Through My Garden Gate

Wouldn't this make a lovely Christmas card ? A few days ago, I picked up a wreath for each gate on the sides of my house. Though there was snow on the ground when I took this photo, it's gone now as yesterday was a wild and windy, rainy Friday.

This colorful display caught my eye ouside a doctor's office last week, and when I went to Michael's I picked up similar colored ornaments to display in this gorgeous punch bowl. It's Heisey cut glass and was a present to my dad's parents on the occasion of their twenty-fifth anniversary in 1927. In the background is the current wool applique project on which I am working. (The photo doesn't capture how truly bright and sparkly the ornaments are.

That's it for now. Enjoy the weekend. One more thing . . . blogger.com is making blogging more challenging as they are changing how we create and publish our posts. Suddenly HTML shows up as I am composing. Bear with me as I figure it out; hopefully, you won't notice any difference. :-)

A Gentle Snowy Sunday

This is the scene that greeted me this morning. The soft, confectionery sugar snow has coated the trees and bushes and the sidewalks, but the roads are basically clear. No one minds this type of snow which has continued all day.

Yesterday I had a very special visitor. My friend Kathy’s mom had been driven down by a caregiver to see Kathy’s holiday decorations. Her mom had been hearing all about my new home, and when Kathy asked if she would like to visit my house, her mom replied, “Sure, I would love to!” 

Dear readers, this is what 103 looks like!!!!!!!! She is beyond amazing.  She delighted in seeing my quilts, all of my vintage holiday treasures, and each room in my new home. The visit wasn’t long, but it was indeed very special. 

In both 2004 and 2005, I resolved to cross stitch at least one Christmas piece each month. How did I do? Not well . . . I added only two new ornaments this year. 

Once again, I’m making that same resolution; let’s hope I do better in 2006. :-)

A Lot Going On . . .

There has been a lot going on lately, all of it good: decorating, entertaining, dinner with friends, a Christmas luncheon with friends, and two upcoming guild Christmas parties. . . Today was a  calm day, so I thought I would fully finish this cross stitch piece on which I put the final stitches on Thanksgiving Eve. It has yet to be pressed. Why? I cannot for the life of me find my sticky mounting boards. There is absolutely no doubt that all of my finishing supplies came with me, but where they are hiding is beyond me so framing this piece will have to wait. (I’ll have a whole year to find my supplies :-).

While searching for my supplies, I found this with my sewing things. Good Heavens!!! What is this fifteen inch, heavy tool doing in my quilt studio? Beats me. Lord knows I had tried to give away all the tools in my basement, but evidently there were no takers for this one.

I’m thinking it might possibly have been used to remove horseshoes. Please correct me if I am wrong. My dad’s paternal grandfather drove a hansom carriage in Boston in the late 1800s and he had a horse. Here he is with my great grandmother out for a drive in their buggy.

So how did this end up in my quilting studio? Beats me. What am I going to do with it? Well, that was easy . . . I stuck it in my tool carrier in the basement. :-)

Actually, I have found all kinds of fun/interesting items during unpacking. My favorite by far is my “Official Membership  Card for the Lassie Get-Up -And- Go Club.” I found a cute little frame for it and have it tucked in with my mantel displays. When folks spot it, it brings smiles. The Lassie show, a Sunday night staple, was sponsored by Campbell Soup. In tiny  print along the bottom it reads: “Once a day … Every day…SOUP! Gives you Get Up And Go!” I don’t ever remember seeing it since I was a kid. All the identification information on the back was printed by my mom. Where had it been all these years and how did it get packed up in the move??? Beats me, but it’s fun.  

Speaking of cute frames, look at this one that I found at Michael’s; it lights up. It’s perfect for displaying this photo of my young cousins which was taken on Thanksgiving. They are wearing their Christmas pajamas which they traditionally receive on Thanksgiving night.

It doesn’t seem possible but the oldest four are now in their second year of college. Time flies but the tradition continues.  

Enjoy this busy, happy season; no stress allowed. ;-)

A Lively Quilt Guild Meeting

The Crosstown Quilters of Weymouth had quite a lively meeting yesterday on Veteran’s Day. Appropriately enough, Betty Ann showed her stunning flag quilt. She could not recall the name of the pattern, but when she shares it with us, I’ll mention it in an upcoming post. 

Just look at this display of poinsettia blocks which were turned in for November’s Block of the Month. If you make a block, your name goes into a bag from which five winners were drawn. Each winner received either three or four of the blocks which would go together nicely for a festive table runner. 

Our guest speaker was Carla Klean from Canton whose presentation was entitled “From Quilter to Artist.” She was fantastic!!!  This quilt was from the pattern “Petals,” and much of the fabric used in this piece was from Tim Holtz, a Canadian fabric designer. This was one of her early quilts; her more recent quilts which were equally colorful and creative reflect her desire to take her work in new and exciting directions.

So, what am I currently working on?  Well, it’s another wool applique piece with far too many pieces!!! My goal is to get it done for Christmas, but there is no pressure as it’s a piece that could remain up all winter. I have cut out all the pieces from my stash, and there are a zillion of them but I know it’s a project on which  I will enjoy working. 

Keep bundled up as the temperatures are starting to drop. :-)

Autumn in Bloom . . . Wool Applique

 Here’s the wool applique piece that I spoke of in my last post. It is “Autumn in Bloom,” a pattern from Buttermilk Basin. I had been collecting autumnal shades of wool to use in this piece. On my last visit to the Quilted Crow in Bolton, I found just the perfect fabric to use for the borders. 

Along the way I had ordered this scrumptious piece of wool which I used for the leaves. As you can see, my fabric often looks like Swiss cheese as I fussy cut sections that I want to use on a project. Wool is expensive, so I will use every inch of it. :-)

Though I didn’t plan to bring my hibiscus plants in, the talk of dropping temperatures prompted me to bring this one into my sunroom. Though it looks incredibly healthy now, I know what will no doubt happen. It will begin to drop its leaves and become a mess. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the blossoms as yet unopened and keep my fingers crossed that I won’t have to toss it. 

I hope you all are having a happy, creative, and productive week.

Halloween Decor and Autumn Color

My plan had been to share a completed piece of wool applique with you today, but I still need to add the binding and a small hanging sleeve, so I will show it next time. Instead, I’ll share a bit of the Halloween stitching displayed in my bookcases. What fun I have filling these shelves and changing out the mantelpiece! 

The foliage this year was greatly diminished by the drought conditions we experienced this spring and summer. There are, of course, some lovely spots of color, but it doesn’t seem to be lasting. There was an absolutely gorgeous tree on a main road nearby, but before I could get to photograph it, it had dropped a third of its leaves. 

I am loving this view from my deck. Though it is two days before Halloween, my hibiscus plants are still blooming.

Yesterday, I captured this image of ducks on one of the small ponds on the golf course.

On Tuesday, I attended a meeting of the Crosstown Quilters where we were pleased to learn that our quilt show had been a success. Having completed the two quilts that I had in the show, I am now able to turn my attention to other stitchy projects.

I spent a few hours today at the car dealership getting four new tires and sensors in order to get my sticker. Lucky me! I brought a book and a piece of stitching to pass the time, and tonight my plan is to finish that book and do a bit more stitching. :-)

Hope you are all having an enjoyable week.

Bits and Bobs of This and That

 The Crosstown Quilters Guild had a wonderful show on Saturday and Sunday. I had two quilts in the show. The first was  Celtic Blessing, a pattern from Ricky Tims. The completed blocks had languished in a project box for a number of years as I had never gotten around to piecing the blocks together. The back of the quilt is made up of blocks of various shades of green to represent the green fields of Ireland.

The other quilt was “From the Heart.” I had purchased the kit for this quilt at our guild show back in 2018,  and I had assembled all the blocks but had put it aside without adding the borders. Notice a pattern here??? Thank goodness we had this show to spur me on to finish them. The beautiful quilting on both was done by Cannizzaro Creations in Rockland.

I’d like to say that from now on I will always finish quilts and projects in a timely fashion, but I know myself too well to commit to that. I am, however, trying to work through my many, many projects now that I am settled in my new home. Wish me luck!

We had a nor’easter on Monday and Tuesday with lots and lots of rain. I shot this photo from inside my sunporch.

Here’s the scene after the sun finally made an appearance.

Per request, here are some photos of Emma after her trip to the groomer last week.

Note the festive Halloween baubles that the groomer added. :-)

One more thing . . . I recently had some trees trimmed in my new backyard. Well, all except one was done  as one of the workers had noticed a large, active hornet nest hanging from the end of one of the branches. The cold temperatures eventually took care of the hornets and the wind and rain took care of the rest. Here are some of the remnants; the outer shell was like pieces of paper.

Well, that’s the buzz from here. I hope you are all having a happy, positive, creative week.

It’s About Time . . .

 Yes, it’s about time that I got around to checking in with a post. My last post was nearly a month ago. :-(

I thought about posting, but I just didn’t seem to find time to do it. I’m sitting on my deck now, my errands are done, so here goes . . . 

Look!!! Not only is my sewing machine uncovered, but I’m actually using it. Here I was sewing on the binding for my Celtic Cross quilt. The binding, label, and sleeve need to be finished for the upcoming Crosstown Quilters Quilt Show on October  18-19 to be held at the Sister Shawn Center Gymnasium at the Cardinal Cushing Center in Hanover. The hours are: Saturday 10-4 and Sunday 10-3. There is even the distinct possibility that I will have another quilt ready for the show. Fingers crossed . . . 

Yes, dear readers, I would say that my quilting studio is 88% ready. :-) Whoopie!!!

I’ve even had time at the end of the day to do some reading, and so I am going to recommend three pleasant books that you might enjoy. 

1.) The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle. . . It’s the story of an unusual museum in an old warehouse where people bring items of perhaps sentimental value that they no longer need or wish to keep but are loath to discard. Perhaps this made such an impression on me since I could strongly relate to the premise. Moving meant going through so very, very much. My cellar had all sorts of items. For instance, one of my paternal great-grandfathers drove a Handsom cab in Boston probably around the turn of the last century. (A Handsom cab was a two-wheeled vehicle drawn by one horse which functioned like a modern cab.) His tool for pulling horseshoes always hung from the top corner of the pegboard over my dad’s workbench. Why had my father kept it? Hard to say. I offered it to anyone who came to take tools, but the response was always the same, a polite refusal. So where is that tool now? I believe a friend’s husband took custody of it, but a very old horseshoe resides on a shelf in my garage. 

2.) The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin is also a wonderful read. Each chapter begins with a paragraph about bees and the fascinating intricacies of hives. I was amazed at the information which she provided. (Eileen Garvin is a beekeeper and this is her debut novel) It’s a novel of friendship and family; trust me on this . . . you will enjoy it.

3.) My final suggestion is The Late Bloomers’ Club. The story revolves around the townsfolk of Guthrie who frequent Nora’s Miss Gutherie Diner. The fictional town of Gutherie is a fine place to spend some time.

There is so much division and discord and plain craziness in our land right now that I offer these three books to provide you with a bit of peace. And I’m wondering . . . what have you been reading and recommending. I’m only looking for light, uplifting books as we are living in very dark, scary times.

Now, I don’t wish to leave things on that note so let me offer you a smile. 

Have an awesome week!!!

Not Going Back to School Breakfast

 I recently hosted a celebratory “We’re Not Going Back to School Breakfast” for a group of retired teacher friends. We usually go to breakfast at Stars in Hingham about once a month. This time I invited the group instead to my new home as each of these ladies had helped me make the move, and I wanted my friends to see my new home.

Folks ask if I miss my former home and my response is, “Heck no. I brought it all with me. :-)”  That includes this beautiful china which had belonged to my maternal grandmother, and which had been stored in the basement for many, many, many years. The mark on the bottom is “Theodore Haviland Limoge France.” I fully intend to use all of my pretty china, and Lord knows I have plenty of it. 

Here are the happy retirees, all former Weymouth teachers. We all loved being teachers, but retirement is also great fun. 

My former home is going on the market on Wednesday.  I will admit that the “Coming Soon” sign on the front lawn did make me teary eyed. I truly loved that house, but this one level home is perfect for me. 

I am happy to note that I have made significant progress in my quilt studio. It’s not totally done, but I have unearthed my machine and cleared off my cutting table. I’m hoping to finish two quilts for an upcoming quild show. One just needs binding, a sleeve, and a label while the other may not be done in time.

Hope all is going well in your life. Have a wonderful week.

CELLARbration!!!

 Yes, that’s not a typo, I’m CELLARbrating because my basement is finally empty!!! If you have been following this blog, you will know that the move to my dream home happened very, very quickly. I had had no interest in moving to a new home, but then a friend dragged me to an Open House on a rainy, dreary Saturday in April. Three hours later I was speaking to a realtor. No one could believe it. It was the only house that I had looked at, but I knew immediately that this was the house for me, and it definitely is!!!

On June 17, the movers brought all of my furniture here, but I had not had enough time to pack up everything. My family had been in our home for seventy years.  With the help of friends, I have been making progress, and today it is absolutely, totally, unequivocally DONE!!!!!! The guys who  have taken care of my lawn for years, hauled the last of the boxes up here, and the house will go on the market in two weeks.

Speaking of celebrations. . . fans around the world are celebrating the engagement of pop princess Taylor Swift and her prince charming Travis Kelce. It seems like a perfect match.

In my previous post, I mentioned having a dearth of blooms on the overgrown hydrangeas in my side yard. Well, these in the front yard sure make up for them. ;-)

Serendipity Sunday

This morning I was looking at some of the very out of control bushes in my side yard. One bush is at least seven or eight feet tall. I’m not sure whether I will have them severely pruned or completely taken out. Near those bushes are also three very large hydrangeas only one of which has blooms, and it has only five. As I was checking to see if there were any signs of more blossoms forming, I spotted this lovely little creature and was able to grab these images.

The photos don’t capture the way the wings glistened in the sunlight.

Now, I won’t bore you with too much information about dragonflies, but did you know that dragonfly-like winged insects were among the first to evolve about 300 million years ago!!!!!!!!! There are 3,000 known species of dragonflies . Okay, one or perhaps two more bits of info. According to an article on the Smithsonian magazine site, dragonflies are able to fly in any direction and also hover. Finally, it is said that dragonflies can reach speeds of thirty-five mph. Wow!

There you have it. Keep your eyes out for these gossamer winged little beauties and have a wonderful week. 

Emma and an Amazing Thrifting Fine

 I cannot believe it has been over a month since my last post, but I know you will understand as moving is very hard!!!

I moved in on June 17, and my new home is all set with the exception of a few boxes here and there. I have been spending lots of time emptying the cellar in my old home. With the help of friends, it is now about ninety percent empty. [Buying this house happened so fast that I didn’t have time to get the cellar packed before the moving date occurred.]

 I had been able to get rid of my dad, my grandad, and my brother’s tools fairly quickly. No one who came into my house was allowed to leave without selecting at least one tool. :-) There was a lot of china and glassware; some of which was donated and quite a bit of which came here with me. As you know if you follow this blog, I have many hobbies/crafts so that was a large portion of what still needed to be packed. Also, I have many bins of decorations for every season and every reason. (This new home has a massive cellar for storage though I do plan to donate items as we approach each holiday.)  Perhaps I’m being overly optimistic, but I think that I will be finally be done packing by tomorrow. Then the two men who take care of my lawn will fill their truck and haul the boxes up here. 

Here’s Miss Emma after a trip to the groomer this morning. I’ve been working on this small perennial garden. In my old home, try as I would I could never attract hummingbirds;  not so here as they are constant visitors. 

While I was waiting to pick up Emma, I dropped off some final bags at Savers, but I didn’t go in. Instead I popped in to the Salvation Army store where I found this incredible find.

 

This wooden chest was filled with lovely lavender bath items: bath foam, bath salts, a ceramic pump, a ceramic soap dish, a shell shaped pumice stone, and a bath scrub. The packing holding the items in place on the shelves was impressive. So, what did I pay for this? It was marked $14.00, but when I brought it to the counter, the woman told me that because of the color of the sticker, it was half priced!!! $7.00!!! Amazing!!!

I looked the items up online and saw a similar collection in a basket from the same company, and the price was $99. Now, I didn’t buy this for the lavender items; I simply loved the wood cabinet. Next question: where would I put it? 

Can you believe how perfectly this cabinet matches my jelly cabinet? I see this new cabinet filled with crossed stitched pillows or other fun items. In case you are wondering, this jelly cabinet houses my DMC floss and a lovely collection of assorted charms, jewels, and geegaws.

My former house is going on the market, I believe, the second week in September. That will be a relief.

I’ll have time to finish arranging my quilting studio and actually have time to do some work. I cannot wait!!!