The sun has set and it’s not yet 4:30! The days have been grey, but every evening the horizon hosts a brilliant pink and gold sunset, fading in the west to a gentle dream-like purple. It only skims the skyline below the grey cloud, but it is beautiful! My window faces the west.
We are having very happy days, my Mom is visiting and we have been spending time knitting by the fire sipping peppermint tea, re-potting plants, going for long winter walks with the dogs, watching silly Holiday movies and gushing over Collette O’Neill of Bealtaine Cottage. She brought rose plants for me, hand-sewn bags for our etsy shop and little pieces of porcelain. Every evening we have been having delicious home cooked meals (last night was a fish chowder – one of my favourite meals of all time… not stereotypical at all for a Maritimer) and I’ve just felt so warm and happy. Tomorrow, I am working in one of the libraries (and consequently, going to the Spinners & Weavers Guild to do some spinning and dyeing!) so we will say goodbye just for a short while.
We both love to use our hands – create! Since she has been here she has made a sweater for a wee one and has already started a pair of baby soakers (She has two grandchildren on the way and I am soon to be an aunt to 3!!!). I have attached the arms of the grey lopi sweater and put it aside to work on a pair of lopi mittens for the Etsy shop. I also finally used some calendula and rose infused oil, combined with beeswax and spruce sap that I collected last winter to create a salve.
I think it’s worth it though!We also went to a plant shop in Charlottetown this week to bring home a little bit of pure happiness. Plants are so expensive so I just continually get clippings from other plants, root or start from seeds but occasionally, I buy a new plant >.< I bought a little cactus and a succulent. I also received a very sacred package from Incredible Seed Company in Nova Scotia. I ordered a some seeds that need warm and then cold stratification in order for them to germinate. I will be busy this weekend 🙂 I have already started dreaming about planting for next year so there is nothing better than getting started early 😀
And now, I am sitting by the fire listening to the ambient works of Aphex Twin. My Mom and Jamie are making dinner together and I am going to join them. I do hope you enjoy this and are finding happiness and solace in the darker part of the year (and happiness to all those in the light half!).
Ways of Wood Folk 
Hi Julia.
So beautiful pictures, as always. I would have loved to walk in those woods! Congratulations on becoming an aunt again. It is the loveliest thing, in my opinion, to get to be connected to children like that. Getting to play and cuddle with them, without having to “parent” them. I hope all will be well with they babies and their mamas.
It sounds so nice, having your mom to stay, and spending time together like that. I’m so busy these days, but if seems like a dream at your house. I think sharing interests with family members like you do is so valuable, you are really lucky that you do. 🙂
Camilla
LikeLike
Hi Camilla,
Sending you the best of luck and motivation for your end of term! You are SO close 😀
I am very lucky to share so many interests with family, even though I live on an island away from all of them 😦 I have been sick with the flu this week so slowly recovering. Wishing you wellness!
LikeLike
Thank you! And I hope you will be well from the flu soon. 🙂
LikeLike
love your pictures, and so you did that cream yourself?
LikeLike
Hi Carolina,
Thank you! And yes, I collected hardened sap from spruce, melted the sap and poured it through cheese cloth to remove bits of wood and dirt, etc. and then heated it with some beeswax to make a salve. It smells divine, like the woods.
LikeLike