Simple September Terrific Twos

 In twos...

The two of us went down to the pond early evening during the time some call the Blue Hour.  As we turned a corner of the skating shack, I saw clearly two fawns lying together in the tall grass at the far end of the pond. Luckily Ned was entranced with something on the ground and hadn't seen them. I watched for a minute, then pulled him back to quietly exit the scene. No photo, just the beautiful image still in my mind. 

My indoor Geraniums have put on quite a show outside this summer. The heavy rainfalls did not affect them. Such a hardy and colourful plant when in full bloom.

And my Madagascar Jasmine also flourished in the summer heat and rain. These flowers have a waxen feel and love rain.

It is basically a vine and sent out a shoot that wrapped around the neighbouring Black Eyed Susans.

Several times this summer, I've spotted two fox travelling together. At the first sighting one was notably larger but now they seem to be the same size. I think they are litter mates. Here is a photo from early June when they are "blowing their coats"( shedding the winter fur) so appear very scraggly. 

I've spent most of my stitching time with two projects since I last wrote to you. 

My progress on the cross stitch project, Tudor Bee, has been slow and interrupted by travel. It went with me but I didn't lay one single stitch while away. Here is how far I am with it...

I was so unsure of what colour to use for the solid alternating blocks in the 3 inch EPP Tiny 9 Patch Block challenge. I tried a blue then a green but they didn't really grab me. I was tempted to just go with white like the original antique quilt that was the inspiration for this project. But I also kept returning to look at the red which seemed to make the scappiness of the blocks shine. Btw, the red is not this orange/red as showing. It is what I call a true red.

So far, I am liking it and finding the red cheery to work with. I did a wash test with it and it is, importantly, colour fast. What do you think?

I am sad that two of my favourite blogging friends have decided to give up blogging.

 Jenny of Jenny of Elefantz has decided to say farewell for now after blogging for many, many years. I was a member of her stitching club for a year and have purchased several of her sweet designs. I loved all that she shared with us...her tidbits about their life including the struggles of living in northern Australia, her garden photos and the wonderful recipes she also so gladly shared with us. 

The wonderful Weaver of Grass, Pat in the Yorkshire Dales, has decided to stop blogging. She has cancer and is receiving end of life hospice care at home. She is 90 years old and I have been reading her words for almost two decades. Her wonderful musings and terrific advice, descriptions of food and flowers, love of her dogs and the monarchy, steady focus on the positive, her will to keep the body moving...all inspired and often prompted me to buck up and get on with it all myself. Her final note...it is better to travel than arrive. 

My goal for August was to keep things light. I failed miserably at that having been downright emotional at times and letting my feelings seesaw so much my head felt tired of it all. That ever happen to you? You just feel tired of juggling all the thinking about all the things all the time. But I'm putting a stop to the moaning and groaning right there. Yes sireee, September will be super I'm determined and so far, so good. Do you feel like this statement too?

"September is the other January." -Gretchen Rubin 

 And there's stuff to be done here. I've decided to downsize my sewing room and move it back to the tiny room I had used originally when we moved to this house. I'm basically only in the sewing room when at the machine and I don't need much space for that. I've purchased a bunch of those under bed containers to sort fabric and projects and store them properly and hopefully, more efficiently.  

Thank you, friends, who reached out and sent kind words of encouragement during my little blogging break. Stitchers are wonderful people!