December is . . . . Hi Neighbor Month, National Stress Free Family Holiday Month, Bingo's Birthday Month, and Read A New Book Month
December 1 is . . . . . National Pie Day and Eat A Red Apple Day
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Bizzare December Holidays
December 1 is . . . . . National Pie Day and Eat A Red Apple Day 
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Day 6
DH is already asking me for some Christmas present hints. OMG. Of course I have more than cross stitch charts on my wish list but they do seem to take priority this time of year so I handed him my list. I tried not to go crazy and overwhelm him. There are a few LHN ornament charts and a couple of PSS designs.
Has anyone seen the new LHN Elizabeth Hancock coming out this month? That is must have when it becomes available! I had promised myself I would put no more than 2 big designs on my 2012 list. I already have one and this one will make two!
My side is feeling better each day. I was able to get out of bed this morning without flinching. Just taking it easy, getting a little catch up done around the house and hopefully I can stitch this evening but I keep reminding myself to be careful so I don't have to go through all that again!
Until tomorrow, have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by!
Has anyone seen the new LHN Elizabeth Hancock coming out this month? That is must have when it becomes available! I had promised myself I would put no more than 2 big designs on my 2012 list. I already have one and this one will make two!
My side is feeling better each day. I was able to get out of bed this morning without flinching. Just taking it easy, getting a little catch up done around the house and hopefully I can stitch this evening but I keep reminding myself to be careful so I don't have to go through all that again!
Until tomorrow, have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by!
Monday, December 05, 2011
First Monday of the Month
Here it is December 5th and my 5th day blogging in a row. That's a big deal for me! I used to do it but as time went on the posts got fewer and farther between. I realize that some posts are not interesting and just jibber jabber but I am taking baby steps! Don't give up on me! Please! lol.
The holiday season is full of traditions. Some new, some old. Some lost but remembered, some carried on through out the years. We have a few that have survived but I have one just for myself. Each season, I buy myself a new holiday coffee mug. It's an expensive tradition but one that I enjoy. My special mugs go into a separate cabinet. Over the years some have been broken, cracked or the design has worn off after so many washings but I always enjoy looking over them, using them and picking another new mug each year!
After Saturday's post, I realized that I left out two very big holiday favorites! The movie, It's A Wonderful Life! My family could care less about the movie but they all gather around to watch it with it with me mainly because they want to see me cry like a baby at the end and get their annual holiday laugh! Meanies! lol. And the Christmas carol, O Holy Night. Each time I hear it, my heart gets full and I get tears in my eyes.
After my side feels better, I will pull out the camera and take a few pictures to post. Thank you for stopping by again! Your visits and comments always mean so much!
The holiday season is full of traditions. Some new, some old. Some lost but remembered, some carried on through out the years. We have a few that have survived but I have one just for myself. Each season, I buy myself a new holiday coffee mug. It's an expensive tradition but one that I enjoy. My special mugs go into a separate cabinet. Over the years some have been broken, cracked or the design has worn off after so many washings but I always enjoy looking over them, using them and picking another new mug each year!
After Saturday's post, I realized that I left out two very big holiday favorites! The movie, It's A Wonderful Life! My family could care less about the movie but they all gather around to watch it with it with me mainly because they want to see me cry like a baby at the end and get their annual holiday laugh! Meanies! lol. And the Christmas carol, O Holy Night. Each time I hear it, my heart gets full and I get tears in my eyes.
After my side feels better, I will pull out the camera and take a few pictures to post. Thank you for stopping by again! Your visits and comments always mean so much!
Sunday, December 04, 2011
Sunday, Day 4
While our heat was out and we were using the fireplace I managed to either pull or sprain a muscle in my side. Painful! I used the heating pad every chance I got and I know everyone got tired of listening to my low moans and sudden yelps of pain. I was not able to do anything, even stitching, because any type of movement seemed to set off another pain and scream!
I decided to take the weekend to pamper the wound. No lifting. No stretching. No bending. Or as little as possible. A little hard since I had to go grocery shopping but DH was my helper and went in with me, pushed the heavy cart, got items off the lower and top of shelves, then he and the boys brought the groceries in for me. Of course I had to put them away after we got home but every little bit helps while I am on the mend.
Hopefully, I will be able to pick up my needle again soon and get back to stitching instead of screaming!
I decided to take the weekend to pamper the wound. No lifting. No stretching. No bending. Or as little as possible. A little hard since I had to go grocery shopping but DH was my helper and went in with me, pushed the heavy cart, got items off the lower and top of shelves, then he and the boys brought the groceries in for me. Of course I had to put them away after we got home but every little bit helps while I am on the mend.
Hopefully, I will be able to pick up my needle again soon and get back to stitching instead of screaming!
Friday, December 02, 2011
Challenges
Heat, heat, glorious heat! We are no longer freezing and I woke up warm and toasty this morning!
I spent a couple of days going through my empty jars for one that could be used for the 2012 TUSAL (link in sidebar). Do I want one with a lid? A lid would be safe. My guys see a jar sitting on the table with Orts, they think it's trash and out it goes while I'm not looking!
I went back and read over the challenge rules I have signed up for and (oops) I was supposed to post some pictures of what I will be working on! So without further delay....
First is AAFG by Rosewood Manor for the Oldest UFO challenge (link in sidebar). Actually I have little bit more than this done but it still has a long way to go! I am half way finished so another half left to be done.
Next up is This is the Day which was from a JCS magazine. I would like to finish it up as I am doing it in memory of my FIL so I will putting his initials and dates on it. He was a man of very strong faith. I am doing the border flowers in green because they look like little pineapples to me. Old eyes? But every home needs a welcoming pineapple so I went for it.
Last but not least is The Mother's Tree (not pictured). I'm sure I have a few more WIPs but these are the ones I will focus on getting finished. There will be new starts without a doubt but I am going to try the size of them down or just not start too many large ones.
Thanks for stopping by again! Have a great day!
I spent a couple of days going through my empty jars for one that could be used for the 2012 TUSAL (link in sidebar). Do I want one with a lid? A lid would be safe. My guys see a jar sitting on the table with Orts, they think it's trash and out it goes while I'm not looking!
I went back and read over the challenge rules I have signed up for and (oops) I was supposed to post some pictures of what I will be working on! So without further delay....
First is AAFG by Rosewood Manor for the Oldest UFO challenge (link in sidebar). Actually I have little bit more than this done but it still has a long way to go! I am half way finished so another half left to be done.
Next up is This is the Day which was from a JCS magazine. I would like to finish it up as I am doing it in memory of my FIL so I will putting his initials and dates on it. He was a man of very strong faith. I am doing the border flowers in green because they look like little pineapples to me. Old eyes? But every home needs a welcoming pineapple so I went for it.
Last but not least is The Mother's Tree (not pictured). I'm sure I have a few more WIPs but these are the ones I will focus on getting finished. There will be new starts without a doubt but I am going to try the size of them down or just not start too many large ones.
Thanks for stopping by again! Have a great day!
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Friends
It's the first of December! And a cold start to the month. What a bad morning to be without heat! DH worked on it on last night and it actually ran but then stopped.
This morning I signed up for NaBloPoMo for the month of December. It sounds like an interesting challenge and one that will get me back blogging on a more regular basis. I don't know how well I will do at every day blogging but I will definitely try! When I first started this blog, I did blog every day or close to it.
This month's theme is Gifts. The first gift that came to mind was my blog and the wonderful community of stitchers that I share it with! You have all added so much joy to my days. You are each so special and bring me smiles, inspiration and a good warm fuzzy feeling! Thank you for being my gift! I couldn't have thought of a better one!
Enjoy the day and I will post again tomorrow! Hopefully.
This morning I signed up for NaBloPoMo for the month of December. It sounds like an interesting challenge and one that will get me back blogging on a more regular basis. I don't know how well I will do at every day blogging but I will definitely try! When I first started this blog, I did blog every day or close to it.
This month's theme is Gifts. The first gift that came to mind was my blog and the wonderful community of stitchers that I share it with! You have all added so much joy to my days. You are each so special and bring me smiles, inspiration and a good warm fuzzy feeling! Thank you for being my gift! I couldn't have thought of a better one!
Enjoy the day and I will post again tomorrow! Hopefully.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tomorrow is December!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Did anyone brave the crowds of shoppers on Thanksgiving weekend? Not me! I have not participated in Black Friday in years and really don't miss it at all! lol. To those of you brave souls who ventured out, I hope you found some wonderful buys! I just can't get over how fast the year has passed by and that tomorrow marks the beginning of the final month of this year!
Our weather was chilly before Thanksgiving then it warmed back up for holiday. The temps have dropped back down again so it was time to turn the heat back on. No Heat! We have no idea what happened within several days time but until the fix it man comes out, we are relying on the fireplace!
Since my last post, I began a new start. Like I said before, I am sticking with the Winter theme for awhile so I pulled Parson Brown by NFF from my stash. I have changed a couple of colors around to show up better on the fabric I'm using. I also put a few more stitches into The Mother's Tree. The letters are beautiful but tedious to stitch. I want to keep at it though so it doesn't become a UFO. I am taking my time with these for the remainder of the year.
I joined a few challenges for the upcoming year as well. TUSAL just for fun. WIPocalypse because it may be the incentive I need to get several of these WIPs finally finished off and The Oldest UFO seemed to be a fitting challenge to help me finally get And A Forest Grew by Rosewood Manor finished or close to it. That piece has been in my basket for close to six years now! I totally bombed out on last year's challenge but life happens. My intentions are good though! Fingers crossed for 2012! All links can be found in my side bar to the right.
While cleaning out a forgotten drawer, I found some hidden away freebie ornament patterns! It was like bringing home a load of new stash! I would love a basket filled with these smalls. Like I really need another project or theme going on but I do have the charts. Who knows how well this will pan out but I went ahead and put it on the list! Wow. That list is getting loooong! Nothing definite. Just the wheels of my mind kicking into gear again! lol.
With everything that seems to have been going on around here, I just haven't felt like pulling out my camera. Hopefully next time I will have some pictures to share! Thank you for dropping by! Your visits and comments always brighten my day!
Our weather was chilly before Thanksgiving then it warmed back up for holiday. The temps have dropped back down again so it was time to turn the heat back on. No Heat! We have no idea what happened within several days time but until the fix it man comes out, we are relying on the fireplace!
Since my last post, I began a new start. Like I said before, I am sticking with the Winter theme for awhile so I pulled Parson Brown by NFF from my stash. I have changed a couple of colors around to show up better on the fabric I'm using. I also put a few more stitches into The Mother's Tree. The letters are beautiful but tedious to stitch. I want to keep at it though so it doesn't become a UFO. I am taking my time with these for the remainder of the year.
I joined a few challenges for the upcoming year as well. TUSAL just for fun. WIPocalypse because it may be the incentive I need to get several of these WIPs finally finished off and The Oldest UFO seemed to be a fitting challenge to help me finally get And A Forest Grew by Rosewood Manor finished or close to it. That piece has been in my basket for close to six years now! I totally bombed out on last year's challenge but life happens. My intentions are good though! Fingers crossed for 2012! All links can be found in my side bar to the right.
While cleaning out a forgotten drawer, I found some hidden away freebie ornament patterns! It was like bringing home a load of new stash! I would love a basket filled with these smalls. Like I really need another project or theme going on but I do have the charts. Who knows how well this will pan out but I went ahead and put it on the list! Wow. That list is getting loooong! Nothing definite. Just the wheels of my mind kicking into gear again! lol.
With everything that seems to have been going on around here, I just haven't felt like pulling out my camera. Hopefully next time I will have some pictures to share! Thank you for dropping by! Your visits and comments always brighten my day!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Get Ready to Get Stuffed!
What a week it was since I last posted! The kind of "thank goodness that's over" type of week. It all began with our phone and internet service. Losing connection in the middle of a telephone call, soooooo sloooooow internet and just a major annoyance. They came out in a jiffy and it took a little while longer than I had anticipated but both are working 110% now. That should have been enough. Right? Nope. We were without any water for more than 30 hours. That was a real annoyance with dishes piling up in the sink, the dirty clothes hamper seemed to fill up faster than usual, no showers to be had and something as simple as washing your hands was unavailable!
DH is home on vacation again for the Turkey holiday. I do like having him around. During the evening we sit in the living area while he reads his astronomy magazines or works on his hobby and I stitch. It just reminds me of our earlier pre-kids days and has a cozy feel to it.
Did I mention that Poor Maidens was a gift from a lovely someone? I was so thrilled and couldn't stop dancing around the room. DH thought I was totally crazy! lol. I finished off AWWR - sort of. DH likes it better without the border. Yes, I usually show him my stitching and get his input. I still haven't decided whether to add the border or not so for now it remains a sort of finish.
While going through my stash I saw all those wonderful bird designs that are waiting to be done and remembered I also want a bird wall! Do I have enough walls? For now I am loving stitching on these pieces for my Winter wall and will probably concentrate on them for awhile. Now to go through my stash and find my next new start!
I have been keeping some candy on hand lately and I am beginning to gain some weight back. All my tests came back normal so I have another appointment with the doctor to discuss other possibilities. He thinks it could be something as simple as nerves. He said that's pretty common when you get older. Gee, thanks doc! Maybe I should tell him that he's no spring chicken either! lol.
Mr. Turkey is in the fridge getting thawed out for the big day. I always make my standard dressing that everyone loves for Thanksgiving dinner but I like play around with an extra dressing recipe looking for that perfect one with that special umph. This year I have come up with, what I think, will be THE one! Actually I am basing it on a salad that I love from a local restaurant (minus the lettuce)! Just sort of making it up as I go type thing. I'll let you know if turns out as good as I am hoping. What all do you fix for Thanksgiving? Any traditional dishes? Any new experimental ones?
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for dropping by! I wish you all a wonderful holiday!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Happy Dance!
What have I been doing since my last post?
I re-arranged some things on the bookshelf, including my shelf of sewing goodies and a few things that are dear to my heart. Scissors I have accumulated displayed in the frog that Edgar sent to me. The glass cookie jar holding my collection of tomato pincushions complete with pins (sorry for the glare on the glass), a jar of buttons and of course my beloved corn shuck dolls that had once belonged to my Aunt. You can't see it but I even have a couple of Gee Haw Whimmy Diddles that my Grandpa made for me many years ago.
I finally have my first finish of the year! Here it is, all stitched up in practically no time and ready to get finished off for display. Poor Maidens by Paulette of Plum Street Samplers! I fell in love with the design immediately when I saw it and knew it would be a must. It was such a fun stitch and I enjoyed working on it so much! I could hardly put it down to do any housework. It was just what I need to renew my motivation.
It is worked on 18 count Fiddlers Cloth with the recommended DMC colors except for the middle maiden's dress which I changed to red (for my added red fix). I don't know why my green looks different from the picture but I still love it! The Fiddlers Cloth was the perfect choice because it gives the piece a rustic look. This is my first PSS finish and the first piece for my Winter wall. I. Am. Thrilled!
There are a few other Christmas/winter designs I want to get or are already in my stash that I want to do now. After I finished off Poor Maidens, I picked up my WIP of AWWR by Shakespeare Peddler and am almost finished with it! Then I made a "Christmas hint" list for dh which includes Favorite Spot Sampler by PSS. It looks like another really fun stitch and perfect for my winter wall!
In my last post I mentioned that I had made my list of pieces to stitch on the remainder of this year and into 2012. I divided this list into categories or walls I want to have. Adam and Eve/nature wall, In Memory Of/samplers wall, Winter wall and my yearly reminder wall. The last one is for those quotes I like to do each year that remind me how I want to live or things I just tend to forget and need a gentle reminder of i.e. Treat Yourself Well (Lauren's Voice) by La D Da.
Thanks for stopping by to join in my Happy Dance! I always enjoy your visits and comments. Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart!
I re-arranged some things on the bookshelf, including my shelf of sewing goodies and a few things that are dear to my heart. Scissors I have accumulated displayed in the frog that Edgar sent to me. The glass cookie jar holding my collection of tomato pincushions complete with pins (sorry for the glare on the glass), a jar of buttons and of course my beloved corn shuck dolls that had once belonged to my Aunt. You can't see it but I even have a couple of Gee Haw Whimmy Diddles that my Grandpa made for me many years ago.
I finally have my first finish of the year! Here it is, all stitched up in practically no time and ready to get finished off for display. Poor Maidens by Paulette of Plum Street Samplers! I fell in love with the design immediately when I saw it and knew it would be a must. It was such a fun stitch and I enjoyed working on it so much! I could hardly put it down to do any housework. It was just what I need to renew my motivation.
It is worked on 18 count Fiddlers Cloth with the recommended DMC colors except for the middle maiden's dress which I changed to red (for my added red fix). I don't know why my green looks different from the picture but I still love it! The Fiddlers Cloth was the perfect choice because it gives the piece a rustic look. This is my first PSS finish and the first piece for my Winter wall. I. Am. Thrilled!
There are a few other Christmas/winter designs I want to get or are already in my stash that I want to do now. After I finished off Poor Maidens, I picked up my WIP of AWWR by Shakespeare Peddler and am almost finished with it! Then I made a "Christmas hint" list for dh which includes Favorite Spot Sampler by PSS. It looks like another really fun stitch and perfect for my winter wall!
In my last post I mentioned that I had made my list of pieces to stitch on the remainder of this year and into 2012. I divided this list into categories or walls I want to have. Adam and Eve/nature wall, In Memory Of/samplers wall, Winter wall and my yearly reminder wall. The last one is for those quotes I like to do each year that remind me how I want to live or things I just tend to forget and need a gentle reminder of i.e. Treat Yourself Well (Lauren's Voice) by La D Da.
Thanks for stopping by to join in my Happy Dance! I always enjoy your visits and comments. Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart!
Saturday, November 05, 2011
Hello. Hello.
It's already November! Oh, how the last part of the year just flies by once Labor Day comes and goes. Where did the past several weeks go? It seemed like I was really busy but I can't remember accomplishing that much! Stitching or otherwise. I did manage to get a little done but not even close to what I had intended.
After I began to feel better I decided to continue on my goal to downsize by cleaning out more closets and drawers. Just stuff we never use or wear anymore. For now, these spaces are looking are little neater and less intimidating. Of course I couldn't toss out any stitching stash, scrapbooking supplies or fabrics!
I worked on the Mother's Tree for a bit after the meds took effect and I stopped all that horrible coughing. Once I got my mother's line finished up (the longest line of the group), I was able to cut off that excess that was making it so difficult to hold. I am hoping it will move along quicker and smoother now it won't feel so terribly heavy as I stitch!
I was asked what I put on my list for the remainder of 2011 and 2012. I have four WIPs I want to finish up. I think I will keep the rest of the list a surprise. A surprise to my readers and probably to me as well. I usually just grab what speaks to me at the moment but I still like making the list! I would be thrilled to get half of these stitched and completed since this year was not productive at all with no finishes to date. Do you make a list for the upcoming New Year or just grab whatever calls to you at the moment?
DH took some vacation time last week. It was nice to have him home. We were able to mark a few things off our "to do" list around the house. I didn't get much stitching done while he was home and I am already looking forward to his next vacation over Thanksgiving week.
Our weekends of errands never take a vacation though. We spent our usual weekends taking care of these and hitting the grocery store (which we both hate doing more and more each time it rolls around). I have been stocking up on Thanksgiving stuff the past few trips and this time I was able get more of the big meal including the guest of honor - Mr. Turkey!
Sorry I have no pictures this time. I promise to pull out my camera soon and take a few snaps of things I keep saying "I should post that on my blog"! I am still waiting for those lab results from the doctor and while I wait my weight is continuing to dip lower and lower. It is getting to the point I feel very uncomfortable with it or maybe it's just the nervousness accompanied by it. Actually, it would be a pleasant weight if I was about 7 inches shorter in height!
Anywho, thanks for stopping by. I always enjoy your visits so much!
After I began to feel better I decided to continue on my goal to downsize by cleaning out more closets and drawers. Just stuff we never use or wear anymore. For now, these spaces are looking are little neater and less intimidating. Of course I couldn't toss out any stitching stash, scrapbooking supplies or fabrics!
I worked on the Mother's Tree for a bit after the meds took effect and I stopped all that horrible coughing. Once I got my mother's line finished up (the longest line of the group), I was able to cut off that excess that was making it so difficult to hold. I am hoping it will move along quicker and smoother now it won't feel so terribly heavy as I stitch!
I was asked what I put on my list for the remainder of 2011 and 2012. I have four WIPs I want to finish up. I think I will keep the rest of the list a surprise. A surprise to my readers and probably to me as well. I usually just grab what speaks to me at the moment but I still like making the list! I would be thrilled to get half of these stitched and completed since this year was not productive at all with no finishes to date. Do you make a list for the upcoming New Year or just grab whatever calls to you at the moment?
DH took some vacation time last week. It was nice to have him home. We were able to mark a few things off our "to do" list around the house. I didn't get much stitching done while he was home and I am already looking forward to his next vacation over Thanksgiving week.
Our weekends of errands never take a vacation though. We spent our usual weekends taking care of these and hitting the grocery store (which we both hate doing more and more each time it rolls around). I have been stocking up on Thanksgiving stuff the past few trips and this time I was able get more of the big meal including the guest of honor - Mr. Turkey!
Sorry I have no pictures this time. I promise to pull out my camera soon and take a few snaps of things I keep saying "I should post that on my blog"! I am still waiting for those lab results from the doctor and while I wait my weight is continuing to dip lower and lower. It is getting to the point I feel very uncomfortable with it or maybe it's just the nervousness accompanied by it. Actually, it would be a pleasant weight if I was about 7 inches shorter in height!
Anywho, thanks for stopping by. I always enjoy your visits so much!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Short and Sweet
We have had sunny days, warm days and even chilly days. It's that time of the year when the weather bounces around and you may start off the day with warmer clothes then change over to something less bulky later in the day.
I went to the dr. and it turns out that my cold is really bronchitis so they gave me some meds to knock it out. He sent me over to the lab to get some blood work done and hopefully that will show if I am hyperthyroid again or if it is something else going on. He promised to get me back to normal. I couldn't help but laugh and told him "I think at my age, normal is a lost cause".
Each time I picked up my stitching, my eyes got dry and itchy from allergies or I just fell asleep so not much got done on that side of the coin.
Another thing I did was to start making a list of the pieces I want to work on through the rest of 2011 and for 2012. It always looks so good on paper. Organized, thought out and full of promises. But I have to say the actual finished pieces do look better on the walls than a list! *wink*
Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway! I wish I could send a set of these to each of you. The winner is Calamity Jr. Congratulations!
Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.
I went to the dr. and it turns out that my cold is really bronchitis so they gave me some meds to knock it out. He sent me over to the lab to get some blood work done and hopefully that will show if I am hyperthyroid again or if it is something else going on. He promised to get me back to normal. I couldn't help but laugh and told him "I think at my age, normal is a lost cause".
Each time I picked up my stitching, my eyes got dry and itchy from allergies or I just fell asleep so not much got done on that side of the coin.
Another thing I did was to start making a list of the pieces I want to work on through the rest of 2011 and for 2012. It always looks so good on paper. Organized, thought out and full of promises. But I have to say the actual finished pieces do look better on the walls than a list! *wink*
Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway! I wish I could send a set of these to each of you. The winner is Calamity Jr. Congratulations!
Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Ho Ho Ho and Giveaway!
I noticed that my blog has been missing some stitching pictures the past several times I posted! It happens to all of us every so often but I still feel guilty. After all, this is a stitching blog! Thank you for the comments and emails about my bursitis but it happens (too) every so often. Thanks to some TLC and meds it is all better for now!
I have been battling my first cold of the season. At first I thought it might be allergies but once everyone else began sneezing and coughing along with me, I had second thoughts. Out came the quilt my Grandma made for us and I have been sneaking in some naps, wrapped up nice and cozy. There is something magical about this quilt. It even makes me feel better than homemade chicken soup! Oh yeah, she could make a good pot of that, too.
Christmas stitching is showing up more and more on a lot of the blogs. I love these but I seldom do any type of holiday stitching that is bigger than ornament size. Not because I don't want to. The problem is that I know I will not want to put them away for a year! *big slap on the forehead* What am I thinking? I keep my Santa collection out year round! There are several Christmas designs in my stash I have been itching to do for a few years (or longer) and I am working on A Weary World Rejoices (a verse from a Christmas carol). So get off it and start working on them (that's me fussing at myself. lol). I haven't even started yet but the design pictured by NNF is the one I really want to do (first). What do you do with bigger holiday pieces after the season is over?
For those of you who showed concern over my sudden weight loss, I spoke with my Endocrinologist. They will probably do some tests. I was hyper thyroid until 2007 when they gave me radioactive iodine to kill it off. Then I was supposed to do an about face and go hypo thyroid so they could give me medicine to control it. My thyroid levels never went below normal so I was never put on the medicine. I was shocked to find out that hyperthyroidism can come back! It doesn't happen often but it does happen! I have been having some of the symptoms that I had before - just not as bad. Time (and some lab work) will tell.
I think it's time for another giveaway! This time I am going to offer 3 La D Da charts. You are my Sunshine, Merry Sunshine and Mares Eat Oats.They are from my stash but have never been used. One person will win all three. No rules to speak of. Just leave a comment on this post by October 23 and make sure there is a way for me to contact you in the event you win.
Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Getting Back to Normal
Things are back to usual around here. DH finally finished up with those awful wonky hours he was working. Yea! Over the weekend while cleaning out some drawers I found some of my old journals (actual writing type) and a few of them were not even half full so I decided to pick up my daily writings again. I love my blog and hearing from all my wonderful blogland friends but something about pen in hand satisfies my soul. It was fun to read some past writings as well. Speaking of cleaning out drawers, it felt good to get around to this task. Geesh, all the junk that accumulates over time! Didn't I just do this not too long ago?
While we ran around over the weekend, trying to catch up on errands that had been shoved aside to a later time while DH worked those stinky hours I was able to finally get my hair trimmed. Thank Goodness! I was beginning to feel and look like a witch on her worst hair day! All I needed was a few missing teeth and a cackeling laugh to complete the picture!
Then on we went to conquer more errands and of course, the grocery shopping. Every now and then my family gets on healthy kick. I mean they actually go overboard on it! No junk food at all! Healthy is good and I am happy to accommodate them but sometimes I want my chocolate and cheese straws so deal with it! The goodies get put away in a hiding place for my own private snack stash. After a few days of total health food, they usually begin to crave something sweet or "junky" so they sift through my goodies accompanied by a remark like "you only buy the good food for yourself"! *rolling eyes*
Lately I have noticed that the skin on my neck is starting sag. Ugh! Another sign of getting older! I pulled out my night time firming cream and have used it for awhile. Maybe it's just me and my wishful thinking but it seems to be working! As I get older I have noticed traits of loved ones showing up. I took a close up shot of Edna. She looks pretty good in her golden years! A little bit of a double chin on her but the old gal has held up well.
As usual I have rummaged through my stash dreaming of a new start! Nothing new about that. Shame on me! Double shame on me! Unfortunately, I don't have any new stitching to show since the bursitis in my shoulder has been acting up lately. Not fun. Even the weight of a needle and repition of stitching hurts like crazy! Thank goodness, with the help of some meds, that is all over now!
Thanks for stopping by again! I always enjoy your visits and comments!
Saturday, October 01, 2011
Happy October!
Fall has arrived this weekend in the South. The weather has said that the warmer temps will return next week so far now I will enjoy the crisp cooler days and flannel pajamas at night. DH has been working those odd hours again that totally throw my internal calendar out of whack. I don't get a lot of stitching accomplished when he works these hours so I don't have any new progress photos to show off.
Every now and then when I become over envious of everyone's beautiful stitching on linen, I will pull out my 28ct. Monaco fabric to practice on. I keep hoping that one day my eyes will miraculously develop perfect vision again on their own whim and I will be able to turn out the same stunning work on this beautiful fabric. Oh, I'm not complaining because for so many years I unable to stitch at all but it can't hurt to try every so often. Right?
OMG! What was I thinking! I got it all set up and ready to put a few xxxxx's in. I went cross eyed in no time flat and had blurry vision for over 10 minutes. DH kept looking at me funny and finally asked why I was blinking so much! Maybe after I eventually have eye surgery I can try again but not now! So, I will visit blogs and drool over everyone's masterpieces on linen. As for me, Aida has been with me since the beginning and I can still count (literally) on it.
What WIPs do I have in my basket now? Marianne and The Mother's Tree are my current ones. The ones I saw alone and forgotten are A Weary World Rejoices by Shakespeare Peddler (which was nearing it's end when I set it down & pictured below) and AAFG by Rosewood Manor (which I have been working on for about 5 years now. OMG!) It might even be a good center piece to put into an A&E wall. I am about half way finished with that one. It's a fun stitch but it does get tedious.
My neighbor and I love to watch the hummingbirds during our daily chats out in the yard. She has several feeders and her yard is always full of the little friendly ones but I don't have a feeder this year and I miss them terribly. The other day, she came knocking at my door with a present for me! A hummingbird feeder. How sweet of her! Now I can drink my morning coffee on the deck and enjoy their flights! Below is a picture of my first visitor!
I played around with my pincushion collection, wanting to show them off as showcase worthy as possible. I found an old glass cookie jar, empty in the cupboard and decided to use it for now. My favorite one is an old red velvet like material. It was my first pincushion as a new wife and has been used over and over until it is now soft, faded, worn and stuffed with memories of quilting, last minute repairs on an item before someone left for school or work, homemade Halloween costumes, crafts for school projects and much more. Even though the others are also loaded with pins, I always reach for this one first. Some things just feel right.
Thanks for stopping by! Your visits and comments make my day brighter!
Every now and then when I become over envious of everyone's beautiful stitching on linen, I will pull out my 28ct. Monaco fabric to practice on. I keep hoping that one day my eyes will miraculously develop perfect vision again on their own whim and I will be able to turn out the same stunning work on this beautiful fabric. Oh, I'm not complaining because for so many years I unable to stitch at all but it can't hurt to try every so often. Right?
OMG! What was I thinking! I got it all set up and ready to put a few xxxxx's in. I went cross eyed in no time flat and had blurry vision for over 10 minutes. DH kept looking at me funny and finally asked why I was blinking so much! Maybe after I eventually have eye surgery I can try again but not now! So, I will visit blogs and drool over everyone's masterpieces on linen. As for me, Aida has been with me since the beginning and I can still count (literally) on it.
What WIPs do I have in my basket now? Marianne and The Mother's Tree are my current ones. The ones I saw alone and forgotten are A Weary World Rejoices by Shakespeare Peddler (which was nearing it's end when I set it down & pictured below) and AAFG by Rosewood Manor (which I have been working on for about 5 years now. OMG!) It might even be a good center piece to put into an A&E wall. I am about half way finished with that one. It's a fun stitch but it does get tedious.
My neighbor and I love to watch the hummingbirds during our daily chats out in the yard. She has several feeders and her yard is always full of the little friendly ones but I don't have a feeder this year and I miss them terribly. The other day, she came knocking at my door with a present for me! A hummingbird feeder. How sweet of her! Now I can drink my morning coffee on the deck and enjoy their flights! Below is a picture of my first visitor!
I played around with my pincushion collection, wanting to show them off as showcase worthy as possible. I found an old glass cookie jar, empty in the cupboard and decided to use it for now. My favorite one is an old red velvet like material. It was my first pincushion as a new wife and has been used over and over until it is now soft, faded, worn and stuffed with memories of quilting, last minute repairs on an item before someone left for school or work, homemade Halloween costumes, crafts for school projects and much more. Even though the others are also loaded with pins, I always reach for this one first. Some things just feel right.
Thanks for stopping by! Your visits and comments make my day brighter!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Dropping In
It's another Monday. Nothing exciting happened over the weekend. As a matter of fact, the weekend was full of headaches. Our main computer got zapped by a nasty, nasty bug and we spent the majority of our time trying to find and retrieve files. Not fun! Things have turned upside down around our place for awhile but I am hoping all will be back to usual within several weeks so for now, I don't have a lot of stitching to report on or show off.
Over the weekend, I decided to take a trip through my past blog posts. I saw a lot of birds, nature photos, scrapbooking endeavors, trips we took and stitching. I couldn't help but notice that although many of the projects had either been finished off or still in WIP mode, there were a few that I had not picked up in a long time. They were just sitting around, waiting for some attention. What a waste of my time and their potential finished beauty! So I dug them out, kitted them back up and have them in my basket of growing WIPs. I may need to find another basket to house them all until they each begin to finish off! I don't even want to list the total number as it makes me mad at myself for letting this happen! When I first began stitching I would never, never, never let this happen. I would start one and work on it until it was finished. Of course, back then I didn't have all these wonderful designs to choose from either so I'm not complaining!
How many WIPs and UFOs do you have? *wink*
With everyone posting pictures of their new or familiar established pets, I was feeling out of the loop. Should I post a picture of some of the regular visitors to my backyard kingdom? Then I saw Edna sitting all by herself on the chair. She is such a good ol' gal and never complains. A quality worth appreciating. She doesn't look especially happy about anything but she always catches my eye as I walk by and gives me reason to smile. I fluffed up her dress and spread out the skirt all nice and pretty for a picture. Who is to say that she didn't enjoy the much over due attention?
Thanks so much for stopping by! Your visits and comments always brighten my day. Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.
Friday, September 23, 2011
A Short Post
I am almost finished with the second line from the bottom. My mother. It is definitely going to be the longest line of the group from what I have figured out so far. I am just hoping it is not too much wider thus throwing off the balance of the rest. Sometimes, my numbers come out different in my head than they do on the cloth! That always presents one of those "duh" moments for me. Some of these women have some long names!
Now for the winner of my silly song giveaway and the chart, Be You To Others by Hillside Sampling. The name of the song was "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose it's Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?". It's one of those songs that can get stuck in your head for days at a time but it's a fun song with a catchy tune!
I drew a name from a bowl out of all the correct answers. The winner is -- drumroll, please -- Linda! Congratulations!
Thanks for stopping by and playing along with me! I always enjoy your visits and comments.
Now for the winner of my silly song giveaway and the chart, Be You To Others by Hillside Sampling. The name of the song was "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose it's Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?". It's one of those songs that can get stuck in your head for days at a time but it's a fun song with a catchy tune!
I drew a name from a bowl out of all the correct answers. The winner is -- drumroll, please -- Linda! Congratulations!
Thanks for stopping by and playing along with me! I always enjoy your visits and comments.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Two. Count 'em. Two!
Two posts in one day! Oh my!
I was asked to explain more about the Mother's Tree. This a family history tree of women on your maternal side. No siblings, aunts or cousins. You, your mother, her mother and so on. And only the women. No sons, brothers, ect. You could alter it if you wanted to though. Instead of trying to make a long, involved and confusing explanation, I have posted a picture of the chart by Lavender and Lace. I hope this helps to clear up any questions about it.
I just noticed that the picture (previous post) of the Mother's Tree gives away my age! Oh me, oh my, oh you, whatever shall I do? lol. Anyone out there remember that song? Leave me a comment with the name of the song and I will draw from all the correct answers for a chance at winning Be You To Others Sampler by Hillside Sampling (shown below). It has never been used. The contest closes at 6pm EDT September 21 and the winner will be announced on my blog on September 23rd. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you should you win.
Thanks for stopping by!
I was asked to explain more about the Mother's Tree. This a family history tree of women on your maternal side. No siblings, aunts or cousins. You, your mother, her mother and so on. And only the women. No sons, brothers, ect. You could alter it if you wanted to though. Instead of trying to make a long, involved and confusing explanation, I have posted a picture of the chart by Lavender and Lace. I hope this helps to clear up any questions about it.
I just noticed that the picture (previous post) of the Mother's Tree gives away my age! Oh me, oh my, oh you, whatever shall I do? lol. Anyone out there remember that song? Leave me a comment with the name of the song and I will draw from all the correct answers for a chance at winning Be You To Others Sampler by Hillside Sampling (shown below). It has never been used. The contest closes at 6pm EDT September 21 and the winner will be announced on my blog on September 23rd. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you should you win.
Thanks for stopping by!
I See Fall
Glimpses of red and yellow are showing up in trees. The mornings and evenings are sweater weather cool. The sun is setting earlier and in the mornings I see a new shadow cast by our Japanese Red Maple indicating shifts in the sun by a different season. Fall is on it's way! Time to pull out my cozy flannel lounging PJs.
My dr. seems to agree with my conclusion about the weight loss. Nothing major or life threatening. My orders are to keep eating until I begin to put on the pounds then back to my regular daily diet as I get to my normal weight! So for now, bring on the cakes, the pies, fried foods and all the other yummies!
I finally got the camera back from DH so I could post a picture of my current progress on Marianne. I did make several mistakes on her already but by the time I noticed them, the damage was done. I could frog them out and possibly lose my enthusiasm for stitching on her, chalk them up to uniqueness or even the Amish practice of intentionally inserting a mistake in their work to remind themselves that no one is perfect (a practice I admire). I chose the last option.
I also goofed on several color changes and am just not very pleased with their look but now that I have a "feel" for her, I don't think that will happen again. I hope. I am still debating on whether to frog those out and change the colors. I am hoping once I get more done on her, those colors will not stand out like a sore thumb (to my eyes, anyway).
There isn't a lot of progress to show on the Mother's Tree just yet. Those Old Script letters are taking some time and may not be as quick of a stitch as I had first thought. Especially since I am already longing to get back to Marianne!
For now my plan is to do two lines on the Mother's Tree, go back to Marianne for a while, do two more lines on the Mother's Tree and so on. Eventually they will get finished!
As I show my progress on this piece, I will block out some of the last names for security reasons. I am working from the bottom up which is something I usually don't do or like to do but I am frantically doing some extra last minute family history research for one last name to add at the top. I have 8 names which was my original goal but I just want more! Greedy me!
Since I'm not totally sure of the finished size yet, I am using a really big piece of fabric to play it safe. I have already gone past my anticipated width. Ugh.
I received a suggestion to stitch the names the person went by in a solid color. I liked that idea, so be it. Also, I am stitching the full given names of the ones I know. The rest of the names are stitched as the chart calls for. First letters of each name in a darker green with the remainder in a lighter green. I decided to only switch out two colors. Brown for the tree and my much needed red fix for the dates.
What are you working on or just dying to start on?
Thanks so much for stopping by to say! Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.
My dr. seems to agree with my conclusion about the weight loss. Nothing major or life threatening. My orders are to keep eating until I begin to put on the pounds then back to my regular daily diet as I get to my normal weight! So for now, bring on the cakes, the pies, fried foods and all the other yummies!
I finally got the camera back from DH so I could post a picture of my current progress on Marianne. I did make several mistakes on her already but by the time I noticed them, the damage was done. I could frog them out and possibly lose my enthusiasm for stitching on her, chalk them up to uniqueness or even the Amish practice of intentionally inserting a mistake in their work to remind themselves that no one is perfect (a practice I admire). I chose the last option.
I also goofed on several color changes and am just not very pleased with their look but now that I have a "feel" for her, I don't think that will happen again. I hope. I am still debating on whether to frog those out and change the colors. I am hoping once I get more done on her, those colors will not stand out like a sore thumb (to my eyes, anyway).
There isn't a lot of progress to show on the Mother's Tree just yet. Those Old Script letters are taking some time and may not be as quick of a stitch as I had first thought. Especially since I am already longing to get back to Marianne!
For now my plan is to do two lines on the Mother's Tree, go back to Marianne for a while, do two more lines on the Mother's Tree and so on. Eventually they will get finished!
As I show my progress on this piece, I will block out some of the last names for security reasons. I am working from the bottom up which is something I usually don't do or like to do but I am frantically doing some extra last minute family history research for one last name to add at the top. I have 8 names which was my original goal but I just want more! Greedy me!
Since I'm not totally sure of the finished size yet, I am using a really big piece of fabric to play it safe. I have already gone past my anticipated width. Ugh.
I received a suggestion to stitch the names the person went by in a solid color. I liked that idea, so be it. Also, I am stitching the full given names of the ones I know. The rest of the names are stitched as the chart calls for. First letters of each name in a darker green with the remainder in a lighter green. I decided to only switch out two colors. Brown for the tree and my much needed red fix for the dates.
What are you working on or just dying to start on?
Thanks so much for stopping by to say! Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Updated!
While online, I found 5 more charts I want! I could justify one and possibly even two but there is no way I can allow myself to add five new designs without first doing some serious stash-busting. Will I ever work on it? Was it an impulse buy and I have no idea why I got it or does it really really say something to me? I emptied all the charts out of their boxes and began to sort. Keep. I might do it later but not now. Why did I buy this? I doubt seriously I do this one so let someone else enjoy it. Four piles.
I have updated my Trade and Wishlist blog so pop on over and take a look! If you see something you like and want to trade for, let me know!
I also found a few new yummy blogs to add to my sidebar.
I have updated my Trade and Wishlist blog so pop on over and take a look! If you see something you like and want to trade for, let me know!
I also found a few new yummy blogs to add to my sidebar.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Where is That Camera?
Right now, the news is pretty slim around here. More storms, more heavy winds, more power outages, more trees down, blah, blah, blah! Seems like the same ol' stuff since earlier this Spring! Other than that, we have been having some nice Fall weather - for a few days anyway. I have even found myself pulling out a sweater or sweatshirt in the early mornings and evenings after the sun goes down.
Life is pretty much the same around here. No recent trips to share. No winning lottery ticket to get excited about. Nothing out of the ordinary. Our anniversary came and went with no big celebrations. Just the acknowledgement that we are getting older! DH had his birthday and luckily the cakes were a success. Thank goodness. I always hold my breath when I make that icing. So does he since he loves it so much and I only make it once a year.
After a quick "look see" of my stash, I put together an order (that are still on hold). Several charts I have wanted (but don't know when I will get around to them) and fabrics. I usually keep a good supply of fabrics so I don't have to worry about having the right color, size or running low. I have been lax on doing that lately and my fabric supply is beginning to dwindle. I just can't have that.
Isn't it funny how a lot of the stitching designs you like developed by watching the progress of other stitcher's work? I was never a big A&E fan. I liked looking at the finished designs but never had the urge to make them a regular part of my routine. We all know of several big A&E fans in our blog community and after seeing so much of their beautiful work on the famous couple, I finally did a piece of my own last year. I liked it. After going through my stash, I was surprised to see that I have at least 5 other A&E designs waiting for their turn at the needle! Plus there are several more on my wish list. How did that happen? They just snuck up on me!
I am drastically losing weight! And I'm not trying to. No exercise programs to shed the pounds. I still eat just as always. I still stuff down those donuts, calorie rich cakes and other sweet treats along with my meals but the weight just keeps falling off. I told DH that I don't like being over weight but I don't like being this thin either. I can see my rib cage. I know my standard weight that I am comfortable at. Last time I lost this much weight, I had new babies and I could see the logic. We lived in a house with a lot of steps and I was doing twice the work running around to take care of them and using those steps a lot more than I had. This time I am totally baffled. Last year at this time, my goal was to lose 20 pounds. Now my goal is to gain 20 pounds! LOL.
I hope to get the camera back from DH soon so I can post some pictures. I keep asking for it and he keeps forgetting to get it out for me.
Thanks for stopping by. I always enjoy your visits and comments.
Life is pretty much the same around here. No recent trips to share. No winning lottery ticket to get excited about. Nothing out of the ordinary. Our anniversary came and went with no big celebrations. Just the acknowledgement that we are getting older! DH had his birthday and luckily the cakes were a success. Thank goodness. I always hold my breath when I make that icing. So does he since he loves it so much and I only make it once a year.
After a quick "look see" of my stash, I put together an order (that are still on hold). Several charts I have wanted (but don't know when I will get around to them) and fabrics. I usually keep a good supply of fabrics so I don't have to worry about having the right color, size or running low. I have been lax on doing that lately and my fabric supply is beginning to dwindle. I just can't have that.
Isn't it funny how a lot of the stitching designs you like developed by watching the progress of other stitcher's work? I was never a big A&E fan. I liked looking at the finished designs but never had the urge to make them a regular part of my routine. We all know of several big A&E fans in our blog community and after seeing so much of their beautiful work on the famous couple, I finally did a piece of my own last year. I liked it. After going through my stash, I was surprised to see that I have at least 5 other A&E designs waiting for their turn at the needle! Plus there are several more on my wish list. How did that happen? They just snuck up on me!
I am drastically losing weight! And I'm not trying to. No exercise programs to shed the pounds. I still eat just as always. I still stuff down those donuts, calorie rich cakes and other sweet treats along with my meals but the weight just keeps falling off. I told DH that I don't like being over weight but I don't like being this thin either. I can see my rib cage. I know my standard weight that I am comfortable at. Last time I lost this much weight, I had new babies and I could see the logic. We lived in a house with a lot of steps and I was doing twice the work running around to take care of them and using those steps a lot more than I had. This time I am totally baffled. Last year at this time, my goal was to lose 20 pounds. Now my goal is to gain 20 pounds! LOL.
I hope to get the camera back from DH soon so I can post some pictures. I keep asking for it and he keeps forgetting to get it out for me.
Thanks for stopping by. I always enjoy your visits and comments.
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Long Busy Weekend
I can't believe that it is September! Once this month arrives, the remainder of the year seems to fly by before you know it! This month I will start stocking up on my holiday baking supplies. A few items each trip makes it lot less hectic and doesn't pinch the ol' wallet quite as much.
I hope that everyone on the east coast is safe and sound today after Hurricane Irene. We are far enough inland that we were not touched by her. The winds did kick up a few times during the day. Otherwise it was mild weather in our part of the state. We had our share of damaging storms earlier in the Spring so everyone around here breathed a big sigh of relief. My heart does goes out to the people on the coastline and those close enough to the coast to feel her effects and have to deal with her damaging wrath.
I had every intention of making a post earlier in the week but troubles with our internet connection kept me from doing very much online. Luckily it was just due for an update and not because of Irene. After that was fixed and running good, we had a whopper thunderstorm that knocked our power out for the better part of blogging time.
DH is taking several extra days off making it a nice long weekend. It's nice to have him around for more than just a couple of days. In the evenings, he works on his telescopes while I stitch.
Over the long holiday weekend we will celebrate our 35th anniversary! Wow, does time fly! It doesn't seem like yesterday but certainly not that long! I still remember...
For dinner one night last week I made Brenda's mac and cheese! Scroll down to post on 8/16/2011 on her blog for recipe. Yum! It did not sit around very long as everyone was going back for more! It was a big hit of the meal and I'm sure I will be asked to make it again very soon! I borrowed the picture from her blog but mine looked just as good!
I finished up page 3 on Marianne and was doing some major happy dancing. I still have about 9 pages left to go but the good news is that the last 4 pages are not full pages so that may help. I decided to treat myself to a new start and began my Mother's Tree. It looks really simple but once I realized how long some of our family names are compared to the picture on the chart, uhh, this may be a little more detailed than I had first thought! To quote Ricky Ricardo (remember "I Love Lucy"?) Ei, Yi, Yi. Oh well, it will still be a special piece! Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to just start on everything in my stash! Now that would really be a MIP (mess in progress)! LOL.
DH has a birthday coming up! He loves German Chocolate Cake and his mother used to make it for him every year on his special day. After we married, I begged her for the recipe for years to no avail. She would not share it with me (or anyone else). I was sure I could find a recipe else where but this was the one DH loved so I wanted to stick with it. When she got older and tired of the yearly ritual, she gave in and passed the recipe on to me. Now I make two each year for the birthday boy! One for home and one for him to share with guys at work. After my MIL passed away, I got her cookbook that she had put together over the years. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that many of her prized and secret dishes were in there as clippings cut out from the local newspaper!
I am low on pictures this time around because DH borrowed my camera and didn't put it back in it's proper spot so I have to interrogate him later to find out it's current location! I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
What the?
Amazing things really do happen!
First of all, this is my second blog post this week! I used to post every other day so this seems like old times!
Second, how many of you on the east coast felt that earthquake yesterday? Weird! At least for our part of the country!
Third and last but not least, alot of us along the eastern coastline are getting ready for Hurricane Irene. She originally was going to make landfall and possibly come inland like Hugo did. Now they are saying that she made a turn eastward and we may just get a few storms but her arrival is not due here until this weekend so she has plenty of time to change her mind if she wants. And she is a woman (of sorts).
So far now, we are just hanging out and waiting to see what happens next.
First of all, this is my second blog post this week! I used to post every other day so this seems like old times!
Second, how many of you on the east coast felt that earthquake yesterday? Weird! At least for our part of the country!
Third and last but not least, alot of us along the eastern coastline are getting ready for Hurricane Irene. She originally was going to make landfall and possibly come inland like Hugo did. Now they are saying that she made a turn eastward and we may just get a few storms but her arrival is not due here until this weekend so she has plenty of time to change her mind if she wants. And she is a woman (of sorts).
So far now, we are just hanging out and waiting to see what happens next.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Monday and All is Well
I am stitching again! And more than just a couple of xx's. The Mother's Tree was calling my name but I still had to gather up all my supplies and several WIPs, supplies and all, were in my basket within reach so I pulled out Marianne Wenn. Terri and I had started this back in January as a private SAL. She finished. I didn't. I do love the design. We both made thread conversions. On the borders and dividers, I stayed with my chosen thread colors but on the alphabets, I have been picking up whatever I think it needs for zing. I will say that I am very happy with my color choices so far. I was lazy and did not press it before taking the picture. Bad me.
I am sure you have been able to tell by now that I am notorious for making color changes. Pinks, Purples and some blues just don't set well with me. Pastels in general (except yellow) make me scrunch up my nose. Those are always the first colors I change out but maybe I am beginning to mellow as I grow older because I am thinking I will begin staying with chosen colors for a lot of designs. Pastels and all. Not all of them, mind you, but more than in the past. You can see that on Marianne, I began tucking more pinks in here and there (her original color chart does call for some pinks) so it would not be such a total shock to my system later.
I gathered up my threads and fabric for The Mother's Tree by Lavender and Lace. It is done in two colors. A dark green and a lighter green. Very pretty but I wanted more color. A special piece like this really needs to stand out! Did I just say I was not going to change colors? LOL. In my defense, I am not changing the colors of green. Just adding some new colors in other spots! I need my reds! I think this should be a quick finish. No borders (yea! They are beautiful I but cringe at stitching them) and only one motif at the top. The rest are words and dates.
Last weekend, we made the trip out of town to visit the cemetery and place new flowers on the graves. It was a hard weekend but there was a certain peace to it this year. Last Friday was the forty second anniversary of my mother's death and (the next day) Saturday was the second anniversary of my father's passing. While in my old home town we ate lunch at my very favorite BBQ place. I grew up loving it and when I would visit, my father always made sure I would get big plate of it before we left. The picture is how it looked back when I was a kid. Does that show my age?
Thank you for all the lovely comments on my last post! I did ramble on making it longer than I had intended. I was asked what DH's hobby is. He has loved astronomy since his youth but he bought the Mag Eyes for his side hobby of model trains.
Thank you for stopping by! I enjoy your visits and comments so much! Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.
I am sure you have been able to tell by now that I am notorious for making color changes. Pinks, Purples and some blues just don't set well with me. Pastels in general (except yellow) make me scrunch up my nose. Those are always the first colors I change out but maybe I am beginning to mellow as I grow older because I am thinking I will begin staying with chosen colors for a lot of designs. Pastels and all. Not all of them, mind you, but more than in the past. You can see that on Marianne, I began tucking more pinks in here and there (her original color chart does call for some pinks) so it would not be such a total shock to my system later.
I gathered up my threads and fabric for The Mother's Tree by Lavender and Lace. It is done in two colors. A dark green and a lighter green. Very pretty but I wanted more color. A special piece like this really needs to stand out! Did I just say I was not going to change colors? LOL. In my defense, I am not changing the colors of green. Just adding some new colors in other spots! I need my reds! I think this should be a quick finish. No borders (yea! They are beautiful I but cringe at stitching them) and only one motif at the top. The rest are words and dates.
Last weekend, we made the trip out of town to visit the cemetery and place new flowers on the graves. It was a hard weekend but there was a certain peace to it this year. Last Friday was the forty second anniversary of my mother's death and (the next day) Saturday was the second anniversary of my father's passing. While in my old home town we ate lunch at my very favorite BBQ place. I grew up loving it and when I would visit, my father always made sure I would get big plate of it before we left. The picture is how it looked back when I was a kid. Does that show my age?
Thank you for all the lovely comments on my last post! I did ramble on making it longer than I had intended. I was asked what DH's hobby is. He has loved astronomy since his youth but he bought the Mag Eyes for his side hobby of model trains.
Thank you for stopping by! I enjoy your visits and comments so much! Until next time, may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.
Saturday, August 06, 2011
One Stitcher's Story
A lot of my stitching was done as gifts in the beginning and although I do have pieces hanging in various spots around the house, they just aren't all in one spot (thus looking like fewer). As for the quilts, I do have some. Ones made for me by friends and family, some I have made. Others were used so much by my boys when they were younger that they just gave up the ghost and couldn't take any more naps, picnics, tickle fights or washings. Before the final farewell, I always cut out the good parts to be saved for other projects or just keepsakes of sweet memories. Good enough.
When I was younger and had first started cross stitching, I did a few larger pieces but I mainly focused on smaller designs that I could finish up quickly for gifts. I remember sitting in my bentwood rocking chair (a gift from my dad) and stitching away each evening after DH and I got home from work, ate dinner, did a few household chores and then sat down for the evening as we both worked on our hobbies and caught up on our days. No kids yet. Just us.
Later, the kids came along. I began to stitch on pieces for them. Birth samplers, nite time prayers stitched to hang over their beds and I had to do things about being a mother! The migraines had started to happen before they born and working on any type close work was hard but I finally had children and just had to do some of these.
Then it just got to be too much for me. Each time I began to stitch I could feel the awful headaches beginning so I put down my needle and thread. For 20 years I took up a menagerie of other hobbies to fill the void but I never gave up hope that one day I would be able to return to the hobby that had captured my heart and still held it. At least twice a year, I would pull out my supplies and try to stitch again. It didn't take long for the migraines to start. Sad and frustrated, I would gently tuck it all back in the drawer until I tried again.
Around 8 years ago, I had pulled it all out again only to be disappointed once more. That weekend, DH and I went shopping for some hobby equipment he needed. He found a pair of Mag Eyes and said they were what he needed for his detailed labor of love. Then he said, they might help me and I could stitch again. I told him it was doubtful as I had already tried every magnifier on the market but he put an extra pair in the basket for me anyway. A few days later, I saw them sitting on a shelf and thought "what the heck" so I gathered up my stitching supplies, sat down, took a deep breath and began. As I stitched, I waited for the headache to begin. It never happened! I could stitch again!
By the time I was able to resume, the stitching world had changed so much! So many new designers and wonderful designs to choose from! Even all the new designs in frames were exciting to me. And the fabrics! Linen? I thought linen was for tablecloths but why not try it like everyone else was doing! It made the pieces look even more stunning. I bought a piece of linen and shortly after beginning I felt the headache starting. Oh no! I returned to working my trusty Aida and no more problems! Life was good again.
It didn't take long for me to catch up on the new lingo and catch phrases of stitching, learning about new designers or even building my stash back up. Even computers with online shopping and blogs were new to my stitching world but how neat that I could share it all with other stitchers now. And I just love you all to death! You made a wonderful hobby even better!
Years had passed and my taste in stitching designs had changed just like with so many other things. Since that lucky day, I have found that I prefer the medium to larger designs. No more quickies. Samplers and inspirational pieces are my favorites. Something that touches my soul. Of course I still get those "blocks" when my stitching sits untouched longer than I would like but what's several months compared to those years before.
Some things never change though. I still sit in the evenings with DH as he works on his hobby while I stitch or go through my stash and I still have that cup of coffee (sometimes tea, now) on the table beside my chair! Sometimes I think DH might regret putting that extra pair of magnifiers in the basket for me since I can spend hours and plenty of money on it all but I am still grateful to him for that one spur of the moment action!
Thank you all for stopping by to visit while I tell my story. And thank you for being a big part of my stitching. You bring smiles, encouragement and friendship to my life!
When I was younger and had first started cross stitching, I did a few larger pieces but I mainly focused on smaller designs that I could finish up quickly for gifts. I remember sitting in my bentwood rocking chair (a gift from my dad) and stitching away each evening after DH and I got home from work, ate dinner, did a few household chores and then sat down for the evening as we both worked on our hobbies and caught up on our days. No kids yet. Just us.
Later, the kids came along. I began to stitch on pieces for them. Birth samplers, nite time prayers stitched to hang over their beds and I had to do things about being a mother! The migraines had started to happen before they born and working on any type close work was hard but I finally had children and just had to do some of these.
Then it just got to be too much for me. Each time I began to stitch I could feel the awful headaches beginning so I put down my needle and thread. For 20 years I took up a menagerie of other hobbies to fill the void but I never gave up hope that one day I would be able to return to the hobby that had captured my heart and still held it. At least twice a year, I would pull out my supplies and try to stitch again. It didn't take long for the migraines to start. Sad and frustrated, I would gently tuck it all back in the drawer until I tried again.
Around 8 years ago, I had pulled it all out again only to be disappointed once more. That weekend, DH and I went shopping for some hobby equipment he needed. He found a pair of Mag Eyes and said they were what he needed for his detailed labor of love. Then he said, they might help me and I could stitch again. I told him it was doubtful as I had already tried every magnifier on the market but he put an extra pair in the basket for me anyway. A few days later, I saw them sitting on a shelf and thought "what the heck" so I gathered up my stitching supplies, sat down, took a deep breath and began. As I stitched, I waited for the headache to begin. It never happened! I could stitch again!
By the time I was able to resume, the stitching world had changed so much! So many new designers and wonderful designs to choose from! Even all the new designs in frames were exciting to me. And the fabrics! Linen? I thought linen was for tablecloths but why not try it like everyone else was doing! It made the pieces look even more stunning. I bought a piece of linen and shortly after beginning I felt the headache starting. Oh no! I returned to working my trusty Aida and no more problems! Life was good again.
It didn't take long for me to catch up on the new lingo and catch phrases of stitching, learning about new designers or even building my stash back up. Even computers with online shopping and blogs were new to my stitching world but how neat that I could share it all with other stitchers now. And I just love you all to death! You made a wonderful hobby even better!
Years had passed and my taste in stitching designs had changed just like with so many other things. Since that lucky day, I have found that I prefer the medium to larger designs. No more quickies. Samplers and inspirational pieces are my favorites. Something that touches my soul. Of course I still get those "blocks" when my stitching sits untouched longer than I would like but what's several months compared to those years before.
Some things never change though. I still sit in the evenings with DH as he works on his hobby while I stitch or go through my stash and I still have that cup of coffee (sometimes tea, now) on the table beside my chair! Sometimes I think DH might regret putting that extra pair of magnifiers in the basket for me since I can spend hours and plenty of money on it all but I am still grateful to him for that one spur of the moment action!
Thank you all for stopping by to visit while I tell my story. And thank you for being a big part of my stitching. You bring smiles, encouragement and friendship to my life!
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Same ol', Same ol'
The old saying tells us that bad luck comes in three's. So far this summer, our dishwasher has died so for now I am using the old standby method of handwashing in a sink full of sudsy water. Not something I want to do forever and we will get it fixed when we can but for now it has actually been soothing. As I stand at the sink and wash each cup or plate, I am flooded with memories of helping my mother with the same chore when I was younger. She would wash. I would dry. Sometimes I begged to help and other times she had to insist I get in there and do it.
Next on this round of bad luck, we got a flat tire that had to be repaired. We walked in to the tire shop, expecting some outrageous bill that would make us walk away mad and feeling like we had been taken advantage of. After the tire was repaired, we were handed the receipt. No charge. DH and I just looked at each other puzzled. No way. No one does work for free anymore. So we approached the counter and asked if they possibly made a mistake. Nope. They just smiled and said "tell your friends about us". Sure thing, you bet we will!
Bad luck #3 has yet to hit but if it's no worse than #1 and #2 we can say this was a mild round. But wait, maybe it already happened and we just didn't realize it! No harm, no foul.
Moving on to my hunt for family history, I hit a road block on my side of the family for now but found out some wonderful new information for DH's family history! I see a road trip in our near future! I could not wait to tell him all the news. He was just as excited to find it out.
We have another trip to make this month. It will be a hard weekend for me. The anniversary of my parent's deaths. The days fall side by side and I am going to visit the graves, make sure the care and upkeep is being taken of, put out some flowers and while there I always visit with my infant brothers buried just a few steps away. When I was younger, my mother would take me out to the cemetery with her to put flowers on their graves then she would go sit in the car and let me have some alone time to visit with them. I always missed not knowing them and having siblings. Little children commonly have imaginary playmates. Mine were my brothers.
Over the weekend we did our chores and errands. The lawn was mown just in time before a big wave of humidity hit the next day. The grocery shopping was done. No exercise program can beat this task for a good work out! Walking around the store, putting all the bags into car, taking them out and carrying them in then putting them all away when you get home! Stretch, bend, walk, lift weights (heavy bags of food), squat and repeat then fall into your chair totally exhausted and unwind with an ice cold beverage! And since we only shop every other week, we have twice the groceries and twice the workout! The rule of thumb at our house is that mom does NOT cook on grocery shopping day. Everyone fends for themselves. There is plenty of food and they are big boys. Make a sandwich, nuke some leftovers, whatever. Just don't ask me "what's for dinner". But they still do except for DH. He understands. Bless his heart.
Sunday was ours. No chores. No major errands. Just time. Time to sleep in a little later than usual. Time to get online and catch up on some reading or visit some favorite sites. Time to watch a movie. Time for doing absolutely nothing.
The picture posted is one of me and my dad taken years ago but brings back memories for me. Sorry for the lack of pictures again. I promise to make up for it very soon! Thanks for stopping by! Your visits and comments always make my day!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Another Friday
Thank you for the great comments on my last post about my family history search. I was asked what his relation is to me. Henry Hatton (his stage and pen name) is my GG grandfather. His father was a famous writer, novelist and play write of his day. I have read some of his work but get tired of it quickly. A lot of thee's, thou's and therefore's along with other words not commonly used anymore. I have continued my quest on this project as the mood hits me and every so often something interesting will pop up and make it worth while.
Oh, those nagging questions that have haunted me since March have reared their ugly heads once again. What to stitch? What to stitch? WIPs? Start a new piece? Why am I wasting time trying to decide when I could working on those poor WIPs sitting in my basket? I can hear their pitiful cries of "finish me, finish me". The year is half over with no finished pieces for me to show off so I think I will focus on the WIPs for now and maybe I can knock at least several of them out by year's end.
Each year, we put out several tomato plants and I usually pick another veggie plant or two to try my not so green thumb at but not this year. We just didn't. No real reasons behind the decision. Every year, I grumble to myself about the up keep of the plants but I have missed the bounty of them this season with grocery prices on the rise. Next year, we will re-join the edible gardeners club once again for sure!
We had that major heat wave move through our area of the south about a week ago! Temps close to 100 degrees. It was that humidity that did us in though. Luckily, it didn't stick around too long and after if moved on we had a weekend of awesome temperatures. Friday was pretty cloudy which kept the heat at bay and we only reached 69 degrees. I actually got chilly several times. Saturday and Sunday were equally as nice. A little more sun but tolerable temperatures and very very little humidity! But, it's back again. Ugh.
I wish I had more exciting news to write about. Winning the lottery or a free vacation to Hawaii. Something to perk up these days of summer but this year we are staying buried inside as much as possible to avoid the awful heat. Even my camera doesn't want to come out of hiding from it's cool spot so not alot pictures to share this time around.
Thanks so much for stopping by and not giving up me during this blogging lapse I am having. Until next time, may you have simple (and cool) days and an uncluttered heart.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
History, Magic and More
I haven't forgotten about my poor little pitiful blog. Really, I haven't. It just seems like when I start to get my second wind from the last blast of busy-ness, it starts all over again. More storms, more doctor appointments, more errands. I look at my stitching chair during the day and just sigh. I miss you, dear old comfortable friend.
While my husband was on vacation I decided to use the time to enlist his help in hanging some samplers (which I will show you later). There were things to hang, others to move and generally not a lot of fun for him but I was happy to get the wall caught up. It is in the dining area and I would rather move it into the living area. I have a bigger wall in there and I think there would be more focus on them in there. I have already mentioned switching everything out on the two walls and I got a very stern look from him as walked past me. Other than that, we didn't get a single thing done during his week off. All the ambitious plans we had for his time off just got shoved aside! We decided to call it *age* instead of laziness.
This stitching slump is getting the better of me! I stitch a little then set it down for long periods so I can't really say anything is making enough progress to mention. I decided to clean out and organize my basket and stash. I have 3 WIPs. I really should finish them up because I hate having unfinished pieces sitting around. I can feel their *shame on you* glare even when they are tucked away from sight but I also have 3 that I really want to start on! I have plenty of choices. Let the others sit while I start the new ones. Stitch on the WIPs a little now and then while working in the new pieces. Wait to start the new ones and concentrate on the WIPs. Or, maybe if I close my eyes real tight and click my heels together 3 times...... lol. When I decide, I'll let you know.
This past week, I pulled out my family history to catch up on. Since I have no stitching to share right now, I will share one of my family members.
Henry Hatton was the stage name used by Patrick Henry Cannon. He was born in New York on 12/16/1837 and died in Glen Ridge, New Jersey on December 24, 1922 at the age of 85. In 1845, at the age of 8, he learned some magic from a professional magician whose manager was a friend of Hatton's father. For three years, 1855, 56 & 57, Hatton was a full time professional stage magician travelling mainly around the south. During the same three years, he wrote a series called "Lessons in Magic" in Our Young Folks magazine.
After 1867, Hatton left the stage but his interest in magic remained paramount in his life. For many years he performed as a society entertainer and he always kept abreast of the progress and development of magic. He was an accomplished writer on the subject. For many years he was employed as an author and editor in a prominent publishing house firm in New York City. In 1910, together with Adrian Plate, he wrote "Magician's Tricks: How they are done".
An elite group of magicians used to meet quite informally on Saturday nights after their shows at a very private magic shop called Martinkas, run by two brothers (which still exists today). Slowly this evolved into a notion that an actual magic club night would be a good thing. On May 10, 1903 twenty four men organized the Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.). It is the oldest magic organization in the world. Henry Hatton joined the Society of American Magicians in 1901 as Member #21 and was one of the original 24 founders. He served as National President for two terms, 1912-13 and 1913-14.
Thanks for stopping by and for being patient while I get my act together!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Longer than Usual
What is wrong with Blogger? Is anyone else having trouble signing in and leaving comments? I can post but I am having serious trouble leaving a comment on other blogs! It's getting pretty frustrating! I have also noticed that pictures (on my blog and others) often don't show up!
DH is finally finished with those awful hours he was working.Yea for him and yea for me! When he works like that it really throws us both off our mental calendars! I think a giveaway is order to celebrate the return of some (not complete but I'll take what I can get) normalcy in life around here! I will post more about it very soon!
I haven't written much lately about my other love. Birdwatching. I need to catch up on getting my backyard island area (where most birding activity happens) back in shape but these extra hot days just leave me with the "I'll do it later" feeling. I have really ignored it over the past year and it looks terrible! Shame on me. Of course the birds really like the grown over look but I don't. It's not totally out of control. Just enough to urk me. The honeysuckle and Virginia Creeper vines take over in the warmer seasons. I know the birds feed on the VC and both make excellent ground cover for them to hide in while looking for insects or worms. I'll probably just yank up enough to please us both because weeding (along with frogging) is one of my least favorite things to do. I have enough bird baths and feeders for the time but I have plans to put out several more birdhouses this coming Fall.
Good News! I finally found the names and birth years of my GGG Grandmother and my GGGG grandmother so that I can add it to my Mother's Tree when I begin stitching it! Now that I finally found them, I want to find more names for the piece! Call me greedy. lol. So for now, I have 7 names for this piece but would love to have at least 8 (or more)! I guess I'll be spending some time on Ancestry.com for awhile!!
For the longest time, I was the only coffee lover in our house. I had full control of the coffee maker, the brand of coffee that was bought and drinking it. My husband usually just bought a cup of joe at work and that was it for him each day. Recently, our son has developed a taste for the wake up juice and a second coffee maker may be in our future! I don't care for the brand he buys but most of all, he makes way to strong for my taste! I like my coffee to gently wake me up over the course of several cups but one sip of his brew is like being slapped in the face! lol. Now it's a race each morning to see who can set up the coffee maker first!
Not much stitching to brag about this post. I was all ready to pick it back up when I got hit by the ever not so popular stomach bug! Ugh. At this point, I feel like any stitching I may do would be brag worthy since it has been so long since I held that slender needle with my fingers and gently caressed the fabric as I worked my x's.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Your visits and comments always make my day!
Monday, May 30, 2011
I'm Still Here
I had a hard time signing into Blogger last week so that I could leave comments on many other blogs. I'm not sure if it is Blogger or my computer. If I haven't gotten to yours yet, know that I will and I am reading your blogs no matter what!
Our weather had calmed down alot! No wild storms - just rain every now and again. Other than that, nice days. Then we got hit again! The tornados from the midwest were moving towards us. We were reassured that they would weaken and there was no chance of danger. Suddenly, last Thursday around 10pm, the wind kicked up like nothing I have heard since Hurricane Hugo and there were alerts for our area to take immediate cover! A tornado! I was totally freaked out and grabbed my pocketbook (of all things to save) and told my family that if it carried me away (like Dorothy) I would at least have my ID on me and would not be a missing person! Funny the things that go through your mind. I always thought I would be gathering up my samplers if anything like this ever happened! It lasted about 35 minutes and quit as suddenly as it started. Once again, the storm left plenty of damage all around us. For some reason I can't post any pictures right now but I'm just glad we have power! Now we have Hurricane Season right around the corner!
I mentioned that I started a new piece on Mother's Day but I only got several stitches in before I set it down so it's not worth showing yet. What is wrong with me lately. Two months of kaos around here has taken it's toll on my stitching mojo and blogging! It's not over, by any means but I am hoping it has settled down enough that maybe I can start to pull the unraveled strings of my life back into place (a little at a time).
Thanks so much for sticking with me during this upside down period. Knowing you are all out there means so much to me! Until next time (and hopefully a more normal post) may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.
Our weather had calmed down alot! No wild storms - just rain every now and again. Other than that, nice days. Then we got hit again! The tornados from the midwest were moving towards us. We were reassured that they would weaken and there was no chance of danger. Suddenly, last Thursday around 10pm, the wind kicked up like nothing I have heard since Hurricane Hugo and there were alerts for our area to take immediate cover! A tornado! I was totally freaked out and grabbed my pocketbook (of all things to save) and told my family that if it carried me away (like Dorothy) I would at least have my ID on me and would not be a missing person! Funny the things that go through your mind. I always thought I would be gathering up my samplers if anything like this ever happened! It lasted about 35 minutes and quit as suddenly as it started. Once again, the storm left plenty of damage all around us. For some reason I can't post any pictures right now but I'm just glad we have power! Now we have Hurricane Season right around the corner!
I mentioned that I started a new piece on Mother's Day but I only got several stitches in before I set it down so it's not worth showing yet. What is wrong with me lately. Two months of kaos around here has taken it's toll on my stitching mojo and blogging! It's not over, by any means but I am hoping it has settled down enough that maybe I can start to pull the unraveled strings of my life back into place (a little at a time).
Thanks so much for sticking with me during this upside down period. Knowing you are all out there means so much to me! Until next time (and hopefully a more normal post) may you have simple days and an uncluttered heart.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Stormy Weather
Another strong storm hit our area last week. It woke me up in the middle of night with extremely loud thunder and the room was lit up with all the intense lightening. The winds were bringing down trees and doing some major damage to the area but luckily not to our house or property. The weather had said we would get large hail again and it seemed that towns all around us did but it skipped by us. Good news.
Harold has told me about a family of geese that comes back every year to nest at their plant. I love all the stories he tells me about them. He said the guys can't understand why they come down there to nest and I told him it was because the geese know the spot and they consider the guys down there as family. Moma goose had four babies this year. Harold was at work during the storm and said the wind was blowing so hard that two of the babies were lost in the wind. He saw one of them trying to get back to moma and the wind was so hard, the poor little thing could not fight the strong wind. It kept falling and blowing backwards. He carried the baby over to the area where the moma had taken the other two babies for safety. Later another guy found the fourth baby under an engine and carried it to the same spot. A family reunited. I told Harold "see, she knows you guys care and considers you family". DH was afraid that moma goose would reject the two lost babies after being handled but he told me later that they are all together and doing fine.
There were several more storms this past weekend but nothing too bad until lightning hit our front yard! It didn't hit close enough to damage anything but the sound of it hitting was unreal! It even set off the smoke alarm. Some of our neighbors saw the flash of fire it created and ran outside to see if all was well too. That makes the second time lightning has hit our yard! What a scare. Did I mention that I am getting really tired of all these storms?
There were periods of sun over the weekend and during one I sat out on the deck to watch the birds. The warmth of the sun felt glorious to my cold natured side and I began to drift off as I soaked it all in until I was rudely (and painfully) awakened by a sneaky wasp that found his way up under my shirt and must have panicked (or not liked what he saw) when he couldn't find his way back out so he did the natural thing and really let me have it with his stinger - right in the stomach! Leaping to my feet, I was jumping around and yelling like I was doing some odd ritual dance when I saw him fly out from under my shirt and go on his merry way. At least he was happy.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get a lot of stitching done lately. Life has been too hectic with DH on these odd hours. I plan to pick up some stitching again once everything (or at least a good chunk of it) gets back to normal around here again. Whenever that may be!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope to have some fun stitching news next time I post so be patient with me. Until then, may you have simple days.
Harold has told me about a family of geese that comes back every year to nest at their plant. I love all the stories he tells me about them. He said the guys can't understand why they come down there to nest and I told him it was because the geese know the spot and they consider the guys down there as family. Moma goose had four babies this year. Harold was at work during the storm and said the wind was blowing so hard that two of the babies were lost in the wind. He saw one of them trying to get back to moma and the wind was so hard, the poor little thing could not fight the strong wind. It kept falling and blowing backwards. He carried the baby over to the area where the moma had taken the other two babies for safety. Later another guy found the fourth baby under an engine and carried it to the same spot. A family reunited. I told Harold "see, she knows you guys care and considers you family". DH was afraid that moma goose would reject the two lost babies after being handled but he told me later that they are all together and doing fine.
There were several more storms this past weekend but nothing too bad until lightning hit our front yard! It didn't hit close enough to damage anything but the sound of it hitting was unreal! It even set off the smoke alarm. Some of our neighbors saw the flash of fire it created and ran outside to see if all was well too. That makes the second time lightning has hit our yard! What a scare. Did I mention that I am getting really tired of all these storms?
There were periods of sun over the weekend and during one I sat out on the deck to watch the birds. The warmth of the sun felt glorious to my cold natured side and I began to drift off as I soaked it all in until I was rudely (and painfully) awakened by a sneaky wasp that found his way up under my shirt and must have panicked (or not liked what he saw) when he couldn't find his way back out so he did the natural thing and really let me have it with his stinger - right in the stomach! Leaping to my feet, I was jumping around and yelling like I was doing some odd ritual dance when I saw him fly out from under my shirt and go on his merry way. At least he was happy.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get a lot of stitching done lately. Life has been too hectic with DH on these odd hours. I plan to pick up some stitching again once everything (or at least a good chunk of it) gets back to normal around here again. Whenever that may be!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope to have some fun stitching news next time I post so be patient with me. Until then, may you have simple days.
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