Getting my groove back..........

It is time to get busy and get my groove back.  Declaring my goals for the week seemed to be working well for me and I want to continue doing that.  My last goal was to get my sewing studio back up and running, and that was accomplished.  This week I would like to finish the buttonhole stitching on all of the Meadow Cosmos blocks.  That was started last night.

I would also like to get the Overshot runner and dishtowel washed, blocked and hemmed.  I am anxious to see how the wool in the runner fulls out.  Runner is on left, towel on right.

While I was exiled from my sewing studio, I needed a simple project to take to my monthly hooking group.  Fortunately I had stashed a kit, Patriotic Checkers,  that was purchased from Minnick and Simpson several years ago, in the upstairs closet (see, there is a reason for having stash from one end of the house to the other).  It suited the situation perfectly.  Thus, I have started another rug.  But, really, it is perfect for those times when you do mindless hooking.

Yesterday as Blake and I were in the process of preserving some more veggies from the garden, I decided to give my fridge a much needed cleaning.........not my favorite job.  Alas, way in the back was the sadly neglected sourdough starter.  Hoping it might just be able to be revived, I pulled it out, washed the crock and fed it.  It rose to the occasion, and I will be making some sourdough bread to go with the chili in the crockpot.

On Friday a dear hooking, quilting and prayer group friend tragically and unexpectedly lost her husband.  She has been through so much the last few years, and has just retired and was really enjoying her life.  I know that her strong faith will once again pull her through, but if you pray, she could really use your prayers.  And give your husbands a big hug for no reason at all, other than you love him.....the best reason of all.

Now it is time for some stitching.

GRATITUDES:

Friends who pray.

Blake, my wonderful husband.

The smell of chili bubbling in the crockpot.

Take care,

Jennie

Family Time and stuff

We celebrated Rob's birthday on Labor Day.  Good food, good company and another chance to enjoy family time.

For some reason it was impossible to get a good family picture this time.  Oh, well, we take what we can.  Am I shrinking?  Look at the height of these grandchildren!

Today we hosted the annual Adcock Family reunion.  No photos, but a good time was had by all.  And good food........oh, my!  I am stuffed.

The floors were dry and ready for us to reinhabit the basement on Thursday.  It was a frenzy trying to get everything in order and ready to have folks over on Saturday, but with some very good help we did it.  Thanks, Pangie, Carvin and John!

It feels really good to have my sewing studio back in order.  After I recover from today, I will be ready to stitch again.  Miss M, the loom, was moved upstairs where there is more space and light for her.....and closet space to store the yarns so that they are easy to see.  It also makes the sewing studio much less cramped.  And I think it will make me more productive.  I don't do well working in such tight quarters.  I need to feel organized and moderately tidy, and that wasn't happening.  I was able to reorganize the closet space and wool so that everything can be accessed more easily and am pleased with the results.  Just hope I can keep it that way.........while making some progress on my projects!

 Library nook with comfy chair for sitting and stitching or hooking.

 Part of my quilting stash.

 Work area with design wall and cutting station.....and cubbies full of projects waiting to be done.

 Other side of work area.

Wool Stash.

While I was unable to work in the sewing studio a little handwork was accomplished.........twelve more of these little Blackbird Designs baskets.  There are now 41........with twice that many I can probably make a lap quilt.  No way am I going for the 200+ required to make a full sized quilt!!!  I have already been working on these for a couple of years and they really aren't difficult, just not on my priority list.

Someone on my one of my Yahoo prim groups had made this adorable wallhanging (older pattern by Cheri Saffiote Payne for Indygo Junction).  It is made in patriotic colors (thus the name), but can't you just see the background done in Christmas green?  I fell in love with the pattern and had to add it to my collection.

I have been saving My Points gift cards and birthday gift cards to buy this multi cooker at Williams Sonoma.   I am a big fan of slow cookers, but my last large one was awful.  It consistently scorched the food on the bottom even on low, and I was afraid to go away and leave it running.  This baby is a dream.  It slow cooks, sautes, broils and steams........and it does it well.  I am pleased.

Have to share one chicken picture......

Stella, who spends an inordinate amount of time being very nosy and terrorizing her dorm mates.

Time for a little dinner.

GRATITUDES:

Family gatherings.

Cooler weather.

Soft, well worn t-shirts.

A good night of sleep.

Take care,

Jennie

Summer's End

I relish the last days of summer when the weather is starting to cool off, the plants revive to give a last flourish of color and the days begin to get a little shorter.  Back porch swing time........lovely.

Marigolds

Garden house porch

The sweet potato vine that ate the world and volunteer tomato plants from the compost pile in the background.

A jumble of old fashioned flowers at the garden fence.

In an attempt to discourage the crows from completely depriving us of the last of our tomato crop, John, Blake and I constructed this decidedly unoriginal scarecrow.  Surprisingly, it has worked so far.  Poor Poppy is certainly a believer........she has barked her poor head off at the thing.

Have you ever seen a running fern?  For a couple of years after we moved here, this vine kept popping up out of the miniature gardenias.  After pulling it up for the first two years, I finally took notice of it last year and realized it looked like a fern!  I have since provided it with a small trellis and it has flourished for the last two summers.

This is Jackson with his teacher.  He is really growing up and has quite the personality.  He started 3 year old preschool today and he was really looking forward to it.............can you tell from that look???

Did I mention that it's a dog's life around here?

GRATITUDES:

Naps on the backporch swing.

The sweet snore of these old doggies.

Fresh eggs.....and there were two yesterday morning.....we definitely have two layers.

Take care,

Jennie

Chicken time.....

These chickens are really growing.  It is hard to realize it until you go back and look at their photos when they first arrived at Over the Hill Farm. Am hoping that by fall we will have eggs for us and eggs to share!

 Pretty Snowflake

Long legged Ronnie.......look at the beautiful blue lacing on her plumage.

Puff, the smallest of the flock

Alex, the timid one.

Curious Ginger

Macy, one of the crazy twins

Stella........pullet or roo???  I am not so sure about this one, either.

Sweet Bella

On Friday, Blake and I hit several Yard Sales.  Labor Day weekend is usually a pretty good time for that around here.  Surprisingly, we found only one thing to come home with us.........a used kitty litter dome.  Really :-))  The minute I saw it, I knew the chickens would love it.  I brought it home, disinfected it well and introduced it to the chickens.  The jury is still out..............

The butterflies flock to our lantana every year.  It gets way too large, but we hate to cut it back because we enjoy the beautiful butterflies so much.

GRATITUDES:

All of God's creatures, great and small........well, except snakes....sorry.

The people who actually read my blog.......thank you.

A forum through which I can journal and share.

Take care,

Jennie

Happy Labor Day Weekend!!

Yikes, has it been two weeks since I posted last???  Where does the time go?

I haven't accomplished much on the stitching/hooking front the last two weeks.  I did accomplish the goals I had set........4 of the Meadow Cosmos blocks are stitched, and here is the Wish Upon A Star rug with binding completed:

Once I got the hang of it, I liked the binding method and would use it again.  Now this guy is all ready for Christmas.

The Eric's Day girls all completed their cute little Santas.  It is so funny that each of us used the same pattern and they all turned out so differently.  I love all of them........I especially love Diane's beard.  I will definitely be making more of these.  So much fun!!

My sewing room is completely packed up while the flooring guys redo the portion of the basement floor that was damaged, and this has significantly slowed down my progress.  I did get my loom moved upstairs and set up, along with my weaving yarns.  Thought I was going to be able to warp it and get started weaving, but I broke a part that has to be replaced.  Darn.  That has left me doing some prep work on Over the Meadow and My Favorite Things.

My goal for this coming week........to get my sewing room back in order before our Family Reunion next Saturday.  Hopefully the floors will be completely done by Tuesday.  It is going to be tight, getting everything done!  Wish me luck

The hummingbirds have been swarming here for the past two weeks.  Usually we have four or six for most of the summer, then lots for a week or so right before they head South.  This year we have had ten or more for an extended period of time.  Seems I am constantly filling the feeders, but it is worth it. Photographing these guys is quite a challenge.

Last week I went to the chicken house to check on the girls and found two eggs!!!  One was Bobbie's, laid carefully in nest box #4.......her usual place.  The other was on the floor of the chicken run.  It was a different color, texture and size.............so, who did it belong to???  No clue, and we haven't had another since until today.........same color, texture and size, but this time laid on the floor of the chicken coop.  Who is this mystery hen????

Could it be pretty little Bella, the Barred Rock?  Her comb is looking mature.........

Or maybe Ronnie, the Blue Laced Wyandotte?

I don't believe it is Chloe.........because I have an inkling that Chloe is not a girl..........grrrrrrrrrrrr!

That is all for today.

GRATITUDES:

Fresh veggies from the garden stored in the freezer, promising a taste of summer goodness on a cold winter day.

Good neighbors.

Funny chickens.

Take care,

Jennie