Signs of Spring

 

This photo, ladies, is my contribution to all of those being presented out there in Blogland as proud signs of Springs arrival.

No pretty photo of purple crocus's showing their full faces or daffodils inching their way through the Springs warming soil here. 
 I have to tell you though, it's "A" okay with me. Just seeing the bare ground once again has me jumping for joy!

 

Not bad...
And this thermometer was in the shade.
 Our car's reading was 15C, or somewhere around 64F today.

Glorious warmth again, whether it's in Centigrade or Fahrenheit!

 

 The sounds of  water running was like music to my ears. You could hear it running off of the roofs and trickling down the roads.

 

Our front side walk-encouraging!

 

Our back yard-not so much.

On the back side of the screened in porch the snow is still waist deep.

But it's getting there....
All in all it's been a beautiful Sunday!

I want to end this day by sharing with you one of my favourite old songs. I was reminded of it this morning when it was performed on a Sunday program I watch each week.
Hopefully it's a favourite of yours and you'll enjoy it too.
Blessings-Kimberly

 











 

 

 

My Sewing Closet Conversion

 

 

Well, here at long last is the sewing closet that I finished last week.

I've put off sharing it because I am not at all happy with the photos of this little nook, but for some reason even with the many adjustments on the camera I'm still not getting clear pictures.

Onward with what I have.....

 

 

I'm not sure whether you can tell, but this is a full sized closet. Somehow it doesn't look like it is!

 

Here is how it all happened....

First Tim and I removed the tons of Winter coats that were hanging inside. Next he made two new shelves for me. He built a large bottom shelf to hold my sewing machine and another shelf above for much needed storage. The very top shelf was there already.

 

As you can see, I went a bit crazy with the scrap paper wall quilting again.

I can't seem to help myself!

Honestly though, the reasoning behind this is very sensible.
 One, I hate painting! Which I'm sure I've shared with you so many times before. And secondly, I love the bright and colourful patterns on the five dollar scrap paper book that I had purchased at Wal Marts.  I don't scrap book so they had to go somewhere-hence the closet walls!

 

I opted for just painting a frame I had black and hanging a clipboard to write my future projects on instead of a cushioned bulletin board.

In case you're wondering how I attached the paper squares, it was done with homemade Mod Podge.

 

I have everything quite cluttered nicely arranged on the shelves: my scissors, rulers, threads and bobbins, most everything I need for sewing.

My favourite storage unit is the white drawered cabinet on the left that my father made for me many, many years ago. It was his first attempt at making something with drawers and they are a little bit wonky.

This makes me smile whenever I look at it. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how special it is to me...

 

 

And lastly, here is my sweet little doggie who so faithfully holds my spectacles for me until I need them to thread the needle!

Which is always.

 

Now I just need to get with it and get on to those many projects I've been wanting to work on lately.

Shall I list them?

No, I will save that for another day. This post is far too long as it is!

 

Blessing to all and have a good weekend

Kim

 

Partying Here:

 

 

Our life in a Click



 

 







 







Bread Brags

 



Okay, I'm sure that after you have read the title of my post you're now thinking that  I'm going to be bragging about my wonderful bread making abilities.

Well, you couldn't be further from the truth.....

I think I gave up on making my own homemade bread over twenty years ago.

After multiple (maybe thousands) of attempts at getting the dough to raise, I finally had to admit this bread making was just not my thing.

 

 

 

But guess what.....

It turns out it is my husbands thing!

Tim has been making his own special whole wheat bread for years now.

He started out working it the old fashioned way.

You know all that hand kneading. Then he progressed on to a Kitchen Aid with the special bread making mixer attachment. Next to a bread making machine which he literally wore out pretty quickly since he makes a loaf of bread every week. Then five years ago (I'm guessing, I have a short memory), he purchased a commercial bread making machine.

 And believe me, it was well worth the investment.

 

 

Occasionally Tim decides to try a new recipe.

Last week it was two new recipes!

Both of the breads he chose were Italian.

The Focaccia is considered a flat bread and the Ciabatta (slipper in Italian) is a wonderfully chewy bread that is good, we think, as Bruchetta or even just garlic toast  to go along with your spaghetti.

 

You do see now why I had to brag, don't you ladies?

The breads were just too beautiful not to share with someone.

 

Now that I've discovered that Tim's bread making talents go beyond just the regular weekly whole wheat loaf of bread, I'm thinking, dreaming really, of a  batch of gooey, giant sized cinnamon rolls for his next out of the box experiment.

 

I don't know though, since Tim doesn't like sweets at all I may have to do a little arm twisting sweet talking to get him to make them for m e.

 

How about you, what is your favourite out of the ordinary bread to eat?

Do you make it yourself or buy it from the bakery?

 

If you would like the recipe for either the Focaccia of the Ciabatta breads let me know and I'll e-mail it to you.

Until next time-Kimberly

 

 

 







Monday Thoughts

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I can't believe it's Monday already.

I wonder where last week has gone...

 

I did get a couple of projects finished last week! One was a closet conversion. Tim and I turned our office closet into a sewing nook for me.

More about this later this week!

 

I will share my small kitchen pantry conversion with you today.
I actually finished this closet before we went west to the Yukon last Fall, but I didn't have a camera at that time to take a photo to share with you.
As you can see I went a little crazy with the scrap paper squares!
I do like how it turned out, if I may say so myself.
Ha! 

I haven't started using it yet, but I think this little nook will work great for my blogging!
 

 

 

 

Here is a closer look at the stool that I painted to match the little office nook.

I'm sorry to see that the photos are so rotten. I can't figure out why they are so fuzzy.

They were clear in my photo gallery-very strange.

 

 The forecast this week is for below zero temps again.

Fortunately I have tons of things to keep me busy inside.

Hope your week is beginning with a smile.

Kimberly

 

 





 

 



 

 

 



Easter Blessings

 





Remembering...

 

May We Never Forget

 

 

 

 





I'm Back!

 



                                       

Hello Friends!

I'm back.

Yes, I'm home again.

I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it is to be back in our own little house again!

It was a long journey, for sure.

But, Praise the Lord, we arrived safely!

 

We have now been home for three weeks. 

And I am so looking forward to getting back into the blogging game and visiting all of you again to see how you have been getting on this long, long Winter.

Has it seemed like a long one for you?

I'm beginning to think that every Winter last way too long for my liking.

Take a look at our back yard.....

 

 

Yep, still a whole lot of snow happening here.

 

Does yours yard look anything like mine?

Please let me know, that way we can have a pity party together!

 We all know how misery loves company.

 Please take care now and I'll be back in a day or two to show you a few of the projects I've been working on these last three weeks.

Blessings-Kimberly

 



 

 

 



Yukon Winter Drive

 

12:30 PM

 

Last Sunday Tim and I were making another overnight trip into Whitehorse. As we were driving the winding road around Kluane Lake at Sheep Mountain there was a trace of low lying fog that was so beautiful I just had to share it!

 

12:30 PM

 

You can see from this photo that Kluane Lake is indeed frozen. It would probably even hold the car, but we aren't going to test it, so we do drive slower

around the many curves.

 

Christmas Creek

 

You can see from this photo how the weather changes in the mountains here. Coming down off of the Summit it was dreary and cloudy passing over Christmas Creek.

 

 

 

 







As you can see, one picture lead to another...

I hope you enjoyed the view as much as I did!

Next time I'll share my photos from our dive home.

It's the same roads, just a different view.

Until then....

Blessings-Kimberly

 







Cross Stitching Projects

 

 

 

Hi Friends

 

I just wanted to drop by to let you all know that I haven't intentionally abandoned blogging!

 

I have been so busy with work...

And then there is the fact that since I'm not in my own home I really don't have much to blog about.

I have no home improvements or big painting projects to share from here.

It's, frankly, pretty boring right now!

 

I have, however, finished two cross stitch projects recently.

So I will share that...

You may notice that the burlap looks discoloured on the deer project. It isn't. I'm not sure what happened when I took the photo, maybe shadows.

 

This last handy work is one I just bought at Salvation Army in Whitehorse for a dollar.

I just couldn't pass it by.

I remember this saying from so long ago.

 

I believe I  will be taking a good, long blogging break soon. I may pop in every now and then, but I expect it will be Spring before I am back in full blogging force.

Until then, blessing to you all!

Kimberly



 



A Review of 2014

 

2014 Review In Photos

 

         Jan-How-to-paint-on-fabric          Feb-Lassy Mogs Recipe                Mar-Flower Pillow Tutorial

 Apr-Sewing Vintage Style Aprons  May-A Cottage Bedroom Reveal   June- My Budget Porch

 July- Coasters from California     Aug-Moms Cucumber Pickle Recipe  Sept-Small- Home Series

 

Oct-Trip to the Yukon                                   Nov-Repurposed Wool Mittens

 

 

December-A Christmas collage of the youngest of our grandchildren.

And that, my friends, is a pretty good summary of my 2014 Year In Review!



Yukon Christmas Mass

 

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary-Burwash Landing Yukon

 

Tim and I were both thrilled when we were told by a new acquaintance  of mine that there would be a Christmas Mass held at the Catholic Church in Burwash Landing.

I have been in this church many times, as it is open to the public in the summer as a museum. It has an attached little school room and then a Priest living quarters, all which have long ago been abandoned.

However, once a year they hold a Christmas Mass in the building.

Interior-Our Lady of the Holy Rosary

 

Here is Tim with Charlie before the service.

The black Propane Heater is set up ahead of time to warm the building, but must be shut off before the services as the fumes are so strong.

The heater in the corner is broken. Since this church no longer receives funds from the hierarchy it will remain so. There was an electric heater (the white one on the left of this photo) but it still didn't keep my toes from feeling frozen, even in my Sorels!

The temperature outside that night was -26.5C.

 

After the forty minute service, we were invited next door to the caretaker's residence for fellowship and snacks. It was so kind of them, and we enjoyed visiting with them and hearing Andre' and Charlie talk about their many trapping experiences from a lifetime of living here in the Yukon Territory.

The caretakers name is Andre, he is a French fellow who still has a very strong, beautiful accent. His wife, Aggie, is a lovely Christian woman who drives the local school bus.

 

Andre' doesn't actually live in the home in the Winter as he is also a caretaker for a gold mine that is about 20 minutes west of their home. The owners of the mine find it more economical to pay someone to stay on site while they are away than to risk their property being vandalised or their equipment stolen.

As for regular church services, the Priest comes to Burwash Landing once a month. These services are held in the caretaker's home. They have a little nook off of the living room with an alter and long folding doors to open when they have services, then close at all other times when there's not.

There where only eight of us who attended the Mass; Tim and I, Charlie and Cecile, Andre' and Aggie, the Priest and his driver, Frank.

 

Side view-Our Lady of the Holy Rosary

 

I can honestly say that I'm thankful for this new way of celebrating Christmas. Although it is not the one I would have chosen for myself, I'm so happy that I now have had this experience to remember for a lifetime and to share with my grandchildren.

 

Again, God has shown me that He is with us no matter where we may wander!

 

~Kimberly~

 









Merry Christmas To All!

 

 

"God showed us His love for us when He sent His only Son

into the world to give us life"

1 John 4:9

 

For all of you, I pray that God will surround you with his love and comfort.

Some of us are not surrounded by loved ones and family this holiday season.

And some are not well or just trying to hold on as their loved one is slipping away from them.

 For you, I pray for His peace, in the midst of life's storm.

The Lord will be your ever present comfort.

Love to all-Kim

 



A Post of Christmas Past

 

Christmas 2011

 

Christmas 2011

 

This Christmas post was from my very first year of blogging.

I can remember just how exciting and fun it was to share my Christmas decorating with you that year!

You might remember we were living on Lake Superior, way out in the woods then.

I think this photos been repinned something like 69 times off of my  Pinterest board.

 

 Christmas 2012

                                                                   Christmas 2012

 

Okay, here we go again!

The porch decorated at Christmas 2012.

 I think this version might have only been repined 8 times.
Not that that matters, it's all about what we like, right?

 

Christmas 2013



Christmas 2013

 

Last years Christmas décor was all about the Polar Bears.

 

Now Christmas 2014, as you know, we are not spending in our home.

But stay tuned, because this is not going to deter me from creating a Christmas photo for this year too.

I'll just have to put on my furry rabbit thinking cap and come up with something unique.

 

I do have much of the holidays off now, so I am busy with last minute gifts I'm sewing for the staff here.
I know, it's crazy!

Wish me luck in getting them done......

I'd best be off to bed now, morning will arrive before I know it!
Tomorrow is the beginning of the days getting longer here in the Yukon.
 I wonder if that means sunrise will be before 9:30 AM now?
 

Blessings-Kimberly

 



 

 

Room In Your Heart For Jesus?

 



Do You Believe In Angels?

Do You Believe in Angels?

Silly question, I know you do!

 

Last night I had a visit from one....

I was working when a customer came in to dine at the lodge.

He and I were the only one's there at the time. He told me he was from Ancorage, Alaska on his way down to Washington state to move to help with the care of his elderly father now.

He ate and then when he had finished dining he ask if he might bring his cello in and play a few Christmas carols.

By this time my husband, the owners, and another employee had come into the dining room.

The owner, not a Christian, begrudedly agreed to allow him to play and then quickly left.

 

It was all I could do to keep myself from sobbing when this very quiet, humble man began to play all of the beautiful Christmas carols.

 I felt like the Lord had sent him here just for me.

 

You see, working in this remote area has been especially hard for me during this Christmas season. There are no churches here, very limited TV access to good programing and my Internet is so limited  I haven't even heard any of the Christmas carols that we often take for granted during this holiday season.

 

I requested 'Carol of the Bells', just because it's a favourite of mine.

Soon, everyone had left and it was just him and myself again.

Is it any wonder that I felt that the Lord had sent him there just for me?

He played several traditional religious hymns-it was a transporting moment for me.

This man's lone recital felt like a gift from The Lord's very Throne Room.

 

While I was busy with other work, he very quietly packed up his instrument,

  and when I returned to the dining area he was gone.

I didn't even get to tell him how much his spontaneous concert had meant to me.

 

I don't truly imagine that this man is really a heavenly being, but I do believe that he was sent from the Lord as a gift to fill a very empty spot in my heart at this time, and I'm so...grateful.

 

Anyway, hope you don't mind me sharing my sappy  little story with you today.

 

May this wonderful season be merry and bright for you-Kimberly



In God's Time...

 



Bathing Beauties

 

 

I just received this new bath photo of my Cutie Patuties, Reece and Brigam.

Don't they look like they are having a blast?

Yep, these adorable little guys are my bathing beauties, for sure!

 

 

Speaking of Bathing Beauties.....

If you have never seen this film, starring Red Skelton and Esther Williams, it is a must.

It is just so hilarious!

Even my children loved it when they were still living at home. In fact my daughter, Emily, would try to immolate the beautiful Esther Williams whenever we went swimming.

You know, I had never thought of Red Skelton as handsome before, but he plays such a sweet and charming role in this movie, that you can't help but fall in love with the guy!

So, if you are looking for a light-hearted Christmas present for someone, Bathing Beauty is definitely a gift to consider.

And "no" I am not getting paid by anyone to tell you this.

 This is just my own personal recommendation.

**********************************************************************************

 

As you all know by now, I am back to working full-time so I haven't had a lot of extra time for my favourite pastime-blogging!

I do drop by to check on many of you, but don't usually leave a comment, as I also have limited Internet access now.

Oh, bother!!

But that's just the way it is for now, no wining intended.

I do want to share a few photos I attempted to take last night. It was a gorgeous night sky and I did my best ladies, however it really doesn't do it justice.

But here are the photos anyway.......

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, we have a pretty heavy hoar frost on our trees right now.

It looks like a Winter Wonderland.

And it feels like it too with -30C here.

 

That's all the news from the Arctic North for now.

Hope this finds you well.

Kimberly