Weekend plans

Today has awakened beautifully :)

Temperatures are in the low 70s today; mid 70s on Saturday and 80s on Sunday. Monday is calling for rain. So now is the perfect time to get some yard work done and caught up.

I managed to get the vegetable garden planted this week. Several weeks ago I started weeding my front garden. I got it mostly done and am just now getting back to it. The vegetable garden took priority and since Honey Do tilled last weekend, it would have been inconsiderate not to finish the project.

I was in the flowerbed even before Newton left for school this morning. I got a really good headstart. By noon, I had all the weeds and unwanted plants - they will be relocated to another part of the yard, I have plans for them :) - and the soil turned. It's been a number of years since this garden has gotten this kind of attention, but now that it has I'm so excited by the results. All I had left to do was mulch.  I purposely didn't take a "before" picture but here's the end result:

Since I didn't take a before picture, I can tell you that everything you see mulched was weeds and unwanted plants. Eventually the large white and solid green hostas will be moved, but I'm thinking about doing that in the fall.

So the rest of my weekend plans . . . 

I managed to make enough "yarn" for my rag rug. It's getting very close to being finished.

I have some added responsibilites at this time of the year with Vacation Bible School.  I'm doing my best to delegate as much as I can so that I'm not so overwhelmed by all that needs to be done. I'm also spreading my share out over the week and doing a little bit every day.

First up, little felt fish that are being sewn together. Volunteers are cutting them out and I'm sewing them together. The children will fill them with rice and tie the tails with ribbon.

Next up, I'm cutting out treasure chests and watching a movie. Again, it will be done over the next week so I can still get other things done.

The small "chests" will contain copies of the verses referenced throughout the week.

In between projects and chores is always laundry. I try really hard to live simply, to be resourceful, conscientious and frugal. I love spring and summer because it allows me to hang most of my launrdry outside to dry. In this day and age of modern conveniences, many people would tell me that I'm really not making that much difference, and I would not have a good argument against them. But I do like the act of simply hanging things on the line. It brings to mind many childhood memories of wringer washers, line drying and spending that time with mom, aunts and my "Oma" doing the same. And that counts for more than I could ever express.

It's also a good excuse to go outside and be outside. We need the fresh air, the sunshine and the pups need a good run so they can take a good nap :)

Yeah, that's Nina - she's getting really big !!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Making lemonade

When you get lemons . . .

                                you make lemonade .

When you have a problem with a quilt . . .

                              you make a label :)

I spent Thursday afternoon working on my blog layout and catching up on the blogs that I follow. There's so much going on everywhere !! :) You are all so very busy !! :)

One of the most interesting updates I found was this one:

This is a free class and better still, there are three free classes that you can sign up for:  beginner, intermediate and advance. You can get all the information and sign up here.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Down-hill slide

It's Wednesday !!!!

I'm on the down-hill slide :)

 

 

As you know, I've been working on a Tilda quilt from the Sew Pretty Home book.  My goal for May was to get row 2 completely finished . . . That happened this morning.  One more item checked off my list. I'm fearful that I won't get everything done, but I am defintely making progress on my goals. That is such a good feeling.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Gifts

One of the best things about being a gardener (or gardener wannabe) is that everytime you look out your window or walk in your gardens you are given a gift.

Monday morning, Memorial Day, I opened the blinds on my diningroom windown. This window opens at the front of the house and it's the only garden completely weeded and mulched.

 

These are the beauties that greeted me.

Lavender Columbines. Aren't those curly-cues amazing?!

Azalea - This one is under my livingroom window and that garden still needs weeded, but the bush is doing rather well.

It's going to be in the 80s today. Sun is shining and it's a gorgeous morning. When I wasn't admiring my "gifts", I made time for some laundry and of course, stitching.  I managed another finish:

I'm not super thrilled with it, but I liked the idea when I started it. It's a little nightie for the warm evenings to come.

And I've managed to finish the last block of Tilda, row 2.

I still have three rows to go, but making progress.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day Weekend.

I have found that as I get older, I'm much more aware of what things mean and how we perceive them.

As a young person, working retail, it was another day to work. It was another excuse for a "sale". Can I tell you I really don't miss working retail and I do my best not to shop on those days too. 

These days are set aside to help us remember our past, our history, our present, what we have now. For this particular day, it's to remember all those that sacrificed their lives for the lives we enjoy, the freedoms we have. Freedom isn't free, someone has paid the price.

I'm also extremely grateful for what I have . . . my family, mom, Honey Do. I wouldn't be the person I am without very special people in my life and I don't need a holiday to know how blessed I am.

Christ paid the ultimate price for our salvation.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative, blessed day.

Sunday - Gorgeous Sunday

I have the best husband in the world !!!!!

Not only did he till the garden for me, but he gave me the weekend off from the kitchen. And honestly, that's been kind of hard. So I've managed to make a couple of breakfasts :)

Since I have time away from the kitchen, I have managed to get a fair amount of gardening, laundry, stitching and sewing done :)

All three of these are done for the month of May. 

Happy Girl !!! :)

Playing catch up

Thursday morning . . .

On my way to visit with BFF and have breakfast. This was about 9 a.m. It was chilly and pretty overcast. But lovely shades of grey.

 

I left BFF about 11 a.m. We had a very nice visit and both of us had projects to share and show progress on. I'm on my way to see Mom. Look at the blue sky and all the lovely greens. With my sunglasses on, I would have described these greens as chartruese :)

I had a lovely visit with Mom too. I'd been working around the house and gardens quite a bit this past week, so the break with two of my favorite people was a great reward.

 

And this is my ride home . . . Aren't those skies just gorgeous. So much sunshine and color to enjoy and the temperatures warmed considerably by early afternoon.  Stop for salads for dinner and my day was complete.

I spent getting more gardening supplies. Honey Do and I are planning on tilling the vegetable garden. Memorial Day weekend is usually the bench mark for being safe from any more killing frost and many people work on their yards to get them in shape for summer - if they haven't already. We've been mowing for several weeks and I've been weeding and mulching.  And since this past week has been cooler, I've been painting too. Anyway, I got more mulch and a few more plants. They are finally starting to drop in price. Newton is spending the weekend with my sister, so the house is extrememly quiet, except for the dogs :)

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When I left Friday morning to run my errands, I found this beauty in my garden.

Quite a few years ago I purchased a grouping of irises in various colors. Only about half have survived, including this gorgeous brown :)

I finished painting the kitchen and took Newton to my sister's for the weekend. Honey Do and I are looking forward to some quiet time.

While we waited for Sister, we found some company.

It's spring, so babies are in abundance. Unfortunately, this is a very busy area, so I'm always fearful for their safety because not everyone appreciates wildlife.

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Saturday was mostly relaxing. I spent my free time stitching.

 

I even managed to finish this block. 

When there wasn't free time, we were in the yard and garden.  Honey Do took us to the local big-box store and purchased a new roto-tiller. We have a small one, but he said it would take all day to till the vegetable garden. So he got one that was twice a big and only took about an hour to accomplish our goals.

I still have straightening to do, but it's tilled and will make planting so much easier!

We spent the rest of the day just relaxing. He enjoys a couple of different on-line games and I was catching up on videos and stitching. I'm trying to get through my goal list for May. With dogs you have to take them outside to run the perimeter of your yard, so with each trip to the back yard, I managed to straighten the garden or plant something, etc.

 

I'm trying to get my yard to a place where I can enjoy and relax in it, and not spend so much time working it.

I enjoy my flowers, especially in spring.

Pink Peony tree

Columbine

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Thanks so much for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Other projects

Unfortunately, stitching, sewing and crafting are not the only projects around home that need my attention. I've been working out in the garden, which I've kept you updated. I started concentrating on the vegetable garden this week because it will be planted over the long weekend.

There is also a major project that I've been putting off for about six or seven years now :( 

I think I was secretly hoping that Honey Do would do it for me. . . 

Painting and finishing my kitchen. 

 

About seven years ago, Honey Do suggested that we take our tax refund and update and remodel the kitchen to provide more cupboard and counter space. He wasn't working at the time and got it all put in. However, we never stained the cabinets or painted the walls.  Honestly, I HATE painting. It takes me a very long time and I just don't enjoy the process. But I stopped working outside our home full time about six years ago and ever spring I promise myself I'm going to get this project done. And here we are, six years later, and it's still not done.

I've been washing walls, emptying the counter and getting things prepped to get this project done this week. We are at a place in our home that every room needs attention - meaning walls washed and repainted. So I've decided to take it one at a time and get them done. Time to find the paint brushes . . . 

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I am working my way through my goal list this week. There are several things done and this morning I added one more. Block 7 and 8 of Quilty Stitches are done.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.