workin' out.....

Working out takes on whole new meaning in the summertime. When it's cold and slippery outside, I stay in the house ... faithfully using my treadmill for the first 40 minutes of each day's workout. I keep the remote handy ... even watching some reality shows... at least 'til I break a sweat and then I'm fine ... it seems a struggle to keep at it hard enough to do that without some entertainment. But, as soon as the weather turns warm and sunny, I have more than enough of my own reality to keep me occupied .... and, outside.













..diggin' rocks in the hot sun... diggin' rocks 'til it's all done.....

This weekend, I shoveled about 1/4 tonne of limestone rock... I know that because you buy it by the tonne and have to weigh in and out of the rock pit on the scale. Shoveled it into the back of the van...out of the van into a wheelbarrow...and then out of the wheelbarrow into the patio garden area. That should take the place of some weight training...and burn about 50 calories..... . ....strange how much you actually have to move to burn even one solitary little guy.

Ran Little Red around the yard.... love the smell of freshly mowed grass....not that the lawn is in great shape yet...it is a bit sparse actually. My only consolation is that most of the neighbours have the same sparse, matted... sort of dead looking patches...

Watering can weighs plenty when full.... carried it all over the yard watering pots and newly planted babies.... more weights.... balancing on rocks while stepping between plants and flowers... a little core training.... digging, stooping, squatting, til my legs and butt felt so tight I could hardly move.... What difference will a few more hours make at that point? Everything already hurts.... just keep going.














Dandelions were masquerading as anemones.... lots more stooping ... they always look so healthy....














the first yellow iris....











sedum and creeping phlox are looking great now....

A bath, Ibuprofen and some ice packs.... and do it all again tomorrow...... at least for the first few weeks of each gardening season..

whoa! ....it's 1:00 in the afternoon already !!

I went out at 9 this morning to water my little bedding plants...and.....well.....this is what happens. I got hungry so had to come in for my brekky..... plus I looked worse than a little kid playing in the mud. It was up to my elbows..literally. At one point I brushed off a bug and there it was..a big muddy patch right near my elbow. I try to wear gloves..or at least on one hand...but, somehow there just seems to be a trail of mismatched gloves all over the yard...and one or both hands are soon filthy. How I ever managed to work with rubber gloves all those years as a dental assistant I don't know. Maybe because they were so much thinner and I could still actually feel things and I could still be precise in my movements... any gardening type gloves just feel too bulky and awkward to me.











This was yesterday morning.... first Wednesday that the old guys and I got to golf. Last week it was 0 C... yesterday it was a +22C day. The neighbour's Mayday tree is in full bloom and the scent is absolutely beautiful! I walked out the door and just stood there... breathing in the scent. Then, I turned around and went right back in the house for my camera.











It was a great day...and I managed to get a 43 for our first 9 hole round ...not bad...but, it's a smallish course and I can do better. It will take us all a bit to get the feel of swinging a club again after not doing it for months.

I got some of the pots planted.... and just like Sue, I always think how sparse things look at first. I must be patient. And... also see how thing get going....some won't do as well...and I will be moving and turfing bits and pieces for a week or two now. I stuck a few annuals into the perennial garden in the front too for some added colour because a lot of the perennials are still just green at the moment. It's always fun to try to plan some colour in between bloomings of perennials and annuals.... some years I get lucky and some years...well, at least there is greenery. And...daisies...well, I always have daisies once those get going..... I have to keep pulling them out to keep them from taking over. But...I do love their lovely snow white blooms.. Oooooh...I better not say the "s" word too loud..don't want more of that for months, but around here...it is always a possibility even in summer if a cold front blows in. One year in August a friend awoke to snow on her wedding day proceedings... it was to be an "outdoor in their huge perfectly manicured and blooming back yard ceremony". There were tears, foot stamping... the big white tents and awnings were dismantled and sent back to the rental company...and then it was on to PLan B........

Wordless Wednesday

photo a week...

Scruffy and Tuffy....

Sheaffer's birthday bash and fun (whoops... that should have read "fund") raising in Ontario was a blast! Check it out ... They all drank lemon squash and nibbled plenty of baked goodies without me... but, I did raise a glass of "white" yesterday in his honour and hoped little Tuffy would raise a few dollars for the Primrose Sanctuary. I'm really happy that he went home with a very nice lady. For next year, I'm wondering if I can perhaps make a believable mini needlefelted donkey... .. that could be fun. Everybody should have a cute little donkey...even if only a "pretend" one.

They made a fair bit of loot that will go towards a new roof on the implement shed as there was plenty of snow swirling around in there last winter..... Canadians can relate!

Good job Sheaffer..... I'm waiting to see some great pics...! I hope her frazzled self remembered to take her camera!



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Serena wondered about the pepper plants and the type... etc... so, for my photo of the week group... here is what they look like.











They are red.... hahhahha.... honestly, that's all I know about them. And I hope I have some great tomatoes to go with.....

We just call them red peppers...and I've never heard them referred to as capsicum..so I think you are correct.... don't think Canucks call them that...must be a south-of-our-border thing. They are good and spicy...and they dry beautifully.












UPDATE ::: Arrrgghhhh!! I forgot to tell you it's also Bob T. Bear's Berfday ... today!! He is having a "Pantayshus" Party over at his blog too! wiv easy chocklit cayke and all. Pop over there to say Happy Day if you have a minute ......

we've taken up veggie farming....

But, first let me show you my non veggie that I bought today.... sugar pink dahlias...

What a beautiful colour.... like old fashioned icing sugar flowers on wedding cakes or the special candies that I remember from Christmas ... .. ... there were usually only about 3 out of 20 that were this special colour and so smooth and creamy .... melt-in-your mouth sugary... but somehow, not overly sweet, although it hardly seems possible. That's how I remember them anyway....














It must have been the appointed day to pick up plants, flowers and potting soil or something. Everybody and their dogs and kids were out doing the same..... it was bedlam. Oh, how I hate Saturday shopping! I hate shopping most days... but Saturdays....... ohhhhh... the absolute worst. However, today somebody was home... and he was on a mission to get pots and stuff for his "babies"... so I went along ... and got some flowers to fill my big pots and some to add to the garden for colour in amongst the perennials. I'll go back for more after I plant some...and also when it is an early morning week day..... and quiet.

I saw a perfect little burbling water fountain thingy too... must go back and look at it again...I think I might have to have it..














All of a sudden we have....a patio garden!

A friend gave us several cartons of tiny pepper plants he grew from seeds..and some almost spindly tomato plants.
Mr. BV seems to feel obliged to plant and rear them all... even if it means we will have a truckload of peppers... what am I saying?...probably several truckloads.. and about the same amount of tomatoes... providing they all survive. I still have several I will try to pawn off on neighbours.

Summer is now upon us... even if it was 0 C the other day. It was a lovely warm day and is still +14C out there ...it is now 11:00 p.m. This week is supposed to be all +20 something days and nights of + 8 C or so.... I think we may be out of the frost warning days. I hope. Our growing season is not that long and these "babies" will need all the sun and warmth they can absorb. The patio will definitely give them that...it is south facing..... and gets plenty of sun.... to the point of stinking hot most days. I must remember to water the babies.....














We got 'em planted in some fun terra cotta pots... put two little pepper plants in each of four pots...and had plenty left over... so put some in the garden here and there and I put a tiny one in each of the big flower pots in the backyard too. If nothing else they will add to the greenery and look nice... they have cute little leaves.

oh,...and look...one already has the tiniest little peppers on it!














When full grown, these are some pretty hot little red peppers. I still have some from the ones Stanley grew in pots last year. I left them in a little glass bowl and used some while they were fresh. But, then...they got dried out and then... perfectly mummified. Now, I toss one in soups or sauces every so often ... ...and whew.... beads of sweat on my lip.... mmmmmm ... spicy!

I hope we have as much luck as Stanley with our little patio pot garden....

a fun Friday.....not to mention productive....

Tea dying..... fun, easy, and it turns out so pretty. From stark white to any number of lovely shades of pinky beiges in minutes.... Love it. That's what I did first thing.











Then I got my "right attitude" on, and found a perfectly matching heel in a little chunk of Apoxy Sculpt... in minutes! I should have quit fiddling with yesterday's clay long before I did. Sometimes it is better to quit, if at first you don't succeed, and try again another day... I must remember to do that more often. Why waste hours struggling when it just ain't happening? I even got the sole on one of the shoes...but, now..have to wait for the heel to dry on the new one before I do the second sole; hopefully I can find a bit of play time tomorrow. Somebody has plans for us to do a few things that include hardware and plant stores .....











Hey, I even found a tutorial on French seams....and made her some bloomers. I wanted to use this gauzy soft fabric...but, it frays like crazy..so hid and protected that problem in the seaming. I can't claim I didn't have to do one of the legs twice. Silly me.... I was reading the wrong step and didn't I cut my beautiful seam after I stitched it all up perfectly. So.. began again at the step that said... cut to 1/8" after stitching the seam....














Speaking of bloomers..... look what I found in the garden this morning. It looks like a fluffy type of narcissus.

just hanging out .....

Apoxy Sculpt was dry and hard as a rock today.. perfect. I got the first shoe front/upper finished and got a lovely heel put on.. it went along very well and I was happy with the shape of it.














But, as with all best laid plans.... trying to get a look-a-like heel happening on the other shoe ?.... ...no dice.











I fiddled with it for over an hour ... but, by then, felt like the piece of clay was getting to the overworked stage.... and so was I... hahahh.... or at least the worked up stage ... so just gave it up for the day and baked bread instead.















Then, I baked some Stollen ..... heh, heh, heh, ... no I didn't.











Just kidding. I only do that for Christmas. But, when I noticed this picture in my food file... how could I not throw it in for a laugh? However, seeing as I was baking bread... that did call for some home made soup don'tcha think? what goes better with a chunk of toasted home-made bread than a tasty bowl of soup? Not much, that's what! And, besides I had a bit of this and a bit of that in the fridge... who was it said "waste not, want not" ?? .. oh yeh ... dear ol' Dad ... and Mum ... and every other parent I'm sure ..... it's one of those things that did stick.











Thanks for all the suggestions yesterday regarding sizing of my doll parts.... I actually do have the head-to-rest-of-body ratio chart. But, I was thinking more of when a person is designing the pattern pieces. Wondering if there is a way to draw up the pieces in the correct size without having to sew up each one and stuff it and then, check it against every other piece..but, I suppose that is how it has to go so you can get the feel for the sum of the parts. Or, just thinking here... maybe the head to other parts ratio is still the same. I'll check that out in the morning... my eyes can't see any more tonight....















and Dolores...just to clarify... I'm not really beginning at the bottom of the doll and working my way up..... honest. There are many body parts lying about all over the place...

it begins with ideas floating around....

........in my head, on paper, .... then... a few trial runs stitched up and stuffed. And, if it is a new shape or size...then all the body parts usually need "trial running" because I have no clue how big or small they will turn out... or if there is some other way to figure out how each size will look in comparison. I bet there is a ratio scheme, and if I ask Mr. BumbleVee..he will whip out his calculator and tell me. Like he did last time I wonderd how big some feet should be in comparison to a head or something...I forget what it was now. Anyway... it seems to me there is no rhyme or reason to most of it. And it certainly doesn't matter. Some doll makers love huge hands... some like big feet.... some heads seem overly large to me in comparison to bodies....etc.... I seem to prefer tiny on all counts. Which can make things tricky in some situations. It's just that with this particular doll, I want more or less lifelike proportions.... with the usual exception... not too short. I probably like tall and willowy because I am not.
...soo, on with it.....

a bit of posing with my trial legs... ... ...with or without a body ...just to get the "feel" of them. How big they really are ... etc... I can never tell how they will look til I actually get my hands on them.














I don't know if there is a way to make the heel/ankle area more narrow...but, so far I haven't found it in any of the few patterns I have seen. I was thinking perhaps some darting might work...but, haven't tried that yet. And stitching up two pieces of fabric...the ankle area always seems too thick to me...doesn't look dainty. This is my trick to shape the feet before I begin modeling some shoes on her.










...strategically placed stitching with some strong craft and button thread.. almost simulates ankle bones....

For this doll...I want shoes that are not at all bulbous at the toes.. so made her toes quite narrow to begin with...and then also flattened them with some stitching.














Today I got the first layer of Apoxy Sculpt on. I begin with the heel... and work my way down towards the front. I have absolutely no idea how anybody else does it... but, it would be nice to pick somebody's brain that has done several pairs of shoes... ....and how great would it be to see some done first hand.

Somebody mentioned last time to hang things on a hanger to dry...hahaha...but, then I had to search around for something tall enough to hang that from so it didn't drag on the table. And... I wanted to keep it there with me while working on the second shoe... because invariably I will get one larger than the other or the sides will be too high or too low...if I am not looking straight at it as I work on the mate.














Usually I don't do the whole shoe on the same day as I have a tendency to squish one part while concentrating too much on another area.... arrrghhhh !!...that is so annoying.

This clay takes a day to cure ...so I do some more on the second day and hopefully by the third I can begin to paint them.... doesn't always happen...but often does if all goes according to my loosely woven plan.....

Wordless Wednesday

..one small donkey's view of the world

I'd like you to meet my friend, Sheaffer. He's a very special little guy...not to mention very funny. I can't remember exactly how I found him...or his blog...but, I did. It was probably just that I got lucky in my "blog hopping" one day. Lucky because it is so funny to read some of his posts that I have tears running down my face.

Have you ever found a blog that just pulls you in and you have to go back to the very beginning to find out how it all began..?. that was Sheaffer's for me. I laughed my head off at some of the posts... and then read them to Mr. BumbleVee and we both cracked up. But, in my backwards scrolling and reading I also discovered that life is not easy for some little donkeys... some of it is pure hell because of miserable, stupid, humans. Honestly, some days I just hate people. No wonder I'm a happy hermit.

Anyway...not to make this a rant, but just to let you know that some folks have donkeys and don't treat them right... same as lots of people have cats and dogs and other pets and don't do right by them either....it happens every day all over the world.

Sheaffer and his woman have been instrumental in efforts on behalf of donkeys in their area... and in particular on behalf of donkeys rescued and now living at Primrose Donkey Sanctuary....

This weekend is Sheaffer's birthday and he is having a big party. With hats, treats, games like pin the butt on the humans..oh, just a minute, I think they decided against that one......and all sorts of fun happenings. If you live anywhere near Mount Albert, Ontario.... why not try to get to it? Pea... Sue... Dolores?... do you live near them? You're all invited. If I lived closer I would be there for sure...I'd love to scratch some mini donkey ears and hobnob with the horse and donkey lovers .... but, it costs as much for me to fly to Ontario as it would to fly to England if you can believe it! so, that's out...

I'll have to rely on the woman to take photos and post them on his blog ... but, I did send a little embassador in my stead.... because there is also a silent auction to raise money for the sanctuary and other donkeys. It was a way I could add some fun and perhaps a little help dollar wise for this special cause even from a distance. Sheaffer's woman found a little "Fauxbearge Egg" as she calls it, for Tuffy to sit in...like a little throne.... hahahha.... too funny. If the auction is an annual event...then next year I will be aware of the timing and have several items ready to go.

Sheaffer has plenty of buddies and "inmates" at his site..... cats, a dog, other equines... all blog fodder for Sheaffer's wit ..... especially his poor woman .... hilarious ...

Perhaps some day you'll have a few extra bucks burning a hole in your wallet ... especially Canadians and Ontarians.. (even Canadian Tire dollars are useful) ... here's a way to help .... and it's not just donkeys either ... the sanctuary has cats, dogs, and pot-bellied pigs too... Sheila does her best for any animal in distress.










Tuffy in his "Fauxbearge" egg.... Sheaffer says he looks like a small, benevolent despot.... oh, I sure hope somebody gets the bidding going and he is able to make some money for Sheila at the sanctuary..... he's only 2 and half inches tall, but he does have a pretty big personality.....

Photo a week...

Yesterday it was bra and t-shirt weather... I finally even dug out a pair of wrinkly gardening shorts when my legs got too hot in my black cords.
It was +21 C.
But, that was yesterday.

This morning I had to run a few errands and it was padded winter bra, thick cotton cami, long sleeve turtle neck under a cable knit sweater and I even zipped my fleece lining back inside my ski jacket... it was -1 C. The snow and sleet was pelting me as I sprinted for the old van.
This is today.
You know how everybody has the same old saying?...if you don't like our weather, just wait 5 minutes. I think we have it over all of them... hands down.....















It was up and down all week... going from double digits to low single ones... didn't get to golf on Wednesday ..it was only +3 C. My daffs bloomed while I wasn't looking. Who wants to be out there lying on their stomach in + 3C ?

Actually I didn't know til I drove away mid week and noticed some peachy yellow heads giving me the nod from beside the warmth of the patio wall..... aha! Now, I have daffodils ladies.... but, it's too darn cold to be out there admiring them. I hope they make it through this day... perhaps it will smarten up tomorrow.

I didn't mind the grey/ rain/sleet/snow/snowpellet day....but, I sure did feel sleepy by afternoon.... kind of nappish if you know what I mean. I could hardly walk past a bed without wanting to jump in... but, I did resist, and am finally ready to head off there now.

Didn't get anything done at all on my doll...
..........tomorrow......... must.do.legs.tomorrow.

fingers for Friday around here....

After "wordless Wednesday"...it easily became another wordless day... or maybe we could start something like "thoughtless Thursday".... and just put up a picture. Now, here it is already "frantic Friday" ...hahhaha... or for those lucky so and so's with cats... Furry Friday.....

Doesn't seem like I have much to show for my week. Another sped by... at warp speed, yet again. However, I have been putzing on my latest doll..... don't want to show much of her yet.....
As usual for me, when I am designing one... it is a lot of hit and miss with sizing of appendages ..... this is about the fourth set of hands. Surprisingly they have all just looked too tiny against the patterned fabric I'm using for her dress, even though I have done bodies and hands about the same size ratio as this in the past and I thought at that time they looked alright... ... strange....

Sometimes when I am stitching around the tiny fingers, the pattern paper lifts off a bit... very annoying... because then it means I have to hold it down... hopefully in the correct place and try to stitch around loose fingers. Yesterday I tried this trick instead. Whipped out my trusty mini iron, plugged it in.. put a piece of fabric under the one I was stitching on...and ironed the sticky paper backing into position on my fabric again .... right there on the sewing machine. Hah! getting smarter in my old age... that made things much easier.




















I don't use that little iron for much...but, when I do need it... boy, it comes in handy.

One caution::::: don't grab it by anything but the nice cool handle. That lovely shiny rod part?...is damnably hot!!

Wordless Wednesday

Photo a week...

Am I dangerously close to making this into a food blog?... when I already have one of those ??

Sorry.... but, had to show you my healthy version of strawberry shortcake... with Sweet Tea Biscuit dough (no eggs) baked into large rustic scone shapes (instead of cake) ... and frozen no-fat yogurt instead of whipped cream...which if you haven't tried it is pretty darn yummy.... and well, hey...the strawberries are absolutely real....and lovely and sweet!











It looked too pretty to pass up . .. and so it became the perfect photo of the week.


Oh, and Helen?... the bun recipe is over there...it looks long at first glance but don't forget how narrow that column is...it is actually pretty simple and they are worth a try. I finally found a great Kaiser bun/roll recipe too...and will post that very soon.

Wordless Wednesday

Monday, bun day.....

it's okay, honest... I do know it's Tuesday, but it sounded kinda catchy don'tcha think? ... and it was supposed to be for Monday's Photo of the Week post ...so..... there ya have my reasoning.










Kaiser buns were what I wanted when I began today's (er... yesterday's) venture. Lately, I haven't been able to find any big, slightly chewy, crusted Kaisers. I want a man size bun with superior taste and holding quality ..... and by that I mean one that holds together well ...for the tastiest, big, juicy BBQ'd burger. Why have they stopped making them? Now...there are only tiny Kaiser knock-offs.... .but, they are the size of dainty dinner buns and don't hold a candle to the buns of a year or so ago......

No Kaisers in my bread books either. What gives? I should have gone directly to the computer to search for some...but, instead perused my baking books and found one that sounded like it might have some of the same characteristics of a Kaiser...and started them. While waiting for the poolish to bubble, (they say that is a French technique, but it is the strangest French word I've ever seen) Okay, I went for the Wik link and discovered it was begun in Poland and taken to France..hence the name. Learn something new everyday.
Finally discovered a great Kaiser recipe with lots of pictures and information.... sigh....... too late... I was already on with my own dough by then. However, downloaded 9 pages of info and will be trying them this week too. :::mental note to self ...**buy printer ink..it is registering empty.

How I wish I could be standing there right beside a professional baker... emulating the techniques.... the hand movements... holding my mouth just right, or whatever it takes to get the same perfect smoothness to bread and buns. There's gotta be something........
My buns don't have quite the same look...but, ohhhhhhhhhhhh ....!! We need Smellavision or Scratch 'n' Sniff on here....... mmmmmmm..... you would all be drooling on the keyboards..... and the taste !! Soooo good!
We were having them for supper with some lovely home made soup...but, I couldn't wait. Had to open one ...check the crumb... savour the steamy aroma and slather on a little butter...which melted and ran off onto my fingers and the plate and counter.... because I absolutely had to eat one hot out of the oven. When it was time for supper..... I just had soup...lol...... couldn't have stuffed in another bun, cuz as I mentioned...these are man-size.











Mine versus the pros..... sort of, but not quite the perfect clone....

And not a Kaiser either. These are lovely soft buns... a bit of crispness to the crust and very yummy...but, just not a Kaiser. Next time....

ooooooh........ lovely 16 degrees... Celsius...

tomorrow...... + 19C....wheeeeee......
We don't really get much "spring". It jumps straight out of the snow banks directly into summer. It went from this...











to this...in just over a week. The ladybugs are still quietly sleeping under twigs, near rocks.. under old, dead, warm ground cover. It seems rude to roust them just yet.... so far it's a sort of gentle tidy .... leaving lots of coverlets of dry old leaves....... but, after hearing that Rachel was out having such fun planting spuds already...I had to get my hands a bit dirty. Did a few long stretches reaching for dried old lily and iris stalks.... the glutes and hamstrings felt it.... squatted around the edges for a bit....my knees know darn well I was squeezing them... high stepped over the still barren Daphne shrubs.. the quads and abs said thanks. There, don't have to do a workout today then and actually got a bit of spring cleaning done in the front garden.











...... it sure doesn't look like much right now, but, "just you wait, 'Enry 'Iggins, just you wait!"
I'll have blooms and I'll have flowers.... oh, I'll while away the hours...just you wait......

I take it back! .... already!

I take back my complaining and bad mouthing of the city. Even if just those of us who regularly recycle do it this way instead of the old way.... I'm seeing that much more will get into the blue bin and less into the regular garbage can and therefore less goes to the landfill site.














My blue bin ... remember it? the one that got delivered a while back? Well, it came with instructions and dates....and they won't be doing the first round of pick ups til May 12. I thought they would be picking them up the first Tuesday after we received them..but..no....they must be waiting til folks get a reasonable amount of recyclables in them. Hahahah....they better not wait too long or every single one will be out on the first pick up date. Mine is full already and I have an almost full tote bin in the garage waiting til after the first empty! Well, in fairness I did have a bagful of flattened and de-labeled tins to take to the big recycle bins at Rona. And, I did have a boxful of advertising flyers..... some dating back several months.. and I also had quite a pile of flattened cardboard ...just sitting there.... waiting.... for me to take to the big bins.... and then... I cleaned out the garage one nice day. So. it's full.

There are new and easier rules....for one... labels don't have to be removed. How much simpler that makes things. And.. now, I find myself looking under every single container for the recycle symbol and numbers... 1 through 7 are acceptable. I'm finding there are a lot more I could have been recycling, although some do have a 9 .. I guess those are not acceptable at the moment.














People could easily make the recyclables less too...by using more fresh foods. The packaging is so ridiculous isn't it? What a pile of junk we create. I actually bought a little box of simple cookies to dip in tea...cuz I didn't have any biscotti and was not in a baking mood.... just felt like having a cookie... plastic and more plastic... good grief! What's wrong with just cardboard and cardboard dividers? So much easier and takes up so much less space. Meats....I think meat counters in grocery stores should go back to wrapping our meats in lovely old fashioned paper...instead of those horrible styrofoam and plastic shrink-wrapped containers that look like they have a mini pad in the bottom to sop up the blood and water ..oh, and to make them weigh more too by the time they weigh and price things.... I hate the feel of styrofoam..it squeaks ... it seems to grab my skin.... it sends shivers up my spine. Worse than fingernails on a chalkboard... ick.... I'm not complaining about the blue bins today...but, anyway.... just sayin'...... and just complaining... in general.....