Ten Reasons Why

 

Pictured here are ten of the reasons why

I've returned to Nova Scotia, Canada

for my 12th summer in a row.

 

Camping at Dover, NS after a long paddle

Relaxing on my front deck - back when
I had short hair.

Getting ready to paddle
with Little Sister at Gabarus, CB

 

A bird's eye view at Gabarus, CB

 

Pileated Woodpecker tree - my favorite

Looking out over Margaree Valley, CB

Black Brook Falls, a rain forest in Cape Breton!

Primordial Forest in Guysborough County, NS
This tree is so big, you can barely see me nestled into the bottom!

Stopping for lunch in the bog at Baleine, CB

An oil painting version of me at a stop-over
in Bras d'Or Lake, CB.
It's kind of cool!  I like it!
Bras d'Or Lake practically divides CB in half,
it's so big.













It was difficult to narrow it down to just ten! 

Cape Breton is a great place to be,

despite the man-made threats to the environment,

fueled by greed,

that grow in number every day,

just like every place else in the world.

 

(This is for you, Kathie!)

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Karen

 







Finally Spring!

 

I must have done something right in a previous life,

because despite working very hard to mess this one up,

I am a lucky girl in so many ways.

 

Take spring, for instance.

I get to welcome spring to S. Texas,

 

Texas Bluebonnets

 

then to Massachusetts,

Marsh-marigold

 

next in Maine,



Leatherleaf

 

and FINALLY, Siberia Cape Breton,

May 29th, 2014
Cape Breton interior

where I thought spring would

never show it's pretty face.


Spring-Beauties, first of the forest flowers

 

But there you have it!

Not many ephemeral flowers were in bloom

in the Cape Breton woods,

maybe in another week.

It's been a longgggggg winter.

 

Haven't cranked up the sewing machine, yet,

but it has been professionally serviced,

and is raring to go!

 

First up is to finish this very old UFO.

 

 

About 4 or 5 or 6 years ago,

when the Disappearing 9-patch became popular,

I thought to increase the size of the squares to 6.5"

so I could include these Colorado Blocks in the mix.

It's a wedding gift for my niece,

who's ONLY been married almost that long!!

I think she's waited long enough for her quilt.

 

However,

I foolishly thought it was time to strip, sand, and paint

the bathroom cabinets.

I'm SO sorry I started THAT project!

But, it comes first, because I know me....

....as soon as I fire up that machine,

all I'll want to do is.....

SEW!

 

Hope you are looking forward to

a wonderful weekend!

xo,

karen

 

 

Pay It Forward

 

I totally forgot

that I was participating in a 'Pay It Forward'

with Kerstin at Cookies Treasures.

 

I signed on to play

5 months ago.

I've had a lot of sleeps since then!!

 

Imagine my surprise

when I walked up to the post office this morning

and the post mistress handed me a package

from Kerstin.

I had to open it then and there!

Our post mistress, Rosie, is a quilter, too.

 

 

Isn't it beautiful?

And the most fun is,

she designed it herself!!

 

It measures 12" x 18"

and the gorgeous fabric is heavy duty.

There is a big, zippered pocket on the inside

and some smaller pockets with snap closures.

It will get a lot of use.

Thank you so much, Kerstin!!

 

So, the deal is, now I have to Pay it Forward

to three more people

sometime within the next 365 days.

Kerstin really raises the bar, but I think I can do it!

 

Anyone who would like to receive something handmade

by me will have to, in turn, pay it forward to 3 more people.

 

Any takers??

 

Have a wonderful day.

It was beautiful here, today!!

~karen

 



Jiggity Jig

 

Home again, home again,

jiggity jig.....

 

After 6 long weeks on the road,

I've finally landed in my favorite spot

and can sit tight for the next 6 months!

 

While only able to spend 2 full days in Maine,

I had the most delightful time birding and meeting a new/old friend,

birding extraordinaire and author of Kathie's Birds.

I was able to link her up with my brother-in-law and sister

for future birding adventures,

and introduce her to some of the birding hotspots of Maine.

 

 

 

Here she is with my little sister, The Fern Lady,

striking the all to familiar 'Geeky Birder' pose!

I'm sure she had Warblers' Neck

at the close of this fine, but cold, day.

 

And again, with my BIL

 

scanning the yet still wintery marsh,

hoping something new will fly in

before we make our way back.

 

On this day, we spotted a Northern Wheatear,

an arctic species that doesn't visit this far south very often,

 

as you can see from this species distribution map.

Birders from near and far have been stopping by the marsh

for a look at this beauty.

 

I have no pictures of the wheatear, and here is why...

 

she's a little brown bird somewhere out there,

best gazed upon through a scope,

 

as Kathie is doing here.

She had a much fancier camera and if I know her,

she was able to capture a beautiful image

of Mrs. Wheatear!

I hope she shares with me!

 

I haven't finished compiling my list,

but so far, between birding in TX, Mass., and Maine,

I've added 11 new birds to my life list.

 

Just between you, me, and the lamp post, I don't want to add

too many new birds 

too quickly,

because it is such a joy when you do,

and since you can only count them once,

I'd like to play it out as long as I can!

As of today, I have 327 different species of birds on my life list.

 

I'm sure I'll show you more,

later.

 

Thanks, Kathie, for joining us for a very special day

of welcoming the warblers to Maine!!

It was such a pleasure meeting you after all these years of blogging.

 

Now that I'm home, I'll be trading my binoculars

for my sewing machine.  6 weeks is a long stretch to go without sewing!!

 

Have a happy day!

~karen

 

 

 



Thinking of You

 

Happy Easter,

everyone.

 

I'm still 'on the road', so to speak.

 

Taking care of personal business has

required me to linger longer in the New England states

before returning to Cape Breton,

not affording me very much computer time.

 

I've only been traveling for 3 weeks,

but it feels like an eternity.

 

Presently, I am celebrating Easter with Little Sister

and family in the Maine woods,

enjoying the busy Barred Owls by night and

 the return of the birds by day, one species at a time.

 

I don't really have anything to share,

so thought one of my favorite recipes might be nice.

It won't be long before those vegetable gardens

are producing some tender, young zucchini...

and more zucchini...

and more.....
 

Mushroom-Zucchini Pie

 

1 C chopped onion           ¾ lb. mushrooms, sliced 

¾ lb. zucchini, sliced                             ¼ lb. butter

2 T flour                                1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper            ¼ t. thyme

 

½ lb. (2 C) Swiss Cheese or Monterey Jack 

 

1 double pie crust

1 egg yolk

1 T water
 

In large skillet, saute onion, mushrooms, and zucchini in butter until crisp-tender (5 min.). Drain. Add flour, salt, pepper, and thyme. Mix lightly to coat. Remove from heat.
 
Preheat oven to 375. Prepare pie crust. Use 2/3 dough (9” pan).

Combine mushroom mix and cheese, pour into pie shell.
Lattice on top. Brush with egg yolk and water.

Bake 40 minutes.

 

This pie freezes well, too!

 

xo,

karen

 

 





A Few Finishes

 

My time in Texas is getting short.

I fly back to New England on April Fool's Day.

I won't go into any details, but that's pretty significant.

 

I've been finishing up some of my projects,

and setting my daughter up with a few gifts for giving later.

 

 

Thought I had complete my Goodnight Irene QAL.

I used RJR charm squares and I had to square up every one of them

before I could cut them into 2.5" squares.

Some didn't even measure 5" on any side!

It was pretty frustrating and I wasn't very happy.

It took 4 charm packs because 1/3 of each charm pack

was yellow and blue.

 

I've purchase fabric for binding

and will layer it when I get back up to the island.

 

 

I've been learning how to crochet and have made my SIL

an afghan for his October birthday.

Since I won't be here, I wanted it finished and wrapped

before I leave.

He's 6'3" and this afghan is  pretty close to 6 feet long.

Nothing like planning ahead, huh?

 

 

This poor excuse for a picture shows a set

I made for my daughter's next baby shower.

And with the left over fabric I made

 

 

a quick mug rug for her boss.

I just loved working with that orange polka-dot!

 

 

I know you were expecting a bird,

but this moth is almost as big!

This is a White-lined Sphinx Moth,

Hyles lineata,

sometimes referred to as a Hummingbird Moth.

It's wing span of 2 - 3" wide!

I heard it banging against the light in the garage early one morning

and it was very loud.  At first, I thought it WAS a bird!

Sure is pretty, for a moth.

 

This moth's range is throughout the United States,

 extending north into southern and mid western Canada,

 and south into Mexico.

 

I hope you are having a quilty week,

and are staying warm, safe, and busy.

I'm sure that spring is just around the corner.

 

Mother Nature, have mercy!

~karen

 

 

 





Where I've Been

 

 

Having recently returned from camping

on the Texas Gulf Shore for a couple of weeks,

 

 

I find myself too busy winding up my winter TX visit,

having little time to spend on the computer.

 

The only sewing I've accomplished is finishing up my

Operation Homefront-Texas Giving Quilts

(see previous post)

and making a chevron baby quilt for a friend.

 

That said, I'd like to thank the many blogging friends

who have taken the time to check in with me.

 

Many thanks to my daughter,

 

who lent me her camper,

visited for a few days,

and good-naturedly took me

out of the park on a birding adventure.

 

Double thanks to her better half

for hauling me the 3 hours down to the Gulf,

setting me up comfortably,

and returning in the pouring rain to bring me back home,

all without complaint.

 

I am a lucky girl!!

 

I had an awesome time despite the weather,

(mind you, I had my sewing machine at the ready!)

saw lots of birds,

(Short-billed Dowitchers)

 

and met many more geeky birders,

large

 

and small.

 

Believe it or not,

I didn't visit one quilt shop.

 

Have a great day!

~karen