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.