It’s that time of year―time to get serious about making gifts for the upcoming holidays! Judging from the activity on the FanningSparks Pinterest boards, it looks like a lot of makers have the same idea. I’ve pulled together my most popular pins to inspire your creativity and jumpstart your annual make-and-give projects.
Did you know carousels, aka merry-go-rounds, can be traced back to a skill-testing competition for knights and cavalry soldiers? A small ring would be suspended by a ribbon from a tree branch or pole. Then the competitors would ride their horses past the target at a full gallop while simultaneously attempting to pierce the ring with their lance.
In the old children’s chanting game, players stand in a circle holding their hands in fists to represent potatoes. The rhyme “One potato, two potato, three potato, four. Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more.” is recited while counting the potato-fists. The exact words and the specific rules seem to vary but, somehow, a winner is chosen.
“A few minutes in any fishing harbour will confirm that the great majority of the boats bear names.” wrote Trevor Kenchington in his research paper titled The Names of Nova Scotian Fishing Boats. “Conversation with their owners will reveal … that they take a great deal of pride in their boats; pride reflected in the paintwork, extra investments beyond the economic optimum, and the names painted on bow or stern.”
The New England States may get all the press but the fall foliage colors in Atlantic Canada are equally outstanding. Please join me for a little leaf peeping in Nova Scotia, Canada so I can show you what I mean.
Beachcombing is defined as searching for and collecting items of value, interest or utility along the seashore. This past week I spent several days beachcombing but, instead of collecting physical items, I collected photos.
