Friday, May 30, 2008

Lilac Season is here again

Hello again! Jai is off on another Halifax run today. This has been a very busy week, as I try to get ready to leave for two weeks. On Sunday, I am off to Maine to take a course with Michael Hosaluk - one of my very favourite woodworkers. As part of the business loan I took out last year, I received an education grant, which is going to cover the cost of the course, as well as the room and board. I'm bringing our shiny new laptop with me, so I'm hoping I will be able to update you on my progress as I play and learn. It's not very often that we take time to just play with wood, so I'm pretty excited.
Sadly, though, it looks like I will miss the peonies blooming, and most of the lilac season. Just yesterday as I was walking around town running errands, I caught the first whiff of lilac blossoms wafting through the air. Almost every yard in Bridgetown has at least one giant lilac bush, so it's an amazing time of year to walk around town.


I've been trying to get as much gardening done as possible before I leave, so Jai doesn't have too much extra to do while I'm gone. I put the tomatoes and the basil into the ground already, so I'm hoping they're wrong about the frost warning that's on for tonight! It's 17 degrees out there right now, and has 20+ forecast every day for the next week, so it should be all right (I hope!) I planted a ridiculous number of tomato plants and basil, and a ridiculous number of leeks and potatoes, so I can already guess what we'll be eating this winter! My two favourite soups... You know, there is something so neat about actually having four different seasons. In Victoria, it is so temperate that you pretty much only get spring and fall, with a little taste of those other two. But here, even though we've only been here for a year and a half, I can already feel the cyclical nature of the year, and I absolutely love how that affects our lives, from our activities to our diet and even our wardrobe - everything is transformed.


We're still busy getting all the beds ready for the rest of the veggies and flowers. Jai took a couple of hours yesterday to weed all the paths, and spread newspaper and straw over them, so hopefully there won't be any more path-weeding this year. And Sarah just told me she might have a lead on some free bark mulch, so that would be great.


And I've finished up all my custom orders that needed to get done before I leave. Including. . .
Aunty Janet's bench! I'm very happy with how it came out, and I received your card in the mail today. I will try and get it packaged up, so Jai can take it to the post office on Monday.


Also, a couple of new books, although I'm taking a bunch of paper and waxed linen and leather with me for my course, so I hope to get some new book styles created while I'm gone. It's a good thing I'm driving, I think the car will be stuffed to the gills!

Tomorrow Jai's band "Dayliner" is playing their second show ever. So we'll have a little party tomorrow night, and then I'm off on the Digby ferry, which leaves at 8 am. Wish me luck!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi guys! Lauren, the bench is beautiful - I love the circles! Jai, we'll be at your show in spirit - imagine us in the background yelling 'Encore, Encore' .. or maybe just 'more, more' with some hoots & hollars! Take care guys ... xoxo us & the girls :)

Jai and Lauren Soloy said...

Thanks Guys, Talk to you soon!

Anonymous said...

Hi Guys: Just taking some time to get caught up with your news today. We are getting pretty busy ourselves at the cottages - maintenance, ugh. You have certainly been busy. Love the books and bench, but then everything you guys do is great -- call me prejudiced. Hope you are having a great time at your course, Lauren, it sounds like a wonderful opportunity.
Love Mom

Anonymous said...

Hi Lauren and Jai,

Lauren, the bench turned out beautifully! Thanks so wonderfully much. I know Leah will love it--the meanings in each of the colours of wood will be a source of much conversation (you must let me know what they are!). I know that you are having a super-cool time on your course. Play well.. :)

I'm back to Calgary tomorrow--the week in Victoria and Vancouver a great time. Our symposium presentation went well at UBC and now back to thesis!

Jai I hope you guys had a great evening with the band. I'm fully expecting a CD! All accounts tell me the band 'has it'. Let's see...a summer evening concert sometime between July 24 and Aug. 7..great timing!

Take care. Have a good week. And thanks :)
A. Janet