We waited a long time for summer this year as it looked like winter was never going to end and spring was pretty much non-existent. The bugs who love to bite never really left until end of August so we purchased even more bug jackets of all sizes to fit our summer visitors. During the month of July and August we had 25 days of company. First our granddaughter who is four arrived at the airport with her mother. The ten days they visited went by too fast but we packed a lot of fun into those days, beach, flying kites, swimming, a birthday party for one of her cousins, a fancy tea party, shopping and playing with dolls a LOT. I am now an expert on playing with Barbie dolls and other "babies" of various sizes. All great fun and the conversations with my granddaughter were and are priceless as I continue to play with her on Skype.
Our next visitor from Ontario was my girlfriend who just loves the island. She camped here with her son and husband many years ago so always delights in returning here to visit and explore. We fit in more beach days this year to relax, read, swim and beach comb (me) while she reads. There are so many gorgeous beaches here and I still have many left to explore with my hubby when he retires next year. My girlfriend also stayed for ten days as it is a long, two day drive out here.
Our last visitors and shortest visit was with my son and his partner, but my son also flew out in May for a weeks visit. There was still piles of snow about then and many ice flows at the beach we like to swim at in the summer months. When my son visits we drive to many places as he has his trip well planned as to what he wants to see and where he wants to eat. We saw the Lennie Gallant show for the 2nd time and I think we enjoyed it even more the second time around. It was also the night we celebrated hubbies birthday. After the show we four went out for supper. The next day was a drive up to New Glasgow for the Lobster supper experience. And I'd better not mention all those home-made pies for dessert. Although I will say the coconut cream got my vote!
The renovations at Cranberry Cottage are not 100% finished but we keep knocking things off the list. There is a lovely big new deck across the front of the house which we would have enjoyed much more if the bugs had left us alone. We are still in the discussion stages of how or where to screen part of it in. Hubby and his brother finished putting on a new red steel roof on my shed plus Jim put new shingles on the front. My job will be painting the whole shed hopefully this fall. Right now either because of air-conditioning or tiredness, I've developed a summer cold..blah.
I planted some new bushes this summer and gladioli for the first time. They are so gorgeous. My gardens did well in some things, not so well in others. We had tons of peas, snow peas and beans are doing well. My lettuce was a bust as well as my spinach this year. Carrots are doing splendid and squash came up from seeds thrown in the compost..nice bonus. We had a great crop of rhubarb and the pies were well received. We had lots of blueberries growing on our property this year, a real treat in smoothies, muffins and coffee cake.
Hard to believe it is now September, summer flew by. I continued with my art lessons all summer when I could fit them in and still enjoy them very much. The Seniors luncheons will be starting up again once a month and perhaps I will take another course in rug braiding or change over to making a quilt this year. Always great courses to chose from during the fall and winter months and not expensive. We continue to feed the birds all winter and this summer were rewarded with six hummingbirds at a time at one of our two feeders. Another feeder of Niger seed outside the kitchen window attracts gold and purple finches.
It is wonderful having the dining room finished, painted and a new floor down. We also have the same flooring in the living-room. There are spots of trim work left to do here and there but that will be a winter job. Summer keeps us busy outside, cutting grass and picking up fallen apples at this time of year. We feed them to a pony, lama and goat down the road who love to see us now. Our fields are planted with soy beans by the farmer down the road and look very healthy.
We enjoyed a few dances this year and got to a few rousing Ceilidhs which keep our feet tapping. I felt very brave this spring cooking lobster for the first time with help and instructions from my sister-in-law. We were given a dozen by a fisherman down the road, also received some already cooked from relatives and neighbors. We froze some of it so were able to share with company in the form of lobster rolls. We are adjusting to island life bit by bit and I look forward to hubby's retirement but not more than he does I'm sure. That will be yet another challenge, having him here all day but with 35 acres which keep us busy I'm sure we will have to make an appointment to meet under the willow tree for a snack and cold drink! And if I can't find him, he will probably be hiding down the road at his brothers!!
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