Happy Autumn!

 

Autumn

Crunchy leaves, a cool crisp breeze.

Oh what wonderful days are these!

Trees with apples, green and red.

Gather food, winter’s ahead!

Orange pumpkins, full and round.

The beauty of the earth abound!

Changing leaves, red and gold.

Shorter days are turning cold.

The veil between the worlds is thin,

Time for us to look within.

Mabon past, Samhain will come.

The ripeness of the summer done.

The wheel is turning, circling round,

The wonder of nature does astound!

Here where I live in Ocala, Florida, the equinox is on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 9:30 a.m.

 

A Bit of Stitiching

 

Yesterday afternoon I finally caught up on some letter writing after a brief rest and hot cup of tea I had some time in the evening for some hand embroidery. I wanted to start this little project for fall, it's a free pattern. I am using Valdani 6 strand floss which I'm finding isn't all that great to stitch with. From the very first pull of the skein the floss tangled and knotted, right off the skein it looks frayed. 

 I will keep with it for now since I purchased this floss for a few autumn projects. Maybe I just need a bit of time to get used to the feel of the floss in my hand while stitching. The colors I am using so far are Autumn Leaves and Autumn. The other colors in the last photo are for the other projects I have in mind. Does anyone else buy colors and then design a pattern around them? Here is the link for the free pattern if you are interested http://blog.creativekismet.com/2011/11/04/give-thanks-free-embroidery-pattern/

I will link up to Kathy's Quilts today here https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2020/09/slow-sunday-stitching_13.html

 

First Sunday in September and Labor Day Weekend.

Time is moving quickly this month, it's hard to believe we are almost a week into September.  Tomorrow is Labor Day here in the USA in most cases it marks the end of summer with backyard barbeques, family picnics and a day off from work and in many states across the country the return to school.  This year it will be different, with many people working from home, and some kids set to start the year with online learning and somehow those barbeques and family picnics may look a little different, if they happen at all.
I have been invited to a few but I declined mainly because I finally have an appointment with the surgeon and want to get moving on the gallbladder surgery so I don't want to risk getting exposed to anything the other reason is I haven't had much appetite since March and I have been keeping up with friends and family via Facebook and Email, I would like to think most gatherings will look like this:

But I'm sure they won't and frankly this far into the pandemic I don't plan to risk or expose myself when I don't have to.

On the stitching front I haven't made much progress except to put in a few more rows on the shawl I am crocheting.

I had to unravel 5 rows and then once again after completing what I unraveled I had to undo 2 more rows, my concentration isn't at 100%  the pain distracts me and sitting up is still an issue most days. I am looking forward to the surgery. 
Today I plan to get started on some hand embroidery, I ordered this gingerbread ornament panel

from Forth Worth Fabric Studio. The panel is quit large and makes 24 ornaments front and backs. There is an advent calendar panel pattern to use with the felt panel, I'm just going to make the ornaments, here is the link. https://fortworthfabricstudio.com/collections/snow-sweet-from-riley-blake/products/snow-sweet-gingerbread-cookies-felt-panel
I still need to stitch the jingle bells on the witch and snowman piece which I plan to work on soon to finish it but not feeling 100% I don't want to mess with metallic thread right now.

I have been reading quite a bit but it doesn't give me the calm hand stitching does it helps keep the brain busy and I can read while lying down if necessary.  Recently I read:

I am currently reading one of my favorite cozy series by Sally Goldenbaum, A murderous Tangle, this is the 14th in the series of the Seaside Knitters Mysteries.

However, when the publishers of the book changed the series is now known as the Seaside Knitters Society Mystery, with this being the 3rd book under the new publisher. The books still have all the same main characters and the story line picked up right where the old publishers books ended. I really love this series, when I'm reading I am carried right to the seaside with every page turned, I can feel the ebb and flow of the ocean, I can smell the salt air and even feel the chill of winter as I read the story.
I am linking up at Kathy Quilts today for Slow Sunday Stitching click the link to see what Kathy and many other wonderful bloggers are stitching today.
https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2020/09/slow-sunday-stitching.html

Wishing Everyone and Safe and Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Nature's Gifts

Nature gifts her bounty fair,

In root and leaf and flower,

And there within she leaves a drop,

Of all her wildest power,

For balm and salve the wise can make,

To heal the wound and mind,

And through the lore of herb and plant,

We see Great Mother kind.

~ Words by Robin Green-Elk

Artist Nicola Bailey.

It's September!

Rainy days and Sunset

After two and a half days of nearly non stop rain we were gifted with a lovely sunset on the last day of August.  The trees look as if they were set afire.

Earlier in the day while dropping packages off at the post office this lovely rather large moth was resting on one of the columns near the entrance.

My friend emailed me this clever picture today so I thought I would share it with you. It was created by a librarian, you read the titles from the top left and onward.

Sunday is for Stitching

These weeks of illness and not being comfortable enough to sit up long enough to do any hand embroidery for awhile I was finally able to sit up and stitch. I think I posted I pulled out an old pattern I had prepped on fabric to stitch.  The pattern was offered free from Crabapple Hill Studios.
Here is the progress I have made.

I used DMC Etoile floss in Blanc, it gives just the right amount of sparkle to the snowman I also used it on the hat pompom.
A few weeks ago I posted the new Spellcaster's Garden fabric line from Crabapple Hill Studios. I was hoping hand embroidery patterns would follow and just as I hoped they are now available, so far I have two, the witches which go so well with the fabric line as do the other patterns which I plan to pick up in the next few days.  I hope to have one of them traced and ready to stitch today or tomorrow.

This is one of the fabrics and the entire collection plus the panel which I posted about recently.

Then from Pearl Louise Designs I purchased these cute little witches to stitch as well. 

I am linking my post to Kathy's Quilts today here is the link to check out what other talented bloggers are slow stitching https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2020/08/slow-sunday-stitching.html