A Cat's Life

"The smallest feline is a masterpiece"

    - Leonardo da Vinci

Winter has been out in full force here in Canada and with many hours spent inside our cat Whiskers has been a wonderful source of company, keeping us all in good spirits with his humorous behavior and general adorableness.

This past Fall as the leaves were changing colour he enjoyed a climb up my favourite Maple Tree and the view around the yard.

The staircase provides endless hours of enjoyment for Whiskers and he manages to get himself in a variety of interesting poses especially if he has an audience.

After a cold visit outside in the snow we had this past week there is nothing like a nice warm-up in front of the fireplace.

This is another Fall photo where Whiskers simply had to be involved in the raking of leaves in the backyard...or at the very least share his expertise!

And of course after a long day of playing, eating and sleeping...what to do...of course some more sleeping!

 "Cats are connoisseurs of comfort."

   -James Herriot

Eaton's Christmas

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. "

       - Laura Ingalls Wilder

Early Eaton's Catalogue

Timothy Eaton

Delivery Horse for Eaton's

As Christmas approaches I am filled with memories of the small island community where I grew up.  Having to access two ferries to get to the nearest town greatly limited our shopping and so as Christmas approached we would wait with great anticipation for the Christmas catalogues to arrive in the mail. A family favorite was The Timothy Eaton's Department Store Christmas catalogue, which has a rich tradition here in Canada.  My brother and I would search through the pages with dreams of what Santa Claus might leave us on Christmas morning and admire the fancy clothing and festive decorations.

We would be glued to our television sets on the West Coast when the Eaton's Santa Claus Parade was broadcast from out East.

 

When we travelled to the closest small town to shop it was a highlight of the day to stop and look at the window displays at Eaton's department store. The Windows below are from larger Eaton's stores out East.

Eaton's Department Store, Toronto, Canada, Christmas Time

In 1999, Eaton's Departure Store went bankrupt and, like many other Canadians, I was sad to see their departure. Their store had a long tradition of providing excellent service and quality merchandise and for those of us living in rural communities their catologues were a welcome arrival each season.

Memory is a child walking along a seashore. You never can tell what small pebble it will pick up and store away among its treasured things.



 ~Pierce Harris, Atlanta Journal

Learning A New Craft

For the last few months I have taken an interest in making jewellery and am thoroughly enjoying it. I have much to learn about metal gauges, bead sizes, making presentable wire loops and an assortment of other items.

Trinity Brass charms and pendants have quickly become one of my favourite suppliers.  Their quality is excellent and the designs are as varied as they are beautiful.

I confess that perusing the assortment of beading supplies available at Etsy has quickly become one of my favourite late evening activities. The hardest part is actually making a decision about what to order and picturing how it will work with other beads.

The Possible's slow fuse is lit

By the Imagination.

                 ~Emily Dickinson

Gillian

Stellar Jays

A family of Stellar Jays have nested in our backyard which has given us considerable entertainment this spring. These photographs are of the babies who are just learning to fly and are not as fearful as their parents. The closest we could get to an adult is the silhouette at the top of this post. The adults have more blue than the babies and are quite beautiful with there fancy head plume. Our cat "Whiskers" has been mesmerized by them and we have tried our best to keep him away as he is a real hunter, much to my distress!












Anyway it is going to be a perfect weekend to enjoy the birds while I garden and sew.

Gillian

Creative Fun Over the Weekend

Trust that little voice in your head that says "Wouldn't it be interesting if..." And then do it.

~Duane Michals, "More Joy of Photography"



Well I just finished my first attempt at working with transfers of vintage images. I made a quilted wall hanging and for my first attempt I was pleased how it turned out. What I would really like to do is make a tote bag with a transfer image on it, but I have not found any fabric which I feel is strong enough yet. I am going to spend some time visiting other blogs and see what kinds of fabrics people are using. One of my goals is to use some of my husband's art work and than transfer the image, but he needs to work on a smaller painting for that.





It needs some ironing and now on to other projects...

Gillian

Creativity

Trust that little voice in your head that says "Wouldn't it be interesting if..." And then do it.

~Duane Micheals, "More Joy of Photography"

I spent this past weekend searching the local fabric stores for materials to make some wall hangings. My plan is for them to be a combination of vintage prints(transferred onto black fabric)which are applied to quilted fabric background. I wanted to make a strong contrast using a black background with bright coloured prints. The inspiration came from memories of a beautiful Bed and Breakfast my husband I went to about 15 years ago in Port Townsend, Washington. They have wonderful Historic Homes Tours there which I would highly recommend if you love antiques.

I wish I could include some photos here, but what really made an impression with me was the bathroom which had a black and white checkered floor, antique white bathtub with claw feet and a sink which was inlaid into an old dresser with a marble counter top. There were beautiful stain glass windows with rose patterns in them and the colours were white, deep rose, black and white. There were huge vases filled with locally grown Cosmos and bars of homemade lavender soaps in dishes. The walls were a combination of white on top and then a wall paper which was black with some rose in it. The dramatic colours used in that room, the beautiful furniture and carefully chosen accessories made for a memorable combination.













So now it's on to step two...putting it all together. Hopefully it will turn out well and I will share the results here.

Gillian

Reflections on Easter Weekend

"Our life is an apprenticeship to the truth that around every circle another can be drawn; that there is no end in nature, but every end is a beginning, and under every deep a lower deep opens"

Ralph Waldo Emerson


Despite the storming weather at times here in BC, Canada we have enjoyed a nice Easter weekend.

Chocolate Bunny cake for my sons.



Spring flowering Heather always looks lovely and is such an easy care plant in the garden.



Miniature Daffodils...one of my favourites!



Camilia "Debbie"



Beautiful Azalea I received as a gift.



My cat "Whiskers" who always finds the most interesting positions to sleep in.





"Every end is a new beginning"

Proverbs

Life is full of beginnings and endings. Saying goodbye to my dear dog, "Bailey" has been a sad ending, but I know he is in a better place now no longer suffering. On the other hand, last week I found work which is a new beginning and a great relief during this recession. One thing ends and another begins. Being alive means we have to experience them all.

I am hoping now that I can get back into reading all the wonderful blogs out there which I have not been able to do lately due to other responsibilities. At any rate, Blessing to you all this Easter Weekend...I hope you all had a relaxing holiday.

Gillian

Tribute to a Dear Friend

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened. "

(Anatole France)

My heart is breaking today as I had my dearest dog, "Bailey" put down. No amount of medicine could assist him with his suffering. He kept coming over to stand beside me...like he wanted me to do something for him and I felt so bad that I could not provide him with any relief. Today I sat beside him and petted his head while the vet put him to sleep and then I clipped some pieces of his beautiful coat to keep in a special place to remember him. The last few months caring for him has taken a great deal of time, but every minute of it was worth it to me. When I was on bedrest for 4 months with a difficult pregnancy he was there for me...with never a complaint.

Of all the animals I have had in my life, Bailey was the one with whom I had the most special bond which others could see when we were together. He had such a kind, sweet spirit, demonstrated true unconditional love and dedication to our family. We have all shed many tears today and feel lost without his joyful being in our midst. It is going to take a long time to get used to life without him.



"If there is a heaven, it's certain our animals are to be there. Their lives become so interwoven with our own, it would take more than an archangel to detangle them."

(Pam Brown)



"Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, Filling an emptiness we don't even know we have."

(Thom Jones)



"... what we have enjoyed, we can never lose ... all that we love deeply becomes a part of us."

(Helen Keller)



Grief is so painfully real, regardless of its origin. The love of, and attachment to, an animal friend can equal that of human relationships. Likewise, the loss of an animal can be just as devastating.”

(Rev. Joel L. Morgan)

I hope Bailey is in Heaven now, feeling light and joyful, chaising tennis balls and frisbees, hearding sheep...running and jumping in the sun and bathed in God's pure love. He was my very best friend and a member of our family and I am really going to miss him.

Gillian

Reflections on Snow

~ Out of the bosom of the Air, Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken, Over the woodlands brown and bare, Over the harvest-fields forsaken, Silent, and soft, and slow Descends the snow. ~

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow



Since childhood I have been captivated by snow and have been collecting a varied selection of prints of snow landscapes. Snow to me has a way of taking the plain and transforming it into something beautiful under its soft white cover. I love the look of a blizzard of delicate flakes falling like soft white feathers from the sky and the radiant beauty of frost cloaked snow glistening like diamonds on a sunny, wintry day. I am intrigued by the appearance of snow on mountain tops and the striking contrast between grey jagged rocks and the deep blue water of lakes. I even take pleasure in the look of snow in towns, where mud-covered winter streets are transformed into something bright as though a new coat of paint has been applied.

Despite being now in my late 40's I have never lost the exciting feeling that I had as a child when those first flakes start falling. I associate snow with mittens and scarves, thick woolen sweaters and socks, hot chocolate, sledding parties, children's laughter, red cheeks and noses, roaring fireplaces and wet puddles by the door.



When I was a child my mother would send me out to fill a large roasting pan with fresh clean snow and then she would make special taffy which was then slowly poured into the pan and the result was a firm, but not crisp candy that we devoured down with such pleasure. She called it Snow Taffy and how I wish I had that recipe now to share with my children. It is similar to the taffy made from maple syrup, but more delicious in my memory.




This is one of my favourite poems by Robert Frost:

Stopping By The Woods on A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Just yesterday I came across, one of the most beautiful blogs I have ever seen, All Things Beautiful by Loreta which was made all the more enjoyable for me by the many recent photographs taken in the snow.
At last count, this blog has 527 followers, and after spending considerable time savouring the incredible photographs and appealing visual displays I can completely understand why.

Gillian