitting in the shade of our big tree doesn't cause us to break out in a sweat.

Today our friend Mary came for lunch and to celebrate her birthday. We had lunch on the deck and then sat under the tree and talked and laughed. Discussed books, movies, gardening, Sean Bean, books and history. It was a nice start to the holidays. Now DH is puttering in the garden, and guess where I am.

Tomorrow we go to Peterborough for the day. DH's great Aunt Elsa is turning 100 this week. We're picking up SIL and driving there to attend a party that one of her grandsons is throwing to celebrate the occasion. Imagine living to be 100 years old. She came to Canada when she was around 6 years old, lost her father in the first world war, and her mother I believe died not long after.
She lived on her own until around aged 96.

I've just finished reading Sebastian Junger's "A Death in Belmont" and have started reading Kathy Reich's "Cross Bones" although I wasn't planning to. It was sitting on the kitchen table and just jumped into my hands. What could I do?

The little plaque half hidden in amoungst the lillys says "Dad's Garden". It is a tribute to DH dad, who passed away about 10 years ago. With the money he left us we had the backyard completely redone by a landscaper, who did a wonderful job. DH found the sign, which is made of metal, and bought it to put in the garden each year in memory of his dad.

The wedding story...continued.

After the wedding service it was picture taking time. One of the benefits of having the event at Balls Falls is that the church and the reception hall are all in one place and are surrounded on all sides by lovely gardens, old buildings and little bridges and so on for the picture taking. If it hadn't been for the heat it would have been an ideal day.

I felt so bad for the men in their tuxes, with long sleeved shirts, vests and coats. Even standing still, in the shade they were suffering. At least the bride and her attendants were in sleeveless gowns. All they had to worry about was sun burn.

While the pictures were being taken DH and I helped SIL and her friend to put the finishing touches on the tables in the barn where the reception was being held. When the guests began to arrive they made their way to their seats at the long tables set up on either side of the room. A series of long tables down the centre of the floor was for the buffet style dinner. The head table was at one end of the barn. Dinner was a mixture of cold and hot foods. Very delicious. The speeches were funny and mercifully short. Then came the dancing. The buffet tables were cleared away and voila, a dance floor.

The heat continued to be an oppressive presence in the barn even as it started to get a bit cooler as the evening worn on. Going outside for relief had it's own drawback however. Mosquitos!! The little #@%+"@#!!! were ferocious. I have to admit that I didn't last the evening thanks to a headache caused by the heat and the loud music. DH drove me back to our B&B around 10:00 and then returned to the party. The thing was that he and SIL and a few volunteers had to hang around once the party ended to take down and pack away all the decorations before they could leave, since the barn was being rented by someone else the next day. It was 1:00 am when they got back to the B&B.

We were all up the next morning by 8:00 am to partake of the wonderful breakfast that our host had prepared. Home made blueberry pancakes with sausage. MMMMMMM!!! We were packed up and headed for home by 10:30. We walked in the door here at 11:45. It was a relief to be back to our air conditioned home. The cats were very pleased to see us.

It would appear that blogger is not in the mood to upload pictures today. Sorry.

It is hot out. Very hot. Muggy hot. It is the sort of weather that makes you very grateful for airconditioning. We're lucky enough to have it here at home, and I have it at work. Most of the buses that I take coming home from work are air conditioned as well. At most I'm usually out in the weather for no more then 15 minutes during my trip home. But pampered as I am with all this delicious cool air, what happens when I have to be somewhere where there is no such luxury? I wilt.

We went to a wedding on Saturday. A lovely wedding. My sister in law decorated the church and the reception hall as a wedding gift to the bride (her god-daughter) and groom. The wedding was held in a conservation area called Ball's Falls. The church there was built around 1864, and there are other old buildings scattered around the park. One is an enormous old barn, which is where the reception was held. The barn is a remarkable, soaring creation with massive beams and graceful lines. It is an amazing example of the talents and resourcefulness of our pioneer ancestors. However, clever as our forefathers were, there was one thing they couldn't construct from the local trees, stones and metals available to them. They couldn't make air conditioners.

The small, white clapboard church was outfitted with ceiling fans which helped to move the air around the interior and coaxed the breezes outside to come into the building. A metal tub full of ice was placed next to the entrance way and filled with bottles of water to keep the wedding guests hydrated and reasonably conscious. My DH and I arrived an hour before the wedding to help my SIL and a friend of hers to decorate the church.

When the time came, the ceramony began with the groom and his ushers and best man in place at the front of the church. The bridesmaids, in mauve strapless gowns, came down the aisle first. Then the maid of honour in a gown of slightly darker mauve. Then the flower girl. Around 3 1/2 years old, hair of gold, eyes of blue, curls caught up on top of her head, and wearing a white princess gown. Carrying a basket of pretend flower petals she headed down the aisle, tossing invisible blossoms at her feet. About half way down the aisle she looked up from her basket and beheld the rows of guests watching her, with broad grins of delight and cameras flashing. Blue eyes grew larger, and rounder. She stopped dead in her tracks, spun on her heels, and fled back down the aisle and out the back door! The door closed behind her and there was a long pause.

Eventually the doors opened again, and there stood the bride and her step-father. They proceeded up the aisle, composed and unconcerned. The guests all rose to their feet to pay their respects and for a better look at the gown. As the pair passed to the front of the church all heads and eyes followed them. So few noticed a small fae child, in a white princess gown, creeping up the aisle after them, to slip unobserved into a pew and into the arms of her waiting mother.

More tomorrow, or later tonight as time allows. It's time to make dinner. Cheers.

Um...lets see if I can explain this view. Standing at one corner of the yard, looking across to the opposite end. Since this picture was taken three weeks ago we've had lots of rain and the grass which here is half dead, is now lush and green and (according to DH) growing too fast.

It's Friday. Tomorrow DH and I and my SIL are going to a wedding. I haven't been to a wedding in over 11 years. The last time was when I was a brides maid in my friend Charmaine's wedding. I had nothing to wear of course, so stopped at the mall on my way home to look for something. I had a gift certificate which DH gave me for Xmas to use at Northern Reflections and so I went there with fingers crossed.

I should mention here that on my way home from work, while waiting at the bus depot for my Go bus to Georgetown, it began to bucket down with rain. They are doing repairs at the bus depot so the buses are picking up their passengers on the streets surrounding the depot. There is no shelter on the streets to take refuge in when it rains. I got wet. Not the best condition to be in when going clothing shopping. I tried to dry myself off as best I could on the bus ride and tried not to freeze in the air conditioning at the same time.

Anyways, found a nice skirt, top and sweater to wear to the wedding. It looked nice on in the store. I'm sure it'll look even better tomorrow when I don't look like a drowned rat in fancy dress.

The wedding is in Welland, an hour and a half from here by car. We're staying overnight in a bed and breakfast about ten minutes from the place where the wedding will be. Our friends Pete and Terry are coming in tomorrow night to feed the cats and again on Sunday morning. Hope they can manage to get Phoebe to eat something. She doesn't like to eat unless I'm home and sitting with her. We'll have to see.

So will post again when we're home from the wedding. Cheers.

This is the garden which is in front of our deck. It's mostly a shade garden and is at it's peak in the Spring when the Primrose, the lungwort and the viola's are all in bloom. That's Heather reading her book in the garden.

Greetings to Joanie and Ann who left comments on my blog. It's great to have you dropping by and saying hello. Sort of inspires me to continue posting here because I know that someone really is visiting and reading.

This week seems to be creeping along for some reason. Kept thinking that yesterday was Thursday. We are enjoying some hot temperatures again, which may result in thunderstorms later on. DH will no doubt spend the evening watering the pots around the deck, which will just about guaranty the rain.

I'm making good progress on my "Coverlet" stitching. (see July 15th post). I have finished the green section and am about 2/3 of the way through the next colour which is DMC #223 rose. Once that colour is done the next section is again stitched in the green, and then the final section will be stitched in the blue. I'll have to try and arrange for Darlene to take some more pictures.

I was so very bad yesterday. I went on Indigo/Chapters site and ordered books! Five of them! Most in hardcover!

Books ordered - and eagerly awaited as always....
1. Death In Belmont - Sebastian Junger
2. Cross Bones: A Novel - Cathy Reichs
3. Dragonart: How To Draw Fantastic Dragons And Fantasy Creatures - Jessica Pefffer 4. The Art of Detection - Laurie R King
5. The Tenth Circle: A Novel - Jodi Picoult

I guess that you could designate this as book stash.

Booking Through Thursday Question :

1) Have you read Lord of the Rings?
2) If so, how many times have you read it? Just once? Or so many you can't count?
3) If not, why not? Not your cup of tea?
4) And, while we're on the subject, did you see the Oscar-winning movie(s)? What did you think?

1) Oh yes indeed. First time when I was around 13 I think.

2) I've read the books about three times each. Most recently just before the release of each of Peter Jackson's movies.

3) *********

4) And yes I've seen the movies, got the extended versions of the movies on DVD and absolutely adore them.

1) Do you ever reread your books?
2) If so, which ones? If not, why not?
3) Do you read the books the whole way through or pick through for favorite scenes?
4) What qualifies a book for the reread pile?

1) So many books to read, so little time. But I do reread my favourite books.

2) I have a number of books that I read over and over again.
Karen and With Love From Karen : Marie Killilea
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn : Betty Smith
The Mummy : Anne Rice
The Lord of the Rings series : JRR Tolkien
The Time Traveler's Wife : Audrey Niffenegger

I'm currently rereading Melanie Rawn's Sunrunner series.

3) Sometimes I just pick up a favourite book and turn to my favourite parts. This is what makes cleaning the library take so very long. But I do read cover to cover as well.

4) It's hard to say what qualifies a book for reread status. If it makes me laugh, or cry during the first read, or keeps me on the edge of my seat (so to speak) or has a character that I just adore, it qualifies as a rereadable book.

Please note that the above list of reread books is just a SHORT list. I'm sure there would be more if I really put my mind to it.

The picture at the top of the post is our deck with some of our pots visible. It's a cool and rainy day out today. Poor DH is champing at the bit to get out and mow the lawns and putter in the garden but the rain is too heavy and steady at the moment. He mowed the backyard this morning and the grass is so lush and thick he had to do it twice. The front yard will have to wait until tomorrow. At this time of year the grass is usually a delicate shade of brown due to lack of rain and hot temperatures. But in the last few weeks we've had a fair amount of rain and so the grass is lovely and green. And so is everything else. I love the rain.

Tonight we're going to a little gathering to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of our friends Mary and Kevin. It is taking place at the Copper Kettle Pub and should be nice. Their son Ian is our godson. Cheers all!

Booking through Thursday question.....

1) Do you read non-fiction books for pleasure, not counting books required for courses or for work?
2) If so, what areas of non-fiction interest you the most? If not, why not?
What are some of your favorite books from those areas?

1) Yes I do read non-fiction books. Mostly biographies, but I also collect books on any subject that catches my fancy.

2) I've been fascinated by the story and history of the Titanic for a long time and I have lots of books about her, and also books about the Lusitania, and the Empress of Ireland. All luxury liners who sank during 1912-1916 period for various reasons. I also collect books about shipwrecks in general. I have four books on Dinosaurs, my favourite being a Readers Digest publication with great illustrations and fascinating information. I love Egyptian history and have many books on it and on the archeological work being done and the artifacts found over the years. I have tons of books on England, either dealing with the history or with traveling there. I have a selection of Mary Englebreit books, Tasha Tudor books and lots of craft/home decor books. Lets see, what else? Books about movies, and movie stars covering the 1930's to 1950's. Books about my favourite movies, sci-fi or fantasy tv series etc. And much, much more.

More pictures of the library. My library is in the basement of our house. When you come down the stairs from the den level the bookcases that you see ahead of you are the ones above. The windowed wall is to your left and has short book-cases as well as two tall ones. The wall on the right has a triple sectioned bookcase which is hardcovers above and paperbacks double shelved below. See pictures in previous post. My old desk ended up down here when we decorated our upstairs and had a desk built into the computer room. It's from the good olde days when you only need room on a desk to write. Yes, that is a witch hanging from the ceiling over the glass top table. Since I read alot of fantasy I like to collection fantasy type things - or have been given them as gifts. The witch and my crystal ball on one of the shelves which I don't think you can see in any of the pictures was given to me by my friend Linda. She also made many of the stuffed toys that you might see scattered around the room. Incredibly talented is my friend Linda.

My library - well - some of it

This project is going to be for Josiah. Youngest of the brood across the street. I still need to put black beads on each animal for their eyes. I love the chicken the most of the four critters here. It was an easy, bright and colourful project to stitch. It is from a book that I have called "Sweet and Simple Country Cross Stitch" featuring the artwork of Lori Gardner. It's full of pretty projects, small and large and there's lots that I'd like to stitch someday.

It's a HOT day out today. People are clinging to their air conditioning units if they're lucky enough to have them. There are suppose to be thunderstorms this evening and I hope so since I love a really good, rip snortin' thunderstorm. We had them last week during our two heavy days of rain but I was in work for most of them, and no where near a window, so couldn't enjoy them.

I have two new x-stitch patterns to add to my collection of current patterns. One is "It's Halloween" and the other is "The Cat's Meow" both by the Drawn Thread. My first patterns by this designer/company. I have a large pile of patterns which I collected during my first period of cross stitching ten to fifteen years ago, but the ones that are out now are so amazing. And my tastes have changed over the years. That's what reading other peoples blogs has done for me. Introduced me to a wide range of new designers. And seeing other peoples interpretations of these designs is very encouraging and inspiring.

Time to go make dinner. DH will be home soon. Cheers!

This is the view that I have of my garden when I sit at the table on our deck. I love this view. This picture was taken last weekend by Darlene and her digital camera. The garden was doing well at that point, but the grass was beginning to suffer from the lack of rain. We have a large silver maple tree in the other corner of the yard, which provides a substantial amount of shade for the yard during the day. But even so, the grass does not tolerate the drought well. Luckily this week we have had two days of heavy, steady rain. Monday was the first day, and Thursday was the second. The grass has come back beautifully thanks to this bounteous gift and is looking healthy and green right now. Mind you, we're not due for any more rain until at least Thursday next, and it's been mighty hot and sticky out there since Friday so the grass may not retain it's healthy glow for too long. Long range forecast is for cooler temperatures and rain next weekend, but that could change.

Last night we went to the Shepherds Crook pub for dinner. We were planning to go to the Copper Kettle pub, which is our favorite pub and is owned by a friend of ours and run by her and her daughters. We hadn't been in for awhile due to one thing and another (mostly time flying) and both DH and I decided independently of one another that we should go on Saturday. Unfortunately the pub was closed for a private party according to the note left on the door and so we had to rethink our plans. Luckily we have several nice pubs in Georgetown, and so we went to the back up pub to eat instead. Both the Kettle and the Crook are situated in buildings that are over 120 years old, which is pretty old for us here in Canada. Both buildings were once general stores when originally built. We had lovely food and DH had his Stout and so all was right in our world.

Worked some on my cross stitch project last evening while sitting on the deck, and I've just got a wee bit left to do before starting the next colour section.

Darlene came to visit on the weekend of the 8th. Another movie weekend for us. We went to see Superman Returns and Pirates of the Caribbean. We've been waiting for the Pirate movie to come out with great anticipation and we were not disappointed. It was a rollicking ride from start to finish. I need to see it again just to catch all the stuff that was going on. Superman Returns was quite good too and I loved Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor. I'm not a big Superman fan (Spiderman being my favourite super hero, followed closely by X-men) but this movie told a good story, had great effects and was a nice homage to the Christopher Reeves movies. In the Pirate movie Johnny Depp was marvelous as usual as Cap'n Jack Sparrow, and Bill Nighy as Davy Jones (of locker fame) was terrific under all the tentacles and claws.

Darlene brought her camera again. She took pictures of my current cross stitch obsession, the previous one that I did for Josiah, and also pictures of our garden and of my library. The garden ones especially turned out beautifully and I can't wait to show them off.

My newest cross stitch project is from an issue of Cross Country Stitching (June 1995) and is based on an antique coverlet design. Since this picture was taken I have finished the medallion on the right, which is the same as the one on the left, and I'm working upwards towards the next section of the picture and the third of the three colours used for this project.

Ran into a problem with this project. It appears that in the list of the colours used for this project given in the magazine the second colour was listed wrong. In the picture the magazine shows of the finished project the second colour is a steely looking blue. Sort of DMC #932-ish. But the colour in the chart is listed as DMC #501 - blue green. Defiantly not the same colour as the picture. I didn't like the look of #501 next to the dark blue of #939 so I used the lighter #502 instead. Which may mean that the next colour #3721 may not look right when I get that far. I'll have to cross that bridge when I get there.

I'm re-reading a favourite fantasy series of mine, which I haven't read in many years now. Melanie Rawn's Sunrunner series, beginning with Dragon Prince which I finished this week. This book was published in 1988 and is one of three in this series. Then there are three more in the next series. Melanie Rawn has a wonderful sense of humour, and she creates vivid pictures of both people and places with her words. And she has created a wonderful world which is complex and colourful and rich. Nice big, thick books and stories that keep you on the edge of your seat, so to speak. It's so nice to renew acquaintances with the characters and the story.

I just bought Jacqueline Carey's latest book Kushiel's Scion last night. Ohh...
can't wait to read this one.

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!

You gotta love Canadian weather. Sunday, May 21st, just a week ago, DH was out on the deck barbacuing wearing a coat, and could see his breath when he breathed. Fifteen minutes north of us they had sleet. An hour north of us they had snow!! Time shift to today. The temperature was in the mid 30's, but the humidity made it feel like it was in the 40's.

And to make sure that we all got to appreciate this sudden largess of hot weather the Toronto transit operators decided today would be a good day to stage a wild cat strike. No warning for the hundreds of thousands of commuters who depend on the buses/subway/streetcars to get to work. We all woke up this morning to the local radio stations announcing that Torontonians were going to have to hoof it to work, or drive, or bike or whatever. Since we live in Georgetown, northwest of Toronto, and I work in Mississauga, which is a different transit system, I had no worries about getting to and from work, but many of my co-workers had to scramble to make other arrangements. DH drives me to work in the morning, which is greatly appreciated since it would take me an hour and a half to get to work, and another hour and a half to get home, at least. Oh, the strike, being illegal, was order to cease by the court system and this evening the transit system is slowly getting back up to speed. Hopefully tomorrow will be a normal travel day.

Back to work after a weeks holiday. Very hard to do. DH is off until Wednesday though so we can sleep in until 6:30 still, which is a much more civilized time to get up then 5:30, our usual time. DH got the air conditioning fired up tonight, since the temperatures are to remain high until the end of the week. By the weekend we're suppose to be down to 18 degrees again, which will be just fine by me. Can work in the garden in those temperatures.

I've headed this post with a picture of Phoebe, sitting in our front livingroom window, watching the birds flying by and landing in our front yard.

Today we went to Ken Johns memorial service, which was held in Weston, which is where we both grew up. My Mom went with us. It was a lovely service, with people sharing their many "Ken Johns stories" and there was lots of laughter and smiles. Ken Johns was a man who touched a lot of lives and had a great many friends. A whole town full of people it seems. He was one in a million.

In Memorium

JOHNS, Ken (Royal Canadian Army Second Survey Regiment; Past President and 60-year member of the Weston Lions Club; first and only person designated as a Weston Historical Artifact in 1997 by the Weston Historical Society; Proprietor of Ken Johns Menswear; dedicated volunteer with the West Park Hospital for many years). Peacefully on Thursday, May 15, 2006 at the Humber River Regional Hospital - Church Site. Ken, devoted husband of the late Doris (nee Vanden Bergh) and loving partner of Fran Rupke (nee Johnston). Beloved father of Doug and Sue, Ron and Toni; adored grandfather to Tricia, Derek, Adam, Danielle and Kevin. Delighted great-grandfather to Nicholas and Lochlin. Predeceased by his sister Doris and his brother George. Friends may call at the Ward Funeral Home, 2035 Weston Rd. (north of Lawrence Ave.), Weston on Monday from 1 p.m. until time of the memorial service in the chapel at 3 p.m. As an expression of sympathy, donations to the Alzheimer Society would be appreciated by the family.


Ken John's was a dear family friend who acted as Yenta for DH and I. He ran a men's clothing store in Weston, where we lived, where our fathers shopped for their suits. Ken had known us both since we were small children. My apartment was across the street from his store when I was on my own and I'd often visit the store and sit in the back drinking cups of tea and talking with Ken about our mutual love of England. He had an amazing knack for telling funny stores, with a twinkle in his eye and a gentle smile on his face. The entire back wall of his store was covered in coffee mugs, each with a name on it and each belonging to a regular customer who always stopped at Ken's for a cup of coffee and a visit whenever in Weston. Ken decided that DH and I were suited to one another and so took us out to dinner at a local restaurant one evening. We sat talking and getting to know each other with Ken a genial host who got the ball rolling and then made a discrete exit before desert. When we married two and a half years later it was only natural that Ken would be our master of ceramonies. He was always so proud of the fact that he'd been the one to bring us together. We've been married 16 years now. We have so many wonderful memories of Ken, his store, his stories, and his dedication to caring for others either through his membership with the Weston Lions, or in volunteering at West Park Hospital, where his wife Doris spent her final years suffering from Alzheimers. It was an honour and a pleasure to be Ken's friend and we'll miss him dearly.

For Hannah...

This is the project for Hannah, middle girl, middle child. Quiet around her siblings, but with a wicked sense of mischief that can catch you by surprise. The teddy bears are giving me grief. They're suppose to have eyes created with french knots. I HATE french knots. I have made an attempt on the bigger bear, and gotten no where. Knot kept slipping through the material. It's been suggested that I use beads instead. That might work on the bigger bear, but the other bear may be too small for beads to look right. I'll have to consider this problem some more. I now have Laura's name stitched on her project and now just have to do Naomi's.

The week has improved weather wise, and most importantly temperature wise. DH and I went to the garden centres on Wednesday and picked up the plants for our pots, and also picked up six hanging baskets. Then I spent a couple of afternoons with my hands all muddy as I put my pots in order. I don't use gardening gloves because I find that I miss the tactile feel of working with the plants and soil. And I find myself digging the holes in the soil with my hands instead of a trowel.

I'm working on Prairie Schooler's "A Prairie Garden" which involves stitching a border and twelve squares before tackling the flowers in each square. It's my "take to work" project at the moment. I've run out of a crucial colour, DMC 3362, and they don't have it at the wool shop in town where I go in emergencies for DMC basic thread. And I've already had DH take me to the LNS in Acton earlier in the week where I bought another size of Q-snap to add to my collection, plus some thread. But I didn't realize how close to out I was in the above colour, and wouldn't you know it, it's used all over everywhere on the pattern. Just can't ask DH to run me back to Acton just for a couple of skeins of 3362, can I?

The sun is shining, the air is warm and the garden is green, lush and growing. So why am I in the house, at the computer? Because I'm suppose to be doing housework. Logical? Who me? Guess I should go tackle the cat fur, dust and so forth at least a little.

Oh, just to add....we've got a bunny showing up in our yard these days. A wild bunny, who is vacuming up the bird seed under our bird feeders. He shows up in the early morning, and then again in the early evening. I've started taking carrots out to him in the evening when I see him. He's skittish of me, but loves the carrots. I'm going to be sooo...popular with our neighbours who have veggie gardens!

For Naomi

This is the project for Naomi, the youngest of the three girls. It is meant to be F - for flowers. Laura's was L - for lavender. I'm stitching Laura's name on her project now.
It has been something of a disappointment weather wise this weekend. It's the first long weekend of the "summer" season, and it's traditionally the demarcation line when gardeners are allowed to start planting their annuals without worry about a killer frost occurring. However in the last couple of years we've had cool, if not outright cold springs and we've had frost on the long weekend or just after.
This spring was another cool one. On Saturday the wind was quite strong and the temperature was in the 50's (Celsius). We were at a barbecue and although the men braved (?) the temperature to sit out on the deck for about half an hour, us women were much more sensible and we stayed in the house. The kids of course played outside and were oblivious to the wind and temperature. Same with the dogs.
On Sunday we had a barbecue here. The wind was much stronger then Saturday and we spent part of the day keeping an eye on our neighbours metal framed, canvas topped pergola on their deck which threatened to leave it's moorings and leap over the roof of their house at any moment. It was mostly over cast, in the high 40's in temperature and it rained on and off. Needless to say we stayed in the house and ate barbecue in the kitchen.
Today is not as windy but it's still cool (cold) and we're not due for a warming trend until tomorrow. We are eager to get out into the garden and start planting our pots and stuff but that will wait for warmer weather. I'm eager to start. At least with the rain and cooler temperatures the garden is looking lovely and green and lush. And the spring flowers such as primulas and lungwort (sp?) are very happy. Our irises have started to bloom in the front of the house, which gets the full afternoon sun.

For Laura

Across the street from us live a family of seven, including five kids. We have been neighbours for about nine years and have known many of the kids since the day they were first brought home from the hospital. They are wonderful kids, ranging in age from eleven to just over a year old. I find it amazing how their Mum Amy copes with all of them, and most amazing of all is that she home schools them.

I began a project a few months back to stitch each of the kids a little something as a keepsake from me. So far I have done each of the three girls a alphabet girl from the Cross Country Stitching Alphabets issue dated 1996. Instead of putting the alphabet letter on each girl though I am stitching the name of the girl I'm stitching it for. I have bought frames for each project as well. Above is the piece that I'm doing for Laura, the eldest girl.

On Wednesday evening the book club that I belong to had our last meeting of the 2005-2006 season. We went to one of our favourite local Chinese food restaurants for the occasion. We could bring our spouses as well, but the only one who had a spouse come was me. Phil was more then happy to join us for a good meal. We read "The Batchelor Brother's Bed and Breakfast" by Bill Richardson for this month's meeting. A short read but lots of fun. About a bed and breakfast run by two brothers specifically for book lovers who want to get away from their daily lives to devote an entire holiday to reading. Sounds good to me. The author is a broadcaster with CBC radio and the book is an extension of his program. Does the B & B actually exist? Don't know. We debated that a bit in our meeting.

Phil and I are on vacation for a week. Lots to do, and hopefully the weather will co-operate. Am reading Jodi Picoult's "Vanishing Act" at the moment. We watched the DVD of "Serenity" last night, which I'd seen in the theatre with Darlene during one of our movie weekends last fall. Phil had not yet seen it yet, and since we have the "Firefly" DVD series he was eager to see it.