Friday, September 27, 2013

Monday, September 23, 2013

Needles, hooks and apples oh my..

So much to catch up on; but first thank you to all who continue to follow me along and for leaving your comments.

Hello Autumn! Hubby had a sweet surprise waiting for me when I got back from hooking on Saturday. Reminds me of the Golden Rod and Purple Loosestrife in the marshes.



I finished block three...woo hoo!



I've been working on block six; little bit done so far.

As I was focused on my rug last weekend at Karri's Harvest Moon Hook-In. Kathleen and Mary joined us for a nice Saturday of hooking. Kathleen was binding that wonderful chicken rug she is working as a commissioned piece. (Don't hate me...I did not take any pictures AGAIN) We were serious about our hooking. Mary was working on another gorgeous landscape she designed herself of a local vista. I will try, try, try to get pictures the next time we get together. But believe me when I say she is an artist with her wool. I know that is such a tease.

When I met Karri on Friday we stopped in to Wool-n-Ewe and picked up some wool for the Moose. It is always fun visiting with Al; he is a character but always helpful. I had brought a piece of wool to get a cutting demo from Al to make sure I was going about it correctly. We got a few good pointers that were helpful in our technique. Nothin' fancy...which is a relief to me.

This Saturday was the first Winterport Rug Hookers gathering for the season. It was so nice to catch up with the ladies and see what they've been working on or hear about their summers. It felt so nice that these seasoned hookers were excited about me getting close to finishing my first serious rug. It is nice to be among such nice and creative ladies. I met a few new ladies this meeting; one of the ladies works with Al at Wool-n-Ewe. I had a good time visiting with her and even talking wool. :)

So anxious to get Jack done I wanted to get the wool for the binding. Hubby and I had a Sunday drive down to Bath to visit Halcyon Yarns to pick up a Navy yarn to finish Jack. We stopped at Fat Boy Drive-In for their famous Canadian bacon BLTs and a side of green bean fries. YUM!



I also picked up a few skeins of hooking wool for another project. I found a rug pattern in the church thrift store; and old design that called for Aunt Lydia's yarn. The pattern is Stag and I found a few pictures online, but I am making a few changes to make this a Christmas themed rug. Will share more on that down the road. What a fun project to dabble in yarn hooking.

The apples in the orchard out back are ready for the picking.






Have a splendid week.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Happy Friday the 13th

(: This is a good luck day in our house. :)

I have been busy prepping for my three day stay with my GF for the "Harvest Moon Hook-in" at her place. I thought I would finish the sky on my snowman but the nasty, oppressive air has crept back up to Maine and I just can't even think about working in the wool in this soup. Blah ack.

It will be a cozy group of four of us getting together on Saturday for some serious hooking. I am looking forward to seeing Kathleen again. Mary is the other hooker we met at the Hook-in this past winter in Ellsworth. Her rug was the gorgeous, very detailed lake scene i had posted from the Hook-in. She hooks more realistic designs and it is amazing!! She actually works with my GF and they did not know about each other hooking until that event. Cool how we've come to know each other through our handwork. :)

I finished block three!!!! I have a snap of it, but it is a pain to get'er posted right now. I will be sure to include it and my progress and fab snaps of the ladies wool works from this weekend.

And then next weekend is the Winterport Hookers first gathering of the season, so I will get to catch up with those ladies as well. Can't wait to hear about what they've been up to over the summer and what they are working on. 

I need to get going....I have to put in a few hours at work before I head out for some hook in' and stitchin'.

Have a terrific weekend and keep on stitching.

P.J.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Remember and Honor ***


                                       
                                                                            *  *  *

                                                                September 11, 2001


                                                                            *  *  *


Friday, September 6, 2013

Crabby Apples

This Labor Day weekend was relaxing, eventful and productive. I picked up my framing Saturday as you saw in my last post; thank you, thank you for all the gracious comments. Then later in the afternoon we headed to our friends family camp on Lake Wassookeag. It was a very relaxing time just chilling on the deck, taking a spin around the lake, grilling and a good old fashion sit and talk into the evening.
 
 
 





Their 13 year old son!!
 

Sunday was spent in the garden, gathering veggies, picking crabby apples and a little stitching.



Sunday evening I had a tangle with my kitty....the neighbors little ass'ol of a cat jumped onto the screen trying to get to my Chewie. I heard the ruckus and went running to the dinning room where the little ass'ol was hanging from the screen (now shredded) and Chew-Chew was just boxing away at him. So I hollered and touched Chewie who jumped and hissed at me. I knew not to touch her as she was in demon cat mood like I had never seen....sooooo I reached up to close the window between them and she LIT right into me, biting the top of my hand and rabbit punching me but good. I let out a blood curdling scream that brought the hubby running from the garage. I was too scared to look at my hand because it felt like she tore it right open.
 
Thankfully she didn't.

 Our sweet little peanut can hold her own; now we can add guard cat to her resume. :)

After about an hour I got to thinking and googling and decided after reading the cat bite horror stories that we should head on over to the ER to get the antibiotic regimen started; oh bonus I get a Tetanus shot too, sweet! All is well on my third fourth fifth day of healing, the swelling is just about gone and the tenderness has subsided. I managed some stitching...she bit me on my left hand so I was able to prop my Q-snap without much trouble.

So on Monday with the help of my husband (he chopped the crabby apples) I got to makin' crabapple jelly and spiced crabapple jelly. It poured rain ALL day; it was perfect weather for spending most of the day in the kitchen over four boiling pots. Hahaha.
 
 

Using Mom's strainer and canning pot
 
 
 

 
This was just a tester batch; hope to pick more from our tree again and the ones at the Bank. We have three crabapple trees at work that are just LOADED; so I got permission for me and my co-worker to go a pickin'. They are a different variety from the ones at the house so I am anxious to see how they taste.

Looking forward to getting some stitches in tonight...was planning on having block three complete over the long weekend but hit a bit of a snag-gle tooth, haha. Almost done, almost.


I can't wait to get started on block six! I am dropping down under three so I can stitch the ice skaters on the pond. I emailed Marty at Carriage House Samplings last year cuz I could not figure out what that was on the bridge... I will save that for my progress pics when I get to it. Hehehe.

Thank you again for stopping by and leaving a comment or two. I have been enjoying everyone's blogs as well; with all your lovely projects and summer adventures. As this sultry season comes to a close I am anticipating the soothing coolness of Autumn and the sweet smell of the leaves as they collect on the ground. There is something about the sound of the rustling leaves swirling on the ground that brings an inner peace to me. This is my all-time favorite season. Let the cider flow!!

Keep on stitching.
P.J.