October 14, 2012

I finally got my backside in gear (or maybe it was I stayed home for a change) and put up my fall decorations.   Ahhhh!  Did a bunch of yard work getting things ready for winter.  Having a lawn service cut the yard all summer it was a great feeling to get out there and get my hands in the dirt.   I have been a slug lately once I arrive at home and it felt good to be outside working in the yard.  The trade off of not doing the yard work all summer was to be able to enjoy the yard and deck and pool so much more this past year.    My vote to Mr. W. is to repeat this next year.   (More about Mr. W. in a future post.  All I can say here is MEN!)  The over seeding I did last month is really making my yard look awesome.   I imagine a Google Earth view in real time would show me as the greenest house on the block!   Not too house proud here and don't look too close.   There are still a few patches of crab grass I need to eradicate.
Speaking of 'green'...finally, after much telephone tag, I am meeting with George of the solar company at the end of the month.   I hope things are as financially beneficial  as my friends are saying because I wouldn't mind sticking it to the utility and having them pay me each much.  And I hope my house has the right orientation and structural value to support a system.  (Ironic, that I work for a public utility - water not electric - but I care about Mother Earth more.)

I was able to dig out all my veggies from this summer and man, I hated to do that.   So many tomatoes just waiting to get that blush of red on them from the sun.  But alas, calling for frost and I will be out of town for 8 days and then it will be November and so on.   Need to look up at recipes.com something neat to do with all the green tomatoes I picked before I pulled that plants.
From  above at (almost) the same spot with the zoom
Before starting the yard work, I had a Sampler Guild meeting and had to teach the finishing class.  I managed to do it without even feeling like I would throw up before I started.   I am not one that wants (or needs!) to be center stage especially in front of all these fellow accomplished stitchers.   I feel my work looks so juvenile next to theirs but I managed not to psych myself out and it was all in the preparation.  Had my handouts ready and samples to share and websites to refer to. Half the people were absent which helped.

My side door greeters 
 I cut down all my black-eyed susans, liriope, shasta daisies, lilies and the like but just had to leave these few by the side door.  And I will add this much about Mr. W. ....  We are fortunate to have a wooded area behind our property and that is where the yard clippings, etc. go.   So yesterday as I was tossing clippings, I am noticing a smell.   Each trip into the woods, I am thinking, this is not a smell I should be experiencing here.   At the same time I saw it was the same time I recognized the smell.   CRABS!  Really Mr. W.!  REALLY?   He had to walk at least 30 feet PAST the trash cans to  throw the leftover crabs into the weed pile.   OMGosh...it is not bad enough we have possums and raccoons and squirrels and groundhogs and moles already that kind of let us share the property with them and no wonder.   I can hear the little symphony of chatter amongst them   "Seafood Buffet at the Thompson's tonight".


Here are some of my fall decorations.

 

I love the little slate and can't decide were I want to display it.   What appears 'blue' is really more purple.

A quickie from Pine Mountain that I finished a couple years ago and forgot I had it!



In my dining room.....a scary place near my scary looking orchids!


I like adding little things that you might not notice the first time past.  

This looks better at night -- glowing and eery.

I hope I don't scare the cat from going upstairs.
Aren't these neat?   I do so wish I still had children at home for them to get a kick out of the mice.  They are just black construction paper.  It would be kind of weird to leave these up until everyone is home at Thanksgiving.  (I am so glad I opted to paint the risers white a couple of years ago.)
Are they the cutest?   I have some at work on the glass behind my desk.   I think I will try to laminate a few to put on the front step outside.  

"Ike" my fern, inside for the winter.   He thrives outside each summer. 
 Four more star eyelets on Random Thoughts and I will be at a good stopping point.   I should pick up A Little Quakeresque to work on and perhaps I will.  However, after blog hopping and trying to catch up on all the posts I have been missing for the last month, I am thinking I am packing three Heart in Hand 30 x 30 Halloween designs to take with me to North Carolina.   They will be quick to stitch after a day on the Blue Ridge Parkway or after a visit to Biltmore.  Debbie, my BFF of all times!, and  I are going to have a blast.   We are staying in a town called Little Switzerland.   Now doesn't that conjure up some beautiful images.



Laying on crocheted gloves - a recent thrift store find. 
Another finish is my name tag from my EGA project last month.   This is from the September 2011 Needle Arts Magazine.   I changed up the colors and added the button I purchased at Salty Yarns last week.

Last by not least - for Angela - who asked what I use the crushed walnut shells for....I prefer to use them to 'stuff' pin cushions and the like.   They give a pin keep or cushion the feel of a bean bag.   They are good for weighting things you may wish to stuff and finish as a stand up.   Cleaned, crushed walnut shells are available at pet supply stores.   I think they are used to lizard cages(?) but the problem is you need to buy a 25 lb. bag.  Unless you can get some friends together to split the bag, it is worth picking them up when you see them in manageable sized packages.


6 comments:

  1. wow what a sweet post..your stitching is so cute...very lovely finish..and your house is looking so lovely..
    random thought sampler is my fav one..
    big hugs cucki xx

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  2. Oh wow... nice veggies!!! Hope you find some great recipes for them.

    Nice fall decoration, Robin. :)

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  3. Thank for the tip about the crushed walnuts

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  4. Great post! Your Halloween decorations look great ~ I love those mice!

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  5. wow!!! I love your halloween post and decoration! Specially the tree!


    http://anacristinap.blogspot.com.br/search/label/tusal

    kisses, Ana Cristina

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Thanks is much for stopping by. I so enjoy your comments even if I do not always reply. Have a great day that hopefully includes a bit of stitching.