Celebrating Accomplishments

 Look what I did!

I pieced a wall hanging!

I need to stitch all of the appliques in place and embroider the face 

this is a lot of stitching done at one sitting.
(It will be a surprise for Will at the end of school soon!)

Little Guy is learning to play happily all on his own!

(In the center area, I will be stitching a  large clip to hang 'important' papers to display!)

And look at the beautiful Peace Lily!

It is happy in a shady corner of the lanai-

we all have to find that place in life where we flower our best....

Live and Learn

 Lena is not always silly-at least I am not good at capturing the moment-usually!

She stayed in here for a long time.

 Here is the new bit of horticulture education for myself--Bill was given this long stick--on the left.

I watered it all winter and a bit of green did start showing up on the tips.

I thought he had given me a bum job but soon we could see that on the top 

there was definitely a cluster of flower buds.

This afternoon, one of the buds opened into this beautiful flower-

AND the aroma is beyond description! 

 Dare I say, it smells better than a rose to me!

A quick search on  Google and I learned that it is a Plumeria or Frangipani;  

the one and only essential oil I have worn as a perfume since I was 18!

How exciting to meet the real flower! 

 And not to minimize the flower on the right, the Canna Lily--

lacking in aroma but very showy in its red flowers that just keep on coming!  

 I found a few minutes yesterday to cut out the pieces for this wall hanging 

and  actually sewed two strips today.

And look who was tired out after all of that sewing!

New Job?!

 It is still wet and swampy out back.

The frogs are happy.

 Dear Husband, who is suffering from extreme cabin fever, decided to use the old mower to do a little mowing...

it was wetter than he thought.  And he  is not as quick at steering with only one arm.

I was able to use the golf cart to pull him out using a tow rope.

 And my neighbor Millie also needed some help!

One more pass was one too many!

Good thing I know my way around a 'tow vehicle'!

 The middle of May and a bit of rain and all of the yard shoots out rain lilies!

Beautiful and aromatic!

It was a nice day to be outside!

A night out for dinner (the rain date for our anniversary!) and then a lit by the river.

Tubes!

 The Zigzagular socks are almost knitting themselves!

I am enjoying the speckled yarn

though I have knit these socks in so many kinds of yarns-tonal, striped and plain-

and they all look good!

It is a free pattern on Ravelry and you should give it a try!

I work several rows the Begonia sweater sleeve-

8 between sleeve increases-

and it is a good knit 

which is a good thing because I have another sleeve to make!

Baby Shark Serenade!

After dinner recreation last night!

The boys sang me the baby shark and his whole family song
while I knitted on a new speckled yarn sock!

Get Up and Try Again

 I am upright today!

Not that I am moving quickly but moving is better than the last two days.

 And three times a day I get to be the nurse and fill my husband's veins with these!

Soon I will be standing tall and looking like these guys...

I might even smile!

Begonia Growing

While I could barely move yesterday, my fingers did a lot of knitting.
16" from hem to underarms.

And now I will begin the sleeves.
I will see how far I can move about today.
MS exacts a miserable price for overextending...

Down Day

This is all folks..

Weary

Bill is home-he is sore and back with a wound vac on his elbo 

and 3xday I administer antibiotic infusions 

but he is home!

Consequently, I ran out of gas today-

I have been doing the work of 2 people keeping things running smoothly for the last 10 weeks

and it has caught up with me!

(yes, Bill is ready to be well, too, but this is my blog so you are going to hear me droop...)

And then these arrived from my youngest son and family;

what a bouquet of love....

they are right next to my bed and then going to be moved to wherever I am all day!

Begonia Progress

My Begonia Pullover grows. 

I don't get to work on it as often as I'd like.

I am enjoying the lace;  it has a 23 stitch repeat

 but it is a mirror image so it is really easy to knit it

 without starting at the chart except for the first minute!

I only have half of the chart to go 

and then it will be simply the broken rib pattern to the armpits.

A Different Kind

 Quick and easy projects are very appealing right now.

I made these two pillow cases for my Fernandina grands.

 It will help with dreams of special interests right now!

 I am also trying to knit a block each day for the MKAL;

it has been very enjoyable to experiment with different textures for such a small space (7" x 9").

Speaking of small projects-I turned this bottle stopper on the lathe.

I felt more in control today and less like the idiot on the end of a tool!

Filled with Fluff

Two embroideries have become two pillows!

We stopped at the pier after we picked up Will from school.

There were ladyfish that did some incredible jumps much to our delight!

And there was a small plane that landed and took off from the lake several times-

very fun to watch!

And for much of every afternoon-this is my view as I chase after both energetic boys!

Pillow Blanks

 I'm ready to turn this piece of canvas into a pillow top! 

 Isn't it perfect for April, even if it is late to the party!

 My other orchid opened into two beautiful blooms-

now they have each other to brighten their windowsill!

And I am working on the pillow for May so I will have two new pillows very soon!

Slow Saturday

 I was able to both catch up on chores around the house and to play today.
I made several swatches noting all my information and then ripping the out to make the block
I needed for a MKAL (machine knit along) I am taking part in on the KnitItNow site.
A blanket for charity is the goal-all in different stitches each in a 7 x 9" blocks
and seamed together eventually.

 This is Tuck Stitch

The rectangles are  not blocked yet but I made 3 today.

(six really but the other three swatches were ripped out for these!)

It was a good lesson for me and easily entertaining.

  I also set a new embroidery to work for a pillow -- my plan for a pillow a month fell behind
so I am catching up;  this one is for April, of course.
The one for May is going to be a wreath of flowers with a butterfly.

And the rest of the time was spent gardening.

Speaking of gardening-look at the cool label my daughter crafted from a discarded window blind slat!
This is pleasing on every level and now I need to up my game and make them for my yard!

Outlook

 I know so many of you know what it is like to sit with a loved one in the hospital.

During a T-storm no less.  It had cleared off mostly, when I left.

Surgery number 3 transpired just before I arrived.

We are praying for a homerun this time!

I did a little knitting on the red dishcloth while Bill dozed.

I doubled the size of the 'woven strands' for the red one--

this is actually how the pattern from Kathy B is written.

Here is Stormy-not usually photogenic but she is worried that Bill is gone
and so she won't leave my side-which is not how she usually rolls.
We all have to weather this together little cross-eyed old girl!

Sober Sighs

So while Bill went to the surgeon to get his stitches removed finally,

I learned how to sharpen my new wood turning tools!

And played a very little while with a full steam ahead Little Guy who is feeling fine again!

This is not really anything in particular-just learning how to play but it looks like a thimble, 

doesn't it?!

And then when the boys and I were having a wonderful swim in the pool

(which is 88* and delicious , by the way!)

Bill called to say the doctor had sent him right to the hospital....

The infection is not cleared up. 

 All the antibiotics and surgeries haven't eradicated the staph bacteria.

What's next?

It's not clear yet.

A Good Turn

Morning view of sunrise over Crescent Lake.

Early morning drive to take Will to school.

A lovely start to the day!

And 1/2 a day's work gives me a spot in the garage to practice lathe work!

I have wanted to learn how to make bowls especially
  but lots of other stunning wooden pieces and now I will try it ....

soon!

(The peg board behind the dresser/workbench will be attached to the back

of the dresser to hold tools and the light and will help contain

all of the wood chips that will be flying!
A sick husband slowed down the schedule for this!)

And a little knitting has happened.
This is the pattern from a fellow blogger .

Ahhh, Savor a Sniff!

 Crinum Asiaticum is a four foot tall tropical plant that delivers on the aroma department!

The scent can be appreciated from near and far!

Isn't it a pretty lily!

Health update-little guy is doing better but he sure looks rung out.
NEWS FLASH--I SPOKE TOO SOON-UP THROWING UP AGAIN LAST NIGHT
AND IS NOW RUNNING A TEMP OF 101!
ACK!

And now DH is throwing up....

Hear ye, hear ye!  I am NOT  joining this club!

Today is our 43rd wedding anniversary !

I don't think we will be celebrating with a dinner out tonight though!