October Life, Stitching Updates and Plans

 We celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving this month with the family here as usual. The neat bouquet in a real gourd they brought me is hanging on. 

Outside, the colours of Autumn certainly rival those of the summer season. Though scarcer and beginning to curl, pinks are still to be found.

None of these will last as there are heavy frosts now every night.

Walking about our woods on Tuesday I spied a familiar shape high up in a tree. Can you see him?

I wonder is he one of the Barred Owls I often hear at night hooting back and forth. I thought he looked so beautiful against the sunshine lit Autumn colours. 

And in other fascinating news, here is how much wood I've stacked so far. This is the perfect challenge for me to make myself keep moving. 

Inside, as usual, my stitching fingers are keeping busy. I laid out my Edyta project on the dining room table after taking out the table inserts...wish I'd thought of that before doing so. I finished 8 houses and 12 leaves so that posed the question of layout. Here is what I've landed on and I've begun stitching these together on the machine.

 It is definitely an Autumn project with these pretty fall fabrics that I've had in my stash for a very long time. It's a good feeling to finally use them. And I loved embroidering the edges with the blanket stitches too. 

And in embroidery I've picked up a very old Redwork project... embroidering these French General blocks. They came as a panel that I was given years ago. I wasn't fussy about the fabric so I've traced them off to stitch them individually and add borders using up the also very old French General fabric I have on hand. Link is here - Joie De Vivre Embroidery Panel, if you'd like to take a look.

This will take me into my November/ December stitching plan which is to work on my red projects. Yes, I have a couple of those about.

I don't need any challenges to keep on stitching. At this stage past retirement, this hobby of mine seems to have taken over my life. I have a large group of stitchers I watch while stitching, thanks to YouTube. I especially enjoy the ones who quilt, knit and cross stitch and there are quite a few of those as well. Below I was watching one of them, Quilt Roadies with Anna, before being interrupted. 

These two always know when it's time to put down the needle and get outside. What would I do without them??? They certainly inspire me to keep moving.

Tony was able to download the report his specialist sent to his GP after his recent visit and testing at the Ottawa Neuromuscular Centre. Basically, he said he could not find any reason for the extreme fatigue that is plaging Tony's life these days, but he wants to test one more thing. I liked that he called Tony "a pleasant and intelligent man" too which he most certainly is. Anyway, it looks like another trip to the big hospital is coming up. I can't imagine what these neuromuscular specialists' visits cost. We are very grateful for our Canadian medical system which has not failed Tony. 

And on that positive note, I'll end this post. I think of you all often and hope you are keeping well and enjoying your hobbies.