How fortunate

I was out watering the famous garden last eveining and had to reflect on how fortunate we are here. Earlier in the week I received a letter from a friend of mine who lives in Queensland. In the letter she told me about the drought they are currently enduring and the extreme water rationing they are having to do. Here I was pouring water on our little garden...and on top of that ...it rained last night so I likely could have saved myself the trouble. I am well aware of water shortages, living on a well as we do but I know I have never had the drought conditions she described.

I have also never had to undergo the terrible flooding that is happening in the American midwest where the Mississippi is overflowing its banks, or in Manitoba where a few years ago acres of farmland and homes where flooded by the Red River.

Mind you my little town did have a tornado rip through it in the early seventies, before I moved here. No one was injured, but all the trees that lined Main Street were ripped up and the only building that sustained serious damage was the town hall which had been sitting empty while awaiting demolition!

I have to share is this robin's nest which is perched on one of the light fixtures just outside our garage. This picture was taken last Saturday and those eggs have now hatched and there are 4 baby robins in the nest. The nest is in an excellent location, high off the ground, under the eaves so it is shelted and well away from predators. As you can see we can only peek into it using a mirror and we are careful not to do that too often so as not to scare the mama bird. I can't get a photo myself because I am not tall enough to reach up and hold both mirror and camera...I expect I'll soon be able to get a shot from the porch of 4 little beaks clamouring for food!
On the stitching front I have completed but not assembled two ornaments. They are from the JCS ornament issues from 2001 and 2000 respectively. They are over one on 32 count natural linen. Awhile back I went throught my ornament issues and picked out some ornies to stitch this year. Alas it seems that all I chose were over one...go figure! I have to be in the mood to tackle them but I guess these past couple of weeks....The time was right.