A Wild And Wooly Night

It's quite wild on the Strait tonight.Thunderous gales are whipping about the cottage but I'm very cozy tucked inside with a warm fire and a good book. It seems that CoCo feels a change in the season and all of a sudden has decided to opt for staying in during the evenings which is fine by me .So many nights I have called and called to get him home but he is now content to spend time with us in the comfort of his favourite chair .

Not planned,I was whisked off with Eleanor to visit a friend of hers who is helping Eleanor get started on hooking a rug.We had a nice hour plus chatting and doing a wee bit of hooking .I used the hook I found recently at an antique shop but it wasn't really the proper size for my wool cuts. I like using old hooks and knowing other hands have wrapped the hook to the loops.Perhaps the winter will find us hooking by the fire and sipping tea. Curling and hooking ......a good combination I do think.Maybe some of the other gals may wish to learn the craft.

Tomorrow is shopping day for Thanksgiving Dinner ingredients. Hoping to find a fresh turkey ,not frozen. Came home from my time with Eleanor with two types of squash that I will bake for the first time ever. That ought to impress the family. It's the dressing that makes me shudder. Rhonda will bring the pies.Mum,the rolls and fresh cranberry sauce. And the rest will bring their appetites. And grammie's table will squeak and creak lovingly as family gathers round. Thanksgiving is my favourite family feast .My wish for the world would be for every family to share such a special time together with food abundant .

The Muse

Aching and in Awe

It was all I could do to unravel myself and arise from the comfort of bed this morning.Still feeling as stiff as a board and all joints and muscles aching I couldn't get the grin erased from my face every time I peered out the window and saw not one stick of wood left lying in the driveway. Only the scraps and they raked up pretty fast. I just can't yet believe that all the wood is in the woodhouse just after 4 hours of hard labor. I had it figured we might get maybe half of the stacking accomplished and even half would be a Godsend.But to have it all done in one kick at the can is just so awesome.I celebrated by doing a little shopping at the Hospital Thrift Shop and found two neat corona cowboy hats for my next country rocks concert ,two autumn decorations to hang along with my scarecrow and pumpkins,a pair of brand new sneakers,a skirt for hooking wool,and a dressy black top.Then on I went to Monty's and had a nice chat with Maggie and Mary while finding foil covers for the stove,a sweet dress for next summer.And since the sun was still shining I parked the car along route 6 in West Pugwash and Oreo and I took a long stroll looking for refundable bottles and cans to donate to the Animal Shelter. We must have picked up at least 40 in one swath.Every little bit helps to raise much needed funds to help care for the dear dogs and cats that thankfully find their way to the shelter on most occasions when owners do not fullfill their responsibilites to their animals. I know at times there are exceptional circumstances but that's not the norm .

I'm looking forward to a nice quiet evening of reading and tv and time to stretch out and give my body more TLC for all these aches .And I still have some of last night's leftover  lasagna and lemon cake to enjoy too. Mmmmmmmmm.....

Cheers .  The Muse

A Wonderful Ache

Oh my , I'm a hurtin unit. But it's a wonderful hurt. It's a four cord of wood all stacked as neat as a pin in the woodshed kind of aching all over.And there are eight other great buddy gals of mine that I'm sure are also feeling the stiffness and ache setting in tonight. How does one adequately thank friends who do something so kind and generous ? Four cord of wood piled in 4 hours ! Never did I expect to have it all done in one night.I was going to be happy even to have just some of it done .But here I am with everything done on the same day as the wood arrives. Totally awesome is the best I can describe it. Nothing more to do but clean up the scraps for firestarters. So much laughing and just enjoying being together. The stresses of the day fading away with each armload carried ibto the shed. My first ever woodshed!   And the wood smelled so good. I like to handle the wood in bare hands .I like the feel of it .And not one sliver ! As we all gathered on the back deck when darkness had set in ,sipping the last of our hot or cold refreshments ,I took a good look around at these wonderful women and I offered up a silent prayer of gratitude for having such marvelous friends. I am so blessed!   Sixteen hands were definitely much better than two and the saying ,"Many hands make light work certainly rang true this evening on the Norm Greene Trail."Now I can go to bed and let this aching body get a good night's rest knowing I am all ready for wintering the Strait.

Goodnight and sweet rest to all my fellow woodpilers !     The Muse

Mother and Daughter Day

A first for mama and me today when we both picked out new glasses .And lo and behold mum's choice was  just as funky as mine. Way to go mama!!! 
The drive to Truro over Nutby Mountain was beautiful as the leaves are now quickly changing color. Pumpkins were everywhere on lawns and and steps giving great color and looking very festive. Just as we entered BibleHill we came upon a large field filled  with u-pick jack o'lanterns and a mum and her little girl were strolling the patch looking for that perfect pumpkin.Made me think of Charlie Brown .

Stopped for lunch at an old haunt Kathleen and I used to visit quite often when we were going to Teacher's College. Many a meal we enjoyed at the StoneHouse restaurant so long ago. The food was really good just as it was back then. Mum and I always enjoy stopping for an icecream at Molly's on the way home.

Oreo and I had the beach all to ourselves this afternoon.I love being able to let Oreo off his leash so he can explore to his heart's delight .He makes me laugh when he chases the gulls ,very much in vain .But he keeps on trying .  

My wood will be here first thing in the morning and I can hardly wait. I love the smell of it as it lies waiting to be piled. No doing all the piling myself this year as the gals have kindly agreed to give me a hand. I'm so excited with the new woodshed .It looks as if it's always been there. And tomorrow the gals are going to pile for their supper . Aren`t friends wonderful  !!!

Cheers .  The Muse

Then Sings My Soul

     Oreo and I attended our own little private worship service on the beach early afternoon as the warm sun-kissed breezes carassed my face and the rays wrapped me up like a fleecy blanket.The gulls and the crows made up the choir with loud hallelujahs to the melodic strains of the waves lapping at our feet.I was filled with the awe of beauty and creation around me and reminded of He who is the Great Creator and King of All . I felt my smallness in the vastness and how I am just a wee speck in the whole scheme of things. It was just me and God,the sand and the sea.

Rare find on the beach today:  a piece of red glass. One never knows what gift the sea has to give .Perhaps it was there just to lift my spirits with missing my little furry friend, Rinny who I put in the arms of a wonderful couple just wishing for a dog such as he.It was a very bittersweet moment and Rinny will always hold a special piece of my heart. But he needed a fulltime home and family and Oreo and CoCo needed their mama back to themselves again before we answer the call once more to open our door  to another furry guest.

And the big question for this week coming will be : Will I get in for more swimming as I did on Friday? How wonderful it felt to be frolicing in the waves in October.  What a blessing to live by the water !