Roses and Ferns

"You'll be using the best tea-set, of course, Marilla," she said. "Can I fix up the table with ferns and wild roses?"

"I think that's all nonsense," sniffed Marilla. "In my opinion it's the eatables that matter and not flummery decorations."
"Mrs. Barry had her table decorated," said Anne, who was not entirely guiltless of the wisdom of the serpent, "and the minister paid her an elegant compliment. He said it was a feast for the eye as well as the palate."
"Well, do as you like," said Marilla, who was quite determined not to be surpassed by Mrs. Barry or anybody else. "Only mind you leave enough room for the dishes and the food."

Anne laid herself out to decorate in a manner and after a fashion that should leave Mrs. Barry's nowhere. Having an abundance of roses and ferns and a very artistic taste of her own, she made that tea-table such a thing of beauty that when the minister and his wife sat down to it they exclaimed in chorus over its loveliness.

Wild roses and ferns line the roads around here. When I walk, the sweet scent floats by me, and the above passage, taken from Anne of Green Gables, comes to mind. Unlike Anne, I have not set my tea table with roses and wild ferns, but wouldn't it be pretty? And isn't Marilla's word "flummery" just delicious?

Friendly Flowers

"Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flowers?"

Kathleen Kelly in You've Got Mail

Several times a week I walk down to our local grocery store, my grocery tote swinging from my hand. By deliberately not buying everything I need during my major shopping of the week I force myself to get out and walk. It takes me about 15 minutes to get there. And the road is so pretty. It's partly wooded, with a few houses along one section. Fresh forest scents waft up against me, while trees rustle in the breezes.

I was inspired today to take these pictures of the daisies that grow along the road. Friendly looking, aren't they? 

"The daisy's for simplicity and unaffected air." Robert Burns

I think Robert Burns would like the bottom photo. Those friendly daises are nestled up to Scotch Broom, brought here by a homesick Scotsman in the 19th century, and now considered invasive. But the daisies don't know that and they thrive along with the broom.

What's Going on Around Here

Major renovations have begun. This cabinet, between the kitchen and dining room, is now totally gone, leaving me with more counter space and more light. It's very rough - we spent a lot of time figuring out the timeline of what has to happen first around here.

And the first step turned out to be moving the laundry room to the basement. We lifted the laminate flooring to discover water on the cement. Not a good sign. We had roto rooter out. Our lovely curly willow tree's roots are clogging the drain tile. So that's going to disappear soon. Meanwhile, this week, the roto rooter boys are going to install another cleanout so they can get access all around the house. And they'll cut the roots and clean out the drain tiles.

After the laundry room is moved downstairs, then the staircase will be turned around.

The picture above was taken while we were still thinking about the house. The front door is about 10 feet from the staircase opening and my first impression on walking in was this gaping staircase leading down. We have drawn and played with many ideas and the easiest solution is changing the staircase direction. It will give us more space between the hall and living room, and will improve the access to the basement as well. 

After the staircase is moved and the walls redone, then we can install the hardwood flooring. I can hardly wait to get rid of this oh, so green carpet. But I need to be patient. Tim works full-time and does all this renovating during the evenings and on weekends. I do what I can, which isn't much in the way of construction. 

So I will live in a construction zone for many months. Our bedroom is done, the green carpet is banished. I study, cook, and clean, and did I mention study, with a bit of gardening and wedding planning and sewing thrown in. Thursday I'll finish my current list of courses and then I'm going to sew and garden more.

Here's a bit of stitching that I did recently - on a round robin sampler. This stitcher sent along a bag of threads, beads and other inspiration to use on her sampler. After I took the photo, I packaged it all up, wrapped it nicely and took it to the post office. When I returned home I was shocked to find the sampler neatly folded up, sitting on the table. I had sent the supplies without the sampler. Not too smart. But the sampler is now on its way and will catch up with the threads.

I've Got Mail

We no longer have our mail delivered directly to the door. But the community mailbox is just across the street so I can keep an eye on when the mail is delivered. I haven't actually seen the delivery yet, but I think it's in the afternoon because that's when our neighbours stroll by. 

We have a key for our own box, which holds regular sized letters and magazines. For anything larger another key is left in our box which opens the bigger community box. I've been opening that box a lot recently.

Several weeks ago I opened up a parcel from my friend Karen who is wonderfully creative. She must have been keeping an eye on my decorating scheme because the tag collage above is what showed up. It fits perfectly in our new gray bedroom. Look at all the elements she included - feathers, pressed flowers, seashells, and more. It reminds me very much of Sarah Lugg's collages which were featured in Victoria magazine quite a few years ago. 

Anna from Nest Happenings sent me this fun tote bag and sewing case, both of which she stitched. Anna belongs to the same group I do that is currently doing a round robin embroidery project. I love the vibrant colours on the tote bag. Now, if the sun would only shine here so I could use the bag for the beach or the park!

If you have never checked out French General, you really must. They have all sorts of wonderful notions, fabrics and books. Kaari is a very creative person and I have a couple of her books. I recently won a giveaway on her blog The Warp and the Weft. It came packaged in red toile tissue paper, along with postcards featuring her book covers, and stickers that say (in both French and English) "I dream in French."

Well I'm dreaming in French these days but it's not much fun. I'm trying to sort out adverbial complements from parallel actions and cramming all sorts of new vocabulary into my head for my exam in French Composition next Thursday. But back to my parcel...

I'd much prefer to be dreaming about French sewing projects, like what I'm going to do with this lovely jelly roll assortment of fabric from French General. I'm thinking of making a table runner, or some placemats. What would you make with all this lusciousness?

Doesn't the swirl look just like creamy pudding mixed with swirls of cherry jam and chocolate? Mmm, I could eat it up! 

Signs Along the Way

(signs from Zermatt, Heidelberg, East Sooke Park, Italy, Mount Arrowsmith, Pender Island, Mayne Island)

I like signs. They tell me where I am, where I've been, and where I'm headed. When I want to get somewhere, following the signs is the best way to get there. Sign styles are unique - different fonts and different colours reveal some of the spirit of the place: rugged woodsy signs in parks and forests, clean cut "all business" signs for streets, swirly letters to evoke romance.

If only life were as easy as following the signs. But along life's path from point A to point B, there are many twists and turns, forks in the road, and choices to make. Sometimes the choices are of my own making, other times choices are forced upon me, and sometimes, it seems like I'm left with no choices at all. It is in these most shadowy times that I stumble my way through, wondering if the choices I'd made in the past were right or wrong and I try to second-guess my life.

I've found that the best way to make sure that I'm on the right path in life is to follow my guide, my Lord. He doesn't always choose the easy paths, nor shed a lot of light on the path, but I know that through the dark and bewildering times, as well as the sun-filled days, I can trust him to lead me in the right paths.

More Mosaic Monday posts can be found through Mary's blog Dear Little Red House.

A Little Garden in the Rain

One of the things I miss most about living here in our new locale is the wonderful garden space I had in Victoria. My sweet husband dug up a little patch of grass in our present narrow back yard (we live on a corner lot), edged it with blocks and hauled in dirt. The back yard is fenced so the deer can't get in, but it doesn't get a lot of sunshine. I've planted cucumber, zucchini, lettuces, spinach, green beans, some herbs and in a long trough not seen in this photo, some scallions and carrots.

On the deck in the front of the house, where there will be lots of sunshine, once it decides to appear, I have a couple of containers with strawberries, and some tomato plants. I planted these last weekend, took the photos right away, and looking at them this morning I notice that they've grown a little in spite of the wet, cold spring we're having. I also have a pot of cherry tomatoes bought at a farmer's market last weekend that has been in a hothouse and is further ahead.

Tomorrow I write my final exam in Medieval History I, and then on the 17th of June, French Composition. Then, I'm taking a break and oh, I feel like a child longing for the end of school! I have all sorts of plans, including sewing, painting, puttering in the yard, reading for pleasure, and of course...wedding preparations!

I keep telling myself, it's just a couple more weeks - I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!

Memories of a Wonderful Day

Three years ago my husband and I went to Europe. We planned it for years and had the most wonderful time. Of all the memories, one day in Provence stands out as absolutely perfect.

We rented a motor scooter and took off with a very sketchy map, no knowledge of French driving rules, and a lot of courage. Our goal...

...the Pont du Gard. And we found it! No problem at all. French signage was really very clear and we had no troubles enroute. It may have helped that we learned a bit of crazy driving while living in Ecuador.

This is an awesome place. I couldn't help think of the soldiers who tramped over it, of the history they'd seen - perhaps some of them had been in Palestine and had seen Jesus or the disciples. The history boggles the mind.

It was a very hot and muggy day. We brought along our swimming suits and took a refreshing swim in the river. Can't you just imagine the soldiers and workers cooling off in the same spot?

We spent the afternoon riding through Provence on the motor scooter. Fragrances of lavender and olive trees rushed against our faces. Fruity orchards beckoned. Lovely warm air slid over our skin. It was absolutely marvelous. I could have ridden all day.

In the evening we returned to our small hotel in the old walled city of Avignon, just in time for a fierce thunderstorm. Pounding rain, lightning flashes and afterwards, the sweet smell of earth refreshed by water.

It's no secret that I'm a francophile. Paris was all that I'd dreamed of, and I'd happily go back there anytime. But this one day among all the days of our three-week trip stands out. It was more than sightseeing - it was an adventure!

I'm linking to Le Chateau de Fleurs French Obsession Party for June 1 and am looking forward to seeing more of all things French.

Mosaic Monday

Do you prefers fruits or vegetables? For me, it's always been the vegetables. Even when we lived on the equator where pineapples, papayas, mangoes and bananas were plentiful I still preferred carrots and broccoli, onions and tomatoes.

Since I started blogging I also started taking pictures of food. It's an art I hope to improve upon and more difficult than I had thought. The angles, the lighting, the temperature of the food - everything matters. I've learned that if something is piping hot the steam ruins the photo.

So on this Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary at the Little Red House, I've chosen to feature some of the things I'm looking forward to this summer - freshly picked vegetables, either from my garden or farmer's markets. Yum!

55 Years!

Congratulations, Mom and Dad!

Today is my parents' 55th wedding anniversary! Don't they look great? They are wonderful role models for their children and grandchildren, and even great grandchildren. Their love for each other and their faith in God is strong and beautiful, and I'm so thankful to have them in my life.

Nature Inspired

When we walk on the beach I'm always on the lookout for sea glass. What you see above represents everything I've found so far. A lot of our beaches are just too rocky for glass. But I'll also pick up interesting stones, small pieces of driftwood, shells or whatever takes my fancy. 

I bring them home and put them into a dish, or line them up on a table top or windowsill and admire their organic shapes. I have small bags of such treasures stashed away in the cupboard and periodically I take them out and shuffle things around.

I think that a room is not complete without something from nature in it. A living plant on one side of the mantel combines with a crystal vase holding tall sculptural twigs for a vignette with lots of texture.

Now that summer is soon to come (I hope - it's been raining steadily the past few days), there will be flowers and herbs galore. I like to bundle lavender in an old linen napkin, tie it with some ribbon and lay it, like a bouquet, on a tabletop. When the lavender dries it can be gently crumbled off the stems and used for sachets in the linen closet.

Here, sea glass combines with candles and a jug of rosemary for a pretty summer table setting. If flowers are scarce, greenery is a great option. This year, in our new home, with deer munching almost everything in sight, I'll be looking for more of this kind of growth to fill my home with fragrance and colour. Deer don't like herbs, I've been told. 

Bringing nature indoors adds texture and life to a room. I'm inspired by the infinite colours and shapes that exist in creation. I'd love to hear your ideas for how you bring a bit of the outside into your home.

A Shell on the Beach

This shell is open, its occupant gone. It lies on the beach, washed by the waves, tumbled on the rocks, caressed by the wind.

Tightly closed it is stronger, less vulnerable to being crushed or chipped. But it lies open, its opalescent aubergine interior visible to all. Closed, its beauty is hidden from the world. I wouldn't have taken a second look, would not have stooped to examine the perfectly formed halves, the swirls of colour, had it not been open.

Is there a lesson in this shell for me? I think I weep too easily. I laugh with equal readiness. Emotions expose my vulnerability. Sometimes I want to close myself up tightly from the world, holding my hurt and my joys to myself, not willing to share. But there is beauty in the life I've lived, beauty because of God's presence. Keeping myself closed hides the work God does, the beauty He is creating in my life.

And so, even though it's uncomfortable, even painful at times, I want to be open, even vulnerable to what life has to offer. There's a lot of joy in our family just now, and a lot of sorrow on varying levels. Balancing the two is difficult. But through it all, the light and the dark, God is creating beauty.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." 

Ecclesiastes 3:11

Flowers to Snow to Beach

We've had a thoroughly wonderful and busy weekend. All of our children came up, in shifts, over the three days. Friday night our eldest daughter and her husband arrived in time for dinner and we had a lovely evening together. We watched the movie Chocolat and then chatted until midnight!

The next day we thought we'd take a hike on Mount Washington. We wanted to see the wildflowers.And walk along the boardwalk. Hmmmm.

Instead, we went hiking in the snow. When we caught glimpses of the boardwalk, it was under three feet of snow. Good thing we'd brought layers of clothing.

Most of the trail markers were under the snow, but Tim noticed a corner poking up and dug this one out. They are normally about waist height.

The compass and map came in handy since the markers were lost in the snow. I don't think we really found out where we were, but we didn't get lost thanks to our trusty guides.

I took the opportunity to make a snow angel. Bad idea. The wet snow soaked into my blue jeans instantly. Good thing it wasn't cold out! But a hot shower when we got home sure felt good.

That night our son and his wife arrived for dinner. We played a rousing game of Puerto Rico on the living room floor and then chatted until after midnight. I didn't want to go to bed - I might miss something! So I propped my eyes open and we laughed and chatted until we all headed off.

Sunday morning we took a walk on the beach. It was drizzly and cool, but the waves rushed upon the shore, the gulls picked their way through the water, and the air smelled of the salty sea.

Our daughter and her husband left around noon, our son and his wife stayed until later. The gentlemen snoozed after lunch while the ladies read. 

Tim and I headed out to evening church, then spent a quiet evening at home. We did not stay up until midnight.

This morning our youngest daughter and her fiancé arrived. We spent the day discussing wedding plans. They left at 7:00, after dinner. Now it's 2 1/2 hours later and I just got off the phone - they had a flat tire on the way back to Victoria. I'm thankful that they are safe and well. 

Cooking and hosting the people I love is one of my favourite things to do. It's a tangible way of showing love. And now, I think there are enough leftovers in the fridge for a few days of NOT cooking, which is also a good thing!

Letter Writing

These stacks of paper represent 21 years of my life. My husband and I moved to Ecuador, South America in 1981. I was 6 1/2 months pregnant; our eldest daughter was born 2 months after our arrival. There was no internet. The tiny jungle hamlet we lived in had one phone that rarely worked and a call to Canada cost more than $5.00 per minute. Letter writing was our contact with home.

I wrote letters constantly. Long epistles to our parents, chronicling for them the daily routines and the small milestones of their grandchildren's lives, the sometimes funny and sometimes tragic clashes with culture, and the joys and sorrows of everyday life. Shorter, less frequent letters were written to siblings and friends. I wrote at least one letter, or part of a letter, every day.

Receiving letters was the most exciting part of my day. I walked down to the plaza first carrying a baby, then holding a toddler's hand to ask Noemi, the postmistress, if there was any mail. When I saw my mother's handwriting, or my mother-in-law's, I knew I had a treat in store. They wrote long newsy letters back, filling us in on the world that was so very far away.

I didn't keep the letters I received. I wish I had. But a few years ago, Tim's mom told me that she had all my letters. Last summer she gave them to me. Over a period of several months, I took them out one by one and read them, remembering, laughing, crying. Memories and emotions rushed back through time. I read things that had passed from my conscious memory.

Even after I started emailing instead of writing, Mum printed out the emails and kept them. These letters are a treasure to me. My children think I should write a book about our life there. And maybe, some day I will. It would be something for my grandchildren to know how their parents were raised, so far away, in a land so different from Canada.

Today in the UK is National Letter Writing Day. It's a lost art, but one that has value. Do you have letters you're keeping?

How to Make a Framed Monogram

The idea for this monogram has been rolling around in my head for quite some time but getting around to actually doing something has taken longer. Yesterday morning I finished the course work for my Medieval History - exam on the 7th of June, so I rewarded myself by making this monogram for above our bed. Call me paranoid, but I don't like having anything heavy above the bed - too many earthquake scares. This piece does not have glass in it.

First choose a font. I wanted something flowing, but not too elaborate. This French Script MT seemed just right to me. A less curvy script like Verdana or Arial would give a more modern, graphic look. I printed out the letters, T, L, and O on 8 x 11 paper. The T and L are size 500, the O, 800. 

Cut out the letters. I find using a small pair of scissors, like these suture scissors, easiest.

For the background, lightly spray a piece of white board with silver paint. I did not cover the board completely because I wanted a mottled effect to give some texture. Let it dry.

Arrange the cut out letters on the board, then trace them lightly in pencil.

Paint the letters using black acrylic craft paint. It took two coats to cover thoroughly. A black marker could also be used.

Et voilà, a simple, inexpensive monogram. The size is about 16 x 20 (inside), and I chose that size because I had an old frame I wanted to use. Changing the font size means you can make your monogram the size to fit any frame you might have.

I'm encouraging a serene and simple feeling in the master bedroom and I'm very pleased with the way this looks. The silver paint on the mat is almost the same colour as the gray walls. 

Wedding Plans

It's going to be a short engagement. The date is set for September 4 and things are falling into place quite nicely. The dress is ordered, the church for the ceremony reserved, pastor consulted. Lots of little details still need to be taken care of, but step by step we'll get there.

Ashley is planning to use my veil, so today I'll be clipping all those 70s daisies off the edges. As I clip I'll remember my own wedding day and how beautiful it was. I felt like a princess, glowing and happy. I have never regretted marrying my husband although it hasn't all been wine and roses.

I wondered what to do with the trim I'm removing and came up with what I think is a brilliant plan. I'm going to save it for embellishing dresses for my granddaughters. A little bit of heritage passed down to those not yet born.

The ceremony will be rather formal, in a beautiful downtown church with stained glass windows and high arches. But the reception is going to be much more casual. Ashley has talked about a medieval fair type atmosphere for her wedding, long before Owen came on the scene. Envision this flower-strewn field set with round tables, white linen, and sparkling glasses. It's an Artifact Society, and this patch of grass is surrounded by antique farm equipment, a pond, walking trails and quaint buildings. Since Ashley works for a company that designs museum displays and cultural presentations, this is just perfect!

Oh, it's going to be so much fun!

Monday Blues

Mondays are rarely blue in the moody sense for me. It's the start of a new week, with unknown potential. But I do love the colour blue, and here are some of my favourite blue shots. Flowers from my garden (last year), some stitching projects, a fanciful handpainted chest seen in a store in Roche Harbour, a chair from Marie Antoinette's Petit Trianon, and the blue, blue water and sky seen from East Sooke Park.

I'm linking to Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Visiting Mary's blog will provide you with a whole list of wonderful mosaics.

The Humble Rag

There's a roll of paper towel lurking somewhere in this house, but I hardly ever use it. Instead, I use rags. The best ones are old cloth diapers, but since my children are grown, those disappeared a long time ago. Worn out t-shirts, soft cotton sheets and shirts, holey towels - that's where my rags come from now.

I use them, toss them in the wash, and either fold them neatly or throw them into the recycled (from Christmas oranges a couple of years ago) plastic box in the laundry room cupboard. Rags are so much more absorbent than paper towel, especially when painting. Here are some of the uses for rags:

* cleaning bathrooms
* washing windows
* wiping floors
* painting rags
* dusting furniture
* wiping baseboards
* absorbing water overflows from plants (don't tell me this doesn't happen to you)

Lemon oil, a soft rag, and a bit of elbow grease - there's nothing like it to make furniture gleam.

Rags are different from cloths. I use a dish cloth for washing dishes and counters. It gets laundered, and regularly bleached to remove odors. Dish cloths are a higher form of rags - they don't wipe up floor spills. But when I married my husband, he brought the term "dish rag" along and it persists. I cling to the "cloth" usage, how about you?

Creamy White

The Pacific Dogwood is British Columbia's provincial flower. It blooms in April and May and is at its peak just now here. I love the creamy blossoms against the green cedars and firs.

When I was growing up much farther north, I knew that the Dogwood was our floral emblem, but there were none in our area and I don't recall ever seeing one until I was at least a teenager. So now, I revel in the beauty of dogwoods that bloom for just a short time.