Thursday, 15 May 2025

Photos, Great Online Fun Site, Helpful Readers, Free Stuff

 I promised a few photos of my weekend away to downtown Ottawa which according to Google maps is a 41 minute drive from here. It was exciting to be in a city but I had mixed emotions about what I saw there. A lot more folks suffering around the streets and we were warned about not walking at night in an area that had always been an interesting/wonderful place to stroll and explore. But on the upside the Chateau is still so beautiful- I love it there. This is the view from our window looking towards Parliament Hill.

 And they have a dog mascot now. A black Labrador Retriever named Stewart. He has an interesting background...he flunked out of Guide Dog School but for an awesome reason...he was too friendly. We kept checking his area but didn't get to meet him.

The tulips were everywhere and we worried about a frost warning for Saturday night but it didn't dip below 0C. 

We went to the very large Rideau shopping mall and I got to roam one of my favourite stores, Simons. I could have bought many items- I especially love their scarves and summer hats, but settled on a colourful summer blouse I'll share soon. 
Meanwhile, back at home, that same glorious day I'm admiring tulips, Tony attended the poutine festival at the local Beckwith park with Robbie and Brad. In case you don't know, poutine is a French dish where regular fries are coated in gravy and cheese curds. It doesn't sound like it, but it is delicious.

Now back to real life and the mundane stuff...We have our new fridge and I like the see through drawers and how the freezer section has shelves, not one huge drawer things get lost in like the old one.

And I've begun the garden clean up including scrubbing the bird bath. No sooner did that and a chickadee took a bath which was gratifying and almost like it was thinking "it's about time!". But there's lots more outdoor work to be done.

✅I found this awesome free online jigsaw puzzle site...Jigidi, where you do not have to give any personal info. It offers many, many categories...my favourite is vintage art and you control the number of pieces too. There are many options available that I haven't explored...like turning them into greeting cards or creating your own puzzles. And it also has a huge number of puzzles featuring quilts too like this pretty one.

And in stitching I got out the EPP square in a square blocks I'd begun for a past RSC and have been adding another border. I used mostly darker scraps for these and they fit Taryn's present Scrappy Meets Thrift Challenge too. Check out the Repro Quilt Lover's SAL if you like using up scraps. I don't have a lot in green as it turns out but these few fit. 
Readers Questions/Comments

Elaine kindly wrote me to say she thinks the tower in my cross stitched England Quakers project is the Ackworth School tower. 

It does look like it!
 And what seconds that thought is the fact that this was founded as a Quaker school and still upholds Quaker values today. 

Someone wrote to ask about where I got the free diamond template shape I'm using for the Starry Hexagons. I checked back in my messages and can't find that message anymore to reply personally. I'm so sorry about that. Here is the link I use to find free diamond patterns for those scrappy EPP stars.  Alice Caroline BOM Shapes

And thank you all for the continuing messages regarding Tony's health. We love that you share your stories about fatigue - it's always good to know you're not alone and it's a learning experience to know what worked for others. We have explored his iron and protein levels and he is taking vitamin B12. And the cardiologist has scheduled him for a stress test and another CT scan in attempting to further his understanding as to why he is so weak. The investigation is kind of ongoing, I guess.

LeeAnna's, Not Afraid of Color, question this week is have we ever ridden a motorcycle. I did once and absolutely loved it. But it is odd that Tony has always ridden motorcycles and I've never ridden with him, come to think of it. Maybe it's because I would need the equipment or something.

I hope you all have a wonderful end of week and something fun in your weekend too. 

So grateful for linky parties like The Inquiring QuilterCreations Art QuiltsKathy's Quilts and Alycia Quilts.






21 comments :

Jeanna said...

Glad to read that you enjoyed your time in Ottawa, and Tony has his own little outing. Looks like you had a nice sunny day while cleaning the bird bath. Love your square in a square blocks.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I'm surprised you never rode on the back of Tony's motorcycle I have with my brothers when I was a much, much younger person lol - but haven't in years. Most of them no longer have their bikes as so many accidents have caused knee replacements for several of them. Your time in the city looks like fun - fun shopping now and then in person too instead of on line - I need to do a little of that this week or next. New refrigerators are kind of neat!

Julierose said...

What a wonderful photo of you, Jocelyn--I love your hairstyle!! I am thinking of cutting mine much shorter--this chin length bob is getting old I think...
Sounds like you had a great trip--how super is it that the lab was TOO friendly--I love that--is there such a thing in a dog? Hahaha

Your EPP sq in a sq. blocks are looking so nice and scrappy--great wip...hugs for a great weekend Julierose

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Sounds like you and Tony both had a good time on the weekend. I have never tasted poutine most likely because, much as I love potatoes, fries are not my favourite and I don't much care for gravy either. Cheese, however, would be just fine!
I've never been on a motorcycle and have no desire to try it.

PaintedThread said...

Looks like you had lovely weather for your Ottawa trip. I knew a dog that lived down the street - he had flunked out of hunting school, also because he was too friendly. LOL. Poutine - salt, fat, carbs... hard to go wrong with that! Yay for the fridge! You had lots of good things this week!

Gretchen Weaver said...

Sounds like a nice trip. Poutine sounds like a delicious dish for younger people, I don't work hard enough to burn those calories anymore! We had to buy a new fridge when we moved into this house, we bought one similar to yours. I really like the long freezer with the shelves. I could never find anything in the old freezer, it was always buried in the back! Happy stitching!

Rosemary Dickinson said...

I'm glad you had such an enjoyable trip. I've always wanted to try poutine. I've heard it's delicious. I love your square in a square blocks. Nice scrap buster! It's such a treat to get a new refrigerator.

Jenny said...

Such nice weather for your weekend away. I didnt realise that the city was within a shirt drive of your home, I always thought that you lived far away in the wilderness. I have heard of poutine, and seen in consumed on TV travel shows, not something I would fancy, I dont think. But I'm not a great chip lover either.

Jackie said...

You certainly had nice weather for your trip, and Tony looks so very happy sharing his day with the family eating poutine. I am glad that they are still looking for the reasons why Tony is having so much fatigue. I do hope they find something out soon.

God bless.

Anonymous said...

The tulips in Ottawa are glorious! So nice to stay at the Chateau Laurier too. We stayed there once when my husband had a conference for work. I also love shopping at Simons. Their housewares dept always has beautiful items to peruse. I hope the drs find some way to help Tony feel better soon. Looks like he had a good time on the weekend too. Love seeing your scrappy blocks. Gail at the cozy quilter

Linda said...

Ottawa looks lovely, and how funny about Stewart being too friendly - lol! That is a great photo of beautiful Jocelyn! I'm looking forward to seeing the top you bought. It's good to see Tony enjoying poutine. I've never had it, but it sounds delicous!

Denise :) said...

What a fun trip! And what a lovely photo of you and the tulips! Your new fridge is nice! It's so funny ... people are very strongly opinionated about their fridge styles! Your England Quakers projects is really darling, and the towers do look similar!! :)

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Sounds like a lovely trip, Jocelyn, and I love that photo of you by the tulips! I have heard of routine and glad to know it is a tasty treat. How fun that there is a festival dedicated to it! Exciting to get a new fridge, too. Your square in a square blocks look like a fun project. Is each triangle EPP'd on to the section before it?

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

*poutine!* I think my auto-correct changed it!

Gwyned Trefethen said...

What fun adventures you have been on. I have sampled poutine. It is must when visiting Canada, but never came across a poutine festival. You frequently introduce me to something new. Thank you.

Chantal said...

Happy to hear you had a good time in Ottawa. I live about 35 minutes away from Chateau Laurier. Awesome place but yes, the nights are now dangerous in the market place area. I love poutine too. Thanks for the link to the puzzle game. I'll check that out for sure. Love your Square in a Square blocks. Enjoy! ;^)

Michele McLaughlin said...

What a lovely trip and I love the story about Stewart the Lab! So happy spring gardening has begun for you. Keeping you and Tony in our prayers!

Linda's Relaxing Lair said...

Lovely photos and projects. Warm greetings from Montreal 😊 💖

Jayne Honnold said...

Greetings from Ohio! Found you at Kathy's Slow Stitching party. (I've visited you before, but maybe have never commented.) I read the bit about Stewart the dog to my hubby -so heartwarming. And I have been following that sew-along with Taryn; have yet to pull the trigger on joining in, though. I just cannot allow myself to start another project!!

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Those tulips are pretty! Sounds like you had a good time in Ottawa. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.
https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2025/05/07/wednesday-wait-loss-432

dq said...

I am a sucker for jigsaw puzzles. I always look for them at thrift stores, in fact, I picked 12 used ones at a thrift store just this week. It is a crazy hobby that I seldom have time for. I like the way it feels when they snap in, so I would miss that part in a digital puzzle. A couple of great things with digital though: no missing pieces, and you don't have to clean it up before dinner.