A few weeks back we had some great foggy mornings. I love fog, although it also freaks me out, thanks to a certain Stephen King story. My SO and I have also been spotting all kinds of wildlife, and we even managed to get a few pictures! Hope you enjoy...
The next couple of shots were taken by my SO. We've seen lots of evidence of beavers around (so many tree stumps!) but catching a glimpse of one of the artists is rare.
Blue Heron:
Frog friend that got turned around and ended up hitching a ride to the creek:
Red-winged blackbirds are my favourite birds. I was so excited to get these photos:
Have you seen any interesting sights lately? Share in the comments...
When I'm not trying to spot the local wildlife, you can find me writing. Check out my books!
Not long ago, I was struck by unexpected inspiration: I needed to make a cross stitch piece featuring house hippos.
If you're a Canadian of a certain age, house hippos are a cultural touchstone; if you're not, you might be a little confused. House hippos were born in 1999:
En francais:
Cute, right? The lesson may not have stuck, but house hippos sure did. Without a house hippo pattern available (at least, not one I could find), I came up with my vision. Then I went looking for patterns to put together.
I didn't really record the details (sorry). I got a hoop that I thought would be a good size, grabbed the aida cloth that seemed like the right one, picked thread colours that seemed appropriate, and found patterns that worked with what I had.
The hippo took longer than I expected. It's a pretty simple design, but there's a surprising amount of detail in it.
The lettering really scared me; I was so worried about it being off center. It's not perfect, but I'm happy with how it turned out.
The red I used for "Caution!" caused me some consternation. I thought I already had the right shade on hand, but it turned out I didn't. It needed a special trip to the store to get the perfect shade of Canadian flag red (DMC 321), and it's not even showing up properly in the picture! This is what it really looks like (or as close as you can get on a screen):
And now for the real stress. The French writing.
The French lines involved longer words/phrases and several wide letters to try to fit in. Paranoid about running out of space, I narrowed the writing on "Attention!" I probably should've left it alone, but by the time I realized that, it was too late to change it.
My original plan was to put a maple leaf on either side of the hippo. Then I realized the French and English parts are equal-- it made no sense to have two large maple leaves and one small fleur de lys. As proud as I was of my freehand mini fleur de lys, it had to go.
For a second I thought about adding a tiny maple leaf to balance out the tiny fleur de lys, but I didn't want it getting too busy.
The final design! I'm happy with how it turned out, especially the fleur de lys, which not only ended up the right size, but is also a pretty good representation in both colour and style of Quebec's fleur de lys (my home province).
I also like to sign my needlepoints. It's always in a hidden spot, but I choose to believe some future needlework enthusiast will notice one of them and start an epic journey to find all the pieces of the mysterious "ASB."
This was actually my first time backing an embroidery hoop with felt. I used this video for the instructions. You can see in the picture above that my "fringe" of aida cloth looks messy and is also too wide. I ended up re-doing it, because it really shows through on the front.
I think that's better (at least there's less excess fabric). By the way, I know people pride themselves on the neatness of the backs of their embroidery pieces. That's great for them, but I can't be bothered. I do needlework to relax and for the love of creating-- I don't need the stress of making sure the back (that no one will see!) looks as good as the front.
I really enjoyed sewing the felt into place. I also enjoy sewing knit/crochet parts together too, which a lot of people seem to hate, so I think I just enjoy hand stitching. The felt isn't completely flat, because (despite my best efforts) it was a tiny bit too big. But it's not so bad that I needed to re-do it.
All done!
Now to get some mini hippos to leave around the house...
As a bonus, I had enough aida left to make a bookmark!
Anyone familiar with A Series of Unfortunate Events should recognize the quote :)
(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)
What projects are you working on lately? If you do needlepoint, do you care what the backs look like? Did you grow up with house hippos? Share in the comments...
Of course, this being southern Ontario, winter has a few last gasps before spring finally arrives. I took these photos over the last couple of weeks. A lot of the snow in the earlier pictures has melted. Then it snowed again. Tomorrow it's supposed to be -25C and on Wednesday it's supposed to be +17C. No matter what the weather's doing, though, the birds are singing and the squirrels are frolicking, and spring is definitely on its way...eventually...
We had some impressive fog a little while back, as the snow started melting. The grey "sky" in this shot is actually fog over the Etobicoke Creek.
Staghorn Sumac
Staghorn Sumac
Eastern White Pine
I was so excited to see these coyote tracks and then, when we encountered the coyote later in the walk, I didn't think to take a photo! We spotted him as we were approaching a bridge. He was on the other side of it, coming toward us. We backtracked and gave him space. He was cautious, but eventually passed us and went on his way. It was a highlight for me.
I also spotted a bald eagle being driven into the trees by a group of Canada geese. I've seen smaller birds targetting hawks in the past, but this was my first eagle (outside of the zoo).
The sign outside Tim Hortons has a vaguely threatening energy. Or maybe it's just me.
Round-leaved Bittersweet
I tried to capture the water droplets on the berries, but it didn't turn out the way I'd hoped.
What's the weather like where you are? Share in the comments. And don't forget to get my books! (Also, apologies for the wonky formatting--blogger is being weird today and I can't figure out how to fix it.)
Note: None of this is meant as medical advice; I'm just sharing what works for me. You should always consult a trained medical professional about your health.
I've had the joy of dealing with the flu this past week and a bit. I don't handle illness super well, but this time the misery was compounded by bad weather and an unexpected allergic reaction to medication! But more on that in a bit. I've been sick enough times in my life that I've ended up with a list of go-to remedies to help myself through it. Here's what I've found works for me...
Zinc
This is more a preventative, but I've found that since I started taking zinc supplements (50 mg chelated zinc, every other day), I've caught far fewer viruses. I'm prone to zinc deficiency because I have a harder time absorbing zinc in the first place, so I need to supplement. Someone without this issue, who gets enough zinc in their diet, wouldn't get much benefit from supplementing.
The berries of Sambucus nigra, aka Elder
Elder
Although it doesn't do much for the common cold, Elder is fantastic for the flu. I personally prefer to use syrup made from the berries (available at health food stores and some pharmacies, or homemade). Elder zaps a fever, eases aches, and generally makes the flu more tolerable. During this recent bout, I used it twice during the worst of the illness, and afterwards didn't feel bad enough to need it again. If I can't find the syrup, I'll have elder berry or flower tea instead.
By Kimchifan, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20653196
Greek Mountain Tea
Also known as Sideritis (S. syriaca and S. scardica are two of the most commonly used species) and Ironwort, is the perfect tea for what ails you. It's soothing, tastes pleasant (it's the only tea I liked as a kid), and any Greek (Bulgarian, Albanian, Turkish...) grandma will tell you it'll help you feel better. If you don't live where it grows, you can find it in Greek bakeries or European grocery stores (let me know if you've also found it elsewhere). You can find more info and instructions on making the tea here. Serve with honey and/or lemon, if you want.
Warm Liquids
I love my coffee and tea iced, but when I'm sick, warm fluids are the only way to go. While I think Greek Mountain Tea is the best, any kind of tea is good, especially with some honey in it. Soups and broths are a must. Anything warm is soothing, and helps with the chills too.
Ibuprofin
The flu generally comes with all kinds of aches and pains. Ibuprofin is anti-inflammatory, as well as analgesic. You can get it under various brand names, or as generic ibuprofin. Whatever it's called, it has made my life easier.
Daytime and Nighttime Cold and Flu Meds
I used to be opposed to taking any kind of medication-- I'd suffer through with natural "remedies" that didn't really do much. Nowadays, I'd rather sleep through the night and be able to breathe. I can't stand the taste of medicine, so I'll get this stuff in pill form (I like Buckley's, which is Canadian) and it's a lifesaver.
Fresh Air
Maybe it's an old wives' tale, but I feel better when I can get some fresh air when I'm sick. If I have the energy I'll go for a short walk, but it's also okay to just sit outside or open a window. Unfortunately, this flu coincided with some of the coldest temperatures and biggest snowfalls we've had in decades. Luckily it warmed up this past weekend, so I managed to get some walks in, and (after the first one, which wiped me out) I feel stronger and more energetic for it. Coincidence? Placebo? Maybe, but it works for me.
Throat Lozenges
This flu started with a sore throat, and I was extremely grateful for the existence of throat lozenges with benzocaine, which I've never used before. These lozenges are numbing and kill the pain of a sore throat. Awesome, right? Well... When I started having a few minor signs of an allergic reaction, I thought it was just part of the flu. But when I ended up covered in hives on my torso, I did some reading and found out benzocaine is chemically similar to another drug I'm allergic to (bactrim, an antibiotic), and can cause cross reactions. I obviously stopped using those lozenges, and the hives are mostly gone now (I've also been taking allergy pills to help minimize the reaction). Sadly, there will be no more numbing lozenges for me. Stupid allergies.
The Flu Shot!
Yes, I got the flu shot back in October, and still got the flu. The way flu shots work, every year the shot is chosen based on which strain is likely to be prevalent in the upcoming flu season. Sometimes, an unanticipated strain ends up spreading. The flu I got this year was one of those. But because I got the shot, I wasn't as sick as I could've been, and that's huge. I haven't always bothered to get the shot, and the last time I caught the flu when I hadn't had the shot, it was miserable, and wiped me out for weeks afterwards. That was the year I started regularly getting the shot. Zero regrets. I've had the flu a couple of times since, including this year, and it has never been as bad as it was the year I didn't get a shot. Influenza (the flu) isn't like the common cold-- it can hit you hard and it can kill you. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not getting taken out by a virus.
Rest
I know there's pressure to never take a break, never take time off, work through the pain, always be doing something. That's a great way to get sick and stay sick (and spread the illness to even more people too). To get better as quickly as possible, your body needs rest. Whether that's more sleep than usual, or just lying on the couch and doing as little as possible, do what you can to do nothing. It's more important than we realize (or want to admit).
If you're up for it, reading is a great way to pass the time when you're not feeling your best. Distract yourself with my books (links follow)!
What works for you when you're sick with the flu? Share in the comments...
I've always loved snow. Probably not a surprise as a Canadian. According to my mom, the first big snowfall of the year happened the night I was born. When I was younger, I would always be out playing in it. I don't play so much anymore, but I love walking in it. The fresh air, the crunching underfoot, and the quiet [Edit: I forgot to add how fresh snow sparkles in the sun]. Not only are there fewer people around in general, but snow somehow muffles background noise. Yes, shovelling sucks, and the cold isn't much fun (still better than the summer heat!), but I'd hate to live anywhere without at least one good snowfall a year (preferably on my birthday).
Here are a few photos I took recently...
Off in the distance you can see a tiny figure. I tried to get a better shot but she's a fast walker. We've gotten to know her a bit on our walks, and she's apparently out every day picking up litter. She also gave us tips on watching out for coyotes-- never underestimate the toughness of tiny older women.
Speaking of tough women, download my books and read about some whose fangs would put a coyote's to shame...
(Links take you to all available stores. Books marked * are free everywhere other than Amazon. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)
Are you a fan of snow? What's your favourite winter activity? Share in the comments...
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