November's dull days are upon us once again. We've had some record rainfall this month thanks to some Pineapple Express weather systems. Rita's beauty berry plan is just full of colourful berries. I wish that you could dry them and enjoy them the year around. The leaves are turning such pretty shades of red, orange and yellow.

It is amazing that this little maple seems to be holding onto it's leaves when all the other trees are bare.

The oak leaf hydrangea is getting a more vibrant red each time I photograph it.

This is a peeling bark maple, the leaves are such a pretty colour and shape, the bark is very interesting how it peels off.

I'm not sure when this guy showed up along our pond, but I think he is quite delightful. He looks so realistic.

I made this Crowdiddy bag last year at a retreat. I added the handle because my zipper wasn't quite long enough. You can see the original design at http://www.beecreativestudio.com/

check out the pattern section

The design inspired me to make this ladybug/platypus design from my friend Tricia's birthday. I had intended to shorten the face but she likes it as it is.

For her secret Santa gift last year I had made the needle case and mini pin cushion.

For our quilt show this year I created the crowdiddy inspired needle case and mini pin cushion.

Then I designed the pin cushion inspired by the colours I used on my crowdiddy bag.

Saturday I took a purse workshop with Agnes Rhim. She is one of our Fraser Valley guild members. She makes lovely purses. I managed to make both these bags in about 5 hours. I had quilted the large bag fabric prior to the class. The smaller one I quited during the workshop.

She has a Korean language blog at http://blog.naver.com/yhagnes I use the translate button to understand some of the messages. [ Sometimes the translation is a bit off.]

I like how each side of the bag is slightly different.

I don't know about you, but I hate trying to find something in a bag with a dark lining, so I made the inside of mine white!

Today we're having some more rain. Doesn't the beauty berry look lovely with the drops dripping of it?

These drops are almost bigger than the berries themselves!

The winter Kale looked like it was covered in crystals.

The skies were grey and dull, fortunately the rain was quite light and I didn't need to use my umbrella. The walkway can get quite slippery at this time of the year.

The roses are still hanging in. There are lots of bright coloured rose hips to be seen.

These red roses looked so pretty with the rain drops on them.

The pink winter flowering forsythia is starting to bloom.

Rain drops are everywhere you look.

These drops all have little images in them. I hope you can click on the picture and see it enlarged.

This maple tree is just outside on of our courtyard entrances. The last leaves just don't want to go yet.

July 1st, Canada Day, fireworks, Fraserfest, the month is flying by. I took the picture of this poppy at the end of June. July 1st, Canada Day was sunny and warm, many of my neighbours few their flags from their decks.

I watched the fireworks from my balcony again this year, what a treat!

My friend Rita has some lovely flowers growing in her garden. This one reminds me of the bird of paradise shape.

Isn't this a lovely chocolate colour?

I believe the common name for this is Angel's trumpet.

Doesn't this just look like chenille?

Last Sunday my mom and I went over to "the drive" Commercial Drive is closed off on Sundays so you can wander down the street and enjoy the vendors and people.

Isn't this mural wonderful, I love the crows on the line above the people.

They have four banners, orange, yellow, blue and green. Each of them depicts something different, food, music, dining, fashion. Unfortunately the day was overcast, but very warm and muggy.

I like how this mural wraps around the corner of the building.

The drive has lots of organic grocery stores, coffee shops and used clothing shops. This fruit and veggie mural is amazing. I'm noticing many more of them lately around my city.

On Friday, 2 friends and I drove out to Chilliwack and went to I fly for Pie. It is located at the Chilliwack airport. If you are ever in the area, stop in for a bit. It is fun watching the small planes and helicopters taking off and landing as you eat. We stopped at two quilt shops along the way, Quilt Essentials in Abbotsford and Hamel's Fabrics new shop in Chilliwack. Both great shops.

I found this garden angel yesterday, on the carrot it says "mind your peas and carrots."

These two crows were just hanging out beside me while I took a break under a sun shelter yesterday after checking out the vendors at Fraser Fest.

Last night's fireworks were once again amazing.

The colours and shapes were spectacular.

Later this afternoon the working boats along the river will cruise by as a parade and have some fun in the water. I hope to get some fun photos to share.

Spring influences some quilting designs...I made this needle holder and mini pin cushion for my friend Tricia's Christmas present. Then I adapted a pattern called "Crowdiddy" to make it look more like a lady bird, I gave it to her for her birthday. It morphed into looking like a cross between a lady bird and a platypus! The tulips along the quay this year have been very pretty. I love how delicate this one looks.

I don't know the name of this flower, but it looks so delicate and truly is a greenish yellow.

Who would think that mother nature loves to play with checkerboard prints? Can you see the small spider on one of the blooms?

I love the contrast of the yellow double bloom tulip and the blue forget-me-knot flowers.

The witch hazel leaves are an amazing colour of green and the texture of the leaves and veins are wonderful.

The shape of the branches are very zen and inspirational to me.

Oh! The rhododendrons are beautiful, this purple one caught me eye.

The purple grape Hyacinth were almost finished blooming and got so large this year.

This tulip looked so pretty and tall amongst the yellow pansies.

The blue spring sky with the pink cherry blossoms look so dramatic.

These apple blossoms look so inviting.

Pink dogwoods show off their veins in the leaves.

The shadow on this twisted blossom made such a pretty image.

Red rhododendrons look so luscious.

These white tulips are under a tree by one of the entrances to my condo, I like the white and blue flowers growing with them in harmony.

We've had a few chilly mornings earlier in the month, there was even some fresh snow on the local mountains. This weekend morning you could see your breathe as you walked. The pansy had a bit of frost that was melting off.

This tulip was also covered with with water drops from the melting frost.

We've had some rainy days this May, but when the sun arrives the skies are a beautiful colour of blue.

This white rhododendron looked almost silver with the sun shining on it.

This purple tulip has such a delicate shape and looks translucent against the sun.

I found these seed heads very interesting, they are from the greenish yellow flowers I photographed and shared at the start of this blog. I will have to find out the name of this flower.

I found the yellow centre of this red flower to be so pretty. I may have to create it in cloth one day as a quilt.

The dogwood trees have had some wonderful blossoms on them this year, although the recent rains have left some of them bruised and spotted.

Most of these pictures were shot in the first 3 weeks of May.