Stitching and Reading On a Slow Sunday

 It has been over a month since my last post, time is moving so quickly I can barely catch my breath.  I can't remember a time October went by in a flash.

Over the past few weeks since my last post I have been catching up on reading, stitching and keeping up with my cardiac rehab and two weeks ago I was hit with a stomach bug that lasted a few days.

Currently I am reading Hemlock by Susan Wittig Albert, this is the latest in the China Bayles Mysteries.

I have loved this series since the beginning because they are full of herbal information that started me to seriously begin my own herb garden years ago.  They are a fun read with the earlier books at times having laugh out loud passages that make people notice you when you are reading in public.  The books and characters have evolved over the years and the stories always pull the reader in.  This is the 28th book in the series, the first book, Thyme of Death first caught my attention in 1992. If ever I was to reread a book this series would be it.

While looking for something on the table where I keep my current embroidery projects, I found Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman I bought last year,  I had put it aside while I was ill and not able to really absorb a book they way I like. Well needless to say a few pieces of fabric squares were placed on top of the book and you know for me out of sight out of mind. 

I am glad I put it aside when I was ill because I really enjoyed this book, waiting until I felt better was a wise decision because the story just flows from page to page and I couldn't put it down. I wanted to finish it before I start the newest book, The Book of Magic, which concludes the Practical Magic series.

It always surprises me as I've grown older how hard it is to concentrate on a book when the body is in so much pain, when I was 20 years younger I read to relieve pain unless it was a headache. The last year and a half changed that completely, happily I am for the most part on the other side of the extreme abdominal pain.  So reading and stitching happen on a daily basis for the most part.

I am finally caught up on the Goddess of the Month hand embroideries I have been working on since January.  July goddess Isis is stitched, those wings took forever.

For August there is Kali, the arms look rather sickly but after several changes I just left them and began stitching.

The goddess for September is Ariadne and after looking at the piece I think I may add a small maze in the corner which I originally had drawn then removed it. For now she is stitched and that makes me happy.

The photos were taken right after the pieces were dried so they need to be ironed to get out all those pesky wrinkles.  For now though I am working of the October goddess and the ironing can wait.  I still plan to make these into a quilt or prayer flags and once all 12 are done I'm sure I will have a better idea of what to do with them.  I'm really glad I came up with this personal challenge for the year, it has kept me stitching though days when I thought I wouldn't pick up a needle and thread again.  I am trying to come up with a new challenge for 2022 to keep me stitching, though I don't think it will be too much of a problem since I am feeling much better and the cardiac rehab has been quite a help for the energy.

My visit to the cardiologist office on Friday went well, and to my surprise this lovely Witch was in the waiting room to greet patients.

I just love witches and it got me thinking perhaps for 2022 I will stitch a witch on month.  I have several purchased patterns of witches I have bought over the years so I would use those. Several by Crab Apple Hill Studios and Not Forgotten Farm and I think Bird Brain Designs.  Tracing those onto fabric and stitching them up would take less work than drawing my own patterns.  Well it's a thought.

Speaking of Crab Apple Hill studios I bought this sweet witch doll pattern it arrived last week.

She is the sweetest little doll and I can't wait to start working on her, but that won't be for a while yet.

Well that's about all I have for today I am going to link this post up to Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2021/10/slow-sunday-stitching_01561972765.html  I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted.

I will leave you with a little humor If you are like me you get at least 2 calls a day.