Camping with the boys!

Yesterday the boys came for the day and we enjoyed some time at camp. They loved swimming in the lake, playing with Bean and Alex tried some rowing in the raft. They are also such a joy and make everything more fun, but they also have way too much energy, so grandma was worn out by the end of the day.

The camp has a nice playground and a nature center, so they kept us busy.

Before we went home, we stopped at the salt water launch, nice shallow water, so more time to play and explore. Of course, telling them not to get wet didn't work, too much fun running and splashing.

The day before we went to Blue Shutter beach, across the road. Dogs can go after they close, so we enjoyed a nice walk and I was able to catch this guy surfing. I wish I was able to get his name so he could have a photo. I will check with the local surf groups to see if anyone knows him.

We stayed long enough to watch the sun setting. A beautiful place to go when the crowds are gone. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. We are home for the night. Rain came in today, so we stayed and I got to paddle a bit, then we left, just as the rain came down. They warned of heavy storms, but so far, just rain. We are staying till Saturday, so I will probably post that night or Sunday.

Weekend Camping!

We are camping, but came home for the night. I was happy that the weather is much cooler but it is also windy and cold, so definitely not swimming. Today it as so windy that I couldn't go out to paddle.

Here is our site, there is a little path to the water, so we have our own tiny beachfront, but perfect for us and Bean. No even or paved sites here, lots of bumps and rocks.

With high winds, we decided it was a perfect day for a hike. We went on a trail that goes around the pond. The trail is long and we started late, so we just did a couple of miles.

With all the rain, the paths were lush with growth. They have done nice board walkways since the area can get swampy. Luckily the cooler air kept most of the bugs away. Bill takes horrible photos of me, and tends to wait until I am making gestures and faces at him.

Another section with a snake like path, they also laid roof tiles on one part, since it was downhill and slippery. Bill and Bean do not know how to relax and look natural, haha.

We ended at the covered bridge, a nice spot to stop and relax, before we headed back. We also came back to get the regular kayaks, so we can paddle around the pond tomorrow. We have to carry them on a T-Bar, so we had to bring the trailer down first. Hopefully the winds will die down and we can enjoy more paddling and some bike riding. I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Friday Finish!

This week I have been getting ready for camping, but I wanted to make something that I could finish in a few days. I admit, I had to push it, to finish it fast enough, but I got it done.

The design is a freebie offered by Lori Brechlin in the punch needle facebook groups. Lori's group is called The Punch Needle Guild, if you are interested in joining her group, but it is offered on the others.

I used floss from my scrap box, lots to use up, that is nesting more and more. The orange is a variegated floss that I bought in a package. It is cheaper and with a coupon, you get a lot more for your money. I over dyed it to antique it a bit and it makes a fun pumpkin shade.

I used the twisted yarn method for the edge, a mix of black wool and a bumpy green. Once done, I antiqued it with walnut ink. It looks lighter and whiter than the actual piece, but I have to lighten some areas so you can see them, which ruins the rest.

We also attended the memorial service for my daughter's friend. They were very open about her death and that she lost her battle with her addiction. There was a lot of sadness and crying and a lot of laughter. I made up a little photo of Jenna and my daughter Danielle, as a tribute to them both. And it was confirmed that Jenna will be buried near my daughter, just a few feet away, so I think that is a comforting thought for both of our families, together again in death.

This is when the girls were little, at Jenna's house. I had never seen this photo, so was happy to see them together, smiling and happier times. The saying  I found online and changed to fit them both.

Friday Finish!

This week I worked on a stitchery from Kathy Schmitz's, One Stitch Club. This one was a fun one to do and I added some color for fun. I am leaving it for now, since I may add a wedding date and name. One of my nieces is getting married and I thought it might make a nice little gift. I will probably add a border and make it into a pillow.

Not the best photo, took with my phone, but it looks much nicer in person.

A short one tonight, my heart is heavy. I found out today that one of my daughter's best friends died. They found her unresponsive, so I am assuming it was a drug overdose. She had called me this week, out of the blue and now I wish I had the time to invite her over. I know the pain her family is going through and a loss for us as well, she spent a lot of time at our house too, when the girls were younger.

This is a photo of them together, now they are together in heaven.

Weekend Camping!

Well, it seems it is becoming a bad habit, I get sick or hurt on camping trips, lol. This time I was sick. I know Alex had a fever the day before we took them out, so I assume I got something from him, since my son told me they were all sick this weekend with the flu, too.

But I had my med and it kept me moving, even if I crashed more often, I was able to have some fun and enjoy some rest. I tend to go and then come home and crash, I feel like I got hit by a truck, but it was worth it.

Today I did one more paddle which was what did me in, it was a little calmer, so I was able to paddle into the cove with my good camera and lucked out by spotting a female Belted Kingfisher.

I had my little kayak, harder to paddle but fun to putt around, in the coves. Bill was taking photos of me, I was checking out the areas around our site for clean spots. It was a lot more murky this time, but still swimmable.

Of course Bean did what Bean loves. He would stay in the water all day if we let him. We went for lots of walks too, fun to check out the other campers and sites, in the surrounding sections.

And the weather was perfect, sunny most of the time, with a nice breeze. The sunsets were beautiful over the pond.

And after it set, it was still beautiful with the colors in the clouds.

We enjoyed our time and sad that we didn't get to bring the boys, but with them being sick and with my energy level, it would have been too much for all of us. When we got home, I was treated to the new Cedar Waxwings that are visiting. This is the type of bird that I had found on the ground, so maybe one is him, there were a lot more today, so I assume it was a new family in the area.

I hope you all had a nice weekend and enjoyed seeing some of the beauty at Burlingame camp. It is a nice camp to visit, lots of nature and close to the oceans, as well.

Friday Finish!

This week there was a new mitten I wanted to do. Each month there is a new one and this one was perfect for me. It will be nice with my beach theme room and for relatives who love nautical items.

I did make a mess of my layout, a bit crooked, so I do need to pay attention to how I set things on, before I sew them down. It makes me want to do more with my own nautical designs on each, for a beach tree.

You can find the stockings at Christmas Present on facebook.

I also finished the top for my runner, another item that is a bit wonky. My brain is wonky lately, so are my finished items. It will be used and prim, so a little wonky is ok. Since we are just going for a weekend, I will wait and take it on the longer trip. I have my stitcheries I can work on, but I know I will be on or in the water, most of the time.

The edges will be  trimmed down, after I quilt it. I like extra edge just in case it ravels. And if you notice, there is a new fabric in the mix. I decided to buy a yard to use, so I have two of each pattern. It was the perfect shades with acorns and leaves.

I thought you might like to see a photo collage of me and my family, through the years. They are all at the same camp and beach area. I was around 3 and in clothes. My mom would put dry clothes on me and I would be back in the water, I still love water. Danielle was 4 and Nick was 4 in his photo, so we were all close to the same age in the photos.

The weather looks great, no humidity, so I can enjoy being outside and later in the day we will head to the ocean, across the street. No dogs at the beaches, but no one cares after they close. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Weekend Wanderings!

I just realized I hadn't posted yesterday, lol. When we do things on the weekend, I will post on Monday and still do projects on Friday.

We had a fun day with the boys. We took them to the orchards to pick peaches, but by the time we got there, they were picked out for the day. They only allow so much picking each day, and between getting ready and then picking up the boys who also dawdle, we never make it in time.

They did have lots of Blueberries though, so the boys helped us pick 4 quarts, enough to enjoy and some in the freezer. They were disappointed that we couldn't take a tractor ride, but they still got to play on one.

Next we stopped at the launch area, for some play on the tracks and rock throwing. I think they could spend the day throwing rocks in the water, their favorite activity. The tracks are not in use now, so a great place to relax and enjoy the views.

The last stop was at the farm to see the sunflower fields. The boys had fun walking along the paths.

On the other side of the road were more fields of sunflowers, a beautiful place to explore and enjoy the farm. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I am finishing  up my runner, so I can take it to camp with me.

Friday working on!

This week was catch up with cleaning and repacking the trailer for the next trip. We have three days at the state park, right on the pond, so I plan on swimming and paddling, as well as some biking, if it is not too hot.

Or course I need a project to work on, since there are no hook ups, I wanted something I can do in lower lighting. Hand quilting is perfect and I need a runner for the fall, so I am working on putting one together, so I can sit and stitch during my rest time.

I used what I had, most is from my friend Kelley's stash, love the older fabrics and it has a prim, but fun print on most of them. I think two more blocks will be enough, and I will add a black sashing around the blocks, which should pull it together nicely. Then I will add the black as a border row. I think it might look more like halloween, than fall, though.

I used my phone, so not the best photo. I buy yardage of black linen, great for borders.
The blocks are 15" and I think 1" sashing should be enough. It won't be perfect or all matched, but I want to use what I have and it also serves as a sleeping spot for Moki, so for now, fancy applique is out. I will use black pearl cotton to stitch with.

Here is a close up of the main fabrics, they show the colors better.

I also have been keeping an eye on the Keets, for some reason the other Guinea Hen is picking on the mom. They chase her away and she runs off and leaves the babies, who get all upset and run around chirping. She does come back, but no idea whey they pick on her and today they even picked on the babies, so I have been chasing them off.

While I was putting out seed for them, I found this little guy on the ground. It is a baby Cedar Waxwing. I assume it fell out of one of the pine trees and was stunned, so I bought it on the porch for a few hours and it took a nap, then I placed it high in on of the crooks, of a pine. The mom will come back and help feed it,  until it is ready to fly on it's own.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and remember to check your lawns before mowing. A lot of babies are leaving their nests and baby bunnies, as well.