Thursday, June 25, 2020

I Like/Love #42

It seems surreal (how often have we all thought/said that this year) that in five days half of 2020 will be gone. It's been a decade in six months in a lot of ways. However, we plod on. So here is my list of things for which I am grateful this month. I link up with LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color where you can find several other grateful peeps' posts. It can be such a lift reading each others' likes.

1. I like the programme 'After Dark' that starts at 8 pm on CBC Radio 2 hosted by Odario Williams; I love Odario's smooth voice. He plays an eclectic mix of music for the evening. I like that CBC hosts are all accomplished and talented musicians in their own rights. For example, Odario is the lead vocalist for the hip-hop band Grand Analog. Julie Nesrallah, who hosts another favourite programme, Tempo, on weekday mornings, is an acclaimed mezzo-soprano, who sang for Prince William and Kate when they were here in Canada a few years ago.

2. I love this photo of my little cat, Bella.

She's a lovebug, but only with me. She absolutely loves when I sit in padmasana, cross-legged, especially for meditation, snuggling right in. Often she sort of pads my leg, or will kiss my fingers, before getting herself arranged and settledin my lap. Those of you who join me for yin yoga on Instagram on Tuesday and Thursday mornings have seen her do this!

3. I love marzipan. I am savouring this bar, bought in England last August when we were there, and kept safely tucked in the fridge all this time. I couldn't believe that Rory and Lorelei on Gilmore Girls hated marzipan! I am grateful that I can buy this size of marzipan, made by a different company, all day long in my local grocery store, in the international foods section, imported from Germany.

4. I like the sponsors for my Centred Quilt Along that just ended. They all immediately said, sure! Every single one of them has sponsored me at least twice, some all four years. 

Of special mention is Mad About Patchwork who I saw this morning celebrated one year with the new owner, Ali, at the helm on June 24. They have a great store, and are so supportive of the quilting community physically and online. Which reminds me that I have a gift certificate I won from last year's FAL that I need to spend....  Can you imagine buying a business and your first year half of it is during a pandemic with a total lockdown? I hope you pop over and visit, maybe spend a little moola (contrary to lots of statements, both Canada and the US still send packages back and forth internationally and overseas all day long, so this isn't just for Canadians).

Joanne at Canuck Quilter Designs was the first person online for whom I tested a pattern. She was also the first person I talked to about pattern designing. She has a sale on for my readers of 15% off all her beautiful patterns. It ends June 30, so don't delay. You need a code because it's my readers/followers only:
MMM2020

Those are just four of many beautiful designs, but four I particularly love. Her patterns are well-written with clear instructions. She lives in Iowa, and was in the direct path of the solar eclipse, hence that super-cool quilt pattern.

5. I love reading. I've read some good books in May and June, some recommended by readers/friends here and on Instagram.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens I thoroughly enjoyed. Still Life by Louise Penny was excellent too, my second Inspector Gamache book. This is the first in the series. Yesterday I finished Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan. Interesting because it's one I have had on my 'to read' list for years (published in 2011 and a contender for the Giller prize), and one Mum and I had talked about wanting to read, not sure if she ever did but she'd have enjoyed it. It's a dual narrative, both in 1939 and in 1992, mainly takes place in Berlin, and then Paris at the start of the war, and in Berlin and Poland in 1992. The main character is a bass player in the jazz band to which the other characters belong. It's rather à propos for the current 'lifting of the veil' on systemic racism, and police brutality. The descriptions of playing and listening to and the sound of music are just so beautifully done. As a lifelong lover of music, it just took me there, if you know what I mean. I also read and thoroughly enjoyed The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. More beautifully crafted language and a fantasy that I totally relate to, as I love Charles de Lint and have felt that it's possible if you look kind of sideways out of the corner of your eye and see a shimmering, there's a door, a portal to the land of faerie (in de Lint's case) or other worlds in Harrow's case. It's also got a great theme, and deals with racism in a subtle way as well. I've just started, and have been immediately drawn into, Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez.

5b. I like audio books. I used to listen to them when I had a lengthy drive to a school where I taught. Now I can quilt while I listen! I've read a few Flavia de Luce mysteries by Alan Bradley this way. The current one I'm on is As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust.

6. You know how much I love trees. There are neighbourhoods in circles, T's, double circles, crescents, cul de sacs, all along Lake Erie from Kingsville to Leamington. Ours is one. The 'circle' beside us has the most beautiful ancient trees, which I've shown before here. This gives you a sense of their height. Look at the fence and notice the streetlight there! Lake Erie is a few steps beyond that fence.

They touch overhead.

7. I love my growing collection of scraps sorting baskets. This is a tutorial by Angela of soscrappy.
I like the Aurifil 28 wt thread I used to quilt the latest, a pink one. I love my Bernina and I love tea in the afternoon, with chocolate too! There are a few likes within that photo!

8. Thanks to Roseanne's weigela like, I remembered this love.


This is Beauty Bush. This one isn't ours, though ours was the best it's been in three years, and I found out why. It blossoms on new growth so pruning is good, which MacGyver did, last fall. This one catches my eye each year on Seacliff Drive, the main road between Kingsville and Leamington. That's a 6-foot fence behind it! Don't you just love pink? I do.

16 comments:

  1. I love having a bit of chocolate with my husband for dessert after lunch every day. Heck, I love having my husband working from home and the fact that we get to have lunch together every day! <3

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  2. You will love the whole Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny, but you should try to read them in order as each builds on the preceding ones. And if you can, listen to some on audio. That's how I started (and on book 5). Hearing the French Canadian pronunciations entirely changed the way I "heard" the later books that I read in print. Granted, since you are Canadian, it might not make the same difference for you.
    Pat

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  3. Great likes! My favourite are the german marzipan, must be the german in me from my paternal grandfather. And that weigela is beautiful!

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  4. I love that photo of Bella, too watching the outdoor happenings in the neighborhood! Loved your list of books - some I have also read, or have them on my list, too. I just finished the whole Inspector Ganache series, and looking forward to her next book coming out in September. I haven't thought to listen to them like Pat recommended, and may have to try that!

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  5. I always wonder what cats are thinking while they gaze out a window. You've read quite a few books lately!

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  6. LOVELY! your kitten... so connected to you and your energy. I could almost feel her little raspy tongue licking my fingers. I once had a friend who's cat licked mine, and pulled on each fingernail gently for me. Pink is so calming for me, I'll be sad to see it go on RSC but might have to keep making stuff with it. I am excited about the book recommendations. I need to learn to download audio books from the library as I do not want to go back for real books that could have the virus on them

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  7. I like these posts & seem to get to know you a little more. I'm a huge tree lover & have so many photos it's a bit insane. My Bernina is basically my best friend in the mechanical world & I'm a fan of choccy too, though I do go for 'dark'. I don't seem to read much these days & your cat is such a sweetie in looks & evidently in nature too. Thanks for a great post, take care, stay safe & huggles. PS> My favourite colour is pink.

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  8. I'm hoping to make Joanne's Sprinkled pattern this summer. She has a lot of patterns I would make. I have a weigela in my front yard. I didn't know it needed to be pruned. I barely remember to prune the lilac bush...now two to prune. LOL

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  9. I forgot to say I love marzipan too, and never understood the Lorelei opinion. LeeAnna

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  10. Ah! What a peaceful post. He to marzipan and that lovely bush at the end.

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  11. Tea, sewing and chocolate - what a wonderful combo! (well, as long as neither the tea or chocolate get on the sewing...). There's a chocolate marzipan chocolate bar out there that I really like. Gotta read Gamache in order - too many spoilers otherwise! I think you're the second person that's recommended ten thousand doors... I may have to try that out.

    Lots of great likes!

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  12. Hi Sandra! I don't think I've ever had marzipan . . . at least, not that I know of. Yes to pruning! I found out by accident that the weigela bush loves to be pruned as well. I cut one down in the back of my house so I could see the hummingbird feeder and it has been blooming much better. So, note to self - trim them all in the Fall. That Beauty Bush is just gorgeous!! One of the best thing about Spring is that show that is put on for all to enjoy. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne

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  13. I love, love, love marzipan! It's possibly my favorite sweet. Definitely my favorite non-baked sweet. I did not remember that Rory & Lorelei don't like marzipan, I'll try not to let that change my opinion of them :)

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  14. Great post Sandra!
    Love sweet Bella! They do have their own funny ideas don’t they!
    I expect you are glad of the shade from those trees when the summer comes?
    I love those scrap baskets, if only I had somewhere to put some of my own!
    Keep safe and well.
    Hugs,
    Barbara xx

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  15. A beautiful set of love/like-s and photos. You know there are quite a few that we have in common. Sadly marzipan is not one of them. I can't eat it, but my husband loves it! Beauty Bush - what a lovely name for such a beautiful plant!

    -Soma

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