For Pink's Sake

I became aware of this project

when visiting

Julie at The Crafty Quilter

this morning.

Another great blog hop,

this one in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

This is something we've all been effected by

one way or another.

I just happen to have an extra pink block

to donate to the cause.

and will be slipping it into the mail

when Monday rolls around.

(There are no mail services in Nova Scotia on Saturdays)

Any block 4" or larger would be greatly appreciated.

Mine is 8.5" unfinished.

I think I'll include a couple of strips of pink

in case she wants to make it bigger

by adding a border.

Read more about how you can donate HERE!

I haven't been doing very much sewing,

but did start a summer long service project of my own.

One day a week, I am going to work on Owlivia pillows -

no pressure, no stress.

My goal is to complete a dozen pillows

before I migrate South in the fall,

then donate them to our local RCMP Hdqtrs.

so they will have something in their patrol cars

when a call involves a child or two.

Here are my first 3.

My "to go" project has gotten too big

to go, so the few evenings I sit with a movie,

I've been working on this afghan.

Here's my neat little pile that sits at the foot of the couch.

This is for my friend, The Ranger, who DOESN'T 

migrate south for the winter months.

I couldn't find any coordinating yarn that pleased me,

so just went with brown.

I think it turned out okay.

Lastly, here is a UFO that I've committed to finish.

I'm trying very hard not to start anything new.

Hope you have a nice weekend!

Send me some sunshine, please.

~karen

A Bear-y Good Day

 

Whenever there is a break in the weather,

we try to go somewhere for a hike

or a paddle.

 

A few days ago, we headed to a mature hardwood forest.

As soon as I got out of the truck,

 I heard the ethereal song of a hermit thrush.

 

 

I remember the very first time I ever heard one sing.

It was so beautiful,

it stopped me dead in my tracks.

 

Have a listen!

 

 

 

   I had always been a backyard birder,

 but this was the defining moment

that turned me into a

birder-at-large!

 

As we were driving into this forested area,

The Ranger was telling me how,

the last time he was there, he saw a bear.

As he was relating his story to me,

I was watching along the edge of the forest,

looking for birds, of course,

and thought I could see the outline of a bear.

But the trees were so thick, I was sure my eyes

were just playing tricks on me.

 

He parked the truck a few minutes later,

and when we looked up,

what do you think we saw?

 

First one stepped out of the forest's edge, then another....

 

Black Bear

 

....not 75-100 yards in front of us.

Pictured here is the second one, a bit larger than the first.

Probably the mom; the other, perhaps, a two year old.

 

She did turn and face us,

but by the time I felt confident enough to quietly open the truck door

without scaring her off so I could step out to take a clear picture,

she was already ambling away, unconcerned.

 

My other photos, taken through the windshield,

didn't come out very clearly.

 

So, off we went, into the forest.

And exactly where I thought I saw the bear through the trees,

was sign that they had,

indeed,

just been there...

 

 

...foraging for a tasty treat.
Grubs, most likely.
 

We spend a lot of time in the forests all around Nova Scotia,

and this is a first for me!!

 

We also came across a lovely beaver dam.

 

 

The water level was right up to the top!

It was easily 3 or 4 feet high.

 

Birdsong filled the air and

spring flowers littered the forest floor,

with the promise of more to come.

 

It was, indeed, a bear-y good day in the forest.

 

Hope you've had the opportunity

to get out and enjoy a little of

Mother Nature's blessings!

~karen