A Walk and a Blueberry Moon

Hello! Oh my it's hot, it's the doldrums of August. No relief in sight. Just look at this heat index the other day.

Today it was so hot at noon the deck burned my feet, so Mo had to stay indoors til his doggy walker came later in the afternoon.

He's pouting; he doesn't understand why he is kept inside.

My sweet friend the dog walker has been encouraging me to come with her and Mo on his walks, when I feel up to it. Yesterday was hot but I so wanted to get out and Mo was so thrilled to have me with him again. We actually walked quite far [slowly!].

"mom! C'mon!"

All the way to the beach pathway alley.

I've missed it, maybe you have too!?

I adore the marigold hedges.

And these are amazing morning blue morning glories, two stories tall. The lady says they self seed each year.

Lovely old fashioned white hydrangeas.

Taller than even the Russian Giants, these sunflowers are gorgeous.

Mo trotted off, headed to the koi pond, but it was too far and too hot for him---or me. We coaxed him back home, looking for shade and grass to feel cool on little feet.

Our brief walk lifted my spirits. Later he was allowed on the deck. He quite loves this big round rock I have, maybe it feels cool?

...
Tonight the full moon rose at sunset.

The August Moon is called either the Sturgeon Moon or the Blueberry Moon. I'm pretty sure there haven't been sturgeon around here for a couple hundred years--and it's an ugly word---so I'm going with Blueberry Moon.

edit: I'm wrong, we do have sturgeon. Oh I'd hate to meet up with one at the beach! Endangered and rare. HERE

Moon reflecting in the ocean waves.

The moon will be full tomorrow too, go out and look!
......

I've had this pretty faux seaglass jar for a few years but it never has been quite right...too small for flowers, candles burn out if used outside.

But the other day on my first shopping outing in three months!!--at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, I found a string of tiny rice-sized, battery operated fairly lights. Looks like a jar of fireflies, remember doing that?
Perfect! Better than the photo. Just right for earlier evenings of August and September.

have a good week!

love

lizzy
gone to the beach...


PS From FB, isn't this so cute? For next year? I'll look for old trucks at the flea.

Three Watermelons and a Pomegranate

Hi everyone! Time to show off our July-August progress on the Summer Porch , P2, sewalong. Hard to believe it is almost the third Monday of August, our official sharing date. Summer is changing now, it's much hotter, the light is dense and tired, the sun is setting earlier--though thankfully not really early. Some ad I saw said "44 more days of summer!!", which sounds quite nice.

This month our blocks were the Watermelons, how perfect for midsummer.

Mo and I sew diligently every afternoon.

This is my sewing box, my dad made it for me.

The cherrywood came from the perimeter of our Johnny Appleseed orchard where we lived when I was a tiny girl. My dad had to cut some of the biggest trees, and had the logs cut into furniture boards, which he used for many years. Native cherry and black walnut were two of his favorite woods. He made me this c. 1780 Chippendale-style box with heart cutouts. Daddy was baffled by my love of heart motifs but he did this anyway.  Something I treasure. [It's actually a writing box, but now that I no longer write letters home twice a week, I use it for my sewing.]

The Watermelons were harder than they look! Despite using freezer paper templates the fabrics tended to stretch and grow. And--big curves, lotta points. Though they are maybe not as crooked as my photos seem to show.

Instaed of sewing many little black seeds, I used fabrics to convey ''watermelon''.

I threw in the two Moon spacer blocks, since they were part of the pattern page.

And this is my first Ohio Sampler block, a pomegranate or as it is embroidered, a Love Apple.

Again, more challenging than expected. I think I thought there would be three ovals, set one atop another. But NO. These are, again, crescents, with many converging points. I enjoyed working on something new.

Today as I dipped into the pool, the big clouds suddenly filled the sky. Lightning made me cut my pool time short, though the storm never came.

Mo enjoys storms. He looks everywhere to see WHAT is making that funny noise?!

Lori will have a post with more Watermelon blocks, on Monday. I'll add a   link then. It's always fun to see everyone's versions.HERE

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.

PS my morning glories are blooming! I expected traditional Heavenly Blues, but these are the sweetest pale shell pink.

So pretty...

PugLife.....