Seasonal Moves

 My daughter has a full time home on the Island where she studies, works and teaches. I was so sad that she wasn't coming home for Easter (right before finals) but it was a sign that maybe it is the season to change her room into my office. There were many boxes of papers and books. More boxes of clothes and shoes. Everything is carefully marked for her future use. But it was hard to move on.

 What helped is that I'm really excited. Soon I will add the wall of book shelves (another trip to Ikea for Mom and me) and then my knitting and writing and study books will be with me. Already I am liking the privacy. D likes the more open sunroom and it will look even better without books and yarn on every surface.

 Today was 22 degrees C! Uncomfortably hot after wool socks and scarves for so long. But we are enjoying a glorious spring.

 This is my back garden from the trail. You can't see the purple rhododendrons, but they are happy to bloom along with the yellow daffodils.

 Determined to enjoy Easter, we had a little feast with friends and some family that worked out very nicely. 

Easter morning was busy with early service outside (I accompanied with guitar), extra choir music, an unscheduled Sunday School lesson and D playing his shofar from Israel.

And hot cross buns!!!!

I think that's just about enough chocolate and coffee and candy.

 The old girl is liking my physio stretches on the carpet. I also lie there to read most afternoons. Sitting is the new smoking.

Mom went up to the ranch for Easter and they had a bit of a snow storm, so I had to show them our snow.

 Easter Monday was a day off after all the cooking (and piping at the curling rink). I did some gardening and finished our placemats. Learning quilt as you go and not being afraid of binding.

 Stash and Burn podcast has a Keep It Small KAL and this month was mittens. These are for me and I really missed the obvious window, but I am so glad I persisted.

Somerset vs Norway pattern in wool from Nova Scotia. It may be 20 degrees, but rabbits are part of the season, right?

Country Mouse

 This is a building in my neighbourhood, a traditional long house First Nations building for the Sto:lo Nation. Our property backs on to their Coqualeetza land, but all the land is our area is the traditional lands of the the Sto:lo Nation.

 I enjoyed sharing a day with each of my kids when their class had an interpretive lesson. The long house is where families traditionally lived and had all their ceremonies including masks and dancing.

 The forsythia is an early bloomer around here and its yellow blossoms cheer up the grey raining skies.

 I took a trip to the city for a conference with people who work with youth and families. It was held at a lovely old church which happens to be across the street from where we stay in Vancouver.

 The weather was mostly nice but we were busy most of the time, so I couldn't sneak out to any wool shops. The first day, I found it hard to connect with people the first day, so I bought my lunch and dinner during the lunch break and I just ate in my room. I may have needed the rest, too.

 On Saturday we had small groups so I connected better with some other leaders. I was the only one from my end of the valley, too. There were some great, shocking ideas, and some very practical ones. Now I need to share them with my home churches.

 Back at home, I cast on the Somerset Vs. Norway mittens again because there was a KAL on the Stash and Burn podcast, and it is still chilly enough for mittens sometimes.

 Mom and I had a trip to IKEA and I snuck in a trip to 88 Stitches. We are celebrating Pi Day next week by eating pie and casting on pi shawls! I bought a cart for my "craft room/lab". I am slowly starting the process of taking over the space that is Emily's room. All the precious things need to be carefully boxed up and removed from the room. I have asked for new book shelves. D is very excited to get my books out of many of the rooms in our home, and to have a nice, welcoming sun room with cozy chairs and a round table for breakfast and coffee.

 In preparation, I wanted to finish my Duchess of Devonshire shawl. I didn't want to pick it up and make decisions, but I did, and learned the pattern for the applied lace edging. In the process, I found I don't have enough hand dyed Sweet Fibre Winter yarn. There's no more in the shop, but I dropped a message with the dyer. Perhaps I can pick some up at Fibres West.

Today I went back up the hill to tackle the 240 stairs and come down along the gentle trail. With the home making and craft making, I do enjoy my country life.