That's a Negative!

Oh yay!  I am Covid-19 free.  As is DH and close friends.  Found out last week and took a moment to be thankful before beginning my happy dance.  LOL

We are sticking close to home and dreaming of traveling.  Sigh.  I miss my son so much.  I have visited at least once a year since he moved to Iowa.  This is the first year that I have no plans.  Sigh again.

Working on my SAL.  Here is the updated picture.  August is up and planning on getting started tonight.

My dahlias are gorgeous, though not as many blooms as last year.

It was a bit cooler last week so my roses had new blooms.  I took these yesterday.  Today's heat hit hard and most will be dehydrated by the end of the day.

I'm loving my grapes this year.  So tasty!  And the birds agree.  LOL  I go out every day and hope that the birds slept in and I've got a chance to harvest.

Here is an example of Grape Roulette.  The left...I win.  The right...the birds win.  LOL

Watching my kumquats grow, very slowly.  Kumquat for one.

My walking buddy was busy this morning so I decided to do some baking before the heat hit.  Some lovely white chocolate/raisin cookies.  I also baked banana bread.  Lucky I started so early...temperature hit 102 degrees today.  Yikes!

Several years ago my husband adopted a cat.  Moto is a sweetie but can look pretty grumpy.  I call this picture "Yellow Cat on a Yellow Tractor".

Doesn't he look great?  LOL

Okay, enough sharing for today.  Take care.  Be kind to one another.

I Do Not Want a Do-Over on Last Week

Good morning from the rancho.  Last week was a blur of naps and more naps.  On Monday, while at the eye doctor with my DH, my walking buddy called to say that she was positive for Covid 19.  Sigh.  I have been so careful...masks, sanitizer, more sanitizer.  But...my walks.  And it really wasn't the walks.  We live on a dirt road so it was easy to be six feet apart.  But she stepped into the house to pick up a mask pattern.  Yep, I was just trying to help.  My name got sent to the health department as a contact so I was on house arrest for seven days.  Any little twinge or ache was a sure sign of Covid.  I decided that rest was best...napping every day, sometimes for up to five hours.  I don't know if those actually count as naps or just daytime sleeps.  LOL  As I wasn't showing any recognized symptoms, our area won't do a test.  I did sign up for one on my own, but it took a week to get the appointment.  I signed DH up for one, too.  He wasn't on her contact list, but he's on mine.  The test is Monday and I won't get a result for up to five days.  Sigh.  More time to garden and stitch, I suppose....

On to gardening...

My geraniums are in full bloom.  So many colors.

I love spider plants and have a baby boom going on this year.  I have variegated, reverse variegated and a plain green.  I keep some outside and have quite a few inside.  They are an underrated plant.  So pretty and don't ask for much.  LOL

Whenever I get ready to start a new yarn project, I like to knit a washcloth.  It helps to improve my muscle memory and tension.  

This is the real project.  It can be used as a wrap or scarf.  Super simple, but that green is gorgeous.  And it's a merino wool and silk blend.  Spectacular!

Today will be a repeat of the last six days...water plants, stitch, sleep.  I may throw in some baking.  We are almost out of oatmeal cranberry cookies.  LOL

Time to get moving.  I'm on my second cup of coffee and the caffeine is starting to kick in.  Take care and be kind to one another.

Catching Up With Life...

Good evening from the rancho.  Super busy the past few weeks.  I went up to the Sacramento area to  be with a close friend.  Both of us have been consistently social distancing.  Her husband is battling cancer and things have taken a turn for the worse.  His last chemo just wasn't making any improvement.  Started a new chemo last Friday.  I went up to help the family so they could take a breath and regroup.  I did all the comfort things...baking cookies, making meals and giving hugs.  They have been married for over fifty years.  This is going to be so hard.  Sigh.

Yesterday one of our neighbors brought her husband home on Hospice after a stoke several months ago.  I went down and visited for a few hours in the afternoon...just talking about how Hospice works and how to say goodbye.  She called late last night, so back down to sit and just add some calm. My husband says I'm good at this.  My dad passed almost two years ago and it still hurts.  Another sigh.

Very hot yesterday and today, over 100 degrees.  I'm walking Monday through Friday but almost talked myself out of it this morning.  LOL  Glad I got it done and might even be able to sleep in tomorrow morning.  Working on masks and doing some cross stitching.  Here's last night's update.  I'm loving the autumn colors.

The heat is doing a job on my zucchini but my tomatoes are so happy.  LOL  I've got a single kumquat.  Waiting, waiting, waiting...

Here are some pictures of my banana bread and cookies from a couple of weeks ago.  I need to make more, but must bake before 8 am.  Just too darn hot.  LOL

A new geranium plant I picked up a few months ago.  The flowers are pretty plain but the leaves are gorgeous!

Our county is still showing an increase in Covid-19 cases.  I continue to be careful, wearing a mask while in town and using gallons of hand sanitizer.  The last sanitizer I purchased was from a local distillery.  I smell like a very expensive cocktail after I use it.  LOL  I don't know anyone that has Covid, so I think I'm holding my own. 

I wish each of you a safe and pleasant weekend.  Be kind to one another.

A Friday Afternoon Ramble

Good afternoon from the rancho.  Didn't get to the computer this morning as I was driving Mr. Daisy to the eye doctor.  I took my morning walk through the neighborhoods around the doctor's office.  Nice to see some new vistas.  I love to peek in people's yards, checking out the flowers and outside decorating ideas.  I know, sounds creepy but I don't go INTO the yards.  LOL

Lots going on in my garden.  Strawberries are throwing out runners, tomatoes are almost ready and the amount of zucchini I'm harvesting is almost obscene. 

The other morning we had zucchini and eggs for breakfast.  I'm getting desperate.  LOL  Added some cheese, spinach and salsa verde.  Yummy.

While cleaning out my kitchen drawers, I found four potatoes that were growing vines.  I felt bad and didn't want to throw them away.  So...I am now the proud owner of a potato pot.  At least I'm giving them a chance.  LOL  Doesn't look like much, but I'm hopeful.

My roses have started blooming again.  I love my roses and the reminder of my dad.

         

Not much on the stitching front.  I got in about an hour at the doctor's while waiting, but I seem to be stitching at a snail's pace.  Honestly, a snail is probably stitching faster than me right now.  LOL

California is back to wearing masks in public.  Surprise...I never stopped.  LOL  It makes me sad that so many people complain that wearing a mask makes them a sheep and it's the government's way of controlling the masses.  The mask isn't for me, it's for others.  What if I'm the carrier?  Sigh.  People make me tired.

I hope that all have a lovely weekend.  Stay safe.  Be kind to one another.

Beautiful Flowers and The Crazy World

Happy Friday from the rancho.  It is a beautiful day in California.  The first of the week was hot but today was clear with a light breeze.  Only 80 degrees!  My roses are loving it.

My geraniums are in full bloom.  This sherbet color is one of my favorites.

I got a little carried away and planted another five tubs of veggies.  More lettuce, spinach, winter squash, cucumbers and some type of French cantaloupe.  Not sure where DH picked up the cantaloupe seeds, but the picture is real fancy.  Organic and all that.  I just hope they grow. 

Early in the week, the temperatures were in the low 100s.  The perfect time to get some stitching in.

The world is a crazy place.  Last Wednesday, our town had an active shooter.  Several officers were injured and two people are dead.  It is said that the shooter had been diagnosed with mental illness many years ago.  So sad.  Now an innocent man and the shooter are dead.  Officers are still in the hospital.  Nothing was gained.  All that is left is sadness.  Please keep all involved in your hearts.

I leave each of you with thoughts of hope.  Hug your loved ones, smile at strangers.  Be kind to one another.

It's Friday...I Think...

Okay.  I think it's Friday.  Pretty sure it's Friday.  Yes... It's Friday.  My days and weeks just seem to flow on and on.

This has been the week of temperatures over 100 degrees at the rancho.  Most of my roses went from beautiful to dehydrated in about an hour.  I have great hope for my tomatoes.  Lots of fruit, but nothing is red.  I'm picking one or two zucchini a day as well as harvesting lettuce.  My grapes are loaded.  I've had them for about ten years.  Last year was the first year that I beat the birds to the fruit.  LOL

A few pictures of my garden.

     

Teeny, tiny spaghetti squash.

 
Lovely cactus flower and one of the few roses I have that it was still vibrant. 

          

I've stitched a bit.  The SAL has a huge motif for March.  I'm hoping to finish it by March of next year.  I'm still following the 8 PM curfew on my phone so I am getting more sleep.  If I could just get my dogs to sleep.  I don't think that they know how to tell time, but they are really good about waking me up at exactly 4:30 am each morning.  Since I don't need to be up until 6 am, I do get an attitude.

A friend found several lots of quilt-shop-quality fabric on our local Marketplace.  I went all in and picked up a couple hundred yards.  Fat quarters, half yards and full yards.  I know, I know, out of control, but the woman had the fabric priced at $2.50 a yard so I just couldn't say no.  And...my friend will buy all the full yards of the fabric that I won't use for quilting or finishing.  She's teaching her grandchildren to sew.  I have a machine that someone had given me a year ago.  I didn't need it, but didn't want it to go to a landfill.  I offered it to my friend for the kids.  It's an all metal Morse from the 1950's.  It has an awesome stitch.  She was excited...it is same type of machine that she learned on!  Win-Win!! 

I wish each of you a weekend filled with peace and love.  Take time to sit quietly and appreciate the gifts of others.  The world is a scary place right now.  I refuse to be filled with hate.  Be kind to one another.

A Beautiful Day in the Garden and Some Stitching!

Happy Friday!  I was up early and took my walk while the sun was still coming up. A good way to start the day.

I've been working diligently in my garden and continue to harvest lettuce and zucchini.  My asparagus is starting to really look like asparagus and my tomato plant is ready for the hot days of summer.

I am upping my gardening game.  My son and I discussed kumquat trees several months ago.  It is a type of tree that does well inside and he was considering two for his house in Iowa.  Kumquat trees are really expensive in Iowa but are more reasonable in California.  I picked up two and told my son that the trees are his but will have to live with me.  They will be part of his inheritance.  LOL  As for the lime, I really like limes on my tacos...that's the only the reason I need.  

My patio is my quiet place.  My plants are growing and it is lush and cool.  All of my geraniums are blooming.

There are a few rose bushes on their second bloom. The blooms are not as big, but just as beautiful.

For those who remember when I used to stitch, I have an update.  LOL  I started on this SAL last January.  Still working on April's pattern...but that's okay.  I realized that I spend way too much time on YouTube, playing games on my phone and hanging out on Facebook.  Decided that I needed to better organize my time.  I set the alarm on my phone for 8 pm.  As soon as it goes off, I put my phone in the other room and sit down and stitch.  I am seeing progress.  What a surprise!  

This pattern is from Linen and Threads SAL...on FB.  LOL  I somehow counted incorrectly so I will be missing the bottom two inches.  I'm okay with that.  I think I miscalculated the true count of my linen. I have a horrible habit of leaving off the names and counts of my linens when I put them in storage. Silly me!! 

I hope that all have a beautiful weekend.  Be safe.  Be kind to one another.