A little Canadian Pride...eh?

Thought I should share a bit of this super video highlighting some amazing things to do in Canada...there was a nationwide contest where people sent in footage of their favorite things in Canada, the winning entries were edited together to make this short 2 minute video.

My neighbor's son is in the back of the canoe going through rapids...the clip is 18 seconds into the video.

Canada video

There's more here than moose and polar bear (although they are both in the video).

Yarn-a-holic

This is the lovely view from our local yarn store

It's actually more than a yarn store...it is attached to the oldest woolen mill in Canada.  Briggs and Little Woolen Mill has been producing 100% pure wool yarns for over 150 years.  Every part of the process from raw, unwashed fleece to beautiful yarn is completed here.  

They have had two fires with the most recent being in 1994 when this new building was constructed.

Inside there is every color you can imagine...

And some beautiful knitted items for sale completed by local knitters, like these "thrummed" mittens

You can also buy antique bobbins from old machinery that was used in the past at the woolen mill...people do all kinds of interesting things with them.

I really want to buy one of every color...

I would also love to take home this giant antique basket which they store the yarn "seconds" in...it was woven by members of a local first nations community.

I have plans to knit some rainbow mittens so I came home with a few new colors so I finally have  all 7...(red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, violet).  They sell all their yarn in hanks so now I have to wind it all into balls then start my rainbow mittens.

If you remember watching the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver you might have seen the sweaters on the Canadian athletes...the wool came from Briggs and Little Woolen Mills;

You can buy the pattern and yarn kit to make the Olympic sweater...which I just might do...after the rainbow mittens.

Boys-

Both our sons have been so lucky to be able to be enrolled in French Immersion since Grade 1.  All their schooling for the first 4 years was entirely in French then the amount of English instruction gradually increases until they take 75% of their subjects in English and 25% in French by Grade 12, resulting in them being fluent in English and French upon High School graduation.

This year our youngest Isaac (front, far left with the hunter orange hat) is so happy to be enrolled in Outdoor Pursuits for one of his classes in the first semester of his grade 12 year.  They have had such fun, hiking, geo-caching, overnight camping, zip lining and constructing a new bridge over a steam on one of the hiking trails behind their high school.

Last week they hiked into a beautiful waterfall (it was hunting season hence the hunter orange).

One of the added bonuses of French Immersion both my boys noted is that generally the girls outnumber the guys.....although I'm not too sure Isaac's doing much to impress them....

Back again

So, I had no choice but to buy a bit more storage on my Google account.  I hate having to pay a monthly fee for something...but I really enjoy blogging so I guess it's worth it.  Now I have Google Drive (whatever the heck that is), which promises to improve my life greatly...if only I could figure it out.

Today I'm making soap for Christmas gifts.  My sisters and I decided to only give each other things we can make.  They laughed a lot when they told me this because I like to knit, make soap, pottery and jewellery and they are not crafty at all..they think they are getting the best end of this deal but I recently reminded them that they make wine...so I think I will do alright.

Help

This morning while trying to upload a photo to this blog I received an error message stating that my Picasa web albums was full and I had to buy more storage...mmm...I didn't really even know I had a Picasa web album.  Furthermore I have a problem with "buying" more space...by giving them (whoever they are) my credit card info.  Has anyone else had this problem?  If so I would love your thoughts, suggestions, advice....because this blog will be very boring with no pictures.

Thanks

Around here....

We were happy to have Cameron home for a quick visit from university to celebrate his birthday...can't believe I have a 21 year old.  His actual birthday is Saturday the 17th but he won't be celebrating with his parents and grandparents....mmm I wonder why?  He has tickets to a concert at the university with his friends.

I decided to set a nice table for dinner this week because I admit we have been eating way too many meals in front of the tv.  We always ate at the table while the kids were young...but now we  often watch the news or a movie while we eat...shameful I know.

Remember my broken oven saga?  Well oddly enough I googled the problem I was having with my oven and there was a forum online with different suggestions....I tried one..and viola...my oven was fixed!  I was so excited, now I don't have to buy a new stove!  I missed baking so much I made an apple pie.

Then I cooked a huge turkey dinner.....

Then we all had a nap...the end.

10 on 10 November 2012

Joining with Rebecca  today for November's 10 on 10.  Here's my set:

#1 Feeling festive with Christmas sheets on the bed already

#2 Raspberry pancakes for breakfast

#3 New boots arrived at my door....online shopping is the best.

#4 Knitting in the car on the way to my son's hockey game (don't worry I'm the passenger)

#5 Blurry scenery as we cross a bridge

#6 At the game

#7 New magazines are such a treat

# 8 Potato soup in the slow cooker

# 9 Building inventory in the pottery studio for Christmas orders

#10 Dinner is ready

Cuteness overload

Yesterday I was happy to babysit my little great-nephew Christian for the day while his Mom and Dad attended a funeral in another town.  We had a great day...but man, caring for a baby is tiring, there is probably a reason I did the whole baby thing in my twenties.  I knew he was coming to my house so I knit him this little gnome hat so I could do a baby photo shoot and surprise his parents with the pictures for Christmas.

He is not quite 3 months old so a bit challenging to photograph...not able to sit up but yet much more active than a newborn.  Here are a few of my favorites.

I have a new appreciation for baby photographers now.

Weekend recap

This weekend I hosted my annual Studio Open House/Pottery Sale.  It was very busy all day Saturday and I meant to take more pictures but I was so busy chatting with visitors that the day was over the the pottery displays mostly empty before I managed to take many pictures.

I did take a picture of the new butter dishes I've been making because I wanted to document them before they were sold so I would remember what they looked like if I had to make more.

Good thing I thought of that as I have orders for a few more before Christmas....and my memory is not the best.

This year I also added handmade soap to my Christmas sale, it was very popular and smelled so good (which helped to disguise the damp Golden Retriever smell that usually permeates our house).  I made pottery soap dishes as well but they were sold before I managed to take a picture.

Today I'm back in the studio working on a wholesale order and some dinner plates that I have to ship to a nice man in Virginia that wants to surprise his wife at Christmas.  I'm wondering if he really is a man after all because I've never known one to plan that far in advance for Christmas presents (maybe it's just my husband?).  

My goal for this week is to finally order a new stove...I can't believe I have been procrastinating for a month on this...we are getting by quite well with two burners,  a slow cooker and the bbq but I really miss  baked potatoes.  

All the Canadian tv and radio are talking about is the American election...I swear it gets better coverage here than our own elections ever receive.  How was your weekend?