Life Changes

Hello Everyone,
Thanks for all the kind comments on my last post. It is not like me not to respond, so let me share with you what is going on in Home Ec. land.

Mother fell Sunday evening trying to get plants in for the storm that fizzled. For the storm fizzling I am very grateful, but it left its mark on me.

She cracked her pelvis on the same side as her femur break 5 years ago to almost the same date. She will be moving to a rehabilitation center tomorrow. I think this injury even though not as bad as the one five years ago due to age and strength will be a bit harder to overcome.

I am working on myself today. I just was not mentally prepared for this amount of work myself. She is a bit grumpy and testy today and I don't blame her, but I might be grumpier.

I have to get myself in order to help her. I am slightly stressed about my upcoming mission trip and the things I need to do for that. If I could just get a few more ideas together my mind wouldn't be so cluttered so that I could be a bit nicer to her:)

I will post only weekly to give my blogging friends and prayer warriors an update.

Things to pray for:

Mother for a speedy recovery...specifically that she can eat and not lose anymore weight. She is so tiny and so little arm strength.

Me to stay sane and cheerful with her and to get this mission trip put together in my head.

She wants me to go and to be honest I really think I need to go for so many reasons that I will never fully be able to post here. Others need me. When you are doing something worthy and for the Lord, the Devil ain't going to be happy.

Last stitch for a couple of weeks probably, but hopefully not.

This is for son's birthday. The book it came from was published in 1979. I have had it forever and have stitched everything but the Golden and one other bird multiple times.

There were a lot of things going on in my life. Many I thought were important, but I found out....

I will be get through it all because I serve a great God.

Thanks blogging community for your friendship,

Sandy

Summer Pillow Finish

I finished the "Summer" pillow this morning.

I used a similar backing fabric as the "Spring pillow." In other words by the same designer and in the same family of quilting fabric.

I found it in the bargain bin at the quilt store. They had two small pieces left. Win for me.

I loved the blue piece so much I would have loved to do something large with it, but it must have gone quickly because I went back right after I made the spring pillow and it was GONE. 

Summer on the left and spring on the right.

I like both, but I always find the faults. I liked the linen I used on the spring one better. Lesson learned for fall and winter. It was a closer weave.

I meant to do this for others who are not so good at all this finishing stuff. I know I am a home ec major, but I have been away from it all for a very long time.

To make the cording with no stress, I made two inch bias strips and put them on a piece of store bought piping. It makes it easier for me. The cotton on cotton doesn't slide around.

I then put it on the stitching side first. Also having it already stitched makes it a bit easier to work with as well.

I clipped corners to make it easy to spin it around.

Rather than have a seam to stitch up by hand after stuffing, I do two pieces on the back leaving a hole to stuff. I did this down close to the bottom so it isn't that noticeable, but makes stitching that piping on lots easier.

All of you expert finishers don't judge me too bad. I am getting better:)

HOWEVER, y'all were all so sweet in your comments to gently let me know that the top border was strawberries!!!

I need some stronger glasses.

Gus follows me everywhere I go. Lemony not so much. It is officially hot and she is smart enough to know I am coming back to the living room soon so no need to get up:)

I am hoping we are not dealing with a bad storm on Sunday. A little rain we could use so it this thing must come here a small quick moving tropical storm would be better than a hurricane even at a level 1.

Hubby had a graduation to go to last night, so I went to my sewing room and regrouped and reorganized patterns and all my stitching projects and thoughts.

Below is my latest project. A Golden for my son. The Golden will have a duck in its mouth and wading in water.

Have a great weekend,

Sandy

Stitching Plans Gone Awry

I have started adding a few small touches of patriotic color to the house. I made new ribbons for the swans outside and added some flags to the flowers.

I added a tie to Mr. Bunny who welcomes guests.

I brought out my cross stitch piece that led to a whole lot of feeling sad because I really wanted to have a lot more small pieces done by this time. I really let myself get all mopey for about a half a day before I caught myself.

I have so many patriotic pieces I want to do and had planned to do before Memorial Day came along. I think I spent too much time of Home of a Needleworker that is still at the framers. I chided myself for doing such a large piece when I had told myself I was going to do more small pieces.

I started Lady Liberty and then didn't like her on the thread count that I started her on...changed her to a smaller piece and messed up so she is being laid aside for a little while. I am going to stitch on patriotic pieces along for a little while, but they won't be done for this year. I will have to be ok with that.

I am stitching a small dog for a June birthday for my son. That will take priority and then I will see what happens next.

I am hoping to get some time in the sewing room today to finish my summer pillow. I have had lots of goings and comings for the first part of the week.

We are expecting a lot of rain --not sure if it will be more --- this weekend. I shared my son-in-law's job site with my last post. He is NOT looking forward to the rain this weekend. I am praying it will not put it too far behind.

That is about it around here. Pretty dull, but that is the way I like it.

Hoping to see my sewing room today,

Sandy

Weekend Roundup

I am going to start at the end of the weekend and go backwards.

While watching American Idol, I put the last stitches in my monochromatic Little House Needleworks stitch called "Summer." I love it. For some reason unknown to me I don't think I realized the top border was ladybugs until I finished it. It is quite obvious to me now.

The plan is to make a pillow for the church pew. (Stay tuned)

Hubby, Mother, the dogs, and I took a boat ride around the bay this afternoon. We let the dogs out to swim and that is always something they both enjoy.

Church was exceptionally good this morning; such an inspiring message. I am still mulling it over.

Saturday evening Hubby and I drove out to meet the daughter and son-in-law and eat out while letting Tyler share the work at his job site.

Let me just brag on my son-in-law if I may. He is the project manager for a condo being built out on 30A. It is right on the Gulf. It is 5 stories, with the bottom being the parking garage.

The top level has two penthouse suites with each their own private pools on the top level. Tyler showed me how the physics worked for supporting that much weight. That is just me needing to know such things. I am always wanting to know how things can hold up so much weight. Kind of a weird obsession of mine. Drives Hubby batty:)

Oh and the price tag on a penthouse suite...a cool $6 million.

The lowest level has a great view still and a great patio looking out at the Gulf and the remaining condo units' pool. They go for $1.9 million I believe he said.

They are all bought though.

I love the house next door. One of the original beach homes instead of a condo.

Yesterday, Hubby and I tagged teamed the remainder of the yard work. We finished putting straw in the side bed and the rose beds. The roses may be beginning to look a bit straggly due to the approaching heat, but the pine straw prettied them up. I should have taken a new picture.

We tackled the side walk on the side of the house that was completely covered with oak and magnolia leaves halfway down and the pine straw near the bottom of the walkway. It was so high that blowing it off wasn't working, so we raked and got it all up. Looked so nice.

We finished blowing off the bottom back decks.

Y'all our yard looks great and is ready for summer. I just need to get the patriotic ribbons and flags going.


Let's see I also finished my John Grisham book, Camino Island. It was a decent read. I would actually say it made a good beach read, because I knocked out the two biggest reading chunks while sitting on the beach last week. I have started a biography which is my typical self. I am finding it very inspiring.

I will be back with shorter posts this week.

Feels so good to have the yard work done. Now, to just keep all the flowers watered.

Feeling a slight bit accomplished and uplifted tonight,
Sandy

I've Been Working in My Flowers

I have been outside a good bit this week puttering in my flowers. The weather is still pretty...won't be long before the real heat settles in. I have much to do still, but I thought I would share some of my progress outside. Stitching friends I will have a progress update for you at the bottom.

Warning ---long post. I really need to post more often😜

I have these pots right by the garage. The wall sort of hides the garbage cans and stuff that you need to maintain a yard. Since we live on the water, we have a very small lot. There is no storage shed to hide stuff. We have a small place under the house that we store some things in, but most has to go in the garage. Water living though makes it all tolerable.

The petunias have been thriving here, but soon it will be too hot for them. I will have to move them to the shadier area under the trees.

A very long time ago this stone wall was a true planter. Absolutely nothing could survive full sun in the stone. Hubby built a wood piece to fit on top of it and we just bought pots to plant on top.

It was a genius idea if I must say so myself.

I have a mixture of plants in there at the moment all of which are doing well, but when the summer heat settles in I will have to move some. 

One year I got smart and bought some extra pots. When the heat settles in I return the Lilies of the Nile to the wall along with geraniums. They seem to be able to handle the heat best. In the meantime the lilies are on the other side of the wall. This past winter is the first winter ever in our time in this house (since 2002) that the lilies have been bitten by the cold. They are slowly coming back and should be ready by June to pop up there in place of the petunias.

Moving along to the front of the house where I have been trying for years to grow roses. I have roses in two beds. One is doing better than the other.

If you noticed lots of leaves on the wall...there are. I was going to do a whole post in April about live oaks, but didn't get the chance. I will save that thought for next April. It is annual event. The leave dropping of live oaks. 

Here is the first one.

I have five rose bushes in this one... Rio Samba (my new favorite), Perfume Delight, Queen Elizabeth, Chicago Peace (not doing well at all), and Arizona Rose. These all have a pink or peach tone to them. I also have my day lilies surrounding them. You can read why I love day lilies here.

Did you spot my new concrete yard art?

Hubby has a love for concrete yard art. I have to hold him at bay...don't want too much. This one and one other is new.

My other rose bed is to the other side of the front door. It is my red rose bed. Half of it is doing well.

It has an Oklahoma, Chrysler Imperial, and an Olympiad which are Hybrid Teas and making it. I had another Oklahoma and Chrysler Imperial that I think are kaput. There is a Land of Lincoln that just grows tall and never blooms. Argh... Then I planted two Floribundas: Europena and Red Citiscape. Also there is one yellow one in this bed for Mom. It is an Oregold.

Along the walk to the door is my other potted plants. The geraniums are amazing in this pot. Every year they get bigger and bigger. I have some hostas in with them. The big lily looking plant is the Lily of the Nile lilies. They produce a tall purple flower in the summer. The front pot is just a mixture for now. We will see what survives. I had some coleus I think last year in it.

And then there are my sweet swans. I purchased some patriotic ribbon for them. Memorial Day will find them decked out in their new ribbons.

I left the sticks to show you what I have to stop Gus from bringing in constantly. There are some pretty pink ribbons on the swans now, but they didn't show up to well.

Driving into our circle and to the right of our driveway I have a huge flowerbed. I mostly just try to keep it with things that the sprinkler hits. It has azaleas for the early spring, camellias for the winter, a hydrangea and some caladiums for the summer. 

Pete the Pelican has been welcoming folks for quite a while now. A little deer too.

I just put out fresh pine straw and Hubby added sand to the grass. It will be lush and green soon.

One of my favorite things is the wagon wheel with the ferns. The birds love this area too.

Did you see the other new concrete addition?

A sea turtle and some star fish are in there.

Now to the back where I am in no way finished...

The top back deck has my plants that are right outside my kitchen sink.

Geraniums on top for full viewing.

Now let's head downstairs where you will find my mess. I am cleaning here and will most likely have to finish this weekend.

Gus joined me for these pictures and of course he got in that water. He gets in that water EVERY time the back door opens.

Hubby cloroxed and pressured washed the white tile. I would never ever in my whole life no matter what trend was in have chosen white tile. It is insanely hard to keep clean on the water and with a live oak and the largest pine tree in Fort Walton Beach right there to keep it covered it is mostly never white.

It looks nice for now. He broke a pot in the process. I told him I had too many anyway. One less to take care of.

My mother started me on angel wing begonias years ago. I brought them inside this winter and they are looking puny. It won't be long until they are lush again. They love the humid weather on the deck.

Anyway, you can see I have more to clean off.

Little glimpse of heaven on earth. I never get tired of my view. I think it may be one of the best on the bayou. 

Thought you might like to see how much the water level changes with the seasons. This is now. 

The next picture was the same spot in late January.

Crazy huh?!

Now for my a picture of my sweet wet Gus.

I am leaving you with a picture of my table which has cut roses pretty much every time one blooms.

And a little stitching progress.

I am loving this monochromatic summer one. The color is gorgeous. It will be a pillow for my church pew. Can't wait to finish it. I sent my Home of a Needleworker to the framer's on Saturday.

And Lemony is avoiding the heat. Stretched out on the cool tile.

Sweetest dog ever.

See you sooner so that I have such a long post.

Sandy