February Update

Hello! More flower pictures for you! This is the amaryllis that Pearl leant us when she went away for Christmas. One of these days, I am going to give it back to her :)







We haven't been up to much around here. We had a couple of really nice sunny days. Not warm like the West Coast, but nice and bright, with all the snow.


So that was ridiculously nice. The consensus seems to be that this winter has been unusually dark. Other than that, time has been passing quietly. I got some work done in the shop. Here's a new marquetry pic (something a little different):


And I finally finished the other two of these:

Along with some other stuff. Jai has been playing around a bit between making tops, but it seems like he has been working a lot this week. Probably because of the live show on Saturday night, which meant he didn't get any days off.

Stephen's new CNC machine arrived yesterday, and I went up there to work on a table I'm making, and to check it out. It's going to take a while to get it all set up, but it's going to be very cool. While I was driving home, they were talking about a house that burned down in Hampton, which is right on my route. So I stopped to check it out. They said it was under renovation at the time, and no one was hurt, but it's pretty incredible to see. I felt kind of weird taking pictures of it, but it was so incredible with the icicles all over it. I guess the water they used to put it out froze all over it and the branches in front, it was actually that cold.




I'd never seen anything like it.

Anyway, I think dinner is almost done. Jai is cooking up Grandma's Chickpea Curry recipe, and it smells delicious. Bye for now...

Rain and Roses

Hello! The shop is warming up as I type, and Jane is warming me up by snuggling on my lap. Jai and I just had some grilled cheese sandwiches before he left to go back to work - the perfect lunch for a grey, wet day. It's the darkest the house has been in the middle of the day for as long as I can remember.


We've been out and about a little this week. We visited with Sarah and Dereck on Valentine's day. Those are the roses Jai got me at the top of the page. They look so pretty I took a million pictures.


Jo and I took a trip to Halifax on Friday to hang out and so I could pick up a few things I need for various pieces. We went through the entire walnut lumber pile at East Coast Specialty Hardwoods trying to find a piece with a natural edge. I have to say it kind of pisses me off that they are cut off and thrown away. Anyway, we managed to find one really nice piece with a little bit of bark still on it, so I consider it a successful mission. Plus it's always so much fun to go there and just look around.
Saturday was an eventful day, as it started with the annual library book sale, where I picked out a whole carton of new-to-me books. I got some definite finds like: A Son of the Circus by John Irving, the Randomhouse Quotationary, Keeping a Nature Journal (the librarian couldn't believe that was in the sale as the library just purchased another copy for $40, and I paid $2), and so much more...yup, I had fun.


Saturday night Jo and I went to the King's Theatre (where Jai works) for their Valentine's Event. It was a silent art auction, with pastries, and a movie. They showed Lars and the Real Girl, which I would highly recommend if you like quirky movies. This was the view coming into Annapolis Royal:


I just went out to check on the shop, and it's getting nice and toasty, so I better get moving. Here's one last rose shot to send you on your way :)

Snow Days

Hello! We've got ANOTHER snow day here. It is pretty cold. Yesterday I looked out the window and saw the bird pie down on the ground with a little birdie flapping like crazy. I ran out and grabbed Jai, who was just coming in the door, and we went out to see what was the matter. The poor little bird had his tongue frozen to the cord. We got warm water and a pair of scissors and freed him, but I figure it's got to be pretty cold out for that to happen.
Jai and I both tried to start a fire in the shop yesterday, but it just didn't want to light, so I stayed in the house all day. The cats and I spent some time looking out the windows.


Then I spent the afternoon painting. Last time we were in Halifax, I splurged and bought some acrylic paint tubes. It's the first time I have painted in probably five years. It was perfect. Here's some shots of my results.




It was a definite treat. Today we are trying to warm up the shop again, as there is lots of work both of us need to get started on. Until then, however, I am sitting here and Jai is hauling load after load of firewood in. We figured out that the wood burns better if it's not frozen solid (geniuses, I know), so we are building a wood pile inside beside the wood stove.


Jai whipped up a batch of his *famous* ginger-beef and chow mein last night, along with a test batch of wonton crisps. YUM! I guess I better go heat up the leftovers for lunch. Stay warm! :)

Hello. We've had a busy work week this week. But we got a couple of big orders out of the way, so it was good to get something accomplished. Tonight Jai is working at the theatre, and I am having a couple of girlfriends over for tea and some knitting. I'm just sitting here listening to Iron and Wine and completely enjoying myself.



We finally got our new load of firewood, but it's pretty wet. If only we'd known we would be going through so much! By all accounts, it's been an extra cold winter that started early, so I think we're not the only ones. But next year, we'll definitely be buying more firewood! February is not really a good time.


Anyway, I'm still taking lots of bird pictures through the windows. Yesterday Jai came running in telling me to grab my camera and come see. Just outside the shop window, a hawk was sitting in our tree. I didn't get "the perfect" shot, but it was pretty exciting all the same!


He's been scaring all the little birds away, but I did sneak in a couple of shots of a cute little chickadee. Now I just need the time to get some marquetry pictures made!

Little Gatherings

Hello! It's another one of those stormy, yucky days outside. Not that we aren't enjoying the winter, because for the most part we are. I really like how it doesn't seem like much is going on, but in reality, people are getting together all over the place. Lots of little gatherings. It's fun to have a whole season dedicated to being cozy inside. As long as you don't have to go outside!


We have spent most of the week just working away at things. I got a couple of custom jobs finished up, and now we're working on the next ones.


Every day we make a little bit of progress.

We had a warmish day last week so I took the camera out for a short walk, until my fingers got too cold. The snow this week was really weird. It was like sand almost, and impossible to shovel. Then we got freezing rain, and everything turned to ice. There was a very slippery couple of days. You could walk on the snow-covered spots as long as you didn't step too hard, or stand still for too long, because if you did you would break through into a foot of snow. It was fun in an adventure sort of way.




And I have been taking lots of bird pictures still. It's so much fun! Our friends Jo and Brandon have lots of cardinals that hang out at their feeder, so hopefully I can visit them and get some cardinal shots before the end of winter (which is still a long way off!)



So that's all our news for now. Hope you are all keeping warm and well!