Cottaging

I ran away for the weekend, needing a little break from all the goings on of life in the city. The weekend started with some challenges, like trying to fit two full sized futons into one car and attaching a Seadoo trailer to the back of that very same car, forgetting keys half an hour away, and having one very grouchy kitty pee in the car 15 minutes into the trip, but at 1:30am we were off, and at 4am we arrived at our relaxing destination. If the skies had been clear, I would have stayed up to watch the sun rise. I have always wanted to do that.

It was a wonderful weekend, despite the mosquito bites and sunburn.

Sometimes this happens..

I don't order much Pyrex online, mostly because shipping costs to Canada are so high, but also because searching out that just right piece is so much fun. I have been lusting after a certain set for quite some time, I broke down and bought one on ebay. Today I came to regret that decision.

Ouch! Both figuratively and literally - I cut myself on one of the pieces. Unfortunately, the seller wrapped the dishes in one layer of deflated bubblewrap. Another dish added to the Pyrex Graveyard. At least one of the pieces made it through okay, so I can still do this..

I love stacks of Pyrex!

And the broken pieces? Well those are being sent off to a couple of crafty people to be turned into something beautiful.

Out Come the Berries

First thing each morning I slide open the back door, step onto the warm patio bricks, and creep over to my little garden, dish at the ready. Beneath the little green canopy are plump and juicy red berries ready to be made into breakfast smoothies. The hanging strawberry baskets are not doing as well as in previous years, so it is nice to have the little patch of berries planted firmly in the ground. Each year it grows as I transfer the potted berries into the garden at the end of the summer season.

There has been some sewing going on too. The pink/yellow side of my Folksy Flannels quilt is nearly finished, and the blue/green is coming along nicely. I do have to say that sewing with flannel in the summer is not the best idea.

I even have some help..

Growing, growing, growing.

The Lily of the Valley have finished, but the peonies are in full bloom and the garden is thriving. This time of year is so refreshing, so full of life.

My messy little strawberry/veggie patch will soon be a sea of green.

Tiny grape tomatoes beginning. Hopefully this plant with flourish as much as ones in previous years.

Green beans sprouting out of the warm soil.

And red, juicy strawberries for morning smoothies and late afternoon snacks. I will never get tired of garden fresh produce from this little plot of land of ours.

The Tea Leaves is also growing, after hitting a little snag that had me knitting backwards ten or so rows to fix it. I'm back on track now, after a wonderful knitting date with a good friend I met at school this year. She is an accomplished knitter with lots of knowledge and advice to share.

She's working on a gorgeous featherweight cardigan. I cannot wait to see it finished!