Dangles for my ears

Still working on my bead stash, I decided to try bead embroidery. I haven't been very happy with past efforts so I tried a different technique: stringing the seed beads, laying them in place, and then securing them. It makes for a more orderly design.

front

back

I embroidered the beads on cotton and then backed it on suede. This way, the earrings will have enough weight to hang nicely. Just need to finish the second one...

Motorcycle Ride for Dad

Yesterday was the 10 anniversary of the Ottawa Motorcycle Ride for Dad. The event raises money and awareness for prostate cancer. My man has been an enthusiastic participant since 2004 and I have often taken the kids to watch. With well over a thousand bikes doing the ride, it is an awesome sound and sight!

ready to ride

This year is the first time I've been able to participate as a rider. I was a little anxious and very excited. There were just over 1700 bikes. The parade took us from the Aviation Museum down the Eastern Parkway, in front of Parliament Hill, down the Western Parkway, Carling Ave. and out to Mitel. And all the way, roads were blocked for us and people cheered. Too much fun!

happy, with serious helmet head

After the parade came the ride itself: Mitel to Almonte, Almonte to Calabogie on the 508, Calabogie to Almonte on the 511. Great winding roads with beautiful scenery. The ride was well organized with food, entertainment and comfort stations at each stop and all the bikers so friendly and having a good time. It's wonderful that you can support an important cause while doing something you love. Thanks to my ride mates for making my first MRFD so successful. I can't wait for next year. Now I just have to make child care arrangements so that I can ride my own to Dover this August!

Worth the ride

This morning was a gorgeous day to be out on my bike so I had to pick a destination. So why not check out the bead store in Kemptville? Sounded like a plan to me so I gassed up and away I went. Nice winding roads took me there: Prince of Wales to route 44; and the distance was reasonable for a short jaunt: about an hour and a half there and back not counting time spent at the store.

Rideau Art and Beads store is in a beautiful old brick building with lots of natural light. They specialize in Art Clay and have a great space for classes. Very tempting but let me get the lampwork under my belt first! I came away with some fun howlite stars, turquoise rounds and sterling ear hooks. All in all, a very enjoyable day.

Beading from the stash

I'm all fired up about a lampwork beading class I'll be taking so I had to get out my beads and play. Flipping through some old BeadWork magazines I found this for inspiration:

I found some hematite, bone and wood beads from old pieces in my stash and reworked them with some of my seed beads. Here's what I came up with:

I used square stitch at the ends and made the individual strands uneven lengths to add movement to the cuff.

So much fun to be beading again!

I'm still here

Not up to anything too exciting: gardening, family and reading.

The irises provide a beautiful contrast for the poppies.

Hiking the waterfall trail in Gatineau Park

An intense, intimate memoir anchored by vivid descriptions and recipes of food

Here today, gone when I get to it...

I wish I could love them. I know the leaves are great as a spring green; the flowers can be made into wine or even jelly. They're not for me. But, I sure don't want to use pesticides to get rid of them.

Enter the weeding tools. You have a few choices:

• the short, hand-held weeder that pops the leaves and flowers out
• a spray attachment for your hose that uses water to shoot them out, tap root and all
• the long pole weeder that grabs into the plant and with some skill can get the root as well as the leaves and flowers. This is my choice.

After trying out my neighbour Eric's pole weeder, I was sold. So much that when I saw a similar version at Home Depot, I bought it. Once home, I complained to my man that it didn't work. He showed me how. After all, it had been a year since using a pole weeder. Still, something didn't feel right.

Grampa's Weeder is on the left, Vigoro's is on the right.

The one I bought is made by Vigoro for 12.99. You have to aim, push the claw into the dandelion using your arm, and then pull the pole to the side to get the dandelion out. Yes it works, but not very ergonomically. And it hurt my shoulder after about 10 minutes.

Eric's is called "Grampa's Weeder" and it's available at Lee Valley for 28.50. It has a nice design element in that you can use your foot to push the weeder into the dandelion. This makes it more accurate and much easier to use. For the extra money, you can keep digging dandelions all day long if you wanted. Guess it all depends on your desperation.

Why I'd go back

Before we left I thought maybe this second trip to Vegas would be my last. But now...too much beauty:

desert flora

watch out for wild burros (unfortunately, we didn't see any)

Cactus Joe's Blue Diamond Nursery - it hailed when we were there

mountains

gorgeous rock

amazing skies