Things I Love Thursdays

I love Canada Day.  July 1st - we headed out for our annual floral photo hunt.  July 1st always seems loaded with flowers.  Even though we have had very little rain, I was surprised to see what I did!

Of course, the first to catch my eye were batches of Prairie Coneflowers.  It's pretty hard to walk past this on a trail and not break into a joyful smile!

Bergamot - oh how I love love love bergamot!  They were growing high up on a hill overlook the creek bed.

So darn pretty!  Here's a closer crop...

Aaaah - there's just something about purple.  I find it so soothing lately.

Deeper into the trails, I found these pretty pink and white bells on a shrub.  I'm not sure what they are but aren't they pretty!?

How do these flowers grow without water?  These next show-offs thrive on dry land.  Look at the big bursts of colour!

I'm so glad I finally took an entire day off with my family.  The bees and butterflies were quite happy - they were all over the place.  The wild roses are just finishing up.  The Blazing Stars are done.  But I found something interesting!  Here is Blue Flax.

And here is Yellow Flax.  !  I've heard of it but never happened upon any.  I love that they were so abundant for my treasure hunt.  : )  I happen to love the background in this next photo almost as much as the flowers that are focused on.

Had you noticed?  I had my big zoom lens on and the backgrounds gave the flowers such an interesting feel.  I'm so glad I brought the big camera.  I've been entirely lazy all year, snapping quick cell phone pics.  tsk tsk.

Here again is a really lovely crop of some Anemones growing in the wild.  (I have lots in my yard.)

And some bells - you tell me.  Everytime I name these, someone tells I'm wrong.  They are so special and so tender, aren't they?

Well there you go - I have lots more but I'll save them for Sunday.

I hope you had a  * * * HAPPY CANADA DAY * * * !!  xo  I'm so glad we went out to enjoy our little part of this big beautiful country.  Aren't we lucky!!?

Have a lovely Thursday,

Sunday Snapshots

Sunday was a BEAUTIFUL day.  It was windy which kept the mosquitoes from landing.  It was between 20C - 22C which is about room temperature: not too hot, not too cold.  There was not a cloud in the sky and the the air was so much cleaner after a few days of forest fire smoke blowing in.

I sewed nothing.  Nada.  I took the whole day off to play, hike, swim...  it was awesome.

Enjoy.

The above was taken at Pike Lake into the evening.

Below was take at Beaver Creek Conservation Area.  Bee Balm, right?

Oh it was GORGEOUS.  None of these photos were touched up or brightened.  It was just that pretty and bright out there today.  : )

High above the Saskatchewan River...  look!

joy

And Ooooh!  Look!  The Saskatoon Berries are ripe!  mmmmm....

high at the tops of the bushes

Is it me?  These photos make me want to cry.  They are so clear and colorful.  I can't take credit for them.  It's all mother nature.  The prairies seemed to be so vibrant today.  : )  It was really worth my while to head out and take a day off.

And then just as we were heading back, deep in the bushed in a remote trail I found them!!  Prairie Lilies - our provincial flower - in full bloom naturally.  *Those suckers are hard to come by.

Yay!

Happy Sunday.  I hope you enjoyed yours as much as I did.

Finished It Friday : )

Wow.  Do I ever feel like I've accomplished things this week.  I feel ahead of the game regarding deadlines (knock on wood!).  I did not love the 'Fields of Gold' that I made for a commission, so I started up another simple autumn scene.  The colors are much more subtle, based on a photo I took on the way to Beaver Creek.

auditioning fibres

It was the end of summer and there were Prairie Coneflowers growing by the roadside.  I stayed up all night adding the hand stitching to it.  I loved every stitch.

It looks quite stunning in the frame I have at home.  That was the problem with the other one.  I didn't love the color scheme.  This one was an after-thought and I really love it.  It makes me happy.

Roadside, 2013  (actual size)

I matted all my other work and dropped it all off to be framed.  (!!!)  We picked some really pretty frames!  I can't wait to see them all once they are back.  Before I headed out, I was sure to take high res photos of each one.  SO... since you told me this is not boring, here they all are once again.  : )

September Grasses, 2013

Fields at Floral Road 2, 2013

Autumn Blonde, 2013

Hills at Jackfish, 2013

Yay!  Now off to the Quilt Show I go!  I'll be the woman with the red shopping cart.  hehe