June 30, 2012

Was that a Bear???

On our way to Bobcaygeon for a little retail therapy yesterday, my friends Cindi and Linda and I stopped at a nearby potter's studio,  Kawartha Wilds Pottery so Cindi could interview Lucia for her newsletter.   Cindi writes a blog Purl 1 as well as the quarterly newsletter so check it out.

Cindi is co-piloting and directing me off the highway into a largely forested area dotted with gravel drives and country homes glimpsed through the foliage.  We turn into Lucia's drive and head up the hill.  I stop the car and the three of us sit frozen with our mouths open.  Finally I say "that was a bear".  I'm still not sure if it was a statement or a question.  From the backseat, Linda says "I'm glad you said it first.  I thought I was seeing things".  Cindi says it was a little bear but where there's a baby, there's a momma.  We finally start breathing again but no one is rushing to get out of the car.  We peer into the woods where the bear disappeared and see moving bushes.  Cindi assures me that it is just the wind.  I suggest she get out first since this excursion was her idea.   Just then Lucia comes out of the studio to welcome us.   I guess she recognized our hesitancy (maybe it was the locked car doors ;).   Anyway, she say "Oh did you see the bear?  Never mind.  It won't bother you.  My husband feeds the animals outside and the bear comes by in the morning to finish off the food".  Okaaaay.

I can tell you there was no dillly dalllying getting from the car to the studio.  Her work is amazing and I took some pictures for you.







And here are my purchases, mostly buttons that I have displayed on one of my white plates for contrast.  Some of these lovely buttons just might make into July's giveaway.  Remember today is the last day to leave a comment on either of my blogs as your entry into June's giveaway.


Julie

June 26, 2012

Teacups and Tablecloths

Mowed the lawn  =  check
Cleaned the furnace room  =  check
Found some bargains  =  double check


I was lucky enough to find 2 vintage barkcloth tablecloths.  One was gold and one was aqua.  Both have some staining that I will work to remove.  They were only $4 each.  Amazing.  I love old tablecloths!

The gold one is perfect in my sunroom and I have something special in mind for the aqua one (stay tuned for  July's giveaway ;).


The wonderful lady from whom I bought my wheelbarrow is clearing her Mother's house.  Her Mom has moved to a retirement home so  I was also able to get some shelves for my basement and these 2 teacups.  I love them!



This cute red and white cup and saucer appealed to my love of red.  The gold accents just sparkle.


I love these over the top gilded Japanese cups.  You don't see them around here very much and this one looks like it has never been used.  All in all, a very profitable day.

Julie

June 24, 2012

June Giveaway - Enter Now!

I am joining Elaine for a Sunny Simple Sunday so check it out.



These are some of the flowers blooming in my garden today.  I got out early to do some planting because it looks like the promised thunder storm will come soon.  I'll have to run out and get my laundry off the line.  

I wanted to let you know that the giveaway is complete for June.  My first giveaway - I'm so excited!  I  hope you like the little presents I have assembled.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on either of my blogs before midnight on June 30th.  The draw will be July 1st - Canada Day!!!


Here's a photo of all the prezzies...

First up is a vintage handmade apron from the thrift store in Bancroft.  It has been well-loved and well-used but to my mind, all the better for that.  The candle also came from a store in Bancroft and it smells delicately of cinnamon.  The holder is from Garden Accents in Bridgenorth (I am going to do a post about this store soon).  I have one myself and it's lovely to hang from a tree branch for a little candlelight outside in the evening.


Next up is a sweet little notebook and a coupon wallet for your purse from Michael's.  Just the thing for bargain hunters and thrifters.  I know I always have dimensions and notes written down on bits of paper and backs of envelopes in my purse or car.


These cute cupcake liners came from Michael's too.  I couldn't resist the pale aqua dotted with bright red strawberries...


Last but not least is a sweet little hummingbird fashioned by a local glass artist, a tiny weathered metal heart from Bancroft and a set of 6 hand-stitched, never used, vintage cocktail napkins made in Portugal.

Hope you like it,

Julie

June 20, 2012

We're having a heatwave...

As Ella sings...

"We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The temperature's rising,
It isn't surprising"



Welcome to the summer solstice!  With the humidex, we are in the 40's today (100's for my American friends).  It is hot, hot, hot and I am spending the day in the basement, keeping cool.

I did go out in the yard early this morning... and I will have to go out later to water the plants.  The cats had a little romp before their all day naps and I finished spray painting a chair.  I made a plant holder (inspired by Brenda at Cozy Little House).

Before...


During...


After...


Keep cool friends,

Julie

June 17, 2012

Love in a Mist


It's a quiet, lazy Sunday here.  The sun is shining, the breeze is gently blowing, the bees are buzzing and the momma robin is trying to teach her little ones to fly.  They keep gliding into our yard from the neighbour's lilac bush and momma sounds the alarm.  One of the cats slink over to investigate and momma dives with a shrill call.  We rush out and tell the cats to back up.  I think they are more afraid of the robins than the robins are of them.  One of us deposits the baby back in nest and the dance starts again.

I was noticing some new flowers blooming as I cut the grass.  One of my favourites is "Love in a Mist".  I think it's the lovely descriptive name more than anything else that appeals to me.  It is a beautiful annual that is easy to grow and generously self-seeds.


Here's some pictures of other new bloomers.  I played around with PicMonkey a bit.  It's fun...





I am joining Elaine today at Sunny Simple Life's Sunday party.  It's a great time so take a few minutes to check out her wonderful blog and visit her "party-goers".

Julie

June 15, 2012

Monday Afternoons with the Girls

On Mondays, I meet with a few friends for lunch and a few games of Rummi-Cube.  Last Monday, we met at the zoo first for a walk before going to Cindy's for the afternoon.

I LOVE the zoo.  We have a beautiful zoo and I practically lived there as a child.  It was a short walk away, my mum would pack me a lunch and my friend, Ingrid and I would spend the day.  We knew the zookeepers and they would let us in the cages to visit the animals.  Of course, it is much bigger and grander nowadays but I still feel like a kid there.  You can visit it virtually here Riverview Park and Zoo.

The zoo is very popular with visitors and we often see people coming from a couple of hours away for the day.  There is no admission cost.  You can bring the family and a picnic and get by with only a few bucks for the miniature train ride.

Totem Pole at entrance

We mostly went for a walk on Monday but we did stop for the train ride.  It was extremely hot that day so the playground was deserted but the splash pad was FULL of kids (and a few adults) cooling down.

playground and splashpad 

We then walked through the middle of the zoo towards the train..we saw the meerkats which are my favourite (the otters and serval cats are a close second).


Another time I will wander over there by myself and go through and take lots of pictures of the animals.



Train Ride

feeding the ducks
feeding the carp (if they can get it before the ducks do)

Then we walked down to the water...





We walked along the river and then back to the parking lot before heading to Cindy's.  It was a great day.

Julie

June 12, 2012

If I were a Princess, I'd Live on Queen Street

A magnificent mansion in Lakefield has come on the market and if you have $3.25 million burning a hole in your pocket, this all could be yours...




Reydon Manor, formally the home of Colonel Strickland whose sisters, Susanna Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill are famous literary chroniclers of early pioneer life in Canada.  Set in 11 lush acres of lawns and woods, this breathtaking mansion is sits on the shore of Katchewanooka Lake in the beautiful village of Lakefield.  It is just steps south of Lakefield College School, a private high school attended by Prince Andrew.


(sorry for the quality of the photos - they came from the real estate ad and I have it on good authority that the reality is so much better...)













 Oh well, I'm off the buy a lottery ticket.

Ciao

Julie