around the grounds....

Whilst I was in a picture taking mood on Saturday, I took some photos of bits around the yards.

Look, I have my own acorn trees. It's fun to watch them grow. Hey, friends in Toronto, are we a few weeks behind in the growing season?

 This is the path under the oak trees. We have named it the Deer trail, as it is a little path by the pond, next to a little brook, drizzle of water really, that the deer must follow. There are deer tracks and droppings all over.

 The other night, we were sitting at the dinner table and heard an obnoxious quacking. When we looked at the pond, there was a duck, happily floating along.

 This is under the maple trees in the goat pasture. No, we don't have a goat, but if we did, this is where it would be.

 Here is a view looking at our back deck. The marigolds are filled with earwigs. ugh.

 In the goat pasture, there is this lean to. I call it the boat house because when we looked at the property the first time, there was a canoe outside the building. It's nothing special, just some plywood walls and a slat floor that needs redoing, but for now, it adds some character.

 I brought this bunny from Toronto. It was from a friend of my uncles. It is probably over 30 years old. Actually, there is a baby bunny also.

 The pond has some water lilies and the yellow flowers are peppered along with them.

 It worked! I tried to capture this spider web, but couldn't tell if it was working or not in the sun. There are a lot of spiders and webs around here. Sometimes, I wonder if I will wake up in a web. Luckily, I am of the attitude that spiders are good. They eat all the other bugs.

Today we went to halifax to run some errands and I got a counter height table to use as a cutting table in my new studio! the painting is done and tomorrow I will attack the room to put it in order! The kids are in sailing camp and I will be uninterrupted. Oh, except for the bike ride and lunch at the bistro with my uncle! yes!

Cheers, 

Amanda

All in a day

As I've been doing for the past week, I arose early and went for a bike ride about town. Today, I took my camera, I mean cell phone/crappy camera.

Here is one tall ship on the town wharf.

 The Water in the harbour was very still this morning.

 This is the old Railway bed that has been made into a trail. Just above my house. It proves to be a very peaceful way to go home from the top of the town.

 I then went to meet the children at their Optimist sailing class. I was a little too late to see them in action.

 Neve looks like she had a great time and rafael wanted to go back in right away. They are in a sailing class next week, so I'm sure they will get their fill. Maybe.

 I took a little sneak to the Farmer's market held at Guild Hall. This building was built for the movie Scarlet Letter with Demi Moore. It is directly behind the Cox Warehouse. 

Perfect setting for a Farmer's Market.

 Here's a look at the bake table.. I did buy a few things today. Must have had a sweet tooth.

 And some produce brought in from the Annapolis Valley. Those plums were so ripe and juicy. The kids had their fill.

 Here's a Motley Crew waiting for some direction.

 Ah, looks a little more organized. At least they're all wearing the same uniform. Kinda.

 Clearly, these men have been given some orders.

 Then back to the sailing club where the children decided to go for a swim. I heard Rafael yelling as I was approaching. Apparently, the water was a bit cold. Neve just jumped in. I've never seen so many emotions on her face in such a short nano second. It was the 1st time she just jumped into the water without testing it first. What a trooper.

 The kids hung out here most of the time, but still went in a few more times.

 Here are the rest of the tall Ships docked at the Government Wharf. I wish they had put up some sails. We'll go visit it tomorrow.

 You still here? Once home, Rafael did a little climbing in our apple tree.

 And we got daddy to hang the hammocks. I bought this sitting one years ago, but the tree in Toronto wasn't a good tree for hanging. We did anyway, but I really wanted a lying down hammock. Wanted one for years, decades. So today, I went out and bought a parachute hammock, I figured it would be easier to wash, and you can just fold it up into the attached pocket when you go camping. SOLD.

 This is my view in the front yard. Well, I do tend to suffer a bit from motion sickness.. yep, I had to keep still, very, very still. :}

 After all that, ( it was still only mid afternoon) Henry took the kids to a friend's house and I started to paint my studio to get rid of the dusty rose colour. 

Then we made supper. And cleaned up and watched some netflix with the kids. yep, ready for bed myself. 

I love when you hit the sack with a weary body from a busy day.

There will probably be much of the same tomorrow.

Have a good one,

Amanda

This Moment.....

Following Amanda Blake Soule for 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Bad phone photos je m'excuse. Do you see the 2 fawns above? And the Doe below...

Have a good one,
Amanda

Founder's Days Festival

As mentioned in my last post, we visited the Founder's Days Festival in Shelburne, NS a few times last weekend. Here we are going to the festivities. (Note: the building with the steeple is the Cox Warehouse, where we hope to have the brewery. It is very prominent in all the waterfront photos.)

 These tents are part of the 18th century camp re-enactment.

Here's a cook up. 

Another part of the camp.

Fife and drums without the drums.

 The soldiers are bringing the pirate to shore. I kept missing them so would only get this shot of the back of them. Believe me, the pirate was worthy of Johnny Depp!

The long boats are getting ready to burn the pirate ship.

Ship aflame! SHIP aflame!

A lovely day! A lovely event. This weekend, the Tall ships are coming from Halifax for a visit! That should be impressive!Link here

 

All in all, we've been busy unpacking (when the mood strikes) and had my parents and uncle as overnight guests. We've hosted 13 people here for dinner with room to spare in the dining room, a rocking kitchen party with dancing and spoon playing and cooked up fresh mackerel on the fire pit along with some marshmallows. A doe and 2 fawns live here and we've seen them 4 times.

As we've said, we're living in a cottage like house and surroundings in a post card town. How lovely is that! (yes, I still miss my friends)

Ciao,
Amanda

checking in

Howdy!

No pics today. I've been taking them, but I don't have internet at home yet. Just crashing at my friend's place, where my computer doesn't connect to WiFi, but Henry's does.

We've been unpacking boxes and setting up shop. My parents and uncle are here, so it's lovely to have the extra company and to have the children tended to!

Shelburne just had it's Founder's Days Festival. It was 4 days of 18th Century Encampment re-enactment, parade of boats with lights, car shows, burning of the pirate boats, etc. Great fun. I did take some cell phone photos that I'll post later.

We've been exploring around our grounds. The kids found a little trail, we have a fire pit and a deer and 2 fawns have been spotted a few times at our front. The frogs kept me awake for a few nights, but I don't notice them now. It's really lovely here. I'll wake up in a few weeks.

Hope all is well where you are.....
Amanda

On packing it all in

 Well, we are officially homeless at the moment. Our Toronto house is in the hands of the new owners and we get our Shelburne house on Wednesday. Us? We are in Montreal. Of course.
So here's the truck that is hopefully cruisin' down the Trans-Canada highway with all our worldly possessions.

It's longer than the house. And the driver is very skilled.

 Here, it has our 12 foot hard top camper. They built a wall around it and kept stacking. (look to the right. On the bottom. See the car bumper sticking out of the driveway?)

 Then they drove in the 16 foot Dodge Magnum. See why I said worldly possessions?

 They built a ceiling above it and kept packing.

 This is what it looked like when all the little bits that didn't fit like Tetris were left over.

 So long Highfield.

Hello Transvaal. We'll see you in a few days with a mop and a paint roller!

To my friends... love ya all! More later. hugs

Amanda

other bags

Here's the first open-wide-zippered-pouch From Noodle Head that I made.

Seriously, these are so easy to make and a nice little gift to give out, "just 'cause".

And here is the other place mat bag that I made as a teacher gift. 

This place mat was very thick. Especially at the ends where it was doubled with the seams. 

My machine was not happy. Yes, even my new, ship of a machine had to work hard. I broke at least 4 needles.

But I was very careful and deliberate when it came to the twin needle  sewing.

And the pocket for phones and what not.

 I'm this far from packing up the ends of my sewing room. I just can't do it yet. The movers are coming on Friday, so we have one extra day to pack. Although, with the appointments we need to attend to, I'm not sure the extra day will be slack at all.
It's a little overwhelming to think that every single thing here has to be put in a box or a bag. no stuffing it in the closet. Not putting it in the basement. every. single. thing.

Head down. One box at a time.

ciao,
AP