July - Coming in hot

and going out on one of the more beautiful days of summer.  Low humidity, temps in the low 80’s, wonderful breeze…..I’m staying outside ALL day.  I may go in and bring out some stitching this afternoon.   We so need this after weeks of oppressive heat and humidity.  

A quick flashback on my two weeks babysitting.   Some of the fun things I did with the kiddos.  We did underwear panting - keeps the clothes clean;  A trip to Chick-Fil-A  playground; rock painting for leaving along the trail on our next hike; Raegan helps me stitch; and, Damma does Twister!   And there was more.   I thoroughly enjoyed the time but my own bed did feel good after 13 days.

What’s about as exciting as watching paint dry?  Waiting for grass to grow.   So much of the seed washed away with the heavy heavy downpours we have had. After having the first spring in YEARS….and I say that because for the last decade it seems like we have gone from winter to summer in about 5 days time…..we were very fortunate with warming but yet cool and crispy days you expect in the shoulder seasons……now July is hot, hot, hot and I am missing having a pool to jump in more, more, more. I digress…..

  

The pavers were finished while I was at my son’s and I need to figure out how I want to ‘furnish’ the area.   A couple of years back I ordered some outdoor furniture from a company called POLYWOOD.    I love their quality and the fact that they are made from recycled plastic.  Although, quality does come at a price.  Mr. Wonderful picked out a large picnic table and has ordered it from POLYWOOD.  Umbrella ordered from Amazon.    I am in no rush to ‘outfit’ the area especially since stores are now sporting back to school and fall items.  Geez!    Mr. W. did paint my park bench a deep brown and my planters, a seaside blue that matches my existing chairs.  I did pick up a couple of bright orange Gaillardia to brighten up the area.   Choose them with the idea that come fall, I will plant them in the back 40.   

Ah, the Back 40……I am still working on the area.   Between being down with a summer cold for two weeks, then two weeks at my son’s, the Smokey skies and the heat, the Back 40 is suffering.  I spent 6 hours on the 4th tidying up all the flower beds.  And now that we are at the end of the month, it is time to do it again.    I try to bring stones home from my son’s each week.   All his flower beds are stone lined and they don’t want that look.   Hence, dump them in Mom’s Back 40 path!  As they say, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. When they lament over the long list of things they want to do in their house, I keep telling my son and D-in-L…..Rome wasn’t built in a day.  Heck, it wasn’t built in 42 years either since I still have projects at my house.  LOL

Since it is so hot I try to get outside around 7:30 a.m. and work until I’ve had enough of the heat and humidity.   I usually don’t last much after noon so come in, shower, eat and do whatever.   I find if I don’t shower and change, I am too tempted to go back out and putz about until sundown.   This gal is getting too old for all yard work and no play.  And worse, it leaves no time to stitch.  

Veggie garden was doing well.  Lots of cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes and beans.   Seems I have ground hog that likes my garden too.   I came home to only the beans, rosemary and tomatoes left.  Mr. Wonderful mended the fence to keep the darned whistle pig out! 

As for being crafty, I managed to fully quilt and attach the binding to my hexagon quilt.  I am super happy with it!   One down and four WIP quilts and many more on the drawing board to go!  Ugh!    

  

 I forgot to share this finish from last month.    This is my June Summer Camp piece.   It is "Stitcher" by Luminous Fiber Arts.   Used WDW Turkish Red, mystery linen and a consignment store $4.50 frame! Winner winner - Chicken dinner!  As for July, I didn’t complete the project.   Hopefully I will in August.

WIPGO for July was part challenge/part month of progress.   The challenge for the month was to fully finish Betsy Morgan’s Pioneer School Girl.   Stitching has been done for three years.   I knew the smalls would be no problem but, the two hinged boxes on the left and right inside of the ‘book’ were scaring me - which is why the project has sat for three years.   So in that respect, it is a good thing it was called on my WIPGO board.  I’m not quite there yet and I knew I could do it but it was just taking that first step to start. 

Using that curved needle.   I’m getting there.

Using all the clips and had to resort to pulling out the cheaters for this one.

Assembly has not been hard, just fiddlily trying to wrap clumsy fingers around the pieces.  I am in the homestretch now.  I may have to dedicate an early August post to just the Pioneer School Girl when it is finished.

The second call for the month - Work on a WIP.   Liking the progress I have been making on Cornwall Cottage, I just kept at it.  With other things going on, I didn’t get as much time to stitch on this in July, but forward progress is forward progress.   

The sunshine’s shows the wrinkles; the shade dulls the colors……

For August WIPGO my assignment is to stitch and fully finish an Erica Michaels Strawberry and to fully finish two stitched pieces.   Let’s hope I don’t go down a rabbit hole when I am picking out a strawberry pattern or when I dig into the finishing basket which I have promised myself I WILL NOT do until I fully finish Pioneer School Girl finishing.  Here’ hoping.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!