Sunshine and "Blue" Skies

Well, I can see the sun and blue skies this morning and although the blue isn't clear it's still blue!  I don't smell smoke and it is going to be an awesome day!!!!!

I did a whack of things yesterday....cleaned the house, shampooed the furniture (but not sure it made a huge difference.....) and even tried my hand at pickled garlic.  Hubby will tell me whether or not I was successful.....I won't be eating it!  😜  Today my plan was to wash windows....I hope to find that motivation soon.  hahaha

Here is my prepped-for-stitching block 3 from The Little Red Hen's Wooly Mystery group on Facebook.  Of course the 8th one was just released so I'm a bit behind!  They are all cats and I love them!  I used staples to hold my pieces down this time...I bought one of those long-arm staplers (or whatever they are called) and I just finished up another project using them to hold my wool pieces and I love it!  The thread doesn't get tucked around a pin or they aren't falling out.  And you can't see where they were once you remove them.  I will get started on the stitching soon.

A new mug!!  LOLOLOL  Yep the cupboard is overflowing!  This one came from the Home Hardware Store in Sundre....they have a little room full of cute giftware, etc and this one called my name.  😆

Here is my Molly pic.....stretched out on my lap, chin up.  When I was calling her in last night I saw she was playing with something...yep a mouse.  That's the second one and add that to the bird, she's a killing machine.  (not happy about the bird though)  She was only playing and hasn't eaten any thank goodness because she gets too cuddly rubbing on my face and I'd rather not have "mouse breath" that close!  We have never seen signs of mice here the whole year we've been here and these are tiny things....Hubby said field mice....but I hope they don't make their way into our buildings.

I am nervous now though because yesterday evening a HUGE owl flew close to the house and Phoebe, our big chihuahua, was on the deck.  I'm sure the owl was after her but the deck on the front isn't wide so it likely couldn't swoop down.  So now I am scared about Molly and the dogs being outside!!!!!  I keep watching for it but I can't be watching all day every day and Molly loves it outside!  Argh....country living!!!!!  I would DIE if I saw a big bird carry any of them off....could you imagine???????????????????  😳😢

Well, best go find some motivation!  These sun room windows will be the first I do once I find a tall ladder....right now they aren't in the sun.  It's going to be a nice one out there!

Holy Smoke!

Here we are, another day of smoky air.  I feel myself whining and complaining about it (to no one but the animals!) because I have a splitting headache and feel almost sick but then I think of the fire fighters and cannot imagine what they are going through.  I know they have masks, etc but it must be awful.  As well, for the people who have respiratory conditions.  Praying for rain and winds that move the fire back onto itself.  It is supposed to be a nice, sunny, warm week but this is the sun here this morning:

Yesterday I had big plans to pop to town and grab a few groceries for a recipe I wanted to make, go to the registries office and FINALLY change the address on my drivers license....little things to get me out and about.  But instead I spent the entire day in my sewing space!  Not accomplishing much but cutting out two projects ready to sew, cutting strips for another so I can complete it, and putzing making these:

What I SHOULD have been doing was FINISHING a project (or 10!!) that I have started!  Nope, I just added to the "to be quilted" pile!  I'm thinking though, that the last rearranging of the sewing room might have helped with the bit of motivation!  (I did a switch of a couple of things even yesterday)  Oh and I even mended the knee on a pair of work pants for Hubby.

I never went to my appointment in Calgary on Monday.....I woke up not feeling great and after I had got myself ready, felt like I really shouldn't travel.  I am waiting on a call about a re-book or, at the very least, a review of my mammogram.  Nothing as of yet.

This morning I had a nice call from my friend and former neighbour Deb.  It was great hearing from her and missed our lunch date Monday too.  I am hoping we can get together one day soon.

Booked Ms Molly for her shots and an eye exam for me.  Molly goes tomorrow and I go next Friday. 😄  I really should have done this at the beginning of summer vacation.  Oh well, if I need glasses I want to make sure to use our benefits before we don't have them anymore.  

Hmmmm what to do today........I do have to go to town but I will go later on this afternoon.  Sewing room it is!!!!  Maybe I won't smell the smoke down there.

The Big Squeeze, A Rodeo and A Rearrange

Well, another week has passed and I have two and a half more until I go back to work for a day or two (not really sure what the schedule is!) 

On Friday I had my annual mammogram appointment.  I didn't get a pic of myself in a gown because here to you into the mammogram room and strip down!  No time for modesty!!!!  I didn't need an ultrasound but they wanted me back in 6 months to check out the surgery site again......I don't know what they are concerned about but I go to Calgary today and will ask my Dr there.  If he sees nothing and Red Deer doesn't call to make an appointment I will not worry about it.  

I had plans on spending the day in Red Deer shopping before and after my appointment but this little monkey and her Mommy came for a sleepover so we just did a little shopping before (Winners) and after (a quilt shop).  Here she is having lunch....and a cotton candy milk drink!  I think she likes it! 👍👍 

It was another HOT day!  I saw this get to 39 at one point!  When you go for a mammogram you aren't to wear deodorant....well I told them I did because I wasn't subjecting anyone to that in 39 degree weather!  No big deal...you just wipe it off.  😄

I felt a bit rattled after my appointment....I felt like I should have asked more questions but it was hard standing right by the full waiting room and I never think that quickly on my feet!  Lyla was sleeping so I found and shopped (over spent!!) at this cute little shop!!  Lyla woke up and her Mommy was bringing her in to find me as I was just coming out of the store.  

After this we headed for home!  Sundre was having a Bulls and Wagon rodeo so off we went......again, sweating bullets, but this little girl had a blast!  I wish I could post the video of her dancing.....oh she cracked us up!!!!!!  😂

Saturday after they left I decided I HAD to clear out some of my kits to make room for new stuff I bought.  I have to have a sale and have a lot more to go through once I decide when I will have that sale.....I want to purge so much more.......books, patterns, fabric, precuts........I also rearranged my space and now I feel like sewing something!  I made a list of the kits I do have too......and will organize projects I want to do that aren't kits.  I have sooooooo soooooooo much stuff!

I best go and get ready to hit the road.  I pray for a parking space today.  I am meeting my friend Deb for lunch afterwards....it won't be a long day but it will be nice to catch up with her and it will be the last time before school starts for both of us!

No It's Not Another Bat

Nope, not another bat friend.  It's really hard to take a picture of a hummingbird who flew into our sunroom (I keep the door open a bit so the dogs and cat can come in and out while I am enjoying my coffee in there) while shooing a cat away and preventing said bird from moving into the rest of the house!  He/she didn't and I was able to direct it to the open door and it flew away.                             

SO I had Hubby pick up a feeder and I am hoping he/she will come back!

When my friend Pam was here for a visit, she got me hooked on hexies!  She had sent me a picture of a project using hexies which made a mug rug....well, my hexies made my pumpkin too big for a mug rug!  Here I am stitching on my deck one beautiful day.

And here is the completed pumpkin.......now to figure out what it will become.  I may border it and make a little pillow....

These three "homies" came to visit on Saturday.  Son2 was here so we all had a visit.  The weather wasn't great so we were stuck inside.😞

These two snuggled having a snooze.

My brother and his sons (my nephews😃) got a Matthews family crest/coat of arms tattoo on their forearms.....my brother gave my dad the gift of one as well and he just had it done last week.  Not sure if my other brother is going to get in on the action.  (and I'm not sure why my brother looks so tired in this picture!!!!!!  Late night maybe??  HAHAHA)

I enjoyed the hot day yesterday after our son went home....did some laundry and then started some more hexies (see!!!  I'm hooked!) and continued reading a book I started a day or two before....I finished it yesterday.  Sue Grafton is the author and I had started to read her books when the kids were younger and I read while they were swimming in our dugout.....I took them out of the library.  Quick fun reads...this series is about a female private investigator.....you can NEVER guess what happens at the end...whodunit!  Never!  I have collected some of the series (it goes by alphabet.  I just read M is for Malice.  The series started with A is for Alibi  I hope I can read a couple more but I have sooooooo much to do first.  I could try and read while I am doing these "jobs" but you (I) can't put these books down!  

I've cleaned the house this morning....it's to be another hot one but it is smoky right now.  Maybe I could get around to painting the bathroom ceiling......or I could stitch more hexies or start N is for Noose!

August...Already!

It's August....already.  We start back to work at the end of this month although the students don't come until after the long weekend. I have stuff I need to get done.  I went to a sewing day this week and everyone always asks "have you gone anywhere this summer?" and I got to thinking about that....does a person HAVE to go somewhere over the summer?  Being home, not waking up to an alarm and having leisurely mornings is vacation to me!  Not having to work on course assignments, not being stressed over bad days the kids I work with are having.......so I am quite alright with not going anywhere over the summer.  😀  BUT, I would like to get a few things done here...like going through cupboards, etc and getting some painting done so that a) I feel as though I have accomplished something and b) I will feel less stressed going into the new school year.

Last week was also my nail appointment and I think these cute, summery nails are some of my favourite ever and how simple is that??  They make me smile when I look at them.

I have to get a picture of my crazy cat in on every post.....how can she be comfortable????

My hexies are all sewn together.....it finished quite big 26" x 19" Now to figure out how to finish it.

But not before starting another hex project!!  These hexies are smaller...1" as opposed to 2" and they will be a pumpkin.  I did these late last night, after struggling to find 13 orange fabrics!!....they are hard to put down and some time soon I will stitch them together.  I need to appliqué some leaves and embroider some vines once it is attached to a background.....

Small things amuse me as I went to get the mail yesterday and our ugly old green, beat up mail boxes were gone and this was set in their place!!!!!!!  Having the bigger boxes for parcels will be nice too and will save having to wait to go to the post office the next day to pick one up!  (not that I am expecting anything! 😝

We have had thunder/lightening and rain the last 4 or 5 nights.....today is gloomy and I thought it was to be the first without rain! Daughters 1 and 2 are coming out today with our granddaughter.  Son2 is here for the weekend as well......we were going to have a weiner roast for supper.....might need a plan B.  😞 Grrrrr.  Next week is supposed to be beautiful.....time will tell.

Summer Fun!

The last few days of July are upon us....this month went by quickly.  It's been great so far with a friend visit and lots of grand baby cuddles....and some stitching.  I have almost got two more rows on this project since this picture was taken.  I hope after house cleaning this morning I can stitch some more .  We are to have another hot day today.  It's been a glorious weekend!

I had a Dr appointment in Calgary last Tuesday and I stopped in Costco on my way home and treated myself to some alstroemeria.  I bought a bunch that hadn't open yet and when people look at them they likely think "those are boring and ugly" but it's one of my favourites because they are beautiful when they open and last for a LONG time!  They are all open now and are gorgeous......I've taken pics of individual blooms but I have enough pictures on this post I didn't want to go too overboard!😉

Okay....here they are!  Too beautiful to ignore!  

And this is one of the day lilies I bought when my Dad and I went to a lily farm outside of Sylvan Lake last year.  It is the only one who's tag I've lost so I don't know the name!  😒 It wasn't completely open here and had something weird going on with the bottom petals so it wasn't perfect but there are more blooms to open so I hope they are better.....they don't last very long though.  I have one more plant, with blooms, out of the 6 or 8 I bought.  I wonder if I will get more later on in the summer?

Here is an asiatic lily in my flower bed....lots more blooms have opened since and of course my cell phone pic doesn't do the colours justice!:

So for the last two weekends we have had these munchkins here.  I love them with my whole heart but they sure wear me out!!  And they FIGHT!!!!  Jude loves to pick on Lyla (and hit and steal her food and toys!  LOL) and Lyla will whine instead of "fight" back or be firm!  😏😣  But then they would get goofy together and were hilarious!  

They look so sweet and innocent here....don't let those adorable smiles fool you!  HAHAHA

First bath together!  😃

I picked up Lyla on Friday and had her overnight alone that night.  Later on in the morning on Saturday,  she wanted to go in the hammock and I had to "push" her.  Well she ended up falling asleep!!!  It was so hot back there but there was a bit of a breeze so I had to make sure she didn't bake!  She slept for almost an hour like that and I sat (in the shade) and stitched!  

After Lyla left on Sunday morning, Jude, Jenna and I went to the saskatoon U-pick place a couple of minutes from here and picked a few saskatoons and bought a pie, etc.  Then we went to the Little Red River at Red Lodge campsite.  Lots of people floating on inner tubes and such.  It was nice to sit with my feet in the water watching these guys.

It sure was quiet when everyone was gone but I think Poppa was happy!  LOL  He can't take the craziness and does not have patience for the behaviour.  They will grow up and get better I'm sure.  

It's warming up out here....I'm on the deck and the sun is coming up and over the trees.  Perfect temperature out here now but it's to get to 29C which will be 45C on this deck!!  Best get this house cleaned...and find all the toys under the furniture!  We have sewing days this week and I get my nails done tomorrow!

Storms, Stitching, Shopping and Friends

Seems to be storm season around here.  Last Friday we were coming home from Olds and this arrived...it was much darker in person.  There were severe thunderstorm warnings and even a tornado watch!  Thankfully, we only got wind and rain at our place...whew!

I have been lucky enough to visit a few friends this last week...which meant some shopping....and I had done some online shopping beforehand too!  This arrived in the mail on Friday and thankfully our post office is open Saturday mornings so I went in to pick it up....

Hubby has been worried about a couple of trees close to our garage and house that had a bit of a lean to them....and with this being storm season he wanted to get them down before they came down on their own.  A few years ago this man cut his knee open while chain sawing.....without the proper safety attire and here he is...shorts and running shoes! 😳  Everything worked out okay this time.

A picture of one of my happy places....I don't seem to go out there when the solar lights are on though.  😂 Maybe this weekend. 😃🔥

On Sunday my friend Pam arrived from our old home town for a visit!  It was WONDERFUL!!!!  We talked and shopped and talked while shopping and stitched and talked while stitching and she has me hooked on English paper piecing hexagons!!!!!  

I used a charm pack and some 2" hexie papers I bought. Now I am stitching them into rows and might appliqué them onto a bit piece of wool or????

I'd LOVE to do something like this one day.....this picture and project is in an issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine.....I'll have to find it in my collection!

A(nother) mug I bought from Peaceful Patch Quilt Shoppe in Blackfalds when Pam and I went there on Monday......a great shop!

And here's Ms Molly!  It's a good thing Pam is a cat lover as Molly was all over her...and in her bags and climbing up her legs!  She's relaxing on my swing chair....before the thunderclouds rolled in.  So far only rumblings and a grey sky...no rain yet!  Oh spoke too soon!  I think we are getting a sprinkle.

So tomorrow I have a hair appointment and I will get some groceries.  I think all the kids and grandkids will be here for the weekend and will start arriving on Friday....yahooooooo!