Gardening - again

Forewarned. I am not a good gardener. I am new to this. I would like to be able to grow more of our food but I'm really not that good at it. It doesn't help that last year (1st year planting veggies) I was not here for seven weeks. It will be the same thing again this year. So instead of full out veggie garden I am sort of experimenting to see what will grow and what we will eat so when I am home for a whole summer I'll know what will do well.

I'm a little late to the game this year. Procrastinating. Yes, that's a fault of mine. Hubby and I went along to the garden centre this weekend and got a start. I decided not to do potatoes or onions this year. They both take up quite a bit of space and I wanted to plant other things.

I did get a rhubarb plant. I used to have one in the garden but I'm not quite sure what happened to it. I think the kids mowed over it one too many times! I also got a pumpkin plant. Just a regular one not one to make pies. Not very practical but I love the way they grow. Until I went to the Pumpkin Patch with my kids here in America I didn't know they grew as they did and look exactly like the ones on Cinderella's coach. I didn't realise tumbleweeds actually blew across the road either - but that's a different story. I'm trying tomato plants - last year some disease overtook them and they died while I was gone. I planted them in a different spot this time. I did peppers too - green, jalapeño and banana peppers (the last was hubby's choice). I do use quite a lot in cooking so we shall see. I have space left so will see what else I can find.

It actually looks quite sad right now and very dry. This was right after planting. I have watered since! We could use some rain (gasp, horror!) as it's been quite hot and dry the last few days. I'll add pictures as I plant more and they (hopefully) grow. I was courgettes (zucchini) but haven't managed to find any. I would like lettuce but I have to figure out another way to grow it as last year bunnies or deer ate all of it (including the roots!)

There are some things growing in my garden.

 

As you can see they are pretty hardy things and don't take a lot to grow!

Finished Cross Stitch!

It is finished. Phew. This was a large stitch 25cm x 35cm (9.8" x 13.8"). I think the worst part of it was all that grey and then all the backstitching that went over the grey. I must have spent more time unpicking it than I did stitching it! The piece is counted cross stitch, starting off with blank white fabric no background printed. Stitching it helped keep me awake in the evening while (sort of) watching tv.

Now on to the next piece. I am stitching the next one for my Mum. I am hoping to have it finished in time for when I visit in late July. It's not as large so I should get it done.

This is a Belle & Boo design from a Cross Stitcher magazine. It's a really cute design and I think my Mum will like it. I'll be posting updates on Wednesdays. Updates help keep me on track!

Enjoy the weekend! It's supposed to be quite hot today. It's only half past ten in the morning and it's already 28C. It's supposed to get up to 33C so air conditioning is already on!

Happy Things - Five on Friday

It's Friday again and time to join with Amy over at Love Made My Home for Five on Friday.

I was trying to think of something  to write for my Five on Friday post this Friday. I really enjoy joining in with these so wanted to participate. With everything going on this week including yet another senseless tragedy in the city where I live I struggled a little. Earlier this year there was a mass shooting in our city where six people were randomly killed and two more injured. This week a pick-up truck plowed into a group nine people riding their bikes and killed five of them. The other four are in hospital. With all the bad going on I decided to post five random things that make me smile.

Renaissance Festivals

They are such fun to go to. For one day you can live in a fantasy land. There are jousts and jesters, fairies and fair maidens, fun and laughter. Since the kids grew too old for the Apple Orchard we've been visiting the Ren Faire in Holly Michigan the last few years. I treasure each year as they are all grown adults and I know that, one day, they will no longer be able to find the time to go.

Deer

 I see these when I am out walking sometimes. They are such majestic creatures. Remembering this one always makes me smile. I was out walking at the nature preserve and it started raining. I started walking really fast to try to get back to my car before the rain really started coming down. This deer was hurrying the other way coming further into the woods. We both just stopped and looked at one another. I think we were both shocked to see the other!

Flowers

 I am terrible about growing them. I think I have a brown thumb. I have discovered the joy of wildflowers that are very easy to grow and forgiving! I do however enjoy looking at them and taking photos of them. Seeing flowers always reminds me of my Mum as she enjoys them so.

Shasta

Shasta is my daughter's recently adopted rescue dog, a Siberian Husky. My daughter and I don't live in the same city. She always texts me pictures of what her dog is up to. Shasta is such a lovely dog. I'm not sure why she was given up but she is such a sweet dog and my daughter is very lucky to have adopted her. The first picture is the latest one - Shasta got worn out after a run at the dog park!

Bunny

I've seen it a couple of times in the past two weeks. It always makes me smile when I see it. I get a little mad too as last year, my first year planting an edible garden, something (I suspect the bunny or a deer) ate the lettuce I planted. It was growing so well, faster than a lot of the other plants in the garden. I was looking forward to eating it. One day I went out and the whole lot was gone. I had planted three lettuce. Two of them were almost eaten to the ground and the other had disappeared completely! Not long after the other two disappeared too. I'm thinking both the deer and the rabbit enjoyed a meal!

Thanks for sharing a few of the things that make me smile!

WOYWW - June 8th

Yes, it's Wednesday again (already!) and it's time for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday. We're still being hosted by Jan while Julia is recovering. I know we're all wishing her a speedy recovery.

My desk this week has pictures of the ATCs I received for my swap. Beautiful.

At the top from left to right from Annie, Jo (Twiglet), Lisca, Kim Y and bottom from Zsuzsa (Inky Dinkydoodle - love that name!). I can't thank everyone enough. I hope mine are enjoyed as much as I like these. I might have to see if I can find some of those mini-easels when I visit Mum next month (it sounds GREAT to be able to say that even though it's at the end of next month lol). It will be just another thing to bring back in my suitcase.

I owe Jo (Twiglet) an apology. I forgot to send hers when I sent Annie's. It is in the post now. I wondered why I had an extra one left. I knew I shouldn't have had any left!

There were great envelopes with these too! I was so very careful opening them.

I have been up to some crafting - I wrote a post on Tuesday for that. I started my Mum's explosion box card from scratch. Thanks to everyone who gave suggestions or posted a link to help.

Lastly, my cross stitch. It isn't finished, but it is ALMOST done. The backstitch is taking a while to get done (read - I'm doing it wrong and having to unpick and re-do). It will be done by next week's post even if I have to sit up all night doing it!

The piece when finished will be 25cm x 35cm.

The finish line is in sight! I did write a post featuring other pieces I've stitched here - Stitching It's been a while since I've stitched anything this large!

Crafty Projects

I have actually been doing some crafty things though I haven't posted them lately so I thought I'd share.

First up - the ATCs that I made for the What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday 7th anniversary swap. They are on their way to the recipients so I thought I'd share. I haven't made them before so it was a little bit of an experiment. I had a lot of fun making them. They aren't all the same, but they do have a common theme throughout each of them. I messed up and forgot to send one (so sorry Twiglet) but it is on its way now. I did wonder why I had one left over!

Some of the backgrounds were don with paint and others with distress ink. The cats are Crazy Cats by Tim Holtz, coloured with Prismacolour pencils. I stamped some of the other images on the backgrounds.

Next I did a card. It was going to be for my sister's birthday but I decided I didn't like it for that so it is a spare. The colours didn't 'suit' her.

Lastly, I've been working on my Mum's card. I changed directions from what I was working on for her last week. The colours didn't really suit her either (sounds funny I know) so I started again. Thanks for all the suggestions. Instead of the cake in the middle I'm going to try to find something to do with 80 (it's her 80th birthday to put in the middle). Arnoldo shared a lovely one he made for his wife and I love the centre of it Beautiful box card.

This is what I have so far

This is what it looks like standing up. The picture isn't good - hard to take while holding box with one hand and phone with the other!

I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to take it safely on the plane, but I'll worry about that later. I should have more done next week - photos put in at least.

Camping

I haven't been camping for years. The last time I went the kids were little - my youngest is twenty-two so that tells you how long it's been - and that was camping with a pop-up camper. This time we used tents. My husband has been wanting to go for a while but I worked weekends and holidays and there wasn't a lot of extra time. Now that I'm not working there is time.

This was a trial run. The campsite is at a state park near to us. The sights are pretty nice. Each one has a picnic table and fire pit.

Now came the fun part of putting up the tents. Our eldest son came with us bringing along his one person backpacking tent. I helped - minimally.

Quite a difference in the size lol. It was very comfortable. We forgot pillows though. Ouch. My sleeping bag was quite comfortable but trying to get into it was rather difficult and I couldn't stop laughing. I felt like a banana trying to squeeze into a banana skin. I sleep on my stomach and rolling over wasn't easy!

It was a lovely spot though.

I spotted this little fellow in the algae. Wasn't easy to spot him!

We took a lovely walk in the woods.

Where there were some beautiful daisies - my favourite flowers.

And we saw this little fellow too who wasn't quite sure what to make of us, but stood still while I took pictures!

To end the night we sat in front of a fire. I watched (and admittedly laughed) while hubby and son tried to cook sausages over it.

Hubby 'cheated' by wedging his under a piece of wood lol.

I had a wonderful time. I can't wait for our 'real' holiday at the end of the month. I think it will be great!

Stitching - Five On Friday

It's Friday again and time to join in with Amy over at Love Made My Home.

This week I thought I'd share some of my cross stitching projects. Someone asked me about them so I thought I'd share. I have been stitching for a while. I remember learning the basics in primary school but it wasn't until my late teens that I started stitching again. There have been times throughout the years that I haven't stitched for a while, but I always seem to come back to it again. For a while there when I was overwhelmed with life and work I didn't do a lot of it. Since quitting work I've rediscovered my passion for it.

Firstly I'd like to share a few of my favourite large projects. These ones take a while but the time is worth it.

These pieces took several weeks/months to do. There are numerous colours, but I enjoy the challenge.

When I first started stitching I gave out a lot of pieces for gifts, but I don't think (as with most crafts) that unless people have done it they don't know how much love, time and cost go into each piece. I learned to make people smaller pieces and save the larger or detailed projects for those I knew really appreciated them. 

The above are a few pieces that I've stitched my Mum. I've made her more, but I didn't tend to take a lot of pictures earlier on.

A few other gifts. Each one of these were stitched with love. I have learned over time how to keep my stitches tight and even and my backs neat! Now that I'm getting older I find it takes a little more concentration to hit the holes right especially on the smaller fabric.

This is the piece I am currently working on. I purchased this kit last year while I was in England visiting Mum. I love these designs, but the kits are quite expensive. It was my 'treat' to myself. I don't usually work from kits as I like picking the fabrics myself. I also find it a little less stressful as, if I do mess up, I have plenty of floss to work with. I was afraid with this kit I'd run out of floss, but I think I'll be fine. 

This was my Wednesday picture - I usually update my stitching on Wednesdays. I have finished all the stitching and am now working on the backstitch. It is driving me crazy! Not sure I'll have it all done by next Wednesday but hope to have a good portion of it finished. I need to get it done so I can work on a piece for my Mum. I want to take it with me when I go at the end of July.

This is the piece I have picked out to do for her. I really like the design and I think she will too! I love this magazine - it's great for starters and for the experienced stitcher and there is usually a free small kit attached.

Thanks for sharing my stitching story!