Catching up, last weekend fun!

Did you say it's already Thursday? ...we're almost at the weekend again?
I still haven't filled you in on my last weekend.

No great finds at the garage sales, there weren't many at all, it's getting pretty late in the season.

I had my 9 year old grandaughter Kiera overnight on Saturday and we spent the day together on Sunday.

There she is, at it again! She likes to redress my dressform.....I still haven't fixed her so that she stands more than a few feet tall, but she got lowered by Kiera a while back, it makes it easier for her to dress her!

It's Thursday and she's still dressed as she was left on Sunday.....not exactly how I like her to look, but I'll leave here in missy K's designer look for now.

Sunday afternoon, we picked up my youngest from her apartment near downtown Winnipeg and went to THE FORKS!......I hadn't been there for ages! Old buildings and new, transformed into shops, restaurants, boutiques....lots and lots to do and see there.

It is backed by the Red River........there are docks and a river walk, you can come skating or hiking down the river in the winter. (not for me, thankyou)

We spent a few hours browsing the shops, then stopped at a little place for some delicious fish and chips before one last trip to the candy store, then home!

That is the old railroad station.....the Forks is built up on acres and acres behind it. Downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba......I really should get downtown more often,

I caught this picture after getting home, it's a zoom in of blackbirds in the trees out the back.

Next post will show you more garage sale treasures from a couple of weeks ago!

What a weather change and a monarch butterfly

I want to put the heat on! From sweltering humid hot days this week to rain and low temps.......

The farmers market yesterday was windy,cloudy, and we did get a few showers, but the turnout was good and we managed to get packed up in record time before the real rain started!

I captured this picture Friday after seeing this butterfly coming back and forth to my purple cone flowers. I had to sneak up on it and only got the one shot before it fluttered away, but it turned out decent!

I stood still waiting for it to return, but no luck! The bee took over the territory!

We had Kiera for dinner and a visit through the evening. It was one of those gorgeous summer evenings,no wind, comfortable temperature, so we just had to take a walk up the road and round the corner to the little playpark. Oh, what energy..........Kiera must have swung back and forth on that piece of playground equipment at least 75 times!

We let her sneak an apple from the tree overhanging a fence by the park. I know, I know......but there were tons of them laying on the ground, the owners were certainly not picking them!

The little playpark is right beside this creek that runs through our development.

We would have loved a walk on the footpath, but the mosquitoes were starting up so we headed for home!

I zoomed in on the ducks  swimming around in the creek.

And another shot of the bumblebee that I just could not get blogger to move to the top....!

CLICK TO ENLARGE ANY OF THE PICTURES

Rainy day, so maybe I'll get something done inside.

Happy Sunday!

A busy weekend, finds, country fair

I didn't go to many sales this last weekend, but managed to fill a box at an estate sale I found.

A few of the prettier things I found there, I couldn't resist that tray and mirror. They are so "like new".....and those hands, which someone made in a ceramics class...they will look nice displaying some pretty rings!

A little Wedgewood Jasperware trinket box and a pretty 40's silhouette.

We took our grandaughter Kiera to a country fair...."ChickenDaze"....we had a ball! They had chicken races, rides, barbeque, face painting, talent show...all that kind of fun, but it was a small town so the whole thing was in a small enough area, friendly people, just a really lovely atmosphere.

Kiera had been the day before with her mom and dad and wanted to go back. Those chickens were just being taken over to the "race track"......notice the egg?.......Kiera (9 yrs old) thought that the chicken shouldn't be racing just after giving birth!!!.....

I have been spending some time outside catching up with the yardwork and planting the flower beds. Can't wait til they fill in with color!
Well, off to the ironing board! Gotta get some more linens and doilies washed up and ironed and listed on Ebay!  Have a nice evening all!

A note to Santa and Jaxon's Christmas haircut

Same doggie?........my sweet grand-doggie was pretty shaggy, but at least he kept nice and warm in this minus degree weather. Well, now he's all spruced up for Christmas, and looks like a proper Airdale Terrier!

My gal Sherri, Kiera's mom, sent these pictures. Below is a note she found on the coffee table, one of many assorted notes to Santa that she's been finding lately around the house. How does the mind of an eight year old really work?

Have a great weekend!

Lace, Ladybug, Lemon Curd/Butter Microwave Recipe

I had to show you this fabulous old lace tabletopper! I just took some pictures of it for Ebay and thought I'd show it here as it's one of those pieces you rarely see........a real antique piece of battenburg/tapelace...All handmade, old, with some breaks, but these pieces give me palpitations when I spot them at a sale, even with some damage. You just don't see them anymore! ...and you must know by now, I LOVE LACE!

We got a teensy bit of snow on the weekend, it's pretty well gone now, but Kiera was over for a visit, saw the snow on the deck outside the patio door, promptly removed her shows and socks and carefully stepped out and made these footprints!....what a girl!!

I shooed her back inside for her shoes and socks and jacket and she spent a few minutes out there making a few snowballs and making more prints and handwriting in the snow.

As for the ladybug? Well, I went to the garage for some potatoes and there she was atop a potato in the pail. Brought her in and perched her on a little potato in a dish so I could take her picture. She has since disappeared in my kitchen and I hope she winters well.
Now for a recipe that a girlfriend swears by for

Microwave Lemon Curd (lemon butter)

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1tbsp grated lemon rind [I put more]

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2tbsp soft butter

In microwaveable bowl, whisk together eggs & sugar. whisk in lemon rind & juice & butter.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes, whisk until smooth.
Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes longer until it boils & thickens slightly.

Whisk again until smooth.
Cool, pour into jars & refridgerate.

I sterilise the jars & it will keep for several weeks. If it lasts.

Great on toast, in tart shells or on icecream.

I can't wait to make it but will make it after Christmas when we're in Arizona and I have TIME, and luscious fresh off the tree lemons are  a dime a dozen!! Off to make dinner, have a good week, hope I'll be back here before the week ends!

Apple Pie Sunday

Do you think it was this little note that inspired my husband to peel and chop apples for pie last night while I was enjoying a steak dinner at a nice little restaurant with friends?

Who knows when Kiera wrote this little note on a scrap of paper? Anyway, it showed up the other day and caught my husband's eye. It must have caught his eye again and since he's been out in the yard picking up the apples that are constantly falling or getting blown off the tree and piling them up in the kitchen, he must have decided that if he peels and chops them maybe they'll get into a piecrust!

So this morning, out came the frozen piecrust that tastes just like homemade......Tenderflake.... and here's the apple pie! Now all we need is Kiera! Will she be home in time for dinner from her camping over at Birds Hill Park?
She spent some time with Marilyn and I at the market yesterday......such a little salesperson she is, and giving us advise on display and pricing! It was fun, and we had a spot near the buskers so enjoyed the entertainment from them too. Forgot my camera though, and there were these three young boys singing and playing instruments plus some gals that were singing my kinda songs........ gotta run now!

Did I mention Kiera loves frogs?

Taken in September 2007, it was a great year for frogs in the yard and garden! Kiera is my now 8 year old grandaughter and lives just a few minutes away, right in Birds Hill

I think they are actually toads, but I don't like that word. Look at this teensy one!

My sweetie and I, taken that same day