Back on The Island

Hello my blog friends! It's been a while. I'm not sufficiently rested for a long post. I've hardly slept. One of the cats kept me awake most of the night wanting petting and attention. I had a dental appointment at noon then had to get groceries. I'm bushed already.

My vacation was fabulous. The photo is of my grandson and I walking home from a stroll in the woods. He had gotten stuck in mud and it was better to walk home than put him in a vehicle. The dog did the same and rode in the trunk. We did not have very far to walk and it was a gorgeous day. I had such fun with the grandchildren. We baked cookies and I baby sat one night. I enjoyed a couple of grandmother chores which lots of grandparents get to do regularly. My sister gets to do those things and I'm quite jealous.

The weeks with my aunts and uncle were great as well. I completed a painting with my aunt the second week and though it was rainier the third week, being on a beach with my other aunt and uncle was fantastic! We had a family party on the last weekend so I got to see relatives without the restraints of a wedding or funeral. I think that's rare in this day and age with families spread all over. All the little ones change so much in a couple of years.

It seems as if Putfile is gone. I no longer have my files there. The site now opens to ebaumsworld. It was a good service for me while it lasted. I listened to a lot of jazz and classical the last week and here is something reminiscent. Here's Diana Krall with The Best Thing for You and Scala and Kolacny Brothers with Heartbeats. Both are beautiful.

My daffodils are beautiful too. I have the first bouquet of the year on the table and I'm off to enjoy them. See you tomorrow.

On Vacation

This is my last post for a bit unless I can sneak in an early one tomorrow. I'm off on a three week trip to see three sets of relatives. I've been packing all day and have only last minute tidbits for tomorrow.

I keep packing lists. I have one filed for craft shows, one for traveling out of the country and adventuring on your own, one for camping, one for work-specific trade shows; not crafts, one for teaching stained glass courses, one for women's festivals, and one for general packing. I file them away and use them but always add specific items for each trip. The current list has teddy bears, paint brushes, and catnip pillows; three items not on the general list but necessary for this trip.

My son is picking me up at the airport and the little children who live at his house will be asleep when we arrive back at his home. I will have to be strongly encouraged not to wake these sweet little humans. I'm their Grandma after all. Actually after this weekend of missing precious sleep, I know I will not wake them. I am going to preschool the next morning. I will probably be presented at Show and Tell as a fossil. This school visit is with the granddaughter who said to me when they visited this summer, " Show K (her brother) your funny face, Grandma."

I'm constructing my last CD, number eight. I did not leave quite enough time for this many so it's been hard to make them perfect which is my aim with eighty minute playlists. I still have till tomorrow to finish this last one so there is still hope. A CD has to have the right flow and feel for the theme. When I have to come up with two songs for the blog I sometimes have trouble. It is much harder to come up with eighteen or so.......that work perfectly together. Also, each is for a particular person. For instance, my son likes male vocalists more than female. My uncle does not like Ray Charles. It's something you take into consideration. I always ask people what they did not like rather than what they did like.

Today's songs are able to cover a wide range as the person to be gifted with this CD likes a wide range of music. Jazz, blues, folk, country, pop, alternative, singer/songwriter, dance and trance; this person likes it all. It ia also important to take into consideration where the music is listened to. Is the person sitting in their car, their house or on the beach.

Here are two cuts off this last CD I've worked on this week. The songs are not placed side by side by the way: No One Knows by Asa and Breathin' by the Boston band, The Camilo Project.

I will not have internet access for the last two weeks of the trip. I'm a bit worried about if I will survive this or not.

Rivers Rising

I pulled an all-niter and went to bed at 7:40 this morning. I wish I could say I was partying or having fun somehow. I was on flood watch or pump call, whatever term you'd use when your basement is flooded and you manually have to turn the pump off and on. Flooding is a pain semi-annually suffered by those who live in hollows. We had a tremendous melt and run off yesterday. There was water across many roads while I was driving around the countryside (that's my absence excuse) and levels very high in waterways. I had noticed how high my own pond was early in the morning.

Anyway, I'm not working in all cylinders. Anyone who knows me understands I like an order to my twenty-four hours. Deviations can be hard on me and one so extreme has fried my brain. I slept from 7:45 till noon and had another nap for an hour, waking at four-thirty. I can't even tell you how awful I felt before that nap. I feel better now.

Ha, I just returned from the main page of this blog to check something and find that I posted a gull on my last post as well. The last shot is a couple years old. Today's was from Friday.

Oh course we need music about rivers or floods and I have lots to choose from. It is a theme in music from the beginning. Love, as a theme in music, comes first and probably water is second. Here's Annie Lennox with Take Me to the River. I also have a treat for live music lovers; a bootleg cut of James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen song Springsteen's, The River. It's not a mastered recording so not as sharp but a nice concert feel. I would gladly have been there.

Town Birds

I had a wonderful day in town with friends. I was taking one friend to a 'birthday lunch' and another friend called just as I was leaving. He suggested a meeting of all concerned and several suggestions for a wonderful afternoon. The birthday girl had some appointments so the other friend and I went to a Home Show, a commercial spring ritual around these parts. There we met different friends and it was a fun spring afternoon. Yes, spring. Spring is here at last. It is wonderful. We lost our promise of sunshine today but it was still warm, T shirt weather for many.

I'm feeling a bit under the weather. My son was sick on the weekend with a mild flu and I have been headachy, a bit nauseous, and exhausted feeling the last couple of days. I'd say I got a mild version of his malady. Just not up to top form. I never get headaches and this one has been mildly present for several days. I'm sure I'll swing right out of it as usual.

Music, music. I just got home and haven't listened to any today to remind me of anything. Perhaps I'll be lazy since it's late and draw from the bank of songs already up here. I love the song, Company of Friends, by Danny Schmidt so much as I've said before, so to play it again is a pleasure. Dear, dear. Putfile has been reorganizing and recently some songs have been available and some have not. I like the song so much that I'll put it up on the new space too. Another of his fabulous songs fits right in to today as well. He talks about health: This Too Shall Pass. I really like him so will put that up again too.

Growing Up?

The snow storms have abated, at least for a few days. Long enough for me to get to town and take care of business. It was a sunny and warm day in town, absolutely beautiful. I was dressed too heavily but believe it or not I was glad at one point. As a friend and I were standing on the sidewalk beside my car, a car of teens went by, hit a pothole, and soaked us. I actually had to dry my hair and face. I had a long leather coat and long leather boots so my other clothing was saved. They rolled down a window and yelled sorry.

I continue in the education of tending my hair. I learned how to use a curling iron and electric rollers yesterday. They worked well and was told the curl should last three days. I got up this morning to my normal straight hair. It is all actually bringing back memories of my childhood and my mother attempting to do things with my straight hair. I had home perms and they had to stay on longer than everyone else's as my hair refused to curl. I remembered sleeping in brush rollers in high and junior high school. I believe I had blocked it all out. I had certainly never thought of it again in all these years.

I just moments ago finished my children's CD. I probably have played a few songs from it here already. Let's see. Taj Mahal's Fishin' Blues is one, Workin' In a Coalmine by Devo. I had a couple of Dan Hicks songs yesterday and another one of his cuts has made the kids album. His Hummin' To Myself is perfect for children too. The Garden Song by David Mallett is perfect as well. There are many, many more. I would say 80 percent of what I have on the CD has already played on this blog. That is making me wonder?!?! Nothing new today. I have to psychoanalyze this. Hmmmm....locking out childhood torture, having a predilection to children's music.......hmmmm.

Completely Covered in Snow

Many, many people on Prince Edward Island got their workouts today courtesy of Mother Nature. I neither danced or walked, no, I shoveled. We had very wet, heavy snow again this storm. Just like last week's, it was perfect for snowmen. We got more snow this week, about 30 cm. but the winds weren't as relentless for the second day like last week's two day run. Obviously, I canceled my appointment in town and luckily, was able to be rescheduled for the same time tomorrow.

I've not been complaining about the winter weather as most people have. I was so glad to be able to get out out this year, to shoot a camera, to drive, and get along without assistance. I am now though, registering an official complaint. I would like the snow to stop. I would like this morning's snow to be the last I see for this season. It's not a lot to ask. It is the last day of March afterall and spring is everywhere else south or west of us on the continent.

Continuing with my decision to show no more snow photos here is a little pig I got a shot of when I was visiting the Percheron horse and donkey on Saturday. There were several different breeds of pigs I'd never seen before. They're being grown organically and are all pre-sold.

I'm making a children's CD today so I will take from that for this post. Dan Hicks would have to make an appearance in any children's music I would come up with. My oldest grew up on Dan Hicks and Bob Dylan. He happened to lean more toward the Bob Dylan. I'm a Dan Fan. Here's his version of C'mon a My House, an oldie that he does best of all and The Euphoneous Whale which is his best song for children. A song that entranced me when I was a kid is included too but who knows how my grandchildren will react to it. Here's The Marvelous Toy by the Chad Mitchell Trio.

Update to yesterday's post: I neglected to add a link to the second song yesterday. I fixed that this morning if you missed it.

Goodnite from Istanbul

I know, I'm an ass for not showing up the last couple of days with no explanation or warning. I said I was on break and not posting turned out to be part of that. I've been on vacation and doing vacation things. The weather was really warm and beautiful for two days and I took advantage of the gift. I was only inside long enough to sleep. On Saturday I walked for hours in the countryside. This is not easy as it is mud season and walking can be a sticky situation.

After two days of wonderful weather we are having another Maritime-wide spring snowstorm. We are to get ten centimeters and I'd say that much has fallen already. I have an appointment in town tomorrow so hope it is over and I won't have to cancel. I won't be posting tomorrow because of the appointment. If I could have someone cook for me this mini vacation would be complete and awesome.

I've been making CD's all day and that is my plan for the first part of the week. I'll go until I'm done though so that timeline may change. I have at least four and possibly five more to do. I can usually only do three a day.

Some of the songs that are featured on the last of the three I made today are my two song choices for this post. Goodnite by Melody Gardot ends this one I made for my aunt and uncle. They're jazz lovers. I also have Istanbul by Paris Combo. I'm not sure if they will like this one but I like it a lot. Here's the Wiki article on Melody Gardot. The first link is to her own websitw which is not complete. The Wiki article is very interesting.

Spring Fling

I've decided I won't post snow photos for a bit. We need a good dose of colour. I think we are programmed to want colour at this time of year. It just comes a little late in Atlantic Canada. I hear the snow is almost gone in Ontario. They got the last storm we had in the form of rain. That makes a big difference. We need warmth and are supposed to get it tomorrow - eight degrees is the forecast. Yeah!!!!!!!

Kenz just left in a huff. She wanted up on the keyboard. I wanted her on the floor. The floor worked if I remembered to use her shoelace to occupy her but I kept forgetting to move it at regular enough intervals so she has unhappily left. She wanted more attention than I was providing.

I had weekly Friday afternoon Happy Hours for a few years. I feel like having one tonight. I didn't arrange it because I did not feel this urge yesterday. Even with all the snow on the ground, I think spring is in the air. The urge to sit on the deck, end the week with a few laughs, and have a few drinks with friends. Nothing wrong with that.

Bob Dylan always has the perfect song for every occasion. All I Really Want to Do is a good title for today. Since it comes from an old vinyl here's a tribute to vinyl -Viva La Vinyl from Twilight Hotel. Listen to that one to feel the Friday Happy Hour feel. It makes me want to dance and sway.

Chores of Spring

I've seen enough snow for the day so we are seeing a shot of my garden on May 12, 2006. I love that digital cameras record the time and date. It makes comparing times from year to year easy. I was looking at last year's photos at this time when my sister was here caring for me after surgery. We had about the same amount of snow in some places but less in others. The last one is my garden and in yesterday's you can barely see the rocks and tree.

My son got his great big heavy truck stuck this morning and after trying to get out slid over the bank backwards. Luckily he was stopped by a big tree. A tractor and I got him out this afternoon. It was stressful but it all worked out. I'm not comfortable with anything with a motor but he could not leave work.


It was lovely and warm today so I was out shoveling too. With the warmth, there is moisture and with moisture, the snow is very heavy. It was perfect snowman snow and tiring to shovel. Dan Auerbach has the perfect song for the occasion with Trouble Weighs a Ton. Another well covered song that would fit is The Weight. I like this version by Deana Carter. Check out the link. You can play her newest album and there are some good old songs on it.

Snowed In

A post with no time for talking. I do have a few photos of the blizzard we've had for the last two days. It snowed yesterday but not today but the wind was 60 - 80 km. per hour both days and the drifting was severe. My driveway was plowed out twice since this since this morning and sis in law had a terrible time leaving here after that. My son can drive through anything and will get down, then plowed out again before he gets up in the morning.



The above show approximately the same spot in around twenty six hours. It is still blowing like crazy as I write this thirty hours later.

Most of the ground was bare before this 'spring snowstorm'. Poor man's fertilizer, I explained in 2007. Ha, I found out I talked about it in 2006 as well. Anyway, we really got walloped this year, I think.





The music tonight will come from the past. Nothing new.

• Life Is So Peculiar - Louis Jordan & Louis Armstrong
• Gospel Plow - Old Crow Medicine Show
• Cold to Colder - Sasha Dobson
• Emotional Weather Report - Tom Waits
• Breathe - Sia
• Come In From the Cold - Marc Broussard

Springtime Snowstorm

Today, look at these daffodils from my garden from another year. I will show you some fresh ones later this spring too. Why? Because tomorrow I will show you photos of snow drifts that are the result of today's storm. We have had a raging blizzard all day. I took a few shots from a window but will wait till it's over to show the result of the whole day's wind. It has been wicked and you are going to be amazed at the huge drifts, as I am looking at them out the windows. I must say, It's a bit depressing.

I'm doing lots of chores in my relaxation/vacation mode. I am deleting photo files, making CD's, thinking about other chores that have to be done... It's a process, you know. The experiments with my hair continue and I realize I'm a bit more inept at it than I thought. Good thing I have elastics, barrettes, ties, scarves and other items to do something else when my experiment fails.

The lovely Sarah Vaughan has some perfect sentiments for today's weather. First, Snowbound and then, Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year about says it for the conditions throughout the Maritimes today.

Monday It Is

It is snowing. It is not unexpected to get snow in March, anytime in March, and sometimes in April in these parts. That's all I'm going to say about the weather for today. I am not going to scream or say nasty things to bruise your tender senses.

I'm feeling the need to have a few relaxing days so that's what I've been doing. I'm busy enough with some small jobs on the list each day but nothing major. It feels good. I did run some errands and I had a friend in today so I'm not entirely away from it all but I feel I am regarding deadlines or obligations. Mental health days, I've heard them called.

I've been enjoying watching the ducks on the pond. They are in 'fight for your territory' mode. I have two or three pairs of mallards and a pair of black ducks arrived overnight. They were pushed down to the far end of the pond several times today. It is interesting to watch and educational too.

I've got a couple of duets for the musical selections today. I heard a really great harmony on Kat's blog and went for all harmony songs on my playlist since I've sat down. Here's Marc Broussard and Leanne Rimes with When It's Good and a Bob Dylan song I played not long ago sung by The Byrds. This version of You Ain't Goin Nowhere is from Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

Sunday Sensibilities

To me, this photo is amazing because it shows the capabilities of my new camera. These spots of land in the distance are several kilometers away and the camera gave great detail handheld, without a tripod. I love my new camera. Thanks, O and J.

It was six degrees today and wonderful especially when the forecast was a high of two. This is where PEI suffers. It is always cooler here in spring than on the mainland after a winter when we are iced in. The ice is not thick, is breaking upn and we will soon be warm. That is what I'm telling myself anyway.

I have beef stew cooking that smells really divine. I thought a friend was coming to play Scrabble and dinner but she didn't show up. I didn't take a walk but sat out on the deck and it was really great. Spring has sprung.

I have a good old song. Two versions, The Skiffle Sessions and Jimmie Rodgers. Here's Frankie and Johnny, from 1904, which I found out from the linked Wiki article. Amazingly there are at least 256 recordings of it.

Update: I can't believe I used the same photo two days in a row. I guess you believe me when I say I liked it. Here's another photo of a later spring:

Winter Beach

This is my local beach today, the first full day of spring. I drove past the dogs and walked the rest of the way. There is still a lot of melting to do. We have had constant sun and lots of wind for over a week but it has been cold. The blue colour in the background is ice, not water, in case it is in question. We had quite a bit of melting already so if it warms up, spring will feel more like spring. It sometimes feels like the Maritimes never experiences spring, going from winter to summer in a short period. People from the rest of Canada remark on that when they spend their winters here.

We've had cold blue skies but we need warm rain. Lets get right to that with the music. Jenn Grant is from Prince Edward Island and has Blue Skies and Rainy Day to explain it all. Being here myself, I just ask for some warm rain.

Springing In on Friday, 20 March

Here is a photo of my finished window. There are objects behind it like a candle holder and box behind the blue and a piece of yellow glass in a holder behind the tree. The barn on the right in the hills is barely visible.

Kat, at Keep the Coffee Coming, spent her first morning of spring on the beach. I thought it was a marvelous idea. My walk to the beach was thwarted though, by dogs. I am terrified of dogs and there are several in residence on the road to the beach. I got just so far when every dog on the road smelled my fear and started to bark. I turned around. I think I will drive past the dogs tomorrow and then go to the beach.

It certainly is nice to see spring. My daffodils are about an inch out of the ground in my warm flower bed but there is still two feet of snow in my other flower garden. It is nice that way as I always have flowers from one bed earlier than the other. My Shutterchance blog is based in Britain and many Europeans have had fresh daffodil photos for a couple weeks now.

Hair trials are continuing. I used a different mousse today and more of it and the curls held longer. I believe the amount of mouse is important as is how long you hold the curling iron.

You probably don't have to guess about the music. I want to celebrate spring. Here is Ella Fitzgerald to help us do that with Spring , Greg Brown with Spring and All and Primavera (Spring in Spanish and Portuguese) by Mariza. Hello Spring! Glad you came.

Changes At Any Age

I finally changed the photos here to something new so now instead of stained glass, cedar waxwings or foxes, you get baby lambs for a few days at least. There is nothing as cute as a baby lamb. The above pure white lambs are triplets. There is a set of twins as well and they are spotted with brown.

I used a hair product (mousse) and a curling iron today for the first time in my life. It was not easy nor did the effects last. There was a bit of a wave after the attempt but an hour or two later, there is no sign of it.

When I was a kid my mother put home perms in my hair and had to leave them in longer than the directions because my hair would not curl. The smell and burning were terrible and this was forced upon me to make me like every one else. I think I made the decision way back then to not put chemicals and dyes in my hair. I did do a few perms in the late seventies but have never dyed my hair.

My window is finished now, cleaned and polished with a protective finish. As soon as someone comes by to hold it, I can get a photo. My son has been off in Boston since Friday and returns tonight so by tomorrow, if he gets home before dark, I will have a shot.

I've got a song for the new hair education. Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples do a fabulous talk and song with I'm Gonna Change My Way of Thinkin'. Something lovely too that fits in is I Taught Myself How To Grow by Ryan Adams.

Sheepish

My, my, I'm late again after taking a day off. It's like I need a day and a quarter to catch up. I had a date with my teenage neighbour at five to see the three week old baby lambs. They aren't newborns anymore but are still very cute. I helped my other neighbour with lamb chores for years until he gave up his farm. That neighbour was 94 yesterday and I visited him today too, in his nursing home.

I had my hair cut yesterday and really went out there and did something different. I've had long, straight hair for years and got it cut once a year to shoulder length. That usually translates to 6 inches. I had six inches cut yesterday but had it layered, much like I had in the seventies. Everyone likes it so far I guess. I have to learn how to use hair products and tools for the first time. I bought two hair products yesterday after a whole lifetime of never using any. It will be a learning curve for sure.

I wish my daughter were here. She knows everything about these girly things and I need her help. I've never blow dried my hair before, for God sakes, nor curling ironed it, or straightened it. A different friend actually gave me a curling iron and straightener yesterday. What have I done!?!?

I need some latin music. I don't have to dance since I went walking today. Rather than go into another room to put on a CD I will play this and dance anyway and spell wrong and have to go back and correct it and...

I picked a CD at random to play the other day and could not really remember it but realized what it was. It was called Gringo Music. It contained no latin music which was my only one. Here are a couple that I think aren't up. Na Cadencia Do Samba is a nice quiet samba offering from Cassia Eller and the classic Cielito Linda from Mariachi Vargas. I have many versions of this "anthem " to Mexico. My favorite is one that was removed by Putfile many moons ago. I will get it up again sometimes.

A couple more for putting up this long...Esa Noche from Cafe Tacuba and Maria Lando from Susana Baca from this post in April last year.

Update: My daughter called and I explained my hair dilemma. She is going to send help.

No Regrets

Every blog post since Saturday, 07 March, has had photos of foxes, glass, or birds. This post will not break that pattern. I got a couple dozen shots of the fox today. The cats were outdoors when I spotted her. I got the girls inside but not easily. Kenz came right in but Bella was her usual self and refused to let me pick her up outside. She has always been like that but from my tone, knew I was not about to play games with her.

I'm taking a break from cleaning. It's not fun but part of the necessary drudgery of life. Wax is drying on my kitchen floor at the moment and it will soon be ok to walk in my studio without shoes. Yes, necessary.

I'm going to a friend's house for lunch tomorrow and she invited me to come this afternoon, have some drinks and supper and spend the night but I was disciplined and am doing the chores instead. I hemmed and hawed and wavered back and forth but decided to stay and do housework. Am I crazy? I don't know but that's today's path.

Tom Rush explains the predicament quite well with Joni Mitchell's, Urge For Going, and No Regrets.

Mission Accomplished

I have no photo of the glass work for you but the piece is finished. I have to clean it and have someone hold it up so that I can take a photo. Due to schedules the client won't see it tell next weekend. It will be decided then, where exactly in the restaurant it will go.

I'm not that pleased with it in that the lines look like an amateur did the piece and I suppose that is basically true given my absence from the field. I need more practice. I did two very large windows in tandem a couple of years ago and the second was much better. I did enjoy the experience though and the studio got a good cleaning.

Sister in law was away for an enjoyable 's vacation week so I have someone to visit regularly again. I missed her terribly. No world problems got solved this week in her absence and they certainly weren't as heavily discussed.

With my mission accomplished, I have Mission Accomplished by Todd Snider to celebrate. He has a few celebratory songs actually, Beer Run and Enjoy Yourself. I really like his songs. Why not one more. The window design features two capes and beaches and Todd has a song called Ballad of Cape Henry. Close enough for me. I really love the duet but don't know who is singing with Todd.

Bad Timing

I have a couple more shots of cedar waxwings for you and as usual, click the photo to enlarge. The top one is nice. I usually share a shot of them every year at this time. I think they are beautiful birds.





I had a better photo to show of this point in the window process but for some reason Blogger wants to upload it sideways. This happened to me not long ago too. The photo shows Side 1 with a first coat of solder. From here the piece is turned over. The base coat of solder and the finish coat is applied to Side 2 then the piece is turned over again for the second layer of solder to Side 1.

My son came home mid day for something and helped me flip it for tomorrow and I can get help from Sis in law after tomorrow. To have it cleaned and polished by Monday is my hope.

The musical choices are for two disappointments I suffered today. One, a friend from New York is coming and will leave two days before I return from my April trip. Two, my daughter called and said her Dad is paying her way home for Easter. Then too I will be gone so will miss her. I am completely bummed. Goin' to Chicago Blues by Ernestine Anderson has never been played here before. Today's the day. My New York friend says that it is happening for a reason, my not being here so the other song for today is If It Be Your Will, not by Leonard but by The Lost Dogs. Ah, heck, here's Leonard's version too.

Springing Along

I've been watching a flock of Cedar Waxwings all day. They are a sure sign of spring. They come in winter too so the last statement may not mean anything at all. They've been here off and on all day and have only visited under one tree so I'm sure to see this flock for awhile yet. This photo is from the morning but I got more just a few minutes ago. I'll see them tomorrow.

I'm back with more photos and another step and a half completed on the stained glass window I am constructing for a restaurant. I foiled today which means that I applied 3/16 inch copper foil to each cut out and ground piece of glass. The next step, rubbing the foil on very securely, or burnishing, can be done in front of the TV.



The last photo shows the tray I burnished while watching Oprah. I stuck a few finished pieces onto the pattern to show what I'll do tomorrow morning when getting ready to solder. My kids liked helping with this part when they were small. It is like playing with a jigsaw puzzle.



I'm still working on CD's. Here are a couple more songs included in a different one from yesterday's. Are You Alright is by Lucinda Williams and Where True Love Grows is by Cat Stevens. I have more interesting songs on the CD's but have to choose ones for here that have not been here before. Not always an easy job.

Whoops!

The photo above is of one of 'the foxes'. When I came home from running errands just after noon today, Mr or Mrs Fox was having a nap at the side of the top of my driveway. S/he moved for me to drive down but curled right back up after I passed. I took this shot from the deck before I even opened the door to the house. The cats wanted to go out but I didn't let them till the fox had gone. I watched him/her chasing squirrels and think that is the reason it was where it was. There are lots of squirrels in the vicinity because of the tall trees.

I had a setback with the glass this afternoon. It was glass shattering but not life shattering. I did have to do some regrinding after my wooden jig was made and everything was fitting beautifully. I picked everything up again to wash each piece and broke two pieces at once by hitting them against the counter as I was shaking water from them. I made new pieces and will hope for the best.

Grinding is my least favorite part of the process as I said yesterday. Today's accident required me to take the grinder out for the third time. The problem is that I grind in my kitchen sink and also prepare food there. Using a grinder in a kitchen requires a very, very thorough cleaning process. I'd done it twice already and I now have the cleanest sink and counter area you've ever seen. I forgot to take photos today but not that much has changed except that the plastic is gone and a border (jig) is around the drawing.

Music: Sometimes I make CD's with a specific theme but am feeling entirely different myself. Here are two songs on the one I'm making for myself. Kris Delmhorst is telling us that Heavens Hold the Sun. She is convincing. Patty Griffin always has something wonderful to say and this short song proves it. Here is You'll Remember. It even mentions being on 'this island'.

For Kate Poole

I've been a bit busy and yesterday did not end my day in time to post. There are so many things going on. The window project is just one aspect of my tiny country life. I have friends going through horrible times. I'm there with them only through phone calls and greeting cards. I'm heartsick about it. Too many middle aged people are going through serious medical issues. I know cancer strikes at any age but it is too frequent in our environment. One of my friends who is very ill is a life long artist who railed against pesticides and is an environmentalist.

Today's post is for her. She is also a glass artist and we have collaborated on pieces when we were both active in the glass community. She is also a singer/songwriter who has written some songs that when played in any audience has the room standing at the end. One of those songs is entitled Big Woman Love. I know Kate's favorite music and will play it today. I also am making a CD for healing that I'm sending for when she gets out of hospital.

Glass: Yesterday I cut glass most of the day. It is my favorite part of the entire process. I felt so moved at one point that I stopped, sat down and wrote a poem. No, You'll never see that poem. I had a successful time of it, having only two pieces slated for re-cut. I had my client over for some final colour choices. I like to do that when possible. They are the people who are eventually going to live with this and also are paying me. I'm easy.

Today I ground, or grinded each piece of galss to fit perfectly with the next, like a jigsaw puzzle. It is my least favorite aspect of the process. It went well too, though I'm not 100 percent finished. I want to double check everything so will build my jig before beginning the foiling process.

A window has to fit into the space provided. It can't at the last minute not fit. Glass panels can grow. This is what I checked the measurements so carefully a few weeks ago. I am being extra careful so am finished for the day and will start with fresh eyes tomorrow.


Kate loves John Prine's, Angel From Montgomery and if there is a party and a guitar, she usually sings it. She can also sing Nanci Griffith songs like no one else but Nanci Griffith. I've had the pleasure of travelling with Kate a few times. Once on our way to a glass conference in Halifax she sang Nanci Griffith songs and noticeably made the trip shorter and more pleasant. Here's Nanci with Across the Great Divide.

I'm with you, Kate.

A Journey Nonetheless

Continuing with the documentation of the window process that I'm on I will ask you for a favor. If I can figure out how to make a poll, it would be swell to ask you a question at the end. For some reason the photo above is presenting vertically even though my file is horizontal.

I marked pattern pieces onto glass today on large sheets of glass. I cut the large sheets into smaller pieces. It took longer than it did in the past just because I have to ensure that I've done everything correctly in terms of the geometry of possibility for cutting, economical usage of glass, artistic integrity, and all those other things that were on automatic at one time.




I had to think harder and check and recheck things. I had to make an oil blend for the cutter and get the cutting table cleaned off. The aim of these old cutting hands veered off a couple of times but I think that's because I'm shorter. Some of these pieces of glass are big! The photo above is of all the glass I have to cut tomorrow, not much compared to what it looked like earlier.


Now about the sun. I have red iridescent glass that could be used for the sun. It would change the piece from realism to something else. I think the sun would stand out and at night it would be completely visible and apparent inside the room. The glass above is the red iridescent and the photo below is the sky colour. The poll is on the sidebar.


Is there still room for music? Any requests out there? Here are some possibilities. George Jackson has Aretha, Gillian Welsh with Elvis Presley Blues. Even Ry Cooder has a request with Johnny Cash.

Into It

I am going through quite an interesting process. When I was a full time glass artist, I knew in my head how much of a certain colour of glass I had, where it was stored and there was certainly no dust on it.

At this time, I have no idea what glass I have, let alone how many square feet I have of it in stock. It is a search through all my bins and I'm employing a wet chamois to get rid of the dust. My eyes have been itching all day because of it too. The result is a day to get the glass I wanted for this piece picked out. It normally would have taken an hour or so. I did entertain an unexpected friend who came to visit during the process.

Tomorrow I will copy the lines onto the glass and begin cutting. The photo above though it looks like a woman's leg will be a piece of land in the distance. It is kind of fun to have this project after three years off. It forced me to clean my studio which in itself has made this a worthwhile endeavour. Plus "I Can" which is what I feel like shouting after being laid up last year.


Yesterday, I featured Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes but in my hurry did not link them. That is the point here; to turn you onto some music, introduce you and hope you too will buy something from this artist. With my long time friend arriving for the first visit in a long time and and choosing glass after a long time they have the perfect song, It's Been a Long Time. Andrew Ripp gives us the other song for today with It's All Good because that is just how I feel. It's still a challenge.

It's a Mistake to Sing Sometimes.

This is amazing. By looking at which drawing photo I was going to put up, I saw the design in a different way. I am going to make a change after seeing it like this. This has turned out to be a very positive exercise. I'm much further along than this and planned to show a photo of the design and it's working copy. I may show it tomorrow.

Two of my sisters in law just left from a great visit. I am no longer married to their partner's brother but we all remain friends. I see one almost every day. It was great fun to have two of them here today.

Yesterday the sister in law who comes often was here. I was standing by my back door and said, "Mr. Fox is here."

She said, "I know I can see him."

I knew that from where she was sitting she could not in any way see the fox I was seeing. Turned out we had two foxes here at the same time. A pair, I'd say, as we've had pairs here several times. I now yearn to get a photo of the two of them in the same frame. One of the two tends to sit back watching the territory as one eats. I've observed that about foxes other times in the past. Foxes are having their babies about now so the mother is hungry.

The first song I thought of for this post was Mieka Pauley with her song All The Same Mistakes. I don't construct many windows anymore and it's almost as though there is a bit of a learning curve involved. These steps and processes that were at one time second nature require some time as noted in the first paragraph. I'm a bit rusty.

I ran out of music for a bit today while I was working. Couldn't leave to change the CD. I started singing and I told you before that I do this in private only. I can't sing at all any more so some pretty awful sounds come out while I'm bellowing. I am always surprised at just how bad I am. Teddy Thompaon has the perfect song for that, Can't Sing Straight.

Last week I said that I thought I had another copy of I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. I finally found it. I believe I work too hard for this blog sometimes. Here it is from Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

It's Friday. I'm finishing up the week. Just now I'm listening to a song that fits perfectly with the singing theme. It's from a music blog I check into a couple of times a week, The Late Greats.

At Ease

I've run out of time and can not find time for a proper post. I met with my client today. She loved, loved, loved the design. I feel like a lot of weight has been lifted. The rest is easy. I will take some photos and document the process. Please feel free to comment.

Short post - already uploaded Music:
Dr. Hook - Make it Easy
Wonderful Life - The Felice Brothers.

Till next time....

Distractions - Sia

For today, a storm day on PEI, some pictures from this little hide away. We've had freezing rain off and on all day. The off melts the last adherence. It's not too bad as you can see. It could be serious with the weight of ice pulling down tree branches and electrical wires. I could hear ice falling off (luckily) because the temps here were on the warm side.

I had too much old music yesterday probably, but I enjoyed every bit. Here is some music for today:

Life Is So Peculiar - Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong

Girl From The North Country - Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash


Que Sera Sera - Doris Day

March Madness

Music is definitely on my mind today. I heard an old Don Gibson song yesterday by M Ward and Lucinda Williams that I can't get out of my head. If I do manage to get it out of my head other country songs from that same late 60's era pop in and I'm stuck again. Lets have and old-time music party. When I say old time I mean only the song itself. There are modern covers which I love too. Perhaps if I listen to every one of these songs a couple of times over, they will make room for something new tomorrow. My mom would love this bunch of songs. Every one of them remind me of her.Ready?

• Oh, Lonesome Me - M Ward and Lucinda Williams
• I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Johnny Cash and Nick Cave
• I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams
• Sea Of Heartbreak - Gray Sky Girls
• Sea of Heartbreak - Johnny Cash
• He'll Have to Go - Jim Reeves
• He'll Have to Go - Ry Cooder
• Walkin' After Midnight - Patsy Cline
• Crazy - Patsy Cline

I'm sure I have another version of Sea of Heartbreak but can't find it. I have another Oh Lonesome Me as well. On my walk today I was singing aloud walking down the road. Glad it's winter and car windows are up and I don't have neighbours.

It's Rainin' Today

I've been on flood watch since early morning. I can get serious flooding in winter if the conditions are right. Luckily the conditions were not right so I got only a bit of seepage around one part of the foundation. My gutters came off last winter after getting the steel roof - a common event that I didn't know about. I couldn't afford the repair that is needed so am doing without. I have to lengthen the fascia boards and install new gutters. I hope to do it this summer. This seepage is a manageable bit of water. The other flooding can be serious.

It really poured today so the snow cover has shrunk considerably. It won't be as pretty this week as it's been. I've enjoyed the beauty of this winter very much though I did not get out into it's magnificence as much as I would have liked. What does John Lennon say? 'Life happens as your making other plans' or something like that.

I have got one huge collection of rain songs. It is a very popular subject in music. Here are two more, Toots Hibbert with Love the Rain and an old one, Uriah Heep with Rain. There's music for all ages and tastes here.

Skifflin' On

It's Friday - my favorite day of the week. When I was growing up, Friday was the day I went out with my friends. Saturday my friends and I were babysitting our sisters and brothers as Saturday night was our parents night out. For years in this house I had a Friday Happy Hour with lots of friends dropping in around five or six to unwind and let the week end in a really pleasurable way. We always had great music and lots to talk about and an awesome party would result. Another friend had a late night party called The Rum Shack that followed mine so there on a beach on the north of the island, the party continued. I was never there, of course. I was always here, with no plans to leave.


I feel like those days a bit today. I feel good because my studio is completely converted to a glass studio from a painting studio and all the twists and turns between them have been cleaned. My sister in law just left and she worked really hard this week too so we had a lot to celebrate. Whew! Feels like Friday. Feels good.

It's winter here but very warm and melting; the photos are from the summer to give you the feeling of Friday afternoon in my life.

I have a very favorite Friday afternoon album and you'd have to read back for the story but that album is The Skiffle Sessions. Here are a couple of songs. I Wanna Go Home and It Takes a Worried Man. Please search the album on this site too. An all-time favorite album but especially one for Friday night; it just fits. I grew up listening to skiffle music at my house. When Your Chewing Gum Loses it's Flavor was one our standards and it comes from Lonnie Donegan, who stars in this album. This is perfect music for Fridays! He was so wonderful.

Happy Friday!

February's Winding Down

It's plus 5 degrees Celcius (41F) now at 4:15. Earlier today when I was walking it was probably plus 1 or 2 and it was melting. I give you photographic proof. A chickadee also gave a spring call today, so spring is giving us a little nudge. The days are noticeably getting lighter and longer and the sun is warmer. I would have loved to take a chair outside onto the deck for a bit of sun but I've been depending on young son to keep it shoveled so it's not done except for a path. The next few days are to be warm so I am going to enjoy it. February is turning to March in just a few days too so this is more proof that spring is on it's way.

I bought a huge bouquet of flowers on Feb. 16th that were half price after Valentine's Day. I made three lovely big bouquets out of the one large one and have had to cull only one flower, two stems of greenery and a couple of leaves since then. The rest are still in top form and absolutely lovely. The local tulips are in all the stores too and they bring such cheer. Spring, spring, spring.... I'm feeling it everywhere.

Jana Mashonee is the vocalist on this extraordinary cover of Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come. That is the song to glorify the spring weather. The song to wish my sister a happy birthday is Cath by Ben Gibbard. Happy Birthday, Cath!!!!!!