Sunshine, Waves, and Friends

One of my favorite places is a beach - any beach will do - I just love being near the water - anytime of year.  Well I finally got down to the shore to sit on the beach this summer.   Spent a few days by the Jersey Shore this past week and it was nice and relaxing - read a few books, did a lot of walking, and even took a dunk in the ocean!  Was in Ocean City, New Jersey visiting with a friend I used to work with that is down there with her daughter for the summer.  It was so nice catching up.  Will have to try to get back a few more times this summer.   Some day my dream is to own a beach house - someday....  Oh and do you believe I was away 4 days and forgot to take one picture with my camera! Geez!

Have to say - it's so nice to have good friends!  When I got home there were two packages waiting for me.

Ginger from our group AAPG sent us all a scrubber to get those stubborn bugs off our windshields or whatever! Really fun! Thanks Ginger!  She is always doing things for other people - Her blog is a fun read too - always up to something! 

The other package was from my friend Jacque (You can check out her wonderful creations and get a link to her Etsy shop here -   I've known her only online for a number of years thru different rug hooking groups.  I've been lucky to have her as a swap partner numerous times.She's a dog lover also and has a very handsome man named Tag E. Butt living with her!   Anyway - I was blown away by the quilt she made - It's so me - the fabrics and colors and block style is just my "style!"  I saw this on her blog and loved it - I was hoping it was going to show up on her and Bren's Etsy shop but instead it showed up in my mailbox!  Thank you so much Jacque - I absolutely will treasure it!  You are so kind!

The kindness of friends doesn't stop there!  Today I had to go out to do some errands and decided to stop in to visit with Judy from the Cinnamon Stick - I am always reading her blog to see what's new and love going up to see things in person (Check out her blog here)  Even if you can't get to her store you can get to her picturetrail and purchase things!  Always fun things in this store!  Judy had a little gift for me.  A few posts ago I showed a pic of the cool necklace I got there - well she made me an addition for my necklace.  She stamped "Rug hooker" on a butter knife end! So cool! Thanks so much Judy I just love it!  She had a whole pile of knifes and spoons and forks to stamp on her counter!  She and her husband make them into jewelry pendants, posie pockets and garden stakes.  I saw the posie pockets on her blog and had to buy one - I was happy to see she had two left!  I have to get some real "posies" to put for right now I have two of my wool daffodils - they are a bit too big for it i think!

Here's a pic of the almost 3rd week of trying to dry my sunflowers (again from a previous post)

They are drying up nicely - they actually do not look as bright as this picture!

I haven't done anything creative this week but hopefully this weekend I'll get some motivation.  Sunday though is the Tom Petty concert where I won those free tickets!  Excited to go - haven't been to a concert for a while - used to be years ago I would see bunches of concerts thru the year and mostly in the summer.  Now a days it's just so expensive and driving into Philadelphia is always just such a hassle with the traffic and the "Schuylkill Expressway"! Anyway - for Tom I'll do it! LOL!

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend and hope it's filled with good friends!  I for one am reminded on a daily basis of such wonderful friends I have from their emails, their "texting",  their jokes they send, their phone calls, surprises in the mail and everything they do!  Thank you!

Always a Good Time at Grant Street

Another hot, humid week - I guess people are getting tired of hearing me complain about the weather.  Like I said before I can take heat but not the humidity!   And the humidity has been bad - the storms we get just do not even help cool it off at all - just makes it worse!

I haven't seen the kittens since their Mom (or maybe it was a cat sitter) marched them home.  I think they live in the unusual house behind me.  I know there were some kittens running around in the snow and this may be a new litter.  Unusual you ask? Yes - at least to me - they leave their slider open year round, rain, sleet, snow, heat, cold whatever - no screen door.  All the neighborhood critters go in and out, they do not mow their little patch of land so it's like a jungle, they do not have curtains, often the sit in front of the slider in the nude or in bra and panties (and believe me no one wants to see these sites), the toss cans and trash out the slider and leave it there - you know things like that - My husband says when he mows up to that point he has to hold his breath - they have two beagles they never pick up after!  Oh well - the neighborhood was really nice until a few years ago - it only takes one.  We have put up a 6 foot fence but it doesn't block everything.  Anyway - if these kittens come back I'm debating whether to take them to the local SPCA up the road- I'm sure they would get adopted out.  At least with the SPCA you are required to get them neutered which is a good thing.

Much of this week was spent doing odds and ends.  I didn't even pick up my hook but I really need to get things ready for upcoming events.   I did manage to purge some more items into the hallway and our guest bath - things all ready for donation - won't even go the yard sale route - just get it out of her! I need to "Simplify" so I have more time for more important things in my life than spending time worrying about that pile of this and that - i really is a good feeling!

Thursday I went out to Grant Street for the hook-in!  Had a great time, but first stopped in Shippensburg and Kathy treated me to a DELICIOUS (i so am ready for another one) iced coffee - I got the special - a Vanilla - which had vanilla and chocolate - it was really good and then we ran an errand and then went to lunch where she treated me again!  Kathy thank you so much - next time it's on me - no arguments! She also gave me some glass measuring cups for my wool dyeing and a jar which she suggested would be good for my walnut dye oh and a wooden iron board - the small kind - will have to do something with this - not sure what yet! Thank you again! 

Then it was on to the Hook-In.  Pat and Barb were there so Pat and I sat and exchanged kitty stories - Pat has some new kittens and they sound like so much fun and are absolutely adorable - you can see pics of them on her blog - Hook Hand and Heart.   I also got to see what Pat was planning for her next rug - She certainly is a wonderful artist - so talented!  Can't wait to see this rug - will be stunning.

There were people in and out all day- crowded at times. I realize now I didn't take a lot of pictures.  I'm happy to say Kathy sat down and got right to work (that's a surprise!)  She was 'whipping" her Harris rug and really got a lot done!  I think if people didn't need help in the store it would have been done.

Genny was done her tote and whipping across the top - she finished whipping it and not sure if she stitched on the handles - she did a great job at assembling it.

Genny's sister (again I'm horrible at names) was showing us the rug she finished - Apparently each star represents a sister - two are twins so they are alike, there is one brother and then the parents - I think she said there are 7 girls?

Sherri was working on her Christmas gifts - they are great colors and she's doing a great job hooking!  And yes Linda, can you believe it's not a cat!  Oh and you can see Kathy in the background still whipping!  I'm proud that she kept her bottom on that chair long enough to get around almost 3 corners! It's a big rug!

Linda was entertaining as usual!  She was giving us a sales pitch on clothes pins here I believe!   I wanted to buy some but she wouldn't let me do it in installments!

Me, I wasn't so productive.  I had been working on this scrappy rug for about a year - had a piece of linen and one night when i didn't feel like thinking just started hooking strips - smaller pieces and leftovers and colors I hated and knew would never go into one of my "real" rugs, so started to keep a bag of just these types of wool strips.  Would work on it when i didn't want anything to think about now and then and between projects.  Well finished it - wish it was a tad longer and narrower but I used up all the space I had! Anyway - the plan was to put it front of my bathroom vanity but I threw it in front of kitchen cabinets and it might just stay there - We shall see- might be a traveling rug around the house. 

After I finished whipping and steaming the rug I started cutting some fabric for pin cushions.  Linda's granddaughter Madeline was helping me and then we got silly with the circles but I'm sure you will be hearing about that on another blog!

Next thing I know it was 11:00 so it was time to hit the road!

Yesterday I went to a church carnival with a friend and it was soooooooooooooooo hot outside - Had some "fair" food - hot dog, and a funnel cake - I so couldn't resist!  We played some "walk-in" bingo and then of course being at a fair - I went out to get a slice of pizza - another thing I shouldn't be eating and like I needed more food!  Well I walked by where they were selling 'rip off tickets"  - so I bought a handful! Woohoo - one of my tickets was worth $100!  Now that was fun - couldn't win at bingo though! 

Hoping to get to the beach for a day or so next week - I have that urge to jump in the ocean!

Wishing everyone a great weekend and week!

Summer Simplicity

Well nothing much is going on - but this is a good thing, don't you think?  Sometimes life gives us way too much drama and not having any is often welcome!

I do want to thank everyone that takes the time to leave a comment - I so enjoy reading your comments and hearing your similar stories!  The past post gave me some comments with some good laughs - So thank you for taking the time to even read my adventures in blogland!  I started this basically as a way to keep track of myself and share some things with people and have been having fun reading your blogs also! So thanks again for taking the time to read about my "uneventful" life!

Not much going on around here lately.  It's been hot and humid and raining often - This is a good thing I suppose - things are starting to turn green again - i was getting tired of the dried and brown!   Our tomatoes on our deck pots are starting to turn red, there are cucumbers growing and even the cantaloupe plant is taking off - I even got to pick too peppers the other day and they are now swimming around in a pasta salad i made yesterday!

Last Monday I ventured out towards Lancaster and did my normal of stopping here and there.  One of my last stops was at a farmhouse that had some cut flowers for sale in buckets.  Some bright yellow sunflowers caught my attention so I purchased all they had.  I came home and unloaded my car from the days purchases and didn't go back out to my car until Tuesday evening at which time I saw my sunflowers sitting on the floor of my backseat!  I completely forgot about them!  Geez I didn't know I would be losing my memory this young! haha!  Brought them in and tried to revive them - Wednesday morning they were still wilted so at a suggestion from some of my AAPG friends I am trying to dry them.   Let's see how well I do since I"m not very good at any type of gardening - maybe I'll do better with the dead flowers?  Here's some pics of week one! (Internet said to hang them upside down for about 2-3 weeks)

Here's what Riley has been up to...

Napping under the ceiling fan....

Remind Mom to finish this rug... She's been working on this the past year here and there - she waits and saves her short pieces of worms (I love her worms) and hooks them into this - I help her by making sure the rug doesn't fall off the frame - I think it will work as a floor mat!  Come on Mom - get it whipped so I can check it for nap comfort! 

 

Trying to take another nap under the ceiling fan... Oh bother, brothers can be such a pain sometimes - It's way too hot to play double decker bus...

Miles has been up to...

I know, I know, I shouldn't show you these pics.  Normally I don't want my "brothers" (big pests if you ask me) within a 100 feet of me - I got this mean growl for them - but I was so tired of the heat I couldn't help it - I guess this Jonesy dude isn't that bad - besides he doesn't snore so I said he could stay..

Ahhh a summer afternoon nap...

Jonesy has been up to...

Every morning while Mom is on the internet I take a nap on her lap - I love my Mom and Me time - she rubs my belly and ears...

Can you believe it - I am so excited - Mom got a package of dish towels - she said hers were really bad and she really needed them - well they had the coolest toy wrapped around them - can you image - this cool cloth ribbon - I have been having so much fun with it - Every time Mom walks upstairs i run to the bed and we play "string" - I love chasing it and finding it when Mom hides it under the blanket and the laundry - It's just so cool!  I really can't believe they put such a cool toy around stupid dish towels!

So that's basically what's going on around here!  Nothing much - just hanging around!

Yesterday we did have some unexpected fun. Well okay - the three boys above won't agree but I had the fun.  My husband calls me upstairs and said there is a little kitten on our deck.  Well you could have seen puffs of smoke on my feet running down the stairs!  Of course the kitten wasn't there when I got down there.  My husband said he ran under the deck - So I went out and sat in the grass and there he was right under the deck.  I started a little game with my hands and got him playing and then he came out - and then i see there were two - They are sooooooooooooooo adorable - probably about 3 months old!   I finally got the little orange and white tiger to let me pet him and ran in and got a kitty toy and we played for a good hour - I couldn't get the little white one (female I believe) to trust me!   Well throughout the night I kept looking out and they were playing on the deck and on the railing - on the grill - in the tomato plants, so cute.  I put some water out there for them since it was sooooo hot - I figured they would go home for food but this morning they were sound asleep on the chairs on the deck.  I don't know if they forgot how to get out (our yard is fenced) or what - so we opened the gate and I guess it was there Mom came in and marched them out! It was too funny!  Anyway here is some pics I took of the little cuties...

The little orange tiger striped was of course the biggest ham!  I so wanted to keep him and if he comes back, who knows!  Wait I can't do that, can I? 

Hope everyone has a wonderful drama free week!

Morning Kitty

5:00 a.m.

Nudge, Nudge, Nip, Nip

Bonk, Bonk

Rub, Rub

 Dig, Dig

6:00 a.m.

Nudge, Dig, Dig, Nudge

Nip, Nip, Bonk

Rub, Bonk,  Nudge

Dig

7:00 a.m.

Bonk, Bonk, Dig and more Digging

Nudge, Nudge, Nudge,

Cold Nose

Bite Hair, Rub Face,

Bonk, Rub, Rub, Nudge

8:00 a.m.

Breakfast is served

8:15 a.m.

  

Sound asleep in a sunbeam - Hard to believe what a little early morning pistol he is!

Some things to Do on a Hot Summer Afternoon When It's Too Hot to Move

Take a long afternoon nap under the ceiling fan...

Have a nice refreshing homemade ice coffee drink without the high prices...

Fight with your brother for the remote...

Help each other out bathing so you don't break too much of a sweat...

Watch Dark Shadows with your Mom...

Hope everyone is staying cool...

Second Opinions

Well it feels like today is the start of another brand new week since yesterday was basically still a Holiday!  It will be a hot one here in Pennsylvania.  Today is supposed to be one of the hottest at 100 degrees - It's nearly too hot to go outside.  I wouldn't mind the heat at all if I only had an ocean for a front yard!  Some day....

This weekend I spent a lot of time hooking a new project (and continuing to watch Dark Shadows of course).  I can't show anyone just yet as it's for a swap on AAPG and it must be a secret until the recipient receives her gift.  I hope she likes it.  One thing to note though is  I had some expert color planning advice...

It's always nice to get a second opinion don't you think?

Hoping everyone stays cool and has a great week.

And All She Wanted Was a Bandaid!

Another beautiful day (week actually) here in Pennsylvania.

Since it was so nice out yesterday I decided to venture out to Grant Street for their Weekly Hook-In!  Such a nice day for a drive - had all the windows and sunroof open and singing to my new Tom Petty CD - yes it was a very good thing that I was alone in the car as no one wants to be subjected to my singing voice!

Had a fun day at Grant Street.  Lots of hooking going on - Everyone was hard at work!

Lots of laughter also, of course...

And even some consulting on a multitude of subjects!  Poor Doris just wanted a band aid but she got more than she bargained for - but this is just what Grant Street is all about - someone is always ready to lend a hand whether it be color planning, listening to complaints, picking a new pattern, sharing a story, cutting wool, sewing something for the sewing machine challenged (THANK YOU SO MUCH LINDA),  and even surgery.... you know the kind of place - one stop shopping!

I was able to finally totally complete my chair pads - all whipped, all labeled, and all steamed (of course I had some (I'll be nice here -- Kathy...) and say encouragement to get them finished

I'm hoping to deliver them today and then with nothing on the frame - will now be forcedto work on cleaning the house and organizing things - have been neglecting that lately with the heat and watching Dark Shadows and hooking!  Of course I will be thinking of what to start working on next!

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July