Paradise No Longer

A decidedly chilly air this morning made me glad I'd shrugged on my jacket as I was leaving the basement. Especially dark along the path through the fir trees.  All the talk of hurricanes happening far away make me think twice about further bemoaning the end of our lovely August weather. I hold that thought as I'm shivering in the breeze over the pond. The weather is turning more drastic it seems. Many of these places that seemed like paradise to us here in Canada, no longer appear as wonderful.  The scenes of devastation are so grim and the loss of life heart breaking.

I mentioned purples in the garden.  Here is dianthus (though different from the Sweet William I bought this summer) with a little coleus and hens and chicks peeking out which looked as good as this briefly. The three of these did not fare as well as other years maybe because of the extreme July heat. Several bunches only produced stragglers. I hate to think it was due to my not watering enough.

I'm looking at this magazine, the Autumn 2017 issue of Quiltmania's Simply Vintage and finding so much inspiration there.  These magazines, while expensive, keep well.

Those of you who work in wool would be interested in this autumn project...I think we all love pumpkins and pears. Of course the patterns are included and can be used for fabric as well.

I realized my baskets project is really kind of fallish too with all the browns and mustard yellows. I'm working on a little border for them.  Again using all the leftover scraps of fabrics.

And I've started a new project for cross stitch, Swirling Flowers, another Karen Kluba design from Rosewood Manor.
  I realized two things with the Summer Storm. It was a gray/blue material which made it harder for me to see and I needed a stronger strength of readers. I didn't realize how high they can go. Duh. A temporary fix but I must get an eye appointment as so many of you urged me to do.
I am jubilant that I can still cross stitch!  Back to pretty Quakers on a soft white background.

Oh the sun is emerging as I finish this "and truly the light is sweet to see". Hoping with all my heart that where ever you are you are safe!
Take care all!
Joining the hand stitchers at Kathy's Quilts. And the scrappy stitchers at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework. Also linking with Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Love Laugh Quilt, Em's Scrapbag and What a Hoot Quilts.



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No More Back to School

What does September mean to you?
 Being a teacher, it always meant back to a new school year which also coincided with summer's end, something we did not want.  So there was excitement but also a little melancholy and trepidation about the early days of this month. Funny thing, even though that's ended for me- there is no going back to school, September still conjures up some of those feelings.  When these first weeks pass, then I will truly welcome autumn, a favourite season of mine.
Welcome to the purple in the garden.  Wild asters are all over with their shades of lavender, mauve and purple.

And I scoured my bits of purple stash and came up with enough to make these purple(ish) flag blocks.

Just For Fun
I mentioned I had a birthday recently. I was a Thursday child in the Year of the Rabbit. Oddly enough, I was called Bunny till about 7 years old. There are many more coincidences about my birth that always intrigued me.  And though I don't believe in astrology as such, I can't deny I'm a Virgo through and through.  What about you?
Birthday Answers is a fun site where you type in your birthday and they tell you all about it.

I loved this video by Jen Kingwell. The fabrics remind me of Halloween so a good one to share just now.  Always amazes me how a block looks so different depending on the fabric choices. It is Part 3 of her Marshall Mystery project and she explains how to make the Courthouse Steps block. Now that is an easy block for many of you and maybe even I could do it but I would have to be careful to keep all those lines straight.

What I Did With the fresh Ontario Peaches
I made a peach crisp kind of dessert, a giant one as it turned out.  I got to add lots of good stuff to the crisp mixture besides the oats.  We've been enjoying it with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt.

Murphy leading Hubby and Rex in the tall woods...still lots of green but already leaves on the ground.  Oh.

Happy Thursday everyone!
Linking this post with Not Afraid of Color, It's a Small Town Life,, My Quilt Infatuation, Alycia Quilts, So Scrappy, Floral Friday Foto and Brian's Home Blog.

Bev's Free PDF Pattern, Quilt of a Thousand Seams and MOM PIE

I was so pleased to eventually see lots of bees, dragonflies, butterflies and grasshoppers around the garden this summer.

I have this special pair of pants that I get a kick out of wearing while gardening.  Featuring embroidered daisies and flying bees here and there, they are very comfortable with a little elastic in the waist.  I found them at a thrift shop years ago and knew they belonged to whimsical me.

I used the pick axe and shovel this week...I'm terrible with the pick axe; never could use it well. But managed to dig two holes and replant two bushes.
I also cleaned and tidied the gardening side of the garage. Always find things I'd forgotten about.  Also sadly found a mouse carcass trapped in a glass bottle. (Might account for some of the odd smells out there.)

Starting a new scrappy project and enjoying it very much.  I love dresdens as anyone reading will know. I always comment on your dresdens when you show them.  This is a partial...quarter dresden to be exact and my inspiration was from Bev McCullough at this post on her Flamingo Toes site. That link will bring you to generous Bev's free pdf pattern too.  Sharing like this is so appreciated!
                            
Mine will be much scrappier than Bev's. I'm machine stitching the blades but will hand stitch the unit to the block. I've already enjoyed working on this project. Lots of scrappy fun!

My photograph blocks are a flimsy! I think I'll rename it after working up close with the blocks as a whole...the quilt of a thousand seams.  Boy, there are a lot of joins in this thing. But that will happen when using up small scraps.  It's one of those pieces that really looks much nicer in person. Don't know why it doesn't photograph well and it is much larger than I had first thought. But with no plan other than just sewing that will happen.

To Do this week
Harvest those seeds while I can...Temperatures taking a decided turn downward.
Get several blocks of the quarter dresdens sewn.
Make some purple flag blocks and remember (!) to link up with the RSC.
Set up the humane mouse trap we have in the garage...may be able to keep mice out of the cars this winter.
Use up these peaches.

 Diann in this post at Little Penguin Quilts had her mom visit and make fresh peach pie and we all know there is nothing like MOM PIE.  It gave me the urge for peach something which coincided with Ontario peaches ripening.  We'll see.
A cool beginning to the day here, 13 C, but sunny so a great morning for garden work.
Happy to link with Home Sewn By Us, Esther's Design Blog, Needle and Thread Network and Love Laugh Quilt.

Beautiful Free Fall Patterns, Ottawa Views, Cross Stitching

 Ottawa itself is known for its green spaces and we are surrounded by farmland here a little outside the city. Our drives in any direction take us through fields of crops and grazing animals. Recently I tested my new camera for action photos and took these as we were driving.

I love that there are still small farms where you can stop in for eggs or locally raised meat.
The corn is getting high.

  Something so calm and peaceful feeling about the sight of farm houses with the barns and silos.

Coming here from somewhere coastal where it's all about the sea and cliffs, I was taken with the pastoral look of things as you can imagine.  I especially like that the roads are flat and straight which makes me less afraid for winter driving.

Last look at the day lilies with all their vibrant colours.  I've shown you the orange and the yellows. Here are shades of pink/red and one that is yellow with that striking ring of burgundy.

My cross stitching piece, Summer Storm, is growing at a snail's pace because I'm trying to be so careful. And about that, thank you all so much for the suggestions as to how to see this weave properly. Hubby and I were talking and I realized I haven't had my eyes checked in almost 10 years. (I conveniently measure events now BH -Before Hubby or After Hubby).  Probably due.

Lynette Anderson has published this new book of very sweet patterns, Lynette's Best Loved Stitcheries available here at the Martingale site.  I like the shades of violet and mauve she has used in that sashing too.
                                          
Before I forget...Hubby wanted me to tell you all that the box the Phoebe had nested on was not electrical so very safe. It's an audio sound box that was connected to the stereo in the shed.  The former owners must have had backyard parties.  I guess that's why it had no signs of bird usage till now.

 The busy Jacquelynne Steeves has collated this group of free projects for the fall I went through all the while thinking can it really be fall!  Several are of interest to me. Here is the link to Jacquelynne's site if you'd like to check it out yourself.

                                       
So on this first Sunday of this new month, Happy September all!
Grateful to be linking with Kathy's Quilts, Skywatch Friday, Letting Go the Bay Leaf and Floral Friday Foto.

Sleeplessness and Other Stuff

Dogs barking in the night, well 4:10 am, woke me. True to form for me, that was the end of sleep. I realize I should develop a different attitude to the not sleeping thing. Perhaps just get up and do something instead of tossing and turning, growing frustrated that I can't nod off. But I keep thinking I can overcome it somehow because the goal is to get more sleep, not more work done.
Here is one of the culprits looking tired because I think he is tired. Poor old boy.
Hubby researched and is now making the trek to a specialty store to buy him special food. He is loved!

Yes I'm guilty of this, but I don't know how to be otherwise.  If you are a thinking person with some empathy, the ridiculous antics going on in this world have just got to get you down sometimes. The challenge is to not get weighed down by it.

                               
While I ponder all that, here are the best things so far this week.
I was finally rewarded after two summers of trying to photograph the turtles in the pond. The algae makes for great cover for them. Here is the big one who just happened to be lounging near the edge one morning. No time to set up a photo as it is moving away as I caught this shot. There is a middle sized one and a baby there as well. Yes our own three bears.

It was my birthday recently and I had a round of continuous small treats, the secret to happiness according to Iris Murdoch. Here are two of them. This beautiful bouquet of different kinds of sunflowers from SIL was so special. And also special was the cake, a Reine de Saba, Queen of Sheba, made by my younger daughter who is a queen of cake making herself.

She gave me this paper with it. I've never heard of it so was intrigued and couldn't wait to try a piece. Very dense, very rich and delicious. One of those cakes you only need a small piece of.

I am now an even number of years and why that should even cross my brain, I have no idea.

LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color  was inspired by the flower photos I posted and drew a lovely interpretation of them.  You can see it in this post at her blog.  She is a talented soul and I particularly enjoy her Thursday writings from her poodle, Milo.

Carol at Beads and Birds mentioned she had bought about three dozen Japanese snails and put in her pond to help keep the algae in check. That's a great natural solution. I wonder where we could get some of them.

Libby in this post at Life on the Hill explained her success with growing vegetables in a VegTrug wooden raised garden box this summer.  This may be just the ticket to satisfy my itch to have a vegetable garden. Available from Wayfair.
                                 

We are rewatching two old favourites, Keeping Up Appearances


 and


So I'm heading off to bed with pleasant thoughts. And while watching I've been removing the freezer papers from my basket blocks.  Two nights and about half way through. More time consuming than one would think!

Enough of my meandering on a Thursday. Hubby has a day of medical appointments so we will be on the go all day.
Sincerely hope you are well rested and coping well with whatever life is handing you today.
Linking with Thursday Likes at Not Afraid of Color, It's A Small Town Life, Viewing Nature With Eileen, Alycia Quilts and Brian's Home Blog.

To Do, To Really Do

There is mud on my pants and dirt under my nails which means I was working outside.  I'm not a clean gardener I've discovered.
I planted these lavender plants SIL gave me.

 I've also been doing some raking in the pond which sounds bizarre. With all the July heat, algae and seaweed grew like crazy throughout and threatened to take over the entire surface. I've been raking some of it out each day to give other things a chance to grow. I did look it up and this is what you do. Or use chemicals but I like the idea of raking first to see if this will help.

Before they fade (which they are all doing) I must show you these orange day lilies. Younger grandson helped plant them and said they reminded him of pumpkins and his favourite Halloween thing to do is carve pumpkins.

But getting back to the garden goals...
This is the time of year I research what plants can be divided in the fall and which can be left till spring. I do this each season as I forget from year to year which are when. I checked again to confirm our overnight frost can start as early as October 1 here in Ottawa. Things need to be set down in a new location about a month prior to that according to the folks I consult. So that means the sooner the better. I have several plants that are withering slightly because they need dividing.
And every year I have plans to gather seeds and never do. This year will be different. I'm really going to do it.  The yucca is loaded with seed packs this year and all the coneflowers have started to seed. It's all there for the picking. Just need to get at it.  So two garden goals for this week are to divide/ replant and collect seeds.

 I do have my photograph blocks back on the wall and I'm feeling more kindly toward them than I did before; several rows have been trimmed and joined. The sashing has been cut to join those rows, so progress.  Let's say getting this to the flimsy stage will definitely be a goal for this week.

I also have more of the red flag blocks made.

Jenny of  Romany Quilting mentioned this would make a great leaders and enders project. I couldn't agree more. Easy to cut and easy to sew.
I wonder what the next colour over at the So Scrappy RSC will be?  A fallish colour perhaps. Someone mentioned purple.  It just occurred to me (duh) I could coordinate the flag making with that SAL just for fun. To date I've made 30 blocks each of the two colours.  So another goal will be to make 30 of whatever is September's colour.

I did not make the Ginger Puffs yet but for a special reason. I had more than enough treats this week which I will tell you about on Thursday.  So I'm going to move this goal ahead for later in the week.

I have taught myself a very good little pattern for the scarf crochet project. I used this YouTube video made by Tracey Beebe to help. So that wooly project has begun.  I wonder what can't you find on YouTube!

I have done the online shopping and that Silpada silver necklace and the Karen Kay Buckley circles are winging their way to me. Many of you commented on how great those circles are.
I've been adding the collagen powder to our almond milk, coffee and yogurt. Very happy with the way it blends in and is unnoticeable in the food. I'll let you know if my hair starts to thicken because that will be big news!
Meanwhile, hope your week is off to a great start.
Happily linking with Home Sewn By Us, Life in Pieces, The Madd Quilter,  Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and Em's Scrapbag.

Learning from Hannah's Story, Cross Stitching, Phoebe Nests

It is the last Sunday of August and I'm feeling a little bit sad about that. With the children soon back to school, it is summer ending. We in Canada adore our summers.
 But it is perhaps the best growing season I've ever shared in and it has revived an old thought of mine that I would like to own a farm. No, not one of those mega farms with mile long barns, just a little one with chickens and a small vegetable garden. An old dream of mine. I must renew this talk with Hubby.

 Recently I watched several videos about a most remarkable woman, Hannah Hauxwell, and perhaps that too got me thinking of farms.  Hannah's farm was in Yorkshire, England.
                                                 
 Hannah became famous for her steadfast attitude of thankfulness while living alone and in poverty. She took her only enjoyment in life from the land around her. A lesson for us in thriftiness and loving nature.  I also loved her opinions on life and her accent. I had tears in my eyes watching her.

I'm cross stitching a little each day in an attempt to regain confidence with this craft.  This has confounded me a little. I've been cross stitching since I was 17.  I'm being very careful to turn the needle so the threads lie the way they are supposed to. This second white bit for the tiny quilt seems to be working better than where I abandoned it at the start. I'm wondering if 32 count linen is just too tiny a weave for my eyes. Perhaps.  I'll keep plugging along whatever.

I looked forward to enjoying the stitching of these simple motifs so I'm a little disappointed.

Meanwhile, in the sewing room, more reds have been added to the wall. And two older projects brought out for an airing.  More later about that.
This tiny nest squished between the electrical box and the eave on a backyard shed yielded two successful broods this summer.

 The first were Phoebes and two birds fledged mid July; I'm not entirely sure what this second one is exactly. Hard to photograph. But two more were raised here successfully and left before I got a chance to get a photo other than this one of a parent.

Do you think I should now remove the nesting material and clean up the spot? Since it is the back yard, I'm not that fussy about the look of it all...meaning I don't really care especially if it will help the birds.
All quiet and calm here at the wooden house this morning, a gradually retiring sun shining down on us. Already a noticeably weaker kind of light.

Hope all is quiet and calm with you too.
Joining the linky parties at Kathy's Quilts and Viewing Nature With Eileen.