Look at me...seven days after my last post! Yeah for staying on schedule! My own that is. The days fly by for us all, no doubt, but I think there are those amongst you that, dare I say, look forward to a new post, so I do my best to provide it on time.
So let's get cracking, shall we?
The quilt is not completed yet but it is getting very much closer. Some days I have time to work on it,, while others are either jam packed with activities, or I am too lazy. Take your pick.
That little arm thing is what keeps me going straight as I move my way across the quilt top. In the image above, it is documenting that I have turned the quilt upside down so I can always work towards the outer edge in order to keep everything unwrinkled. I began with lots of large safety pins in it, but since I'm nearing the end, most of them are back in their little bin, one of the few pieces of sewing equipment I brought with me. To keep it under what is called the throat of the machine, I've rolled up what I have completed. Since the quilt is 90 inches long by 88 inches wide, that is a bunch of fabric to squash up! At the moment, while I am typing this, Bruce is working on that room to make it cozier. Plus he is repairing the ceiling where once, apparently, there was a leak. While I spent the morning volunteering at church, he also put up more curtains! When I found them in a thrift store while waiting to move into the house, I thought they might work in the living area, but they were too short. In the sewing room, with the slightly lower ceiling, they are just right! The futon we have ordered should arrive late next week.
Speaking of rooms, we are still pondering paint colors. I just got off a quick Facetime chat with Matthew and what an inspiration that chat was. Their flat in London is so stylish and it just got even more so with his latest project of painting the bathroom two shades of green, accented with dark, dark brown door trim AND a picture rail he installed. Now that I think of it, how did he get that wood home without a car? Where did it come from?? Details, I need more details!!
An array of shades ton our radar.
What a problem to have, right? When so much of the world is in shambles, I feel a little sheepish thinking of it as a big deal.
NEVER assume I am more capable than anyone else. Look at this stack of blueberry pancakes!
Actually what brings the above to mind is someone at church asked me if there was anything I wasn't good at? Say what? Pickleball for one thing, in spite of my best efforts! My response was lots and lots of things. In fact, in this house, as I was just saying to Bruce, that while I may come up with some serviceable ideas, it is he who makes them happen. Having said that, I have had some success with my basil, rosemary and Italian parsley. Seemingly stuff is easy to grow here because I've never had plants so hearty before.
With plenty of basil on hand I
made this recipe for both a get-together and for us and it comes highly recommended for both the taste and the presentation. And for the vegans amongst you, it is your kind of dish.
Still hanging around the house, just outside my kitchen window, this little stinker was eating the blooms off of my Rose of Sharon tree. Whats more, he had the nerve to do it right in front of my face!
I am not clear what happens next for those trees, but there are loads of what look like buds on it, so perhaps it will re-bloom soon? There are remaining flowers which is good news for the bees; this one absolutely swimming in pollen.
Finally goldfinch. Taken on neighbor Sandy's pink magnolia which seems to be having it's own revival.
While we are on the subject of birds, or were we? Not like the the old days that's for sure, but every now and again I am having success with photographing birds. Lisa and Bill's housewarming present was a new bird feeder! How did they know? 😀
While we had brought the hummingbird feeder with us, we have had very few, if any takers. Yesterday afternoon after making a fresh batch of nectar, what a world of difference that made!
Woo hoo! Expect more of the same in the next few weeks!
The hydrangeas are definitely winding down, but so far, they keep on giving, much to my delight.
I may hate the heat that summer brings, but I must concede that one summer treat is my favorite. There may be some amongst my dear readers who don't long for the bing cherries of summer, but I suspect that number is but a few.
I ordered some lamps for upstairs and they came in a very small box, at least it was to my eyes. Now I know how they made it happen. The flat shade is Velcroed together!
I just love those curtains!! And having so many windows! What a treat that I took for granted while living in a condo. We have big windows at home, but the amount of cross room light is minimal so having it coming from every direction is something that makes me very happy indeed.
Before we leave Campbell Street, one more of the blooming zinnias I purchased at the nearby farmers market.
Having new blooms popping up is a good sign indeed. The begonias on the front porch that were getting so unruly have been trimmed back and new flowers are forming. I am learning on the fly how to take care of all of this stuff, that's for sure.
So you might be thinking we stayed home all of last week and that would be incorrect. Apparently I took fewer photos is all. We had Soul Table on Thursday is one thing we did. I finally took a walk the other day but having to watch out for either geese poop, or mosquitos, takes a little of the fun out of it. I did walk into Sunset cemetery for a bit and this grave marker intrigued me.
A true "mountain man" who died far too young. Having been reading so many old Scout articles doing my research on the house, plenty of the folks I am reading about are buried in that cemetery, although the road is far too steep for the likes of me to get up there. A car, that's the ticket.
What a tree, right?
Plus all of the shades of green! There are so very many.
Following another visit to the Crown restaurant with Mark and Mary Beth, we drove around a bit in the area called Brasstown. Because we spend so much time in town, it is easy to forget the extreme beauty surrounding us. Especially this time of year with the "greens of summer" in full array.
Around every bend in the road there is something delightful to see.
The hand-made bows on the fence of this Methodist cemetery! A sign facing the road states that donations, to the tune of $4,500, are requested to maintain this lovely spot.
And who amongst you does not like a barn with an adjacent silo?
Guess what!! It is raining and not for the first time of late. A little here, a little there. A few days ago, overnight actually, the crack of lightening and ensuing thunder was so loud it woke us up! I am wondering if it might echo off the mountains?
Mountains, oh the lovely mountains. I came across a photograph I took while we lived in Vancouver and it does not get much better than this.
While I cannot remember the exact place, I do recall it was on the way to Whistler. That much I do remember.
Which leads me to the upcoming Olympics!! I so love watching them and sometimes tat the expense of anything else. We shall see, as I still don't know if we have the means to watch it. I'm not sold on the fact that we have access to NBC. I need to get on that ASAP! Go athletes ! who have spent sometimes a decade learning to excel at their sport. I watched a woman swimming laps at the pool yesterday afternoon and I was duly impressed with how she glided through the water, with little splash. Surely she spent time on a swim team. Or so it seemed to me.
Have you watched Mr. Bates vs the Post Office on PBS. If not, do so. What a sad true story! And if I have already talked about it forgive me. I am not quite as sharp as I once was and that's a fact!
your friend,
Gail
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