Wednesday

Halfway through the week, and it has been a full one.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  Except for this week we have lost three of our elderly friends/ family.  They had lived long, full lives and they were Christians, but the losses still evoke memories and a certain sadness for our loss, not theirs, for we know it is their gain.

This sweet little friendship basket for a friend's quilt went off in the mail today.  It was fun and quick to make.

As for my goals, the weaving is in the washer and then will be blocked.......step forward.  And the Meadow Cosmos blocks are trimmed and pressed; now I have to decide on the setting.  The blocks are too large to fit on the design wall, so I will lay them out on the floor and photograph them when I decide on the layout to assure they are where I want them.

Have also made some progress on the big rug.  I am going to work on one more floral motif and then go back to the scrolls.......and pull out my hair.  Those scrolls are a bit tedious, but they really make the rug.

Oaks & Pomegranates is moving along, too..........three of the blocks finished, the next four fused and ready to stitch.  I won't post photos until they are stitched.

Jackson started playing soccer this week.  He looked so cute in his little soccer clothes.

Macy was Sacajawea at her school's History Day.

And Sara Ashley got acquainted with Dakota.

Sometimes I like to share some of my favorite things.  Today I will share several of them.  First, my Desert Rose China (see the two little cannisters) which I have been collecting since I was sixteen years old........and that was a long time ago!  My sister and I chose the same pattern for our "everyday dishes" and we have had fun exchanging the pieces on special occasions over the years.  Next, the zinnias in the little bird vase........I love the bright, cheerful colors of these easy-to-grow flowers.  The fresh eggs, straight from Bobbie and Bella.  And finally, the sweet little bird bud vase.  This little guy is my favorite year round vase.  It only takes a single flower or bit of greenery in this vase to cheer the kitchen.

GRATITUDES:

A handful of rocks, compliments of a three year old grandson, for Mimi.

Catching up on the lives of friends that I don't see very often.

Long sleeves in the cooler morning hours.

The warmth of morning sun on my face while sitting in the front porch rockers.

Take care,

Jennie

Time flies........

Honestly, where does the time go???  It seems I am "in the road" an inordinate amount of the time.  But it is generally by choice.......and I am not going to work!!!.......so it is good.

I only accomplished one of my goals for the past week.  The Meadow Cosmos blocks are completely stitched down.  Now to get them trimmed and set together.  That is one of my goals for next week.

I did not get my weaving projects washed, blocked and hemmed, but that is on my list for tomorrow.

What I did work on was my hooked Scroll Runner.  Realizing that my teacher, Eric, would be here next month and I really haven't worked on this rug since he was here last, I knew it was time to get busy.   One side of the motifs we planned last time are now mostly hooked and I plan to try to get the other side hooked next week.  My goal is to also get some of the scrolls finished before he comes, and that is rather tedious work, so it is time to get my nose to the grindstone.

We had a new experience with the chickens this week.  It seems they had some kind of respiratory illness going on, so I contacted our local chicken guru for advice.  The advice was to administer antibiotic injections to all of them twice this week......really.  Now, I thought I had retired from the nursing business, but apparently not.  It has been an experience to say the least.  All of the coughing is gone, but Lily still has a goopy eye.......though it is better.  On the brighter side of the chicken business, we are averaging two delicious eggs daily.......from Bobbie, Bella and the mystery layer.  Today we gave them pea vines that Blake and John pulled up from the garden and they had a grand time with them.

 Chloe......just look at those gorgeous feathers!

Puff

Macy and Jackson spent the afternoon at Over the Hill Farm this week and we had a good time.  Macy helped gather eggs and drive the Gator.  Jackson played on the swings and rode the Gator with Pop.  They are getting so big.........

Sara Ashley turned eleven yesterday.  She had her first Junior Cotillion practice....just look how she has grown up.  She had to wear gloves. Her mom found an old pair of mine and cleaned them up for her...........how sentimental!  Tonight we had her family birthday party at Sprayberry's and had a great time.  She got a huge surprise from her parents.........a horse of her own!!!  I can hardly wait to see her riding Dakota.

GRATITUDES:

Fall crops planted in the garden.

The joyful laughter of grandchildren.

The fresh, clean scent of my daughter's hair as I kissed her.

Rascal's sweet, soulful eyes.

Take care,

Jennie

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