January on the Temperature Tree

Another month comes to an end. Is it just me or do you feel that the months are whipping by? That's not such a bad thing as the days are all about the same. . . day after day after day after day. 

Anyway, it is January 31, so here is the first month of cross stitching on the Temperature Tree. Each Sunday I have been stitching the leaves for the past week. There is a floss chart which indicates which color to use for the high temperature of each day. Before putting it away tonight, I am going to try to finish the branch for February and a bit more of the base of the tree. [If interested, you may purchase a kit for the cross stitch temperature tree from Sarah Hughes on Etsy at  Stitchin' Mommy ]

I did finish two Valentine's Day themed pieces which I will show you in my next post as I didn't get to fully finish them

Recommendation: Netflix has a new film Dig, about an amateur archaeologist who makes an amazing discovery on the eve of Britain's entrance into WWll. The film is slow paced, but I enjoyed it, and I think you would as well.

Yesterday afternoon I spent some time playing on my computer. :-) I decided that Senator Sanders would fit right in with our hardy bunch, birthday group.

I was tempted to pull out one of my Mambo pink plastic Adirondack chairs in the snow to make the background more realistic, but it was just too darn cold!!!.

Keep warm. Stay safe. Have hope.

Brrrrr . . . It's Cold Outside

 

Good Day! It's a wee bit too cold for me to take Emma for a walk, so I thought that I would pop in with a stitching update. Actually, I have been meaning to do this for a few days, but I have not gotten around to it. Each morning, I have a list of what I plan to accomplish for the day. How is that working for me? Not great . . . my intentions are good, but my follow through is weak :-) 

I did make this house-themed project bag for the monthly cottage cross stitch pieces I have lined up to work on throughout the year.

 

Back in August I had stitched a bit on this "Suffrage Act Proclaimed" piece in hope of finishing it for the one hundredth anniversary of the Suffrage Act. I had then put it aside instead to stitch some autumn and Halloween pieces. I pulled it out during the week of the election and completed the banner across the top, the flag, and the top half of the suffragette.  Again I then put it aside to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas pieces. It came out during the week of the Inauguration.

I've made significant progress and am keeping it out to work on it a bit each day. 

Normally, I stitch in hand, but this time I thought I would use a Q snap as I am using one on the "Temperature Tree" which is my Sunday stitch. Here you can see it with the grime guard that I made. Although your hands are clean, many stitchers place a grime guard around the Q snap to protect the edges from the oils in your hands. I am enjoying stitching with a Q snap.

I also have a Valentine's Day stitch finish, but I will show you that in my next post after it becomes an FFO = Fully Finished Object. It will be a tiny pillow for my tiered tray.

So, Tom Brady is headed to the Super Bowl for the tenth time!!! Incredible!!! The reaction of everyone in Patriots Nation has been wonderful. Folks know how fortunate we were to have him as our quarterback for twenty years and wish him well. As one fan being interviewed said, "We are now the New England Patriots Buccaneer fans." I couldn't agree more. Watching two games each week has provided more stitching time for me. :-) 

And speaking of champs, did you see that the First Dogs, Champ and Major Biden, have their own Twitter account? He who shall be nameless was the first President in a hundred years to not have a pet in the White House. Major, age two, is the first shelter dog to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and the Delaware Humane Association from whom he was adopted, had an "Indoguration Party" for Major to raise funds for that organization. If the names: Bo, Sonny, Socks, Miss Beasley, Barney, Buddy, Millie, etc., sound familiar you may want to check out a complete list of White House Pets (1953-Present.) 

Because I am a presidential biography nerd, I also know that Thomas Jefferson had a mockingbird and bear cubs in the White House, Calvin Coolidge had a racoon, and Teddy Roosevelt and his six children had undoubtedly the larges menagerie. [Note: no charge for all this superfluous information: I just have a mind that remembers all kinds of miscellaneous stuff. :-)

One last cute, cuddly suggestion . . . check out the panda cam from the National Zoo.  Scroll down the Zoo page to "Cub Watch Photos and Videos." Click on the blue, "View More" box to see still photos and view film clips of adorable little Xiao Ji taking his first steps and playing with his toys. A'www . . .

Stay safe. Stay well. Have hope.

Reflections on Inauguration Day 2021

I barely slept at all on Tuesday night fearing what might happen at the Inauguration Ceremony given the horrific insurrection that had occurred at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Thankfully, the Inauguration was safe and impressive.

The brief ceremony at the Reflecting Pool on Tuesday night remembering the 400,000 lives of our fellow citizens lost to Covid had been fitting and moving.

Kamala Harris was sworn in as our first female Vice President, Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!! One hundred years after women gained the right to vote, we have our first Black, Asian American, female Vice President.

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. was sworn in as our forty-sixth President. . . a good man for incredibly difficult times.

 

The  entire ceremony was beautiful, but all would agree that the standout moment was the recitation of "The Hill We Climb" by twenty-two year old poet Amanda Gorman. (It's moments such as that which make me long for my days in the classroom. There would definitely have been a class or two with my eighth graders based on that poem and the ability to inspire hearts and minds with the power of words and poetry. She was magnificent.)

 Photo tip: As you see, it is possible to capture clear images from your TV with your cell phone. The secret is to line up your phone with the very center of the TV screen.  Fill your phone's screen with the TV image eliminating any area around it. It helps to kneel down to shoot the image straight on; if your knees cannot handle that, pull up a chair and lean forward so your phone is in a straight line with the center of the TV screen.

After the Inauguration, our forty-sixth President and Vice President headed to Arlington National Cemetery to pay respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They were joined there by three of our former Presidents and their wives. Jimmy Carter at age ninety-six was unable to attend the Inauguration, and he who shall be nameless was on his way to Florida.

While at Arlington National Cemetery, Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama filmed a short message which aired last night during "The Celebration of America." They spoke of unity, democracy, and pledged their support to the new President and his administration. For me, their message was comforting and pointed to what we have always expected in the smooth transition of power. 

By the way, did you notice that today's date is palendromic? 1/21/21  (The numbers in the date read the same way back and forward. :-)

Stay safe. Have hope. 

___________________              ___________________              ________________

January Cottage - Second Cross Stitch FFO for 2021

 "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.

Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was just thirty-nine years old when he was assassinated fifty-two years ago. 

His words still inspire all today on M.L.King, Jr. Day.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience,

but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." 

Here is my latest cross stitch finish. The chart is from Country Cottage Needleworks. I'm not sure these images makes it clear, but there are various sizes of snowflakes in the background.

Stay safe. Have hope.

_________________           _________________        _________________

Joe Biden's Inauguration will take place on Wednesday. In preparation, 25,000 National Guard soldiers will be in Washington, D.C. Twelve foot fences with razor edges on top surround the Capitol. The city is locked down. Threats have been made across the country.

The death toll from Covid in the USA has reached 398,000. Expert fear that the number will reach half a million by mid-May.The world' s death toll has reached 2.03 million.

 Joe Biden faces seemingly insurmountable challenges: Covid, the economy, a divided nation. Let us pray for his success as his success will be ours. 

Some Pretty Photos to Soothe the Soul

Hi Everyone, how are you doing??? 

Today, I thought I would share some photos that I shot yesterday with a new lens. These are my first attempts using this lens, and there will definitely be a learning curve. This orchid was a gift from my cousin Linda and her little guy when they visited earlier this month.

As you know, I love shooting photos of flowers and insects, and I have always liked the soft focus images of among others, Kathleen Clemons and Anne Belmont. One is able to create dreamy images a number of ways: using certain filters, placing diffusers over the lens, even something simple such as fogging a filtered protected lens with one's breath. All these techniques work, but I was looking for more. I watched two presentations in the past few months: one by Kathleen Clemons offered by Hunts Photo and Video and one by Anne Belmont which is available on the B&H Photo site. Both are users of Lensbaby lenses. Visit their websites to see stunningly beautiful images. Both also have various short videos on Youtube.

I ordered the Lensbaby Velvet 85 several months ago, but since it had been backordered, it did not arrive until a few days ago. Yesterday, it was finally warm enough to spend an hour on my sunporch and try out my new purchase. The light kept changing, and as I said these are only my first attempts. (There were  many unsuccessful shots.) It is a manual lens which presents some challenges, but it will give me something to work on in the days ahead. The images that I have posted here just hint at the potential of this lens. Hopefully, I may know what  I am doing by springtime. :-) 

One of the things that I did recall from the Anne Belmont presentation was her encouragement to shoot all parts of each subject, and so, taking this suggestion to heart I photographed the back of this blossom. It's one of my favorite images.

 

 

 Because it is an 85mm lens, it is also perfect for shooting portraits. Fortunately, my favorite subject was on hand. 

This marks the end of my happy, upbeat post. As always, please feel free to skip the material below the broken line.

Be safe. Have hope.

                        —————          —————          —————          —————

The truth is I am terrified of what may occur in the days ahead.

 

This afternoon just one week after the insurrection the House of Representatives voted to impeach Donald Trump for the second time. He will go down in infamy as the only President to be impeached twice. 

Photos today show armed National Guard members in combat gear sleeping on the floors in the corridors of Congress. This type of military protection has not happened since the days of the Civil War. 20,000 armed National Guard members will be on duty in the days leading up to the inauguration of Joe Biden.

The FBI has warned of possible attacks on all fifty statehouses in the days ahead. 

If you have not yet seen it, I urge you watch the  video by former Governor Arnold Schwarenegger .

It is a powerful message to the citizens of the United States and to the citizens of the world. Please watch it.

Pray for the safety of our President-elect, our Vice President-elect, our members of Congress, for our country and our democracy.

I wish you peace.

Frightening Times

What a horrendous week this has been. For me, the week had started well. With the turn of the new year, I have settled into a more productive routine. Indeed, on Wednesday I was looking forward to sharing some of my recent projects with you. Before sitting down to write my blog post,  I decided to turn on the TV to watch a bit of the electoral college coverage in Congress. Soon, a nightmare unfolded before our eyes. 

Now, I know that some will not want to read my impressions and thoughts about what happened, so as usual they will come at the end of this post below the broken line. Knowing that some may need to read something light, I will present that here first.

This Santa marks my second finish for the new year. It is a Prairie Schooler chart of Santa from 2016. There was quite a lot of stitching in this small piece which took me about two and a half weeks. In the original photo on the chart, it looked to me as if the reindeer had only three legs. I assume that the other back leg was supposed to be behind Santa, but it looked really strange to me, so I stitched in a fourth leg. I also used brighter floss than was indicated.

I made seven bitty boards (7x7)inches. What they are used for and how to make them may be found on this Lori Holt Youtube video.

For some reason, I am unable to load a photo of the Q snap grime guard that I also made. 

If you need a break from the news coverage, let me offer a suggestion, A Fisherman's Friends on Netflix. I had watched it Monday night and wanted to be sure to tell you about it. This film is based on a true story of a group of working fishermen living in Port Isaac on the Cornish coast. (If the locale appears familiar to you, it is where Doc Martin is filmed.) This group of fishermen who love singing sea shanties was discovered by a visiting music executive. You will definitely enjoy it!

Stay safe. Have hope. 

          _________________       ___________________       _____________________ 

Death toll in the United States from Covid  . . . 370,000.

On Wednesday morning, our unhinged President instigated a mob of what he called 'patriots' to rampage through the Capitol. Five people were killed in the mayhem. 

Images I will never forget from that day: the scene of hordes of rioters breaking through barriers and beating back Capitol Hill police to storm through the People's House in search of Vice President Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Polosi. The scene of a Congresswoman cowering in terror on the floor holding the hand of a fellow lawmaker, and the guards with guns drawn at the barricaded door while instigators broke glass and tried to break down the door. I learned today that one of the men with the guards was an unarmed legislator who was determined to fight along side the guards to protect his fellow lawmakers. 

I did not know that the gas masks that legislators quickly donned are stored under their seats in the chambers. That this precaution is necessary is frightening.

The resolution of lawmakers to go back hours later and finish the work they had begun was inspiring.

I had been to Washington, DC, many times as a chaperone for school trips over the course of my teaching career, and I was always awed by the majesty of these buildings. To see what was happening there on Wednesday terrified me. I am terrified about what could happen over the course of the next ten days.

I  am praying for Joe Biden, for Kamala Harris, and for our democracy.

Peace.

First Finish of 2021

Happy, Healthy New Year!!! Yes, here is my first finish for 2021. Now before you start patting me on the back, let me tell you the whole story.

I had laughed when I found this pattern last year as the cat in the Christmas sweater reminded me so much of my cousin Kristin's cat Franklin. Kristin's family has two cats; Bella who is a sweet, friendly cat, and then there is Franklin who is neither sweet nor very friendly. This is exactly the look Franklin would have given had anyone been foolish enough to attempt to put a sweater like this on him.

I also made a quilted wall hanging for  my cousin Linda's family as two years ago, Santa Claus had brought her two very good boys a sweet, white kitten all the way from the North Pole. Snowy is a wonderful addition to their family. If you would like to see the pieces that I made last year, please click here.

My neighbor had seen those pieces last year and thought they were wonderful. I knew then that I would make one featuring her two cats as a Christmas present this year.  I pulled fabric from my stash to match both cats, tucked away the strips used to make the sweater piece, the sparkly fabric for the ornaments, some cording, and a snowy background fabric. All this along with the pattern I placed in a bag knowing that I would have a whole year to get this piece done. Well, November rolled around, and it occurred to me that I should get started on it. Did I? Nope. Thanksgiving, such as it was, came and went and still I hadn't start working on it. Let me admit right here that I have one longstanding character flaw . . . I procrastinate. (I probably have other character flaws, but I don't believe they are relevant to this story. :-) 

Anyway, finally about the second week in December I started working on it for maybe a day or two. Then . . . you guessed it . . . I put it aside to work on other things. As I noted in my last post, when my neighbor brought over a gift for me on Christmas Eve afternoon, I showed her a pile of cut out pieces that would soon be her gift. 

When did I start really working on it in earnest? Sunday, December 27th. Procrastinator . . . At this point I stayed focused and was able to get it done by January 1 . . . only a week late. :-)

In fact, I accomplished a lot on January 1st. All of my outside decorations were put away including these ornaments that I hang on my railings and shepherd hooks around my yard. I corralled them in this sifter that I use to filter my compost. Though they have tight caps, you would be amazed how much water collects inside them, so I turn them over to let them drain before putting them away. They looked so bright and colorful that I had to grab a couple of shots.
 

The other highlight of the day was a socially distanced, masked visit from my cousin Linda and my favorite cub scout. He had Emma perform all of her tricks and played "Hide and Seek and Get a Treat." There was a whole lot of running going on in my backyard. Both Emma and I enjoyed their visit.

Recommendations:

If you enjoy "Antiques Roadshow" and you have Netflix, check out "The Repair Shop."  It is a British program. Folks bring treasured items to "The Repair Shop" where a group of skilled craftsmen restore the items. On the first episode that I watched a butter churn, a suitcase, and a watch were the featured items. You meet the people who own the items, watch the painstaking process of repair, and then see the owners' reaction to the finished items. Now perhaps you are thinking . . . that doesn’t sound very exciting . . . Well, let me tell you it is interesting and is very relaxing to watch. Personally, in these trouble times, a little bit of interesting, informative, and entertaining is welcome. Try it; I think you will like it.

Last night, the film Jimmy Carter - Rock & Roll President played on CNN. It will no doubt be repeated, and I would encourage you to watch it. It talked about music, the 70's, and about Jimmy Carter the man who is so greatly admired for all that he has done since leaving office.

So, about that lifelong character flaw . . . I should work on it, but I think I will just put that off for a while. :-)

Stay safe.