Chilling on Salt Spring Island

It has been FIVE years since I was last here but feels like I have never been away.   I do love Salt Spring but I am not sure that I would want to actually live here.   The Island is VERY protected.  It has a very different way of life.  There are NO franchises on the island. NONE.  When we first started to come here many many years ago, there was a Dairy Queen, but it was only allowed to sell ice cream. No food.  Once they closed that was it!!!!   All the stores are independent.  Well - yes - there is a Home Hardware but it is the general store and somehow that is allowed.    That also means no Tim's, but I am surviving!!!


Actually today is a bit of a catch up day.  These pictures are from various places.


 There has been a LOT of talk about the new mail boxes.  Except for the time I spent in Montreal, the rest of the time, my mail has always been delivered in a group mail box.  I personally have no issue with that.  I do hate the old mail boxes because the boxes are square and what happens when you get a magazine???  It gets bent!!!!

Old mail boxes  

BUT the other day when I was out row by rowing in Ontario, I came across the new mail boxes.  Don't they look spiffy!!!!!!    And look at how wide the individual mail boxes are so that means if you get something in the mail that is wide - it won't get bent!!!!!    Like the old ones, there is a slot to put your letters to be mailed and of course, bigger boxes that allow you to get parcels.  They are super!!!!  I wonder how quickly they will replaced the old ones?????

New mail boxes

The back of the new mail boxes

As we were driving around, we came across this "windmill".  It is some kind of a market but we didn't have time to stop as we were on a mission to get to as many quilt stores as we could.

Market in Brantford

Then we were off to a quilt store that I had never been to before. It is called U-Quilt-It in Smithville, Ontario.

Here is the sign at the road - the first place that we saw the Row by Row advertised at a road sign.

Roadside sign for U-Quilt-It

YES - they are a particiapting Row by Row shop

But what struck me was the display inside the store that the owner had prepared for the Row by Row.  She had several rows on display from other stores (apparently the owner has asked other stores to provide her with their completed row) and she made collages of some of the other provinces, their rows and license plates.

Row by row display

Close up of the collages

 AND she made a map of the Ontario stores.  Each pin represents a participating store.  I LOVE IT!!!!!!

Map of Ontario row by row stores

They even had birdhouses with quilt blocks on them 

And the horse at the road even has a quilt to keep it warm!!!!!

A very cool store.  I`ll be back!!!!!


And now we are back to Salt Spring Island.  My aunt is always trying to get rid of stuff.  There isn't much left, but still stuff, mostly belonging to my grandparents who are both gone.    She dug out a couple of old photo albums that belonged to my grandmother.  I had to laugh because it is basically an old fashioned version of a blog!!!!

An old fashioned blog!!!!

Although I would like to think that my writings are a bit more exciting than hers.  This book is about day bus trips that they took.  The name of the bus driver (Mr. and Mrs), the schedule, what they ate is listed in detail.  Ho -hum!!!!

Can you read that????    Boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My paternal grandmother!!!!

 Grandma Mills was on crutches for as long as I knew her. But that did not stop her from doing anything!!!!   She is the one that taught me to knit many many years ago.

Here's a chuckle - this was found in the photo albums.  A saved sugar packet and in case you don't know that it is a sugar packet - she wrote on it!!!!

Sugar packet

She saved everything - OK - so you see where my problem comes from. Both sides of the family!!!!!

Even match covers

But we did get a good laugh out of this.  Some old menus from 1974.   Can you guess what it cost for a meal?????   A steak dinner?????

Look at those prices!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When was the last time you saw dessert listed for SIXTY cents!!!!

And coffee for TWENTY Cents!!!!

What fun!!!!!!


Uncle Joe has a Jack Russell Terrier named Bart.   Let's just say that Bart is very spoiled.  Fifteen years of being spoiled. He will sit on a chair beside Joe at meal time.   Bart will place his paw on Joe's arm if he feels that he is not getting enough attention.    Pretty cute!!!

Joe and Bart

 And the TV is on here a LOT.   Not my choice, but then this is not my house!!!!   So I was able to snap a photo of that reporter who was wearing that bicycle scarf when we heard the same news for the umpteenth time!!!!!    "sorry Yvonne - just had to say it how it is!!!

Bicycle scarf!!!!

I know - I am being silly!!!!!  


Well if you are looking for something to do - here are two more installments of 50 ways to keep a quilt happy while on vacation from QUILTSocial.

Number 44, 43, 42

Number 37, 36, 36, 34



I have to find the link for that missing post.


On that note - I am out of here. We have another adventure planned for today and I guess I should get dressed.


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


Ciao!!!!!