Sylvia's Simple Shots

I am so enjoying the sunrises from this new place.  I want to take pictures nearly every morning.

There were some very sunless days last week when the snow came that I am appreciating the sun.

There's been a lot of stuff to deal with this week. Problem solving 101.

The black shelf in the craft room was stacked to the ceiling with envelope boxes filled with craft supplies which is not great for air circulation. The iris cases at 15 inches in the closet were difficult to remove with the door open.

Solution: Move the iris cases to the black shelf in the room which provides air circulation. 

Move the envelope boxes to the black shelf in the closet as they are 11 inches deep.  

It is easy to remove the envelope boxes from the closet shelf with the space available with the door open.  I took the time to label all the boxes as well so that things are easier to find. 

I also looked at the contents and emptied 2 of the envelope boxes in hopes that they would all fit in the closet.   As you can see there is still one on the shelf with the iris cases.  Purging is a difficult process and I am grateful I have accepted the limited space in this new place.

That works so much better.

There was room on top of the die cut station to expand so I added a plastic shelf.  Too bad I don't have another wooden shoe shelf. I will work on that. 

The shelf was barely tall enough to have the red baskets under it.  They hold thin dies so they are quite heavy. I needed to extend the height of the shelf a bit.  I immediately thought bottle caps but a trip to the parkade where we collect returnables found all the bins empty!  Plan B.  

I chose Gutterman sewing thread spools that come apart.  I was able to put the one piece from the bottom of the leg and put the small piece in the leg from the top.  I used the dowel to reconnect the pieces inside the leg.

It is good that I did not have to cut the spools so when another shelf comes I can just take this solution apart and return the spools to the sewing desk.

Problem solving every day of the week it seems.

I finished this book this week. Always Dakota by Debbie Macomber.

It takes place in Buffalo Valley, North Dakota. The place is growing, businesses are opening, and people are moving in.  It is becoming a good place to live. 

Stalled lives are moving forward. 

Rancher Margaret Clemens loses her father and marries the man of her dreams, Matt Eilers.  Town folks are not so sure.  Two unplanned pregnancies with Matt in the middle. What to do?

There was a lot of stress in this story which did not help with my super busy week. 

I see that this is the last in a trilogy.  I may look for the first 2 books.

My home phone was out from the 06 to the 10th. It took 75 minutes of my 100 monthly minutes to go through the hoops to diagnose the problem with my provider.  Once customer service did all they could they transferred me to technical support and indicated the wait was 45 minutes but not to hang up.  Luckily it was about 30 minutes when the person answered.  Then there was more checks to take place, more time on hold while that was done.  Then we will try some else and please hold. 

Finally, it was determined that a service call would be necessary.  It was booked for Monday, Nov 10th. I would be getting a text. I received at least 1 text a day for the following 4 days.  I am sure they see  it as customer service but it seemed excessive to me.  I wonder how many appts are cancelled.

Another Patrick Taylor books read this week.  An Irish Country Family by Patrick Taylor.  There are just a few I have not read.  It's like meeting up with family. 

We are back with Doctors Fingal O'Reilly and Barry Laverty in Ballybucklebo in County Down, Ireland. It's was focused on Barry and his years in medical school and internship at the hospital and then his time at medical practice on Main Street. 

He and Sue are frustrated when conceiving a child has proved more difficult than anticipated.  Tests and schedules take over the fun of procreating.   Donal, Julie and the kiddies finally return to their cottage which had a fire a while back.

A story about neighbours helping neighbours. Finlay steps in when a man proves aggressive with Alice a local shop keeper.

Many folks pitched in at the rebuild of the cottage. 

Support comes for Doctor Emer who is temporarily working in the practice. Fingal and Kitty are happily married and looking to slow down.

I found a new to me YouTube channel. Laura Kampf is a DIYer all the way.  She is handy with all the tools - wood and metal.  Her passion is to prevent items hitting the landfill and making something useful with them. She makes useful scultpures - suitcases, lamps, furniture and much more.

I worked on a project this week to solve an issue that has been bothering me.

When I moved in there was a 2x4 piece of wood in the slide of the patio door.   It serves the purpose of making sure that the door can not be opened from the outside.  Great.

It is heavy, stamped with numbers, scuffed up and not pretty at all.

After considering just replacing it I decided that I should use what I have.  I chose to trim it down a bit but with only a hand saw the work was cut out for me.

It took 1.5 hours with 3 breaks to get it cut through.  Again, those clamps proved invaluable.  Once cut let us make it pretty.  I was going to paint it but did not really have too many choices.

In the end I chose Tung Oil was chosen. It fits in with the pine in the room and is good looking.

I had a trip out of town this week where I was away for 2 days to visit my sister, have lunch with her kids and grandkids as we celebrated a grandson's birthday.

I took the opportunity to sort through the rest of the boxes I had stored at her house since 2022.

This was my photo studio stuff mostly which of course needs to be scaled down significantly. I put aside everything that was really easy to decide and we took a large box to the second hand store on Saturday/

I do have boxes in the car that need to come in and the harder decisions will have to be made.  At least, it all here and I can move on.

A zuchinni chocolate cake using the recipe my other sister used for the cake at my house warming.

His cousin decorated the cake and there were candles which were lit and blown out all at once.

He is becoming a tall and a very good teenager.

Lunch was pizza on their new expandable table set up in their dining room.

Busy Busy Busy!

Sylvia's Simple Shots

 

Another good time spent in Ireland with the medical practice of Doctor Fingal O'Reilly. An Irish Country Christmas by Patrick Taylor.

Dr. Barry Laverty is spending his first Christmas in the small town of Ballybucklebo in County Down in Northern Ireland.

There are the seasonal illnesses in the community which means a busy time at the surgery. 

Kiddies' Christmas pageants, parties at the Rugby club, and playing Santa Claus for a young mother struggling at this time of year.  Fingal dresses up as Santa for the kids Christmas party and presents are handed out to all.

Barry hopes that his girlfriend Patricia will make home for Christmas but it is not looking good.

Always a wonderful read. 

Sylvia's Simple Shots

 
I was treated to seeing the kitchen cupboards painted on Dec 31st!   I am very happy with the color.

I picked up the 30 hinges I needed to replace the bronze ones that were on the brown cupboards.

These are chrome and will go much better with the grey color of the cabinets.

I managed to get a better price of $2.00 each at another supplier than the big box store.

Another great read from Patrick Taylor.  An Irish Doctor in Love and at Sea.

This was a great book.  The story alternated with Dr. Fingal O'Reilly's earlier medical career and a more modern time where new doctors are joining the practice and Dr. Barry Laverty is a partner in the practice.

We finally find out what happened to his first wife. How they met, their love affair, their married life and how he loses her.  There have been vague mentions of her in past books and here we find out a lot more about Deirdre.

Donal is up to his antics as usual.

Loved the book!

New Year's Eve was a quiet night with the TV running the fireplace video.

My last glass of egg nog.

It was an early night as things have been hectic between the renovations and family celebrations.

Sylvia"s Simple Shot

We have so few red leaf trees in our province.

This one was at a small park near my sisters house.  I was on a walk in the morning before heading to the ReUse Center. The sun was highlighting the red beautifully.

I was blessed to have supper with the same sister later in the day after she had been to see her husband in hospital and I did some errands.

I headed to West Edmonton Mall Monday morning to have a visit with one of my sister's who had just returned from PEI the night before.  

We ate at the food court where each of us could have our choice.  I had Vietnamese noodle bowl. Delicious.

She had the grandsons while their Mom and Dad were at an appointment near by.

I took advantage of being at WEM to visit the David's Tea store - only one in Edmonton.

I had some great ginger tea at my aunts earlier this year so I selected a ginger tea.  

It gives me a non caffeinated option which I can chose to drink more often.

I decided to visit the Old Strathcona Antique Mall and called a friend who generally meets me there. She was free!  

I have not seen her physically for about 2 years so it was nice to chat and we headed to Swiss Chalet for supper after traipsing through the antiques.

There is so much wonderful items there.

Check out the frilly lampshade on a Fenton glass base from I think the 1940s.

Amber handle on a mirrored tray.

Always a good time.

I put together a set of cards for her since she is a card giver.  

I have been supporting my friend who do give cards with some from my stash.

It is a win - win.  Cards leave my house and they get free cards which helps all the way around.

An Irish Country Practice - Patrick Taylor is a book I finished this week.  

There are new faces at the practice Not only has O’Reilly taken a new trainee under his wing, Doctor Connor Nelson, he’s also added a spirited Labrador puppy to his ever-expanding household at Number One Main Street. 

Meanwhile, his trusted partner, young Doctor Barry Laverty, finds himself wondering if he’s truly ready to settle down and start a family with his lovely fiancée, Sue.

This was a very deja vu read. Many things sound familiar but I have no record of reading it before.

Always, a joy to spend time with the doctors at Number One Main Street in Ballybucklebo.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I had been thinking of auditory things for relaxing this year.  A Westminster Chime Clock, a Tongue Drum, Tibetan drum music CD were things that cam up.  

I recognize that I don't have musical talent so a drum might be an expensive mistake and I had no experience so I would have to find someone to help me. Again, a chime clock is expensive and maybe to much for the small place I have, a CD is certainly a possibility. 

Then, I found these at a Thrift shop for under $5.  They are Chinese Chime Balls - Baoding Balls.  Well, that may fit the bill.  They are 1.5 inches in diameter and quite heavy so they will not work as intended in my hand. For now I put them in my pockets when I am home and they chime during my morning workout.

This is one of the things that arrived following my visit to the ReUse Center today.

Gorgeous translucent red mitten ornaments for the Christmas Tree.  Yes, it is still up. There were three of them and they are plastic.  Would have been amazing if they were glass.

I have to go through my ornaments and purge the ones that I know now will not work with my wall tree.  Maybe that is why I am not taking it down because there a big job ahead.

Another visit with the doctors in Ballybucklebo Ireland.  I finished this book - " An Irish Country Welcome" by Patrick Taylor. 

In this book Dr. Barry Laverty and Sue are now married and expecting their first child.  Barry is finding it challenging to be on the other side of the desk as he and Sue navigate a few challenges with this pregnancy.

During this time the country is suffering with sectarian tensions in Ulster in the late 1960's.  The Catholic / Protestants conflict arrives in the little town and the people put a stop to the divisiveness. Everyone are neighbors and treat everyone with consideration.

A new doctor, Sebastian Carson joins the practice for internship. Being upper class it takes a bit of getting used to the ways of the rural folk. Dr.  Fingal O'Reilly and nurse wife Kitty start to cut back on the work at the practice as they head toward retirement.

I finally got myself some applique pins for my slow stitching.  I am enjoying my big project and anticipate continuing to do stitch work of some sort so it made sense to invest in some of these.

They are shorter with small heads so they don't get in the way as the regular glass ball quilting pins do.

After several visits to Michaels I had to head to Walmart to actually get these.  I did find serger thread on sale so I bought 2 more cones.

The big project is coming into it's final stages.

I remembered to stop by Lee Valley and buy Tung Oil.  I had recently found a video on line talking about it and what is sold with that name on it.  The fellow was suggesting making sure that it is 100% pure Tung Oil. 

It will come in handy for part of the big stitching project.  You will have wait and see how.

I will use it on my dining room table as well.

Sylvia`s Simple Shots

This book - Fingal O`Reilly, Irish Doctor by Patrick Taylor was another wonderful visit with these characters.

It was very interesting to learn about his early years as a medical doctor.  His passion for his patients was there from the beginning.

Switching back and forth between now being a newly wed having married Kitty his first love. Adjusting to life at Number One with 2 women in the house - Kinky and Kitty.

I always love reading these books.

I found a few Tinker Toys at the thrift store this week.  We had a set when I grew up and played with them a lot.

I bought them for sentimental value.  They did not come in this wonderful tin.

I expect they may come in handy for constructing structures in the future how knows.

I have a good number of long, medium and short pieces as well as quite a few wheels.

 

Sylvia's Simple Shots

The fourth Sunday of Advent. 

When things start to mount, health issues, the economy, sick loved ones, the loss of one who will not be here for Christmas, traveling in less than ideal conditions, the grey days and the very cold nights.

Struggling and rejoicing are not chronological steps but concurrent movements, one fluid with the other.

Even now I will be joyful in the God of  my salvation. All far is but the notion that God ends. When does He ever end?

Fear not!

The very cold temperatures are back again.  I am wearing layers and I have ever been so cold in my place.  Not sure why but the heating system struggles to maintain the 72F I am used to. 

This level of coolness indoors has be hugging my wheat bag warmed in the microwave and hunkering down with cozy blankets.

I have not ventured outside in these crazy temperatures and I am grateful that I don't need to go to work.

I have groceries enough.

I spend time on the internet and reading books.  Thank goodness I have a few I can choose from.

Graceline O'Malley by Ann Moore is one of the books I finished recently.  I was lucky that this is the first book in a trilogy. 

Set in the mid 1800s when the potato blight destroyed crops and left tenant farmers with no income. Gracelin only fifteen, is married off to a land owner to keep her family in the cottage they lived in for years.  She has compassion on neighbors who have been evicted from their homes due to their inability to pay the rent due to the landowner. 

I found the famine in Ireland so described in this book very hard to read about. It was devastating. Gracelin does what she must to keep her family alive.  

As political unrest sweeps across the countryside, she harbors Irish rebels -- her own brilliant brother among them -- keeping hidden, as well, the deepest secret of her heart. 

This was a great book and I will look for the next 2 books.

It is so cold that I am again taking photos through the windows.  

The sun continues to shine which is a blessing.

The snow as well makes things tricky for those who have to venture out.

I enjoyed another Patrick Taylor novel this week - An Irish Country Courtship.  This one set in the 1960s in County Down in Northern Ireland. 

Nice to revisit the family medical practice with elder Dr. Fingal Flatherie O'Reilly and the young Dr. Barry Laverty.  Barry has 6 months to go to become a full partner. He is going out with Patricia Spence an architectural student.  Dr. Fingal, a widower has recently been reacquainted with Kitty O'Hallorhan a nurse he met while at medical school. 

The courtship in this case is between the senior partner and a nurse. Barry and Patricia are struggling to maintain a long distance relationship when she goes to Cambridge to study. Barry becomes acquainted with a local teacher, Sue Nolan during a ringworm outbreak at school. 

A delightful books and I enjoyed it immensely. 

Sylvia's Simple Shots

On November 1st I was out in fall coat, no boots, and dry roads to drive on.

November 2nd it snowed and turned cold. Temps in the -15C to -25C and the sky was overcast.

I can stand cold if the sun is shining.  

This was taken November 8th when the sun finally started shining.  

Today, is November 11 and finally it is -7C just after lunch.  I am heading out to enjoy it.

An Irish Country Village by Patrick Taylor - It was great to reconnect with these characters. Dr. Barry Laverty and Dr. Fingal O'Reilly who run a general practice in Ballybucklebo in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. The doctors see patients in the morning and make house calls in the afternoon.

Miss Kinkie Kincaid is still the housekeeper and chief cook for these hard working men. 

Dr. Barry has been at the surgery for about 6 months and is learning about a small medical practice, about the culture of a small village, and knows most of the patients he sees.  He is dating Patricia Spence a civil engineering student.

Barry had his medical competency questioned and is awaiting post- mortem results, Patricis is studying for a big exam which may change her next career move, Fingal meets an old classmate from years ago - Kitty O'Hallorhan, and the local pub the Black Swan maybe cease to be if the local councilor has anything to do with it.  Needless to say that tragedy must be avoided at all costs.  Totally enjoyed this book though it is earlier than some I have read so I know the outcomes of some of the situations in this story.

With the cold weather and the staying inside it was natural to turn on the oven and get some baking done.

I made Chocolate Bran Muffins for the first time in months and have resolved to have one a day.

They are chocolate and sweeten with applesauce, which contributes to a healthy snack or dessert.

I baked a roll of Chocolate Wafers which have been in the freezer for several months.  I should have rolled them out a bit more as these were pretty thick but really delicious.  I will have to make some more of Christmas.

The entry into the oven was a couple of chicken thighs roasted in my stoneware baker.

Here is supper that night with a good helping of coleslaw, fresh tomatoes, baked yams with some white rice.

Yummy and the house was warm from having the oven on from 2 - 5 pm.

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber was a great read. Annie Marlow. a nurse, has been rocked by tragedy and is struggling to make sense of her new reality. She heads back to Oceanside in the Pacific Northwest to a cottage she spent summer by the sea with her family.

She rents the cottage, meets an artist who has lived all his life in sea side community, grows a garden, befriends her recluse landlady and enjoys her work at the medical clinic.  She learns to find peace and to trust again.  Annie finds that the surest way to fix what is damaged within to to help others rise above their pain and find a way to heal.  I would recommend this book.

I have started putting milled flax seed on my breakfast.   It is a healthy thing to do.

I buy the whole flax seeds and put 1 cup into the blender each week and store it in the refrigerator. I have put the extra bags in the freezer until I need them.

I always like to have a measure in the container for the things I use regularly. My rolled oats, my powdered milk, my Cheerios tupperware container so I was looking for a tablespoon measuring spoon for this jar of flax seed.  

The the thrift store a while back I found this gorgeous round stainless steel measuring spoon.  It is so cute and now I use it every day and it makes me happy!

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I made my last visit to the St. Albert Botanic Park before the hard frost comes and does away with the blooms.  The dahlias were still pretty and in good form for the most part.

This is Blushing Princess Alyssum which is covered with heavy dew.  My runners were soaking wet by the time I had spent over an hour in the park.

It was a brisk morning so an extra layer was needed for the morning.  I added a vest and headed out.  It was very nice time with very few people around.

Not to much to see at the river this time.  A few ducks were fattening up for the long trip south which no doubt will start soon.

Mister Teacher by Jack Sheffield was a light read.  I would another book by this author.

A warm-hearted, nostalgic and funny continuation of the story begun in the popular Teacher, Teacher! With a wonderful gallery of characters in this North Yorkshire village, author and real-life headmaster, Jack Sheffield, chronicles another riotous year in the life of Ragley-in-the Forest village school.

It's 1978, and Jack Sheffield is beginning his second year as headmaster of a small village primary school in North Yorkshire. There are three letters on his desk – one makes him smile, one makes him sad and one is destined to change his life for ever. This is from nine-year-old Sebastian, suffering from leukemia in the local hospital, who writes a heartbreaking letter addressed to 'Mister Teacher'. So begins a journey through the seasons of Yorkshire life in which the school is the natural center of the community. Vera, the school secretary who worships Margaret Thatcher and whose greatest ambition is to become President of the Women's Institute; Ruby, the twenty-stone caretaker who sings like Julie Andrews; Dorothy, the coffee shop assistant who is desperate to be Wonder Woman; all these , and many more colourful characters, accompany Jack through the ups and downs of the school year. Most of all, there is the lovely Beth Henderson, a teacher from a nearby school, who with her sister Laura presents Jack with an unexpected dilemma.

It's September and that is Concord Grape season in my part of the world. 

We must have had these as a kid but I don't remember for sure.  They are expensive but I treat myself to a carton every year.

The beautiful velvety blue skins with the bright green insides and they taste great.

My sister usually share in this tradition so I brought her a cluster when I saw her this week on her way to help Mom with a big medical eye  appointment.

Speaking of seasons the Canada Geese are starting to gather.  I did not find any in the waters of the Lois Hole Centennial Park but they were heard several times way over head.

I managed to capture this shot as they passed close enough over head to actually see them.

They move pretty fast when on a mission to find enough food to get ready for their trip south.

No doubt they are connected with like minded souls for the long trip as well.

I love their call at this time of year.  They make themselves known and spreading the word about what time it is.

I was able to find this book at the thrift store the other day. An Irish Country Love Story by Patrick Taylor.

It was so good to reacquaint myself with these great characters. Fingal O'Reilly the senior doctor in this medical practice in Ballybucklebo in County Down, Ireland. Kitty is now his wife.  Barry Laverty is coming along as the next senior doctor at Number One Main Street and he is engaged to Sue Nolan a teacher.

These farm folk love their dogs and when Jasper goes missing there is a massive search.  

There is an incident that puts Number One Main Street at risk.  This building has been home to the medical clinic for last 50 years, to the doctors and is where Kinky Auchinleck used to live before she married Archie. She still comes to work every day as the housekeeper and all around manager for the practice. 

The regular set of seasonal ailments are par for the course for these doctors who still make house calls. 

I will be on the look out for more of this series. 

A Lesser Yellow Leg bird at the Lois Hole Provincial Park on Sunday.   The water is so low that it must be a challenge for birds to find water and food.  Especially now that they are fattening up for the trip south.

I have to say having mucky mud as a background in my photos does not make me overly happy either but there it is!

Love the bit of blue water and the reflection of its feathers in the water.

I was very happy to see a bird other than female mallard ducks.

The challenge at Flickr Macro Mondays this week was zigzag.  This subject matter has a lot of options - muffin liners, alligator clips, saw edges, patterns on paper and plastic and tons more. The picture on the right is a Tupperware Charcuterie tool.

You can check out my Flickr Photostream (SMDPics)  to see my submission for this week. 

Have a good week!