testing photos - Have patience with me please

All of my photos keep closing and disappearing.  So I'm trying to figure out why and see which download will work and stay working.  

Garden and other bits

My Favorite Mister, (DH) made these older garden trugs into an elevated garden so I was able to transplant the seeds started by moi, cough, cough, sputter, sputter.... into them and we don't have to worry about the furry friends that live in our gardens harvesting these before we do. It's producing wonderfully.

 Gazing toward the above ground pool we have a small selection of flowers and plants that we "over wintered" here in the 45 parallel and/or acquired some fresh ones at the local nurseries while keeping Co-Vid 19 protocol.

The view towards the right shows where the hot tub, umbrellas and more gardens continue.   Both DH and I can't be in the sun so shading is our best only option.  Thus early mornings in the gardens are timely.

Don't mind all those bags of mulch please, they are waiting for us between the heat/sun, humidity and rain, we'll get to them.   We're a 1/4 of the way done, only 75 bags more to go.  We hit a terrific price and took advantage.   This patio area we constructed ourselves around 20 years ago.  Actually it was on Labor Day weekend or should I say   L* A* B* O* R*     D* A* Y*   week-  bust!  Exhausting work but worth it and it's lasted beautifully.   Now the cedar deck, don't look too closely as that'll be another chore that needs repair when we can afford it and decide the best plan of attack.


The following are some of the lilies that are shining throughout the "island garden" .

Be still my heart!

       

     

     

"Honeysuckle Grotto" is the photo just above on the left with the cobalt garden seat, where I'll sip my tea and rest a spell after I've pulled at least 100 weeds then resume.  After I get an area weeded out, then the mulch is applied.  

So far the lilacs, peonies, daffodils, hyacinths, poppies, some tulips, Missouri Primroses, coral bells, Lady's Mantle, etc...    have shown their glory.  Currently it's lilies with hints of the daisy styled flowers like- ruddebeckia, daisies, along with bee balm and cone flowers and such  coming out shortly.  

    

The fruit trees look good so far.  Crispin' Apple, plum and 2 pear trees all have a small bit of fruit coming.   The kiwi vine on the arbor left a bit to be desired this year and had a late start with our weather/winter  though it still provides some shade for after noon reading in the hammock chair- A birthday gift from 5 years or so, I'll actually snooze a bit and not loose my page!  lol

And the lower raised bed garden with vine plants (squashes and cucumbers) , potatoes, tomatoes, tomatillos, raspberries....  Would you believe we couldn't find any squash seeds when the garden was planted but finally found some a couple of weeks afterwards so I used the seed starting module in the Aero garden to get them farther along.  Not sure what I think of it yet as some things did wicked good and others not so.  Could be the the germination factor of the seed packages as their dates were good but some pods from the company came up with nothing too.  But I'll share more about that on another post regarding those experiments.


Then our higher raised bed garden which is easier to maintain (harvest and weed).

Suffice to say there is a list of never ending chores to complete and much to repair for these 2 acres of land, but I am extremely thankful.   Besides the weeding and mulching, I need to string up some deterrent for the deer where our blueberry bushes are.  Crossing fingers that some holographic -reflective tape will be enough to scare/keep them away.   I witnessed them last year scraping all berries with leaves off the bushes and still had too much going on to fix it then. 
Especially with the grocery distributions going a bit hay wire this corona virus year, the "price gouging" that seems evident to us and just knowing that we'll be producing more of our own food and with putting them up (as Grandma used to say) to last through out the year.

TTFN,
Jane



Editing this info paraphrased from an article about day lilies - scientific name,  Hemerocallis: in the Lake Champlain Weekly Vol 21, Issue 1 written by  Dr. Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus at UVM

• More than 38,000 registered varieties with 15,00 +/- in production
• Inside center is called the "Throat"
• Zone between the throat and flower color is different then it's called eyed or banded
• If the edges of the flower are a different color then it's called "picotee"
• The midrib may be a different color or spotted  or "dusted" over by another color
• The difference of appearance and description is typically inferred by their petals formations, ie: rounded, triangular, star shaped, ruffled or doubled if there are more than the 3 petals and 3 colored sepals (false petals that look like the petals)
• Lilies arise from bulbs and flowers from a main stalk while day lilies (origins in Asia) have thick storage roots with the later having their own scientific family Hemerocallidaceae
• Some of the best single color cultivars for Northern Gardens are:  Frances Fay, Mary Todd, Stella de Oro (all yellow varieties); Barbara Mitchell, Fairy Tale (pink colored); Bess Ross, Apple Tart, Red Rum (red);Gentle Shepherd, Guardian Angel (near white); Prairie Blue Eyes (lavender); Bertie Ferris, Ruffled Apricot (orange); 
• Multicolored varieties are: Custard Candy (peach w/yellow throat and red eye zone and ruffled edge); Fooled Me (golden w/ red eye and ruffled edge); both being popular newer bi-color cultivars in our region
• There are three seasons: early, mid-season and late

Right, Wrong or indifferent... there are Consequences!

It's with horror when I think about George Floyd's death Murder.  Regardless of color, age, faith, race or place of origin, education or creed there needs to be respect for all life- albeit People, plants and animals of this earth.  Trying my best to assimilate what occurred as George was struggling and pleading for breath, now there will be consequences...   All because he was passing a counterfeit $20 bill, consequences,.....

What would I have done if I was a witness to it?  I hope I'd have the courage to walk calmly towards the fray and let all know they were being filmed and I already uploaded one film to the cloud.  Recording what was done and said as GF was pleading and struggling to breath,

 The acquittal of officers from another headline victim/murder of Eric Garner who also paid the ultimate consequence and the perpetrators now being charged with criminal intent, will be consequences....

The riots that are felt and the outrage because of recent events occurring, there are and will be Consequences!  Locally someone defaced a monument with ACAB paint (meaning "All cops are Bad") this is so not true.  Most law enforcement enter this service to protect and serve.  Yet with years sof insults abuse some may be hardened and less amenable to the public's pleas, there again consequences.

Hate and betrayal does not wipe the slate clean of previous hates and betrayals, it only instills more hate and betrayals so it elevates the discord further yet with more consequences...

I don't have the answers as there are so many points of view on rights of individuals.  Just look at the Co Vid data and where some people believe they have the right to not wear masks, go where and when they want, etc.,...there again Consequences are relative as with this current event.  
Will riots make an improvement?
Will defacing public domains help?
Will attacking anything tangible prove positive? 

A probation Office in Albany, NY being torn apart with fire bombs thrown in while a worker was in there..more consequences!
DH just mentioned that it was caught on tape many black outraged men clubbing a white owner who was trying to stop his property from being looted and now he too has paid the ultimate price.  Now more consequences.   I saw another video with four men with guerrilla styled clothes trying to intimidate an elderly women in front of her store, where she held her ground and then they attacked like the cowards they are, actually one of them using a 2 x 4 x 6-8' piece of lumber to beat her with.  Wouldn't their mothers be proud of that?!  I hope those thugs are found and get the consequences they deserve.  

What would Jesus do?
All I can say is there are and will be consequences to everyone of what he or she said and did.
This insanity needs to stop.

Gardening continues and...

Chores outside are continuing and I haven't finish any new needle-y projects though they are progressing.  So thought I'd share my recent (in the past 9 months that is, development of Watercolor painting. 

Through our local Senior Citizen's Center I signed up for an acrylic painting class a couple of years ago and enjoyed it weekly for six weeks.   But with the husband's declining health I wouldn't/couldn't dedicate any more time to pursue it as priorities shifted.  Last fall though  I decided, enough was enough, to made time to sign up for another 6 week class on watercolor though I'd be missing one class that interfered with his monthly Boston heart transplant follow up Visit.   All continues to be well, Thank the Lord!  I know we have many blessings and am grateful.   Anyways, I signed up for that 6 session class but this time it was with watercolors.  I love it! 
Though I'll not share my class etchings which showed progress  I'll share these latest ones done from Feb to May 2020.  I try to paint on Sundays schedule permitting. 

I paint on watercolor paper "cards" as my base.  My plan is to print out a set of any preferred art or just mail it off to a loved one with correspondence s needed.   

All of them scattered on the dining room table.
 A couple were of fields of spring flowers as I remembered and hoped for,
it seemed like a truly longer winter this year especially with the "Corona cations" and
fear going on with the isolation. 
My next attempt may try to mix the script liner, watercolor, pencils and ink to see where that leads me. 
These are probably etchings #10-19. 

I'll sign off with my latest playing art session. 

TTFN,

Jane

Some day, I'd love to try something reminding me of a local fire tower ..  maybe a long while off...someday.

Drum roll - for my needle roll - "NEEDLE FLIES"

Tickled Lime! 

Finished the needle roll last night!  I started it last year while in Florida and initially changed the ribbon strip to a different Sue Spargo one to "make it my own" and happily stitched along quite quickly until...  Yep, me.

Not totally sure of my finishing style and the colors.   Didn't care for the color that Sue Spargo company had kitted for the binding and the color of the elastic band for closing.   So while in the South this year with my Mom and my perfect mister, we went to Quilted Twins in Dade City, FL.  I found the perfect binding IMHO and luckily for honey we didn't stay shopping too long as he passed his time with another husband left on the porch.   lol
referencing a phrase in a book I recently finished mentioning a DOP  (dog on porch).

I actually had my list of things I was hoping to get so I could finish some UFOs and am proud that I kept to that list yet allowing my self only one wild card purchase if there was something so drool worthy I'd regret leaving it behind.

The Whole interior  (forgive the side wards orientation but it fit best this  way).

Some better detailed photos I'm flooding you with:

Left inside of roll

Center section show casing my first bullion wraps, bee and woven circle

right side interior - just noticed that the burgundy circle just to the top left of the sashiko label looks a bit like
the Corona virus with all those spikes off it!

For my own records I'm including the list of Threads used for the embellishments.

All Sue Spargo threads and of course used wool thread to attach my circles on with first with a simple whip stitch.  Then used EZ21 Let's Pink, EZ25 Signature Wine,  EZ31 Call-a-Truese as well as 

EZM08 Solar Yellow, EZM11 Fresh Cut Grass, EZM20 Riptide, EZM32 Saltwater Taffy, EZM33 Rock Royalty, EZM47 Conga Lime, EZM48 Bossy Boots, EZM50 Gossip Girl, EZM54 Torch Lily, EZM89 Eagle Drum, EZM93 Marsh Grass with some recommmended stitches and then did my own as my imagination and abilities persisted.

Batik found at Quilted Twins, indigo elastic cord from Sue Spargo that I recently received  and a button from Joanns fabrics.  

I'm on a roll!  

J

Butterfly pins displayed towards the left are to mark conveniently which needle I'm using.  Anyhow, that's my plan.
I painted my flat butterfly pins with nail polish to have a colorful kaleidoscope. 
We'll see how this idea of mine works out, fingers crossed here.....

a finish and planting

Did get this lil' thing done. 

Strip quilted a Moda grab bag featuring Rue 1800 designed by 3 Sisters purchased through Green fairy Quilts with a stash batik from my stash for the background and binding. 
Quilting was 1/4" echo stitched on the colored bands of the varying widths.  The  back side has a similar but different table runner so it's reversible.

Am always amazed that it seems to take me forever with life's interruptions and other fires presented throughout my day for me to finish my projects.  Now am finally realizing that it's me but with a state of grace and I do persevere and get some finished!  8~ /

Youngest grandson called me from his I pad.  He's getting quite shaggy and those aren't wings in his hairdo but the ceiling fan in his bedroom.  

 While visiting with him , I yelled DUCK!  He asked why - so mentioned the airplane coming down the runway toward his head.  He turned his perspective to see it and chuckled.  Of course couldn't quite capture that on film.  drats!   He admitted he was bored, and I mentioned it was too bad the social distancing was still going on, that my bathroom needed cleaning.  That's how I raised my children and grandchildren, if bored there is always a chore or two that needs attention.  Thank God they were never truly bored. hee hee   I don't mind him calling me because he's bored either.  we had a nice chat and then his sister who's 14 going on 18 now I'm sure, called me twice that afternoon too. 
Gotta love those offspring.  The eldest grand son who's 26 called too to say he missed us too.  And I know he likes it when we visit but we'll take him out for a meal if we're not hiking and I bring a picnic.  His choice of peanut butter and pickle sandwiches are easy to fix but the several hours to travel I could do without.  He's doing well but is lonely being alone. 

A peek/hint at my next project focus:

We've been gardening when the weather allows as we know when Spring is Truly here, ,it rolls in quickly. 
Stay well.

J

Happy Mother's Day

Our daughter and her family dropped by cautiously since she's an essential worker at the local hospital and has been working crazy extended hours to gift me with a local bakery special of Apple Caramel Pie.

Happy Mother's Day!  

Daffodils are dancing in the snow driven winds, thankfully the white crap doesn't stay long but those arctic temps are really getting to me!  Hovering near 32 F  and then consider the winds factored in  it's below zero.  Enough Already!!!

Recently we did get the colder crops planted in the garden.   Peas, Spinach, beets all done.   Will share what DH made to ease some of my garden chores.   Hopefully, it'll work great and be productive.

Off to finish a long awaited sofa table runner.  Love it so far and will share the finish soon.

Back from the South 2020

Waterway at Natural Bridge, Virginia

Nice Trip down the eastern corridor to Florida and then a westerly route for the way back home all while seeing bits along the way.  Left on 2/14 and returned on 3/16.  
Our itinerary was:

• Staying first night at Cherry Hill,  NJ.  No sights here just hit our limit.
• Back onto route and I got to check into a stitch-y problem at the Salty Yarns in OC, MD with purchases too.  8 ~)    Then traveled and stayed at Virginia Beach, VA for night two. 
• Four nights in New Bern, NC seeing the local must see and do parts besides of course taking in some down time with cooking at the condo.  
• A travel night spent in Jacksonville, Fl then onward to stay with Mom for a couple of weeks.
• Trip back entailed a night in Norcross, GA
• Two nights in Ashville, NC
• A week in Massenutten, VA
• Gettysburg during the day with an overnight in Johnson City, NY
• then HOME!

Seems like a lot but hubby and I can't travel in the car too long with our age and conditions so we took time and Joy in Our Journey.
I will be back to share more of what was seen and what I've been focusing on besides the trip and driving another day

TTFN and stay well.

Jane 

A stone sprite winking so long.... Now where will my next path lead?

Perhaps another inspiration for my watercolor attempts?

First Needlepoint Finish 2020 - Two Cabins

It's back from the framers and I loved stitching it.   I figure I'd share the finish after framing was done with all the information shared at the same time.

Designed by Nancy's Needle and the stitching started on December 23, 2019 would you believe it was finished on January 12, 2020 (it's a first for me tracking the start and the finish dates of a project - I probably will continue doing this).
Stitched on 20 Count Mono Canvas as instructed with the called for threads using a #22 Tapestry needle with one strand of:

Snow 09 - Silver 
Watercolours  063 - Black Forest

Watercolours  083 - Pine Forest

Watercolours  136 - Cedar

Watercolours  137 - Copper

Watercolours  159 - Silver Blue

Watercolours  196 - Sable

#5 Perle Cotton 4045 - Evergreen Forest

#5 Perle Cotton 4140 - Driftwood

#12 Tapestry Braid 3203 - Cat's Eye

DMC Floss #310 - Black - 2 strands used with #26 needle

Stitched with the called for Stitches:

Slanted Gobelin

Bargello Tuck (securing tail ends of threads)

Mosaic Stitch

Long Stitch

Horizontal Straight Stitch 

Overall I enjoyed this project and it was easy for me to focus on.
I'll be gone for about a month visiting with my Mom.
TTFN,

Jane

Managing and Tending Leftover Threads

With the assortment of threads I use with my needle arts, for many of them I contain them in a DMC box on bobbins with a "like with Like" mentality.  Seems simple, but it works for me.  As shared previously on this post:  my DMC are all bobbin wound and stored in containers so it's easy to find the thread I'm looking for when starting a project.

When I got into  working with wool and needing the heavier threads I found it easier to  use bobbin buddies while stitching to eliminate any Perle cotton thread tangles yet store them within their weight classes in the compartmentalized boxes after their use.  The warmer colors in one or two containers with cooler colors in another.  Labeling the boxes with their weights 5, 8 or 12.  Then I have another container to hold the specialty fibers such as watercolour/snow/metallics and some of the DMC leftover bits.

I purchased a bobbin die for my Sizzix Big Kick and love how it works for making cardboard bobbins.  When done stitching a project, Typically I'll print out the design I stitched and will use that image glued on one side of a bar coaster and oak tag heavy duty paper glued on the back side.    

You heard that right, a bar coaster.  It's heavy duty enough to hold up to use/abuse with those heavier threads, looks nice and an easy reminder of where I used that particular thread to bout.

I note the type of thread with the color name and number on the oak tag side of the bobbin and store it in a case that's not quite deep enough for them to stand upright in unless they're tilted a tad in the compartment.   I don't go through a lot of these as I just make one to however many more are needing a bobbin when finishing a project.  When asking the bar/restaurant owners and managers if they mind if I take one or two while eating out at their establishments, they'll respond positively to my request - thankfully.

The DMC and Valdani 8 and 12 that I use as they are sold on the ball skeins (how they come) and when in use I will store the balls in the bobbin buddies (seen in the first photo setting on the very top proortion of that stack of plastic boxes in a netted bag)  I purchased those through Bird Brain Design many years ago.  She is selling little glass jars now to contain the skeins of thread with a jar lid having a centered hole.  I don't see the style I use as available anymore on line anywhere, but they are similar to the "toy coin machines" with the colorful capped bubbles with a little prize inside.  The only difference is that there is a hole drilled into the bubble part to allow the thread to be pulled out when needed.  You can actually see those ball skeins in the first photo shared and stored in either warm or cool color combos.  I also love the Wunderlist app on my smart phone (now known as Check it app) to document which brand, color and weight threads I already have on hand.   I use this app for my Accuquilt dies, threads, etc..... I  LOVE IT!!

Recently I thought of color coding my hobbies so am using Orange for Needlepoint.  Anything to help me easily transition from one project to the next besides know at a glance which bag to grab as I head out the door is a boon in my life.   This is probably way more info than you need or want to know, it's just how I roll.  

TTFN
Jane    

I have a whole different system I use for Eleganza (my Sue Spargo) threads I'm using on my current wool project but that  topic is for another day!  Share more later.