August

 Hi! It's a lovely cool grey day here today---even a speck or two of rain maybe?--unheard of for August at the beach. I'm looking forward to a day or two in the little sewing room, prepping a few Noah's Ark blocks, a Sara S. hearts block, and cutting the binding for Winter Marsh. We may get some dregs of H Debbie so maybe more than one indoor day?

This morning Mo and I were out early and sidewalk scavenged some windblown hydrangeas. A bit muddy, but so pretty, even tho their brilliant blue has faded.

Most mornings now are hot and breezy. I love going out to greet the day on my deck, the air is so sparkly and sweet like summer honey. I adore my tiny fountain, tinkling away. It attracts bees, butterflies and Mr and Mrs Sparrow. I fill it each night so it's ready to go when the sun is high enough to start its solar battery mechanism.

Isn't it peaceful?

My flowers have been a disappointment. Only my first year here when my geraniums, too ambitiously potted out in May, all rotted and died, have I had such a poor showing. Not only are the blooms few and far between but the flowers are tiny. Why?

Last year:

This year:

The Zinnias were called something like Baby Buttons, I should have gotten a hint with that. Size of a dime!

Another set are single petalled, not much to look at tho the true red is fun.

And who knew Seashell cosmos would also be tiny, again the flowers are mini, smaller  than a nickel .[have not seen a nickel in years, do they still exist?]

One wildflower pot has basically nothing, just mud and the painted coreopsis. And the new pretty tangerine cosmos / coreopsis.

The other two have finally filled with green somethings but  there's a LOT of crabgrass and only a few tiny wildflowers peeping out. Maybe I'll get a late show of who knows what?

Tiny marigolds:

My friend has had poor results too. He has just a bare plot of mud where his wildly prolific tomato garden has flourished for the past three summers. But his flower beds are gorgeous. This is his hibiscus, size of a dinner plate. We think grown from seeds from blog friend Mel. It's hardy and had grown from a little sprout over the past four years.

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Off topic: I am surprised at so many people watching and taking an interest in the Olympics this summer. My mom loved the Olympics and I always thought it was so odd. Much as I admire the athletes their competitions bore me---maybe if there was Olympic thrifting? Flea-ing?  Imagine the Olympic thrifters set loose in the fabulous markets of France, on a marathon hunt for the most fabulous finds....

Have a wonderful August, savor every summery day! Even if it rains.

love

lizzy 

gone to the beach......

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Perpetual Nature Journal recent drawings. The  purple coneflower came out awful [ a  do-over, if I have energy. Even the best IG journalers paste over corrections now and then.]

And look at this. I am so proud of Mo, who has overcome his year long inexplicable fear of the sewing room! He is back in his bin. Okay he is laying on un-ironed Silent Night quilt top, but it still makes me so happy to have him by my side again.

Hope is a Pug in front of the AC that mom shut off to enjoy the summer day....

Hi! Last night Mo and I stepped out on the deck around 8 PM to admire the beautiful pink sunset and say farewell to lovely July. We got hit in the face by big fat rain drops! A sudden squall of only one small black cloud.

And so today we welcome August. Summer is at its fullest beauty, there's  two plus months of summer left to go. So you know what that means! Yes it's time for Halloween. [cringes]

Some people online are talking back to school, oh my goodness. BTS? WTF ? Not here, not here. And Home Goods...yikes. "Happy Halloween".

We were told, Christmas next week, so L and I , both love Halloween [in freakin October, please!], we made a little day trip over to Home Goods.

Glass pumpkins

Minnie and Snoopy, better than all the death images. Snakes and coffins? Yeesh. Halloween should be fun!

And a dash, a mere nod, to the beautiful holiday Thanksgiving.

I found a lovely pink mercury glass Pumpkin with lights inside, for a small friend. And fun Radish print dishtowels for me. [are they really more economical, more ecological? What about the detergent, the electric of the washer / dryer? The effort to fold all the dishtowels? idk]

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Another afternoon, after stupid nerve wracking doctor appointment and lab tests, we treated ourselves to the Italian cafe/ deli take out store. Everything looked delish. Rice balls, meatballs, eggplant parm, and my favorite veggie, broccolini.

The town was sparkling, at its summery best.

Some neighborhood pics. The brilliant blue hydrangeas,  a few weeks ago in full glory, have succumbed to the heat and drought. They are everywhere turning soft cream and pink.

Love the colorful perennials.

Today was window washing day, but it turned out to be too windy. Did one door and one window, Windex blowing in my face and Mo's eyes. Postponed!

 Earlier we had an exciting morning. I went down to get a big Chewy delivery box and Mo ---who had been snoring happily, morning nap---apparently woke up, had an inspiration and came galloping down the stairs and out the slightly opened door. Escape! He hasn't escaped in years.

 I nudged him back inside and put his harness on, he headed off to where my friends' used to live. On summer mornings when Mo was a baby, they'd leave their back gate open and cold water in their outdoor fridge. We'd relax and take a halfway point rest on hot days.  He loved playing off leash in their shady garden. He even had a green ball he loved, stored in their crabapple tree's branch. 

Mo still goes there if I let him, so sad.

Back soon with a garden update and perpetual notebook entries. Have a great weekend.

A link to a beautiful curated quilt sale [all sold] by @_flying.geese_ . This is her website. The collection was based on a book about Lighthouses and has a delightfully nautical feel. Quilters--everyone?---will enjoy a browse and inspiration.: HERE  Click through each listing to see FG's wonderful photos. You'll feel like you've spent the day at a seaside cottage. https://www.instagram.com/_flying.geese_/

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

Another Box from the Mail Guy!

 

Good evening everyone. It's been quite the lovely summer day today, and the prettiest pink and blue glowing sunset too.

another day, another sunset

 However--the much promised cold front and ''dangerous'' thunderstorms never materialized. We had a few drops of rain, maybe last Monday? And certainly no cold front, 81* today, the deck tiles and outside house walls just radiated heat, even just now as Mo and I went to tie up the umbrella and admire the twinkly lights of the many ships out on the horizon.  Unusually for Mo, after he had his chew toy chewed he immediately asked to come back inside. He has been shunning his cozy beds and splatting out on cool wood or tiled floors instead. His tummy lesion finally stopped bleeding today; chronic eye infection back and icky. Mo is having a rather miserable time this summer, poor mite.

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So...? What was in that other box, you are wondering....

That box contained such a surprise---Christmas in July! I was so delighted. It was filled with gifts from my brother and SIL who have the great good fortune to live in the Midwest, heart of flea market country. 

Springfield Flea Market and Extravaganza  posts often on Instagram, and I have fun sending  screenshots to my no-IG brother. I sent him a pic months ago of a truck bed full of gorgeous handmade rag rugs. He texted back that he knew the seller, imagine that. And...they got me the rug. I love it. It's handwoven then overdyed  a rich indigo blue. flea links at the end of the post

I was just astounded. I will save it til Fall probably , def until Mo's tummy is healed.

It's so subtly beautiful.

And the little treasures.

My brother often asks what can he look for for me. I have many many collections and I try to limit my requests to small and not too expensive items.  His/ SIL's finds often show up in my Christmas box! How fun is that. Some years they even use thrifted or flea-ed wrapping paper and cards. 

I love sewing pincushions of the tomato variety. And emery strawberries to go with too. 

Someday I'll have enough tomatoes to fill my big wooden bowl for late summer display.

Another person's gathering: HERE

Some are newer, some older, even handmade. This one has the sweetest tiniest emery berry you can imagine.

And this handcrafted antique berry is big, filled with real emery powder [ heavy] with the leaves hand embroidered in green wool yarn.

I also collect old thimbles. Note reds, blue, orange! Two are celluloid.

Yes I admire the silver and gold fancy ones, I'd love a gold mini for my charm bracelet---but what catches my heart are the old junky  inexpensive---free! back then giveaways:  plastic, celluloid, Bakelite---even aluminum or brass utility thimbles. 

Extra points if they have ads, like this gasoline one. Imagine buying gas and being given a thimble. Beyond quaint.  It was very loved and used; misshapen by hours and years of mending, hemming, quilting.

And so many. I have more than 50 thimbles now, my estimate, they fill a small yellowware bowl at the moment. I'll have to count them.

This was just so fun for me. Christmas in July---yes!

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On a little quilting note I sewed my pineapple block for my summer handwork Sara Sporrer  / Favorite project.

But I'm lagging on the embroidery. I really hate embroidering, esp simple words in stem stitch, ugh. It's actually ruining Summer Sewing Hour for me as I uncharacteristically procrastinate to avoid the task. BUT I like the look. What to do, stop embroidering while I can? Maybe. I only have a couple done , could pick the stitched out? Your thoughts?

Have great weekend!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

Springfield Flea and Extravaganza:

https://www.instagram.com/springfieldextrav/  or click HERE

website:  https://jenkinsandco.com/springfield-antique-show/   https://jenkinsandco.com/

click here