On the Road Again...Tomorrow

Good morning and happy Sunday from the rancho!  Oh. My. Goodness.  I'm singing (to myself because I sing really REALLY bad) On the road again...I just can't wait to get on the road again...

Packing is done.  Projects are kitted and in bags.  Ice chest is cleaned and ready to fill.  Phew.  Now to get the house ready so DH can survive for the three weeks that I'll be gone.  LOL  The last week have been filled with questions like:  Is there more sliced cheese?  Yes, in the garage refrigerator.  Did you get hot dogs?  Yes, in the garage refrigerator and more in the freezer.  Are you going to make cookies?  Gee, it's 105 degrees, maybe.  Do you see a trend?  All about the food, peeps.  LOL

I cleaned out my garden.  I'm sure that DH can handle the zucchini and tomatoes, but harvested the last of the lettuce.  My cucumbers will not be ready until I get back so I just need him to water and keep them alive.  It's been so hot my potatoes vines crisped and disappeared.  So...I got potatoes!  A few of these potatoes are baking size.  Score!

My flowers that are in open spaces are not happy.  Too hot for too many days.  But the patio plants are still hanging in there.  I picked up the crown of thorns last year in the discard pile at Lowe's.  Saved!  My neighbor gave me two small Mandavilla plants last year. They were pretty beat  up, still in the nursery pots.  I replanted early this Spring and they are giving me some love.

This Amaryllis came from my son before he moved to the Bay Area.  Ten years and still going strong.

 

Crown of Thorns.

Mandevilla.

Tidied up my craft area and decided to finish-finish a few of my friend's projects.  Really pleased with these boxes.  Both little pumpkin pin cushions are made of wool.  

                                       

While I was digging around in a stash cupboard, I found a partially completed quilt.  Why did I not finish this?  Just why?  I have no idea!!  I literally had twelve blocks to sew together, complete the back, sandwich and bind.  This one was started for my stepson.  I know that he's twenty...but once you love Star Wars...you always love Star Wars.  LOL  I'll be honest, I wasn't really happy with this one until I put on the binding.  Wow!!  What a difference a pop of color will do!!

Staying focused on stitching Christmastide.  Still loving this!

Playing with Jack Jack this morning.  I'm not sure that he knows the difference between my hand and his toy.  LOL  Second picture is with his mom, Daisy.  Odd picture...she looks a bit scary!!  LOL

I'm planning on taking my tablet, so I'll be keeping in touch with all my peeps.  Wishing each of you a great week.  Be safe.   Be kind to one another.

I've Got Travel Plans!!

Happy Sunday from the rancho.  Weather update.  We are at the start of a heatwave.  Mostly 70's last week, but 91 degrees today and heading for the 100's next week.  We have lived in this house since 1985 without air conditioning, but as we get older, we may need to rethink that.  LOL  

I've got travel plans!!  I'll be leaving for Iowa on Monday, June 21st.  So, so, so, so excited.   I usually make reservations at the hotels as I'm on the road, but thought with Covid, I would get my hotels lined up for the trip out.  All good.  I usually stay in Cedar City Utah, but I'm staying in a new town this year.  We'll see how it goes.  I may find a new favorite "travel" city.  LOL   I told my son that I  didn't "need" to do any shopping while I'm there.  At the very least I will head to The Little Red Hen in Muscatine.  Or the Woolen Needle in Williamsburg.  Or maybe I shouldn't make any promises.  LOL  I checked with my stepson and he should be home in Missouri early July.  I invited him out to dinner.  He said no...that he was inviting ME out to dinner.  How sweet is that?  DH is definitely staying home.  He's got projects and really doesn't want to drive.  My son has promised to come in December so DH is good with that. 

My garden is doing well this year.  I harvested my first carrots.  Not a lot but I've got zucchini, so stir fry it was.

My back patio is so beautiful.  I've got geraniums, sweet peas, holly hocks and dahlias.  I'll be honest...only one bloom on my sweet pea...but I'm optimistic.

Last year my neighbors gave me a potted lantana.  It's back!!  The smaller pot is petunias and snapdragons.  They are in a happy mood, too.

Colorado Cross Stitcher on Instagram/FB organized a "camp" for the summer months.  I'm not sure why I joined...but I'm having fun!  I finished my June project in plenty of time.  Harvest by Rovaris,  completed into a long pillow.

Moving right along on Christmastide.  Still in love with this piece.  

Did a little baking this past week.  I had bananas that were past the eating stage, so banana bread it was.  And since I opened a new jar of peanut butter, it was time for peanut butter cookies!!  It had been a long time since I've made peanut butter cookies and I'm afraid that I enjoyed too many of them.  LOL

Well peeps, I'm off to get some chores started.  Or take a nap.  It could go either way.  LOL  Be safe.  Be kind to one another.

Is It Time to Travel?

Happy afternoon from the rancho.  Yep.  Afternoon.  I had lots of chores this morning and doctor's appointments for DH tomorrow...so...here I am!

I think that I may be traveling to Iowa in a few weeks.  I've looked at my schedule, son has looked at his, and it seems that June it will be.  He is so busy.  He works all the weekends, plus he's teaching a class later this month.  If I want to see him before Christmas, I need to go to now!!  I offered to head out in September, but he's teaching full time then and would have limited time to visit.  June is not my favorite month.  The humidity is pretty high and it may rain a bit.  But it's 90 degrees here today so I guess weather is weather.  LOL

I've been feeling very out of sorts lately.  I know it's because of a year and a half at home, but boy, some mornings are tough!  I felt like this when I was caring for my dad.  It seemed that I was stuck in the same day.  Over and over and over.  Anyone who's seen the movie Groundhog knows exactly what I'm saying.  LOL  

I finally got to hug my Saturday walking buddy.  It is so nice to be vaccinated and have friends that are the same.  I really missed hugs.  I'm still a bit hesitant about throwing away the masks.  I must admit that not having colds or the flu last year was a nice side effect of wearing a mask.  A band that I really like is coming to a city about thirty miles from our house.  It's not until December...but it's inside.  I'm thinking no.  We have an outside music venue about three miles from our house and I would go there in a heartbeat. But inside?  With people?  Hmmmm.  Not ready.  

I'm slowly working on Cherry Hill.  Not even enough to post.  Also stitched a bit on  Christmastide from Threadwork Primitives.   I had to laugh at my snow.  The color as charted is Oatmeal.  Somehow I managed to choose the very whitest for the roofs and the somewhat brown-tinged for the snow on the ground.  Nope.  That's just ugly.  LOL  So pulled the ground snow out, checked the skein and choose only the whitest threads.  I could have pulled a different thread but I was already committed.  I love these little houses.

In case you all think that I'm all the fun...here is a project that I did for my DH.  It is a filter bag for one of his outside tools.  He asked me to sew the old one.  After twenty years the fabric was shredding in my hands.  I had some canvas and lined it with flannel.  I'm proud of myself.  Not particularly cute, but it does the job.  LOL

                                                

My geraniums are happy!

A bouquet from my garden.  This was one of the last irises.  

While I was snooping over at Melisa's blog, Pinker n Punkin Quilting, I found the cutest pattern for July.  I wasn't happy with my choice of white, but added some blue backstitching and am very pleased with the results. Thank you, Melisa!!

I am off like a herd of turtles.  Dinner is usually served at 5 pm.   I guess I should decide what we are having since it is 5:15.  LOL   

Be safe.  Be kind to one another.

So...How Was Your Morning?

Good morning from the rancho to all my peeps.  It's Friday!!  

Let's make it clear, I've got my grumpy pants on this morning.  Fill up that coffee cup and get comfy.  You're gonna hear some whining.  LOL  

I am an eight-hours-of-sleep every night kind of girl.  I haven't reached my goal in several weeks.  Between DH and dogs and cat, I'm getting about six and a half.  Last night is a perfect example.  I went to bed at 9 PM.  DH tells me no worries, he will deal with the animals.  He just wanted to finish a TV program.  I know better...I'm sure that as soon as I left the room, he fell asleep.  Fast forward to 11 PM.  The bedroom door slams open.  I hear LOUD whispering...Jack Jack, come here, stop that...over and over again.  DH has a flashlight in his hand that he is wielding like some like of light saber.  After the third or fourth full-face illumination, I was done.  Meanwhile, he gave up on Jack Jack and left the room.  I get up (pee since I'm awake and have a vintage bladder)and throw Jack Jack on the bed.  Back in bed.  Not quite asleep, but the door again opens and I got another light show.  I'm telling you...grumpy pants.

Up again at 4:30 AM as DH left the cat out in the living room and the cat wants in.  Jack Jack goes out to pee...now inside and we're back to bed.  But do we sleep?  Nope.  Awake for the day.  Thank goodness my alarm went off at 6 AM.  Gave me an excuse to get out of bed.  

Do things get better?  Nope. Dog eats cat food.  Dog throws up.  I get to clean that up.  At least it was on the tile floor and not the rug.  I blow my nose.  Bloody nose.  I think this is going to be a three cup of coffee day, with a chaser of Diet Mt. Dew.  Sigh.

I've taken my walk, eaten breakfast and am ready for a better day.  I've got lots of pictures this week.

No stitching on Cherry Hill.  Decided to start a Christmas piece.  This is Threadwork Primitives "Christmastide".  I love Nan's patterns.

Part of the reason I haven't been stitching...project bags.  My friend and I both purchased the Winter Rose project bag pieces designed by Brenda Gervais.  I had never made a bag using her particular instructions.  Decided to do a prototype before I committed and messed up the fabric.  Her instructions were clear and a bit easier than the usual I follow.  I am very happy with the final results.

Prototypes...I made two of these.  Canvas front and back, cotton fabric inside, fully lined.

One of these.  I stitched the center years ago and just found the perfect fabric.  All cotton.

And the final product.  The canvas was provided but the inside fabric was from my stash.  The original was done in pick, but I really like the green with small pink flowers.  Finished one each for me and my friend.

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I finished one piece for my friend.  This tray is much bigger than I thought it would be, about seven by nine inches.  The different fabric on the side is a pocket for scissors.

My garden is happy this week.  I've picked a few blueberries.  Much better than store bought.  My cucumber plants are finally starting to grow!

I know everyone loves the roses!

Here is Jack Jack.  He's doing what he does best.  Ignore me.  LOL

If you'd made it this far...thank you.  LOL  Now, for a question.  I found this stitching on Pinterest.  It was being used as a click-bait picture for Microsoft Outlook.  No information and it led to nowhere.  A few others has pinned it, but only said it was "Stitching Inspiration".  Has anyone ever seen this pattern?  I've looked everywhere...checked all the designers that it "looks" like.  It may be that someone pieced together several different patterns. But if you recognize this, please let me know in the comments.  I know that I could hand copy it on graph paper, but I would much rather give the designer the credit.  

I am off like a herd of turtles.  Yesterday was housework and laundry.  I think today will be a rest and stitch day.  Smile.  Wishing you each a good weekend. Be safe.  Be kind to one another.

  

UPDATE!!  My friend spent another day looking for this pattern.  She found it on the Prim Stitchers' Society private group on FB.  It was a free pattern from Notforgotten Farms, 2015.   I belong to that group...LOL...but didn't sign up until a few years ago.  I am very excited!!