Our First Scarecrow Festival

 "Welcome to the Scarecrow Festival" a wallhanging I made for the 2006 Mahone Bay Quilter's Guild Challenge.

Winner of the Annual Pumpkin Carving contest - the pumpkin walk brought out hundreds of people each night to see the creative pumpkins all lit up.

Elton John visits Buchannan's Music Store

The local constable enjoys his Timbits!

A fall tradition in Mahone Bay is the annual Scarecrow Festival. The town gets decked out with handmade scarecrows in front of many businesses, homes, the churches and along the waterfront. There were weddings, a visit with the Royal Family, hockey games and even a sighting of Elton John. 

A few members of the Royal Family join us.

Lance Armstraw visits "A Sweet Ride", the local bike and candy store.

The weather was superb, warm and sunny everyday. The crowds came out and the sidewalks were packed with people all day. We ran out of time to create a scarecrow for this year but we already have an idea for next year. 

Lunch was just too much for this scarecrow at Mateus Bistro

On the roof at Joann's Market, a busy spot.

A knitter relaxes in front of "Have a Yarn", our local yarn store.

But next up is the Father Christmas Festival which comes to town early December, should be fun for kids of all ages!

Quilter's Retreat

Inside, looking out to the Northumberland Strait.

The 14th Mayflower Quilter's Guild Bi-annual Quilter's Retreat at Pictou Lodge was another big success. Quilters keep coming back, 2 have come to all 14, I have been to 13. Many have been to 10 or more. This year we had 58 quilters, of those only 13 were there for the forst time. We had rain and wind for 2 days, sun for 2 days, a little bit of everything. Just right for a fire in the beachstone fireplace.

It was great to have Cheryl Arkison and Penny Berens with us as teachers and 24 quilters were "hermits" in the independent study. Pictou Lodge is such an ideal place to have our Retreat, peaceful and calm and we are well cared for.

Where the "hermits" worked independently.

Where I worked on my hand pieced "Jazz Hands". One day it will be finished! The 15th Quilter's Retreat will be late September 2015. Plans are underway!

Getting Settled

Slowly making progress and finding room for my fabric and books.

Well, it has been a hectic few weeks. I had forgotten, after 17 years just how exhausting moving can be plus we are 17 years older! However we did it and are now happily enjoying unpacking, sorting (again), throwing out (and recycling) and putting away. Plans have been made with an electrician (never enough plugs to support our electronic world in a 145 year old house!), a plumber (we need a set tub in the basement for the winery - we do have our priorities!) carpenter (to fix a bit of sill rot, install a floor in the attic, new back door etc) and the oil tank needs replacing (we have been through one oil spill, never want to do that again!). They are drilling, draining and installing a fibreglass tank today. We are getting there, Insulation next and hopefully a lovely little propane fireplace.

Finding room for my treasures - Margi Hennen's dolls are back in residence.

My sewing room is a work in progress. Peter has made and installed my new sewing table and a new cutting table. I have yet to christen them, they are still covered in stuff to be put away. The room is bigger then my old one, I will miss the ocean view but I have always wanted a designated cittung table, at the right height and free of clutter (we'll see how long that lasts!).

Ben thinks he is helping!

My books were spread out before, over several rooms and bookcases. Now I am able to have all my "how to" books and my quilt history books in one place. My children's quilt story books (I have about 150 in my collection) will have to go to the "library. Fortunately the small bedroom came with floor to ceiling book shelves.

Another treasure from my childhood, it is interesting what we hang onto. Pluto still works!

The bi-annual Mayflower Quilter's Retreat at Pictou Lodge starts in a week. This will be our 14th! Hard to believe that an idea I had almost 30 years ago is still going strong. We are so grateful to everyone who attends (almost 60 quilters each year), to the teachers who come and share their knowledge and skills and to Pictou Lodge who bend over backwards every year to feed us delicious food, make our beds and put up with the fun we have!

 Ben found the perfect place to curl up, in with my quilts, my (maternal) Granny's quilts and a quilt my great aunts made for my paternal Grandparents. I only found out recently that there were quilters on my father's side of my family. Guess I was destined to be a quilter.