March 1, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 36 Comments

Quilting Retreat

The view from the lodge where we have the quilting retreat is gorgeous, even with snow, which always seems to hit us for the February retreat.

Inside the lodge, in the new section (below), quilters have their machines set up at the far end and tables are set up for meals at the closer end. See the buffet-style serving area in the middle by the posts.

Next to the new part is the older section of the lodge, with carpet instead of hardwood flooring. The quilters on this side are closer together, but they each have their stations that they use every time they come to a retreat. The banter and chatter is cozy and friendly, and the quilters share new ideas.

Some of their finished products are hung on the railing of the loft. Sometimes just the flimsy (the top of an unfinished quilt) is hung up, and the less creative finishing work is done later, at home.

More quilts.

My project of fish placemats was very time consuming and I haven’t finished them yet, but I’ll post them when I get them done.

When I came home, I had a short (maybe 10-minute) ferry ride from Quadra Island to Vancouver Island, but the sky and sea were all one snow-filled mass. See the bits of snow still sitting on the roofs of other vehicles? I took this picture from inside my truck.

Looking out one of the ferry’s side windows, I could see the white caps blowing off the tops of the waves. The ferry swayed side to side as it battled the pull of the tide near Seymour Narrows while the wind blew in the opposite direction.

I had a white-knuckle 45-minute drive home on a snowy highway once I got off the ferry, but I felt safe in my truck, and was glad we had invested in good tires.

February 21, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 33 Comments

No Leaping This Year

Lincoln is winding up here, ready to leap into the fray. Doesn’t he know that 2023 is not a leap year?

A year has 365 and 1/4 days, but how do you have a quarter of a day? We make up for it by having 365 days in our calendar every year, but every fourth year we add one day to even things out.

Next year (2024) will be a leap year, so it will have 366 days (one extra day in February).

Lincoln is not going to leap this year. He’s just getting warmed up.

Only 28 days in February this year, so those poor fellows who were born on February 29 don’t get to have a birthday this year. Someone born on February 29, 2000, would 24 years old next year, but they will only have had six birthdays.

I’m told they celebrate their birthdays on March 1 on the non-leap-years.

Told it’s not a leap year now,

I will practice anyhow.

Getting fit and into shape,

Flying leaps will make them gape.

Look for me in just one year,

I’ll leap branches without fear.

Leaping Lincoln, here I come,

Hope I don’t land on my … er … fanny.

February 16, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 58 Comments

Set the Table

When I was quite young, my mother taught me how to set the table. I think it’s something that most parents teach their children as soon as they’re able to help out. Sometimes children ask:

Which side does the knife go on?

Which side for the fork?

Which way should the knife be turned,

Ready to eat pork?

Sharp side in or sharp side out?

How close to the plate?

What if there’s a spoon as well?

Can you tell me, mate?

So I decided to come up with a way to make it easier for a child to learn to set the table. Somewhere I had seen a set of placemats that showed exactly where to put the cutlery and where to put the plate.

At the same time, it was a good way to learn what the primary colours (red, yellow, and blue) were. The green was a bonus.

I made these quite a long time ago (eight years), but as I looked through some old photos, I came across them. Since I’m going to a quilting retreat next week, I thought I’d share these with you. I didn’t use a pattern to make the placemats. They’re quite simple. But I did cut out the shapes for the plates and the cutlery using cardboard tracers.

February 13, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 46 Comments

Love, Love, Love

Because it’s February and Valentine’s month, along with my fish placemats, I plan to make some more heart placemats at the upcoming quilting retreat.

Did you see the movie with Adam Sandler where he frequently says, “Love, love, love”? He says it with a sigh, or as if people are making too big a deal of love, but really he wishes he could make the girl fall in love with him. I don’t know which of his many movies it was, but I remember him being on the beach being a bartender in a little beach bar.

Anybody know which movie I’m talking about? I just don’t remember. All I remember is that every once in a while, he’d say, “Love, love, love,” as if it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

On Valentine’s Day we like to show the special people in our life that we really do love them.

But shouldn’t we do that every day? How should we do that?

Here are a few ideas.

Good relationships have a lot of give and take. The thing is, it’s not meant to be “one gives and the other takes.” You both have to give and take, equally.
No good keeping score and saving up Brownie points. Just go for it, and be good to each other.
Work towards a common goal. If you are working against each other in life’s goals, it’s not going to work. For example: If one makes the money and the other just spends it, it’s not going to work. Or if one always messes up the house and the other one always cleans it, it’s not going to work.
Allow your partner his/her own space; time to pursue some creative hobbies or quiet time on their own.
Say something nice to your partner every day.

Lastly, I was reminded the other day about how dogs behave when their owner returns after having been away for a while. If you’ve ever owned a dog, you might have noticed how they jump around and sometimes yip and bark and whine, or roll on their back hoping for a belly rub because they’re so happy to see you.

Wouldn’t it make your partner feel good if you showed how happy you were to see them when they come home? You don’t have to bark and yip, or roll on the floor with joy, but … well … you get the picture.

Happy Valentine’s Day

February 11, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 45 Comments

A New Bird

About 100 ft. from my house stands a maple that has seen better days. The woodpeckers peck holes into the trunk, and it’s a wonder that the tree hasn’t lost more limbs in the recent windstorms.

Still, I love to see the woodpeckers, and I always have my camera handy for bird sightings. When I spotted this one on the maple this morning, I grabbed the camera and rushed out onto the deck to snap a photo. I closed the sliding door quietly.

“Please don’t fly away until I get a picture,” I whispered.

He didn’t fly away, so I snapped some more. Still he didn’t fly.

“This is great,” I thought. The squirrels were chattering noisily just then, and I assumed that the woodpecker hadn’t heard me tiptoeing out onto the deck.

But then I thought, “That’s strange. He should have flown by now. Or at least pecked at the bark. But he’s just sitting there. Maybe he’s sick.”

I brought the camera in and uploaded the photos onto the laptop. Then I could see the bird more clearly. I wasn’t sure what kind it was. Maybe not a pileated woodpecker, after all. He seemed to have morphed into something else.

A broken off branch surrounded by the maple’s tears?

February 6, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 58 Comments

Something Fishy

In a couple of weeks, I will be going to a quilting retreat. It’s a chance to do three days of sewing without having to stop to clean the house, make dinner, and wash dishes.

It has been since before Covid that I have been to one of these working holidays and I was at a bit of a loss as to what project(s) to take with me to work on.

Four years ago, I sewed the placemats you see in this post, meaning to take them as gifts to friends in Montana, but with the border closed for a long time, the placemats were put on the shelf for later, and later, and later. I almost gave up on the gift idea and was going to use them myself, but they didn’t feel as if they really belonged to me. They were destined for Montana.

Along comes a quilting retreat that I’m able to attend for the first time in several years. It will be the perfect time to make a set of these fishy placemats for the Captain and myself.

Here is the first one I made, rather oversized, but okay to use as a table center. You can see that I got carried away with my imaginary fish. That’s Darth Vader’s cousin on the top right.

No such fish exist, as far as I know, but it was fun to make up some “pretend” fish to swim in and out of the seaweed.

A few turtles swam past as I was sewing. Some stayed to visit.

Some of the placemats have rocks near the ocean floor. Maybe I’ll put some clams and crabs in the next set. Sea urchins might be fun to add as well, and who knows what else might live there in the depths? Maybe a squid or two? In this case, the sky really is the limit.

I hope to have a new set of fishy placemats to show you in a few weeks.

January 30, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 30 Comments

The Enforcer

Hi Folks! This is King Goldie Sr. speaking. While little Prince Goldie Jr. is over there charming Bossie Betty and enjoying a warm dust bath, it’s up to me to keep the ladies in line. Not only do I have to make sure their henhouse gossip doesn’t get out of hand, but I’m responsible for their welfare in every way.

I make sure to sound the alarm if predators come around, so they can all run for cover.

I make sure there’s no “bock-bock-bock bickering” going on.

And yes … sigh … it’s up to me to make sure they eat right. They all have to get their fruit and vegetables or they won’t be up to the work of laying the best eggs in my kingdom.

So come on, my pretties, eat your veggies. You can scratch for grain any time, but these special veggies are a real treat. And if I hear any bickering, I’ll remind you to look at the enforcers on my legs. But don’t worry. They’re mainly to defend my kingdom, not to hurt my ladies. Just “cock-a-doodle-do” as you’re told.

Pretty nice set of enforcers, don’t you think?

Ladies! Ladies! Stop the squawk!

All I hear is “Bock-bock-bawk.”

Dinner’s served and it won’t last,

Want your veggies? Get here fast.

Stop the bock-bock-bickering,

Stop your silly dithering,

Veggies, leafy, green, and good,

Healthy fare, it’s understood.

I’ll stand guard so you can eat,

Cabbage, celery, and beet,

In the morning you will lay,

Eggs of quality, I pray.

As for me, I have my job,

While I pick at this corn cob,

But if danger here occurs,

I’ll protect you with my spurs.

January 28, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 32 Comments

Bossie’s Depression

“Prince Goldie,” said White Betty. “Just look here. First rays of sunshine this year, and I think Bossie Betty is depressed. She’s dug herself a hole so deep she’ll never get out. Can’t you make her get up?”

“She doen’t seem to be listening to me. Not paying attention to the pecking order at all,” Goldie said. “I tried crowing and she just scrunched her eyes shut and ducked her head down.”

“Ooooh! That’s bad, if she’s ducking. She doesn’t even know she’s a chicken anymore. Well, that’s just ducky! I give up on her. I’m leaving.”

“Aw, c’mon! Don’t chicken out, Betts. We can’t just leave her there.”

“Don’t you worry, my pretty Bossie Betty. I’ll stay with you. Right here in this nice sunny spot … ahhhh…. Oh, this is ni-i-i-ice. No wonder you didn’t want to move,” crowed Goldie. “So warm! And the earth smells so wonderful, so dry and aromatic after a winter of wet muck. Yes, I could get used to this.”

“Would you like to go bowling, Goldie?” Bossie asked.

“Bowling?”

“Yes. Dust bowling. It’s like a beautiful bath and the sun warms you at the same time.”

“I see what you mean, Bossie. Ah yes, it’s fit for a prince. Better than playing in a mud puddle, that’s for sure.”

*****

The chickens squawked out a rhyme today:

After weeks of muck and rain,

Icy cold, depression, pain,

I can see the sun again,

Winter doldrums start to wane.

Nothing like some rays of sun,

Pecking grubs outdoors is fun,

Tasty food for everyone,

Sunshine ’til the day is done.

Bathing in a bowl of dust,

Getting cleaner is a must,

With my hairdo I have fussed,

Now it’s cleaner, only just.

We are happier today,

Sun is out and we can play,

Hope that this will be the way

Sunshine finds us every day.

January 24, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 38 Comments

Where is She?

Has anyone seen Anneli? She hasn’t posted anything for quite a few days. Is she okay? I’ve been keeping my eyes open for her in between pecking for bugs, but I haven’t seen a glimpse of her. Anyone…?

I don’t know what’s going on,

Anneli seems to be gone.

I keep on looking out for her,

Time to make a post I’m sure.

It isn’t like her to neglect,

All us birds, but what the heck,

Soon she’ll get it all together,

She’s just hiding from the weather.

Okay, okay, I’m here! It’s just that I’ve been up to the proverbial eyeballs lately, and I’m very busy with copy-editing, but I’ll be back soon. Meanwhile, hang in there, and please don’t kill that tree with all your pecking.

Talk to you soon!

Anneli

January 13, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 44 Comments

Who Says There’s No Free Lunch?

“Floyd! You’ve been at the suet block forever!” says Johnny Junco. “Don’t you think you should give me a turn?”

“Bah! Go eat the seeds I drop,” says Floyd.

Rufus and his Missus zoom in as soon as Floyd takes a break. “How is it?” asks Rufus.

“A lot of fat before you can get to the good stuff,” she says.

“Well, why don’t you get right into the cage?” Rufus says. “You’re slim enough.”

“Why thank you,” the Missus says. “How kind of you to say so. I hadn’t thought of that. But you stand guard in case Floyd or his girlfriend, Bossy Flossie, comes back.”

“I guess I’ll just have to pick at what drops on the ground,” Johnny says. “Those guys are just too big for me to take on. But at least there’s something for everyone.”