New site check it out!!

Thanks for reading my site.  But I've decided to move to http://dawnhiprose.wordpress.com.
Hope to see you there!!!!
Dawn

The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood

I love when an author tells two stories simultaneously then weaves them together.  There is always that bit of mystery that is waiting to be revealed.  Ann Hood's story of two women's struggles with love and life was enough to capture my attention to the last word. She told the story in two different generations centred around two major events, JFK's inauguration address 1961 and The Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.   Life changing events, filled with grief and hope.  This one I recommend.

I'm Back again...

Beautiful places...

Gaspereau Lake

Huntington Point

Break time after a morning of digging, I can have a tea party anywhere.

I'm looking forward to a season of writing, and music lessons.  I'm a little rusty after my summer break.  I see a lot of practicing in my future.  I hope I may see you along the way.

I'm Back

So, It's been awhile.  August was fun.  Filled with lots of Archaeology, knitting and music.  Here's a little update.

Olive Blouse, only the sleeves left!

Arc-en-ceil Pullover, One more sleeve to go, I've been going cross-eyed knitting this on the diagonal with a variegated yarn.

I'm excited about knitting a hat with this yarn.  A tube of silk filled with cashmere!!

A Tank made of Hemp, a jump on summer.  Always looking ahead.

Summer fun

I had a great Weekend.  D and I saw Jont at the Biscuit Eater in Mahone Bay.  It was a really intimate concert, I love when the performer can have a conversation with you off mike.  Jont has a really relaxed singing style and sometimes it feels like he's just having a chat with a group of friends.  He's a great host,  asking us if our meal was good, if we were having a good time.  I thought at one point he was going to pour us a drink.   Sunday I went for a bike ride with my husband J, and I haven't been on my bike yet this summer, so that was an adventure, good thing there wasn't any traffic.  I went digging at the Popular Grove site that afternoon.  I always learn something new every time I dig.  There always seems to be a puzzling question to answer.  Sunday evening J and I ended up going canoeing on Gaspereau Lake, the water was like glass, it was beautiful and an eagle sat up in tree and watched us the whole time.   In a couple of weeks I'm joining another dig.  I'm really looking forward to it.  Stay tuned.

Jont

The view from my unit 43E

Popular Grove Dig 2013

So I joined up with another Archaeology dig closer to home, this is a Planter/Acadian site at Popular Grove.  I had a great day!  Found some Planter ceramics.  The site is a mystery, and I love that.  When the Planters moved in they took over the existing Acadian home and built onto it.  They is definitely more fun to come.  Today, I got to work with a few members of the Thibodeau family whose ancestors lived on that site.  Public programs like that one are so awesome for that reason.  Helping people get in touch with their past.  They now become ambassadors of their own story and past it down to future generations.  Here are a few pictures.

There's me!

The Birds and the Breeze

I'm sitting at the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens, on a bench under a tree, taking in the beauty of it all.  I have time to kill before I head to my Thursday afternoon knitting group, at The Gaspereau wool shop.  It's a wonderful day for sitting outdoors, the breeze is cooler after last nights rain cleared the air a bit.   I stepped inside the Gallery on Main St. today to stare at a few of Alex Colville's paintings.  When we lose a talent such as his was, it seems more people become aware of it.  So now that I'm inspired,  you never know what may transpire.  I've finished my Oatmeal Pullover knit with Berocco Karma and now I'm continuing on with my Arc du Ceil sweater, knit with Noro.  Single ply yarns are cool to knit with because of the varied texture.  The piece changes with every stitch, throw in variegated colouring and it looks like a masterpiece.  There is not one person in my sight right now, more people should sit and contemplate I think.  The birds, and the breeze through the leaves, are very successfully drowning out the street noise.

Louisbourg Day 5

It was rainy at the site this morning,  we made a mad dash for the Yurt to cover our work, but it cleared up beautifully.  There were a few answered questions today and the investigations will continue after I leave tomorrow.  My highlight today was the boat ride with the underwater Archaeologist up to Louisbourg.  It's beautiful as you'll be able to see from the pictures. The water was calm and there was even a rainbow.  It couldn't have been more perfect.  I'm always a little sad to leave Louisbourg every year, but I'll be back next year.  I met some wonderful people, Parks Canada Archaeologists who are very dedicated, and I felt very privileged to have worked beside them and learn from them over this past week. 

The Yurt

Me

Louisbourg from the harbour with a rainbow

Heading back to town.

Louisbourg Day 4

It was a foggy day out on Rochefort Point.  We branched out chasing a few leads.  We found a wall and a trench feature.  Not a lot of tourists today because it was drizzling and overcast.  It's perfect weather for seeing soil color, patterns, and taking photographs.

Chasing a few leads

It was a foggy day we couldn't see the water or the lighthouse.

This is a photo taken yesterday of the Archaeologists working on site waving to the Underwater Archaeologists.  That's me in the white hat.

Louisbourg Day 3

Beautiful day at Louisbourg, the weather has been phenomenal.  Nice breeze out on Rochefort Point.  The digging was interesting.  It always gets most interesting as the day is winding down and you have to go home.  Unanswered questions are left for tomorrow.  I get to think over things this evening.  So many aspects of archaeology going on at the same time.  We have Experimental, Terrestrial, Historical, and Underwater.  I love the questions the public ask as they tour by our site.  Especially kids, they always have the best questions.  Getting them to hold something that you just dug up from the ground that's 300 years old, it really leaves a mark on their experience at Louisbourg.

Today's digging got me thinking about the way we perceive death and the way death was perceived 300 years ago.  I found a human burial, my first.  Although it is a common thing in the area where we are exploring.  It makes you think about how they died, how they were buried and who mourned that poor soul. There was more death in those times, but I imagine there being just as much grief, but maybe not as much fear.

Here are a few shots, the underwater team was busy looking for Lime Kilns that are present on old drawings of the time, but no one has found them.  Coastal erosion has them now underwater.

Add caption

Archaeology Rap session

A Wall...

Louisbourg Day 2

Another beautiful day at Louisbourg.  At our National Parks you can always see things that are unique because it is a protected area.  I wandered around a bit this afternoon, taking pictures and found some interesting vegetation and landscapes.  I may eventually discover the names of these plants.

Here is where I was digging today. 

The Battery

Replica of a Siege Tent

They are doing a bit of Experimental Archaeology.  These tents were used by soldiers at the siege sites.  There is a Parks volunteer that is staying here for two weeks, in the costume of the day.  He is living the life, getting inside the head of those soldiers to see how it really was. The volunteer says the worst part of his stay are the effects of humidity and insects.  They are trying spruce boughs and hay to see if it makes any difference.  The humidity and temperature is checked daily.  A lot of the writing of the day isn't specific, there are a lot of unanswered questions.  This is what is so great about Archaeology, finding the answers.

Louisbourg Day1

It is my 6 or 7 year at Louisbourg I haven't figured that out yet.  This year I'm volunteering.  The public program has been cancelled.  They have their 300 years celebration underway and it was a beautiful cool day in Louisbourg.  The Archeology team has been working out on Rochefort Point my favorite place to dig.  It's quiet, all you can hear sometimes is the scraping of your trowel against the earth and the surf hitting the shore.  Now that's a beautiful sound.  The Carrerot Property c.1720-1745 is the particular spot.  The house's double hearth can be seen.  It was also used as a burial site after 1745.  So some poor souls still remain there.  An exploratory trench was also opened up to try and find a stable area.  There is a period drawing of the property, which shows these features.  There was a lot of cool equipment being used Ground penetrating radar etc.  I could see out in the harbour the underwater team investigating.  In spite of all these distractions I was able to get some digging done.  Here are some shots...

The House with the Large fence is where we are concentrating.

 

Carrerot House

The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood

When I came across this book I had to read it just based on the title.  It was about the bonds of friendship that grew out of the struggles of life and knitting.  It was a quick satisfying read with a happy ending.  The author did capture the right feel when she wrote about knitting with a group of women (and men) and the meditative and healing properties of the craft of knitting.  No really it's true.  If you don't believe me pick up some knitting needles and yarn.  Actually I find when any group comes together with a common creative interest, you end up sharing a piece of yourself.  Those bonds are the hardest to break.  

The Loop

Today I'm sitting and knitting at The Loop cafe.  My arc-en-ceil pullover is blowing my mind a little. It is knit on a diagonal, and I'm knitting it with self striping yarn.  I would like to get inside the mind of the designer.  Crazy world.  I picked up some lilac cotton yarn to knit a sweater for my next project, I'm always looking ahead.  Today started out rainy, so I'm carrying around a raincoat, umbrella, my knitting bag and purse.  If only the weather would cooperate.

Saturday

 Here is my Arc-en-ceil Pullover update.  The colors are awesome.  Fun to knit.  It's a beautiful day today, my kind of day not too hot.  perfect in the shade. 

Recently my friend D's Dad has been very sick and today is her parents 56th Wedding Anniversary.  Wow!  I think of that and wonder if I've made enough memories.  I guess we should all make as many happy memories as we can,  life can be short. 

Flying

I read a post from a fellow blogger today,  I just realized why I don't like to fly, I always thought it was because I'm afraid of heights, or because I detest airports.  Flying doesn't give a sense of the true passage of time or the effort of travelling distances.

Flying unnerves me

I need to feel the earth under my feet,

Move with lay of the land,

Connect with the ground,

See people in real time,

Doing real things,

Living,

Breathing,

Being.

Dawn

Lately...

I've been knitting...

I started the Arc-en-ciel Pullover with Noro Taiyo Sock Yarn, it is so fun to knit with, the colors just unexpectantly reveal themselves.

 The Olive Blouse is a sweater I've been saving for times that may take away my attention, I'm just knitting in the round right now, but I love the feel of the Alpaca Yarn.

My Husband and I were lucky enough to catch Matt Mays in concert last night. 

Fun Times!!

Cats and Dogs

No matter where I knit,  at home or at my knitting group,  animals are attracted.  Kitty Purl from Gaspereau Valley Fibres and my dogs at home, love the peacefulness of knitting.

Market Day

I'm at my local market eating, listening, breathing deeply the lovely aroma's.  Why is it that some musicians make it look effortless like they are having a conversation.  A tea and chat.  Nice.

Live From Barrington

So, today I'm grateful that I don't have to run for a bus, it can be quite stressful as I remember it.  I'm in Halifax lounging for the day.  I stopped at The Loop yarn shop (caressed some beautiful Yarn), The Folklore Center ( I drooled on some guitars), The Creative Place (imagined what I could put on a huge blank canvas, that is if I could actually paint) and now here I am live from Just Us, on Barrington.  I love that there was an symphony of music as I walked down the street,  an accordion player on one corner and a guy playing xylophone on the other.  In front of the Library  I wanted to take a picture of the guy feeding himself and the pigeons, he was engulfed in them and seemed quite happy about it.  You can use your imagination for that one.  I found some beautiful vintage finds on Queen St.  Is  Diane von Fürstenberg still around?  She knows my dimensions perfectly.  The clouds have rolled away for my trip home.  Lucky me.

Friends

It is a beautiful day in my neighbourhood!  My chores are all finished.  Time to relax.  I'm sitting on my patio, swinging on my swing and knitting my new project.  I'm thinking about the wonderful day I had yesterday with my friend D we went on a road trip to Halifax.  We had Thai food, shopped the vintage shops, and stopped at a gourmet dessert shop for cheesecake.  We chatted and sang to my favourite playlist all the way home.  I was on a mission to cheer her up and  I think I was successful:)

Full Circle

Today I was trying to make the most of the day.  A day to recuperate, revive myself.  I love having Thursdays off because I get to hang out with my knitting friends.  The afternoon knitting group, it's really a fibre arts group because there are crocheters, spinners, wool felters etc. that participate, it is at the Gaspereau Valley Fibres Wool Shop.  It's also a working Cotswold sheep farm.  So on my walk from the car to the shop, chickens often traverse my path, sheep and Llamas graze in the field.  I can smell the barn smells and hear the farm noises.  Those smells and noises bring me back to earth.  Ground me.  The shop is filled with beautiful colors, textures, chattering women's voices and clicking needles.  I could close my eyes and just listen, but it's infecting, those stories and conversations and I have to join in, connect.  I always seem to be closest to the wood stove, sitting on the outside looking into the circle.  Where I've always been most comfortable, but someone always leaves a spot in the circle for me.  Everyone should be this lucky.

Pay It Forward

Do you remember last year when I received a random act of kindness from a stranger,  it was five dollars at the gas station.  Anyway, I held on to that five dollars in a special spot in my wallet and it grew.  I recently met a young lady who was fundraising for a trip with a wonderful Canadian youth program,  and so I passed it on.  I feel like she will pay it forward somehow, through kindness, or monetarily, it doesn't really matter.  That small act grows as it goes and I can still feel it out there.

Have a great day everyone!
Dawn

Dance

My coffee shop is quiet this evening.  I was just reading the "Random Acts Of Kindness" column in "The Grapevine".  There is a quote that I fell in love with:

While I dance, I cannot judge,
I cannot hate,
I cannot separate from my life.
I can only be joyful and whole.
That is why I dance.

By Hans Bes

That is so true, I challenge you to try it.

Good morning
By Dawn Illsley

Roaring wind lulls me to another place.
Quiet breathing in the margins of my mind.
Pressing thoughts, bossy and demanding,
yank me from my reprieve to reality.

There's a call for spring outside the window.
An urgent call from a little bird whose hungry.
Then out comes the sun,  like a little answered prayer.

The light creeps across the room,
Warming the spot on the floor,
Soon to be occupied
By a little furry beast,
Desperate for warmth.

On the windowsill,
The pink blooms are dried up,
Not the end,
But it seems hopeful for more.

Real Time

I would much rather watch real life unfold than let TV pollute my brain today.

Tea for me

 It's the first day of Spring,  it's a good day to take stock.  It's really hard to imagine when you look out the window that it is Spring,  just use your imagination.  Today I'm trying to finish my blue baby blanket,  it's a present for Saturday so I have a deadline and I'm having a little tea party for me.  I love the process of tea-making.  It's those simple rituals that help ground your day.

Spring

I smell spring today,  that earthy, refreshing smell that I've been waiting for.  I'm sitting and knitting catching a few rays of sun through the window, whenever the clouds decide to part.  My yarn is very colourful today,  I chose to continue my  "Orangina sweater" instead of my blue baby blanket today.  I'm not in the mood for blues.  Last night was my knitting group at GVF.  It always lifts my spirits and never ceases to entertain me.   It was interesting we talked a little about knitting and a lot about life.  Funny how the two seem to meet.  My usual routine is disrupted today,  so I'm making the best of it.  Soon I will settle into my little Den and "practice".  I'm going to stop using the term "practice" I think.  It has such a stuffy tone.  A less stressful version would perhaps be "make music".  Hey,  I like that.  The term music is of course open to interpretation.  My husband and furry little beasts seem to enjoy the serenade.  Thank Goodness.
Until next time...

Ben Caplan

D and I traveled to the city last night to see Ben Caplan.  He has an amazing voice!  He is quite the bearded character on stage. He was playing at the Pavilion which is an all ages venue.  It's very intimate,  I swore I saw his tonsils a couple of times.  We were blown away,  the power in his voice I've never experienced before.  Keith Mullans and Gabrielle Papillon, opened for him.  They both are talented songwriters with their own unique sounds.  3 hours of music for 12 bucks!!  I'm such a lucky girl.

Music is in the air

I've been very entertained this past week.  Friday night I went to see "The Dixie Swim Club" at Centre stage theatre in Kentville.  It was very well acted,  I was impressed.  I laughed and cried.  It's a great show to see with a girlfriend.  My friend M and I haven't seen each other in awhile and it was a perfect show for us to see and get caught up on each others lives.  The play is about a group of women aging together and the power of friendship.

Saturday night D and I went to the city to see Serena Ryder in concert at the Rebecca Cohn.  We had some great Turkish food  (check out our Dining Divas blog for details) to start out the evening.  We've been looking forward to the concert for a month now.  Serena was great,  she has loads of energy and a spectacular voice.  The Cohn was full of her fans,  you could tell everyone was having a great time the place holds a lot of people but when everyone is in sync it seems very intimate.

It's ECMA week in Halifax...Ben Caplan is playing at the Pavilion...stay tuned.

Contemplation

My friend just reminded me a moment ago that I haven't blogged in awhile.  Well,  I haven't been idle,  maybe hibernating, but not idle.  I've been knitting, contemplating, and editing.  Sometimes life gets too complicated,  every so often I step back and evaluate, edit the things that are superfluous,  sometimes I'm making room for a new endeavor but not this time,  I'm finding time to do the things I love in this moment in my life.  I'm an animal in metamorphosis, just wait and see.

Here are my knitting projects that I've been meditating over:

 There is going to be a new addition to our family, so I'm knitting a baby blanket.  Pattern and Yarn "Bernat Baby Blanket"

 I've had this yarn for a year,  and what often happens is I fall in love with a yarn and eventually I find a pattern and hope I have enough.  Pattern/Yarn: "Orangina Sweater" by Glampyre Knits, knit with Fleece Artist, Wool/Silk blend.

The beauty of Winter,  the calm after the storm. 

Seasons

I spent some time with my writing group today,  another inspiring meeting.  It will keep me going for another two weeks.  Here was my offering.


Seasons
By
Dawn I


Sitting by the window
With the sun streaming in,
I can pretend that summer isn't over,  and fall didn't begin.
That winter isn't upon us,
That time hasn't past.

I'm still the same person,
I'm past looking back.

"Home"

 "Home" by Toni Morrison
I was drawn to the title of this novel,  it means something different depending on who you are, but we all have an idea of what it should be.  In this short novel there is very little detail about race but Toni Morrison trusts the reader to figure it out.  You know it is about Black people by their experiences in the world.  This in itself is a profound statement about the readers experience in their own world.  There are a number of journeys that flow side by side until they meet.  You can feel the injustice and struggle inherent in the carefully chosen words.  Each sentence a poetic masterpiece.  This book took me on a journey I wasn't expecting.  Toni Morrison allowed my mind to travel to places by creating a mood of the moment, by weaving words into a truth that is understood by all humankind.    
Highly recommended for a cold day in front of the fire.  Keep warm.
Dawn

Shrug

My shrug of many colours has been traveling around with me for months. I've restarted it many times and I feel like we're old friends,  we've been through so much.  I finished it a couple of weeks go.  I love wearing it,  I knit it with Fleece Artist, Horwick 100% sheeps wool.  It's a beautiful, soft yarn,  locally produced from Minesville NS.  

Pattern: Knit Lace Rib Shrug By Dawn Leeseman

Morning Spell

I had another inspirational writing group meeting this morning,  I always feel incredibly lucky to be part of that special group.  My heart is touched whenever I listen to those stories we all read aloud.

This was my offering for today:

Morning Spell
This half lit room holds surprises,
Casting a spell,
That can only be broken by the sun.
A creeping, reality spreads across the floor,
Warming,
Inviting,
Encouraging,
Hopeful,
The day is bright
It feels right

Dawn

Wonderful Winter

Last Saturday my husband and I and a good friend of ours went snowshoeing, it was a wonderful winter day.  We did some exploring near our cabin.  We decided on a new path and it led to an old bridge.  The mystery is killing me.  Here are  a couple pictures.

You can see the old foundation stones of a bridge much wider than the one used by the ATV's

Beech leaves, beautiful in winter.