Beaver Tales

Forsythias in bloom! They're so pretty!

Ok, so I maybe have an auction problem. I admit it. But there is no other way we could afford a chair like this one. I almost think the auction is more fun when you're on a really tight budget, because you have to be much more strategic. If there's more than one thing you want (and there always is!) you have to be really careful about what you bid on, and how high you bid, but if you're too careful and you save all your money for one item, that item could easily go way above what you can afford. It's fun.

We also went to Derek's 30th birthday party this weekend. It was super fun, we're really enjoying getting to know all our new neighbours. I just can't get over how totally friendly everyone is. I'm sure it's partly a small town thing, but I'm also sure that can't account for all of it! Oh well, we'll just count our blessings. Near the end of the party, everyone decided to go for a walk to the park. Our house is right beside, so we had twenty people or so tramping through our house, as most of them had never seen it. Talk about surprise guests! It was a little messy, so I'm hoping next time we have people in, we can impress them with how much it is improved! We need to post before and after shots in all the room, as all the really nasty ones have disappeared. It was fun walking around the neighbourhood in a big group like that, though, as we all felt comfortable peering in the windows of the empty houses! The house beside us has been empty for longer than we have owned our house, and I've never had the nerve to look into the windows. A man in town bought it and has been fixing it up (although he hasn't touched it since we moved in!) It's really nice inside, with huge beams in some ceilings, and beautiful tin in others.
Then we discovered the beavers! They are in the river at the mouth of our little creek. They've cut down several trees from the abandoned property, but I don't know where they are taking them, as there is no evidence of a dam. Still...whales in the fall, and beavers in the spring, it's like a nature sanctuary around here!

Speaking of which, our property has really been coming alive over the last week. Things are blooming, and little plants are springing up all over the place. It's so much fun to move a pile of brush and discover some plants.

Pearl told me these are peonies. They look like aliens right now!

And the blackberries are coming back!

And the garden's not the only one who has been busy - Jai and I have been busy producing things to sell in the Farmer's Market. It's been like a miniature toy factory around here! Jai's tops look beautiful in the big new bowl he turned, sitting on the new sidetable we bought at the auction.

I sat outside all afternoon, sanding pull toys. It was so hot and gorgeous today - 25 degrees. It was a beautiful summer day.