Today is the first day in over a week with nothing on the agenda. There have been lots of appointments lately and visiting too. So this rare day stretches before me- I can decide myself when to exercise, read, stitch, roam about with my camera, etc. and up first is getting this blog post finished.
Below, the Day Lilies and my four pots at the further end of the veranda...I'm awed by the wonderful growth. I've let the wild Mullein grow...that's the two tall plants on the right. The leaves, seeds and yellow flowers have amazing nutritional qualities for people but I keep it for the bees and insects to enjoy. The flowers have a staggered opening, providing nectar for bees from early July to frost in the fall.
Younger daughter Beth and grandson, Robbie, have collaborated to make a Youtube channel named The Abbey and Petey Channel. A little summertime in between camps activity for Robbie. They've had fun coming up with the music and ideas they could use. In this one, Petey came in and out of the room about 14 times before finding Beth which we all found hard to believe.
Being intermittently frugal like I am...I do enjoy searching through thrift stores. Treasures are waiting there to be found has been my experience. I don't collect as such anymore but if I see something special I will buy it and sometimes for others. Tony has had a number of Dalmatians in his life and the last one, Lacey, was still alive for me to care for at the farm in our early years together. I saw this mug and had to buy it and here it is amongst his little Dalmatian collection, belonging and looking like it was always there.
At Value Village that same day- the very one where I have dropped off books and quilting magazines, I couldn't resist buying ten of these magazines priced at 99cents each. I'm incorrigible! That colourful scrappy Bear Claw quilt caught my eye and these were/are excellent magazines, still providing a wealth of quilting information in each one.
Summer Finishing School is not over for me. I have one more project that I want to completely finish before September and it is this one. A 2018 wool project called Painted Lady, design by Laura Heine. It is a flimsy and I've been enjoying adding embroidery touches here and there this summer. It would make a wonderfully colourful wall hanging once backed and quilted.
I had to do repair work on my sewing machine recently. I woefully neglect it and couldn't remember when I'd changed the needle last. It seems like I resent the time spent doing these chores- time taken away from actually stitching. I keep the manual handy and there are a series of excellent videos online dealing with my particular model. So I have no excuse. I must say my Singer Quantum must be good to keep on stitching the way it does with absolutely zero maintenance, poor thing.
Free Pattern today is from Laura's Fibre Works site. Mr. And Mrs. Claus Runner.
Love this adorable Mr. and Mrs!
Hope today allows you time to yourself to do what you love!
