3 months in the making

After only three months I have knitted a pair of socks. My very first socks! This is a really big deal for me. I know, I know, socks are cheap to buy and three months in an incredibly long time to spend knitting one pair of socks. But I'm so excited! I have some new skills - if I can remember them. I learned to turn a heel, and then I had to learn all over again for the second one, since two months had elapsed and I forgot what I did the first time. I just needed an hour and a half of quiet uninterrupted time to concentrate on what I was doing. Stay tuned for my next knitting project. . .

Good deals

This lovely fabric was part of Wal-Mart's 75% off sale when they were closing their fabric department. It was exactly enough to make a jacket for work.

This little guy got a very good deal when Larry and David rescued him after he had fallen from his nest and been abandoned by his mother. They built a make shift nest and hung it from the tree, but mama mourning dove never came to take care of her nestling. Larry and Daniel took him to the Lake Erie Nature Preserve where he will be cared for properly until old enough to live on his (or her) own.


Larry and I found this guitar at a garage sale. It is a popular 50's model in fairly good condition. Larry bought and installed new tuning pegs and strings and sold it on ebay (for 32 times what he paid for it) as part of the benefit for his friend, Rich.
Do you remember the part in "The Sound of Music" where Maria is dancing down the street carrying her guitar? That's what we felt like, because we had walked to the garage sale, and had about a two mile walk home carrying this guitar!

My kind of project

Of all the things I like to make (and I really am going to finish knitting those socks!) making things for dolls is among my favorites. I love these colors.
This is for a benefit auction to help a friend who is fighting a nasty battle with the dreaded C word.
I hope a little child will like it as much as I do!

People who. . .

. . . spend their days off sewing
and going to the beach
and visiting people in a nursing home. . .

shouldn't be surprised when their house becomes in dire need of cleaning. :>}

What if. . .

a very good friend sends you a beautiful card she made herself, just for you!
And she also made you a fabulous notebook cover using the most gorgeous fabric, and her brand new sewing machine.
And inside it is another cover with a place to keep pens, pencils, or. . . maybe knitting needles.
Is it rude to take this perfectly beautiful notebook cover and use it for knitting supplies?
Thank you, Suzanne! I love it, and I was wondering what I could make to store my knitting supplies in. If you don't mind, I will use your lovely gift. It is so perfect!

Hello!

You've all heard me rave about the buzzards swooping, dipping, and weaving at the outdoor concerts. It's happened more than once, and I just know they come to dance. I was so disappointed when they didn't come this evening because this was the best concert yet. The band is "Chance" and they were fabulous!

Then I remembered. It's also Twins Days down the road in Twinsburg, and surely the buzzards had to put in an appearance there. They have live music and dancing, too, and just like the rest of us, the buzzards can't be in two places at once. Perhaps my dancing buzzard theory hasn't been disproved after all. ;0)

I really have been sewing things, but somehow the ones that were for gifts got given away before I photographed them, so I can't show you. I'll tell you about them. Larry's parents celebrated their 66th anniversary, so I made them six place mats. They are in the log cabin pattern, and they match the pillow I made my father-in-law for Father's Day. They also just happen to match the table runner and coasters I made for their anniversary last year. :>}

My sister had a birthday, and I gave her a copy of my favorite vegetarian cookbook, "Laurel's Kitchen". I made her some lovely table napkins also.

I am working on a few things for a charity auction that will be held on Labor Day weekend. I am going to donate two baby quilts, a wall hanging, and a doll bed complete with mattress, pillow, and of course a quilt. I'll try to remember to get a photo after I finish it.

We have some family birthdays in August, so I don't believe I'll show you what I'm making for them just yet. My nephews and my brother are quiet about it, but they do visit my blog sometimes.

I greedily bought 12 pints of blueberries when Marc's had them on sale for $1 each. This morning we had blueberry pancakes - yummy! I also made blueberry cobbler, which has pretty much the same ingredients as the pancakes, but in different proportions. Lots more blueberries!

We had some beans left from our vegan week, so I made a huge pan of corn pone. It was simply delicious!

One of my co-workers had the misfortune to fall off her bicycle last Sunday and broke her wrist. She is to have surgery on it Tuesday, and will be out for a while. Selfishly, I'm glad I was able to get my vacation in before that happened because I am going to be very busy until she gets back.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. I do treasure blogger buddies!

:>}

My sister, Sara, is a vegan, and we spent her visit eating the most healthy things! These are tomatoes from our garden, and some homemade whole grain bread. She absolutely never eats any junk food ever, and has no desire to. I wonder if I could ever get to that stage? I do love cookies. I could get along fine without meat, but giving up chocolate? Unlikely.
Does this mean I have to eat the fabric??

Family Time

My sister, Sara, is in town from Knoxville, Tennessee. We took a walk on the bike path this morning. The sign by the bridge made us laugh. I think we're below the 5 ton weight limit. ;0)
We saw lots of Queen Anne's Lace, and the butterflies were everywhere. So pretty!
We walked through the park and found a turtle to sit on.
When we went to visit our mom, our brother, Peter, kindly joined us, and even brought his Segway. Have you ever tried one? It is such fun!
Peter rides this nifty vehicle to work every day, then when he arrives he rides it right onto the elevator and into his office. So cool!