Needlepoint

Last evening with the huge snow flurries that were peacefully falling outside, a nice warmth in the house from the wood fire and having the house all to myself - this is what I whipped up...


... One of my favorite blogs and that I check every day is Beauty that Moves. It is here that I first saw this needlepoint idea for the OM symbol. I made one last night and tonight I think I will work on a sewing project that will incorporate this little piece of craft. You will eventually see pictures of the finished product... I don't think it will be finished tonight so don't stay up !

Hope everyone had a wonderful Earth Hour.

Always room for improvement

Although I try to be as healthy (physically and mentally) as possible there is always room for improvement. So far 2008 has not been too cooperative with me on the flu side. This week was my second cold since mid-January. Up to this time I bragged that I did'nt catch a cold for the past 10 years (honest).

So with that said, I've dusted off Dr. Weil's Spontaneous Healing and will read it cover to cover... again, because I think I might have forgotten a few important things he points out.

To get my body physically on track after this horrible cold I am trying to get rid of this week I will concentrate on eating mostly vegetables and fruits and drinking a lot of water for the next few weeks. I will also resume my twice-daily walking routine.


Have a good Friday tomorrow everybody !

Always a first

Tonight I tried my luck at my very first blanket stitch project with this black felt little pouch. Who knew that the corners are not so easy. But I went ahead anyways to finish the project then I found out that on You Tube there are little videos on almost everything and anything so I found a tutorial on blanket stitch (and many more). I will attempt it at a later date for now I will keep this less then perfect little pouch for myself to store my most precious seaglass finds.

Easter Egg Hunt

Each year my brother and his wife host the Annual Maillet Easter Egg Hunt which takes place on Easter Sunday. This year was the fourth. They are an amazing couple, they put in sooooooo much work in organizing this event for family and friends. Actually, it's the only time of the year the family really gets together to play and laugh.

Below - the ''rule master'' (aka my brother the co-host) reading the rules and regulations.

This year we were not hunting for eggs, we were looking to find wooden puzzle pieces in the forest (in baskets). Note - this egg hunt is so well organized and fair to everyone, it's for children and adults alike.

This lovely wooded area is their backyard... so, so beautiful.


Participants counting their puzzle pieces because at the end of the trail you HAD to have 20 pieces...

After everyone was back to the house we all had to put together our puzzles and of course the 20 pieces you had did'nt make up the puzzle... you had to barter with others to get the pieces you needed. What fun !!!!!

And the winner is...

Denise Sullivan, a friend of the Maillet Family. Way to go Din ! see ya next year.

Easter 2008

I hope everyone had a wonderful and peaceful Easter. Especially that you've all had the chance to spend quality time with family and friends. Dave and I feel so lucky and appreciative to have two wonderful children. Our daughter was home (with her cat, the fiancé had to work) from New Brunswick. Here are random pictures of our wonderful weekend together.

Everything starts with a glass of wine...

Moving along with baking. While I waited for my daughter's arrival Thursday evening I baked these pumpkin carob muffins...

... a pumpkin creamcheese pie and two strawberry pies (one of which was given to my mother).

Breakfast Friday morning. As I've mentioned many times before, I love baking and cooking but my favorite is cooking a ''big breakfast''.


Our daughter's cat ''Puss'' and yes he's on the table.

Then Friday evening things turned into a slight cold for me so I medicated myself with herbs, supplements and vitamins.

Saturday's supper - creamed lobster on toast with fries.

Easter morning.

A beautiful gift from a good friend, Winnie. A coral replica. She offers gifts for no reason at all... that's the kinda good person she is. It is going to look very nice in our bathroom. This is exactly the kind of decor I love for our home. Thank you so much Winnie.

Easter Day breakfast - another ''big breakfast''.

Elvis at Frenchy's

A brief stop over at Frenchy's this afternoon produced these exciting finds for us...

A cute little bowl for my morning oatmeal that reminds me of Spring (the bowl not the oatmeal).

A piece of vintage fabric.

These three wonderful books at $1.25 a piece. A while back my niece recommended the one on the right from this author. Yes Colleen, I found it at Frenchy's.

And who knew Elvis had something to do with a children's christmas book - The First Noel. In its original state this book would have been accompanied by a CD but you know, it wasn't in the cover but we got the book anyways. It will go in my christmas/winter coffee table book stash next christmas.

I think I am a wise woman for wanting to stop at Frenchy's today ! Have a good beginning of the week tomorrow everybody and...

HAPPY SAINT PAT'S DAY !!!!!

Beautiful sunrise... brought us snow

This was the sunrise at 7-ish Saturday morning... with hardly a sight of snow on the ground.

And below, - well I think these two pictures are self-explanatory. Part of the snow we got all day yesterday (Saturday).

Spring in the air

I took today and tomorrow off from work and how lucky was I to have such a gorgeous sunny Spring like day. I spent all afternoon outside (as you can well imagine). But before heading outside I baked a batch of oatmeal milk chocolate cookies and prepared the cabbage rolls for tonight's supper.


Then out I went...

These trees look like veins. Trees are wonderful to look at and admire.

Made a small fire in the pit.

Picked-up a few branches that have fallen during the harsh Winter months - there are still A LOT to pick-up but it's all fun and wonderful.

As I mentioned before, my favorite color - all shades of blue.

This picture was taken last Tuesday evening (another Spring like day) when we visited the beach...

Forecast for tomorrow - rain/wet snow.

Comfort food

With the nasty weather we were having over the weekend we needed a little bit of comfort food (after all what would a weekend be in our home without cooking or baking). I made a batch of yeast donuts.


Not too good on the "healthy" scale but they sure were good in the delicious department !

Weekend disturbance

Saturday evening and all through the night until Sunday afternoon we got extremely heavy winds and pouring rain. It rained non-stop for 24 hours. Most of the basements in the neighbourhood were floaded. We were some of the few lucky ones and that's just because our house is on a hill.

We lost a couple of trees on our property.

And what comes with heavy winds ? ... well yes, we lost power from 1 a.m. Sunday morning to 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon. So out comes the camping equipment - yippy !!!!!

Happy International Women's Day

A year ago today this was my post entry. This year as I celebrate this very special day I celebrate this wonderful young woman:

I am so grateful for everything this human being has brought into my life... pure happiness when I see her face or hear her voice. She has turned into a very brilliant young woman and today I celebrate her - my daughter Ginette Anne.

Today is a time to reflect on the advances we've made towards equality and to look ahead to the challenges that remain. Let us also reflect on the many women in abusive relationships - sisters, friends, cousins, nieces, mothers, daughters, neighbours. I can't imagine the state I would be in if my daughter was ever abused and I was to find out (and believe me, I would).

Hope you get to spend today with the ones you love.

His n' Hers

Our supper tonight - salad made from baby greens with a very simple dressing, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a few drops of sesame oil, with salmon. Plate on the left was Dave's and mine is on the right. The glass of red wine was mine.

We got the freezing rain they were warning us about last night. It rained all afternoon with very heavy winds then tonight there was a sunset over the ocean - go figure, Nova Scotia weather changes every 5 minutes.

Have a good day tomorrow !

Hippie

I found this beautiful ''hippie print'' fabric at Frenchy's today. There is over 4 yards of it and I paid $1. (Sorry the fabric is kind of wrinkled, I did'nt have time to iron it before I took the picture). I could have ironed it on this nice practical ironing board I also found at Frenchy's today. It's a small one that I am going to use in my new craft room. Ya, I said craft room - more on this later.

Walk the... horse ?

(You might want to click on image to enlarge)

Every afternoon this local walks his horse, just like you and I would walk our dog. I know there are many people out there that walk their horse...

Sign of Life

Hope everyone is finding something interesting to Celebrate Life.

The Food Network

Seems all we did this past weekend was EAT ! March came in like a Lion so we are hoping to see it out like a Lamb... we'll see.

Made a strawberry pie... very tasty and yummy. Not a crumb left.

A chicken pot pie.

Belly Buttons from the leftover dough of the above mention pies.