Observations........................

You can learn a LOT if you are observant. I guess in the city - one would call it being nosey!

First off, despite the fact that there is only one other house occupied at this moment, there is a lot of traffic in the area. There are the propane trucks filling the tanks for the gas fireplaces. There are the guys cutting the grass, the house builders, the cable guys (or maybe that is the satellite guys) getting the internets and phones hooked up for the summer, let's not forget the garbage truck and the recycling truck, people out for the day to open the cottage. Real estate people putting FOR SALE signs. Oh yes - there is a LOT happening here.

The landscaper guys zipping around on their lawn cutting tractors 

A note about cutting the grass. Even though the lawns are big and there is NO fence between the properties, and it was the same lawn guys who cut the grass in front of us - the lawns were cut seperately.  I did mention that the guy right next door to me with the trailer - brought his own lawn tractor. I guess he is more money conscious than the rest of this area!!!!

As I was walking down to the beach yesterday, I noticed a car ahead of me. Oh - that is the car belonging to the other occupied house.  Hmmmm - they parked in the little parking lot and got out. Two people - no dogs. Once they hit the beach - they separated - she went one way and he went the other. We went the same way he did because I wasn't going to cross that COLD COLD river in my bare feet.  It isn't warm here!!!!   I met up with the fellow near the rocks - an older couple from the US with PEI4FUN on their license plate.  I didn't stop to chat - it is too cold but we did say HI!

Heads down - there might be good stuff here!!!!!

Beachcombing dogs

Then have you ever wondered about the purpose of blinds on a house. The neighbours close to me would close all the blinds at night and then open them all the next morning. There were only two of them in the house so was that really necessary????   Some of the blinds could have stayed open as there certainly isn't anyone to peek in the windows! Is there????   Anyway - now they have left - one car is still in the drive, but those blinds don't go up in the morning.  I mean - that is a dead give away that no one is home.  I say - leave the blinds up all the time - too much time wasted opening and closing them - especially here, especially with no one around!!!!   Then I would be wondering -  Is someone still home???

Well it is RAINING today. Genuine rain - I wonder about that clay road should I decide to escape to Charlottetown or O'Leary today.  (Quilt stores in both places!)  When we went for our walk this morning - no umbrella, but did have a cycling rain jacket over my two layers of fleece!!! - I noticed that the clay road seems to be fine - for the short distance we need to travel - it should be OK. Not sure what I will do - I have some computer work that needs to be done. Will see how much I get done this morning and may take a drive this afternoon.  I don't think we will be walking on the beach today!!!!

On the way to Summerside I saw these. Only four of them but with the winds around here - it wouldn't surprise me to find more.

Wind turbines

 About 15 KM away - I passed this massive plant.  I mean it is MASSIVE - who do you think owns it????

Massive manufacturing plant

Cavendish Farms - that's who!!!!

 Well the problem is that every time I drove past - I could smell FRENCH FRIES and potatoes. Actually I think this specific building is a research facility.   There is a small retail outlet (I don't think it is associated with Cavendish) so I had to stop there the other day and buy a bag of french fries!!!!!   I don't normally eat french fries, but when in PEI.............

My french fries

First time using this oven and well - was it the oven or was it the fries or I didn't leave them in long enough, but not crispy at all and got cold very quickly.  Ah yes - because there is no heat in this house!!!!!

Now here is another HUGE place that is very close to where I am staying. This is a MASSIVE dairy barn.  I mean it is HUGE!!!!!!

Massive dairy barn

Nobra Holsteins

 Couldn't find anything about them on the internet - I want to know how many cows they have?????



Let's talk about entertainment here. Normally at home, I have the radio on in the background. I never turn on the TV - gosh - it has been almost five years!!!!   I never even thought about the radio for the first day or so and then I realized that it is very quiet!!!!!

I  have this big TV in the corner - I wonder if I can get the radio channels somehow - I know it can be done.

"My" TV

I looked at the remote - YIKES.................

The remote

 I manged to turn on the TV, was INSTANTLY disgusted by the one minute of the entertainment show that was on. Decided that it wasn't worth the hassle to find the radio station channels and shut it off - NEVER to attempt turning it on again!!!   People watch that stuff?????   Every day?????   Seriously - some of us need to get lives!!!   Anyway - each to their own.

So now I am streaming the radio station through the computer. Not all day, but just when I want a different change of pace.  Although there are a couple of clock radios here, I wasn't able to get anything on them. Same for my phone - I have NO CELL service at the beach. Nothing. I have to go to Kensington to pick up a signal which I had to do yesterday in order to make/take two business related calls. No big deal - I needed something from the grocery store and a good chance to get a piping hot tea!!!!

Little Sammy - bored to death while I was on the phone

Sparky was perfectly happy to stay at home and everything edible had been moved from her reach except one cookie that I left for her which she found!!!!

Time to get back to blogging for QUILTSocial.  I even brought the video camera to get some video. almost had a panic attack as I realized that I left the manual for the camera at home. It is tricky to find the setting to use the phone as a remote. BUT I found it with minimal problem WITHOUT the manual.  Only because I have tried and tried in the past to find the instructions to make the connection so you would think that I would know by now.  This feature needs to be in a more obvious spot as it is an amazing feature. I propped the phone up by the sewing machine (having left my little stand that Tish gave me at home) and I taped away.

Video camera set-up

 I was busy sewing yesterday - now I won't be able to show you what I was working on. It is very involved and very long to do, but it is homework for some upcoming classes and well - I don't want to spoil it for the class.

I did a bunch of cutting before I left and needless to say - I was in another zone when I cut.  I had cut strips and thought I would do the subcutting here.  Well - I can't read a pattern either because I made a mistake and cut a bunch of shapes that were the wrong size!!!!     So now I am short of that one fabric which I have more of at home.

Then I went to cut this piece which is supposed to be 9 1/2" wide and well - it is 10 1/2" wide. Better to be too wide than not wide enough. Trimmed it down and back to sub cutting.

AH - that would be a GENEROUS 9 1/2" piece!!!!!

The best part - I did it not once but TWICE!!!!!!

Another GENEROUS 9 1/2" piece

 I hope to get all that part sewn today and that will be the end of that project until I get home and cut that piece that I messed up on!!!  Easy if the pieces are cut too big, but not so easy if they are cut too small or not enough fabric!!!!   But plenty more of that at home and I've made very good progress - I am happy.


I started this project last night - well I dug it out. Now keep in mind - I just grabbed stuff  - well I have been grabbing these partially completed things and putting them in bags so they can be sewn at the sewing days, retreats or here. I would have done more prepping on this one, but I had cut it so long ago that I had no idea what I had cut.  I know some people would be horrified at that!!!!   But I'm happy in my own little world.  Anyway - it was the last thought on my mind when I went to bed and the first thought when I woke up - so I got up and finished what I could this morning.

Six blocks

I used a ruler called Straight Out of Line. It is a neat ruler, but I will probably not make the quilt again.

Straight Out of Line ruler

Too many different designs to make so unless it is super easy - why bother doing it again.   I need way more than 6 blocks.  Probably make 20 and then a border????   I'll see how much fabric  I have at home. Anyway - it is now in the "as far as I can go" pile.


Two other places of note that we pass on the way to and from the beach depending on our route. This is the Historic Cousin's Shore Cook House.  Not sure what that is all about. May have been a happening pub???

Historic Cousin's Short Cookhouse

Lighthouse - is it a real lighthouse or just a cottage with a lighthouse on top?????

There needs to be someone around so I can ask these questions!!!!!   Why isn't there information on the internet?????


Last but not least - here is a picture of my parent's new home. Yes - it is still under construction, but boy or boy are they excited!!!!!   And that makes me very happy!!!!

Adult living building for my parents!!

 On that note - since it is raining - I see NO fishing boats this morning. I guess they don't fish in the rain???? I am out of here.  What to do all day?????   Sew, read or do some work????   I think a little bit of everything is in order!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!