Today after gardening, knitting and reflecting I checked in on one of my favourite blogs www.superherodesigns.com/journal. Andrea's title for this entry "If your soul is calling, listen". Oh my. The title spoke to me, the photo is beautiful. Have you ever walked a labyrinth?

photo by Jen Gray from superherodesigns site.

Sienna Hong McParland...great niece #4...the pink jacket was knit for her..so cute she is.

Some of the knitting projects I have worked on over the past year or so.

Toronto and TIFF

I spent yesterday afternoon in the city, by myself, enjoying the fine weather, people watching and submitting our TIFF requests. TIFF signals the end of summer, but for me it is a beginning. I always find the autumn fresh and new and a time to reflect on the months gone by and look toward the future.

With those thoughts in my mind I wondered which way to go to spend the rest of my afternoon and early evening alone....the beautiful U. of T. Campus, the streets of Toronto, so many choices. In the end I decided to head for the lake. Supper at Queen's Quay, outside, overlooking Lake Ontario. A chance to actually spend some time in one of my favourite shops without someone standing by the door, waiting, arms crossed and tapping a foot.

I had lots of time, uninterrupted to be alone with my thoughts. I like that.

It was a good day.

Spinning and Twirling

I'm spinning. That's all I can tell you right now. I'm giddy and I'm happy and that's that. insert big smile here

Mubeena through the years.

Oh how I love mid-August when I get the annual update from India on Mubeena. I have been sponsoring Mubeena, through World Vision for 5 years now. During the year Mubeena and I exchange little notes but I look forward to the annual picture and report card. She has grown up so much, here she is now 9 years old.

The Storm

Oh boy...what a storm and then another storm and yet another storm predicted for today.

A portion of our basement flooded last night due to a downspout that worked itself free; and rain was pouring in from the side door making a pool of the landing inside. We scrambled using everything and anything we could to sop up the mess - sheets, towels, blankets, our clothes - anything. All that has been washed and dried and the dehumidifier is working overtime.

All around town, the tops of street lights are scattered everywhere, along with other debris. Huge limbs of trees have been broken. I'm thankful our two big trees, one front and one back, can bend.

I don't like electrical storms, even looking from the inside out!

A weird and wonderful summer this is turning out to be. Never have I had such green grass in the backyard...in fact keeping grass alive back there has always been a challenge and this year I abandoned by plan of eliminating grass entirely as I have done in the front. My Annabell hydrangeas are huge and love this west coast/English summer as well. The hostas not so...too much rain for them and the slugs have multiplied by the millions. Now we're into the final month of summer (holidays for some), I'm thinking towards September. September is my most favourite month of all. I love the warm, generally dry, sunny days and cool nights and most of all I love TIFF - The Toronto International Film Festival.

The tin lady is almost completely hidden behind the french green beans. These are wonderful beans and next year I'm going to plant all 3 window boxes with them. They are proving to be a great success. I sampled a slender crisp bean this morning and it was delicious, almost peppery, so thin and delicate.

Playing with the camera on a rainy day - some of my book shelves.

Quiet weekend

Wet weekend

A few changes to the front porch

And the addition of a bench

Knitting updates - knee socks for Sab and a cabled vest

I'm back.....after a few nasty days....new hard drive is working well but not all information could be saved. This is not such a bad thing for my personal computer...but for my work space....oh not good at all. But, I'm going to look at it this way...I have a brand new blank page to start again. Oh I'll be working late into the nights rebuilding all the company information and billing details. What is lost is actually in the file folders - the good old fashion file folders.

It's back to work I go.

The day was perfect today. B left early for work. The morning was bright and blue and there was no rain in sight. I decided to break from my usual Saturday tradition of "laying in bed just like Brian Wilson did" and called Brenda; we took the path walk to the local farmer's market downtown. Along the way we saw the biggest snapping turtle in the mucky river waters...he was huge!

I stocked up on lots of local goodies and home grown produce; bought some heirloom tomatoes, and using herbs from my potted garden, I made this wonderful pasta dish of Jamie Oliver's . He never disappoints me. Some red wine...yumm.

I contemplated life today too.

The little jacket I just finished for Sienna. Sienna is our nephew's daughter and they will be here from Korea for a visit at the end of the month. I can't wait to meet Sienna.

This is my lavender harvest so far. I am pleased with the amount I got this year. Can't you almost smell them ?

Just had a blast from the past....from the long long ago past. I love how the world wide web can connect us to so many people.

We went for a drive in the country today....gosh this is a beautiful part of the province...lush farmlands, green valleys and the lake. I picked up my djembe which was in the caring hands of Phil Shaw of Shaw Percussion. He tuned it very well I must say considering it was a 'bad' purchase. At least the price was low, I learned from my mistake of buying such an item on line...what was I thinking??? I met Phil and saw his beautiful drums, all hand made by himself and his son. I will be saving my loonies and buying a drum from him. My 'bad' purchase looks good and will fill a corner of the living room if nothing else. The sound isn't that bad but it isn't great either; don't know that I would join a drum circle using it.

Show and Tell Time.

This year I wanted to give my humble front porch a Moroccan feel. I did a little research about Moroccan gardens and learned of some of the elements I would need. Water, tile, THAT blue, lush greenery, perhaps some cane or wicker, those fabulous lanterns, bright colours and a feeling of privacy to reflect private inner courtyards.

Here's a peek at my attempt so far.

What's up with this great big space here ???????????????

Lilith Fair When this page opened....I got a little excited...next year my (girl)friend(s)...we're all a'go'n to the Fair.

I have been itchy, anxious and scattered lately. I felt the need to drum. I drummed. I felt the need for a BIGGER drum. I bought one! Just "won" this little beauty on eBay. I'm told the sound is "wonderful". The price was excellent. This djembe is 20" tall; my first djembe, which I still love is a little 14" drum.

Knit knit knit and more knitting and may I present "Clapotis the First". I have lusted after this scarf-shawl for a few years and finally took the workshop and have completed my own. There will be more to come. This fibre is 100% sugarcane and produced the most silky, soft and drapey fabric ever.In my lovely corkscrew hazel tree....this first week of June and the garden is so luscious...so many beautiful shades of green.

I love the magic of this project, this design. The piece can stretch out to be a light summer shawl and then it folds in on itself to make a narrow, warm and light scarf.

Ahhh coffee and my Morocco travel book.

The bride's bag...silk yarn with tiny beads, lace pattern, lining is hand gathered and hand stitched into place. Just big enough to hold the bride's essentials - tissue, mints, powder, lipstick.

The very blingy salwar kameez I picked for the wedding.

Bride's bag.. (this isn't my finished project) .... mine is done but needs some finishing touches before I take some pictures. The bag I have made for our niece's wedding is made from Tilly Tomas beaded silk, lace weight in robin's egg blue. It's very pretty and I'm pleased with the results. I made modifications so the bag won't look exactly like the pattern picture below. And the wedding. What to wear? We spent the afternoon on Gerrard St. in Toronto and I bought a new salwar kameez for the wedding. The style is very similar to this one but the colours not. Mine is sand coloured silk with turquoise trim, pants (salwar) and turquoise beads and bling...just a bit of bling..well maybe more than I would normally choose but I felt adventuresome. When I find my camera charger I will post my own photos.

Oh Joy....I could not have expressed it better!

I found this wonderful photo at a favourite blog of mine - www.susanassketchbook.typepad.com