wanderingquilter

While we were back in Canada in July, I got the chance to attend to a quilt show in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan with two friends.  They have a lovely old park, and beside the library they had hung quilts on lines between the huge old trees.

We parked a couple of blocks away, and had to pass by a little antique shop with the darlingest cane-seat rocker outside. I would have loved to buy it, but of course, we don’t have a house in Canada to put it in, and I didn’t think it would fit in my suitcase.  They had some neat things inside as well – including this sign… I think every woman should have one.It was a lovely sunny day – a bit breezy though, so it wasn’t always easy to get a photo of the whole quilt.

One lady does a lot of sun printing.  She sells the paint in her shop – and was giving people a chance to try it out… alas, all her samples were taken when I got there.  It looked like fun. You just spread the paint on fabric, then put objects (like leaves) on top and weight them down.

A few minutes in the sun, and voila!

There was a lot of variety – here are a few photos, and there are more at the end of this post.

Some great use of prints – I never know how to use different prints together.  This red one with all the tiny prints had a very soft effect.And a very interesting one-block-wonder –

There were a few very interesting pieces – like this triangular face –

There was not a lot of custom quilting in evidence – it looked rather like someone with a long arm has been busy doing pantograms. Many had been quilted on home machines as well.  Very nice work though. This one is about the best example of custom quilting – very good local design as well.

This applique quilt was stunning in its colours and values.  I think maybe it was done by a very experienced quilter whose eyesight is failing.

There were four shops with booths set up as well – three from Moose Jaw, and one from Kindersley. Here is Brenda seeing what goodies she can find.When we left, we did visit one of the local shops and bought a bit more fabric and notions.  I succumbed to these two books as well, as they looked really intriguing – and my only other option would be to order from Amazon and pay postage.  I especially like the ideas for woven backgrounds.

It was a great day out with the two good quilting friends who got me hooked and forgot to mention that quilting is an addiction.  Thanks, Brenda and Hope.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Today is a funny, drizzly day.  Bad day to do laundry, but… you have to do what you have to do.  There is more sun than rain, so things are drying in the breeze – I just have to catch them before the next shower.

We’ve had a fair bit of rain the past few days, and the stream in the park is running quite high. The ducks love it – they were playing “duck derby” today when Snoopy and I walked past.  It’s so funny to see them all sailing downstream on the current.  I’m not sure if they fly back to give it another go, or swim back against it.  They are spending quite a lot of time sunning themselves on the banks as well.

Snoopy went in for a dip this morning and got a bit of a shock.  He usually goes in and lays down in the water.  No laying down this morning – we was quite surprised at how deep the stream was, and how strong the current. I think he actually had to swim a bit before he got out – and this is one dog that really likes to keep his feet on terra firma.

We had two rainbows on our walk –

Here – the fine rain was still coming down on us…

and many more showers since then.

Funny day – feels more like autumn than summer.

Sunday we cycled into Stavanger in the afternoon.  I’m not sure just how strong the wind was, but it sure felt like a gale in our faces the whole way. Enough said – I promised myself I wouldn’t whine about it any more…… we made it and lived.

This was the scene that met us as we crested the hill to the harbour –

We walked all around and took photos from several different angles –

Look at the figurehead on this one – the Christian Radich.

I didn’t expect to see Jack Sparrow on board – talking on his mobile…After ogling the ships, we went to the Sjøhuset Skagen, one of a long line of pub/restaurants along the harbour, for a beer and burger…… they were really good.  The menu had a write-up on the building – it was a warehouse built in 1770 by Mr. Ole Smith Plough, a ship builder and owner of a trading company. he was a very prominent citizen, and while he was mayor, established Stavanger’s first theatre.

In the late 1800’s, when steamships took over from sails, and the herring industry collapsed, the firm went bankrupt, but managed to retain ownership of the property and opened a new company.  The warehouse was remodeled in 1970 to become a restaurant.

A few shots of the inside –

Just tonight, I got an email from a friend saying that there is a fjord cruise on the Statsraad Lehmkuhl this Friday night – with music and a meal as well.  We ARE BOOKED!!!!!

I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

I’ve never lived in a place where it rains as much as here in Norway.  I’ve never lived where you can go for two weeks without ever seeing the sun once.  I’ve never lived where Rhododendrons grow.

And I’ve never lived in a place where I had to deal with SLUGS!

Well, once in a while in Saskatchewan, the pear slugs would get ahead of me and decimate my cottoneaster hedge.  but the were only 1/4″ long – and only hit one plant.

Here, there are small gray ones, and fat red-brown ones, and long, black ones, and even striped leopard slugs…….. and they ALL love my flowers.

Why can’t they eat weeds?  or the grass even?  But no, they really loved my lewisia and tiny margarita daisies.  And even though the plants have been reduced to skeletons, they still have to check in for a munch.

I’ve been waging a was on them the past few days – spoon and baggie in hand.   The first night i spared the striped ones, as my neighbour told me that they didn’t do any damage.  Last night I found on right in the middle of one of my daisies, so I’m afraid they no longer get left either.

So, when does it get too cold for slugs? I know that it won’t freeze here in September, only get rainy and dreary.  that seems to be a slugs’ favourite weather.

I’m hoping that the slug community has been noticing that their friends who have ventured out into MY flowerbeds have NOT been returning.  Maybe it will become a danger zone in their world, and my lovely flowers will come back a bit longer.

Friday, the Queen Mary 2 was in Stavanger harbour. A group of aspiring photographers, myself included, gathered to take photos.  It’s the first “photo walk” that I have attended as they began about the time we went on summer holidays.

Before I left, I Googled the Queen Mary, so I had some idea what I was going to see. When she was built, she was the longest, widest and tallest passenger ship in the world.  while she no longer holds these records, she is still the largest ocean liner, as the Queen Mary 2 was built to make regular transatlantic voyages.  She boasts  fifteen restaurants and bars, five swimming pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theatre, and the first planetarium at sea. She has a capacity of 2620 passengers, and requires a crew of 1253.

I took the train into Stavanger, and rushed along the streets to the harbour where I would meet the group.  When I reached the top of the hill, this is what I saw.  It took my breath away. i took this shot with my phone, as I was worried about being late and missing the group.  Look at how it dwarfs the buildings.

Another shot as I got closer –I met Tifany along the dock, so I knew I was headed the right way. We joined the group behind the yellow building in the photo above – I couldn’t believe how much ship was behind there – it is 147 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall.

Here are a few more shots of it from various angles.

Look at how small the people are to the LIFE BOATS!Somehow, I think it costs a bit more than 15 kroner per hour to park this baby!Roof tops of house in Gamle (Old) Stavanger.  The ship towers over them.From the front – that sail boat looks awfully small.Interesting comparisons.A sailing ship leaves – I’d love to see her with sails unfurled….. or go for a ride.David came into town after work, and we finished the evening with red wine and burgers… and the great company of new and old friends.  What better way to spend a Friday evening?

This morning Snoopy and I walked to the vet so he could have his second worm treatment…… doesn’t sound like much, but there is a story here.

Norway requires that if a dog travels into another country, he is to have worm treatment in the other country within one week of returning to Norway.  He is then to have the treatment repeated within one week after returning.  Thems the rules.

When we went to Denmark over Easter weekend, we spent all of the first morning making contact with a vet. It being Easter Saturday, he went out of his way to see us, and we paid for the privilege.

When we returned to Norway, no one checked our passports, or Snoopy’s.

So, last week, my sister and I went for 3 days to Denmark, and again took Snoopy along.  While we were there, we did NOT track down a vet, nor get the worms pills.  And, of course, this time we were pulled over at customs in Kristiansand….. at 2:00 am! And they cared very much that we had no vet stamp in Snoopy’s pet passport. We could have had tons of alcohol or goodness knows what in the back – they didn’t check….. but this dog was a big problem.

They tried to call the vet, who did not answer. They threatened deporting him, and us, at our expense, back to Denmark………. or putting Snoopy into quarantine to the tune of 3500+ NOK.  They finally settled on locking us up in the customs area, keeping our passports, and letting us sleep in the car. Now, this is a VW Golf -the front seats fold down flat – on to the back seat.  Dog on the back seat….. problem.  Bathrooms locked up in the building…. problem.  It was a dreadful night.

The customs chap came back about 7 am, and proceeded to call again for the vet. He left (the ferry had departed and he had no reason to stay) before the vet arrived.  When she did come, the gate wouldn’t’ open for her like she had been told. Finally she got in and gave Snoopy the tablets.  then we had to knock on doors until we could get into the building to use electricity for the debit machine…. the ferry offices are shut up tighter than Fort Knox.

The vet told me she thought it was a really stupid rule……… but they take rules very seriously in Norway. If Snoopy hadn’t been sitting up, we very likely would not have even been stopped.

We finally got to our hotel at 9 am – ate the breakfast that was included in the room rate, and I slept for 45 minutes.  I’m not quite sure if that bed was the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in, or if I was just that tired. (In case you wondered, it’s the Yess Hotel in Kristiansand – I’d recommend it).

The sun was shining brightly, and we had a wonderful and very uneventful drive back to Sandnes.  And we slept really well that night.

Moral of the story – the Norwegians LOVE rules – and it’s best to just follow them and be done with it.

I’ll be back with details and photos of our trip.

Takk for nå.

We’ve been crazy busy lately getting ready for our annual trip back home. Company, cleaning..cousins staying in our house while we are gone…. Quilt all finished. Laundry almost done. Several posts partly finished, awaiting photos.

Hoping to check in while we are away. If not, I’ll have lots to tell you in August.

Have a great summer.