Recoup, reboot time

     The holidays were extremely busy, emotional, and draining. I could not get sewing in and that makes me cranky. Every year my husband and I try to spend 2 nights in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. It has to be one of the most beautiful places on the earth. The rates between New Years and Christmas are lower and we stay at a small, wonderful boutique hotel. We just walk and walk and drink in the scenery and architecture of the housing. 
     We use this time to stop and evaluate our goals that we wrote the year before and write new ones. We each list the top 25 things of the year and 10 areas of difficulty. I wanted to take more photos, but the weather did not cooperate. I just drink in the scenery and know it is feeding my love of colors, composition and textures which will help me be a better quilter. I would like to share some photos to show you what I mean. I find these such filling images. My hope is that they give you some inspiration!

This gazebo sits at the mouth of the Niagara River at the junction of Lake Ontario. It is across the river from Fort Niagara.
Toronto is just out of sight to the left. I have seen weddings here in the summer.

Dried hydrangeas outside a B&B

Just to the left of the gazebo, Simcoe Park

Some trucks off the road between NOTL and Port Dalhousie. the patina and functionality of them intrigue me, just like my vintage sewing machines.

Think of all the hard farm work they did.

The shops all had fabulous greenery outside, no plastic here!