And You Ask...Where Have I Been?

Good evening, peeps and peepettes!  I had every intention to update my blog last week.  Sent all my pictures to my email (I know, the long way around, but it works for me), got some coffee, and plopped down in front of my computer.  I was ready...

I open my email.  Odd, it seems that my email is holding all of my pictures hostage...first it won't open ANY of them, then it tells me that I do not have an internet connection. No...I have internet connection.  And how do I know that?  Because that's what I used to open my email!!!

I go get my phone cord and attempt (yes, attempt) to download my pictures.  Hmmm, now the computer refuses to recognize my phone.  Really?  You recognized it the last 15 times that I downloaded pictures. To say that I was annoyed was an understatement.

Next, I get my phone.  I figured out how to post from my phone back in February.  I can do this.  I write three paragraphs, add two, yes, two pictures....and hit the back button.  Everything disappears.
Sorry, at this point, I refused to go any further.  Gave myself a few days.  Did a search, got a few ideas how to fix my problem.  Did it work?  Nope.  Still no pictures.  Then today, out of the blue, it works.  Don't know what I did, but I am doing this update as fast as I can before it shuts me off again. LOL

My little bird friends have returned to my spider plant.  But this year, I have two nests.  To me, that makes it a condo.  LOL   I have one with eggs, one with baby bird butts.

My tomato plant and I got tomatoes!!  I didn't make it green tinged, the sun was shining when I took this...

Here is a few of my irises.  The first is gift that I received from Vickie over at A Stitcher's Story.  She was so sweet to send this several months ago.  Remember my swooning over the Piggly Wiggly bags? LOL It is such a beautiful shade of purple and smells just like grape kool-aid.  Really!!  It does!

The usual suspects...

My son left this amaryllis when he move up to the Bay Area.  I do nothing with it except add a bit of water. I've gotten a bloom every year.  LOL

 

A double update...my hubby's scarf and my granny square "Giants" blanket.  I have one skein left on the scarf.  Yay!! I know he can't use it until next year, but I WILL finish it before then!

Okay, off to finish Dad chores.  Hubby is visiting family, so Dad and I are flying solo tonight.  I hope that everyone has a wonderful Sunday.  Be kind to one another.

The Traveling Stitcher Returns

Happy Monday, peeps and peepettes!

I am back from my finishing retreat in Modesto.  I had a great time!  There is something about hanging out with 25 other people that love to stitch as much as you do.  LOL  The retreat is led by Lois Bear from Elegant Stitch.  That woman has more artistic talent than anyone I have ever met. She can look at a project and give you five different ways to finish it.  She always says that we need to think outside of the box.  Well, she takes us out of the box and across the street!

I stitched, and sewed, and beaded, and stitched some more.  Here a few of my finished-finished projects.

These are both Little House Needlework patterns.  Look closely and you will see the teeny, tiny mini pom-poms.   These are hand-dyed by Lois as part of her Lady Dot line.  She also dyes silk ribbon and chenille.

                            

This is a pattern by Pineberry Lane.  This uses the Lady Dot hand-dyed silk ribbon in "vintage".

This is a close-up of the silk ribbon.  Isn't it beautiful?  Can you see the tiny beads?  It wasn't enough for Lois to suggest ruched ribbon, but then said that the only way to finish it was with beads.  LOL The ribbon took about an hour and a half to ruche, and then another hour to sew on the ribbon and add the beads. Did it take a long time?  Absolutely, but this finish was worth every minute!

Then I worked on my sampler.  Finally got one side of the vine done and half of the top.  Not bad for a couple of hours...

Back to reality this afternoon.  It was warmer than expected, so I was out watering as soon as I got home. I will close with some pictures of my roses.  Midnight Rose...a deep, deep red that turns almost purple the longer it is open.

George Burns...yellow with red accents. 

I also worked on my husband's scarf and my Giant's blanket.  And took a side trip to a yarn store.  I will save those pictures for next time. LOL

Have a wonderful week and be kind to one another.

Sunday Chores and Blooms Galore

Good afternoon, peeps!  A warm and breezy day here at the rancho.  We hit about 80 degrees.  I worked out in the yard for a couple of hours...exercise is exercise.  LOL  I got everything watered, trimmed the dead roses off the bushes, and did an hour of the "never-ending" raking.  I love our trees, but they shed worse than the dog.  LOL

My irises are starting to bloom.  It's funny how they come in waves.  First my purples, then my peaches and lilacs.  I'm still waiting for my greens/purples.

These are a smaller iris, less that a foot high.

Now these are from the bed next to the road.  These came from the neighbors, in a bag, so it's always a surprise of what color blooms in what area.  I can never remember from year to year.  LOL    

                              

I have no idea what color this may be...maybe purple, maybe purple and green?  I should know in a few days.

I've been working on hubby's scarf.  I'm on the second skein, only two more to go.  He says at the rate that I am stitching, he won't get to wear it until next year.  Okay, I'm knitting as fast as I can.  Can I help that I have have the attention span of a hamster?  LOL  First I work on his scarf, then on a blanket, then, oh look there, I should work on my quilt!  But first I have to clean off my craft table so I can find the sewing machine, then, what!?  Is that my cross stitch project?  I should get a few stitches in on that.  Oh, look how my machine cover is starting to rip...I should make a new one.

He's lucky I've finished one skein.  LOL  LOL

I had lunch with a friend and took a walk through a yarn shop in her town.  This skein, and two of it's friends, jumped into my hands and begged, yes begged, to come home with me.  Is that not a beautiful blue?  Almost electric!  It is an acrylic/wool blend.  I promise not to start something with it until I finish hubby's scarf.  Really.  LOL

Things are the same with Dad.  Still no talking, no better, no worse.  I've got a finishing retreat in a few weeks.  Hubby and Baby Sister will be taking care of Dad for the weekend.  I feel bad about going, but know that it is way past time.  The last time I left was with Baby Sister to the hospital and before that? Last year in May.  It is time for a break...

My final pictures are of part of my daily commute.  The rains have helped both grass and flowers. The first picture shows the wonderful green hills.  The yellow on the left side is wild mustard.  The second picture shows a blanket of California poppies.  It's been a long, long time since they have been so thick.

I hope that each of you have a wonderful week.  Be kind to one another.