Only a Mother Could Love These Faces

A pair of robins recently nested in one of our clematis vines.  They were right at face level so we could easily look in.  We resisted prying until we saw the parents flying in with worms and insects so we knew the babies had hatched.  Robins don't seem to be too bright when it comes to choosing nesting places.  We have had them in the crook of the drain pipe right outside our front door as well as in the beams right outside a sliding side door.  If there is too much activity human-wise they will abandon the nest, sometimes before it is completed but sometimes after the eggs have been laid.  This was a successful batch of three in spite of the clematis being in the middle of the lawn.  They have survived a few mowings of the grass as well as a few days of the grandkids roaring around.  A water balloon fight didn't even seem to faze them.  They are gone from the nest now, into the big wide world.

 

It's June?

You would never know by our weather that we are almost into summertime.  The weather people keep telling us this wetness and coldness isn't unusual.  Whatever.  Just quit it, alright?

Three years ago today my beautiful girl got married and the weather couldn't have been more perfect.

Happy Anniversary kids!

It is also my auntie's 75th birthday today.  I made her this ~

I hope she likes it!  It is the Fern Lace Scarf by Knitting Pixie , knit in Fiddlesticks Knitting Zephyr lace weight .    Happy Birthday, Aunt B!

Is That Liesl?

I had lunch today with my aunt and cousin.  We met at Longwood Brew Pub.

While I was waiting for my companions a young waitress came up to me and said "Is that Liesl?"  I was wearing this:

w

which, of course, is Liesl.

I love it when that happens!

Perfect Curls on a Perfect Little Boy

Some backyard bubble fun ~ 

Chilling with Great-Grandpapa ~

                            ~~what a wonderful long weekend we had~~

England & Wales XOX

Just got back from a wonderful holiday in the UK.  The volcano provided a little excitement on our return journey, causing a two hour wait on the runway then a detour around the top of Scotland and Ireland which added another 45 minutes to the journey.  Those little TV's in the seat backs of the plane are a godsend for passing time. 

Some photos:

Our day in London - iKnits and Liberty House were the highlights.  Also the London Eye, riding the tube, Oxford and Regent Streets.  Definitely need to go back; there is so much to see.

This is the church where we were married, January 3, 1976, Maidenhead.

I travelled off to Wales on my own, by train, and was met by my wonderful hosts (cousin and partner) who greeted me with champagne, cooked delicious meals (lamb, of course, for one), toured me around and were great company.  What more could a girl ask for.

   

I absolutely love Wales.  There are sheep everywhere (4 sheep:1 human) and little groups of (not very) wild ponies.

Dylan Thomas' house in Swansea.












Ancient castles ~

Wildflowers ~ primroses, violets, cowslips, campions, lady's mantles, yellow iris ~

spectacular beaches ~

  

and more sheep ~

                        ~~I will definitely be going back to Wales~~
 

Dear Mother Earth,

I know I dissed you a few posts back, refusing to comply with Earth Hour.  However, I think your revenge has gone far enough.  First you shut off all my electricity for 24 hours and now you have stomped your big high-heeled foot all over the UK and northern Europe.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/dhtml_slides/10/iceland_volcano/img/4iceland_volcano466.jpg

 I have waited eight, yes eight, long years to travel back to England.  I have packed and re-packed, checked and re-checked travel information, advised everyone who needed to be advised (and a few who didn't), papered my home with Post-It notes, had nightmares about plane crashes, basically I have worked through every possible worst-case scenario...except this one.  Who could have imagined that a volcano in Iceland could shut down miles and miles and miles of airspace?  And why this week?  And here I was worried about an impending strike by fuel-pump persons at YVR.  

I'm sorry, Mother.  I will never do it again.  Next year I will turn off all my stuff for two hours.  Just please blow all that crap out of my way by Monday, ok? 

Wild Life

This creature wandered across our back yard this afternoon.  I think it's a river otter, although the sea is closer than any rivers.  We do have a creek at the back of the property, which is where it headed after ducking under the gate.  Maybe it's a creek otter.