The Stove Saga

Our oven project is a hoot and could be exasperating if we let it.  It's an adventure and a continuing saga.  The first one has been returned because apparently somewhere in its lifetime it's been dropped and the insides are sheared off and damaged.  We've had three service calls on it and weren't even been able to use it.  Patrick went to see Lowes and it was returned with a loaner until a new one can be ordered and delivered.  Electrolux didn't want to replace it, just repair it, which would have meant another few services call at best.

The loaner arrived early in the morning on Saturday just as the snow storm was cooking up.  The men took away the first one and left us with something we could use.  Patrick mixed up a batch of lemon poppy muffins for breakfast and popped them in the oven.  They were in there for about 5 minutes when the storm took out the electricity for the whole neighborhood.  We thought it would be back on in a short, reasonable time ( since we live in a modern world).  The muffins continued to bake in the heated oven.  With a bit of patience we eventually had nicely browned muffins, but it took over an hour to get to that point.

That night we sat in darkness, lighted by a few fragrant candles and warmed by a blazing fire in the fireplace.  Lucky for us we have lots of quilts to keep us cozy.  We napped or played with our computers.  When they got low in power Patrick took them to the car and plugged them into the converter and recharged them.  We were comfortable and happy while watching the neighbors houses to be sure we weren't alone in the situation.  Dinner was cold roast beef sandwiches.

Sunday morning arrived and still no electricity.  By noon we thought we'd go out for lunch.  We tried a new place called Benny's.  It's an Italian restaurant that always has a full parking lot, a sign that food and service are good.  It was, I had a delicious cheese steak sub on a paninni roll and Patrick had a turkey club on flat bread.  We'll be going back in the future and they have carry out too.  Evening and darkness arrived and still no electricity--so our loaner stove wouldn't work either.  I thawed out some homemade soup using the fireplace and we ate by candlelight, not that we had a choice.  Patrick continued to charge his computer in the car.  Finally, I went off to bed and left Patrick sitting in his chair ready a book using his headlamp.

Around 1 AM the power came back on and life was back to normal --as we know it.

When Old Friends Come to Town

It's been a year since we last saw each other, but with email we've been in touch constantly.  Nat and Teresa are my best buds from Fort McMurray.  We forged our friendships over fabric, thread and many, many quilts.

Teresa opened her own quilt shop, Bear Paw Quilts and More.  It was an adventure for all of us as we helped her to decorate her shop, learned to cut and fold fat quarters and even taught classes in the back room.

Natalie, who'd never touched a sewing machine before, yearned to learn to make herself a quilt.  Once we got her started there was no turning back.  Soon after Teresa's shop opened Natalie bought herself a long arm quilt machine and went into business taking in quilts and finishing them for customers.

As time went by I retired and moved far away from my friends.  This June while heading back to our cottage the girls drove to Edmonton and we had a fun, special day catching up on news over lunch and visiting our favorite quilt shops in the city.

It's always been a favorite time to share our "sew and tell" projects.  So right in the middle of the dairy section of market where we had lunch we unfolded our quilts and stretched them open for any and all to admire.  There were a few comments and smiles from the other customers and even one excited lady who asked for a repeat showing of one that caught her eye.

Our get together would never be complete without our "Christmas in July" exchange.  Presents and goodies all around, wonderful warm hugs and tons of laughter.  They sure did brighten my day.

Recycle, recycle

Last summer I come up with a wonderful idea . . .   I thought about crocheting rugs for our new cottage.  At first I thought I'd save all of the selvedge edges from my fabrics.  As I started off with a ball of knotted together strips I realized that a chore of this nature would require more than selvedge edges in order to have a rug anytime in the near future.

Then our son arrived with a bundle of discarded linens from his house and announced that he had cleaned out his closets and was giving us what he not longer wanted.  There were sheets and pillow cases that wouldn't fit the size beds that we have so it occurred to me to cut them up and use them for rug making.

I cut open the pillow cases, trimmed off the hems from everything, and cut the material into strips one inch wide.  Next, I stitched the strips together end to end on the sewing machine and wound my strips into a ball ready for crocheting.

By the end of the summer amid my other projects, I'd managed to put together my first rug.  I'd even decided which of the bedrooms it would go to.  That bedroom is yet to be finished and the rug has been introduced to the floor on my side of the bed.  It's lovely and my dog likes to sleep there too.



Over the winter I helped my brother organized his linen closet.  It was full of mismatched sheets, some that were older than his children.  He said I could get rid of any that were not complete sets.

You know what I was thinking don't you . . .

This is one queen sized sheet plus a bit of a pillow case and the rug is half the size I want it to be.  

A Cozy Chair, a Good Book . . .

I love books and so does my family.  As a family we have collected quite a library full.  Friends who visit our cottage often comment on our wonderful collection and know where to come to borrow a book for a rainy day read.

Before leaving the US, Patrick and my brother, Max spent a day designing and building this bookcase to fit in a room in our cottage.  It traveled to our island in pieces ready to be stained, finished, and assembled.

Although it's the only finished piece of furniture in the room it will always be a focal point and a nice place to spend a lazy day curled up with your choice of a book.

The top part holds about 200 books and the larger bottom is designed to house puzzles, games, and larger books.  However, there are still books looking for shelf space and so the bottom part is serving double duty until more shelving can be arranged.

We're thinking a few narrow shelves across the ceiling might take the excess of books yet to come. Of course, there's always the possibility of individual bookcases in each room.  We'll see!

Quilts on the move

Finally, after so many years we have moved to the new cottage.  Quilts that have been folded and stored are now out of hiding and are being used not only for beds, but for make shift walls as well.

The upstairs of the cottage we have been building is still in the studded stage.  Some of my quilts have been draped over half walls to give the feeling of privacy and they make the house so cozy.  Others have been used as tablecloths, and of course to cover beds and snuggle under on chilly nights.

Somehow these quilts make the place feel just right.

Moving Year

For the past many, many years we've been building the log cottage of our dreams.  We started in 1991, laying on the first round of logs.  Each summer we'd get another round finished.  The progress was much slower than we'd ever anticipated, but this year we finally were ready to start moving in.  Although we still have no doors, no kitchen, and no fire place, it is a wonderful sight to see our things began to shape our new living quarters.

The first room on our agenda was our bedroom.  We've been staying in a small guest house since the ceiling began leaking on us in the back room of the main cottage.  It just didn't feel right sleeping in our raincoats or having plastic sheets covering us while we slept.

The walls in our new house have yet to be finished. A few quilts and our collection of refinished furniture pieces make it home.





On the opposite side of our suite we've set up our new Mission style chairs and a few other pieces so we can relax and play with our computers.  For the first time we have a satellite dish mounted on a tower that gives us the luxury of using our computers on the internet.  We love keeping up with our email and of course checking up on what's happening in the world.  This month it's been whether the Canadian Postal Service will return to work.  Our internet service allows us to shop, but delivery comes by CPS.

The back half of the upstairs is still under construction.  We're looking forward to another two bedrooms and storage.  If you happen to be heading this way for a visit.  We have already begun setting up sleeping accommodations for you.  The best location on the second floor is overlooking the bay, with lots of warm, morning sunshine to awake to.

Experiencing Spring X 2

Plume tree blossoms

I worried that spring would never come while we were at our house in PA.  I watched for daffodils to bloom but they hardly made a showing.  Then my gardening expert friend told me that I shouldn't have cropped back the leaves last year.  I'd stolen their ability to produce a full bloom for this year.  Lesson learned I won't attack them again.  Next year will be beautiful.

Canadian Anemones

Now that we're safely perched on our island in Saskatchewan spring is popping again.  We arrived in time to see the fruit trees bloom and the chives and anemones are happily looking skyward.

They are blooming profusely all over the beach and the garden area.  Each year they spread farther and wider.  It's a great welcoming sight.

I've learned to identify a crop of wildflowers not previously known to me in the US.  However this year a new and exciting flower appeared near the new cottage we've built.  It's very showy and magnificent.

Here is my newest challenge.  I've got to research this beauty and give it a name.  In the meantime, I'll protect it and hope it can reproduce and return for more admirers to enjoy next spring