Me in My Thrift Find, Hand Stitching Progress and Cake Too

 The only constant in my days is that they are flying by. Does time speed up in the summer months I wonder. We had Tony's birthday celebration last week and he is now 87 and counting. It was a somewhat sad day as he reflected on all the people he has lost including another good friend in recent months. Things brightened up though when we went out for a meal to a nearby restaurant with Beth and Brad. Beth made him a beautiful chocolate cake, his favorite. She uses Barry's recipe found at his site, Rock Recipes, and it was very moist and delicious. 

Everything is in full bloom which is beautiful. This means the weeds are also doing well. I've had to pull out a lot of Manitoba Maple as well as a new weed that grows straight and tall. Every day, I pick a part of one of the gardens to work on and spend about twenty minutes tidying it. Here is the view from my kitchen window these days with the Hydrangeas putting on their usual amazing show.

I said this would be the summer of dresses and I've added a couple to my wardrobe. This mauve one is a thrift store find from Old Navy. Though it isn't slimming, it is light and airy making it perfect for an Ontario summer. And this is as long as I'm letting my hair grow- to the bottom of my earlobes. That Smoke Tree is enormous. 

I'm happy with my summer of 2026 hand stitching progress too. Summer Feels is almost finished. I've just a few stitches here and there to add still. And I've finally gotten a photo that shows the true colour of that background linen. It's such a pretty shade. I've added three butterflies that weren't in the pattern. That is something I would never do in the past but now my thoughts are different. Who cares if I do that? No one is who. What's a summer garden without butterflies and they filled in sort of blank spaces. 

I'm finishing my appliqued Quarter Dresden project too. The last ten blocks are getting appliqued this week. I was aiming for 50 and I think I've sewn more than that. Such an enjoyable stitching project and I've loved every minute of each of the stages creating these blocks. Next will be layout decisions.

I've also been adding to my Liberty Puddles WIP. This was a SAL in 2022 run by The Strawberry Thief over on Facebook and there are videos available. I'm on the sixth panel now. Surely my scraps must be diminishing with all this scrappy stitching. You'd think, right. Here it is on the chair where I'd been stitching on the patio. 

The dogs are loving getting out for a long walk early morning before the day heats up. I shake a Bear Bell to warn any critters that might be about. A fox has been visiting the yard regularly lately and I really would not want an encounter with the dogs.

 They are so joyful running about and that always puts a smile on my face. 

I hope you are smiling too. 

It's a wild world out there. Is it just me or is it getting wilder??? Take care of yourself!

Busy July, In the Garden and Stitching

Truly I got a fright when I glanced out the kitchen window and saw this hulk type animal under the feeder, so different from what I am used to seeing there. I first thought it was a bear! This is just the second time I've seen a Raccoon here on this property. I went outside, gave a few loud claps and it ran off and to my surprise, up the side of the garage and did so with remarkable agility. I haven't seen it since.

Another strange thing I witnessed was this... I've never seen a turkey lie down before and I thought it was dead because its head was down as well. It was a huge relief to see it looking about. She was there for an hour or so before getting up and moving off. It was one of the high humidity days and I wondered why she hadn't chosen a shady spot if heat was the issue. 

It's been a very rainy summer so far with high humidity and many, many thunder and lightening storms which seem to roll in late in the day. One stalled over our heads here and lasted four hours. With every clap, Ned and Pete would bark which was not great. But even they grew tired of doing that when it wore on and on. Many people lost power so we felt lucky we didn't. There's been flooding of homes too, sadly. I've begun swimming earlier in the day because these storms seem to build as the day progresses and my only rule for not swimming is if there is lightening in the forecast. I'm enjoying the swimming very much, btw.

I do have more Stitching Progress to share, in spite of the fact I feel like I spend one quarter of my time just looking for things. On Summer Feels, my pears are finished and I'm working on that interesting flower pattern on the right. 

I don't think I showed you my finish of Painted Lady by Laura Heine. Laura's site is Fiberworks if you'd like to check out her amazing collage type art work and kits. The photo is a little dark because I've put this one on the wall in the t.v. room and the lighting is dim in there. Stitching with embroidery wool on wool is a dream and so much easier on the eyes than cross stitching on linen like above. 

That's a primitive painting there that Tony bought at an auction and to the right is how I corral my cardborad and papers to use for applique templates. 

I found a good choice for the backing with this bright blue fabric that's chock a block with flowers in bright blues, reds and yellows just like the appliques. I brought it around to the front for the borders.

The cleanup in the Sewing Room brought to light a very scrappy project I'd started some time ago? ? and tucked away. I had cut out a lot of very small quarter moons so I've been using them up to stitch a few more of these little appliqued blocks. They are about 5 inches finished and another great way to use up scraps. I laid them on the dining table for a picture. There are a number of options for final layout with these so I'd like to continue to stitch a few from time to time.

We've been to Robbie's baseball games and celebrated a birthday with Brad's family. I spend a little time in the gardens most mornings weeding and clipping. I've finally learned not to try to do it all in one session. It's wonderful to get up close with all the growing things and the beauty here still amazes me over and over. And the heat and rain have greatly benefitted the growth of all those wonderful things. The sun is shining today and there is a promise that it will hold all day. We are thankful too for our A/C. I'll save speaking about my fears for another post.

Our front steps this morning with the Hydrageas now in bloom. 

I do hope your summer or winter is going well. Take Care all!