September news

This month has been a busy one so far, last week I had a night out with all the book club ladies and we picked our books for the year.  I'm hosting next month so this is my pick, I'm always rushing to finish the book in time for book club so this month I'm determined to start it early (she says...on the 15th day of the month...).

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Speaking of procrastinating....maybe I'll finish the socks I started knitting on the plane going to France....one year ago.  

In other news I'm back at the College of Craft and Design one day per week finishing up a couple of Design courses I needed to take.....and I've started a degree in Adult Education from the University of New Brunswick.  Most of the courses for the Adult Education degree are available online so I should be able to work them into my schedule of pottery studio demands.  I'm not exactly sure what I will do with an Adult Education degree but I'm sure it would be helpful when teaching pottery classes or if I decided to travel to other countries to participate in Clay residencies.  I would also love to work with the Multicultural Association which helps new immigrants get settled into their new life in Canada. 

When I attended the College of Craft and Design the first time 9 years ago I felt a bit out of place being 35 years old in a sea of 18-20 year olds.  Most of the friends I made were from other countries (China, Iran)......I think we were all a bit out of our element.  

Last year when I went back to thhe College it was to take a tile class so that was in the clay department where I was totally comfortable and knew most of the instructors and some students.  This year the Design and Drawing courses I'm taking are with the Foundation year students which usually means they are directly out of high school....ugh....it is not the same.  I always feel like I can relate to people this age having 19 and 22 year old sons but the group in my classes this year...not so much.  And their conversations.....painful to say the least, but I'll press on till Christmas and those classes will be done.

We got some bad news at the vet last week about Calvin.  He had been getting nosebleeds periodically and they think he has a tumor in his sinus area.  The only treatment would be to send him to Boston (7 hrs away) for radiation but that would not cure him...only slightly prolong his life.  Our vet did not think this would be worthwhile in he long run. Since he will be 11 next month we have decided to treat him with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory meds which have stopped the nosebleeds for now and we will just have to watch him for signs that the tumor is affecting him in other ways and make a decision when he gets worse.  In the meantime we are spoiling him so much....gone is the dry, diet kibble he usually eats and he has been enjoying fried eggs for breakfast, cookies in the afternoon and as many walks and swims at he lake as he wants.  I am so sad every time I look at him but we are trying to enjoy the time we have left with him.

Summertime

It's been a lovely summer so far.  I'm trying a few new patterns in the pottery studio based on Mexican Otomi embroidery.....my mother said she is unsure about flowers growing from a chicken's back but she likes the colours....thanks Mom for always offering your opinion (cough).

One of Cameron's friends got married last weekend and he was a groomsman.  The photographer told them to do a "Blue Steel" pose from Zoolander....apparently Cameron was the only Zoolander fan.

I did manage to get a picture of him before he left for the wedding.  It's strange but he loves to wear a suit.....but really could care less about what he wears day-to-day...I blame too many James Bond movies when he was younger.

Last weekend we went camping in Maine by a river with a bunch of friends.  It was fun but there were no showers so every morning I went swimming in the river to wash my hair....very chilly.

Much nicer to look at the river and drink wine.

When we returned on Monday I left for a girl's night with my mother and my 2 sisters.  We stayed at the Algonquin Resort in St. Andrews-by-the-sea.

It is such an interesting place, built in the late 1800's but recently completely re-furnished.

Much better than camping.

There is a crazy water slide that goes outside the building for a few turns.  I walked up the spiral staircase inside to the top...then kind of chickened out and didn't want to go down the slide...but also didn't want to do the walk of shame back down the stairs....then an 8 year-old went past me and down the slide so I had no choice...it was fun and I survived and didn't have a heart attack.

We walked down to the waterfront for dinner.

Which had to be a Bay of Fundy lobster roll...delicious.

We walked around town admiring all the cute little houses.

Then back to the Algonquin where we sat around the outdoor fire pits and talked with other guests from the US, Canada and Europe.  A perfect little getaway.

July is here

I had this post ready last weekend but it was pre-empted by my post on hurricane Arthur.  The giant tiles I made survived 2 kiln firings and will be installed this week as a heat shield behind the gas stove in the kitchen.

Cameron has been working on restoring this retro 1978 dirt bike for 3 years and he finally was able to ride it (every mother's nightmare) but at 22 years old he isn't really into taking my advice.  Besides as he told me "I've been working on this bike for 3 years, through 3 moves, 4 jobs, university and 2 different girlfriends....I can't abandon it now". 

Isaac's girlfriend Elizabeth graduated from high school so they got all decked out for prom.

I'm working on a different line of pottery, pearly white with aqua blue highlights, a nice change.

Calvin celebrated Canada Day with us on July 1st.

We've been spending a lot of time swimming and kayaking in the lake,

The garden has been slow this year but it's coming along.

Hope your July is going well, it's one of my favourite months.

Arthur is a jerk

Hurrican Arthur ripped through New Brunswick on Saturday leaving us without power, cell service landlines or internet.  We are fine but hauling water from a spring and bathing in the lake is getting old. Thankfully as usual the people in our small town have helped each other out and shared everything so there is a feeling of comraderie all around.

Isaac and Liz have been adjusting to a life without technology...crokinole by lantern light is the norm.

We lost so many beautiful trees in our yard but thankfully our house was not damaged.

On the plus side, I think Scott looks pretty cute in his chainsaw pants....

There is no ice to be found anywhere and gas was even in short supply as there was no power to operate the gas pumps.  We were given an estimate of Friday for our power to be restored.  I made the trek to a nearby city for ice, gas and propane and am feeling quite indulgent right now as I sit  at Starbucks enjoying a Frappicino and sucking up their Wi-fi.  Did Arthur mess with your plans? 

June so far

A few pictures of what's been happening around here.

I made a bit of rhubarb syrup ( 3 cups rhubarb, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups water...simmer 30 minutes and strain) for rhubarb Tom Collins ( 2 oz gin, 2 oz rhubarb syrup, 1 oz lemon juice....top up with tonic water..yum).  It is gone now.....

My cousin graduated from medical school so he had a party and hired Cameron and Isaac as bartenders....no free drinks for me even though I'm their mother.

We finished planting the garden on Sunday, all that is left to do is stake up the raspberries plants and mulch the strawberries.

We are trying sweet potatoes for the first time this year, they need to be planted in black plastic-covered beds to retain the heat.

Since our house was built in 1876 there wasn't really a plan for outdoor lighting...the pathway from the door to where the cars are parked is quite long and I always feel bad sending our guests out to their cars after dark....especially since skunks have been known to hang around.  My solution is a few strings of lights from Target  strung in the big maple tree.....not bad for now.

The kitchen has finally come together with the old stove removed from the island and a new maple butcher block installed. The gas range and exhaust hood are in their new spot to the left of the picture. Scott and I had to cut a path through the top cupboards to vent the exhaust hood outdoors...and remove the cupboard the range hood is attached to and cut new crown moulding for the top...but we managed with the help of YouTube.  Now we are waiting for the electrician to come and remove that plug behind the range......and I really should make some tiles for that area too.

My aunt took me to St. Andrews-by-the-Sea for a late birthday celebration.  We had lunch at the newly renovated Algonquin Resort.

It was built in the late 1800's and is so beautiful.  

Everything in the yard is growing and blooming.  This white lilac tree that Cameron and I planted when he was 3 (19 years ago) has finally reached he upstairs bedroom windows.  You can reach out and pick them from the spare room....which is handy since white lilacs always seem to bloom on the top.  I have the windows open and the whole house smells like lilacs......which Scott is allergic to..oops.

Finally it's June

This is probably the best  time of year, everything is blooming and green plus it is the month of lilacs, peonies and magnolias....three of my favourites.

Since our anniversary is June 4th we usually plant a tree each year.  In 2000 we planted the cherry tree (on the left with the white blossoms) and in 2003 we planted the yellow magnolia.

I was afraid it would be too cold here in winter for the magnolia tree but is is going strong.

The warm weather means coffee on the veranda every morning, note that the veranda is screened in....June also means lots if black flies here.

I've been trying a few recipes from my late grandmother's recipe book which she started in the 1920's when she was married.  I love that every recipe is named after the person she got it from "Aunt Bell's nut cake"...no Pinterest recipes then.

My in-laws downsized from a large house to an apartment last year so they gave us this set of wicker furniture, we picked it up last night and now it is just waiting for me to make some seat cushions.

Our mini-kitchen Reno is creeping along at the speed of turtles...ugh.  But I finally managed to do a little job that I've been thinking about for awhile.  I removed the drawer handles that were shiny brass from the 1990's and spray painted them dark pewter.  This was my professional painting set-up;

Here they are back on the drawers, much more subdued. I like them much better now...although last night I was reading a "Style at Home" magazine and most of the kitchens now are using brass hardware....go figure.