HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Canada Day wishes go out to all my Canadian blogging friends. Here's hoping you spend a relaxing day with family and friends celebrating our Canadian heritage. As for me, I'll be working. That was my choice this year since my DH is away this week . When the work day finishes I'll be joining my son Dan for some Canada Day festivities in Cornwall provided that the weather holds out. Last year we tried to get close enough on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to view some of the Mounties Musical Ride (as seen on the left) but it was nearly impossible to see anything with all the crowds. This year I'll just settle for the fireworks display.

I'm afraid I don't have much to report on the stitching front. There hasn't been an awful lot of time for stitching these days and my progress has been pitiful on what little I've finished. By the time I'm finally able to pick up my stitching each evening I find that I'm too tired to concentrate and it isn't long before I put it aside. With summer's arrival I'm much more likely to be found outside gardening or reading in my gazebo after supper. Work continues to be hectic and I love to just sit and enjoy the outdoors when I return home. I've taken up the camera a lot lately and been snapping pictures of birds in the area.

For the past few summers we've had a pair of cardinals, Mr. & Mrs., visiting our feeders. This past week they were joined by Junior. At least that's what we've been calling him. As you can see in the picture, his colours aren't fully developed yet. He gets quite put out when Mom and Dad take a turn at the feeder and leave him sitting to wait on his perch.

I've also been enjoying visits from the Cedar WaxWings. They usually show up between 8 and 9 in the evening to gorge themselves on berries in the neighbour's tree. At one point yesterday there were as many as 1o of them fighting for the treats. I love their eye masks that make them look like bandits.

Our home renovations are slowly getting started. Remodelling the kitchen isn't something that I wanted to rush into. Add to that the fact that it takes me forever to make up mind about some things. After weeks of debating a plan has finally been decided upon and the cupboards will be ordered next week. I don't expect that they'll be ready until August but in the meantime a wall is coming down between our dining room and kitchen to open things up. I'm thinking that maybe I should have taken holidays when all this was finished so I could really relax. Too late now!

With everything that's going on here right now I haven't had much time for the computer. I miss checking in on all of you and promise I haven't forgotten about you.

Next post I should finally have a pic of my progress on Nature's Beauty. It's been slow going because I'm not very good at working with linen. My eyes play tricks on me when it comes to counting and the frogs love visiting. I really do prefer evenweave even though I love the look of the linen. Any tips ladies to help me out?

Time to sign off and head on up to bed. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday and for all of my American blogging friends.... Happy 4th of July!

Cirque has returned..

Home that is. While we were away last week the framer left a message that Cirque des Cercles' framing was complete. I only had one day at home before I headed off for lab training in Rochester, NY so my DH picked it up for me. This is a new framer that I'm using since my LNS closed. However the gentleman who did all the stretching for my LNS had recommended this particular framer and he is now working for them so I knew I was in good hands. I decided not to go with a mat and chose a mahogany frame. When I returned home and finally got a look at it I was very pleased with the framing except for the fact that they had placed the hardware on the reverse as if this was being framed vertically instead of horizontally. We were able to change that ourselves and it is now hanging in my guest bedroom. I'm not sure yet if this is where it will reside permaently. My bedroom is lavender and it would look great there but then nobody gets to see it. Decisions, decisions!

A vacation followed by a work-related training trip has had me suffering some serious stitching withdrawal symptoms! The only time I managed to get in any stitches was on the car trip to and from visiting my family. I had a great visit home although it wasn't long enough. My DH was involved in a concert tribute to his former music professor from university and while he was involved with that I spent time visiting with my family. We both also managed to squeeze in a

visit with some close friends in Michigan.

Just before leaving we paid a visit to our old high school where one of our former classmates is now principal. It felt really strange to be back. The school hasn't really changed all that much but the total number of students now is only 500 as opposed to 1200 when we attended. We wandered around the school for a bit and during our travels we found a picture of the basketball team from 1944-45. There in the back row, the shortest boy on the team, was my Dad(2nd from the left in the back)! We took this picture so that I could show my sons since they were very young when their Grandpa Denny died.

I was having such a super time on the trip and wanted to visit with other friends but I had to be back on the Friday so that I could pack for my next journey. I was off to a lab training session in Rochester, NY. for a new instrument that we're receiving in the chemistry lab. I travelled with a co-worker and following each day's classes we were off to check out the local shopping. Needless to say, there wasn't exactly much time for stitching. The shopping was great though!!

Above is a picture of where I'm at now with Spring Lace.

As for my new start, well I'm afraid that all I've managed to put in on that one is some of the lettering. Since I'm stitching it on linen I really need my magnifying lens to work on it and it's not portable. I find that with evenweaves I don't need the lens much but when it comes to linens I usually screw up in my count and definitely need to be able to see what I'm doing. I don't return to work until Wednesday so I'm hoping to be able to put in some time on this one during the next few days.

One of the fun things about returning home is seeing what's waiting for you! Besides my welcoming DH, there was dear, sweet Clarisse who hasn't quit following me around since my return. Wherever I go, she follows. When I headed down to our storage room this morning with my suitcase, I think she thought I was leaving again. She cried the whole time I was carrying that case until she figured out that I was indeed staying put.

Then there was the stash waiting for me! I was really only expecting one small order but I'd completely forgotton about another order I'd placed earlier. Some of the items were on back order and since I was in no hurry I didn't care. However, my mind being what it is lately, the order was gone from my memory until its arrival. Memory loss can be a great thing when it surprises you in the form of stash arrival!

What I was expecting was a couple of Threadworx floss for some upcoming projects as well as LHN- To Bee or not to Bee and Val's Chilly Willy. What I'd forgotten about was Glendon Place - With Hope, By The Bay- In My Father's House, and last but certainly not least, Ink Circles - Cirque des Carreaux. Yeah, those Ink Circle designs have really hooked me!

Now I'd better go and make some headway on my laundry. I've got a lot to catch up on around here. Enjoy your weekend!