Spring is here!

Hi Megs

Can't believe it is Spring already - although I got a little taste of summer when we were in Southern Louisiana. Your father and I had a grand time. I took my little purses as our hostess gifts and made some for my friend Irene who went as well, for her hostess gifts. We were on a Rotary Friendship exchange.

We went to New Orleans, Houma, DeRidder, Abbeville and Baton Rouge. The group from Louisiana are visiting us in September. We had a really great time. I loved it all - but found the swamp was just beautiful! We also saw the devastation in New Orleans - really overwhelming! But also flew over the marsh area south of Homua - southwest of New Orleans and saw the damage and loss of wetland.
We also went to a music festival in Lafayette (and a great craft fair), the state houses (old and new) in Baton Rouge, to LSU - walked on the field, went through the "hanging jail" in DeRidder, visited plantations along the Mississippi (Oak Alley, Ashland/Belle-Helen (where Chef KD made us a Cajun meal and cooking lesson - wow!), Homus-House), went to St. Martinville (Acadian monument and wonderful church), a production of Hair at LSU on the 40th anniversary of the play a - just so much to do and see. Most of all we talked and got to know people who live and understand Louisiana.

Thank you for the wonderful book , "Plants and Their Application to Ornamentation" you gave me for mother's day. It is just wonderful and is inspiring. Each flower and how they used it in their designs are really amazing. I also like the muted colours. Great gift. Dad gave me two gifts - a new garden cart - for both of us from Lee Valley Tools and a GPS system for my car so I wouldn't get lost and I can use my phone "hands free" through it (new law in Nova Scotia).

As to knitting and rug hooking - I am working on a lot of stuff but haven't finished much of anything. I have been busy making kits for a beginners rug hooking class, getting stuff stocked for the store, starting projects but not finishing any of them!

We did have some excitement. We had a wind and rain storm in March and when we looked out on Sunday morning the boat shed (with the canoe and kayak in it) was blown off its footings a complete 180 onto the rock wall. Must have been some gust because this shed, made by the students and NSCC Carpentry class - was solid - like a little house! Crazy Crazy.

Doris, Annie and I did have a booth at the Destination Southwest Tourism Expo in Halifax. It was an interesting day but it snowed and snowed so we didn't have many people.

We did visit Fleece Artist in Mineville, outside Dartmouth, when we were in Halifax (Dartmouth is on the other side of the bay). It was amazing. So much wool, so little time! I found visiting the area where they dyed the yarn really interesting. I got some Sea Wool (70% Marino, 30% Seacell), Somoko (65% Marino, 20% Kid, 10% nylon, 5% silk), and Scottish Silk (65% wool, 35% silk) (left to right in the picture). The Sea Wool has a very subtle dye pattern. Creams and grays. I am making the Vine Lace Cardigan from Gathering of Lace with the Sea Wool. This is a "work in progress". All of my things are "works in progress".

We also had a "Mushroom" class - rug hooked mushrooms - with Carol Harvey Clark. She has Spruce Top Rug Hooking and Econo Musee in Mahone Bay. It was a neat class. I made 4 mushrooms that I am going to make into broaches. They are kind of neat - didn't know mushrooms could be so interesting.
This is the group of us - and below are my mushrooms - have to finish them!

The Rugg Bees and Carpetbaggers also hooked a mat to raffle off for the Cancer Centre at the hospital. It is called "Keep on Moving" - the tickets are $2 or $5 for 3. It is a really nice mat, designed by Gayle Deone, on of our members. The tickets are selling very well - we are selling them at Hands on Crafts. We are going to draw in October.

So that is about all I have been doing. They guys are working outside - now that it is dry and warm - putting the boat shed back up.

Hope all is well with you both - and Rushka. We would love to come visit again - maybe in the Fall. We have a busy summer - but come and see us - a trip to NS in the summer.

Love ya,

Mom
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Easter Knitting

Hi Megs,

I have been Easter Knitting - Easter Eggs! I think I have lost it! I call them "Egg's new Easter Sweater".


Can't believe it is almost Easter. Happy birthday to Nathan (3/3) and this year, Easter is so early it is a couple of weeks before your birthday (4/4).



I have been very busy working on the latest edition of The Loop, the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia Magazine. Took it to the printer yesterday - now I wait until I have to mail it out - but the "monkey" is off my back and onto Garth's, our printer.


I have been busy - mostly rug hooking. I had a hook-in at our house - 4 days with 11 of us plus "drop-ins". It was really nice. This house is a nice sport. Lots of light and I think everyone found it comfortable. We had a good time just hooking and talking.




























I have been working away at Hands on Crafts. Our shop will also be one of the shops at the Spring Fling Hook-in in June so we are busy getting wool dyed for this.

I have also been knitting and hooking. I finished a diagonal scarf made with Noro. I had one of these but lost it somewhere so I made another to replace it. I also hooked a Welcome mat. It is a Deanne Fitzpatrick that I picked up some years ago at the funny little knitting & everything shop in Whitney Pier in Cape Breton (outside Sydney). It is made totally of Frenchy's wool. Really like it. I have it for sale down at Hands On.

I have also been working on the Jones Farm. Pam MacIsaac -Adams , my partner in the hooking shop at Hand On, did most of the dyeing for the mat. I particularly like the "old brick" a colour from Christine Little at Encompassing Designs in Mahone Bay. I had to overdye it lightly with seal brown (Magic Carpet dye) to get it toned down a little but it really seems to work. I am following the picture and it is really interesting and coming out well. Like painting with wool.

Now that the magazine is done I can do what I like - hooking, knitting and spinning! Really enjoying the spinning. It is SO relaxing. Sitting down and just spinning, they rhythm of it - I just love. I am working on colours right now. I am spinning leaf green, purple and blue and then will ply them together to see what I get.
Your father is off today to St. Lucia to do some work with them on adult literacy. He won't be gone for very long but at least he will be warm for a little while!

Love and pats for Rushka.

Mom XXXOOOPPPP

Knitter, Rug Hooker, Spinner and now Crochet?

Hi Megs,

I loved your pictures of Zanzibar! Wow. I then went into the link to all the pictures. You and your new husband (an our new son), Nathan, look so happy! What a wonderful adventure. I particularly like the pictures of the beach and boats and where you stayed. It brought back memories of Namibia - our funny little house on the Kanini River. Like all mothers, I love to see my children happy, happy.

We are enjoying our winter. There is something about winter - looking outside with the snow, frost, rain, wind but being cozy inside. I got up about 6:15 yesterday morning and looked out and there were 6 deer eating grass through the sprinkling of snow right outside the front windows. It was beautiful.

I am really enjoying working away on my knitting, rug hooking and spinning - and I have added crochet. I had not taken up a crochet hook for 30 years. I saw this pattern for a ruck sack in an old Rowan Magazine (#16). I had some Noro (I always keep a supply of Noro around - I love knitting with it) Kureyon so I stated messing with it - found the little wrist twist came back really fast - and before long it was done! Really like it. I did cheat with the straps. I got this funny little knitting machine on EBay - from the 1940's. It makes I-cord by turning the little crank. It is a very solid little thing - made of metal. It is called the Hobby-Knit. I didn't think Noro, not being spun tightly, would fit it it but it did. I cranked away and out came the I-cord. It has 6 hooks so it makes a really nice dense cord. It is a hoot! I really like the colours of the Noro that came through on the bag. This is a keeper! My new knitting bag!

And my spinning - having a grand time with this. I am getting better. I plied my first wool - and you can see from the balls of yarn - from left to right - good, better, best.... I now want to play with some colour and maybe some dying. But I do like the natural colours. Don't know what I am going to make with it yet.

I have also been knitting. I made two more little purses - played with the design and with beads. I like the way they look.
As to rug hooking. I am working on a mat I don't like - a Welcome Mat with lobster boats - that is using a big cut - #6 - just want to get it finished. I like a small cut, #3 or #4 at the largest. What I am looking forward to is a mat that Pam MacIsaac-Adams drew for me of your father's grandfather's house in Sedalia (1878). I am colour planning it now and will try to dye the wool myself or have Pam help me. I took a picture of the house when we were home this summer and she drew the mat based on it. Stan's aunt, Betty Bob, who with Uncle Van (Stan's dad's youngest brother) now own the house and farm, is in the picture with the wheelbarrow.

I think it will be really nice when I finish it. I am itching to get started. I am going to White Point Beach again, Feb 3-6, for a 4 day hook-in with the South Shore women. We are also going to have a 4 day hook-in at our house for the local hooking groups, Carpetbaggers and Rugg Bees, Feb 18-21. I have to get the wool dyed so I can work on it so I can take it to these. I think they will like hooking at our house because it is easy to clean the hardwood floors - and the views and lots of light.

So, I am spinning, knitting, rug hooking and now crochet. Busy, busy. And then there is "the shop", Hands on Crafts. Doris and I took part in a Women's Winterlude show yesterday - a showcase for women in business. We had THE most colourful booth and met a lot of people who didn't know about the shop or didn't know all the things we now have rug hooking supplies, wool, roving, and beads. It was fun.
In the middle, front you can see the rug I am working on know (one the frame with the green cover around it (the cover protects my wrists from the gripper strips)). It says "Welcome" and has two lobster boats on it - one yellow, one red.

I went to see the movie, Juno with some of my Kayaking buddies - really recommend it. As a former high school teacher and principal I can tell you that it was so real! These are not "Hollywood" 16 year olds but REAL 16 year olds. So well written and acted - and Ellen Page is from Halifax.

We have been going to Mariner hockey games, to Bruno's special dinners and enjoying winter and just keeping cozy in the house. It has been a nice winter.

Take care.

Love ya,

Mom
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Zanzibar, Part 1

Hi Mom,

Well, after a long delay, here finally are our pictures from our Zanzibar honeymoon last October/November! What's below represents a very small sampling of all the pictures we took - a larger selection can be found on my flickr page. But these are the highlights of our trip!

We left on a Friday morning, flying to New York, then London and finally Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where we landed very early Sunday morning. That our plane was early was perfect timing, as we managed to catch a cab and get to the ferry terminal just in time to be rushed onto a 7:30 ferry to Zanzibar. The our and a half ferry ride was just enough time to relax and actually absorb the fact that we were in Africa!

Boats in Stonetown harbor.

We called ahead to let our hotel know we were on our way, and were picked up at the ferry terminal (a good thing, as it was total chaos at the arrivals area!) and brought to our home for the night in Stonetown, historic 236 Hurumzi (formerly Emerson & Green). We were given the Tour Suite, which was beautiful - it had it's own little rooftop deck with a view of the Hindu temple next door and the harbor beyond.

Tour Suite, and it's view of Stonetown from the rooftop gazebo.

It was great to get in to Stonetown several hours earlier than planned, giving us time to relax over a lunch of hummus and falafels at a restaurant named for famous Zanzibari singer Bi Kidude, and then get out and explore the town.

An outside view of a Muslim temple, and one of Stonetown's many carved doors.
(More pictures of Stonetown and it's sights are on flickr!)

That night we had reservations at the hotel's TowerTop restaurant, where we were served a feast and treated to dancers and singers between courses. At the end of the meal, they invited selected diners to come up and dance with them - guess who was chosen to hit the floor!

My husband, dancing!

The next day we headed about 20 mintues outside the city to Mbweni Ruins hotel, where we were to stay for most of our trip. Right on the beach, this hotel is set next to the ruins of a former girl's school after which it's named.

Some of the Mbweni Ruins.

The beach and dock at Mbweni.

With friendly staff, a wonderful restaurant and just a generally relaxing atmosphere, this was a great base for the next few days exploring the island. We went to Jozani forest to see the red colobus monkeys:


We went back to Stonetown for more exploration and a little bit of shopping, including the quilted pillowcase for you from the Sasik women's collective:


And we went on a Spice Tour, were we learnt about all of the island's spice crops (pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, curry and on and on...) and were hosted by a great guide.

My husband, decked out in style for the spice tour, while I enjoy some coconut milk at the end of the walk.

We also took every opportunity to capture the spirit of Zanzibar:

Two coconuts waiting for a ride?

Schoolchildren on a break between classes.

A special kind of palm tree, and how to get your satellite service in style!

After three days at Mbweni, we packed our bags to head out on our next series of adventures - more on that to follow!

Zanzibar, Part 2

After spending our first part of the trip on the island of Zanzibar itself, we had the opportunity to spend one day and night further removed, on Chumbe Island Coral Park, an eco-resort off the west coast. (Really, we planned to go just for the day, but when I realized that I had goofed and not booked us anywhere to stay the night of the first - and that they had a room available that very evening - how could we resist the opportunity to stay over?)

Although it was just 24 hours, Chumbe was definitely the highlight of our stay. Photographs can't really convey how wonderful this place was - snorkeling excursions in the morning, forest walks in the afternoon, fabulous meals throughout the day and lots of time to just relax in one of the 7 eco-bungalows where guests stay. Again, there are many more photos on flickr!

On the way to Chumbe (how great that the pick-up point for the boat was at Mbweni Ruins resort?)

A hermit crab on the beach at Chumbe - these were everywhere on the island.
(We also stumbled across - literally - a huge coconut crab on our way home from dinner. I don't know who was more surprised, him or us!)

Our home for the night, bungalow #7 (left) and the Chumbe lighthouse (right).

After our night in paradise, we sadly had to pack back up and make our way to our last big stop, Matemwe resort on Zanzibar's east coast. This was a small but luxe all-inclusive place that again had wonderful food, a relaxing atmosphere and wonderful service - we were treated like stars!

Nathan enjoying the sunrise coffee & tea service on the oceanfront veranda of our bungalow.

Not only were we treated every morning as we watched the sun come up and the fishermen set out, but on our last night the manager surprised us with a private meal to celebrate our honeymoon. Champagne, rock lobster, prawns and more - so much more than we could possibly eat! It was a wonderful end to a relaxing few days.

Women on the beach at Matmwe, while fishermen sail by.

On the beach at Matemwe at low tide.

For Matemwe village, everything happens on or near the beach!

Too soon, though, our last day was upon us and it was time to start the slow return back to civilization. Our original plan had been to take the ferry back to Dar es Salaam the day before our 9am flight. Once again, though, luck was with us and we managed to find a small charter flight from Zanzibar that was scheduled specifically to leave at dawn to connect with our BA flight home - and there were two tickets left for the day we were leaving! - allowing us one more day on the island.

Since Mbewni Ruins hotel is right next to the airport, we decided to stay there as a base for our final day as we headed back to Stonetown for one last visit. There we had a wonderful lunch at a coffee house (cardamom coffee, delicious), did some final shopping (wait until you come visit us and see the lintel post we shipped home as luggage!) and came across a sign that Nathan will hopefully keep in mind from here on out:



We stayed in Stonetown until evening, going to the Fordhani evening market for what was probably the best food of our whole trip, cooked fresh on the seafront from the catch of the day served to us by an entertaining group of vendors all certain that theirs was the freshest and tastiest option, and eaten by the light of gas lamps and flashlights:

(Too bad that by the time we got to this feast, we were still too full from all the food we'd eaten over the course of our holiday that we could hardly take in anything at all!)

Then, sadly, it was back to the hotel to pack and get ready for our 6am flight to Dar and home. We brought back lots of mementos and memories, though - and we're already looking for our next trip that will give us a chance to relax like this!

Love,

Megan