When I begin the weekend, especially in the Spring, I have quite the “To-Do” list. I’m not sure if my husband dreads this list as he knows that there will be only guilty relaxing- as we have things to do Sir!

On my To-Do list this weekend included a few things we got done and a few we didn’t.

I got the buttons sewn on my tiny vest so that it’s ready to ship off for baby. This thing is just about the cutest thing ever!

The top buttons totally don’t match. Somehow I’m hoping that it just doesn’t matter to my friends. These are the friends, after all, who put up their bare Christmas Tree, named it Franken-Pine, and sat on the couch 5 feet away and threw the ornaments at the tree, hoping they’d stick. The tree was incredibly lop-sided and the first time the top star was adjusted, the tree fell on the unsuspecting victim. These are some of my favourite friends!

Another item on the to-do list was seedlings.

This is our potential tomato seedlings. Yup, pots of dirt. Trust me, it will get more exciting. Planting seeds is such an act of faith. It seems like the most unlikely thing to happen. Putting a grain into the dirt, pouring some water over it, and hoping. Somehow, the seeds wants to grow, it knows how to grow, and it grows. I love this small miracle.

After all our hard work, we decided a reward was in order. A picnic. And not just anywhere. Somewhere really special.

Hope your weekend was as productive as mine!

Scissors for me.

A Memo pad for him.

No photo this morning because I was delayed this morning leaving for work as there was a frantic push to get the fire going as the frost was thick this morning. Then there was no wood in the house. Bla bla bla. You know the minor complaints of living with a wood stove as your primary heat.

I’ve been reading these very nomadic blogs, as well as I’ve had some interesting farming opportunities. Tell me what you think.

There are so many different ways to live life and I have two choices and I’m trying to decide how deep I want to sink my teeth in.

Do I want to keep my roots lightly planted so that I can leave at a moments notice? Or do I want to dig deep into farming since the opportunity is presented to me?

The nomadic lifestyle appeals to me because, to quote the Dalai Llama, “The less you have, the less you have to worry about.” This train of thought appeals to me and makes me want sell everything and leave with a stick-tied hankerchief.

On the other hand, an opportunity to have chickens and goats running around. More bees? *sigh* Decisions! And really, as I always say, so much time is wasted on indecision. So we just need to decide.

So what do you think?

There is a flock of sheep on this farm we are caretaking. Somedays we count 4, somedays 6, somedays 11 and yesterday 16. They are geriatric. They have arthritis in their back legs so that they hobble when they run. From far away they look at cotton poofs, like little field clouds with legs. Cumulonimbus Sheep. I have not named them because last year we found a couple of chewed skeletons in the forest. Plus I cannot tell them apart so they would have to go by a communal name.

They go only by “Sheep.” Sheep have always run away from us but because the apples are ripe now, they come closer, looking for crunchy cores, afterthoughts of our nibbling. They are quite funny looking up close. They have rectangle heads, knobbly legs and protruding little lips that explore the apples we toss them. We endear Sheep to ourselves. It helps to look them in the eye so that when we hear them bleeting from our cozy bedroom, we say “Poor sheep” and we can step in their poo without malice.

We have a beautiful flock of deer as well. They are usually regarded as pests on Pender because they have no predators. We had the privilege of watching two sets of fawns learn to jump, lose their spots and still gaze at us wondering, with their ears alert, fluffy and white. We have a beautiful stag with a set of horns, a white muzzle and a white tail which we see more often than anything else. That is, his retreating rear end as he leaves the scene. We just want a good picture Mr Stag. We call the deer with him, his harrem. He is a lucky stag because he has many a looker with him, with big doe eyes, dreamy Mr Stag. Way to go!

Last time we went sailing, last weekend, we saw the retreating backs of black porpoises. It was so exciting. We were sitting in irons (a lull) waiting for us to drift into the wind again and I heard this “Pfhoof” and looked and pointed and jumped a little with a small squeal. (It was only small.) “Porpoises!” They are magnificent creatures.

When we pulled into the dock we met another little family.

Four river otters have taken to nesting in a neighbour’s boat. They are definitely pests, bringing shells into the boat, eating, sleeping and defacating in the boat. But man, are they ever cute when they tussle.

The only other rowdies that need mentioning now are the wiliest rowdies around.

(I think Ramona is posing for this photo)

I love having my own kitty. Better than all the sheep, deer, porpoises and otters.

Oh, and it must be mentioned, Ramona, thought to be a “he” is definitely a “she.” The vet said so!

Labour day was started in Canada in 1880. It was started when the Typographical Union went on strike, refusing to work a 58 hour work week. They compromised when the companies said that they could work a 54 hour work week instead.

It is tradition after Labour Day weekend to wear white.

Does hoisting a white sail count?

Despite weather conditions being less than ideal, we cast off and tried stretching our sails out for the first time.

My lovely husband asked me, as I doned the green life jacket, “Did you choose the most decrepit life jacket on purpose?”

….Maybe…

We didn’t go too far, as the weather man was calling for gale force winds, patches of fog, possible lightening and rain. Could it get more pessimistic? But no thanks to the weather man, we had a great little toodle about in the bay.

Now that the sailor in me is appeased for the day, I’m off to bake challah and talk movies at the film group I accidentally joined.

Happy Labour Day!

So, we bought a boat.

Yes, really.

I’m in shock too. Or perhaps rather surprised is a better way to put it. As much as it would seem, this was not an impulsive buy. We were looking at boats last year and have always talked about owning a nice little sailboat. Then we found one in our price range and jumped on it.

Please meet Nesika. She is a 25ft C&C sailboat.

We have yet to take her out as she was just delivered on Tuesday night. So, weather permitting, we are taking her for a romp on the weekend.

We’ve already got a crew who are eager to get out there too.

Well, crew, let’s go sailing!