Canoeing, avocados and carding wool

We got out a few things from the pantry today...salsa for our tacos, sunrise marmalade for our breakfast and grape juice we can each year from my mom's grapes.  We made a soda with the juice, ice and club soda...good stuff!

While Dude fed the animals I quickly cut up more apples to dry.  Yes, the others are already gone...fun to each while watching television. 

Then it was out to the lake to canoe. I love to canoe. It was a gorgeous morning and I knew I wanted to get out before the afternoon rains.  You would think with each storm we had it would be tropical here. It's not, it is dry and the storms are quick and angry with lightning, hail and thunder. But our morning was beautiful. We spent two hours just enjoying the water.

These guys were cool to watch , fishing with their bows!

This guy is so good to me. I was raised near the water and always love it. Dude was raised in the mountains and says only fish belong on and in the water but he humors me with going canoeing. 

This dog was great riding the boat, he is only a year old. 

Pelicans were fun to watch. 

Another calm dog...springer spaniel 7 years old that loves to paddle board.

The new hay bales at the park... so creative!

We got home, put everything away and took a nap while it lightly rained and loudly thundered. 

Then time to make dinner using these huge avocados I traded lettuce for yesterday.

They were amazing! I only used half of one!

Lettuce from the garden. 

Made a salad for work tomorrow. 

Clean the kitchen and got my wool out to card.  I am spinning with my sister on Sunday and I will need something to spin.  Since I am a beginner still I carded a bunch of different stuff. The gray variegated I from my lamb, a CVM Romeldale. The white is from a merino and the brown is alpaca.  

Time to settle in .  Dude is working with Norman our dog and time for me to read.

peace 

Birthday fun

The more I cleaned lately, the more I found unfinished projects. I guess I see what my Dad is telling me.  I will be busy for a very long time.

Dude finished the staining on the trim and next up is the metal roofing...so excited. Metal began going up by the end of yesterday. 

Today was my birthday so we quickly feed the animals ...

and freezing the collars with a quick blanch. Then headed out the door!

I was so happy to be able to spend the whole day with Dude. 

We were finally canoeing.  Five years ago we canoed every week and now nothing.  Today I was going to make sure we got on the water. 

Take a look at this dog heading to his master to get a ride on their kayak.

I love to canoe. 

There were pelicans everywhere.  This guy swam stayed along side of us. 

Time on the lake flew by and was so peaceful. The lake we went to does not allow motor boats Monday through Thursday.  It was quiet and we seemed to glide across the water. But soon we had to head home to pick up some crocheting and drop of the canoe before heading north  to a few quilt shops . 

Oh and put away some stray turkeys. 

I still making this shawl and could have kicked myself that I did not bring a spare ball of yarn! 

The goal was to pick up a few Row by Row patterns. Quilt shops create a row for you to put in a quilt with other rows you have collected.  The only way you can get the pattern is to go to the shops. There are strict rules that say shops can not mail the patterns out. People get around the rules but part of the fun is going to the shops. 

We took the back roads and stayed off the main highways. 

Do you know where your chickens are raised? Poor things don't see the light of day. 

This is up at Loveland, Colorado. 

We made to the shop in Loveland to pick up their entry for the Row by Row challenge.. It is all paper pieced and will be a challenge but I got it anyway. 

The next Row by Row is much easier ... they cut it out for you! 

I did pick up a few more patterns too. Seriously, who could travel all that way for one pattern?

Plus I love maps and had to get some of this fabric. 

We went past the area where Dude's family farmed. 

His grandfather's farm house used to be by this tree. Now, it's an oil well. 

We stopped and saw some friends. 

Looks like rain!

We got home just in time before the rain hit. 

All in all a great day but always great to get back to the homestead. 

peace