This Week's Favourite Things! Monday November 30th - Sunday December 6th, 2015

1.  CKBW - this is the Bridgewater radio station I listen to out in the shed while glazing. Great mix of new and old songs, and the various community/business announcements - it always seems to have just the right mix of music, talking and ads, great background for working.  I'm also a fan of our kerosene heater, essential equipment for glazing this time of year but I think this recent firing was likely the last of 2015.

2.  Nova Terra Cotta Studio in Lunenburg - popped in this past week for the first time in a while, everything is so beautiful, especially the platters.  Another reason to visit Lunenburg

3.  The Knot Pub - next door to Nova Terra Cotta in Lunenburg, great food, great value, cozy

4. This Bing Crosby Frank Sinatra 1957 Christmas Special (youtube video), especially the "a little toddy for the body" quote before they break into singing Jingle Bells

5.  Christmas trees.  We live near lots of Christmas tree farms and close to a couple spots where they all get corralled up for export on trucks.  The trees go all over, mostly to the United States but also other countries.  

Here's a recent National Post article about it:  "From Quebec to Panama: where Canadian Christmas trees are grown and shipped." 

example of a Christmas tree farm near our home

Plus there are tree lots everywhere.  Lots of local businesses have trees for sale this time of year, including our local hardware store and pizza place.  This got me thinking maybe there's a comparison to be made between tree growers and craftspeople.

Before moving here I learned that Lunenburg County has the highest proportion of artisans anywhere in Canada.  At the time I thought that was really cool - it still is - but it presents a few challenges in terms of the fact that Halifax, the nearest city, isn't exactly a huge city, and the province's entire population is under 1 million.

So lately after seeing so many ads for established, and new craft markets, plus all sorts of other shows in people's homes, all over Halifax and beyond, I wondered what it would be like if Christmas tree farmers only sold their trees locally.  

Maybe the crafters of Nova Scotia could take a page out of the Christmas Tree producers book, and work on establishing trade routes to larger Canadian cities and the United States, if this isn't already happening.

6.  This etsy shop, speaking of hand sculpted one of a kind: Anita Reay Art in Brisbane Australia

7.  Message in a bottle by The Police, stuck in my head all week.