Wooden House Weekly Wonders- Inside and Out

All quiet just now here at the Wooden House. Morning chores all done including the best and most important one- a big walk about with Ned and Petey. Heavy rain showers are forecast for most of the rest of the day which are much welcomed. It felt marvelous outside in the much cooler temperatures. Even the dogs were friskier. Ned especially doesn't like heat which may have something to do with his very dark brown coat. 

Here is a side view of the overgrown Hydrangeas outside my sewing room windows with Petey taking his morning sniffs. These bushes are so pretty I hate to trim them down though it might be better for them if I did. I usually do some cutting after all the blooms have died but I am a hesitant trimmer. 

 They are changing colour and turning pink due to the cooler temperatures. A sure sign the season is changing.

And here is a close up of one of my Great Mulleins just coming into bloom. I have four tall, very ungainly Mulleins in the garden this year and, though ugly like the Thistles, I let them grow. 

Many birds and insects get sustenance from Mulleins. Three Red-breasted Nuthatches have been pecking at the one in the front garden. You can see how much this stalk has been pecked at. 

And this disheveled looking Downy Woodpecker has been here a lot too. Mulleins can be a medicinal plant for humans too. 

Are you particular about the mug you use?  I have smaller ones more suited to specialty teas like my peppermint and I own much larger ones for coffee say or my regular tea. I like to have enough cups so I can pick and choose and suit to the season even. This is something Hubby just doesn't get. In fact, it baffles him... he will stand in front of my cobbled together -at least half are thrift store finds- mug collection and shake his head. Anybody else feel like the cup you drink from is somehow important?

I remembered to grab a photo of my birthday cake. The marshmallow frosting was so good. The recipe is Rock Recipe's one bowl Black and White Cake with fluffy marshmallow frosting...yum!

I'm reading an ebook right now. Though I can get ebooks from both libraries I joined, it seems to slip my mind that I can do so. Or maybe I'm a bit torn about adding more screen time to my day or it could be after all these years, I'm still addicted to paper. But whenever I do check out an ebook, I marvel at the speed of delivery and convenience. I don't have to leave the house and can even borrow books from my bed if I want to. I'm reading East of the Mountains by David Guterson and enjoying the beautiful writing. I've set my ipad to a special reading nighttime mode that's easier on the eyes. This book was made into a movie by the same name and starring Tom Skerritt. I'm going to look for it. 

I have the wonky partly hand sewn Propeller quilt top done. It measures 50 in x 50 in and I liked this slightly stained glass look of it outside.

After much looking and mulling over- no gnashing of teeth thankfully, I settled on a fabric from my man's shirt collection to use for borders.

 Btw, you can get from 2 to 4 fat quarters of fabric from a man's shirt depending on the size it is. I always start my thrift store search in the XXL section. 

 It echoes the pattern and in a neutral very dark grey, works okay with the colourful blocks. It looks busy up close but isn't really in the big picture. It's looking much darker in this photo than it is.

I am now stitching the pear on my G. Leger 1898 project. Panicked a little about the called for yellow thread as it just didn't show up against my fabric. I could have proceeded but using a colour you'd have to strain your eyes to see just doesn't make sense to me. I had to search in my box of Mom's embroidery thread leftovers to find a shade that was a tad more colourful to suit. 

A couple of points about this photo above. It shows the slightly peachy/golden mottling in the fabric which has been hard to catch in photos; this provides a little more interest in blank areas of a design. And the quilted mat there shows my hand stitches from four or five years ago?. I'm thinking my stitching is not improving with age. I must do a comparison with how they look on the mat I'm presently quilting. Or perhaps not... 

So are you stitching or starting to think about stitching leaves, pumpkins, Halloween?  How we love all the good and wonderful things each new season brings us! 

Stay snug, cool or warm wherever you are!

Sharing with parties at Alycia Quilts, Creations Art Whatever, Kathy's Quilts, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Songbird Designs and Quilting Patchwork Applique.