The slow melt into spring.

Hello dear ones.

I have been remiss in updating our homestone blog.

It has felt like a very long winter but it's really pretty normal.  

In fact we are right on schedule weather wise.  The first five pics below are from March 15th last year. Following those are photos from my walk about on March 15th this year. A walkabout in the beautiful warm sunshine and now with our new little dog at my side. Life is good.

These pics below are from a month ago (March 15th this year) - with the sun giving me leave to walk without my parka and the little dog back in her lighter sweater.   I don't remember ever being quite so delighted by the return of spring.

It was a challenging winter.  I became quite ill in early November and had a raft of tests and exams through November and December. It was a busy and worrisome time for me and for David. Surgery was planned for mid-January. I was concerned about having a complicated surgery at our small local hospital but I am so glad we made that choice.  My surgeon and her team did an amazing job and I am 100% again.  I can't say enough good things about the care I received in Williams Lake, and from my dear David, my brother in law Vincent who makes his home on our property, and huge thanks to the women in my life who were always available when I needed to talk.  

I am so thankful and I feel Great!! 

And now it's Spring. 

Such a beautiful time of year.  

We are truly blessed. And ever thankful.

And we invite you to be in touch.

Please drop me a line at nicola@touchwoodrings.com.   I'd love to hear from you.

Visit our Touch Wood website (currently being updated, thank goodness) And join us on social media Instagram,  Twitter,  Facebook and Pinterest 

As always, thanks so much for dropping by.  

Blossoms on you!

It's Official. Winter has arrived.

November on the meadow

 We've had our first week or so of snow now, so it's official.

Winter has arrived.

 Our stone circle is looking so pretty with snow caps on the stones.

The fire pit is a welcome addition at the edge of the circle.

  The creek is just beginning to freeze.

 We are truly blessed and so grateful for our quiet corner of the world.

Wishing one and all a gentle start to the season ~ wherever you are in the world.

First snowfall ~ October on the meadow

 October on the meadow

October 8th ~ Saturday morning on the meadow.  We awoke to a grey day that soon turned into our first snowfall of the year.  It's almost noon as I write this post, and there is actually a wee bit of accumulation.  
We're ready too, I think.  For the most part.  And that's mostly thanks to the guys. David and Vincent got the plow ready, the travel trailer drained and pinked up with antifreeze and put away under cover for the winter. Equipment shuffled around ~ that kind of thing. Vince has been working on firewood and myriad other things that need to be buttoned up before we're up to our armpits in snow.
Our little dog is experiencing her first ever snowflakes ~ I hope she learns to love romping in the snow as we do have a longish winter.  

Wishing one and all a very Happy Canadian Thanksgiving weekend!  

Fun Factoid :)  The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving are more closely connected to the traditions of Europe than of the United States. Long before Europeans settled in North America, festivals of thanks and celebrations of harvest took place in Europe in the month of October. The very first Thanksgiving celebration in North America took place in Canada when Martin Frobisher, an explorer from England, arrived in Newfoundland in 1578. He wanted to give thanks for his safe arrival to the New World. That means the first Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated 43 years before the pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts! 

 

August on the Meadow

Oh my goodness ~ it's been too long since I posted on the Homestone.  
Life is crazy good.  

David and I just returned from a long overdue and wonderful holiday which we spent visiting family and old friends who we don't see often enough.  
Most of our time was spent in the southern end of the province where summer days are hot and the nights are equally as warm. We were so pleased that it was rainy and cool for the first leg of our journey.  It allowed us to work up to the hotter weather that arrived. 

We got in some wonderful visits, good hugs and conversations and home cooked meals with folks!  We have vowed to get away more often.  

Arriving home to our cool mountain meadow was wonderful too.  It's so great to have Vincent here.  He is the caretaker and steward of our 'solar powered idyll' and having him here means we don't worry about a thing when we take some time away.  


The hummingbirds are due to leave soon. Their numbers have already dwindled.

The swallows that are left are mostly raising their second broods and so there are still little ones in flight school and learning the ropes on how to be swallows.
We have three blue herons who are enjoying the fishing in Mackin Creek and lots of other birds about; finches, siskins, blackbirds, thrushes, nighthawks, kingfishers... and of course our community of marmots. 

It is socked in today on the meadow with weather reports of thunder storms this afternoon. This morning we lit the kitchen wood stove ~ just to take the chill off.  Is that fall in the air??
The potatoes are flourishing in our new outdoor garden area, we have loads of greens that are keeping us well fed.  Chard and Kale and boc choi and chives ... herbs and sunflowers. Corn and beans too though we likely started these guys a bit late.   There is always next year :)  

For now, we are tucking in and getting back to work with much to catch up on.  Emails from so many wonderful people to respond to and rings to build and summer projects to resume.

Here is a sweet pic David got of two of our marmots who were having quite a conversation on the path down by the creek the other day.  Well, that's a quick update. 
As always, thanks for dropping by and much love. Have a great August!  
As ever, Nicola and David

May on the Meadow

It's gone from late winter gray to MAY!!

 The meadow comes alive with swallows and sandhills and hummingbirds

and geese and coyotes and deer

Our rescued honeysuckle is an ancient bush, still, she is giving us some blossoms this spring

as if to say "I like it here, I'm home."

 our greenhouse is giving us some early spring greens

 Willows and wildflowers just beginning to bloom

 An Osprey on the wing

 Pixie Cups and lichen reach for the sun

 and wild strawberries too

A beautiful time of year and spring could go on and on and on

It would be alright.