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Saturday ~ July 1st
Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canucks & a shout out to all my American buddies getting ready to celebrate Independence Day. Hope you're all enjoying the weekend! Chris & I are off in a minute to go canoeing down the river, but I thought I would pop my head in as I've been rather silent lately. Sorry about that, it's just the way summer seems to go - the time fills up with so much activity that the days just seem to speed right by.
Just so you know, I am making lots of beads! I hope to have an auction up by Tuesday & maybe some beads for sale here by the end of next week. I'm still working on a few custom orders, but I'm nearing completion on almost all of them. I might even get another contest up next week if all goes well.
Just wondering, have any of you read "Freakonomics" by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner? It's subtitle reads, "A Rogue Economist Explores The Hidden Side of Everything" & underneath it reads, "Prepare to be dazzled." I'm not even halfway through, but it's quite interesting. I guess I didn't know what to expect, & I'm not sure if I'm totally hooked but it's the kind of book I wish was on my reading list at University instead of the many stale textbooks that I mind numbingly plodded my way through. What I'm enjoying most though is taking a little time out each morning to read - it's been quite a treat. |
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Sunday ~ July 2nd
What a perfect day yesterday was for canoeing. It was so glorious out! We glided down the river yelling, "Happy Canada Day" to all the other boaters. We saw lots of crows & magpies, butterflies, minnows & even this strange looking crustacean that looked like a baby lobster, but Chris reckons it's a crayfish - a crayfish? I had no idea the North Saskatchewan river was home to them! Near the end of the trip, we came upon some little ducklings bathing in the sun - look at the guy below with his legs flopped out, could he look any more content?
Last night we took a bus downtown to watch the fireworks. It was an impressive show, but what I was fascinated with most were all the people wearing capes - Canadian flag capes, Superman capes...etc. I didn't know capes were in but I totally want one!
We're off to go gold panning now. Right before we dropped our canoe into the river yesterday, we ran into a guy that was gold panning & he told us a few tricks that we didn't know so we're excited to try them out. |
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Tuesday ~ July 4th
Amulets of Antiquity
Realizing that it's Independence Day for my friends down south, I figure I should hold off on the new auction, at least for another day or two.
Above, some new beads I sent off today in hopes of raising some money for a good cause. I'll tell you more about them when the time comes. I am, however, making more beads similar to these that should be up for offering soon... |
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Thursday ~ July 6th
Chris ~ camping last summer
It was Chris' birthday yesterday. He had to work (which I think should be illegal on your birthday), but afterwards we had a really nice barbeque & opened presents. I got him gold panning lessons. Yep, there's an ol' guy in town that teaches people how to pan for gold! He's only doing one more class (in September) & then he's retiring. I think it will be fun - nothing serious, just fun. This weekend we're going out to his parents acreage with a bunch of friends for a campfire. I hope we get a chance to go canoeing too.
Tomorrow I will have some beads for sale here - I have about 13 little sets & I think I'll mix up the rules this time so that more people get a chance at them... I'll explain tomorrow. Also, another contest is coming ~ oh boy am I feeling industrious! |
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Friday ~ July 7th
The Bead Sale has ended ~ thanks to everyone for your interest! All the sets are sold. I will post the best offer prices incase you're curious as to what they all sold for. I thought this was a very interesting sale - I appreciate everyone's contributions, suggestions & interest! Thanks again - click here to see the final sale prices. |
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Monday ~ July 10th
Here's the keychain prize Jessica won from the side game I had going during the sale on Friday. The answer - all the names were of constellations both North & South of the Zodiac & the translations into English:
Aquila: Eagle
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Tuesday ~ July 11th
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Wednesday ~ July 12th
I've posted a new contest here. |
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Thursday ~ July 13th
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Friday ~ July 14th
We're off to go on a train ride with Chris' family. I hear a train robbery happens during the trip ~ I'm pretty excited! Have a wonderful weekend! |
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Saturday ~ July 15th
Remember those beads I showed you a little while back? I mentioned that I sent them off to be sold for a good cause - well in my rush yesterday I forgot to mention that they are part of a very large auction that is going on right now to raise money for a lampworker in need. The organizer, Kim Neely, did a wonderful job getting all the donations up! My beads were in an auction that raised $2225 & all together the 30+ auctions raised over $15,000 ~ incredible! |
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Monday ~ July 17th
We were robbed! They took several bucks from us (all proceeds will go to the Alberta Children's Hospital).
The train ride was awesome! It was such a nice day for a ride in the country. There was a saloon on the train with live music & a picnic in a small town boasting loads of wild west history. And of coarse, the robbery ~ great fun!
Sunday, Chris & I went on another canoe trip down the river. The Sourdough Raft Race, which is like a big water fight on rafts while sailing down the river, was on & we daringly made our way down the same watery path - we didn't get too soaked by them, but we did go through the waterfall that was running:
We actually tried to go around as once we got close we sort of chickened out of going straight through it, but the wind picked up as we were paddling on the right hand side & the waterfall seemed to stretch further out drenching us. You could hear us screaming from miles away! |
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Tuesday ~ July 18th
I just added another clue to this month's riddle here. |
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Wednesday ~ July 19th
Bison with Bird
Last Sunday morning, mom & I got up early & headed out to Elk Island National Park about a 45 minute drive away. Elk Island is well known for its large herd of Bison that roam the parkland, which are, just by themselves, worth a trip out there.
We were on a quest, however, to explore a much more subtle kind of magic. So we found a trail & went walking, mom with her new camera & I, with a pad of paper & a pen. We were in search of the small details in nature that are often overlooked, those microscopic details that, when focused on, develop into wondrous things.
Mom took pictures of golden dragonflies, that when perched in the sun, sparkled with a copper sheen. I tried to describe the fresh smell in the air - cool, woody & water-like ~ the way summer should smell. Mom captured the silhouette of wild parsnip & observed the trembling movement of the aspen leaves while I had fun thinking up alliterations like marsh marigold or reddening rosehips.
We heard the sound of old, dead poplars still standing & creaking in the wind. We smelt wood smoke & pin cherries. We watched bees collecting pollen, tiny frogs racing across the path & stared at the pale outline of the half-moon in the dark, blue sky. It was truly magical. |
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Friday ~ July 21st
Cluster of Stars ~ courtesy of Sky Image Lab
Well Good Day To You All! I'm feeling productive this morning ~ I've got my sprinkler on, watering the grass, a load of laundry going & I'm just about to go & torch for a few hours. Chris started his holidays yesterday ~ he's off until the 7th of August so there will probably be a little less work & a lot more play around here...
I've been working with that new magical glass called "Olympia Rain" - it's so incredible! In fact, I think I have a strand I want to put up on eBay so if I can get it all sorted, I should have an auction to post tonight! We have friends staying with us this weekend, but I think I can manage getting it all ready before they arrive. It's going to be a hot one for the next couple of days - we have plans to go to the horse races tonight, perhaps canoeing sometime this weekend if it's not too unbearable outside, & other than that, I think we'll be hanging in the backyard soaking up the sun - sounds good to me!
Hey, have you been to Cute Overload lately? Ridiculously cute things going on over there!
Have a marvelous weekend - don't work too hard, eh! Thanks for stopping in & feel free to pop by again tonight for my new auction called "Nebula" ~ it's out of this world! (Sorry, I couldn't resist). |
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Tuesday ~ July 25th
Sunflower ~ photo taken by my mom, Judy
I've added another clue to the riddle here. |
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Friday ~ July 28th
New Jewelry available ~ click on photo to view. |
