TURNING THE CALENDAR PAGE FOR THE LAST TIME THIS YEAR.

 Hello December, I'm a little late to greet you as I'm running behind. 

Yay! I started my Christmas decor. The Nativity is usually the first thing out, just in time for Advent. I see I need to replace the snow as it's getting worn out. My nativity is 22 years old and was given to me by Christine. I just love this nativity.

I was going to post to mark the end of  November but one thing lead to another and it didn't get done. 

Our church ladies organized a Christmas bazaar and raised over $2000. with this fundraising in three hours.  I did a baking marathon for the bake sale and donated some homemade heat bags that we call magic bags to sell before going away for the weekend in Bathurst, a three-hour drive. George wanted to stay home, and I got my son to check up on him from time to time.

I had a wonderful time in Bathurst and got there ahead of the big storm on Saturday. I was invited to a very popular Chinese restaurant by my brother Gerrad and we all ordered the buffet. We ate till there was no more room. The place was packed and the food was good. The next morning, on Sunday there was over a foot of snow on the ground. The snow didn't keep anybody home.

The family gathered at my brother's house and we all had a great time. A lot of chatter and laughter but a little more subdued than the previous year since we all missed our brother Leo.  Normally, everyone stays later but because of the heavy snowstorm, people started to leave home a little earlier than usual. There was so much food. My sister-in-law, Theresa is the hostess with the mostess. For those who live far away, we connected on the tablet through Messenger.

I came home on Monday. The snow was still drifting quite a bit and the roads were snow-packed and slippery. Once past Bathurst, the roads were slushy and the sun was low on the horizon.  A good thing I got a good pair of sunglasses that cut out the glare. Past Bathurst I got my car windshield cracked by a flying rock in heavy traffic. It needed to be replaced. From Miramichi to Fredericton, the grass was green.

I had a birthday in late November and George took me out to breakfast and again for supper at a seafood restaurant. We got our fill and had to take the rest home.  It's funny how the stomach can stretch when the food is so good. I said to George, I think I gained weight this week and he laughed at me and said, "Yeah, maybe half a pound, lol...

I help prepare another funeral reception on Friday with our church ladies. We did a lot of baking sweets and preparing sandwiches and so it seems there is never a dull moment but it's always fun to work with this group of ladies. We laugh a lot.

I attended the last hooking meeting of the season and we all had a wonderful time. There was a lot of chatter and we seem noisier than usual. We'll meet again for our Christmas Party. 

Stay safe and well, hugs.

Julia

SPRING HAS COME AND GONE, SUMMER IS HERE, WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?

Life is moving along. Some progress has been done but nothing earth-shattering. I'm not as enthusiastic as I once was about getting everything done on time and that's OK. As I age, my priorities changes and that's OK too. I've got a lot done in the gardens like repairing some of the damages caused by the flood. I planted a lot of potatoes at the farm and at home. At home, I planted some onions, 2 types of peas, Roma tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, three types of beans, beets, and cucumbers. I've planted some Celosias, marigolds, red salvias, white alyssum, some petunias, and lobelias. I still have more flowers to plant but I'm moving slowly because some beds are still not ready to receive flowers and it's slowing me down...   It's been a weird season for everyone so far.

The grass is starting to grow along with weeds that came in the flood. Yesterday, I weeded the garden on the right

Some bearded irises. I think they are called Stepping Out.

Lady Kin, lilac bush that is almost done flowering but so fragrant.

Some more tall bearded irises that need weeding.

Yellow bearded Irises that are almost finished blooming.

A fragrant white rose bush Blanc De Coubert

Cherub Smile Irises

Early potatoes in the back garden

Onions, 2 types of peas

Cucumbers I transplanted yesterday.

B3 Types of beans and beets that needs weeding



Geeen Bell Peppers and Roma Tomatoe also in need of weeding.

My front and back lawn are still not repaired. I have a pile of topsoil and compost in the middle of my front lawn and now that haying season is upon us, it will be a while before it gets done.  The front lawn is not my husband's priority but it's an eyesore.



 I've been cleaning out the garage and I'm trying to organize my husband tool drawers. He's notorious for not putting tools away after he completes a job and he never can find his tools when he needs them in a hurry... I found at least 6 hammers, 6 measuring tapes and triplicate of assorted screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers and so on.  I'm making some progress on that too but it's slow. Of course, he can never find the tool he's looking for so he buys another one. Some he bought a while back and he doesn't even remember buying it and it sits in its original packaging... I could open a second-hand tool store.

I just got a batch of  Cabernet Malbec Carmenere  Chilean red wine bottled and two more batches of Australien Shiraz on the go for August. I like to relax with a glass or two once my hard work is done.

I've been reading several books. Dodging Energy Vampires by Christiane Northrup, MD.,  an empath guide to evading energy vampires that drain your energy and restoring your health and power. Change your Thoughts Change  Your Life by Dr. Wayne Dyer and Sacred Contracts by Carolyn Myss. Awakening your Devine potential. I love books that deal with the mind or the soul.

 I've been hooking a little bit on my Julia Chicken chair pad. I hook about 30 minutes every couple of nights so it's slow going. I may run out of the gray-green for the background

I've attended a 60th Wedding reception for a couple we know from our church and on Tuesday, we will attend a funeral in a neighboring town for my daughter's mother in law tomorrow

I'm still working at the farm, looking after 34 calves and heifers.  Make that 35, as I got a new one this morning. Still no buyers in sight. Still too much uncertainty in the dairy industry market caused by we all know who...

I've been receiving acupuncture treatment for my sore shoulders and I have another appointment in July. I received 20 needles on various parts of my hands,  wrists, forehead,  neck, and shoulders.  It didn't hurt. I have another appointment in July.

Can you believe we are in the last week of  June? My husband is done with the farm income tax and he brought it to the accountant today. Farmers have a deadline of June 30th to get their income tax in.

Haying season has begun. I'm feeding my grandson at noon meals. Nothing has changed except I have to prepare meals for a gluten intolerant young man.

Thanks for visiting and please leave a comment.
Stay cool and enjoy the summer.
Hugs, Julia