Wrapping up June

I did little to no work on the back 40.   I have an unbelievable amount of Spiderwort - which I never planted.   Intentionally at least.  

When we moved in 40+ years ago, the former owner had it at the foundation across the back of the house.    I dug it up and threw it in the woods behind me.  Where all the plants I had too many of them went for years.   Although  the purple blue flowers next to the yellow coreopsis make a lovely showing, once the spiderwort declines the heavy stalks - like fat asparagus stakes - just flop over into big 3 foot round circles, looking messy and smothering anything nearby.   I try to eradicate it every year.   It has roots that look like spaghetti and even a one-inch piece left in the ground will sprout the next season.   I have sprayed every kind of weed killer again and once died down, I remove what I can, cut off at ground level and spray it again.   So I guess progress has been made but not so much headway made.   I still need more stone to complete the path.   Bringing it home from my son’s in a half dozen flower pots at time is  not making a big difference.    And since this is technically not my property - it is a landlocked piece of property owned by the township but it is mine by right of eminent domain - I think and I have been cutting and maintaining it for years…..since it is not my property, my rule is not to spend money on it.   I am close to breaking that rule so I can get the blasted walkway down.   I figure I need about a dozen 50 pound bags which really means 18.  I guess if I spend money on weed killer I can make the small jump to paying for stones.    I may just price them out, even price out having bulk delivered. I know Mr. Wonderful will think I am trying to give him a heart attack moving a 1/2 of stones.  

For WIPGO this month, one of the numbers called was 7 hours on Rosewood Manors Cornwall Cottage.  I love this piece.   Every time I pick it up to work on it I wonder why I put it down.   Anyway, I decided to double up this month and dedicate both monthly assignments to this piece which meant spending 14 hours on it which I did manage to do.    I figured it was the best way to make the most progress and I am happy with what I got done.   One of these years I get it done.  And the inner border met!  I count this as a win!   I think WIPGO for July might be put aside.  I promised myself that in July I would work on Christmas gifts and exchange pieces.   

Temperature Tree is half done!   So far so good.  Having fun with it.  Time to stitch that July branch.

French Alphabet Sampler is moving along, slowly.  I only put in one Sunday afternoon of work.   Between traveling and entertaining grand children, stitching got neglected.  Any forward progress is good.   I would really like to get page 2 finished and be well into page 3 by the end of the month.  Although not as far as I would like to be, I am still on tract for a Leap Year finish!  This is the only piece I plan to stitch on in July other than exchange stitching so I feel sure I can be well into Page 3.  

If not traveling, or dealing with minor body ailments,  I was spending my time with these two.    I had William for the week between school being out and camp starting.  We visited a natural history museum with dinosaurs because all little boys like dinosaurs and we saw In and Out 2 at the movies.  Then I had Little Miss Raegan for a long weekend and we had lunch at a tea room.   She was the perfect little lady.

 

And I still have one more Ohio trip to post.  I tried to incorporate here with my monthly update but there is too too much to share!   

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching!

Time to Move the Q-Snaps!

I completed page two of 12 of Rosewood Manor's Cornwall Cottage.   For the most past this is an easy fast stitch.....but then there are all the confetti onesy/twosy stitches scattered about the basket.  I was going to complete the entire border first and then do the basket but I am glad I decided to stitch each page completely before moving on.

Overall, it was little more than a week to finish this page.  Now, doing the math means I would be finished by mid-September.   Big laugh out to staying on that schedule.   Too many other projects and too many summer fun things going on.

Not far away is my faithful companion.

Oh To Do and Then Re-do!

I really have been in a slump stitching-wise and not put in much stitching time since OCMD at the end of April.   Not sure what I have been up to.......yard work mainly.  I am done all but one last flower bed that spans the property line on the right side of the property.   Truth is, I started it but kind of got the willies because I was sitting weeding and disturbed a snake!   Yuck!  This particular bed is very overgrown with ground cover and I think I need professional help.   That's my story anyway.

Been dealing with Achilles Tendonitis for more than several weeks.   Partial remedy - rest the affected leg/ankle.     However, rest = stiffness of the affected area.  Got to strike that balance I guess.  My treadmill is just gathering dust lately.   For now I will continue with the PT stretches and limp along.   Seems I got my medical degree somewhere along the line since this is a self/internet diagnosis.   Promised myself I will make an appointment with Dr. R. this week.

I have been going through closets and drawers as I have switched out the winter and summer clothes.  I am organizing a clothes swap at work (Its called a Naked Lady Party!) so that is incentive to be 'honest' with myself that I will never ever fit into those size 8's that are taking up space in my closet!  And since 8's in my closet have been no incentive on the weight loss side, it is time for them to go.

I have spent time desparately trying to catch hummingbirds at the bird feeder with my camera.   I have more photos of airspace than hummers!

Look at the face.    Can't you just read his  thoughts?   "What is the ding dong lady doing now?"

Stitching wise - the little I have done has been on Rosewood Manor's Cornwall Cottage.   When needle and thread do meet, this moves pretty fast.  The individual motifs make it easy to complete a section and move to the next.     This is page one of 12 completed. 



Off I charged to work on page two -  hha-hum....see my little boo boo?    One little set back - seems I ran amok in stitching the inner leaf border.   I was stitching merrily along without a care only to realize I stitched the leaves too big......along came the frogging so I could restitch the leaves that were stitched without the center stem.

Leaves frogged and replaced and I am on my way again. It helps to keep my needle minder loaded with needles and threads ready.

































Using my blackwork knowledge on this one yellow flower I have been plotting my route in and out.  I think I am still getting enough color change with the yellow flower using the WDW.

Garden is in.  I am still a novice at this so two 4 x 8 plots is probably all I need.   I never let lack of know-how stop me from diving in!

Really too soon to harvest anything yet.    The lettuce is a possibility for a dinner salad this week.  And with all the blossoms on my bush beans, I see fresh green beans in my future.

I repotted my houseplants - ferns and spider plants.   I can't remember when they were done last and the total root bound mess that I had would indicate years.  Maybe even decades!   Divided and I cut them back so if they survive my intervention, this summer they may not look too splendid.  Dividing the plants caused me to run out of pots for my geraniums and petunias.   Rather then do the right thing and wait until I could buy more pots, of course, I improvised with what I had on hand.   I am worried about these plants in the two enamelware bowls.  I am afraid the sun with make the metal too hot and fry their little roots.   I will have to keep watch on these guys.  

Coral Bells in full bloom.

Nifty burlap bag I bought.   Plan to turn it around to the plain side for hanging other seasonal flowers.

Pulled some of my patriotic pieces from the wall to make a tabletop display.   Seeing these I am itching to start stitching up one of the patriotic pieces I have kitted up.  But no new start for me right now.   I have some pre-stitching for a class in October that I expect to see arrive in the mail shortly.

A more playful Buddy who took a rest from helping hand clothes today.

Next up, work on my guild stitch along.   I am pretty much through this month's assignment but do need to do a few more stitches before next meeting to keep up to date.  I am gangbusters after the meeting and then fade as the month goes on.   I rekindle that flame the first of each month to make sure I am on target for our monthly meeting.

Happy June all and stitch on!