A few months ago I was introduced to LeeAnna and a group of inspiring friends who get together most Thursday’s to share a list of likes and loves over on LeeAnna’s blog Not Afraid of Color. Through the year of Covid 19, political drama, deaths, murders and political unrest, I found it to be very soothing to stop and think of the things in my life that bring me joy and happiness. A bit of positive reinforcement can only help, right?
First and foremost, I love my family and my friends. My birthday on the 15th brought many phone calls, FaceTime visits and on line chats with my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends and an amazing lemon tart for dessert! 😊
I love my home and the beautiful Province I live in. British Columbia has everything from mountains, waterfalls to a beautiful desert area. I have had fun fishing, hunting, hiking and even gold panning in this amazing province full of opportunities to see and do anything outdoors.
I really like getting to visit other friends homes and studios. I had the opportunity to visit Dragonfly Organic Studios, which belongs to Lori, a talented friend who does amazing glass work as well as quilting. She actually built her studio herself, and has these incredible doors that her Dad made. Both of them are very talented people.
I like visiting other provinces when their isn’t a pandemic just to see the varied landscapes in our country and one more trip to the east Coast of Canada is on my bucket list. I would like to go back to the town I was born, Chatham New Brunswick and visit Newfoundland since it is the only Province I have not yet seen. I just keep telling myself “Some Day 😉”.
I love having my machines back from the spa and am enjoying some FMQ time. This was one of my favourite finishes but I can guarantee myself that I will never ever use wool roving for batting again. It shifts and puckers never endingly.
I really like being able to contribute to local charities. Every year the food bank has a Christmas Party for their recipients. Normally the crafters in our community make small items that the kids can pick from and volunteers help the kids wrap the items so the kids have gifts for their Moms and Das. This year the party is not able to be done. Instead the meals will be cooked and put in takeout containers and delivered. We have been asked to make our items and they will be included in gift bags so the kids can see what they are gifting their parents. I have started using my scrap stash to make items for them. My goal is to have 24 or more done by Nov. 30 which is our deadline to have items dropped off. I’m making snappy bags with the tape measure closure.
Another source of happiness in my life is working for both our Provincial and Federal elections. Monday and Tuesday saw me leaving home at 5:30 am, driving an hour over a nasty pass with some minor rock slide action, through foggy stretches and in to the town where I was scheduled to supervise the advance voting. It was so much fun to see the young people coming in to vote and getting to know my staff. We did have deliveries of home baked lemon squares (my favourite) one day and caramel/chocolate goodies the next. It’s always been my way of doing my civic duty, but it was even better this year with the goodies arriving to show the community support. Everything went well with masks being worn, face shields and masks on staff, hand sanitizer and plexiglass glass shield all in place. According to a news report I heard, advance voting and voting by mail is up by thousands this year. It will be interesting to see the results on Election Day, October 24, 2020. We managed to close down and get out of the hall by 8:15 pm and after a stop at the office, I can say I was home enjoying a cup of tea by 9:30 pm.
Yesterday our federal government survived a non confidence vote (we have a minority government in office) so we will not be heading back to the polls until possibly December if there is another vote.
I don’t know about you, but I’m just feeling so done with politics right now.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Do stop over to Lee Anna’s to see what every one else is appreciating in their lives this week. 😉 Carol
Quilt Schmilt 
Hi Carol,
How neat that you could visit Dragonfly Organic Studios … it looks amazing. At first, I thought you were talking about Dragonfly Quilt shop – which is less than 5 km from my home. Perhaps when the virus settles down, we can visit each other!
I love how you love our province! It truly is a place of beauty!
AND Belated Happy Birthday! I’m glad you were able to enjoy it with your family!
Happy Quilting! 🙂
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Hi Gail. Wouldn’t a visit be wonderful? I didn’t realize you were so close to Dragonfly Quilt Shop! It’s on my bucket list to visit. Thank you for the birthday wishes. I can’t imagine how we would survive the pandemic without our social media/electronics c communications at least I wouldn’t with all my knowledge DH’s, grands and great grands being in Alberta, Mexico and Saudi Arabia! I just heard today that Canada is now on the EU No Fly List so I don’t imagine travel will be happening any time soon 😢
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I’ve only been to British Columbia once, but I’d love to go back and explore a bit more. That studio is amazing – those doors! Always fun to read what you are up to and enjoying. Thank you for working at the polls. And yes, I’m so tired of politics.
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Wendy I think you’d really enjoy spending more time in my Province. It’s very artistic, has a interesting history (eg. Barkerville was settled by gold miners during a gold rush and a large portion of those early miners were freed slaves from America and a large number of Chinese immigrants), hiking, biking trails are numerous and the scenery is breathtaking. Oops guess I’m a bit biased 😊. I’m proud to say I have worked every election but one for thirty years now. Thank you for spending some time with me today. 😉
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Oh, what fun likes. The photographs of family and the outdoors are wonderful. That doll in the tree is super cool. Those bags look great. 🙂
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Thank you Sally! The bags are so much fun to make. 😄
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Hi Carol, I enjoyed reading your post very much. I don’t have many other Canadian blogging friends. I’ve been to beautiful B.C. four times and loved it …also took both daughters there – we made sure they had been to all the provincial capitals before high school graduation. Our country is amazing coast to coast and on that point, since I am originally from Newfoundland, Yes, Carol, you need to get there! Loads of artists and creative endeavours to suit your soul. Kudos to you for doing your civic duty too. Have a good weekend now!
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Thank you Jocelyn for your sweet comments. It’s so impressive to hear about your trips to every capital city in our provinces. My children were born in Manitoba and have lived in BC, Manitoba and now Alberta. They all travel in Canada and my grandson even lived in Newfoundland for a couple of years. He did kiss the cod 😉 so I do need to go there. DH is enamoured of the Codroy Valley. He says it is beautiful. His family came from around Dildo I believe. We are hoping to go once this Pandemic is over. I hope your weekend is awesome. I’m going to the polling station and then my machine is calling.
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Hi Carol! I’m a bit late to Thursday’s party but what wonderful likes and loves you’ve shared. Oh, I want to visit Newfoundland again – in a car so we can take our time and really see it. I think my the time I retire in two years, we can take a grand car trip up through Maine and along the coast to the very tip of Newfoundland. Hmm, that’s very interesting about the wool roving batting. I have never tried it – and now probably won’t! Oh, I just LOVE the snappy bags. I have a couple of tape measures that I’ve purchased just for making some of these bags. Purchased about 10 years ago . . . maybe more. HAHAHA! Your bags look great! I think I’ll PIN them, just to remind me to actually make some sooner than later. Take care, my friend. ~smile~ Roseanne
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Hi Roseanne. You have been to Newfoundland? I’m jealous 😉. We hope to travel once the Pandemic is under control. My DH’s family came from there and my grandson has kissed the cod so I’m sure it’s my turn to go. The snappy bags are a favourite of mine to make. I had a friend stop by yesterday and she just HAD to have a couple of them. I’m using scraps and having fun doing some for the food bank. They are quick finishes once the tape measures are cut! Have a wonderful weekend. I can hear my machine calling me now 😉
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Your visit to Dragonfly Design studios looks fabulous. I was just wowed by the glass, the doors, the doll. Happy Birthday and how cool that you got long distance love from your family. BC is gorgeous, I used to spend summers with a friend at Nimpo Lake. Great bags, and how cool all the charity work you do. Awesome likes for the week.
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Thank you Colette for your wonderful comment. The studio is pretty amazing and Lori also makes incredible glass beads/jewelry, too! Bumping Lake is beautiful. I used to live north of there in Wells 😉. Charity work is good for the soul I think.
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Great post Carol. Thank you for doing your part for a provincial election which looks to have been most handily won by the NDP. Hooray for a government who listens to medical and scientific people, and I think your province has handled the pandemic very well. Ours, with a Conservative fool in charge is another story… Note the top three worst-case provinces are all run by Cons. Yes, I’ve had about enough of politics, and the viciousness that is within the Cons party. The world seems to think Canada has done pretty good in the pandemic; wonder why the Cons don’t heed that… Any-who. Happy belated birthday! Thank you for gorgeous photos of your end of the country; it truly is a beautiful one, would that governments at all levels listened, heeded and worked with our wise Indigenous people to treat it better. Oh! And I love that doll and those doors by DD!!
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Thank you Sandra for your visit and comments. I admit to being somewhat satisfied with our provincial government’s handling of the Pandemic. I’m very impressed with our Dr. Bonny’s intelligent, educated scientific leadership. The changes made to our medical system have been for the most part great. Making appointments now for medical tests is great, but having had DH go to hospital during this time was so stressful with not being able to be with him. It resulted in him being given medication he is allergic to several times. The election results are interesting but I will wait until everything is done. The numbers of advance voters and mail in votes is unbelievable. Then the non confidence vote caused me some concern. I’m betting we will be heading to the polls for a federal election within 6 months. So glad you enjoyed my photos and yes Dragonfly Designs is a truly inspiring place since Lori built it herself!
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You have lots of great gift giving ideas and it’s a win win by using our scraps. and we all have those!
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Thank you Vicki. I am trying to work from my stash and count scraps as stash. 😉
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