Across the road, up the hill and into the orchard. Even fruitless the trees offer us plenty. There’s been some pruning going on so hopefully the sun filled peaches won’t weigh the branches down too heavy as last year. i’ve been meaning to gather some cherry wood for more building blocks. i have procrastinated once again but hopefully there will be some dried branches when i return next.

it was well past bed time and that pink in the sky invited us all for one last wander up the hill to gather long grass and to take in the view. We had to leave early the next morning and we weren’t yet satisfied.

sigh. it’s over already and so fast.

(i know i took too many photos and editing out was hard so i included many)

it was this little one’s 1st birthday which prompted the Spring visit to the Okanagan. it was a chilly afternoon, an awesome party and bbq near the lake with all the little ones taking over the playground and lots of familiar faces to connect with - love that - i wish i’d taken more photos and planned for more time away to get more visits in. more please;

proud parents, friends and cupcake baker (delicious N! Little A ate parts of 3 of them);

little gal’s big brother;

my buds from waaaaay back when (plus the little Z);

another day, another brunch and more visiting;

some solo time around town, taking in some favorite views;

Grandma and Bestafa have chickens so we call it a farm. While we were visiting they added 30 laying hens and a rooster to their 13. it was some kind of hootenanny. They mostly live in a coop - bigger than the one they originally came from so i don’t feel so bad for them. The cleverest ones escape and run freely about the yard dusting themselves in the garden, digging up and pecking away anything freshly planted. They can really do some damage. Between them and the deer i don’t know how a garden ever grows there. it was a good game though, chasing and coaxing them back to the coop. Little A’s squeals were of pure delight.  if moulting and the idea of cleaning the poop didn’t creep me out so much i’d say a hen would make a fine and fun pet (i hear there’s been a new law passed that allows us to raise chickens in the city). Some of the ladies, as i like to call them, are currently moulting which i guess explains the variation of egg sizes and quantities.They sure are funny little friends.

Little A’s cat Happy has grown in size and not wits. While we were there he climbed himself up a 50 foot pine and spent 2 nights up there before figuring his way down again. Poor guy was more in need of cuddles than of food and water. Little A followed him around every other moment and claims the kitties to be the highlight of his entire trip. The deer and wild horses ranked pretty high too but he couldn’t pet them so interest was more quickly lost.

Another highlight was playing with his friend Claire. He loves her. the 2 of them raced and played in and out of the corn field and vineyard, made up games, explored, worked out mild differences and laughed themselves silly.  it was awesome.

i sure wish we could bring home that magic of friendship.

i’m certain i didn’t find this beauty when i actually lived in the Okanagan but each year i return and despite the season it raptures me in all it’s bleak and yet fascinating detail. i did not find asparagus. it is too early still (good excuse for another return sooner than later).  Not much is growing green here yet and the deer are munching away on what tender new growth there is. i did find burdock thistles, sticky things but not prickly or dangerous as the jumping cacti. The remains of the corn field were a playground for daily adventures and explorations. The photos do not do it justice but i like them still.

more to come….

While papa bear is away doing papa bear things, grandma P and i are pitter puttering about in the studio in to the wee hours. i have some events that i’m readying myself for, building up stock once again. this is much harder to do on those brighter days when the sun beckons me out and away. making a mess is essential and leaving the mess to return to is a bit of a luxury. i love having the space to leave my messes.

for me it’s the beginning of birthday season. From now until July there seems to be at least one birthday each week and come May i think a group of us cover close to 2 weeks of consecutive celebrations.

caught in bunting flag photo shoot action from Little A’s Sunday photo files;

i still need to take some detail shots before i can post any bunting in the shop but that will happen next week as we’re taking a wee break and heading to the Okanagan in search of sun, asparagus and other Spring events such as a little one’s very 1st birthday - looking forward to it all.

on the topic of birth and days… little O is  a big sister, S is a mommy times 2 and i got myself a good dose of newbie cuddles with little J.  xo. grandma P and little A stayed home to mow and rake and get up to their usual silliness.

totally random, i know. i’m ever so sleepy. goodnight.

it was a dark and wet morning made bright by colored eggs and a big fat smile on my little one’s face as he opened his Easter bunny. We are delighted with this trade made with Fiona. i have been lusting after one of her handmade friends a long long while and finally, in good time, we welcome Clover.

We also welcome grandma P who has come to stay for a week or so (we’ll see how long we can keep her here).  i’ll spare you my horribly dark indoor egg hunting shots and share instead some dizzy, puddle, and music fun shots with Auntie and Uncle James who joined us for brunch. All in all a good celebration and not too sugared up either.

The sun has returned and i must get out before it clouds over again…

you get a hammer and i’ll get a nail

and you catch a bird and i’ll catch a snail

you bring a board and i’ll bring a saw

and we’ll build a house for the baby-o

bling blang, hammer with my hammer

zingo, zango, cutting with my saw

i’ll grab some mud and you grab some clay

so when it rains it won’t wash away

we’ll build a house that’ll be so strong

the winds will sing my baby a song

run bring rocks and i’ll bring bricks

a nice pretty house we’ll build and fix

we’ll jump inside when the cold wind blows

and kiss our little baby-o

you bring a ladder and i’ll get a box

build our house of bricks and blocks

when the snowbird flies and the honeybee comes

we’ll feed our baby on honey in the comb

it’s the song (woody guthrie) that came to mind today as i watched the boys out back building a garden.

 there are ample egg projects going on at the moment.

saving some and  crushing some;

still life and new life;

some natural dyeing - we boiled a pot of red cabbage for blue eggs and a pot of yellow onion skins for brown. i did try to dye some of these in cold water so that i could blow the eggs out afterward  but the colors were not as vibrant. i was surprised that the play silk i tossed in with the cabbage mix came out purple instead of blue. it’s a perfect shade for Easter. i like it. i also made a brownish orangish one in the onion skin mix that suits Autumn more.

some Easter love in the mail from Kiki. we love this sweet and soft little egg cozy/wee nest/mousie hat;

i hope you all enjoyed a sunny weekend. i have to admit that i spent a good deal of time in the studio, busy with some nice wholesale orders.  i should have a lot to show for it, but no, i was mostly puttering, in and out of the groove.  At least it’s a bright and sunny room. We did get out to visit the ducks and the bunnies again. That’s always a good adventure, even better with friends.

there were lots of bunnies hopping about and i’ll spare you the many photographs i took but this one cracks me up as i think he looks just like little A when he’s trying to hide;

Today was an incredibly warm Spring day. it felt so good. It is such a luxury to have this great back yard and deck where we spent a good part of the afternoon, busy with several projects all at once, in and out of the house, gathering and returning items. The little one made his own lunch. When did this happen? He’s all grown up…just went to the cupboard and the fridge, got what he wanted and needed…i could get used to this.

i have some new crowns with new trims in the shop (more to come in the next weeks). i also have received the 2nd order of 100% wool felt sheets available upon request for your own creative designs and projects;

Spring Bird;

Snow White;

 Easter Bunnies (on SALE);

Ballet Dancers;

Thank you to everyone who ordered from my first order and for reordering this 2nd time around.  i really love to see the projects that you are working on. Here are a couple favorites to share;

Kikiknits bodum cozies;

little bird designs;

Julie’s awesome whale!