Lest We Forget

Lost at Ypres in 1915 WW1

My great uncle Hugo Freeland

WWI Veteran

My grandfather "Shanks" Cecil Freeland

I was lucky to know my grandad who I adored

WWI veteran

My grandfather Dr. Frank Robertson

who served as a doctor

but come home early from the trenches suffering from TB.

I was a baby when he died and I so regret not getting to know him. 

Lost at Katyn WWII

Handy Hubby's uncle Zdzislaw Berens

WWII Veteran

My lovely Handy Hubby's father Tadeusz Berens

and my beloved father

WWII veteran

Desmond Hugo Freeland

Remembering on this day of Memory

 

Colours in the Garden

 

Our one rame flowerbed 

 So colourful this year full

Full of joy

I love it

Though I'm no gardener

I am trying!

Red the colour of our Root Chakra at the base of our spine

Keeps us grounded and connected to the universe

Deepening our sense of belonging and trust

Reds that dance in Summery breezes

For red is the colour that energizes us

Calls us into action

Romantic, passionate reds

Sexy and attention getting

A wee bit of quiet greyness

The perfect understated neutral

The colour of intellect and knowledge

And the colour of wisdom acquired through age

as us grey haired ancients!

Respect your elders kids!

Yellow sunshine

The colour of the Solar Plexus Chakra

located in our abdomen

provider of vitality and personal strength

 Happy Yellow brings warmth and positivity

enthusiasm

enlightenment

Lavender is prolific this year

Purple the colour of our Crown Chakra

Connecting us to the universal consciousness

Deepening our spiritual understanding

But back to intoxicating, alluring red!

And luscious browns are simmering in the garden too of course!

Associated with all things natural and organic

Wholesome

Comfortable

Earthy

Reliable

Approachable

Hearth and home

Life giving soil

Wishing you a day full of colour

A Rusty Pup Summer

 

A Rusty Pup Summer is full of play

And grassy back scratches

Then resting in the shade

And sometimes pretending you're a beaver

Then catching your breath before another game of tag erupts!

Or catching a bit of sunshine

And carrying your favourite stick back to the house.

I hope your day is full of Summer Sunshine.

Steven's Day of Memory

You left too soon 

But in your short and busy life 

You left behind so much love 

A ton of friendship 

And so many rich memories

Your brothers miss you 

Your friends miss you 

Your Mom and Dad miss you

We carry you closely in our hearts 

Remembering your kind and playful spirit

Holding onto precious memories

Mark was recently interviewed by Jeff Woods on his podcast 'Records & Rockstars' 

Mark spoke so beautifully about you and Brett and the Tragically Hip,

About that first concert you three boys went to, 

He spoke of losing you 

And about meeting Good Downey over the years.

You three are and always will be our Rockstars!

Love and miss you.

Tending Winter's Garden

Summer's Dance

I thought that using brighter colours
would help me through the winter months that I find so difficult
and, boy oh boy, last summer was glorious.
I wanted to record and celebrate that too
and forget the winter winds outside.

But then I read Rainer Maria Rilke's thoughts on winter

A time to care for one's inner garden

A time to mend

A time of growth for mind and spirit. 

A time of looking deeply inwards 

Learning

Healing

Reflecting

For so many Winters

I have said I should do a winter piece.

When the word 'should' comes out of my mouth

I now recognize it's never gonna happen!

Acceptance

 

So in this deep mid-winter stitching of the joyful dance of summer's dahlias

I hope I am learning to accept winter's edge

as a quietness

a retreat into deepening knowledge.

Now that this piece is finished

it fills me with joy and rich memories.

Winter's edge was harsh this year

So much so that the Rusty Pups could sniff the upturned top

of quite a few sixty foot spruce

At the other end I found inspiration in it's, oh so shallow, root ball.

There were many days when it was best to stay inside!

Even the RP's thought so.

In May the dahlia corms will go back into the ground

In August their blooms will be dancing and bobbing in summer breezes.

Living in an Ice Covered World

At break of day the sky was heavy with dark, dark clouds

Except for a brave sun trying to rise above the South Mountain.

Our world has been completely icebound for two days

Branches drooping with the weight.

Everything encased

Everything bending over from the weight

Broken branches scattered on the ground

Rusty Pups were able to walk on deep ice covered snow

Not me

but I tried

and after a second each step would suddenly break the surface

and I was up to my calves in snow.

Thank goodness the driveway took my weight

and so we walked back and forth

for half an hour

then gave up

frozen fingers and toes!

Relieved to get back in the warmth

prepare breakfast 

and....

....get down to a day's stitching on a new smaller peony piece.

Bringing colour back into a cold icy weekend.

I hope you too are all warm and safe inside.

A stormy weekend of power cuts

is no fun at all.

It's My Birthday and I'll Cry if I want to!

Just Joking!

It's my 75th....3/4 of a century old am I!

We are celebrating snuggled at home under our third weekend of storm and wind warnings. 

Fingers crossed we don't lose power or any more trees.

Or perhaps the storm won't be as bad as anticipated and the Robins will come and join our celebrations.

At this time of year flocks of them come and gorge on the wild holly berries.

One thing's for sure the Rusty Pups will have to stay close

 no walking up the frozen stream.

The three of us will miss our break of dawn walk because I'm not venturing out there!

Handy Hubby has been alongside me for 53 of my 75 years.

Thank you for being there through thick and thin sweetheart.

And thank you to my three boys of whom I am so proud.

They have made my life so complete.

Love you