I am stitching!

Goodness, I think Fall/Winter have arrived. The mornings are really chilly... temp at 50!  The sun is still nice and warm....Murphy enjoys a moment of sunbathing. Hope all is cheery where ever you are. Let us all take a moment to think about those who are not having a good time and say a little prayer. 

Remember the owl...he now has a friend. He almost lost his friend...to Murphy! Somehow it slipped off the sewing table and anything on the floor is automatically Murphy's. I heard a strange noise from his cave...aka under the bed... and there he was. Getting ready to chew it up.. I am so happy to be busy again. I do have to stop to rest the hand but I am getting there. There may be no cross stitch or tatting, but my first love of sewing and embroidery are fine with me.

I am sure you can figure out what is next....but you will need to visit again on December 16th to see, my day for Jo's Advent Calendar Blog Hop. They are all year long and so much fun... also a way to meet new friends.

An update on The Brother Alan... he is doing much better and the swelling has gone down . Eating is still modified but he is quickly improving. As for Murphy; no more glitter poop...so far. We have such an interesting home. Never a dull moment and lots of laughter. What more can we ask for. Time to check the swishing and get the blanket in to fluff. Another cup of coffee is also on the list. Glad to chat with you. Thank you for your kind words and for your encouragement. Thank you for your friendship.

Please keep Aunt Rose Marie and Uncle Tony in your thoughts. I found out that a cousin has passed away...a hard time of year.

The end of Nonsoon

 Yes, this has been another Nonsoon...Monsson seems to be a miss this year. We nowhere touched the rain. So now we are officially into Autumn. The holiday season. Of course this is not the usual season anywhere with the virus still hanging overhead. We have been healthy here. Hope all of you are also. Masks and distance.... 

I have kept busy...

I made this table topper.... with some change. It is the 10 minute table runner. Usually it is narrower and longer but I wanted to use the fabric without cutting so this is shorter and wider! The metal bucket is full of cinnamon pinecones and then the autumn flowers. The flowers seem to soften the potential overpowering fragrance. 

I have finished the first embroidery block for the quilted runner SAL. Needs pressing and trimming and then the fabric pieces cut to form a block. Today I will trace block 2. 

Tomorrow is my flu shot. A follow-up from the injections. Happy to report that most of the pain is gone. If you have any arthritis you know it is never completely gone, but I will take less pain. 

I have asked The Brother Alan to make me something else..... and he said yes. Today we will get a start. It has been nice having him around this week (on vacation). Murphy will certainly miss him. They have worked in the garage a few times which is play space for Murphy. At the moment however, Murphy is restless. He is going in and out (thank goodness for the magic screen) an under the sofa carrying bones and his squeaky

 toy. This is what we see! He is getting almost too big to get under and out. Well, my friends, stay safe and healthy. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. 

Disclaimer! not responsible for Blogger playing with this posting. The type is what it is! 

Keeping busy

 Even Murphy is keeping busy

While I was swishing and fluffing in the laundry corner he was carefully grabbing a box from the recycle bin.

Once retrieved, he nonchalantly walks past me into the house. He loves boxes of kinds and sizes. Every delivery or purchase with a box is HIS.

We bought a couple of pumpkins for outside and a small one for the mantle display. Lisa though Murphy needed it because last year he played everyday with them outside. So.....

immediately took it into the house and  immediately chewed a hole into it. Eventually Alan retrieved it from his grasp. Yes we indulge him....okay maybe me more than them.

Had an appointment with my pain management doctor yesterday. I am having arthritis pain from my thigh right though the right leg. It was decided to give me an Epidural steroid injection into my spinal area. Rest for 24 hours and slowly return to normal activity. Lisa suggested that I rest and it was around 3ish. I was watching Wilson Bickford paint and next I knew it was 6pm and The Brother was just arriving from work!

 Today will be embroidery day for the SAL Lisa and I are doing. We stopped at the quilt store for fabric.

The polka dot will be the table runner backing and the white on white squares are for the embroidery and the dark green (hard to see but it is 2 shades) the other fabric will be the pieces to trim the embroidery.

Of course once there...

This will be a full size Christmas pillowcase. The check is the body, the white is the trim and the cuff is the candy cane.

This selection will be for travel pillowcases. The floral print will be the body, the red the trim and the green the cuff...I will also make one changing the cuff and trim fabrics with one another. 

Murphy and I went for our quarter mile jaunt around the neighborhood. The temps are a bit cooler at 80. It has been too hot to walk at all.

Well, it is good to chat with you. Thank you for your kind words and thank you for your friendship. Time for laundry check and ice cold water. 

Catching up....

How did it get to be Saturday? It seems like it was just Tuesday and The Brother Alan and Lisa were just arrived. We have been busy….yesterday was Scottsdale day. We enjoy stopping in at The Rusty Spur for a drink then onto roaming around and shopping. We end with a lunch at The Italian Grotto, always a delicious treat. Once we arrived back home...

Alan and I worked on the pond garden. It is not complete but almost there. Nice sounds coming from the 2 tier fountain. A few more adjustments to be made. Potted plants have been moved around and garden lighting too. The color changing spotlight was returned to shine on the Disco Ball making for beautiful shadows in the evening. A lot of tasks were worked on and those that are not finished I can do when the return to RI. I may even call on Bobby to help with one particular task. A few errands and now back home to relax. It is hot out today.... high 80s. Lisa has a little bit of sunburn as she enjoys sitting in the sun. Whatever tan I have is from walking around or the brief time I am working in the garden. I have been advised not to sit in the sun so I do not.
The last few days there have been a couple of tiny "little girl
hummingbirds" fluttering around. The Doves left the nest the other day... 2 eggs there... and finally returned but were away for some time. I am not sure if the eggs are still viable. They need constant warmth and they did not get that. We will see.
I know … it is unusual for me to make late posts, but I was too relaxed having my morning coffee in the garden to come in to post. I have not even worked on beading and now I have a small embroidery project as part of a FB group. Speaking of embroidery....

each of these striped boxes is full of DMC floss....(click the picture to enlarge) and I will be sorting out which to keep and the rest will be going. I already offered to 2 friends and will wait to see how much they would like. The rest will be going to a school. Still working on thinning down my stash of crafts.
That about is it for now. Glad you took time to visit. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Oh what a morning...

Seems it will be a partly cloudy morning but the temps are so comfortable. I wish I was! To start at the beginning....I woke at 1 am and still awake..... going to be a long day. But I will manage. Let's talk about yesterday. I decided to lay the drip line in the new pond garden.

Okay, it does not look like much but soon it will. Anyway, I could not remember how to activate the irrigation off time so I thought well tomorrow at 7am I will come out and see if it works. Out to the garden at 7 this morning I went but no water running anywhere! Now what? After a few minutes I discovered the system was unplugged. I want to know who did this...come on speak up! Then I hear what sounds like a faucet running  ...a line is disconnected from a post. I took an unplanned shower right there in the garden in my pajamas. Could not fix it so I shoved the line toward the garden wall. In the meantime did I mention that the 2 baby
Doves are now out of the nest? As usual, they like others in the past do not plan to leave the garden anytime soon. No, they prefer to hang around. They pop up at the least expected moment and then we all 3 are startled. I have informed them to stay out of the lanai...it is not for rent but they continue to enter then can not find their way out. Panic sets in and I have to go and escort them out. Now I know why the parents left them!

Yesterday I also decided it was time to slice and quarter and juice the lemons..... then into the freezer so I can zip lock bag them up. I waited until they were just getting soft to the touch...more juice that way. These are already bagged. A full gallon bag.

Look at how much juice from one of these giant lemons! One half cup full.... the glass juicer is from my childhood.... mom used to make orange juice using this. One day I asked her if she still had it and she gave it to me. Nice to use it.

Added to the freezer are cubes of juice about a tablespoon each and zest. Now for drinks or cooking I am prepared. I still have 5 more lemons to do. I will put the zest into snack bags and since they are in 1 tablespoon amounts it will be easy to use.

Ta Da... she is finished. Tossing her little yellow French knots around. I am pleased with how she looks. Still not sure why I made it in pinks. I really enjoyed doing simple embroidery again. I will be looking into my patterns this weekend for another project to do. My hand is so much better...I would say completely healed but it still gets sore. The back however is another story and I will be calling the doctor on Monday to try to see him. I have done really nothing this past week so it should feel better.

A  cloudy morning can not keep the bright Orange Bells from glowing and giving me sunshine in the garden.  I had this cut back severely last summer and it is coming back strong. The bees love it and the hummer sometimes stops by for a taste.  Well, guess I should do a few chores. Glad you stopped by today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

Lemons

A lovely day yesterday to relax and enjoy the 80+ temps. Actually I could do very little as Tuesday found me with a backache. By yesterday it had gotten worse and is no better today at all. Guess it is time to see the doctor. Just as my hand is feeling pretty good, now this. Oh I know that some have it worse than me, but it is me that concerns me today. Plans that I thought would be today are definitely on hold.

Yesterday Robyn...across the courtyard... brought me these two beautiful lemons. They are just a smidge over 4 inches and not a mark on them. She picked them from her daughter's lemon tree... nothing like fresh picked lemons. I had just finished my last lemon. My iced water will certainly taste good!

Started to embroider the skirt of the girl in between the ouches... the oohs... and oh my of pain. Trying to show movement to match her pose. Soon I can show you my sewing project that I hinted at the other day. Uh, I forgot, you can not see it just yet. I am taking part in Jo's  Annual Easter Treasure Hunt on Friday April 19th and this is my picture to post on that day. She hosts a variety of blog hop fun throughout the year.
The Baby bunny is still around the garden. Yesterday I almost fell and it would not have been my fault for a change. He and I scared one another when I went into the garden. He is so lucky that I did not fall. It seems he is spending sometime in the lanai.... he leaves me a trail. He is also lucky he is so darn cute! Just as Oliver used to hide in the Fountain grasses, he is also hiding there and under the Hopsbush. So now I will watch those areas as I go about the garden.
Well my friends, I need to try to get up from this desk chair and if nothing else wash my coffee mug and toast dish. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.

~~~and so it is Springtime

At 1Am this morning the rain fell loudly for a short time. Sun out and no signs of more rain.

Earlier the Super Moon was big and bright then the clouds took it away. Now the sun is taking away the puddles. Good thing as the cushions on the chairs and glider got wet... I forgot to bring them into the lanai! It should not take too long once the day warms up.
I sat outside yesterday morning and worked on the kitchen girl

I changed the collar to the lighter pink and she now has her bag which will hold her flowers. Of course now my had is bothering me... well, truth be told I had also walked the Bissell around and did the House Faeries work. One of these days they will magically appear and take over.

The tulips have opened and look lovely. The contrast is striking! I moved them to a cooler area hoping they will last a bit longer. I should try planting some in the garden. No complaints though as the garden is so pretty with what is now blooming.
The swishing in the laundry area is finished so now it is time to fluff things. I definitely need another cup of coffee and some ice for my hand. Wonderful to visit with you today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.
**1+9**deh

Leaving on a fast train~~~~

Wonderful weather these past few days. The temp has been around 82. Sitting outside has been lovely...except when there are interruptions which I will not  think about... but yes, it has been enjoyable being in the garden.

The Cape Honeysuckle is blooming. I had it cut back almost to the ground last year and it has been returning slowly. Happy to see these bright orange flowers ad the hummers are too.

The hummers also love the Penstemon which are all over the garden. These re-seed themselves wherever they please and I am very pleased.

The Hops Bush is also showing off with blooms. This bush has tripled in sized since arriving a year ago. I need to find a better way to support it. Maybe with a wooden trellis. I will look this weekend when I finally get to Lowes. I have been a little busy and at times feeling overwhelmed with things so I have not felt like going there this week. Every so often I think about finding a fast train to somewhere...the only trains running around here are freight trains... wonder if any hobos would be willing to take me along???? The  BSNF or Burlington Northern and Santé FE Railway is the largest freight train system in North America covering 32,500 Miles in 28 states. I can hear the whistle sometimes in the very early hours of the morning. I love the lonely sound.... anyway, when things get boggled in my mind I think of hopping the train as it rumbles slowly along the track which is about 3 miles from me and imagine all sorts of adventures. Not today however as I have things to do. Once Dennis and I got caught at a rail crossing in Glendale and we counted 140 cars...it seemed to take forever to clear the crossing.

I bought a bunch of Tulips yesterday... they really speak of Spring and definitely brighten my living room. They were tightly closed yesterday and this morning have begun to open. Must enjoy them quickly as they do not last very long once opened fully.

A little more done on the kitchen gal. Hopefully more today. Right now the swishing is finished so the fluffing will start once I get to the laundry area. So off I go. Nice to chat with you today and always. Thank you for your kind words and always for your friendship.

The camera and computer are speaking again

The winds of March are still hanging about. I looked out to the garden and things are here and there. I thought I secured everything. The chimes are sounding lovely. I can tell how windy it is when the buoy bell begins to sound off.... then it really is gusty. So far just gentle sounds.
The other day I discovered that I was out of dried Rosemary. So on the list it went. Like most crafters I hated to toss out the container... we all know how many uses we can find to use them.  It was washed and left to dry which reminded me of my garden.

This is my Rosemary bush in the garden... it is about 3 feet wide and as high. So I decided to pick, wash and dry some.

This morning I removed the Rosemary from the stems and now the kitchen smells of Rosemary. My hands still smell also even after several hand washings. Tonight my garden Rosemary will be added to my pork chop. Next will be to dry some of my Oregano.
Usually when I have a computer problem I call The Geek Squad, they remotely fix the problem and all is well. Wednesday,  the guy at the other end of the phone did not know what to fix... could not fix it. Off to Best Buy yesterday afternoon. It took Ethan just 5 minutes and he figured it all out

Finally after  7 years of daily use, the cable is worn out. This is a Memory Card Reader … this eliminates the cable ad now voilà, all is good again. Well, with the camera and computer that is.

This is the start of my embroidered towel for the kitchen. Plans are to continue this weekend. In the meantime, Spring has arrived at the hacienda...

The Sisters and the Angel are on the mantel. Dianna gave them to me and has a matching set! When a candle is lit in the Angel it casts a lovely light. Normally these are atop my bedroom curio. I like to change decorations around the house. Everything looks new again from a different spot. The frog family also has a new place...

They moved to the Sidebar in the dining area. These are very special to me. They belonged to my Grandma Piccirilli. When I was a child they sat in her kitchen above the stove. I always wanted them and when she passed my dad got them for me. A sugar, creamer and tea/coffee pot. They probably are around 90 years or more old.
So, that is what is happening around here. No plans for today or the weekend. Hope the days are less windy so I can enjoy sitting outside. This wind causes lots of sneezing for me. I do have to fill the birdbaths so the Doves have a supply for drinking in the garden and the Mockingbird has a place to bathe out front. Always so nice to have you visit with me. Thank you for the kind words and for your friendship.

Always something....

Yesterday there were clouds then rain fell. Clouds arrived and the sun was out briefly. Thunder was heard then the rains started again. This morning clouds and wind... and I do mean wind. Of course wind does mean the chimes sing nicely. So far I have not seen much sunshine or rain drops but I am not counting either out just yet. I checked on The Doves and the tail feathers are really flickering in the wind. Glad they decided on having their home in a safe area of the garden.
Although I had some issues to attend to yesterday morning by the afternoon I was sitting and started my embroidery. Not wanting to push my hand I did not sit in my comfy chair too long though. What was that? A picture of my embroidery start? That is the "Always something" part of my post. It would seem the camera and computer are not speaking to one another. Pictures currently prefer to remain hidden in the camera. So, that means a call to my buddies at the Geek Squad.

I can introduce you to the newest baby bunny...yes, I have been seeing him wandering out from the same bush as Oliver. Baby bunnies are so cute! Tiny and fluffy and seem fearless. I am always amazed that unlike puppies and kittens who stay close by the parents, bunnies automatically come out and move around by themselves. I was able to upload this picture just the other morning.
Anyway, one errand today and back to the embroidery hopefully later.  In the meantime, there is a bed waiting to be made and those House Faeries have not arrived and there are a few other chores, so off I go. Glad you visited today. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement and most of all your friendship. 

Pink for Spring....

March has arrived and for us here in The Valley of the Sun the temps are wonderful...in the low 70s. It has been wonderful sitting outside with my coffee and a book. I have attempted to get back to doing something crafty.... but I see now that I will have to take it easy still.

It felt wonderful lathering up my hand with my Dragonfly soap. I love pretty soaps. Finally my hand feels clean again….It is looking good, still swollen and a little stiff, but I am massaging the fingers as well as stretching them. I am also applying the Mederma oil on the scar and soon my hand will feel soft.

Just the day before surgery I made this Spring wreath to hang at the front door. So far a few birds have checked it out and if they know what is good for them they will leave it alone. I also have taken my cotton thread and Hairpin Lace tool

and added an embroidery pattern that I found on Jacquelynne Steve's blog and voilà...I have a couple of projects. I thought I would start with the tatting project... or at least get part of a few ready but my hand began to really ache. Holding the crochet hook (size 2) caused my fingers to cramp up. So, only 2 are made. Do you know what they are for??? The embroidery pattern is adorable. When you print it, it has 2 sides...each gal is facing opposite/reverse.

She will be stitched on this towel for my kitchen. Originally the pattern is for St. Patrick's Day, but as Jaqueline suggested, you can simply make the clovers into flowers ad that is what I plan to do. I will grab my DMC color chart and decide on which colors to use. Usually when I make one of these towels I cut it in half as this is only for display ad I need only one side to show. I just may make one at one end facing one way and the other end facing opposite. I am having second thoughts about the fabric I chose for my March Origami Star so it is on hold just now. I am not a big fan of St. Pat's designs.... but still it is March. For me it is all about March 19th, Fiesta San Giuseppe, the feast of Saint Joseph.  In my Italian family it was to celebrate my dad's saint day...he was baptized Giuseppe but everyone knew him as Joe. We always had Zeppolas... a delicious pastry filled with cooked cream.
An update on the Doves.... there is now a pair but they are not nesting. They appear every morning in the garden and chat then disappear. I am asking for special thoughts for my friend LuLu back in Rhode Island. Her niece is under going a double mastectomy.... please keep her and the family in your thoughts. Glad you stopped by today. Thank you for all your kind words and for your friendship.

The plane... the plane....

Remember those lines from Fantasy Island TV show  from the mid 70s-80s? Tattoo would yell them out when the plane arrived...well, I was Tattoo yesterday but I was yelling "the pain...the pain".
My back is giving me such trouble that I am barely able to walk, sit or walk. Can not concentrate on anything. I was able to get an appointment this morning with my pain management doctor and hopefully he will be able to give me injections.  I feel like a truck ran me over but did not drive off.
I tried to gather supplies for another wrap bracelet but my bead cabinet is such that I would need to get down to look thorough the many beads and then for sure I would never get up from the floor. That idea quickly was put out of mind. At one point I decided to tat but that was not a good idea. I did read yesterday as that was about all I could do and even at that my mind recalled Tattoo!

I love to embroider and found this on Jenny's blog....would make an adorable pillow. Love her patterns. I find her blog so relaxing and she has such comforting words …. stop by.
The day is starting very cloudy and humid with low temps. Maybe a storm coming., There was some  thunder last evening but nothing came along with it. As long as it holds off until I return form the doctor appointment. So my friends there is nothing to show you...nothing creative. Thank you for visiting and for your kind words. Most of all, thank you for your friendship.
Just about a month to go.... for you know who and what.

It is a good morning to bake Biscotti

Another nippy start to the day. The sun is shining and it will be in the mid 80s by noon. It is nice to finally turn off the air conditioner. While it is still cool it is a god time to put the oven on. Second laundry mixing up in the washer and the ingredients for Almond Biscotti sorted and ready.

I always leave everything to reach room temperature before baking. I just finished making some hard boiled eggs for the lunches and snacks. I had all intentions of making these biscotti all week but just could not get myself to do so. Of course the one morning that I was ready the water was off! I want to have these for tomorrow to share with my dear friends. I am so thankful for the encouragement and help that they have shown me these last 6 months. Yesterday marked 5 months since my Denny has passed.
I also worked on Baby #2

Just a few more flowers and French knots to embroider and leaves to add and she will be ready to travel. I have collected a few other things to add to the box...but I still need a box! Actually I need a few boxes for my Christmas mailings.
Why is it that I forget to use the gloves in the garden and the gloves in the house cleaning then complain that my hands are dry and sore? I wash them so often that I really need to find a lotion that truly melts into the hands so I can stitch without having greasy hands or waiting a hour or so. Any suggestions out there ???
As I sit here typing on the computer I realize my desk is a disaster...really must put it on the list To Do. I am almost finished with the sorting of my stash stuff so that is good. For every item I cross off the list there seems to be 2 added. Well it is time to get the baking started and the oven pre-heated. Glad we had time to chat today. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship. Take time to relax today.

A Teddy Bear

Well now.....

Isn't this just right. Finished the teddy yesterday and it is sitting pretty. I love this pattern. It is a Simplicity pattern 

dated 1986 and I have made countless bears from it. This time the bear is special. It is from a pair of Denny's jeans and pieces cut rom one of my old blouses. 

I embroidered the Sorbello stitch along each arm top and on the top of the legs. My new favorite stitch.

I whip stitched the small inside pocket from the jeans to the back where it can hold a message or.....whatever. Fits nicely here. This is the smaller bear of three sizes.

Simple black buttons for the face. I really like how the back pocket looks for the face. I am not really happy with the ears of this pattern and have done them many ways in the past. The next teddy I will make a change. And how about the heart of this bear...

Indeed this teddy bear was made with love.....
I started the day with a problem. I took down the bathroom mini blind to wash and now I can not get it to snap into the bracket....Denny always put it back. So, tomorrow when Dianna and Sherry arrive to help with the pond, one of them I hope can get this back in place. I think I am needing a handy man. I suppose some of the things can wait until The Brother Alan arrives each year, but I really do not want his vacation time as work time. Just another loose screw for me to deal with. It was nice to have you visit with me. Thank you for the kind words and most of all your friendship. Let's have a good day.

Getting there

No, I am not going anywhere....but I am getting there....almost ready for The Brother Alan's visit...next Tuesday! I have been getting the sewing room back to a guest room. It requires my rearranging things...out with the sewing table/machine and freeing closet space just for a start. The linens have been changed on the bed and space made ready in the bureau. This also means that I am in a ness for a few days while everything removed has a new spot for the visit. It is al so worth it. I love having Alan here and always wish it could be a longer visit. Guess I will have to wait until he retires (which will be some time to wait!) He still is the younger kid. In between all this preparations I did begin the French Boutis project.

I am going to re-do the circle area because it is a little to tight. I used the disappearing quilt marking pen and do hope it does vanish! The outline is complete and now will start the center back stitching lines. I also need to do the embroidered initial in the center of the circle or....I was undecided if I want to do that or....so you can see, I am still making choices here. Mr H has a doctor appointment this morning and I have a few errands to do later. It is already 71 at 5:30 am and may reach 99 today...so the sooner the errands are done the better. I did a little yard work yesterday. All the winds we have been having surely made a miss here.  Remember my sweet friend JeanneG moved...well I visited her on Sunday morning...I sure do miss her.  Glad she is so close by that I can still pop in for a visit. We spent time looking through patterns finding a cross stitch for her to work on and of course chatting away the time.  So, that is what I have been up to and what I will be doing. Did I mention that it is only 6 days until The Brother Alan arrives? Glad we had the time to visit...thank you for the kind words and most of all for your friendship. Have a great day.

PS...