Last Week of Isolation - And Here's Why

 As I view all the photos coming in from that blest day, my heart is so full of love for these two that were joined together in marriage, congratulations to you both & many years of happiness as your dad & I have experienced over our 35 years together.

The wedding was very small but the love between these two was so pronounced as they forged through this epidemic to finish what they had started over a year ago, in the life that we once knew before COVID-19.

It was done in a western-style that both have adapted to, Mitchell was always outside & he is so at home in Alberta, as is Nicole. Bill & I are over the moon with their choice to be united as one with the marriage. They compliment each other so well as their colours that day - Ying & Yang a balance between the two.

Barry, Ben, Mitch, & Ben having a moment during photos. He is over the moon!! With this trio of friends that he has chosen in his new life in Alberta, they will endure life's ups & downs together.

Friends are the family we chose.

Nick & Leslie looking very elegant for the occasion. These two really complete each other too, It is true that opposites do attract. Leslie is so calm with Nicholas, who is much like me & needs that special wonderful person that truly loves them for being themself. 

Stephaine & I in the loft of the Sweet Haven Barn, Huxley AB, where the wedding took place. Stephanie is so good for our third son & I am in love with all the boys' choices in partnership. There is a balance in all our family lives now as we move forward in a very trying time with an invisible virus enemy. 

With everything going on around us with COVID-19 in such a negative way, the wedding has brought such joy for me to see All My Children again in a happy, joyous time.

Don & Lois the ring bearer awaiting instruction before the wedding. Don also had the task of being the MC at the reception. He did both jobs beautifully! 

There's a woodcarver that did this sign for the wedding, it's the same carver that did our home silhouette carving that Nicole & Mitchell gave us for Christmas a couple of years back. Beautiful work!

And another beautiful piece!

The men all wore a bullet bouquet, that they had fun emptying out on the property that the barnboards came from. I really enjoyed being in a rural area with all the friendly neighbours & their families.

Keeping with the antler theme here's the head table centrepiece that I made with a little help from my New Brunswick friends Susan & Richard. I love this photo with the bride's bouquet on one side & the groom's hat on the other! I Love That Day!!!

Bill & I with Mitchell, in front of the fireplace in Sweet Haven Barn in Husky, AB.

Thanksgiving Day - Thankful Forever And A Day XO

A very special day that usually is done on the east coast but today as the family would come from across Canada to be together but was done in Elnora Alberta this year.

The newlyweds opened their gifts after our brunch with family & friends.

The community center looks like it did before the wedding banquet, things were unwinding as six of us were flying back home in the morning. Don & Stephanie had the 1st flight out, followed by Nick, Leslie, Bill & I to Toronto, then just Bill & I to Moncton. We arrived home at 1am-ish. 

The presents with cards were plentiful as shipping in these uncertain times was hard & expensive.

Don & Steph really hit a note with Mitch...This first present was barbeque cooking utensils. 

Then came the 'Barbeque - A Pit Boss' that has a story of its own from the NASCAR trip to Texas for Nick's 30th birthday. lol Needless to say, Mitch/Nicole were happy campers!

I really loved this piece! It was done by a local couple that ran their own small business. 

I think mom & dad would like one for Christmas... just saying if you're stuck on a gift?

Hugs were plentiful after that gift! lol

Many cards were read aloud to us. 

Love seeing hugs. It will be next year before seeing each other again in May 2012.

I Love You Two!

This is their engagement piece done on a piece of canvas fabric. So many memories for them to hold onto in their years ahead. I still have our wedding photos in our bedroom, makes my heart warm thinking of all the love that was shared that day with friends & family. 

We were invited to Frank & Deb's aka the kids Alberta-Parents for fire & farewell until we meet again.

Their lovely home is as inviting as their hearts, it shows in everything they do. 

How is this for a fire... it's under a pavilion that Frank designed & built! Bill's been thinking of one in our woods & I have been encouraging him. I think it may very well start in May when the kids are home! 

There's a woodshed off to the left & a stone stairway going up on the right! Oh, so many natural elements to take in with this design. The ginger cat took a shine to Bill, he asked Frank 'How do cats know that I don't like them?' They both laughed.

The fire was started in the metal center & chairs were added around it. There were equipment canvas covers added between the poles to keep the wind-down. 

Beautiful!

I love the natural elements in this design in the steps.

Birds had nested in the ceiling near the stove pipe. Frank had a very clever design that he had brought to life for everyone to enjoy.

These arches were made for their son's wedding a few years ago... then thoughts of a pavilion came to life. Their property is really park-like in this setting, I wouldn't want to be the one that keeps the lawn mowed. lol

Another wooden structure with a balcony to the back of it, everywhere you turn on this property something is going on. And Frank & Deb both run their own individual business! An amazing couple!

The steel roof is the same colour as ours! There's a beginning for our pavilion! lol

If you can dream it, you can do it! Frank, you did it!!

Stephanie was clever & asked Nicole if she could borrow her coat, the winds were changing as it started to snow the next day & hasn't stopped since. We left the next morning & the snow came later that day!!

Timing... it is everything! lol

Frank & Deb have edible birds, turkeys & chickens. The kids & their friends have some among these too. Nicole surprised me when I saw pics of her beheading & feathering them! This city girl that I knew is more rural than me!

 

These turkeys were huge about 50+ lbs & would be made into ground turkey & turkey sausages.

Happy Thanksgiving Day Mr. Turkey!

White turkeys, a sight to behold!

And so many chickens that would meet the freezer that week.

This place had so much natural life in it, so homey.

Bill won't let me get wildlife to look after, I think he knows that I won't eat them, they would just be pets. lol

Here's the inside of the chicken coop, yes they went into their owns freezers by the end of the week.

Alberta was having a hard time purchasing new freezers too, as well as mason jars!

Home Again

Rexy asleep on the chair, she never missed us!

It rained that day whilst Alberta had snow, we were home safe & sound in our home for the isolation of 14 days for me & after a week Bill went back to work in Ontario.

I heard the Westminster chime at Deb's place & it made me think of home. 

Her chime meant someone was coming up their driveway, mine comes from this Grandfather clock that was a 5th wedding anniversary gift of wood, from Bill 28 years ago. 

I've been making a Harvest Pinwheel quilt from a 2009 kit that I've finally gotten around to make. This small topper was done with the leftovers & these maple leaves are from a walk I did with Bill on our property. The reds & oranges are colours that I missed seeing in Alberta.

This quilt should be done this week, so many pieces... I thought a 2-page instruction, how hard was that?! Then sew together & make 62 of those t0 attach to the other 62... that was after making 20 twelve inch blocks that had 36 pieces to sew together to make one block! 

I'm on day 8 of my 14-day isolation, the quilt will get done. lol

This was Grandma Richardson's teacup, I thought a lot about her as Nicole now wears her white gold diamond ring that Mitchell had restyled for his new bride. She would've been over the moon with Nicole too and we know she is.

Sandy is always surprising me with snail mail cards, thank you, love you!

I've been bringing in the fresh cuttings of the mum plant & placing them around the kitchen to brighten it up.

Bill brought in a rose clipping for me. XO

This is the last of the flowering plants in the backyard, soon the urn will be put away until next spring when everything comes to life after being put to bed under the blanket of snow.

Here's the beginning of  Harvest Pinwheels, see the double pinwheels in orange & yellow?

Thank you for stopping by to visit me in Alberta & then home again in New Brunswick. I hope to see you again & I'll show you more of this quilt & a few other things that I've been working on.

Stay safe, stay healthy.

Cynthia