April - It Came and Went

 Still reading many books each month and this month besides taking care of some remaining items from Mom's life, many seasonal chores, the athletics for the grand children, and the WIPs I wanted to complete I was again really busy.  A quick recap follows.

Books read since I last shared:

Mom's stuff: though she gave away most all there are some sentimental items I received and another quilt (the Solids in Spiral) I brought to my Long arm quilter just last week.  Still need to attend to much of it as I am mourning and somewhat growing and getting away from my "life's feeling of overwhelm".  Thankfully, I keep telling myself    I don't procrastinate   , that alone is helping.  

Seasonal Items:  Besides the winter blow down, raking the yard and lawns, blowing the landscape around the home, cleaning out the gutters (PHEW! that alone took 2 days), deadheading and pruning shrubs and the flowers , fertilizing the fruit trees and evergreens I managed to get it all done.  Happy and glad I obtained nearly 141 miles walked as I went about it. Another WIN.

Disregard that wheel barrow full of fire logs back near the gate, while going for a hike at a favorite spot of mine, the Power Company had cut down sections of trees in their way, thus leaving a mess.  I helped them  out and brought home some useable awkward sections for my fire pit enjoyment.  lol  

The gutters needed replacing so while still on target I inquired with the Leaf Guard company.  Their quote made me stagger.  I kid you not, so I opted to go to the same company that installed the earlier out of date system 25 + years ago and was happy with both the result and price.  Two areas of concern were the black ice build up near my front and side door entrances.  It seemed to always drip from the seams or over flow them causing icicles and more drips.  Of course sure enough those areas would  freeze in those most critical areas.  I'm assured those days are done with.  

The other area are the 2 downspouts.  The one newly installed near the front door I want to landscape into its environment and this is how it currently looks in the above photo. 

Not Pretty.  ;-(  

Initially they laid that 4" PVC pipe just next to the paver bricks.  NOPE! What an EYESORE for the first impression of my home.  

So I asked them to angle it backwards into the rock area not the patio so it would not be able to pool there on the step area.

 The other downspout is my access point to the hose manifold area so I asked if they could use the 4" PVC pipe for sturdiness and I'd purchase landscape blocks to elevate a bricked patio step for use.  

They tried and here it is to the left.  

They used a cut piece of pine bough timber to support the patio bricks that had been thrown in there initially and temporarily.  They tried to make it nice while workable.  I see when taking the pic that the alignment and the pitch is off now, so more potential problems down the road....   A for effort anyways.  As they mentioned, they don't dig.  lol

So both of those tasks move onto my May chores.  

The two youngest Grands:  

The youngest grands are both enjoying their sports and doing well scholastically.

PGS#3 pictured on the left is an 8th grader, high honor roll student who also happens to be on the Varsity Hockey team.  A once in a lifetime chance occurred for him this Spring at the end of the Hockey season that I haven't yet shared.  His team made it to the NYS Final Four Competition.  Fanfare upon their departure to Buffalo, NY for the weekend to practice and then compete.   I'll do a separate post for that.  

He's close to 5'10" here and he's solid with a-lot of muscle.   Awhile ago as he was going through a rapid growth spirt (about an inch every 6 months), I asked him if he hurt.  He'd inquire...What?  I'd reply growing so quickly with one part not quite corresponding to the next part's growth?  "NO"  was his reply and I think he assumed I was cracked!  lol   Soon after I asked him what his goal was since I've always maintained that we manifest our destiny and futures dependent on our life choices, and then again he looked at me like, WHAT?  I clarified, "How tall are you going to be? What's your desire?"   Being a teen, he didn't care of course.   LOL  

This past week,  PGS#3 stole the winning run on an err when they tried to throw him out on 3rd.  Game Over.

🎤mic drop.

PGD#1 Was noted as "Player of the Game" with the win 2 weeks ago for her softball team.   All in all, great times to watch especially as she'll graduate in June and has committed to Oneonta for the fall- pursuing her dream in the Medical field.  I'll share one of her Senior Pictures below with some of her talents, not too shabby for an High Honor Roll Student!  Truly, during her photo shoot she had over 50 pictures taken and not 1 shot was off.  She is beautiful and very photogenic.

I'm proud of all my grandchildren and children too for that matter.  Good Peeps - all around.

WIPS:  Managed to get my Spool quilt center top assembled (believe that was done in March) but there she sits.  Am auditioning border treatments and made a couple of purchases to continue but my creativity breaks slam down hard and I know it just isn't quite right.  So I'm percolating that project.   

Did complete a Needlebook for one of my stitching bags.  Included a corded lobster claw loop to help stuff stay inside if needed and also placed a magnet under the applique on the batting page as a just in case and then don't you know I had a bugger of a time getting that snap adhered correctly.  Third time was the charm truly.  Sewed the binding by machine and then  hand stitched the interior side to close it.   

I cross stitched a piece from Melisa of Pinker n Punker Quilting that she gives out often and are so nice.  

I used her "HIVE in a Jar" but refrained from using the jar effect. I also created 2 smaller designs.   Another hive (due to an error in counting I went with it and made it up as I went designing my own nine patch crosses on it) and for the flower part I duplicated it close enough to Melisa's design on the larger piece, but added stitches and bees to fill it in more for the backside of the scissor fob.  Luckily, I've been able to slowly immerse myself from following the directions entirely and make these stitchings uniquely my own.

Am planning on making another needle book with that larger stitched piece and the 2 smaller parts a fob to complement them.  Then of course I plan on making another project bag with BEE stuff with the same fabrics.   lol   Wish me luck!

Sorry, so much for a quick recap. But that just seems to be the norm around here.  lol

TTFN

Cozy into Winter Stitched

 It's stitched.  Now I need to figure how I'll be FFO (I believe that acronym stands for Finally Finished Object or perhaps Finally finished Off - Either would be pertinent).  

It still needs pressing  and I'll be doing a running stitch around the outside of the design leaving 6 to 10  threads as the boundary.  This makes it easiest for me to square up and know the line to stitch on if I machine sew the finish.  Still debating on whether it's calling to be a pillow/sachet or a small framed piece.  

The design is "Cozy Into Winter" by Jeannette Douglas Designs.  Stitched on 32ct. Wichelt Café Mocha with the called for threads.  

Later.... and enjoy whatever you are doing. 

Slow Sunday Stitching -first link up 2019

I enjoy slow stitching and figured I'd link up with Kathy for this event.
With the recent scissor fob finish I'll be starting this project next:

It's all pulled ready to get started.  I may switch into a redder red tones for that house yet.

Enjoying my day with December dreams shared and learning...

This is unusual, It's Saturday morning and I am home and alone.  Ahhh..., the quiet is pure heaven. There is no television droning on in the background just hearing the ticking of the living room wall clock, no one to make a meal for or chaperon, the day is mine for a little while anyway to do as I like.
With so many possibilities then what is my intention?  Of course it's to write a simple blog post with some links on my December's intentions.  I'm linking up with Melissa of A Lovely Year of Finishes and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts. 

First up is this that needs to be completed by the 20th hopefully.  I did start it this summer and was going along until I saw that the lettering was puckered for PGD#1 name.   Not being sure what to do to fix it, it became a K-UFO.
While my sister Beth visited while her husband was working on the deck recently I shared it with her and asked her opinion.  Rip it out?  Start a new one?   Cut some of the connecting yarn carries?... were the options I had considered.  She said I was being way too picky, I just needed to continue knitting it as it was.

Thanks Beth!   I am proceeding now but am so out of practice knitting wise that I continue to TINK (that's knit backwards, LOL) rather than make any headway but the rhythm is slowly coming back.  I recently joined a knitting group at the local Senior Center to be able to ask for help since this is my first sock.
At the group, a lady said "Oh, you're doing Intarsia knitting."  Of course I've heard of that term before but didn't realize what it was.  So another tidbit learned.  She also shared that the puckering seen on Intarsia knitting was a common sight for newer knitters and was good enough.
Finished by the self imposed 12/20/15 deadline that was shared here.


Then there is this community quilt that still needs quilting and hopefully binding before next Saturday.
That way it'll be turned in and not hang around here any more! Tomorrow is the day I've slated for that, so will be linking up with Kathy at Slow stitching Sunday.
Finished by December 12th and was posted here.


Another little project I thought of clearing up this month is this Christmas Panel.  Either I'll be gifting it away (there's a quilty auction going on at my guild next week or making it into an apron to perhaps give during the Chinese/Yankee gifting exchange at my December Book Club Gathering or perhaps even create a little something that it screams at me to make and keep.
1/3/16 editing this as this wasn't completed due to having more medical issues along with the craziness of the Holidays.  I will be placing this on my January's WIPs be Gone with Angie of A quilting Readers Garden.

This will be a surprise for both you and me.  LOL


The counted cross stitch is at a stand still for now until my thread order arrives from ABC stitch.  I've run out of one of the main color surrounds of Cocoa so took advantage of the black Friday sales and purchased numerous threads and a couple more patterns.
The only thing that slightly irritates me with doing business with them is they don't back order all the items from your order/purchase.  If it's not on hand, then they eliminate it all together and adjust the invoice accordingly instead or trying to fill your order completely.    8 (  
That being said though,  I do agree to their policy so I can get the supplies I need - that's why it's rated as a  minor irritation.


My last intention which is slated for today is to finish reading this month's book selection of Delicate, Edible Birds written by Lauren Groff.  It's a compilation of stories which has me befuddled most of the time.  Each story is about 30-40 pages and with each one it seems to start out with some characters named, her, him, the old lady and then on the next page your some place else with the Doctor and the sunset and swimming in Key West, then in NYC with a child and an imaginary friend, what, uhh?  The author writes well but I personally don't care for her style of writing stories in this manner.  I love a good read that just sweeps you in, intrigue, clinical even , drama and plot twists are all appreciated but not this one for me, thank you very much, it was just too disjointed with each story delivery that I was flipping back to learn the characters better!  Would you believe I created some personal "Cliff Notes" for each story on my cell phone so I could remember the whats, whys, who-s, hows and wheres were as a handy note for the discussion during our book club gathering!  Just a personal FYI- in my book, reading is suppose to be fun and not work!  Finished this by the 13th! (edited on 1/3/16)

Another activity that has kept me busier than my normal is the additional cooking being done.  I've found out at the ripe age of 59, alright y then, recently turned 60, that I'm gluten intolerant and perhaps Dairy sensitive too- the jury is still out on that last bit.  So I have been learning to cook and bake differently.  I ordered this set of three books from Amazon and they have shed some light on this recent journey.  Nice books and so far so good.   My cupboards have been getting striped of gluten products and stocked to hold the supplies needed since I enjoy cooking and will oft try new recipes.  It makes it difficult when I don't have the pertinent ingredients in, so have been shopping wherever I can find them; here, out of state and on the net.  If you have ever eaten gluten free bread from the grocery store, you'll know why making them yourself is so much better and it has a much better texture and flavor than what is available on the shelf.

Julie from the blog Mennonite Girls Can Cook where she shared her GF (gluten free) flour mix and some delicious recipes that I've made is a beautiful soul. When I commented on a post to thank her for sharing her knowledge, I mentioned I had some bananas over ripe and was there any magic formula to consider while cooking GF.  Would you believe she wrote back with in 24 hours had a new recipe of a GF banana bread muffins she whipped up that morning before a meeting!  Unbelievable and I am really grateful.  I tried that too and SCORE!  Another winner!   Thanks Julie!
This post actually links to another of her recipes   I would like to try before the Holiday season arrives, the GF lemon butter ice cookies.  8~ )
Another blog found that sounds hopeful with GF recipes is Barefeet in the Kitchen.

Recently I tried another King Arthur Flour Rustic bread too and that came out beautifully from the book How Can it be Gluten Free Volume 2 (page 158).  So two loaves were made at once and I was able to freeze the second loaf for ease later.

All of this takes time since I've had to grind my own navy bean flour, or needing almond flour immediately so had to grind up some of that too. Seems like each recipe takes forever!  Am hoping this will be easier as I practice and hopefully be able to streamline the production.


So much for a short post! Ha!
I'll share a favorite tool of mine ours in the kitchen since DH likes to cook at times too.  It's this slotted fingered spoon that we've had for years. While Thanksgivings Turkey leftovers were being cooked into stock, I threw in a couple of scrubbed Russet potatoes in the pot to not only cook, but too share the nutrients with in it and so I cook have a dairy free mashed spud for hot turkey leftovers so used it to fish them out in a  timely manner with it.    We both use this spoon practically every day twice. I always need to fish it out of the dishwasher to use for another dish.   This spoon is so handy that I'd love to acquire another one as a gift for a good friend, if you happen to see one somewhere, please let me know, I'd appreciate it.  The source I got it from no longer carries them.

Getting off this thing to get busy, TTFN
Jane

November Ends

Where is the time going?  My world seems to speed up continuously and that seems impossible but each day is a blur.   The sunsets around here continue to be spectacular!  It's amazing to witness it like this at this time of year.

Some of The GRANDS:  PGS#3, PGS#2, PGD#1
2015 Thansgiving at Meme and Popi's

The Thanksgiving Holiday was wonderful.  Family that could make it did and most of all the grandchildren were around the table.  That makes my heart sing!
While preparing the feast, I received a call from lil' Miss PGD#1.  She wanted to come down could I pick her up?  Sure, I responded so I picked her up and she helped out quite a bit.  Her brother was also invited to come since I had  seen an appetizer dish I thought they'd like to create for our feast but due to some of his behavior errs was told by his Mom that now he'd have to wait until Mom and Dad came down. His loud thoughts were "that's fine by me"  I'll be glad when he gets through this stage and he'll be 7 soon.  

So this is what she did with just a little help from her brother.  Cute isn't it!

She also made the gravy for the feast and the lil' guy helped to set the table.  We had a very enjoyable day and spent some nice quality time together.  Eating, visiting, football toss, football watching, clean up and then some board games.  All in all so much to be grateful for.

Photo of the Grands taken at PGS#1 Birthday celebration at the end of October
PGS#3, PGS#1, PGD#1
He enjoyed meeting his youngest cousin for the first time and re-visiting with his older cousin.

The day after Thanksgiving, we spent it with the eldest grandson, PGS#1 and brought all of the dinner's leftovers to share a Thanksgiving Holiday with him.   Since he just arrived at this place, he's still in the observation mode so can't he can't leave the premises at his present step.  All the counselors are impressed with him and are repeatedly telling us that the individual on all the medical reports is not the same person they are seeing.  We can only hope he continues to do his best.  

Dear daughter celebrated her !! Birthday just before Thanksgiving, so we got together for that too.  The grands blew up about 150 balloons for the celebration.  The elder one, PGD#1 has learned how to make balloon animals so they used their Dad's compressor to blow them up when Mom was gone for the day.  That's one way to keep the young ones busy so Dad can continue to work on their new deck -  Brilliant!

PGS#3- age 6 still

During the party the youngest one, PGS#3 age 6 decided to static cling some balloons to the walls.  With just two of them sticking on his head, decided it was a strong enough hold to actually glue him to the wall too so he fly paper pressed himself against the wall saying, I'm stuck!  Oh where and how does he come up with the things he does, makes us all happy and scratching our heads wondering.  LOL      

Please disregard the blurriness of the photo, that's my fault with trying to capture these real life moments quickly.

My list of what I wanted completed is falling way short too of everything on it with the exception of my counted cross stitch- Bent Creek's, The Red Thread.  Sorry that I've erroneously been giving credit to Lizzie Kate for this design.  My bad!    Check out all the months- they are now complete:

I've surpassed my goal for this and it's just the end of November.  Yippee!!!  

All that remains now is the ribbon surround on the sides and top with the phrase to stitch along the bottom. That is slated for 2016 but who knows how far I can continue with it this this year.

 Some other bit's I'm grateful for are the Washington Hawthorne tree in the side yard.  It's always so gorgeous at this time of year with all the berries left on the branches for many weeks.  Then it seems like a flock of birds fly in overnight and devour them all in a day.  Since it's wintertime, I'm never sure when that happens, but I am hoping to find out when this year.

BTW- This shot does not do it justice.

Another thank that I enjoy is the natural thermometers outside the bedroom window.  Each morning when I lift the shades, I can note the cold.  Depending on the curl of the leaves and droop of the rhododendron's leaf clumps, you can instantly see how cold it is.  Notice the tightness and droop?  It's in the twenties this am.  Not that it gives it in numbers, only cold, Really Cold and SEVERLY COLD.  LOL  You can barely notice but the rotted timbers are slowly be replaced with landscape blocks.  So much more to do on that yet.

before

Another thank I have is the side deck is completed!  Yippee!!  That only took 14 months!  My BIL came over to help DH finish it and brought his tools with him.  It's beautiful and gorgeous.  The only problem is with that Trek decking being weathered for a whole year it's dirty and needs some scrubbing but right now it is way too cold to attempt that.  It will have to wait until the Spring.

DH and Siamak (my dear BIL)  taken the Saturday before Thanksgiving
and it was bitter cold while they were working!

THANKS Honey and SIA!!!!

DH installed the post solar lights this week.

They just softly cascade down each post,

(I'll try to capture a photo of them when they are lit.  

Edited this on 12/7/15 the day before the littlest grandchild turns 7.)

You can see the tiny lights just under the post caps despite the camera flash, we're all so satisfied.  8 )

Wishing you all the best at this time of year,
Jane

Saw an idea of another embroidery piece that would be sweet to stitch at some point.......

WIPs and other bits

This past week I was able to finish the stitching Bent Creek's "The Red Threads" months:
September, October!   Whoot, whoot!!

 Am feeling so smug since the September month design wasn't finished until 10/4/15 so that means that  I really flew through October's design since it's only the 9th now, not bad for a 40 x 40 stitch count.

Up next is April's.

With  getting those done I skipped back towards the front and started on April's design.  It's coming along nicely and am hoping to start stitching the wording that surrounds the whole piece maybe I can start that this month too.  Initially had though the surround would be my January and February tasks, but am really hopeful that it will be finished by the end of January with my current plan of attack of one or two month each month with some border surround as well.             lol and fingers crossed!

Here's how it looks setting on the box which houses it when not being worked on.  It's one of those decorative boxes with life affirming phrases plastered all over the surface and sets nicely on the mantel but is within reach when wanted.  Am learning that working on something doesn't mean it has to be out all the time so I do put it away even though I'll be working on it again the next day.  Makes for a nicer home when family and friends stop by.
It contains all my threads, pattern with the copied blown up sheets for each month, my glasses AND my magic eyes and all the other tools necessary like extra needles, scissors, etc....  I devised a sheet of paper to hold my needles with the extra thread on it which is pictured just to the right above.  I try to list all the colors in numerical order and have most of the bits of thread resting under the paper.
Leftover thread on the needles are parked off the project.  With stitching the needle remnants from under neath on the right side of the paper and then surfacing the needle to stitch it going in and out of the paper quickly so it's left ending up pointing to the color name and demarcation used on the pattern.  Was truly surprised that some demarcation marks were used twice in the different monthly patterns but for totally different colors.  Glad I double checked along the way.  This system works nicely and one I'll be using again.

May's

June's

• I also have used the railway stitch quite a bit to get the threads to lay correctly since this is being worked on with a hand hoop.  
• I also use the no knot start by taking just one thread, folding it in half leaving the loop on the long side.  I thread both ends through the needle then my first stitch is essentially a lark knot start.  Going up with the needle where it needs to be and going back down through the top to catch the loop on the underside which makes my first slash. 
• I use the 7 to 1 orientation as if on a clock as my first half stitch of my cross.    
• When just starting the design and actually on any projects worked on I typically will mark the upper left corner with a pin to know which end is top while the designs may be confusing or to early to tell what end is what.  I even use this while quilt making, upper top left marks the spot.

July's

August's

Other projects on my immediate horizon are make more blocks for the braid quilt.  Count is still at 31... hopefully next week that number will change.















 Also on my wish list and Wips be gone is the St. Patrick's Day Patch-a-bility wall hanging.  Many pieces have been selected and actually cut so I need to get this monkey off my back and begin the stitching.

With the leaf season happening
 we took a little trip down memory lane.....

























Visited the old farmstead......

Our daughter and her peeps joined us....











Seeing the animals now in attendance,

purchasing some of the fresh chevre,.....

Visiting the old plume in Jay, ....

would you believe she and I swam through those rapids at younger ages,.....

showing her where we spent our Summer evenings listening to concerts along the waterfront at the beach front in Wilmington, NY.....

then traveling on towards Lake Placid, and ending the day with a quick meal at a favorite haunt.




It was Heavenly,
enjoy the pics.

Dear daughter age way up there and PGD#1, age 10  playing on the playground equipment.

Beckoning me 

It won..... awe,
I  love where we live!

My Mom and I are plodders.  It may take us awhile, but by and by it gets done.  We'll have several projects going all at the same time and will challenge ourselves to get another block done or some more threads stitched and then push the next devoted deadline onto our to do lists.  We actually do this with many household and homeowner chores too.  Can't work the way I used to that would get chores done quickly, but can attempt a bit or two every day or so and then progress happens until completion.
Guess it has to do with our determined genes handed down the matriarchal family line.
Thanks Gigi!

TTFN,  Jane

I'm linking to Amanda Jeans' Finish it up Fridays, Sarah's Can I get a Whoop whoop and A Quilting Reader's Garden WIPS Be Gone.