She's been busy

These little hand-knitted dolls are headed to Africa. My mom's been happy busy knitting these. She gets so bored in the Winter. We try and find things for her to do and she sure enjoyed this project. There are about 50 dolls in this box. I will deliver these to the lady that's in charge.

It's been a while...

... since I posted some of my Frenchy findings. Here are some of the items I found in the last weeks (even months).

This black jacket has to be my best find in years. Honest. It's an Athletic Works feather-filled. I can walk in -22 wind chill and I don't feel the cold on my upper body at all. The scarf is another good find at Frenchy's. It's a William Brunton Hand Knits, hand woven of pure lambswool in Scotland.
I so wish I could have found more of the Cashmereno in the yarn box but this was the only one. I'll knit little baby booties or something. The bigger skein is from Natural Dyed Wools, from Ireland. The dye is from red cabbage.

In one visit I found these three pair of foot luxury. The boots are made of leather, the black shoes are from a company in France and the brown are Born. Was I excited to find a pair of Born - well, yes ! I mainly wear the Born shoes with long skirts and tights. A more Boho style which I love and is so comfy.


I'm not really one to have decorative flags and swirlies hanging outside the house but this one will go in the orchard out back next Summer to keep the birds out of the cherry tree. He's so cute.

And this quilt, I still can't figure out why it was in the $1.25 drop-cloth bin. There's nothing wrong with it really. It's for a child's single bed. I'll store it away until I find a use for it.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend and keeping warm. This blogger informed me today that it was 55 days til Spring - yahoooooo. That's not bad - 55 days. Y'all know how time's flying around here. Time to get this out :

Comfort Week : Image

Well here we are Friday which is usually my favorite day of the week but today is kinda sad - it's the last day of Sherrie's Comfort Week. But you know what, this week has forced me to stand still and focus on ''the now'' and I think that even though we're done posting on our blogs I'll keep having this Comfort theme for at least the remaining of January and write in my journal.

Image: Sherrie is looking for a picture that represents total comfort to me when I look at the picture. Here it is - my gardens. Our home is 3/4 surrounded by flower gardens (mainly country cottage style gardens) and 1/4 veggie and herb gardens.



But wait...
... I would'nt be true to myself if I did'nt say that the following image gives me the most comfort of all when I look at it :

My family - my husband that loves me for all that I am and encourages me to be the person he knows I can be, my son who is always looking out for his mama and my daughter who is flying with my wings. I love them so much and for this I get comfort.

Thank you so much Sherrie for hosting this Comfort Week. Keep well.

Visit other bloggers here - they're all wonderful.

Habit

Can I add this to my previous post about habit. After reading Sherrie's entry I thought of a habit I have that gives me comfort. When I eat something that I find good and delicious I bounce my right leg really, really fast. Like you would bounce a baby on your knee. My son does the same thing and my father did it also. It happens automatic, we don't even notice we do it.

Comfort Week : Habit

Today we talk about - habit : a behaviour or routine that brings you comfort, according to Sherrie's request. I don't know if I'm on the right track with this one... behaviour is the way someone acts and a routine is doing something continously. Hmmmm, maybe the last one. What do you think !
My love affair and continous obsession with knitting. Well, maybe that's behaviour AND routine so I'm on the right track on both accounts.

And here publicly I have to confess to my "lack of love" for knitting up until January 2008. Yup, that's when I fell in love with all things knitty. In the process, I've discovered that I'm a self-taught knitter and that my past experiences with the art of knitting were not all that great. When I learn something new I want for it to be explained to me "exactly" the way it's suppose to be done - no shortcuts, no "this way but it's still OK that way", no "I do it this way but my cousin does it that way", no nothing. And this is how I got to "not love" (I rarely say the word hate, I don't like that word) knitting. Everyone was showing me a different technique everytime.

So many, many years went by and in January 2008 I bought a pair of wooden needles and three skeins of yarn and went to town - I knitted a stole for my daughter. That Christmas my niece gifted me with a beautiful stole she had knitted herself and this is how it all started for me. I am new at this but the more I knit the more I feel comfort. It kinda makes my heart smile.

Let us mosey on over here to see what others have to say about today's theme. So far I love what everyone is posting about. I've even met knew bloggers that have amazing blogs. I already have them in my favorites. Hope they don't mind.

Comfort Week : Place

Happy Wednesday everyone ! Isn't Sherrie the best hostess ever. Today she'd like to know the place most comfortable to us and if you have a few minutes please check out what others have to say about their favorite Place.

This is a no-brainer. The place most comfortable for me = the OCEAN.

When I'm here all my worries drift-off with the waves; I breathe-in ever so slowly; I feel safe from the world; I slow down; I clear the fog that's in my head. Although, fog is good when it's not in your head :-) They say it's good for the complexion. Hey people, we may not be able to have a clear blue sky all the time, but we can all use a good moisturiser.

The Ocean (and by the way the Ocean is a She) grounds me, gives me balance and direction. I was born and raised further in land. Dave on the other hand grew up next to the ocean. We both decided when it came time to buy our home (30 years ago) that we would go in land and when we needed to see the ocean we would drive and visit anytime we needed to... and that's what we've been doing for the past 3 decades.

When the tide goes down - we dig for our supper. Dave and I spend a lot of our spare time beachcombing looking for driftwood and beach glass. When Life gets in the way - we head to the Ocean to find stillness and silence from the every day madness.

However, never take the beauty and calmness of the Ocean for granted. She's one moody girl. One minute, calm and soothing and the next minute raging waves hit the shore like thunder.

For all the beauty and comfort that I find here, a lot of families have experienced fear and sadness with the loss of family and friends.

Comfort Week : Home

Here is what Sherrie has suggested we talk about today for our Comfort Week theme - home: the most comfortable (or comforting) thing in your home.

Check out what others have to say here.

Although for me my entire 200 year old home is what gives me comfort (as you've probably read a few times on this blog) as well as my yoga mat and altar, my cozy bed, my old shabby antiques, my grandmother's tea set and many more. But I have to give first place to our rocking chair in the kitchen.


This chair belonged to my MIL. This chair is not "old" like most of the stuff I cherish in this home, but it's BEAUTIFUL. Aside from a few teeth marks made by a very active, young puppy years ago it's still in very good shape. Everyone wants to sit in the rocking chair, it's a favorite all around with family and friends.

From here I :

- watch my family doing whatever it is they're doing in the family room, mostly watching TV;
- admire nature's beauty from the window next to the kitchen table;
- breathlessly watch my favorite little creatures as they nibble on bird seeds in the feeder;
- knit, sing, drink tea, and dream;
- keep an eye on our supper that's cooking on the stove;
- have long conversations with my husband as he's washing the dishes;
- find out what kind of day my son had at work;
- worry on my family when weather conditions are bad and they need to be out on the roads;
- have long phone conversations with my daughter;
- laugh and cry with friends;
- wait my turn for the washroom.

You see, this rocking chair is sooooooo much more than a piece of wood that was carved into a piece of furniture. It's memories for my husband. His mom has been gone for 20 years and I'm sure she used the chair for the same reasons I do.

Talk to everyone tomorrow !

Comfort Week : Food

Sherrie over at Frenchy's Finds is hosting Comfort Week and I'm playing along. I'm very excited about this week actually. I love theme weeks. Here is what she's asking for today : food - your favourite comfort food (with recipes, if possible!)

To see and read what other wonderful bloggers have to say, click here.

My all time favorite comfort food(s) is soup and bread. Seriously, I can't just pick one. It has to be the two.

I love ALL soups but a favorite around here is Potato Leek.

It's a soup my mom made when I was a kid (minus the leeks) and she still makes it and I'm sure her mom made it. There's no written recipe but here goes my version :

Potato Leek Soup

Peel as many potatoes as you would like in your soup. Slice to ressemble very thin medallions. Keep slices in cold water while you get the following ready.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan; soften leeks (I use both white and green parts of one large leek) that have been cut-up in very small pieces. I add 1 tablespoon salted green onions (these might not be available to everyone but the soup is still fine without them). Careful that the butter doesn't burn.

Add half the saucepan of water; salt and pepper (if you used the salted green onions you should omit the salt) and 3 tablespoons Knorr Cream of Leek powder.

Add sliced potatoes, bring to a boil then simmer until tender. That's it, nothing fancier than that. Enjoy the soup !

Moving on to the Bread :

I love this no-knead-bread (pictured above) but it takes about 18 hours before you can sink your teeth into a warm slice. But it sure is worth the wait. But if you're in more of a hurry to have delicious fresh bread, try these rolls from Down to Earth. They turn out perfect every single time I make them and I've made these at least a dozen times in the past year. If you don't want rolls, you can make one loaf of bread out of the dough. Seriously beginners, if you want to venture out in bread baking try this recipe. You know sometimes day old bread is dry and hard. Well this one is soooooooo soft inside and it's like this for at least 3 days (if they last that long).

See y'all tomorrow !

Comfort Week

Next week I'll be participating in Sherrie's theme week - ''Comfort Week''. Anyone can play along. If you're interested just follow Sherrie's instructions from her blog.

Early to rise on Monday morning to see what everyone has to say on their first day of ''Comfort Week''.


I think having a ''Comfort Week'' at this time of the season fits just fine. Making it easier to find a balance for the week.

Remember when...

... music came in the form of round vinyl discs.

The reason Mr. Home Computer had to get a tune-up was to accomodate a USB turntable I got for Dave as a Christmas gift. Now in his spare time he will transfer all his vinyl records on CDs. The picture above shows you one wall in Dave's music room and we all know how many walls are in a room so imagine a very cluttered tiny room. Music is very much in my husband's blood; it's his passion and I love him for that.

Loving the Rebel

Here it is - one of my Christmas gifts from Dave and what has been occupying a lot of our spare time lately. You know those point and clic cameras that we all have - aren't they wonderful and easy. Going out the door, drop it in your coat pocket, see something interesting, point and clic... This little black machine can give me headaches at times. But you know what - the difference in the picture quality with this new camera is amazing. Dave and I had been wanting to invest in a better quality camera for a while and we are both happy we decided on this one - the Canon Rebel (thanks Sebrina for the recommendation, no regrets with our purchase).

Later I will blog about another gift from my hubby - a sewing machine. Yup, you heard me right. I have my very own sewing machine.

Twenty-four

Sorry for the lack of blogging here lately but our home computer was at the computer hospital getting a little boost for the new year.

Speaking weather wise around these parts, twenty-four hours can make a huge difference when you look outside. The following pictures were taken on Saturday at 4 p.m. while I was out on the trail.

Rabbit tracks... but no rabbits.





And the following two pictures were taken Sunday at 4 p.m. in our backyard.


Late evening on Sunday - Dave doing what he loves most about snow - shoveling ! Yup, he loves it.
Stay tuned for more blogging and more pictures.

Why I've been so lazy

Here's why I've been so lazy lately (besides the fact that I had a cold).

Every night for the past week Dave and I have watched an episode of this series - Anne of Green Gables. I remember watching it on TV years ago. I still love it very much.

I think my favorite childhood television show was Little House on the Prairie and I got this DVD from Santa. It's Christmas in Plum Creek and A Christmas they will never forget.

If you get a chance to watch these two series please do - you'll feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Vacation : coming to an end

My two week vacation is on its final days. I'll be returning to work on Monday. I love my job and the people I work with so going back is not difficult at all. Although it would be nice to stay in the comfort of our warm home for yet a few more days (weeks). What made it special this year was the fact that for the first time in 12 years Dave had two weeks off also... the universe is good !

My cold seems to be ''almost'' gone so that is always a good thing. Here are a few highlights of our past week (this being said, I don't know when was the last time I've been so lazy) :

- our daughter returned home to New Brunswick (it's funny to talk about ''her home'' seeing that her home will always be here).

- we had our fair share of snow.



- just like during the first week of vacation, we ate, ate and ate some more. But, I don't think I'll ever admit to having had too much chocolates.

- our son and his girlfriend made this beautiful gingerbread house.


- New Year's Eve has come and gone for another year. I bid farewell to 2008 and greeted 2009 sitting on my couch - knitting.

- seeing that Ginette was going back on Christmas Day and that I was under the weather with a cold we skipped our traditional turkey dinner on the 25th (actually it was only put on hold for a few weeks) so yesterday I noticed the fresh cranberries were going bad so I baked this upside-down cranberry/pecan coffee cake. Very yummy indeed !

- y'all know me and my love affair with everything old and rustic. Dave was cleaning the basement yesterday and came upon this wooden bowl in a dark, dusty corner burried under a pile of dirt. I should have taken a before picture so you could see its transformation. Here it is all clean and sanded sitting pretty on the kitchen table.


I'm pretty sure I found this bowl many, many years ago burried behind an old barn and brought it home with me only to put it down the basement. What was I thinking...

Wishing everyone is having a good weekend.