Saturday, April 23, 2011

simple things



I've had this set of pillow cases for years.  I can't even say where I got them or when.  Maybe I picked them up from Mom's stuff when she passed away, or maybe I got them at a garage sale.  I just know they were hand embroidered, and are either tatted or crocheted at the opening.  Now some of the embroidery is worn away, and the tatting is looking pretty sad.  Actually they've been this way quite awhile, and still I hesitate to throw them away.  Someone put some time into them.  What were her thoughts?  Was she frugal and making do?  Or was she someone with an interest in making her house a home with these personal touches?



Finally I decided I would make my own embroidered pillow cases.  I like having handwork to do while I sit in my easy chair watching tv, to be somewhat productive.  So I went to Hobby Lobby and got a new envelope of embroidery transfer patterns.  I wanted to step away from the white of the original inspiration set, so went with green and yellow.  The little trim piece has the yellow and green, with an accent color of blue in there too.  I'm kind of lazy in working with multiple colors of thread while embroidering, and I'm sure that's why I enjoy redwork, so I chose green and blue for the two lone colors.   I did stitch one heart in red, but just didn't like the effect so I took it out.  Anyway, here's one of my pillow cases.  The other should be done in a few days.

Who knows, maybe in 30 or 40 years someone might wonder what I was thinking of as I spent my time stitching pillow cases.  I hope they have pleasant dreams.

In other newsworthy events, Ashlynn stayed with me yesterday for a couple of hours.  Usually she and Rhett come together, but he was in school for a bad weather makeup day.  This was possibly the first time that she and I have had one-on-one time together!   Nice morning.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

I think I'll put my feet up for awhile

It's been quite a little process, which I'm sure Robert and David will agree since they did a lot of the work.  But I have to say I put in my sweat equity too.  Anyway, the sod is set, now it's just a matter of watering it daily till it takes hold.




Elise will be glad to see the grass.  The last week she didn't get to play outside much because of the mud.  We went to the park one day, and she enjoyed it.

I'm sure we'll be going again soon.

It's naptime.  Have a good week everyone.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

back on track

Well, I got with my neighbor, and she and her brother came over with a chain saw.    We worked together, and the debris is cleared away.  My sod will be delivered Saturday.  Woo hoo!

Monday, April 11, 2011

oh.my.goodness...another tree limb falls

Little miss Pollyanna here is trying to look on the bright side.  Trying to find the bright side.

The sod that was scheduled for today has got to be rescheduled.  If I can catch them early enough when they open to stop delivery for today.  If I can't, I guess I'll have to explain and refuse it.

The problem?  A tree fell into my yard.  Again.  No, not the same tree as last spring, but another bigger tree.  Yes, a tree from my neighbor's yard.  The same neighbor as the other tree.  A big storm came through while ago, and I stepped out to see how muddy it would be for the sod installation, and lo and behold, there's a tree at the porch step.   I've got to look when it's daylight, but I don't think it hit the new patio cover.   Sigh.

Funny thing is, I was just sitting out there yesterday evening, watching all the trees' leaves sway in the wind, and wondered what would happen if that particular tree were to fall.  Here's the bright side...the baby wasn't playing in that part of the yard that she loves to play in.  I wasn't sitting in the blue chair that I was sitting in just hours ago.  Nobody was hurt.  

Here's a couple of pictures.  I'll know better in the morning daylight, but looks like a big branch broke.  And it looks like the tree itself is leaning my way.  I've sent a text message to the young homeowner for her to contact her insurance, and will talk to her after the sun comes up.




Guess I should try for a bit of sleep, but somehow I don't think that will happen.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Saturday

Whew!  Yesterday was a workout!  In preparation for Monday's sod delivery, I pulled the little Mantis tiller out of the garage, and got a good start on going over the back yard.  While it's already pretty bare, there were still patches of the old grass that hadn't given up yet.    Didn't get any pics yesterday, though I might today depending on the weather.  We've got some chance of rain today, but if I can get out before it happens, if it does, I'll finish tilling the last little bit.  Maybe a fourth of the yard.  Guess you could say a fat quarter!  (That's a quilter's joke, ha ha.)

I got to visit with one of my neighbors for a few minutes in the midst of all the work.  As I was tilling along, I sliced through a cable of some kind.  It was only about 6" underground.  After checking in the house that I still had electricity and telephone service, I called the electric company to see if I had hit something critical.  They said they'd send someone out, but we all know that I could have been waiting awhile.  After a few minutes of wondering if I would be safe tilling somewhere else, I remembered a fellow in the neighborhood who is an electrician.  I looked over to his house, and as luck would have it, he was out in the front yard.  After a moment's hesitation to consider how dirty and sweaty I was, and deciding I didn't care, I went over and asked him if he could take a look at it.

James, the electrician/neighbor, was super nice and left what he was doing to come over.  As he stepped into the backyard, he told me "girl, you've been doing a lot of work back here!".   Thank you, thank you.  I showed him the cable that was sticking out of the ground at a 45 degree angle, and the little hole I dug just a bit to the side to show it was only 6" deep.  "What do you think, is it something major?"   He stooped over and took a look, and turns out it was an old tubing similar to a water hose.  He bent it, and it was hollow inside.  The part I saw was clogged with dirt, and I had hesitated to poke around on it.  Thank heavens that was all it was!  I called the electric company to cancel the callout, and was able to move on.  It was rather humbling to walk over to his house in my tacky shorts, tank top, pink visor, and gardening clogs, about as dirty as can be, but it was worth it.  Be glad I don't have a picture of me, I was not a pretty sight.  Sigh.

On a happier note, I got my April package from my secret sister!  She keeps up with my interests, and is great to send "just right" gifts.  I got a book for a garden applique quilt with blocks of different flowers, a couple of pieces of fabric that will work into the quilt just perfect, and patterns for a Snap Happier purse/tote and a pair of slippers.  I've been wanting to try one of these purses.  The closure uses a metal carpenter's tape (the interior part of one of those measuring tapes that pulls out and snaps back in) that allows it to "snap" shut.  I'll keep you posted on how that comes out.

That's it for now.  If I get a decent picture when it's daylight, I'll post to show what the yard is looking like at this point.  

Thursday, April 7, 2011

getting closer

Well, I'm making a bit of progress on the yard.  Picked up some plants over the weekend and got them plopped in the ground before the rain rolled in Sunday nite/Monday early hours.   Continuing my line of plants-with-a-history, I also gained 5 rose bushes from David that he didn't want anymore.  I trimmed them down quite a bit for the move, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they survive the trip.  Other "history" plantings I have, though not necessarily in the back yard, include the cannas from my Burleson house, an oleander Nolene was tossing out a year ago, and some mums from Troy.  I like to be able to see the connections.  Guess you can tell I'm not a "formal" gardener.  Not really much of a gardener at all when you get right down to it, but I want it to feel home-y.  Know what I mean?

I definitely need to get more plants, but it will come.  These are Japanese boxwoods.  I wanted a green backdrop, and like the looseness of them.  David suggested that I could trim up the lower growth to expose the stems after a year or so if I wanted.  Well, I jumped the gun and did the one on the far left.  I like, and at some point the others will be trimmed that way.  (The little bit of green in the front is from the wind that went crazy the other night, and didn't get picked up till after the picture was taken.)

The St. Augustine sod is going in next Monday, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise.  I'll get more pics posted after that. 

At the last-of-the-season HGTV quilting and sewing forum Friday night pj party, we were taught how to make credit card holder key chains.  I can tell it's going to come in handy when I take my cruise to Alaska this summer.  I'll attach it to a lanyard, and wear it around my neck.  Will certainly be convenient while going on the excursions.  Hopefully these tutorials will start up again about next October.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

he called me "baby"

I know many people would consider it sexist for a man to call a woman he doesn't know "baby", and I'd probably often agree with them.  However.  The other day I had my hands full as I was walking into the post office, and this nice man opened the door with "here, baby, let me get that for you".  Actually brought a smile to my face...it's been several years since there's been a man in my life to hear that on any kind of a regular basis.

Oh!  I wonder if it was "lady" and not "baby"?   Ah well, it was nice while it lasted.  And here I bared my soul for all the world to see.