Moments In Time

As the moments of 2010 fade into memory...


May the brightness of the New Year guide you with health and prosperity...

Welcome 2011.

The Magic of Winter

" Winter is a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour "
- John Boswell


The season of Winter has arrived...


we shall embrace its beauty,


endure its hardships,


and always think forward to Spring...

Merry Christmas!

*winter pictures taken by my daughter in Calgary, Alberta!

Simplicity

Even though Mother Nature has revealed her less gentle side as her prelude to Winter, her presence evokes one to see the beauty she presents as well....


Not wanting or even attempting to upstage her perfection I enjoy the simplicity of the season. A welcoming wreath with birch bark accents enticing visitors to the door...


A handmade knitted nest ornament with a snowfairy mouse.


Simple antique child's stockings waiting in anticipation to be filled.


And of course I've been busy knitting (watching Nature from the cozy warmth inside). A bag to be felted from Noro Kureyon yarn. (Similar to the one in the background knitted in Malabrigo yarn only bigger)


Stay warm!

* Ferris wheel at the Festival Of Lights Niagara Falls Ontario.

Enticement

Rarely effected by a shortage of words, I find myself visiting more than writing with this online journal...


Honouring the Holiday season with a richness of simplicity I enjoy connecting with other creative individuals sharing their knitting, quilting, crafting and decorating their homes with a little enticement from Nature and oodles of vintage finds.


All this inspiration has me busy filling the arriving Winter evenings with fun and creativity...

Beauty

I am surrounded by bountiful vineyards...


acres of fruit orchards and fields. Protected by great bodies of water....



and at this time of year plenty of greenhouses.


I escaped for a few hours to be enveloped by the most beautiful of flowers and plants for the Holiday season.



* The frilly white petals of a new variety of cyclamen.
* Ice wine grapes awaiting the frigid temperatures to be harvested.

Inevitable

The early morning dew along the banks of the river has been replaced by the glistening of frost...


The vines along the fence stand naked to the wind...


The sky seems bluer and the clouds are dancing in from the north...



November is upon us and thoughts turn to warmth by the fireside and keeping one's hands busy...


transforming beautiful yarn with the rhythmic repetition of a simple stitch harmonized by the clicking of the needles into something that borders on the edge of decadence...

* A snood for the cool November winds.
* A shawl I'm working on in mohair.

A Blessed Place

As I travel across the countryside amongst the quaint little villages from auction site to appraisal appointment there is one presence that is constant among them... each has a blessed place.



Most are small in stature, built either of white clapboard, brick or stone... perhaps in the last century or early 1900's.

The colourful lead paned glass that adorns one or more windows is a tribute to a wealthy village merchant among the congregation or a prosperous harvest yielding donations....


Each has shared its tranquil surroundings to witness the baptism of babies, the union of a dedicated couple or the respectful farewell of those on their final journey...

Silent Witness

The passage of time and the changing of the seasons is part of our everyday lives...


Not far from where I live stands a mighty sugar maple tree,


recognized to be the oldest of its kind in the entire country of Canada.


Massive in size, one can only imagine all she has witnessed and survived...



Maddie seems intrigued by the fact that this spot makes a wonderful place to ponder all the maple syrup the tree would have produced to smother pancakes over the centuries...

Hidden Beneath

As Nature sheds her crimson cloak, there are secrets revealed beneath that linger on the branches...


Infatuated by the perfection of small birds' nests I indulge myself by collecting a few abandoned ones...

During the coldest of Winter's days they also will remind me that Spring will soon follow...



With the onset of cooler weather I'm indulging another passion... knitting a lovely cowl of beautiful superfine alpaca and wool Araucania yarn named Liwen.

Mementos and Treasures

Working for an auctioneer affords me the unique opportunity to travel through time...



from past to present.


As is with most estate sales, one can glimpse into an individuals lifetime; an accumulation of tokens, mementos and treasures...


items they felt worthy of collecting or preserving.


Tucked away, displayed or coveted, each is a reflection of an era in our lifetimes...

* Items from an estate coming up for auction in October.

Shades of Autumn

Some things occur that bring gladness to our hearts...


such is the colours of Autumn....


Buttery yellows, sunshine oranges and ghostly whites are some of the shades found in this years crop of gourds from my garden.


Even my knitting reflects the beauty of the landscape, from the subtle hue of the grape, to the ochre and taupes of the field...such a glorious season to enjoy.