Why, hello there!

That is all the stitching that has been done in ever so long - I almost didn't recognize it! All the way back in January, I signed up for a BAP with this Bridget Powers sampler. I obviously have a B-A-way to go! I was stitching it while watching an older miniseries on Netflix about Edward the VII. I thought it was quite appropriate.
We celebrated my birthday last month with a chocolate cake with peppermint butter cream frosting made by my sister. It was every bit as good as it looks and sounds!
Easter Day dawned fair and bright.
We celebrated my niece's birthday. This year my sister's got squished in between.
false indigo is beginning to bloom...
It's cloudy out, so maybe I will be able to stitch today. There has been so much to do in the garden lately!

Around the homestead...

I am a homebody.

Seriously.

I spend a whole lot of time driving little girls to their activities, and then reward myself by piddling and footling around my house. My cross stitch corner is a rather messy area in the family room. On my left, is one of the two larger bookshelves in the room. I painstakingly arrange the books in a sort of chronological order. Louisiana Man strongly disagrees with my 'system,' but since I am the one who constantly re-shelves the books... The second photo shows the shelf at my eye level where I tend to stash things I have looked at or need to look at.

I have several friends who ask me (often, repeatedly, constantly) why I don't just get rid of the books after I finish them. Finish them? Who can say they have 'finished' the works of Shakespeare or Jane Austen? Can one plumb the depths of Homer? Can one drain the cup of Thomas Hardy and cast the 'finished' book in the give away pile? Why would anyone ask an English Major why they keep 'old' books? Seriously?
Last night we played a game of Lego Minotaurus. Surely this is much more important than going out to the mall or a movie. Childhood summer memories should be full of game nights with thunderstorms and popsicles, although cleaning Buttercup's popsicle off the Lego board was tricky.
Here is some stitching progress. Although I always travel with my stitching basket, I am most comfortable stitching in my own home with the lamps I am used to. I always feel self-conscious about leaving bits of thread behind me at someone else's home or business.
I potter around in my garden several times a day. This year I decided to let the various cucurbita vines ramble at will. Here they are taking over what was some okra and both a leaf mold pile and last year's compost pile. They are so glossy and strong, I will leave them be.

This buxom beauty is 'Cuostralee.' This is the largest tomato in my garden right now, and I wanted to document it before those nasty hornworms and blister beetles are tempted.

Home improvement projects around here are sometimes few and far between, but I finally have a towel bar for the main floor bathroom. She-Girl the Barbarian, I mean Buttercup, delicately wrenched it from the wall. I found a black fleur-de-lis towel bar at Ho&&y Lo$$y, and I spray painted it cream. I hope Louisiana Man can hang it up today.

Buttercup's room needs some attention. I know her room has gotten out of hand because she is trying to take over the family room with her games. Well, at least it proved to be a good opportunity to showcase some of my grandmother's afghans.

So you see, there is more than enough to keep me engaged here. The trick is finding time for this stay-at-home, homeschooling mother to actually stay home!

How's Your Summer Going? Mine is going and going...

I thought we were going to take the summer off. Between ballet camps, violin lessons, pool parties, and trying to keep two little girls, one man and 4 animals from destroying my house, I have been busy! I am amazed that I have made this much progress on my summer stitching! Today has been a stay-at-home-day; it is amazing that a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom has to set aside days to stay home! I have spent the day schooling and sorting socks (yes, some of the schooling happened on my bed while I was sorting the socks.)

Princess Ozma says hello. Here she is taking a break from tinkling all over my house!!!.The garden is looking pretty parched today. Some of the flowers with thicker petals still have their heads up.

The vegetable garden is so far doing well. I absolutely cannot wait to try these 'Jaune Flamme' tomatoes.

Tomatoes are one of my favorite parts of summer - right up there with children wearing themselves out in the pool!

Stitches and Wings

I finshed several WIP this weekend. The first is an old freebie from Sheepish Designs.

This is Plum Pudding by JBW. I changed the plate from white to red and omitted the words "Plum Pudding."

Windy Hill by Brightneedle

This morning, we noticed our butterfly was ready for release. I had collected at large caterpillar from a parsley plant. He turned out quite beautiful, didn't he? I have not decided if he is a boy of a girl. Buttercup tells me that caterpillars are boys and all butterflies are girls. Hmmm....

Rosy-Fingered Dawn

"No But(t)s!"

You will have to keep reading to figure out the title.

Yes, I do have a garden this year. These are some flowers from a month or so ago. I was trying to have some "decor" like The Nester (see flashy/ing button on right side). That is a tassel I bought from her Etsy shop.

Do you grow Four O'Clocks? You should. They have huge seeds that kids like to plant. They are annuals, come up quickly and sometimes re-seed. They open in the afternoon and can be about 2 feet high or so.

Ursa molting in the Four O'Clocks

There will be no picture of the other dog today. He is in disgrace. He bit the delivery man right smack on the behind. And I said "Oh, come up here on the porch." Then ALMOST checked out the injured area - in a maternal way I assure you. I was sick with worry the rest of the day. My mom says I should be more worried about a s%xual h%rrassment suit than a dog bite suit!!! Very Funny. Don't worry, his behinney is just fine, I mean uninjured. ;) Now, from the dog's point of view, the man was just asking for it. He is the only one who does not carry dog biscuits in his truck! Another delivery service man fed the dog his french fries after he ran out of dog biscuits. He did not get bitten.

I want to have plenty of pictures to look at when the Japanese Beetles come.



Wife of Bath

Souvenir de la Malmaison

Souvenir de la Malmasion

Sweet William

Garden Girls

Alright, ignore the debris; we have had some pretty good storms in the last couple of days. These are my garden girls. The dog is my 12-year old, Kroger special, best-beloved, Ursa. She never digs up her mommy's flowers! Unfortunately, Ursa is blocking your view of Nutmeg's combat boots. Probably not the way ladies of Jane Auten's day dressed to tend the roses!