Life

Life has changed as it does and I'm still trying to find my way - even after almost six months now. I just don't have the interest or energy to compose blog posts. That may change but until then I'm so glad that many of you are on Instagram. I would like to try and begin visiting blogs again - I miss seeing what everyone is up to.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to visit. And if you are so inclined you can find me on Instagram

Welcome November

Several weeks in...

World's slowest stitcher award goes to me. Maybe I just lost my enthusiasm for these little designs somewhere along the way. And I know - a little out of season now that we are in November. 🙂

I chose four of the five designs from Plum Street Sampler's Stranded Jacks.

I've seen quite a few people stitching Friends of the Hart also by Plum Street Samplers. Fall colors are some of my favorites, and I think this piece has some of those lovely, vibrant colors in it. And of course, that cute squirrel and fox.

I'm trying to decide between 36ct PTP Sand or 36ct PTP Wren. You really can't see much difference in the two linens in this picture, but I'm leaning toward Sand.

I came across this frame while out with my daughter and would love to find something to stitch that would fit it. I think it is a pretty frame, but I would probably (maybe) change the color.

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Stepping back in time a few weeks I celebrated another birthday. This one wasn't a difficult one because for some reason I thought I was fifty-seven all year - so you know, I was kind of used to it. 🙂

The birthday plate held a slice of delicious cheesecake, and my husband knows I expect a sunflower - no matter the occasion - my favorite flower. ❤️

The day we celebrated was a beautiful, warm day - to start. We drove to dinner in a raging thunderstorm, and the next day it was winter.

And now there is snow in our forecast this week - approximately a month earlier than we usually see it. I'm not ready for it.

Finally, thank you, those of you who read and comment and to those of you who just read. It's nice to have you stop by. And for those who have inquired about my hearing - thank you! Nothing new to report on it and there are just too many other things going on right now to pursue it any further.

Take care, and I hope to see you soon.

Mary Applewhite 1855

October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came-

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,

And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing,

Professor Wind the band.🍁🍂🍁

- George Cooper

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Mary Applewhite 1855

Gigi R 

B Is For Books / Bingo and Blackbird Designs

It was an excellent summer for reading. And not difficult to complete my bingo card - it was fun to play along just to play along - thank you, Mary. 🙂

Five Stars
Only Child
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
The Light of the World
The Bean Trees
Plainsong
The Sun Does Shine
Shutter Island
A Prayer for Owen Meany

Four Stars
The Woman in the Window
The Cruelest Month
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Color of Bee Larkham's Murder
Black Water Rising
Station Eleven
Rosemary Remembered
The Night Circus
Good Omens
Kindred

Three Stars
Gray Mountain
Autumn
Iron House
The Essex Serpent

Only a couple of two-star books - pretty good.

❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎❇︎

From Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day - Darling Buds Of May by Blackbird Designs.

I want to thank everyone who visits my blog - whether you read and comment or as the majority of you do - just read - you are all very much appreciated!!! And welcome to my new followers!

Worry

This summer has been a bit of a rough one for my family and me. About a month ago, I lost the hearing in my right ear. Not gradually (I don't think) but suddenly and completely. Still trying to get to the bottom of this little mystery as well as my continuing blood sugar problems. I've spent a lot of time in freezing waiting rooms and too much time worrying. Intellectually, I know that doesn't solve anything but why is it such a hard habit to break?

So, this week I've been making a concentrated effort to get my body back into some of my old routines in hopes of breaking this habit of worry or at least whittling away at it a bit. I'm really not supposed to go out on my own, but I've so missed my walks. And I decided it is just too beautiful outside and summer is slipping away so quickly that I can't not take my old body out into the morning (minus the singing). 🙂

Hope all is well in your world!

Knitting / Reading

First, thank you, Jo, for sharing the fix for receiving comments! Yay! I felt a little discombobulated, especially when receiving comments on older posts.

What can I say about this bit of knitting?

It's bigger than it looks.

It's gotten me over most of my fears about knitting (just about all of the things I fear most that can happen while knitting - including having your cat take off with your yarn somehow caught around his leg - have happened and I managed to figure them out).

It broke my frustration meter (that third lace panel - what happened?! Mind you it is the same lace panel I knit twice before with no problems. I had to take out a few rows - very tedious - and not fun at all!!) Everything is fixed now, thankfully!

I've come a long way. Once upon a time, I would have ripped the whole thing out and moved on. There was no way I was going to do that! I took this with me on my trip with my daughter, and there are a lot of good memories knit up in it. And a lot of time invested in it.

Shouldn't take much longer, although I've thought that before. Because I want to start this.  I wish you could reach through the screen and feel the yarn (if that's your thing).  🙂

I've been making myself wait. Why??!!

Just need to make sure Bernie has gone nighty-night first because he is fascinated by the yarn swift.

Reading has been slow.

This wasn't quite the haunting tale I had hoped for. Still not a bad story. It filled the "That you want to read because of the cover" box for book bingo.

But this was just what I hoped it would be. Lots of laughs. I wonder about the minds of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. 🙂 And it filled the "With more than one author listed on the cover" box.

I'm looking forward to getting away to the beach (or since we go to Ocean City, NJ, I suppose I should say the shore) this weekend. I'm feeling in need of a long walk with the sound of the seagulls and crashing waves for company. Hope you all have something fun/relaxing planned for the weekend!

Hello 31 and 26 Goodbye 15 / Stitching

It's hard to get us all together, so when we do all get together, we try and make the most of it. We chose Harry's Savoy Grill to celebrate our 31st anniversary (March), Matthew's 26th birthday (June) and paying off our 15-year mortgage (April).

I'm also celebrating a finish, finally!

and a new start - Darling Buds of May from Blackbird Designs

My interest in stitching has been pretty slim lately.

I've been more interested in knitting.

And Bernie's interest in stitching and knitting has been very, very slim.

I've never had a cat that was a snuggler, so of course, I can't turn him down. Not that he gives me a choice - he just settles in without any discussion.

Hope your week is off to a great start. We are having a rare sunny day today -- yay!!!

May Things

It seems like it has been a quick trip through May. Too quick for me! May is one of my favorite months and even with all of the rain we've had, I wouldn't mind if it stuck around a little longer.

May has brought some good things and some not so good things.

The not so good things - allergies worse than I've ever had them. The whole itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, etc. thing and also making the list - replacing our air conditioner. Hopefully the last big house expenditure for a while!

The good things.

Good thing number one - spending Mother's Day with my son! He treated me to a trip to a new yarn store I had wanted to check out in Chesapeake City, Maryland. It is only about ten minutes away, and that could be a dangerous thing.

(although the bridge could be a deterrent if I choose to travel that route again).

I offered to let him wait in the car, but he came in with me and very patiently walked all around the store while I oohed and ahhed over all of the lovely yarns and other goodies they had.

I think I was pretty good. I bought some beautiful yarn of course and three different needle sizes I needed.

Do I know what I'm going to do with any of it -- not really, but I've been spending a lot of time looking on Ravelry.

Afterward, he took me to brunch at the Chesapeake Inn. We didn't have reservations and still were sat at one of the best tables.

Complete with a view of That Bridge! 😰I think the thing that bothers me the most about it is that it is only two lanes. Oh, and the low, see-through sides. According to my son, the view from the top was quite scenic!

Good thing number two - the start of Book Bingo! Thank you, Mary, for keeping this going!

And just in time for Book Bingo - the arrival of a few new books. I think they will fit into some of the categories.

I know stitching pictures have been few and far between. I am trying. But runny eyes and nose and workmen tramping in and out of the house make it a little frustrating - I am close to a finish though.

And wow, even more bloggers are disappearing. I think Blogger is trying to make it easy. I don't really understand what is going on with comments and I'm tempted to just disable them, but we'll see how it goes.

Until next time take care!

Time Away And A Reveal...Sort Of

It was such a refreshing time away - a little longer than expected, but just what I needed.

First was our stay in Wilmington, North Carolina.

I loved being ten minutes from the ocean!

And only a few minutes away from the downtown area where it was hard to choose from all of the wonderful restaurants.

(funny thing - I came back seven pounds lighter than when I left - I think it was all of the walking we did).

The weather was absolutely perfect - I couldn't have asked for better.

L-R Cape Fear River, Wrightsville Beach (2), North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (2), Greenfield Lake (3), Drinks our first night in Wilmington

The reveal, of course, sort of, is the picture of my daughter and me.

Yay, us, !!! we survived a very windy paddle boat ride on Greenfield Lake. I think the impetus we needed to keep paddling was all of the alligators we saw in the lake.

My behind paid the price for several days after - that seat was hard!

Part two was our stay in Myrtle Beach. Except for a stormy, very windy Monday, the weather again was just beautiful.

We stayed in a lovely condominium on the ocean and had the sound of the crashing waves with us twenty-four hours a day (those waves were especially spectacular on that stormy Monday). That is a sound I don't think I could ever get tired of.

It has been difficult to adjust to being back, but I think I'm slowly settling back into my normal routines.

I've discovered that I missed responding to several comments from my last post and I apologize - things got crazy right before I left for my trip.

I tuned out of all social media while I was away and was slow to tune back in when I returned home. I'm slowly trying to catch up with everyone and think I may just about be caught up - I missed you all. 🙂

Knotty Bunny and Fuzzy Balls

First, the knotty bunny! I usually don't mix alcohol and whatever I'm working on, but this piece required wine!

Every.Single.Stitch.Knotted!

Spring Delivery by Brenda Gervais

So glad to be finished with this one and proud of myself for resisting the urge just to trash it.

I saw this recently and would have to agree with it.

Really! So pretty, but I'm so tired of it. Hopefully, this is the last time it storms back.

And that is where fuzzy balls come in. We added them to our decorations this Christmas, and they are so cheery and warm (because they are fuzzy) -- and I may just keep them out all year. They certainly distract me from days with a lot of white stuff in them.

I'm getting ready to do something I never do - go on vacation (one where I actually leave the state). 😉

And the best part is I'm going with my daughter. We will be spending time in Wilmington, NC and then going on to Myrtle Beach.

I'm sure hoping the weather is a little warmer -- it certainly shouldn't snow. Right? And even if it does, I will still be with my daughter, and that is just the best!! I'm so excited!!

Catherine was kind enough to send me this book (thank you!), and I think I will take it with me. I'm looking forward to reading it - from what Catherine has said, it seems like just when you think you have it figured out -- you don't.

And in the "it may sound silly" column, I have figured out how to add the reply option back to my comment section. It seems like a good way to respond to those of you who are no-reply bloggers. So, if that applies to you check back. 🙂

Until next time I hope that maybe a little bit of spring has come your way!
Take care ~

Uncle! / Three Pointless Reflections

Pointless Reflection #1
Here come nor'easters four and five, so I guess sliding into Spring snowless isn't going to happen. Winter is really reluctant to let go, and yes, I am more than ready to say, uncle, as I'm sure many of you are!

And I know March is supposed to be kite flying month, but these winds we have had are crazy!

Still looking for a Robin, but the only Robin I've seen was my sister a week ago.

Pointless Reflection #2
This time change has really done a number on me.

By the time I finish the daily things I have to do and finally get a chance to sit down in the evening, Bernie settles in my lap, and we both have a little snoozy time. I absolutely cannot keep my eyes open, and Bernie's purring lulls me right off.

I know at some point I will adjust, but it bugs me to waste the time.

Pointless Reflection #3
I seem to be in a real rut with my reading.

I keep plugging away in my search for a really good book, and while a few books have had promising starts, they just seem to fizzle out somewhere along the way. The most recent and biggest disappointment was The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I just can't figure out how it was rated so highly. First, too much domestic violence! And I just couldn't like any of the characters. At times I almost felt the book was written by several different people. Not even sure why I finished it other than I feel like I have given up on too many books lately.

Oh well, I'm sure in time I'm bound to stumble upon a good one.

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Enough pointless reflecting! I do have a tiny bit of knitting to show (which also puts me to sleep - too relaxing). I had to temporarily move on from Stella as there was a mystery involved with it. I seem to have gotten a bad skein of yarn and kept finding myself holding short pieces of yarn. More yarn is on order, so in the meantime, I've been working on The Miller's Daughter.

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And to bring a bit of color into this neverending winter, I've revisited The ES Spot Sampler from Of Female Worth.

Thank you to those of you who take the time to stop by and leave a comment and to those of you who just stop by. We all have busy lives, so your visits and comments are so welcome!

Take care, everyone.

Sometimes Februarys

... Are for helping someone begin the next chapter in their life.

I used to laugh as I ripped the AARP junk mail in half and threw it out. But after a month of helping my daughter to pack up and move, I'm not laughing anymore. Maybe I'm older than I think? My body has sure felt it.

But the satisfaction of seeing a lightness to my daughter that I haven't seen in a long time has made it all worth it. And of course, spending time with her and shopping for new things has been fun.

I really haven't been home very much this month, so I don't have too much to show in the way of crafty things. I have been working here and there on a few things but mostly on Ann Rayner from Threads Through Time.

Oh, those alphabets! Alphabets despite being quick to stitch are not my favorite things. So, I had to wander down and take a break from them. Thankfully, there are so many beautiful elements to this sampler -- no shortage of fun things to stitch. 🙂

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... Are for celebrating a birthday. My husband is not on a daytime schedule so as you can tell we do our celebrating during the nighttime hours. That black forest cake is delicious at any time of the day or night.

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It is a beautiful sunny, warm day here. I am still waiting for that one big snow event we seem to get every year. And it is possible for that to happen in March -- it has before, although I'm hoping we will just slide into spring snowless. 

I'm hoping to catch up with everyone and see what you have all been doing. I seem to have fallen behind in my blog reading -- again. 

Until next time ~ take care!

Adventures At Home Depot

About a week ago, right before the latest fictional (thankfully), predicted bad weather event, I realized I was running low on bird feed and kitten food for Bernie.

So, first, off I go to Home Depot. I am relatively strong from lifting feed for the horses but still usually engage in a wrestling match to load the bags of seed in the cart. If there are cameras in the outside area, I'm sure someone was thoroughly amused.

 While checking out, a young man (thank goodness for commas) who works there said he would load my purchases in my car. I told him thank you, but I would be alright -- I was really thinking where were you when I was wrestling these things into my cart. But, he insisted so out we went.

As we were approaching my car, I hear horns blowing and wonder what is going on. Well, what was going on was someone desperately needed something from Home Depot and wasn't going to let a little thing like two people and a cart get in their way.

The truck clipped the young man helping me first and then of course me. So, down we both go, people, jumping out of cars to see if we are alright. Thankfully, other than being a little stunned (and would later discover I was quite bruised and stiff in parts I didn't know I had) we were otherwise okay.

No good deed. 🙄 Anyway, next stop the pet store. Upon checking out, a lady much older than me said she would carry my things to my car. I'm thinking wow! I must look pretty bad today.

Anyway, I enjoy feeding the birds and quite a few squirrels.

Squirrels are very welcome at my house -- no squirrel thwarting devices here!

And while I don't get cardinals in the numbers Cindy does, I do get quite a few. I have no pictures of the real thing but I recently finished -- Little Red Bird by The Little Stitcher.

And here is Bernie, totally unaware that I risked life and limb to ensure his belly remains full so that he has the energy to do naughty kitten things like try to climb the curtains.

I might add that this wasn't my first adventure at Home Depot -- but it will most assuredly be my last because I won't be shopping there anymore.

Back in the summer I was there looking at flowers when I found myself in the middle of a shoplifting event. Aside from the broken flowers I was shoved into, there were no other injuries -- just stunned that people really do those types of things.

I would like to take a minute and thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all of your kind thoughts and prayers. Things have leveled off a bit for now, and we are all just taking one day at a time -- trying to live in the present moment.

Until next time, may you all have only good adventures!
Take care ~

Color

First, I want to thank everyone (no-reply bloggers -- Cindy, Tracy H, and Pauline) for all of the kind words and thoughts on my last post. I still feel a little uncomfortable that I shared what I did, but I can't tell you all how much it means that you took time to respond. You have all been so kind! Some of you have been through the same things, and my heart breaks for you. Thankfully, you also spoke about being in a better place now. We are slowly getting into a better place, and I'm going to enjoy every moment of it.

My son's sense of humor seems to be returning. He asked me the other day if any packages had arrived and I told him just a couple of books I ordered.

He said Little Fires Everywhere -- that sounds like your life right now. It gave us a good laugh which is always a welcome thing -- right?

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Now, onto color.

I pretty much love all colors (except cat vomit brown). I'm working on a couple of blankets and the colors I've been using make me happy, they cheer me and make me feel warm.

The first one is a v-stitch blanket from HanJan Crochet. Just random colors from yarn I've had forever. By the way, yarn and wicker don't necessarily get along.

The second blanket I'm working on is from Lucy at Attic 24. She is having a CAL for the Woodland Blanket. I must be back to jumping on bandwagons.

This tiny little bit is part one finished. Again, these colors make me happy.

I hope you all are finding things that cheer you and make you warm -- because these temperatures -- wow! Until next time, take care!

sometimes the wheels on the bus don't go round and round

Sometimes they just fall right off all at once.

Here is a passage from a book I recently read.

"Parent time is like fairy time but real. It is magic without pixie dust and spells. It defies physics without bending the laws of time and space. It is that truism everyone offers but no one believes until after they have children that time will actually speed, fleet enough to leave you jet-lagged and whiplashed and racing all at once. Your tiny, perfect baby nestles in your arms his first afternoon home, and then ten months later, he's off to his senior year of high school. You give birth to twins so small and alike, they lie mirrored, each with a head in the palm of one hand while their toes reach only to the crooks of your elbows, but it's only a year before they start looking at colleges. It is so impossible yet so universally experienced that magic is the only explanation."

I loved this description.

I can remember looking into the faces of my children when they were newly home from the hospital. All of the hopes and dreams I had for them. You want them to be happy in life -- of course, you know that life isn't one big basket of happy -- life can be challenging, sad, etc. -- but you want them to grab every bit of happy they can.

Well, the wheels began falling off several weeks before Christmas, and life got very challenging and very sad for my children. I'm sure for those of you who are parents; you know that when your child is hurting, you are hurting. And both of mine are hurting right now. We are dealing with depression that has hit rock bottom and brings me to a word I can't even write here, and a completely unexpected, out of the blue event for my daughter. We are all just feeling a little stunned and overwhelmed right now.

I don't like to get too personal on my blog, (I guess I couldn't have gotten more personal) and I have gone back over this post and changed it quite a few times, but I would sincerely appreciate any prayers, positive thoughts, energy -- you could send our way.

Thankfully, time doesn't stand still, and I know we will eventually see our way past this difficult period. Right now for me, it is putting one foot in front of the other and a smile on my face and finding time each day to escape a little into the things I love. I finished stitching this small ornament from Blackbird Designs right before Christmas.

I promise to be a little more cheery next time. Until then I know blogging friends aren't real life friends, but your visits to my blog and your comments and emails and little glimpses into your lives make life happier, and I thank all of you.

We are experiencing the so-called "bomb cyclone" today as I'm sure a lot of you are. I'm so over this winter already, and we are only at the beginning of January. 

Until next time stay warm and safe and take care.

Catching Up / Missed Anniversary

Hello, everyone! I hope you are all taking time to enjoy the season and not letting too much stress invade your life. I know some of us have had snow --  some more than others. I'm trying hard not to give in to my hibernation instincts. 😉

Another successful school semester has come to an end, and just in time. A requirement of my Group Dynamics and Communication class was drafting a proposal for a psychoeducation group and then leading that group. Doing group therapy is exhausting! Thankfully, the participants were an easygoing, good bunch of people.

I appreciate everyone's concern and kind words on my Starbuck's experience. Those burns were no joke but, thankfully, they have pretty much healed. Scars remain, but I'm sure they will fade over time.

Something I missed blogging about was my thirtieth wedding anniversary this past March (oops, almost time for another one). I feel very blessed to have my husband. He is one of the kindest people I know and best of all he balances me out. I can't imagine life without him.

I stitched the Sweetheart Pincushion from the Blackbird Designs My Dear Hearts booklet for our anniversary. I don't know how I will finish it, but it won't be a pincushion. 🙂

Another person I can't imagine life without, my daughter. We recently spent a day shopping for antiques or junk as my husband likes to say. This was the scene as we left the shop. It was such a pretty sunset not captured very well in this photo.

After this, we stopped by a local winery that makes the only Merlot I can drink. Of course, I came home with a couple of bottles. A beautiful day all the way around!

And finally, an update on Bernie. After nursing him through his broken leg, surgeries, and just for added fun, an intestinal parasite, here he is -- my little helper. Don't they all love to help with the changing of sheets? I love everything about him especially his sweet stripes!

Until next time I hope you are finding time to spend with those you love. Take care, everyone!

Alternatives

I recently had a very traumatic and painful (putting it mildly) experience with a cup of hot tea from Starbucks.

I've heard many stories about people spilling their McDonald's coffee or Starbuck's coffee in their laps and thought well, of course, they should know it's hot, and they should be careful. But I think the temperature of these beverages goes way beyond hot as in scalding. I felt sure that my skin must be melting right off of my body. Why does anything need to be that temperature!?.

I'm always very careful when handling a hot drink, but I think there was something wrong with the cup - it was so flimsy. I kept it and compared it with the cup from McDonald's the next day, and it was definitely not as sturdy.

The cup collapsed inward, the lid came off, and the tea went all over my hand, arm, and leg. Fortunately, my husband was driving because I'm sure I would have had an accident. I have never felt pain like that. I ended up with blisters anywhere the tea went and burns that are still somewhat painful. Obviously, I have no urge to revisit Starbucks at least for now - I'm really going to miss their hot chocolate!

But, the experience led me to look for alternatives, and I found several wonderful ones.

The Young Bean

The coffee is excellent as is the ambiance.

A beautiful tin ceiling.

Delicious baked goods!

And of course, plenty of beverages to choose from.

I didn't take a photo, but there is even a bookcase full of books in one corner!

Traders Cove Coffee Shop

This one has the added benefit of being located in Old New Castle - one of my favorite places to wander around. And it was a perfect fall day for a visit.

Located down a typical walkway.

I love this quote over the window from William Penn!

A very tasty quiche!

And of course, no visit to Old New Castle would be complete without a walk.

I hope everyone can find time in your busy schedules to enjoy a favorite beverage and maybe even discover an alternative to the more well-known coffee places in your area!

I would also like to wish those who observe Thanksgiving a very blessed day full of good food and happy times with family and friends!