Growing Christmas Tree

In between washing windows during the last couple of days I have been crocheting and reading. For some reason I am back to avoiding the cross-stitching. My Christmas tree is growing. 

You crochet 7 layers and 14 spacers. I have the first 4 layers completed. 

Thankfully the pattern starts with the largest so the subsequent layers are going quite quickly.

When I returned to the library last week to get the rest of the Nora Roberts' trilogy I was disappointed because they were replacing the carpeting in that area. Unfortunately, I had to leave without those two books and the book I picked up from another area was unreadable. I went back to the library on Monday and borrowed these. 

I am almost finished with Shadow Spell and thoroughly enjoying it. 

I am joining Ginny for Yarn Along if she is hosting this week. She recently gave birth to adorable baby Mae. What are you knitting/crocheting? What are you reading? Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are up to or to see pictures of baby Mae. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Window washing

Those of you who have been long-time readers of my blog know that I like to wash my windows. So on my first day of summer vacation, I just had to tackle my living room windows....one picture window, four double-hung windows and a pair of sliding doors. 

Usually this would be completed in April or May, but I just did not have the wherewithal to attempt it on the weekends. This room takes over 3 hours to complete as I must also wash, dry and rehang the sheer curtains on the front window on the same day (our house faces the stem of a T-shaped road and the headlights shine in from the cars at night....no privacy without the curtains). Sometimes I iron the window pane drapes and put them up on the same day.

I was ambitious yesterday and managed to complete the ironing and hanging.

I knew I would be staying home yesterday as we were waiting for the pool company to come fix the skimmer and filter. Hubby is happy that he has his pool back in full working order.

While I was washing the screens I noticed that my day-lilies have started to bloom. 

They are behind many of those in my neighborhood, but I usually have them in bloom for July 4th. 

My pots by the sliding doors are also filling in nicely.

I have finally finished all of the nasty back-stitching for the netting on the pup's hammock. It was so difficult to follow the chart and see the brown lines on the brown pup.

I still have the outlining of the hammock and pup and then all of the lettering. I am determined to finish this before I go back to Baker Beach otherwise this will never get done.
 I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. I think you can guess what mine is going to be. Tomorrow I will join the Stitchery Link Party at Super Mom - No Cape. I will also join Cath for Design Board Monday on Monday. Pop on over to these sites to see what other bloggers are stitching.

Thanks for stopping by!

   

Summer vacation is coming!

There are only 3 more days of school left, but I have already started my summer reading. It was necessary. I was just waiting to immerse myself in a good story. Since I went to the library without the list that I keep of books that I want to read, I picked up a couple of books by authors that I know won't disappoint me.

I am almost finished with the Nora Roberts book. How I love reading her books with witches. I just get lost in the story. This is the first of a trilogy and the library has the next two. I can't wait to read them.

I have also made some progress on my crocheted Christmas tree. The first layer is finished and the second is almost done. I really don't think this will take much time at all. 

I am joining Ginny for Yarn Along. What are you knitting/crocheting? What are you reading? Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are up to.

I finally finished filling all my outdoor pots with plants. These are on my front porch. 

My back yard garden is blooming with profusion also. Here are some coral bells and astilbe.

My tiger lilies are in full bloom.

I enjoy sitting, stitching, reading and admiring my flowers in either place. Starting next week I will be able to do so whenever I feel like it. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Windy day

The wind is really whipping here today. Not a day to work outside. The chairs on my deck are moving all over the place. It appears that it will be another day inside. Not that I am complaining. I think I will be able to finish stitching the pup later today after my daughter leaves for home. 

As you can see I have started working on the back-stitching. Somehow though I forgot to finish stitching the white spots on the pup's face. I am doing that now before I finish the back stitching. I guess I am anxious to be done with this.

I went out in my yard today, and found that one of my tiger lilies have started blooming. Sorry for the poor picture. 

It has a whole lot of buds on it so it is going to be really pretty. I mentioned that my daughter is visiting this week. Since she wasn't here for Mother's Day she bought me this beautiful hanging basket. 

It is sitting on the ground due to the winds.

I am joining Kathy today for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Tomorrow I will join the Stitchery Link Party at Super Mom - No Cape and Cath for Design Board Monday. Pop on over to these sites to see what other bloggers are stitching.

Thanks for stopping by!

A new crochet start

My hands have been itching to start working with yarn again.....either crocheting or knitting. Since I have finished frogging Mom's afgan, I want to start making something. I bought this green yarn a couple of months ago when it was on sale with this project in mind. 

It will be a Christmas gift for my daughter. I hope she doesn't read this post, but I think she is too busy. I doubt that I will ruin the surprise. I have always wanted to make this, but I don't need any more decorations for myself and she will be moving into her own apartment this fall.  She once requested decorations for every holiday, so I might as well start with Christmas.

My Kousa dogwood is in full bloom. We had severe storms predicted the day I took this picture and I wanted to capture it before the blooms were ruined.

My potted plants are starting to fill in too.

 I still need to buy more potting soil. Maybe today since I took the day off to spend some time with my son who is visiting from California. Do you think he might go plant shopping with me? Maybe.

I am having a hard time finding a good book to read lately. I know I mentioned a bunch of books that I picked up at the school where I work, but they are all really dark and gloomy and not what I look for in an enjoyable read. I have returned most of them to school for others to pick up. I have this Nora Roberts book sitting around, so for right now I think that is what I will read.

 I can easily pick this up and put it down and still follow the story line. I am looking forward to my summer vacation when I can borrow books from the library and know I will be able to finish them prior to their return date. 

I am joining Ginny for Yarn Along today. What are you knitting/crocheting? What are you reading? Pop on over to her site to see what other bloggers are up to.

Rainy Day Stitching

I am hoping to get a whole bunch of stitching completed today as it is supposed to be pouring rain all day. I have made some good progress recently now that my schedule is winding down. 
Maybe I will be able to finish all of the cross-stitch on the pup. It is almost there.

That would leave just the back stitch which will hopefully be stitched quickly. 

I am almost finished with the fifth page of Baker Beach. 

The large swath of black that I am currently stitching finishes the fifth page and starts the sixth page. Then there are only four more full pages to stitch.

I have also started stitching my Gratitude Key.

I have been going back and forth in choosing the floss colors, but I am happy with the DMC 844 that I chose for the key itself.

I am looking forward to a visit from my son this week. He comes in late tonight and will be here until Thursday. We haven't seen him since Christmas. Then on Thursday, my daughter is coming for a weekend visit. I can't wait to see them. 

I am joining Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching today. Tomorrow I will join the Stitchery Link Party at Super Mom - No Cape and Cath for Design Board Monday over at Bits 'n Bobs. Pop on over to these sites to see what other bloggers are stitching.

Thanks for stopping by.