Friday’s FAVe Five

post # 7

This week has been a super exciting, busy, hustling, bustling week. It has come to an end now and so I’m sitting back thinking about a cup of coffee reflecting on the past week, my thoughts have gathered these 5 memories that have given me a chance to be thankful for.

1.  New Potatoes

Yes, we are potatoes Island and the new potatoes are ready, some call them cobblers we call them goooood!

We serve home fries just about every morning at the B&B, and these days we are getting a lot of compliments on them.

2. New Recipe

This is a new recipe that was given to me by June this week she stopped in the Tea Room.  I should get the chance to try it out soon I hope.

Tea Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups plus 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and salt. Beat well. Beat in oil and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and mix in. Makes a very soft dough. Drop by scant teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Oil bottom of a glass — dip into a dish of sugar — flatten cookies on pan. (One oiling will do — the oil in the cookies will take care of it). Dip in sugar before every cookie.

Bake for 8 minutes at 350°. Makes 7 dozen. Store tightly covered.

3. New Sign Location

Well this isn’t a new sign however a new location for our sign.  I had won the great Canadian Scrapbooking Challenge back a few years ago and had my winning scrapbooking page layout for Prince Edward Island lasered on the front of our business sign.

4. A drive in the country.

Yesterday was “G” day and we took a ride to Summerside and visited a few places along the way, like ADL it was a working sort of day.

5. E-mail that brings words of

thanks.

This morning I checked my email like I do every morning.  A  couple stayed with us two weeks ago and even though they were here a short time they expressed how grateful they were to have met us.  We are the grateful ones because we go through our life meeting such wonderful people from all over the world.  Ya, sure we wouldn’t have that opportunity if we didn’t have the Bed and Breakfast but, ya no, ya’all listen, because we are the grateful ones.  {Spoken as Lisa would have said.}

example about ya’all; sitting around the breakfast table of eight, I hear Lisa (a guest) explain to another couple just what ya’all means.

She goes on to say, “you all is meant for the people I’m here with in this room, where ya’all is really meant for you and many others who are not with us today but who are also included. ”

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Ya’all are invited to join Suzanne at Living to Tell the Story as each Friday we reflect on favourite moments of the week.

Thank you for stopping by,

x0,

cindy

Today is a “G” day

Busy, busy, busy I must be thinking of two special people in my life this morning.  Today is Thursday a “G” day.  For those of you who know me know that “G” days are spent; gardening, grocery shopping, grass cutting, and with grandchildren.

We changed the schedule a little and we are off to have spa pedicures done this morning.  It is raining so the grass won’t be cut or the garden weeded, groceries later and that leaves grandchildren.  I have pictures of all of them  in hats and I have been meaning to hang them around the tea room.  Today is the day I send the photos off to print and by next Thursday I’ll hang the children around.

I have a 4″ by 4″ photo card that I make and it is a folding card.

We decorate and make the cover with, ya, you guessed it “Anne of Green Gables”

Anne of Green Gables

Speaking of Anne of Green Gables, we got the opportunity with the help of a rather dashing gentlemen to attend the Confederation Theatre to see this Anne production last night.  It was truly a smashing hit, a number one in my scrapbook.  Oh, and we see Anne of Green Gables every year and each year I cry when Matthew dies, it never fails.  Thank you Barrie Wood for playing the part of Matthew and doing such a marvelous job.

Kindred Spirits,

Cindy

Not long ago we were invited out for  a  lobster supper at St. Anne’s Lobster Suppers.  While the French Gardener has lobster I enjoy the Island beef 6oz off the children’s menu. I almost forgot to take a picture of his lobster, it was just about too late but he arranged the claws so I could take a shot.

Lobster Supper

The lobster shells are scrapped into barrels and loaded onto trucks that take them out to the fields and return them to the earth for lobster fertilizer.  Maybe that is why our fields are so red.

Lobster Fertilizes the fields

Someone passed by and brought Anna a cookie from the kitchen. she sure enjoyed that cookie.

Anna and the giant cookie

Anna had a highchair meal a real good deal and she loved it, seafood on a tray, oh and that cookie.

Try a lobster supper at at St. Anne’s you will be glad you did. Or if your not a seafood lover like me you can choose other different entrees see their menu.

xo,

cindy

Here we are July 26, 2010 weeks after the Cavendish concert and the Regis and Kelly live in Prince Edward Island.  I’m looking on the government web site and doing a search for vacancies and I have come up with 168 bed and breakfasts with 88 vacancies for today: that is a low % of occupancy as most of the B&B’s have 3 or 4 rooms.

I can remember when the visitor’s centres would call and ask if we were sure we had no vacancy because the Island was so full and they had people there with nowhere to go.

The Tourism Web:

It is all relative to the number of beds available and the number of beds sold each year.

Bed and breakfast Web:

I believe the market is saturated. If there was one bed and one visitor the market would be 100/100 occupancy.

Travel Web:

I believe with the high cost of travel and accommodations people are having a staycation; rather than go away they stay close to home to vacation.

Industry Web:

In the year 2003 in Anne’s Land, the number of craft and gift shops totalled to 31; today when I look in the Prince Edward Island visitor’s guide for craft and gift shops there are 18 listings (see web listings).  That drop tells me the craft and giftware industry is dwindling.

Hospitality Web:

In May 2010 a number of visitors to our establishment were telling us that they visited the Island way too early and they were having trouble finding places open, places to go and things to do.  Years ago there were plenty of places open in the off season.  However, businesses are finding it difficult to operate with a high overhead and can’t afford to pay staff to stay open in the off season for extended hours.

Caught in the Web:

Visitors came to Prince Edward Island for its unique one of a kind experiences of relaxation, laid back genuine hospitality and kindness.  Operators have gift shops, accommodations, attractions, eateries and we are finding it hard to be a stay at home operation in the off-season with one or two guests passing through every so often.  In August, we have a deadline to select the words for our publications in the visitor’s guide for the following year.

What to dew:

I love my tea room and want stay open.  I have fun with guests at my tearoom and according to the comments from guests  in our guestbook and in the tea guide  reviews for tea rooms it is something people enjoy doing.  I have decided that my book listing next year will look like this: Open Year Round, by chance or appointment.  That gives me the flexibility to be able to enjoy my garden, my family, coffee with a friend, or just go for a simple bike ride and not worry about missing someone at the door.

This has been my contemplate web for today.  Thanks for stopping by.

xo,

cindy

Friday’s come fast around here.  All week I told myself, “self! make sure to save some mind blogging ideas for Friday.”   Each week I have noticed I look forward to Friday more and more.  Friday gives me time to slow down and think about what just went on.  Seems to me I’m remembering the weeks better.  Sometimes I surprise myself – I never kept track of the days before, but I now know when  Friday comes along.

FFF#6 post

1.  Girlfriends and a night out. Wooohooo with a great deal of planning, slipping away from Anna, and a little wife engineering I was able to make it out on Wednesday night with the girls to sit around the big table and bead and chat.  See what we made, there was more talking than making.

2.  Run on sentences. I love them, if it wasn’t for run on sentences or spelling mistakes I wonder if my French Gardener would read my blog each week.  He is a retired SAHPITB and was a proof reader in his working days, now he says he is just practicing – “got to keep the brain sharp!”

3. Water resistant watches. I took the French Gardener sea glass picking with me last Saturday – “you know, the one who is retired.” Anyway the tide hadn’t gone out all the way so we were picking in the water, good job as it was so hot.  He held his watch under water so long it has not come up for air yet.  So I bought him a new one today. I just went looking for him to see how he liked his new watch and I found it all taken apart – he is putting the old band on the new watch, I give up.  I’m sticking to run on sentences they cause me less stress.  So what part of this is positive? I didn’t throw the old watch out for some reason, I know why now.

4.  One of my most admired pieces of beach glass. Today a customer from Toronto came into the shop and was purchasing scrapbooking supplies and spotted a beach glass pendent I made and said “I got to have that.”  I love it when someone enjoys my work and comments on it.  It puts a spin on my day and gives me a lift.

5.  Wee little Anna. Anna was part of my google photo shop this week when I picked a photo for the tea room.  I just love this one.

Something about wearing a hat and putting on beads that makes having tea at Grandma’s a little special.  This week I made my first video for my web site.  Is it amateurish, yes but I had fun doing it and you know it isn’t easy to do.

In the TeaRoom I see ladies come in casual, put on a hat and turn into someone elegant, the  speech goes, the pinky up, and they tea into action.  What a hoot and looks like Anna will fit in very nicely.  I have a children’s tea and yes it is called a “Wee Little Tea”

You are all invited to join Suzanne at Living to Tell the Story as each Friday we reflect on favourite moments of the week.

This week was fun, I’ll start my diet next week…

xo

cindy

Ooopps, “P” this is my list of P in PEI for today.

This Peony almost opened up, then I saw the face of a Pig. We have a garden walking tour and these flowers are part of our tour.

The Face of a Pink Pig

Poppy with a bulb

Purple Clematis

Pink Daylily

The sun is trying to Peek Through.  Perhaps it is Positively going to be a Pale day. Our Pleasant guests left this morning cycling  on Padded seats doing the Confederation Trail. It is Thursday a Perfect day for a , Promised day off.

Have a Productive day.

xo,

Cindy

Grandma’s Afternoon Tea Room

Grandma has the perfect recipe for a little afternoon fun.  Stop by Grandma’s Tea Room and have a hat wearing tea sipping good time then walk down to the scrapbooking studio and scrapbook your Tea Party.

Scrapbook your Afternoon Tea

Inside Grandma’s  Tea Room

Yesterday I spent the day making a video to put on my tea room web site.  It is not the easiest thing to do.  I realize I am not able to walk and talk at the same time.  So I decided to shoot a still video and see how that works.

The only thing you can hear in the video is the waterfall in the pond and the birds chirping in the Wisteria.  I took a couple of shots and noticed that the back yard is overgrown.

Garden Afternoon Tea

Under the Pergola

This has been my tea room tour for today.

Grandma’s is open 12 noon to 4pm, Friday to Wednesday.  We serve daily a cream tea, and take reservations for high tea.  A tea sniffing bar with  your choice of 22 tea varieties, or the smoothest espresso on the island.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope to see you stop in Grandma’s

xo,

cindy (aka Grandma)

Anne of Green Gables the Musical playing in the Confederation Centre of the Arts – Homburg Theatre tonight July 20 through to Aug 28th, 20010.

http://www.confederationcentre.com/en/home/onstage/charlottetownfestival/anneofgreengables/default.aspx

Sold Out

Canada’s longest running musical returns for its 46th season! Anne™ will touch your heart and your funny bone through drama, song and dance. Loved by millions around the world, this family classic relives the poignant and funny story of Anne Shirley, the spunky, red-headed orphan who comes to Prince Edward Island hoping to find a happy home.

Barrie Wood stops in at Grandma’s Afternoon Tea Room with Victor Victoria and they have a cream tea.  Serving daily a cream tea; your choice of a pot of tea, hot fresh scones, sweetened cream, strawberry preserves and whipped butter.

Victor Victoria is please after tea and leaves Grandma a gratuity

Victor Victoria poses for a photo while taking tea

Barrie Wood from the Confederation Centre of the Arts – Homburg Theatre posses with victor the day before going on stage.  Barrie Wood plays Matthew Cuthbert on Anne of Green Gables.

Well Barrie, I didn’t get tickets to the opening show tonight.  I will get a chance to go on a Wednesday matinee very soon.

I hope you enjoyed our tea time.

xo,

cindy

This is an annual Festival of the Beach Glass or Sea Glass as most call the washed up pieces of glass that line the shores in PEI.  The theme this year was “Mermaid”  and we got to see lots of mermaid tears as others call the washed up pieces of glass on the shores.

Check dates for Festival in July 2011

This is the tent that holds all the booths with all their sea glass.

The Ferry was just leaving with a load of cars from Wood Island PEI

Teri was doing the demonstrations this year for the drilling of sea glass.  I found a nice piece of blue sea glass and Teri demonstrated drilling my piece.  Perfect job, thanks again.

Terry has a shop called Fire & Water Creations in Bay Fortune PEI.

It was a fine day, beautiful sunny spot and lots of lookers.  I looking forward to next years festival already, you never know maybe I’ll be a vendor next year.

xo,

cindy

FFF post #5…

This week has been a super exciting, busy, hustling, bustling week. It has come to an end now and so I’m sitting back thinking about a cup of coffee and my video of how grandparents babysit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24qs_BO-T3o.  If time is a problem, just watch the video.

Time is everything and just sometimes I wish it was something I could purchase because I’d use my computer and sit back and order it in a large quantity.  This week, the past 5 days were filled with; The Cavendish Beach Music Festival, Regis and Kelly Live in Prince Edward Island, our son getting another motorcycle, running back and forth to pick baby Anna up from daycare, and today meeting  a hiker Lucy on the Confederation Trail.

This week I truly am blessed, lets start with:

1.  I love being a stay at home mom. I can remember when the children were young I was almost embarrassed to say I was a stay at home mom because that meant I didn’t work.  This week Vicki brought Anna over and handed her to Papa and said “mom, I could really use your help tonight.”  Vicki is the assistant manager at St. Ann’s Lobster Supper and needed an extra pair of hands on Saturday night while a lot of staff attended the Taylor Swift Concert.  So ya, I did I put on black and white and went to work as the cashier for the night.  I had a lot of fun, met a lot of people and got to work with my daughter side by side.  I somehow don’t think I would ever trade that in for being a stay at home mom, I love being a SAHM.

2. I have got to be the most frugal person I have ever met. This past week I had under $10 on my cell phone left and couldn’t top it up (not enough time to get to the store) there is that time issue again. Anyway, I am on an unlimited texting for $10 and couldn’t top it so I called Rogers and for this month changed my text package to $3.00 for 30 messages so I could continue uninterupted service.  Now that is frugal, cheap and I’ll have to remember not to go over the 30 texts or I’ll be writing about how much it cost me for the #### of tex’s over.

3. When my son is stressed, we all are stressed. You all know he got a motorcycle the day before Father’s Day and got hit on Father’s Day at a stop light.  Well, they have had his bike in the shop for over a month now.  Because it is a new bike they can’t get the parts that fast. Mom (me) on the other hand has had some good quality sleep knowing he isn’t on the road with all the (driver’s in PEI who don’t look out for motorcyclists) Anyway Toy Master Sports has just delivered a new bike to him today, this one is blue and hasn’t been hit from behind.  Matthew is excited, the stress is less in the house and ya, I’m not getting any sleep.  I should be able to work this out by the end of the week, I hope.

4. It’s Live with Regis and Kelly “Anne” with an “e”. What a blast it has been this full week with the live taping shows down at Confederation Landing Park in Charlottetown.  Every day this week there has been a fantastic show with Regis hunting for lobster, muscles, oysters and picking potatoes to Kelly dressing up as Anne and doing a play over at Avonlea Village – she was fabulous by the way. Oh lets see, they had a beach bash, footage of Prince Edward Island, games, prizes, giveaways, a chef each day prepared tantalizing seafood for Regis while he pretended to eat it.  What else, what else can we hope for; tourism PEI had a grand idea to bring recognition to our small Island by having a Live Regis and Kelly Show taped here and I truly believe it was a success.  Now that they are back in NYC I can’t wait to see Fridays (today’s taping) to see if they mention how good a time they had, there is that time word again.

5. Power napping. There has got to be a knack for this because I have been told that not everyone is able to take a power nap.  I mean there is power napping and passing out but I mean the real, rejuvenating, revitalizing, power napping. My power napping is a joke to others because I can do it anytime, anyplace and if only for 3 minutes I am good to go for hours.  Here is how I do it….

a. A commercial comes on the TV and I say to my French Gardener, wake me up after the commercial is over.

b. I open a good book and read half a page and the eyes go closed.

c. I like this one. I sit on our backyard swing for 30 seconds and wake to guests asking if the tea room is open today.

d. I put Anna in the high chair with food on her tray and put my head on the table for 8 minutes while she takes back food she is quiet.

e. My computer is going ding ding ding as I come to to find rows and rows of kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

I must have fallen asleep again.  The only thing about power napping is you don’t want to do this just before bed because it gives you a false feeling of Getty up go.

6. All Five of Friday’s Favourites, The little things in life that make you laugh. This has got to be the best because if you laugh at least once a day it stretches out the frown lines and gives them some exercise.  It is no secret we are active grandparents and sometimes have a little fun while babysitting, this week Anna was indulging in eating peas, you really have to understand Anna to know what it is like to see her eating peas.  I hope the video turns out because it is a hoot. Uploading anyway…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24qs_BO-T3o

This has been my Friday’s FAVe FIVE, I hope you enjoyed stopping by. Remember to reflect on your favourite things from your week, look for blessings be them obvious ones or something you had to look for. Find and share.

For more Friday fun visit Suzanne at Living To Tell The Story.

xoxo,
cindy