After the serious tone of my last post, I will try to keep it a bit lighter and cheerier over here. I am loving spring. March has been up and down with the cool vs warm. It is on the warm side now and I do hope it is staying. I am excited to be outside and puttering in the yard again. I have not planted much new, but am really reaping the good from a few years of work.
These hostas above were in one pot. I have had them for years, but I felt like last year they were about to burst through the pot they were in, so before they broke ground this year I separated them into 2 pots. They are an easy care plant that come back year after year and look wonderful until Thanksgiving.
The 2 pots they are held in were the ones used with my brief experiment with clematis last year. Those were a no go in this area. I will stick with more tried and true things for my area.
I am not getting rid of the rose pots just yet, but I don't have plans to buy more and when they have exhausted themselves, I will let go on that idea too. Jeff is busy getting his tomatoes, peppers, and squash going in their pots and I am walking around looking for the next thing coming to life.
We went to Auburn last week for spring break. It was so cold!!! We had talked about going to a baseball game, but I didn't want to sit in 30 degree weather for a game. We did order some new flooring for the upstairs. There has been some carpet up there and this will be the end of it soon. We will head back up in April to check on things. It was too cold for me to putter around outside at all. Hopefully we can get to a baseball game then.
Before we left I got in an order from 123 Stitch of the new March releases. I just threw things in a bag and thought I would get stitching time. That didn't fan out exactly like I thought, because one of the things I ordered was missing the pattern. 123 Stitch quickly put a new one in the mail and I spent my time up there thrift shopping, picking out the flooring, decluttering and reading.
When I got home I got my stitching plans in order.
I wanted to share the finished framing of the second set of sandpipers.
I loved how it turned out. I am putting a picture of both together below. The first one I did is on the wall and I still love it too. 2 different linens and counts to them and 2 different frames. Both are wonderful and Alayna, our friend really loved it. Made me happy.
After I ordered the new patriotic stitching patterns, I pulled out the bell I had messed up over a year ago and stitched it again.
I had fully finished the other one but then messed this pattern up when trying to piece it together. I will be very careful this time.
I am stitching on a new patriotic small piece for America's 250 celebration, but in order to keep this post a bit shorter I will wait and share later.
I will also be back with some family updates soon.
Enjoying spring,
sandy
Your pots of Hosta look fabulous, Sandy. I want to try growing Hosta in pots, but haven't gotten up the gumption to do it. Your sandpiper pieces look so pretty and I am glad the second one you stitched was well received by the recipient. I look forward to seeing what patriotic piece you picked to work on.
ReplyDeleteI purchased several things and I will soon give a rundown. I have started the Freedom Flock by PSP. I have restarted once with a new linen. The white with the eagles wasn't showing up too good. I may wish I had done it on 32 or 28 count to give a brighter look. I am moving forward with what I have got...may do 2 and give one to my daughter.
DeleteI love hostas, I was going to split one of my pots this time but don't know if I've left it too late?
ReplyDeleteThe Sandpipers cross stitch are beautiful.
Maggie, that hostas had been in the same pot for 20 years. I honestly couldn't believe it was still alive. Last year it looked a little unhappier by the end of the season, so glad I repotted it because it is thriving. I would think you could move it now still. I did mine right before it broke ground with its new leaves.
DeleteI enjoyed seeing and hearing all about what you've been doing lately. The hostas look happy. The sandpipers also look happy! I am sure your friend loves them. Who wouldn't? Today is a gray and chilly day here again, after so many very sunny and warm (hot!) days lately. So the fickle March weather isn't quite over. We may get some rain later today, but I'm not holding my breath. But maybe I will pray. We sure do need it. I'm glad you have the Auburn house to retreat to. It sounds like a wonderful place. Have a lovely week.
ReplyDeleteWe all need rain in Florida. Man, if it weren't for our sprinkler system many things would be completely parched. I don't want hurricanes or torrential thunderstorms but some rain showers, yes. I am beyond blessed to have our Auburn house to go to. It is my place to rest. Not much rest happens at home in this season of life.
DeleteThanks for this catch-up post, Sandy! I always love seeing your stitching projects and hearing about your time in Auburn. Hope to see some photos with the new flooring!! Wishing you abundant blessings, always!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. It is supposed to be installed next week. I won't be able to stand it until we go up again to see it.
DeleteI love both of your sandpiper finishes, Sandy! How nice of you to stitch one for your friend, too. Best of luck in finishing the Peace on Earth piece this time... I've never finished anything in a bell shape and doubt mine would go very well--ha ha! I love hostas, but unfortunately, so do our resident deer! We have to put netting over all of them and that rather spoils the look of the garden, but we still like having them. Hope you're happy with your flooring choice--that's always a hard decision! Enjoy your weekend and I look forward to seeing your patriotic stitching soon! ♥
ReplyDeleteI am awful at matching colors. The guy who came out from the store recognized our flooring downstairs and called out the color immediately, so hopefully that is a good sign. The only place it really will matter is at the top of the stairs. I will be just so happy not to have carpet anymore with dogs.I have already put the bell pattern and the linen I stitched it on in the to go pile. If I mess up this bell, I will just have one bell instead of the pair. I didn't enjoy the linen either time even if it did look nice stitched up.
DeleteYour stitches are beautiful, Sandy. I am trying to motivate myself to finish a simple patriotic cross stitch I began on (I think 32-ct) linen. It was so difficult, I bought a lighted magnifier. It helps, but I can't imagine finishing something as detailed as you stitch on linen My eyesight changed in the last couple of years due to cataracts. I worry a bit that I may not enjoy my handcrafts as much after they are removed, so I'm putting it off a bit longer. Probably next year.
ReplyDelete