Still hot and humid

We are spending a lot of time staying in the cooler house. In someways I miss being able to sit in the yard,but it was never one of my great pleasures, although a small treasure periodically.  Beth, your love of your yard shines through in your postings, even if it is a lot of work.

Saturday we went out to "Selkirk to pick up my piece from the show there.  I was very surprised to be told that my piece had received more favourable comments than any other in the show. this is the Marsh in the Mist piece that I had been unhappy with.  Monday evening I took a pictures, of the things I have been working on lately, to my Ravenesque meeting, and there were more very favourable comments, with people saying that it was their favourite, of all the pictures I showed them. So maybe there is something there that I'm too close to to see properly.  This has certainly happened before.  I will take it to the Pinawa sale and see how it's received there.

I mention our little trip as I took the camera searching for willow trees.  The piece I am working on now is of a Prairie "wind break", also known as a shelter belt.  This is working well enough that I want to put a little extra effort into it.  I didn't get any pictures, but came to realize that there are scrub willow, weeping willow, and thewonderful willow trees depicted by the great Regency painters.  I did some internet research and got some very nice pictures, did a lot of sketching, and on my bike ride Sunday morning, discovered a magnificent willow tree in the park close by.  I'm now in the process of sketching the basic trees onto my background and will then fill them out with thread painting.  So today we went over to the local quilt  store to buy thread.  Certainly no joy there, so I ordered some of the internet, but don't expect it to arrive until, at least, Friday. Delayed gratification is not one of my secret pleasures.

Tomorrow I have promised to spend some time baking.  We are finally going to make our yearly rhubarb pie, and maybe two batches of jam, and two or three banana loaves for the freezer.  ( Bananas were on sale today)  Two weeks ago the doctor started me on a new medication, and I have gained over 7 pounds since starting to take it, so not the best time to be baking goodies.  But he also recommended an otc medication that may be just as good, although less strong, so we bought it today and we'll see what happens.  I'll let you know.