turkey feathers

Not All Here

Well, I declare.  It's July already!  Did it creep up on you too?  Time to flip another page on the calendar and slip into summertime bliss.  I'm working on that, because I've been much much too busy lately.  I did finally get around to planting these two matching flower boxes over the weekend though, which are now hanging off the front porch and looking oh-so love-a-lee, reminding me to dial down.  "Dialing down", is my new catch phrase this summer.  That's the kind of lingo one picks up from watching way too much TV golf.  TV golf, is a top-notch dial-down summer "activity" that rocks.

 

Like walking in someone else's shoes.  Summer has surely arrived here, it's already heating up---we're expecting temperatures in the mid-90's today and tomorrow.  Think I'll brew up a half-gallon of Sun Tea for later when I'm melting and ready to put my feet up and delve back into, "The Woman Who Was Not All There" (by Paula Sharp), a thrift-shop book purchase that caught my eye and drew me in--with that intriguing title...hmmm.  I know what you're thinking!  (hee hee) But I assure you I am all here, most of the time anyway.  Turns out, this book is quite entertaining and insightful, full of colorful narration and descriptions.  Like this one, it just cracked me up:  "Marjorie sat down, glancing at the cake as if it were a child she feared might misbehave.  It was heaped with coconut gratings and was a brighter orange than Marjorie had thought."  (Marjorie baked the cake for a neighbor she'd never met, but wanted to impress.) 

  

Kinda reminded me of this cake, that gave me a heap of trouble.  The bottom layer cracked right out of the pan.  Nothing like an extra doll-up of icing to cover a multitude of flaws.  It was tasty however, evidenced here by someone returning for seconds.  BTW, the doll house bakery has some new additions if you are in the market for "petite treats".  Grace has been working on these on and off for months, and finally got them in her shop.  Go look, they'll make you smile and coo.

We've got long-time-no-see relatives (from out-of-state) coming for the 4th, and yet another family reunion coming up next week, so my sewing projects have been set aside for the time being, and this blog will likely gather some cyber dust.  I'll be doing my very best to keep up with pattern and book orders though.  And I did manage to get the JULY 2009 free-with-purchase BONUS embroidery designs finished and up on the website just moments before this post. (Explaining this hodge-podge.)  I actually thought I had another day, but like I said, it crept up on me, so a bit of a rush-around at the very last minute.  I always think I have more time than I actually do. 

 

I need to heed my own advice; which is sort of hanging on the wall right in front of me.

We want to thank all the well-wishers who left comments for our home school graduate!  We're still in celebration mode and plan to stay that way for a good long while.  We were over on the college campus yesterday for testing, and so far Grace has passed the first two tests required to obtain her GED.  Woot!  Two down, and three more to go on that front.

 

On another front, it looks like we're just beginning down that same path that leads to being all grown up.  Found, this morning on the eleven-year-old's door.  Sigh.  Seems like only yesterday, she was collecting those bugs. 

We Are Pleased To Announce

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe."  ~Anatole France

Exciting news!  We're celebrating another graduation in our house.  Approximately sixteen years since the first one and thirteen years since the last one.  Almost a whole generation apart this time.  Certainly a much different experience--with the former ceremonies being more buttoned down, and official; with a tassel and a diploma.  I was a proud mama then, and I'm a proud mama now, but under completely different circumstances.  About seven years ago, we veered away from traditional schooling and eased into a more relaxed lifestyle of learning at home, together as a family.  There was no grand plan.  We simply found ourselves at a cross-roads one day as our elementary school closed (due to lack of funds for safety repairs), and an opportunity to move rural suddenly came up.  I knew families that home-schooled and always admired their resolute and self-sufficiency, but I really wasn't that confident myself, and didn't have a clue where to begin or even how to DO it.  Given our circumstances though, we decided to try it for a year and go from there.  I won't go into all the details, there are many, enough to fill a book, but eventually--we found our way.  Thanks due in part, with a little help from our friends.  Looking back, it's been an amazing journey for us all.  And now that it has ended, in some respects, for one child, I wanted to commemorate this milestone in her life, in a way that would reflect that journey.  So we did our own grad-photo shoot here in the garden recently and had announcements printed.  I think they turned out exactly right.  The quote at the top is on the upper inside flap, and the announcement details are inside too. 

I used Zazzles, they have good product and fast turn-around, but I was a bit disappointed with their free shipping offer--it seems a box of 50 note cards falls under their criteria for 'over-sized' and does not qualify.  No where on the website does it mention what constitutes "over-size".  (So beware.)  A $13 s/h charge was applied instead.  Their customer service is prompt at responding, but only quoted the obscure "fine print" which still didn't explain how over-size orders are determined.  Small details for sure, but still. Not. Good. Business.  No one likes a 'bait and switch' tactic.  Especially since I had spent four times the amount required to qualify for their "free shipping".  Boo.

Making progress on the potpourri.  Gathered these pretties yesterday from the backyard garden. 

On a final note, thank you for the book orders!  I'm wrapping them all up today (with a special surprise) and hope to get them mailed on Monday.  Have a great weekend!

Sweet Deal

 

 

I didn't plan for these mail-bags to match, but they're SO happy hanging out together.  I can't remember when or if  I shared the little felt ornament made by Elizabeth of  Creative Breathing.  Even if I did, it's worth sharing again.  It arrived over a year ago, as a surprise--and it was!  A very good one.  Her hand-work is amazing and it's still hanging here, reminding me of all the goodness in people's hearts "out there".  (Thank you again, for the lovely gift--I treasure it.)    The totes I made, at different times.  They're perfect for the over-flow of mail and receipts, and other bits that otherwise get scattered all about.  I don't have a pattern for the draw-string tote, but the wool catch-all (on the left) is in my book.  Speaking of which, brings me around to my next bit of news...

 

For all you wonderful peeps who are still asking for autographed copies of blanket statement (and thank you!); you'll be happy to know that I just found another shipment of books on the back porch.  Woot!  It's mind boggling how fast CreateSpace can print and ship my books.  I tell ya, they're truly awesome over there.   

OK.  To simplify things, I've just added a web page to make ordering easier  for all of us.  International shipping is available too at a flat rate.   (And cheaper than Amazon, I'm told.)  MORE GOOD NEWS:  I can fit up to 3 books in the same envelope without additional postage!  So, if you have friends or family that want to order books, you can split the cost of International S/H to save a little $.  OR... I can fit up to 4 iron-on *EMBROIDERY* patterns from the PatternBee website, along with one book--all for the same flat rate as long as they have been added to the same shopping cart as a combined order.   The rates for U.S. orders are  automatically calculated by weight.  As always, you can use your c-card if you don't have a pal account.  And if you have any questions or trouble ordering, contact me and we'll figure it out. 

Rose garden update::  Nearly two weeks have passed now and I still have roses on the vine, so to speak.  The deer have been visiting daily, but they are leaving them alone.  I couldn't be more pleased.  I do a little happy dance every time I walk by the window and see them all out there.   I've been collecting rose petals and lavender the last few days to make my potpourri (featured on page 58).  I love this stuff.  It's a natural air freshener; wonderful in sachets--to slip into drawers, pillowcases, and closets.  I'll be making a few gifts with it too.  Maybe even a give-away or two.

Rogue Roses

 

Remember the garden 'fortress' we built a couple of seasons back?  Well, in one corner, we discovered an old abandoned scrubby (dead-looking) rose stalk.  It was left alone, with hope and a prayer--and just surprised us with this fantastic show. 

And more surprisingly, these peachy beauties appeared, growing from the same stalk.  Apparently when plants are stressed (due to lack of water), the grafts that create hybrids, can separate like this.  After a little TLC we now have two varieties instead of one.  Hard to see in this photo, but the peach flowers have bright pink "freckles". 

  

Welcome summer!

Also...it's nice to know I'm not alone when it comes to my "deep rooted" feelings about trees.  It was nice reading your comments about that.  A few days have passed now, and we are all getting used to the big empty spot where the tree
once stood. 

The light is wonderful in parts of the house though, and that's been a really nice surprise.  (Cats have a way of claiming that perfect sunny spot, don't they?)  BTW, Lily isn't FAT, she's a husky breed--and at ten years old now--solid as a brick.  Except for that jelly-belly thingy, due to the spaying.  Seriously funny, as it flaps from side to side when she trots. Poor darling.  She's wearing that, "I'm tolerating that camera in my face as I wait patiently for my treat", look.  Our morning ritual.  If I forget, or dawdle, she stares me down, sending telepathic messages.  Oh she makes me laugh! 

Just noticed that 'Does Anybody Hear Her', was playing on Pandora as I wrote this: a sweet bit of synchronicity.  I'm addicted to Instrumental Folk lately.  Love it.

 

Looking on the Bright Side

Yesterday was hard.  We had to have an old tree taken down.  A honey locust, planted too close to the house, when it was first built.  My lament about this tree has always been; if only it had been planted 20-feet further out.   I've lost count of how many times we've had it pruned back to keep it off the roof, out of the bedroom windows and the rain gutters, only to have it grow back in the exact same place the following season.  Hardier than ever.  Unfortunately, woodpeckers and insects feasted on it a little too much, which only added to the never-ending fallout of pollen, pods, leaves, twigs, and a host of creepy-crawly things that got sprinkled daily (and liberally) over the deck, chairs, tables and anyone who sat under it.   This year seemed worse than ever.  Looking closer we noticed stress-cracks in the bark and began to worry about the integrity of the branches (perhaps one falling), and the overall health of the tree.  So, taking everything into consideration; a hard decision was reached.  We'd been discussing it casually for years though.  I suppose, getting used to the idea.  Knowing eventually, this day would come.  There were a few tears and a bit of angst during the final showdown.  To be expected.  We could hear and feel the thumps of tree parts falling heavily to the ground.  No one could bear to watch. 

 

I bravely opened the back door, snapped this one picture, then ran away and hid during the rest of it.  (I'm sure the tree men thought I was bonkers.)  Gosh.  This picture makes me sad.  It's hard to look at.  Change is hard sometimes.  We'll surely miss the song birds perched at the windows in the morning and the dappled shade under its feathery branches.   That's the sad part.  But looking on the bright side, we most certainly have more light in the house.  A new view of the mountains.  And there's the ease of sitting under an open sky. 

Which has been quite lovely under big patio umbrellas.  (Sarah and I have been reading Bread & Butter Journey by Ann Colver c. 1970.  About pioneer families crossing the Alleghenies to find a new homestead.)  The strawberries...we picked early Tuesday morning.  Both the girls and I visited a local farm and picked 15 lbs. of strawberries in 30 minutes.  Those professional berry pickers have nothing on us!  Already made 8 small jars of jam; making more today.  

Dessert last night; a spruced-up "hot milk sponge cake" with strawberry jam filling.   

 

Served up with more berries and a dollup of whipped cream on the side.  Truly a sweet comfort after a rough day.  Like a wake for the sad poorly tree.

Hey! Thank you for the garden love; it's day 5 and the roses are still with us!  I appreciate the great suggestions for improving the weed situation too.  I'm just cringing at the sight of them all at the moment. We seem to have every variety under the sun.  BUT I think I'd much rather save any back-bending efforts for...picking more strawberries.  

We do have our priorities.