We're back after a month visiting our families in Maine and Cape Breton.  So wonderful to see the sea, see the trees.  I long to move to Cape Breton, so as much as I love visiting, it's always bittersweet because eventually I know I'll have to leave.  Given that I've been fortunate enough to find a place on earth that's my own pastoral paradise, it feels profoundly wrong to leave it behind to return to a hot, humid city. Especially with a baby who seemed happier than he's ever been naked on the beach and crawling across endless grass. But we have a three year plan.  We'll get home for good, one of these days.

While we were in Maine, we visited the Four Seasons Farm, with the most spectacular vegetable beds and these beautiful flowers.

But my dad's lilies, pictured above, can rival any professional. (He was also the town zucchini champ three years in a row, ahem.) And he even let baby M. pull apart some of his lovely roses.

Many days at the beach, like this one where my little love was whisked off by my sweet sister, gone to meet the sea-babies...

There was such a flurry of activity after my update - getting the dolls packed up, getting myself packed up, cleaning the apartment for the subeltter - that I didn't have to time to post to say I was going out of town.  Those of you who've been following my blog for a while might remember that my father lives in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia (on the east coast of Canada) and that I come here as much as I can.  The past few summers, that hasn't been for nearly as long as I'd like - school and work and bills and all that.  But this summer we've managed a luxuriously long trip: we arrived on July 6th and we're staying until August 25th.  Oh bliss! We even have a place all to ourselves, very kindly offered by my friend Rebecca who owns a house here but will be away in Europe all summer with her new husband.  Guess who was a very round bridesmaid in their recent wedding?    It was an absolutely beautiful wedding, so all my love to Rebecca and Conrad!!

The house is surrounded by beautiful views: mountains and farms and a pond.

In the mornings, I sit out here, look at out the water and drink my tea. In the evenings I do the same with a near-beer - there's nowhere in the world where I feel calmer or happier than Cape Breton.

And because we're staying for so long, we brought all three cats.  I think they're a little freaked out by the wide open space but also very intrigued by all the new sights and smells.  Mostly, they crouch in the flower beds and watch the world go by...my little panther is fascinated by insects.

The weather has been so beautiful, and we've been at the beach every day.  One of my favourite flowers, the wild rose, is in bloom and their scent fills the air.  I'd better be careful about all this joy and peace of mind, or my dolls might start developing creepy little smiles!

After our trip to Cape Breton, I'm back in Montreal but far from home.  I was born and raised in Toronto, live in Montreal and go to Cape Breton whenever I can.  I have a complicated relationship with Toronto; there are people there whom I love very much, but going back often makes me sad.  I love Montreal and have no mixed feelings about it; it's beautiful, bilingual, vibrant, affordable. (Okay, some mixed feelings - it's too dang cold in winter.) But Cape Breton is the place.  Even though I've never lived there for more than a year, Cape Breton feels like home for me.  It's the most breathtaking place I've ever been, and the only place where I feel total calm, where I don't have that itchy feeling like I should be doing something else, or remembering to do something else. I'll get maudlin with nostalgia if I start going on about it now, so I thought I'd share some photos.  These are just a smattering from here and there, from the train and my father's house. Some things I love.

Dad's new Magnolia tree (which he says has grown three in every direction feet since spring).

The crumble a made for a party (I picked all the apples and blackberries for it, then ended up liking that store-bought lemon meringue pie better).

Blood-coloured hollyhocks.

My sister's albino mice. (She rescued them from her neighbour, who was going to feed them to his pet python. Ew.)

The fig tree in my dad's greenhouse.

 Dad's beautiful tomatoes (alongside some doll limbs. Keepin' it creepy...)

Dad's garden, in front of which I married my one true love.

 
Coming into Montreal after 22 hours on the train. 

Cool old building.

Artsy-fartsy photo of the sign in the Montreal station.

Encore un autre photo artsy-fartsy.

~*~

Now that I'm back, I'm working away on new dolls and pendants and am planning my next shop update for Saturday, September 26th.  I'll list more specific information as well as photos of the forthcoming work as it gets closer to that date.

p.s.

My apologies to anyone who tried and was unable to leave comments on my last post; Typepad has a fancy, newfangled interface and somehow I accidentally closed them.

We're off to visit my family this morning until the new year, so this is just a quick post to say Happy Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and, whatever else you might celebrate, I hope this time is filled with warmth and joy!

(and a touch of Gorey strangeness...)