Magnificent sky

Yesterday I spent a couple of hours at the bead shop...Bead Unique and had the help of owner Zina with my feather pattern. It is still a work in progress..... as the directions and the diagrams do not really match very well. I will work on it this weekend. I do not mind having to take apart and re-do projects...for the most part. It is all part of the learning; that is what I tell me, myself and I. Anyway, it is always pleasurable to sit with Zina and Vickie and bead.

Last evening around sunset I looked out my garage door and the sky was ablaze with fluffy pink ...very pink clouds. It was hot and humid but oh so beautiful. Within minutes of taking this picture, poof! it was all gone and the sun quickly set. You have to be really quick with the camera.
Just took a short walk before the sun really began to heat up the air and the clouds were still hovering about. I look forward to being able to take a longer walk and to sit outside with my morning coffee. Soon, maybe but then again, September is still a hot month here in Arizona. I have no plans for this long holiday weekend...well I will be beading of course. I may try to move the stereo equipment from one spot to another, but I may also wait for Bobby and Dianna who will be here on Tuesday.  It really should be an easy move....but who knows.
I have had a cup of coffee, toast and juice.... now it is time to make the bed and sit in my rocking chair and bead that feather. Glad you had some time to visit. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. You make my day special.
17 days....just 17 days more and The Brother Alan and Lisa will be here! Hip Hip Horray!

Beading and a new hummer in the house

I guess it is official...the season is beginning to noticeably be changing. The sun is now rising around 6 am and setting a bit earlier each day. The only thing not changing around here are the temps. They are still in the mid triple digits. For us here in Arizona the Monsson will officially end around September 15th... and then and only then will we feel less humidity and have less storm warnings.

The new hummingbird in the kitchen.... the white paper is only there to prevent the window glare! He is lovely to see with the light shining through and is 6 inches from wing tip to tip and about 4 inches from beak to tail. Something pretty to look at.
I started a new beading project.

It is a feather. I will be starting this over as I am not too happy with how it is coming. First, I do not like using nylon beading thread which is what the directions tell you to use. Secondly, I am off a bead count and I am not sure how that happened as I have counted each time I do a row. It is just easier to start again. I spoke with Zina, the bead shop owner and will be going there today to seek help. Obviously I am doing something wrong. It is the same stitch as the tree earrings and I was able to do them.
Yesterday evening I got a text from Dianna...she was concerned that I may have started to move furniture around...really, did she really think I would???? I assured her that was not the case. She really does worry about me. What I am realizing is that one of my kitchen cupboards may have to be removed for the new fridge. I had thought about … thought is the key word here.... that I could just take it down now so it would be less work when we get the new fridge. Just want it to be easier for Alan and not a rush job before delivery. I think I would need assistance with this....no, I know that I need assistance. I should have let Denny remove it years ago when he wanted to.
Cannot believe how quickly the days seem to be flying by...already September on Monday. Before you know it we will be in the "holiday" mode. Of course the Christmas decorations are already appearing in the stores. Good for crafting supplies but rushing the seasons a bit too quickly for me. The best thing about September starting on Monday is that it means The Brother Alan and Lisa will soon be here. So, I guess that is it for now. Oh, remember yesterday when I said I was waiting for the coffee to brew after all the spills and clean up? Well, I freshly ground the beans, filled the pot with water and then forgot to turn it on! But my day did get better. No further mishaps. Thank you for chatting with me and for your kind words and most of all your friendship. 

The day will get better.....?

Dianna and I spent part of yesterday together...always fun. Arriving before 10 am and ready with a pose and ready......

to hang sheers in the living room. Dianna did not want me on the step ladder as I would need to use the higher one. Like many people she is taller than I am. After she fussed about with the set up we then went out for brunch at Village Inn for strawberry crepes, hash browns and pie. The hours spent with Dianna always put a smile on my face.  We texted often and she gets me through the storms both weather wise and emotional.
The afternoon was nice and relaxed with thought of how to re-arrange the living room corner. No, I am not doing it on my own. Finally my back is feeling okay and I am surely not going to mess it up. I did on-line search for a new dining/kitchen set because that room is also in the mix. Right now I am waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. That it itself has been a chore. It really started last evening.... I had made tempura fried shrimp so after cleaning the kitchen and dishes,   I lit a Yankee Candle tart burner.

Not a problem. That was when I went to distinguish the light and spilled hot wax from the top all over the counter and the burner....green wax. Well off to bed I went leaving it all to cool. This morning it was the first thing to do. I decide to start the coffee first...spilled a full glass of water all over the opposite counter and floor. So, all is finally clean and the coffee is just finished. The day will get better...yes. No plans except maybe to Staples for ink and to the bead shop for supplies and to the market for milk...guess I do have plans for the morning at least. It is all making me tired so I best get that coffee and savor the first cup. Glad you were here to hear my tale. Speaking of tales...if you follow me on Facebook you may have seen my post yesterday, if not go to my FB page and meet Janet....!https://www.facebook.com/grace.piccirillihorton. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind words and friendship. It is going to be a good day!

Silver and Gold

What a lazy day yesterday. I had absolutely no ambition to do any more than necessary and there was little to be done. The lanai bunny does not appear to be around this morning. The air is hot humid and quite still at the moment. Laundry is swishing and at least one more after this one.

Early last evening I made a silver and gold tree earring. I am not that fond of it but will make the matching half. I think it really needs the red for accent. Maybe even another color as would be on a tree. I can not get to the bead shop today so maybe tomorrow or Thursday.
I hope to begin the next wrap bracelet today...after I finish this pair of earrings. I sent the Bohemian one to sis Lynowl and she was delighted. She always appreciates my creative items. Good for the ego!
As you know I am holding off the purchase of the new refrigerator until The Brother Alan arrives...you remember he will be here September 18th....well yesterday strange noise were emanating from the beast in the kitchen. I truly thought this is it. So far this morning we are quiet. Then my computer kept dinging. The message is that my email account is out of date. Try as I may I can not fix the issue. There is not problem sending and receiving but the message is still calling out to me. I am so computer challenged. I guess if it continues the Geek Squad will be getting a call. If I could do as well with the electronics as with my needle in hand, there would be no problems. I went to True Value to get a piece of plexiglass for my small table top yesterday. The gentleman kept telling me it would be expensive … was I sure I wanted it? I kept saying yes and finally said, "this is not the way to make a sale". He had a blank look but cut it anyway. It is sold by the square inch and was 45 cents per sq. in.... $14.00 later I have what I asked for. Then I almost was run over by one of the many Sun City golf carts that are a menace to the neighborhood. I stopped to get a McDonalds coffee and it was as if I was not in the middle of the driveway. The old fart just kept driving toward me. Rather than stop he almost ran up on the sidewalk.  Oh I know, I am one of those old farts, but I do not drive to kill in one of the golf carts and I yield to anyone crossing in front of me. Thank goodness they are not allowed on the main roads.
I would like to say thank you to a few friends...you know who you are.... who send me lovely encouraging notes just when I need them. Who check in with me just because they care. These past few days I have been having quiet thoughts and tearful moments and you perk my mood. Thank you for being a true friend. Thank you for stopping by and for the kind words and for your caring friendship. 

Santa has been carded

Slow again this morning.... due to lack of sleep. I think it is the weather pushing me into this mode. The temps have fallen a little during the night and I would think it would be better but it seems that no, it is not. The daytime temps have been lower in the mid 100s and of course lack of rain even though it is still Monsoon time. That last storm here in my area was about 2 weeks ago. One more month of this.

Santa has been carded as the trees also. 2 Santa earrings have been already packaged and ready to fly across the states. I had a request for a tree with both silver and gold instead of the red so I will be trying that to see how it looks. I have mastered these trees now. I found beaded feather earrings to try.... just need to get the colors. I do not think Christmas colors or Santa colors are just right. Guess this means a trip to the bead store.

I already have the beads for the next bracelet that I my start today. Of course these are the main colors and then I will add from what I already have.  Just need to find something for the end...the button part.
A laundry to send swishing and an errand is on the agenda today. I managed to take the leaf blower off the high hook in the garage so that will be this week sometime that the lanai gets a cleaning. Whoa! I just saw something moving about on the lanai. My desk is just next to the sliders....oh my goodness. A tiny, and I do mean tiny bunny is scurrying about! There is a large bunny hutch outside my property and I guess this guy came in for shelter or something.  Just what I need a bunny moving in and leaving bunny poop behind! Well, time to move on so things will get accomplished today. Hard to believe that this month is almost over...but that means the days until The Brother Alan arrive are closer....22 days. Just a few tasks for them to do ….new car and new refrigerator….then it will be their time. Good to visit with you today and all the days that you take the time to stop by. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.