Monday 16 September 2024

Thrifting, Gardening Hazard, Autumn Slow Stitching

The Japanese Anemones are making the late garden shine again this year. A reader told me mine are called "Splendens" and splendid they are! Their leaves are also a pretty shape and shade of green. And the bees love them too. 

This patch is the result of transplanting a couple of summers ago. They have spread!

The lovely American Goldfinches have also been plentiful lately. Lots of thistle around the property to meet their nesting needs. 
 I did get to go thrifting this summer and had great luck. I've always loved Charley Harpers' birds so this book just had to come home with me. 
I found this great summery Cobble Hill jigsaw and when I checked it out at home...they put an elastic band on them there... the pieces were still in their original bag, unopened. 
Here is something interesting, a needlepoint piece I saw but did not buy and now kind of wish I did.  The inside framing is folded yellow material. Clever and pretty. I've never seen that done before; have you? The frame was quite heavy and that alone probably worth the price. I wonder about who made this.
I looked for this version of  sunflowers but couldn't find the exact one. It reminds me of the older Dimensions kits. I'd thought the turquoise background would be a help but it turns out to be a favourite colour to set the bright flowers against. In my search I found many beautiful updated, more modern kind of renditions. I'll share a couple here. 

The Needlepointer offers this lovely Sunflowers Pumpkin pattern.


And KC Needlepoint had this very cute little angel wearing a skirt of sunflowers and again with that deep turquoise colour for contrast.

Remember my Autumn Quakers from Rosewood Manor?

 I'm adding a few more motifs to it. Such a large over all project but I'm still loving it. Each motif sewn gives a feeling of satisfaction. Acorns are fun to stitch especially in autumn shades. I love the variegated threads.

This was the worst season for mosquitoes we have ever experienced. The constant downpours of rain, interspersed with intense heat and humidity seemed to provide the perfect setting for them to thrive. I had lots of bites but nothing as bad as a late July encounter with a wasp or bee. During weeding in tall grass...actually tracing a plant to find its' root, something stung me through my pants and just above my knee. It really hurt, then grew red and hot.

This angle makes my leg look huge!
 I briefly thought of going to the pharmacy because here pharmacists can diagnose and prescribe for a variety of minor items. The next day tiny little blisters covered the area and it felt swollen and tight. I was debating what to do but I felt fine and sure enough, it all eventually cleared up. However, my skin is still a little discoloured in that area and I'm thinking these many weeks later, that it will remain that colour, a little reminder. 

Ah well, tiny in the scheme of things and a likely hazard that has not kept me out of the garden. Hope you are staying away from stinging critters, keeping busy and loving whatever you are doing these days. I know I am. 












14 comments :

The Cozy Quilter said...

That insect bite looks nasty! Glad it healed up ok. Your Autumn sampler is a good project for this time of year. We had a couple of goldfinches on our purple cone flowers last week.

Nancy J said...

A wasp or bumblebee sting? looks very sore.Op shop finds are such treasures, our local one is the best I have ever found, and almost each visit can find something that appeals, or I need or just want.Cloudy and almost wet down here, a cold night scheduled for tonight!!!

Melisa- pinkernpunkinquilting said...

That was a terrible bite, Jocelyn. I am glad that it has cleared up, but it sure looks like it would have been painful. The sunflower stitch is pretty. I sometimes leave pieces behind and regret them too . Have a blessed day.

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Those flowers are so pretty, and love your photo of the goldfinch, too! We haven't seen any of those at our feeders lately - wondering where they all went. Fun to see what you found thrifting and what you're stitching on. I love that angel with the sunflowers! They're my favorite flower to see this time of year. So sorry about the sting, but glad it cleared up. Those are nasty surprises when you were doing something you really enjoy!

PaintedThread said...

Love that little goldfinch on the thistle. What a great find on the puzzle! I really like that sunflower needlepoint pattern. Ouch! the picture of your leg looks painful. We recently took down an antenna from the house, and I got stung/bit by a wasp. That was weeks ago and I still can see the chunk he took out of me! Hope that leg heals up soon.

Jenny said...

That's a nasty looking bite, your poor leg looks so swollen and sore.

Linda said...

Goodness that certainly was a painful reminder that critters still rule the universe! Glad it didn't make you feel worse. I love your thrifted finds, especially that little sketchbook. LOVE the sunflower piece - that is certainly an unusual framing method. We are off this morning to pick up my sewing machine at the repair shop. Have a great week Jocelyn!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Great finds at the thriftie! I've never seen a border done in quite that way either. Must remember that and maybe see if it might work into one of my landscapes.
Ow - your leg looks sore!

Rosemary Dickinson said...

You're getting lots of rain and we're in a dry spell. Too bad we can't control the weather! I've seen lots of goldfinches in my area. I don't think I've seen as many as I have this year. I love your cross stitch project. I'm glad to hear your leg is feeling better. I got poison ivy one year that was slowly spreading up my entire leg. I had to get steroids from the doctor.

Jenn Jilks said...

Gosh! That is a wasp, for sure. Bees leave their stingers in and die!
I am being plagued by mosquitos, blackflies, and we are quite dry this month.
Your embroidery pieces are so lovely. I agree about the paper border.

LA Paylor said...

horrible sting! I know it hurt like heck! dh had a sting and had to go to the DR who ordered steroids. People around here call yellow jackets bees... that's shortsighted and wrong
LeeAnna

K Reeves said...

That was a very nasty bite! I love your cross stitch, those colors are so rich!

Susie H said...

So much eye candy until I got to your poor leg! It reminds me when I reached into the hostas to pull off some older dead leaves and YOWZA! Turns out I accidentally (in the process) got hold of one of those big, black & yellow bumblebees. He stung me in the base of my thumb, It swelled up and went numb for about a day. Glad your leg is improving. My thumb incident is now a thing of the past.

grammajudyb said...

Great photos. The goldfinch is wonderful. You hit the jackpot on that puzzle! You definitely won’t have missing pieces! So sorry about your sting! Wasp stings are painful . I am always drawn to the Quaker stitching. I’ve never done one, but they are so interesting.