heaven

a gentle spring rain (on my birthday)

getting the garden in

so much faster and easier and so much more fun with extra hands. thanks brenda and trudy (and blackie) for your help this evening.

not enough hours in the day

most of the shops i sell my yarn and kits to are seasonal. in newfoundland the tourist season kicks in by mid-june. so this is the busiest time of year for orders. my days are spent dyeing and spinning. labeling and packaging. and mailing out. the weeds in the flower garden are freely taking over.

good dirt

last evening, mild with a little sun and a weekend forcast for rain, marilee and catherine and i decided it was the evening for planting peas. we have 3 garden plots in the community garden now to share between us - share the work and share the harvest. the new plot will be just for potatoes. the garlic we planted last fall is growing tall and healthy. in the next few weeks we'll be planting carrots and kale and chard and brocolli and squash

- all crops that do pretty well here in this northern climate. it was a pleasure to get my hands back into dirt again. to spend time with dear old friends. to stop and gaze out at the last snow on the blomidon mountains. to pay attention to this new season.

little brothers

unfurled

as i waited for the birth of my grandson these past few weeks, this is the piece i was working on. i finished it last night. "unfurled" is about spring. and new life. i'll be submitting it for the newfoundland and labrador craft council's upcoming annual member's show.

welcome to the world levi james

i got back home last evening after almost 3 weeks in st. john's. aching for my family, for the grandchildren and especially the newest little one - levi james born april 27th. i went in a week before my daughter's due date - to be there in case she went into early labour as she had for the previous 3. it was a week of being with the little ones - walks to and from school, playgrounds, special one on one times. beautiful spring days.

my daughter went a week over her due date. not wanting to be induced, she got labour going with a few sessions of acupunture.

so when labour did come, it came stong and fast.

the contractions started at 2 minutes apart and were 1 minute apart before we could get out of the house.

my daughter and son-in-law are old pros at this birthing. i sit back and watch and record as they do their slow and painful birth dance. they are wonderful partners.

the other children saw him within an hour of his birth.

week 3 of my visit everyone is settling in. levi is a very happy little guy. once his needs are met he's content to sleep or be held (always a pair of arms wanting to hold him) or swing in his chair taking in the activity of this large little family around him.