IT'S LOVE

Bill is great about bringing me a 'just because' bouquet at least once a week.  They go on my dresser in the bedroom where I can see them first and last thing each day!  

And every once in a while he will buy me this bag--all for me! 

 A secret (well, not anymore!) indulgence of mine! lol

The quilting is now finished; 

the table runner is trimmed and I will get the binding on it today! 

 I wanted it done for July  and I did it, just in time!

 

CUSHION FASHION

I ordered enough fabric to cover all the cushions

 on the table and lounge chairs.

Two done!

Two to go!

Two chairs done and four to go!  I have all the measuring down, so it is a simple task to sew down one end and the side, turn right side out, stuff the old cushion in the tube

 and then stitch up the other end!!!! 

 (Though it is a bit like stuffing spaghetti uphill 

to get the old cushion in the tube! lol)

And just to prove I do spend some time in the kitchen-here is some French bread I made

to go with the fresh stuffed peppers! 

 I have found a way to work with the headache--I am down for an hour and can be up for an hour, off and on all day with longer down time and shorter up time as the day goes on!

  At least I'm up for a lot more time than last week!!!

 

Never Too Old to Learn a New Trick

I am loving the quilting on this modern style quilt.  It is my first one to do like this.  It's working out pleasurably, yippee! 

Today I went to a watercolor class.  Understand, I learn something new by myself not in a class setting.  It has been a long time since I took a class but it was so inspiring.

This picture is only half done...I had to wait for the basket and the left side to dry before I could add more detail;  it is homework because I am going again next month! 

This one was done with a different technique and I had to draw....it is so intimidating to put pencil to that big blank paper!!!!

I learned to be its friend!

I know I am a rookie, but I sure did love what I learned and can't wait for next month's lesson! 

On the home front, Bill and I have been working on the front gardens.

They so easily get overgrown so we thinned and defined and got it ready for adding mulch. 

The sun really bakes this front garden so the mulch helps to keep the roots moist and not parched when it is bare like this. 

We trimmed down the prickly pear cactus, too, and it is much more manageable now.

The mulch can't come soon enough! 

Friday, we visited Daytona Beach for our run to Sam's and to JoAnn's for restocking and then we reward ourselves with the NY style pizza from Saldo's Pizza in Ormond Beach on the way home.

They have the largest slices I have ever seen!   

We had a little rain and a beautiful rainbow over our house then we got home....it is a wonderful reminder of God's love!

I Knew That.........

I got out the four skeins of hand spun cotton that I had dyed a few years ago.  I never did anything with it because it wouldn't stop bleeding dye.   I put it in the washer in a lingerie bag to soak in the clorox to get rid of the extra dye.   Well, the color isn't bleeding now but I forgot to turn off the cycle when the washer filled and the lingerie bag zipper broke and the washer was filled with this tangled mess.   I laid it out in the sun to dry thinking I could untangle it but I am admitting defeat!
I threw the whole mess into the trash.   You have heard the phrase 'yarn barf' well this is it!
Note to self-the washer may be used with fiber antics only as a big soaking tub....do not walk away!   Ever.

On a brighter note, I made some of creamed peas and tuna earlier this week-it is comfort food. Has anyone ever heard of it or eaten it?

 The King Orchid is in full bloom-it is magnificent!

These little faces look like they are laughing!  I have several skeins of cotton left to play with-I am trying to laugh at myself, too........

Fruit of the Season

Let the butter dripping begin!

Jammin'

Here we go 'round the mulberry bush...........

They sure do grow much bigger here than on the tree we had up north!   Most of the ripe ones are as big as my thumb!  This tree resides at a friend's house but we have plans to plant one out back by the pond area.  (The birds love these trees, too, and they leave proof of their appreciation all over your house/vehicles! 

Sure does smell good-yup, jam cooking on the stove!

All lids sealed-love to count those pops!

I have long had this idea in my head, a bamboo trellis, and it turned out as beautifully as I had hoped. 

 The construction is a very fast work, so I will be making a bunch of these!  This will eventually be going in the pool area but for now it is going to help support the new wisteria I am starting!  And then I want some by my roses....

Speaking of the pool area, we have this going on in the backyard.

And this evening they had it connected to the house!

It is coming just in time because the beautiful breeze and the newly leafing LiveOaks are making for a very messy pool bottom!

Gotta love the internet; I was able to find a source for the discontinued skein of lace yarn!  It is on its way to me already!  In the meantime, I am working on this-I have plenty of extra yarn so no worries in that regard this time!

(Luna Limberlost mystery shawl)

Shades

I started out he day with another batch of strawberry jam.  We had bought some new jars and they really helped the whole process along.  I was much more coordinated on the whole canning dance this morning.  The whole house smelled so good!

After cleaning up the kitchen, I moved on to the sewing room.  I have two of the four bedroom windows shaded!  Quite by accident, I matched the patterns of both panels!  There is plenty of material to be sure and do that on the other two also.

Fresh radishes for dinner tonight!  The garden is coming along just fine.  The rain we got yesterday gave immediate results.

Some leaves off a cactus rose.....yes, Dad, your cactus rose is doing wonderfully and still has a little flower left on it.  I hope to make some new ones from these leaves Bill knocked off by accident. 

 (This plant has grown from one little rose-have I mentioned my dad has a green thumb, well, two green thumbs!)

While knitting away , I notice this..........and that sinking feeling that only knitters experience when there are 10 more pattern rows and 10 more knit rows and not enough yarn to finish the shawl. 

Saga to be continued.

Kitchen Work

It is a well known fact that I don't favor cooking time in the kitchen.  The main reason is that I like a return on my investments..........cooking takes up time and the results don't last!  (Yes, I know the logic of needing to eat , etc.  but that doesn't make the task of cooking any pleasanter; I would be one of the first to sign up for energy bars if they contained all the nutrition you needed in a day and then once a week I could eat something more palatable like pizza!)  Perhaps this is why I like preserving food-it lasts!  

I cooked up the jam and then while the jars were cooling, I chopped a quart up for strawberry shortcake.  Is there anything so good?!

Ahhhhh, fresh zuccini and summer squash for dinner tonight-the fresh veggies are rolling in the stands.  I do enjoy this time of year!

This is my favorite kind of kitchen work.........crockpot dyeing skeins of wool!

Rainy Day Do's

We are still getting lots of banana peppers so we tried to make a new treat; we made a filling of cream cheese and mozerella, onions.  Baked at 400 for 25 mins and it was just too wonderful!  I think we will pick a bunch to bring up to Marsel's at Christmas to share the delight!

We started to put up our Christmas tree; Nyki went beserk!  This is her first Christmas and she didn't know what to do first.  Bling remembered, you sleep under the tree.  Nyki climbed it, tried to bite the lights and suck up a strand of tinsel.  Just like having a toddler again! 

Bill went to a high school football game tonight and I opted to stay home, warm and dry instead.  I was sitting with Bling on my lap and spinning my wool when the power went out.  Do you realize how dark it is when the lights go out at night?!  Good thing I had my cell phone next to me on the couch because I used it as a flashlight to go and dig out the hurricane lamp!  I got the storm radio out and sat in the dim light and enjoyed the beat of the rain on the roof (just over 2").  It wasn't out too long (1/2 hour) but it was an interesting interlude for my evening.

I did manage to finish two skeins of the Targhee; it is so soft, reminds me of minkee fabric , if you have ever had the privilege of feeling that.  I hope there is enough to knit a pair of something!

Packing Day!

I realized I didn't post a full-sized pic of the mystery Christmas quilt, so here it is. It has been returned to its 'going to GA' pile. I drew the panto for this-a large poinsettia and I moved the panto design back and forth for each row to offset it-a bit of fussing but worth it to get the look I wanted. Kind of hard to see but its there!
I finished the Psalm quilt and it is now all wrapped to be given tonight. The quilting design is the standard meander design that came with my machine but I increased the size to make a more open design so it wouldn't overwhelm the Scripture blocks. I think I found the right balance.
I have the Psalm quilt that I made for us in the 'going to GA' pile so I can finish the binding there, too.
This is the sweater I am making myself. It is the recycled homespun yarn that is working up nicely into this perfect weight for FL sweater (we were at 80 degrees yesterday!) It is a freebie pattern from Pamela Wynne called February Lady sweater. It is a worsted weight yarn on #8 needles knit from the top down so it goes quickly. And since the yarn is limited-you can make it as long as you have yarn for-a perfect pattern for this instance!

This is a treat from our garden-aren't they beautiful?! We had these for supper last night.

We have also been enjoying this treat in the evening; fresh roasted peanuts. The peanuts raw are delicious and you can understand why they are called a legumes when you eat them raw-they taste just like fresh picked peas. Someone told us about baking them in the shell; tossed in oil and lightly salted. They were incredible! We are taking 5# to GA to share the culinary pleasure!

Off to pack up-I will be sharing my daughter's technology to keep you posted. Hope you will have a good Christmas celebration also.