My Front Porch Collection

My first purchase of the new year was a calendar. Not that I was completely calendarless...after all, I have a local firefighter calendar, but I had none suitable to hang in the kitchen. My favorite Robert Duncan that usually hangs there was sold out...so I settled for second best this year. Next year I will purchase my calendar well in advance. Back to the firefighters calendar. I made a special trip to the mall just before Christmas...since I heard rumours that there were firemen there...selling calendars for 2010. I must admit that I have never before even considered buying such a calendar......but since my nephew happens to be a local fireman...and since I knew he was at the booth... ...of course I wanted one. I was quite relieved when I saw the calendar...thinking it might be one I would only want hanging behind closed doors...but it is rather a nice tribute to our local fire department, featuring our firefighters and their equipment. Eric is in his first year as a full time firem

 While you were celebrating New Year's Eve as you are accustomed...we were having our own kind of party. When a boy turns four, he wants a party! And so Ryder invited all of his cousins...his uncles and aunts...and his grammy and grandpa to come on over on New Year's Eve. He rather likes tractors...and had wondered if grammy might make him a John Deere cake... ...and so she gave it a try. Green & yellow...with a chocolate interior...served up with a good helping of chocolate chip mint ice-cream...seemed to hit the spot. There wasn't much left for the scrap dealer! In keeping with the theme, Ryder got a new John Deere scooter...which got a test drive immediately...through the kitchen, living room and down the hall. With it being New Year's Eve and all...the big kids thought they needed some party games as well and set up Rockband Special Edition...which comes complete with a drum set, guitar and microphone for the lead singer...and the game itself which plays on the

  It's a new day! It's a new year as well...just past midnight on January 1, 2010. It somehow seems appropriate that we ended the year with a snowfall...everything looking fresh and clean...and inviting us to come make some footprints. What I like about a new year is that it is like a blank book...all clean and ready to write on. So far...no mistakes and no regrets! Once I start writing I am bound to make a mess of things...but I am also excited about whatever may be contained in the chapters ahead. I am looking forward to the year ahead...2010. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of you, my friends from all over who I have met through blogging. You have enriched my life in may ways...you have encouraged and inspired me...and I look forward to our continued friendship in the New Year.

What exactly is a quillow? Literally, it is a pillow that unfolds into a quilt. In my case...it was pillows for the grands that unfold into fleecy blankees (sometimes called stadium blankets). Our last stop in the USA before returning home from vacation this fall was Joanne's Fabrics...just in case I might spot some fun fabric for a project or two. I found fleece in great retro prints that I couldn't resist...and came out with enough pieces to sew the grands each a quillow for Christmas. The ones for the girls had flowers and swirls (and ladybugs for Maelyn)...and for Ryder, what could be more perfect than bears and a camping theme? And from the leftover strips...they all got scarves to match their quillows. They will always know which is their scarf! I made the blankees 54 inches square...but they can be made in any size. I followed a tutorial online...and the biggest job was cutting everything down to size. Once the reversible blanket is completed...it is folded and tucked in

How nice to enjoy sunshine and blue skies over the Christmas season...and take in clear, unobstructed views of the peaks around us. The snow-covered range in the background lies to the north of our place...and I would like to give you the names of a few the peaks...but I haven't a clue. They are part of B.C.'s majestic Coastal range...but putting names to peaks would require a little research on my part.. To our east is the Cheam range. From my vantage point at 'My Front Porch'...I see only Mt. Cheam...as I'm a little too close to see the adjacent peaks. ( l-r Cheam, Lady, Baby Munday and Stewart) The first four peaks are often referred to as the Four Sisters...and are easy to see as one drives through the Fraser Valley. Cheam is a Sto:Lo name meaning 'a place of wild strawberries'. The Sto:Lo nation preferred to go goat hunting and berry picking on the lower portions of the mountain...and usually stayed away from the peak. Today...Mt. Cheam is a popular pla

Christmas looks a little different every year...though some things never change. It's always about family coming home......of going to church and celebrating the birth of Christ...of gathering around the table and eating far too much...of opening gifts...and of making wonderful memories for years to come. This year there was no one missing...away or at work...and we all went to church together on Christmas Eve. How special to see the grands sing with the kids choir...and to join with the masses in singing Silent Night by candlelight. We all came back to our house...for the usual Christmas Eve appetizers. What was not usual... ...was that the grands arrived to find 'Grandpa Santa' sitting next to the tree. He was a little early, it seemed...but had heard that some of the gifts were going to be opened on the 24th this year...and so he was very accommodating! Maelyn wasn't all that thrilled to sit on his lap...the others were more amused. Micah woke up long enough for a pi