Friday - almost finished!

 

I worked on my wall hanging this week, something I started over 15 years ago. I can't believe how much time has gone by since I started some projects. I was planning on giving this one to a charity auction for our local shelter, so now I will keep it for now. 

I still have to put some detail on two leaves and I am thinking of putting a saying, Dog days of summer. I have quilted it and done the edge, but I can still work stitches without going through the back, since it is so thick. The bee and grasshopper are designs I got from Wee Folk Art. If you go to her appliqué designs, on page 11, you will see the grasshopper and the story behind it. I was the reader who asked for one.

I will take another photo when I finish the rest. I cannot remember where I got the dog from, the flowers are from books I have and the butterflies were probably from clip art.

This week we missed watching the Viking ship, as it left port from Mystic, so we headed to a beach, further down and were able to watch it as it was making its way to Newport. It will wait there until it is picked up by a cargo ship, to go to Norway. It was far away, so the photo is a bit off.

On the way to the beach, we stopped at the falls. Will all the rain, they are funning faster than usual.

Another day we went for a walk at a nearby park. The falls were heavy there, as well.

During our walk, I was lucky enough to spot another Ovenbird. I use Merlin bird sounds, which is a free app. It tells me what birds are in the area and when I say Ovenbird, I kept looking towards the sound, until I found him.

Today we took a ride around the beach areas, but most were too crowded to bother going to. We decided to stop at Black point, a nice walk along the cliffs and lots of birds. Of course they were all hiding on me, but I enjoyed the walk and the cool breezes coming off the bay.

At home, I have enjoyed all the birds and so far, just sparrows with young, who are quite annoying and noisy. I did spot the House wren making a nest in the old bird house. I also got two blueberry bushes and so far they are doing well with the replanting. I also noticed strawberries on the bushes that Ivy gave me a few years ago, so I am cleaning out the area to give them more room to spread and a fence to keep the critters out.

I hope you all had a nice week and not in the paths of the horrible storms. This weekend is birthdays for everyone, but taking it easy this year. 

Weekend Wanderings!

This weekend was a whirlwind of activity and a lot of tired from no sleep and a day of Nick, and today I am still going and still tired, lol. His dad has a few days off, so I am cleaning and making space in my sewing room for him, so he can work from here. The bad thing is, I won't be able to use my room during the day, but I have plenty to keep me busy.

One thing that I will be busy doing is, lots of stitchery. I belong to Kathy Schmitz's, One Stitch At A Time Club and each month, if you submit your stitchery on Facebook, you get entered into a contest and I won this month and I won a 100.00 gift certificate. What a wonderful surprise to wake up to and of course I have my order in and on it's way. I got stitcheries for fun and some that I can make into gifts. I also treated myself to a kit with threads and fabrics to use in the club.

Saturday was a low key day, I was still dragging, so we went shopping and a few stops at our favorite ocean spots. I really wanted to get out for a walk so we stopped at the rocks and enjoyed the views and the fresh air.

I love the mix of colors on the rocks and do you see the hidden heart in the photo? It is formed from a bed of muscles.

On Sunday we went to Jamestown and Bean's favorite park. The campground opens this month, so we enjoyed some time before it opens. The regular beach was crowded, so we walked along the cliff path and found an opening to a rocky beach. It was the perfect spot to let Bean play off leash.

Bean has no sense and he kept going in the cold ocean water. I told him it was too cold to go in and this is the look I got.

We decided to walk around the campground loop and I noticed a sign for the bird sanctuary. It as a nice walk and I am sure there were some nice birds, but they all seem to disappear when I come with a camera. We found this wonderful old tree on the path, a nice place to walk and enjoy the views on the inlet.

We took a ride up to the lighthouse and it was a lot windier there, and cooler, so we just took a short walk around the main loop. The crazy ducks were swimming in the swells and trying to stay above water.

This seagull did not want to give up his place on the rock, but the incoming tide made the decision for him.

We left, planning on going home and resting and having dinner, but my son decided to come over to visit. Nick was thrilled that we had a new tractor, the old one died and he was so disappointed that he couldn't ride on it anymore. The tractor was the first thing he went to.

Then he wanted to play with Bean, he gets such a kick out of Bean's skills and the two of them are a bundle of energy and laughter.

Bean will go to any length, to catch a ball, wonder how he would do in a soccer field, lol. He has a ball he can throw in the air and bounce off his head, his newest trick to show off with.

To end our day, Danielle's tree is finally blooming, a bit late this year. We also have old apple trees that have finally been blossoming so it is wonderful to see the beautiful pink flowers and the white apple blossoms in the back. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Weekend Wanderings!

Another beautiful weekend and the last before the beaches open and the crowds come, so we enjoyed a few days hiking and exploring.

On Saturday I decided I wanted to go to Bluff Point in Connecticut. It is a wonderful park with nice trails that go out  to the ocean and not only do they have restrooms, they have one at the end of the trail, as well.

There was quite a few people but spread out enough that we could enjoy walking by ourselves, most of the time. Bean was being good, he is calming down enough that he doesn't lunge for every person that passes by, but he does take the lead and it is a hard pace to keep up with. I am trying a new trick, letting Bill take the lead and making Bean stay behind him, so hopefully he will get the hang of walking calmly beside us on public trails.

We took my son which was a good thing, his eyes are better than mine and with Bean pulling, I miss things. The first thing we spotted was a fawn, who didn't seem phased by the people walking by.

Further down the trail my son spotted a bird. I am not good with bird identification, but he was pretty.

The disappointment was, it is nesting season so no dogs allowed on the beaches. They have a long stretch of beach and Bean really wanted to go play in the water, but he had to stay on the trails. The trail ends at the point with a view of Connecticut to the left, Rhode Island beyond that and New York across the water and of course a view of the guys being goofy.

We came back along the inner trail, a quieter path and we spotted this guy who seemed like he was lost. He started to come to me, then got scared and ran. My husband said a guy who he worked with, told him that he released his ferrets in the park, so I am thinking, this may be one.  This photo makes him look scary but he was very calm, just seemed scared.

Sunday was a cloudy day with chance of rain but we only got a brief shower and were able to enjoy some time at Black Point. The tide was going out and the waves were coming in.

I was hunting for heart rocks and Bill decided to take photos of me, so I decided to make faces at him, this is something between goofy and laughing. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Friday ……….

It was a long week that seemed to go by too fast. We had so many plans and didn't get any of them done. It was a week of getting out for walks and shopping and just keeping busy. One thing we did get to do, is find the perfect tree. A few friends sent us gifts along with the cards, so we decided to use the money for the tree and supplies.

I wanted a Kwanzan cherry tree because it blooms in mid-April, and the flowers look like carnations and grow in clusters. It is the perfect tree to bloom beautiful flowers for her birthday. I am putting it in the back yard so it has room to grow and then when it gets bigger, it will be a beautiful tree to sit under and we can start planning more landscaping for the yard, around the tree.

This is the top part of the tree, it already has beautiful blooms.

This is a stock photo of how the tree will look when it gets older.

We also got out for walks and Bean was loving exploring and going new places again.
Bean was so excited that he ran into a tidal pool and I wish I could have captured the expression on his face when he hit the cold ocean water.

This is his, "That wasn't the smartest thing I ever did," look.

We enjoyed the fresh ocean breezes and a good hike along the ocean paths. ( I need a haircut ;)

I was browsing on the web and found this fun set of trailer potholders. They look fun to make and she has a nice tutorial to follow along with the steps. It would be fun to make for your campers or as a gift for a friend. You can find the pattern for the potholders and other wonderful ideas for decorating and sewing at Suzy's Artsy-Craftsy Sitcom.

The Day After!

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for your Christmas wishes and support with my family situation. It really means a lot to me to know that I have so many people around the world, that I can call my friends and the support and love to get me through the tough days.

The good news was my son sent me a message and said we were welcome to stop by for a visit. So, I was torn about going but knew I would regret it, if I didn't, so we went. I enjoyed seeing the baby and we played and took a walk outside with Bean, but they were getting ready for dinner and we were not invited, so I left.

Nicholas is quite the talker, even though most of it sounds like a foreign language, lol.

This was Bean's first Christmas and he was 6 months old on the 24th. I put his first present on the floor and he kept circling it and touching it, and when it moved he jumped back. It really didn't move, it rolled and once he got to see what in inside he was thrilled with his new ball.

Once he got the hang of what was in a package, he opened up his next one. But, he did it very, very slowly, ripping off a piece at a time, lol. Another one of his favorite presents, something to shake to death.

Today was a "Me" day. We went for a ride and I bought myself a new pair of boots so I had something  more practical and comfy for the winter and a large vintage style jar for Bean's treats. After shopping we went to Black Rock and walked along the path and rocks.

Bean loved running along the rocks, he has a natural ability for maneuvering around them.

It was so beautiful today that we kept going and walked along the beach, as well. Bean loved greeting all the people and running in the sand. It is the first time I have been out since I have been sick and the fresh air and exercise put some color back into my face.

Taking a break with Bean for some hugs. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Weekend Wanderings!

We had a beautiful weekend and perfect weather for walking. It is the perfect time of year for walks along the cliffs, the sun is shining and the cool ocean breezes are so refreshing.

This area is especially nice since you can walk along a trail or explore around the rocks and the tidal pools. A container ship was heading for the open waters.

The gulls were gliding with the winds.

Another path follows the cliffs and veers off into the woods. Fall is grape season and even though I can't eat them, the smell was heavenly.

Beautiful flowers line the path on both sides.

And some strange plants, as well. 

It was still early when we got home, so what better way to end the day, then apple picking. We went home first and grabbed Danielle, she picked a smaller bag for her brother and his wife and I got a bag that I am wondering, how I will eat them all, lol.

Yesterday was another great day for a ride and a walk. We walked along the salt marshes but the bugs were so bad, we walked really fast and I didn't take photos. On the way home I saw a sign that we go by, every time we are there. It says, The Fantastic Umbrella Factory. I thought it was a shop and decided we should go check it out. 

Well, it was much more than a shop. It was a group of buildings that are interconnected by paths and trellised arches. It was well worth the visit and we got some more walking in. Most of the items were made by local artisans, but not my cup of tea. 

This was a fun part of the walk, a bamboo forest. I am not sure if it had an out, we couldn't find it, so came back the way we started.

It also had a garden center, ducks and other fowl walking around and even some goats and ostriches.

It is amazing what you find in your own backyard, so it is well worth exploring places in your own neighborhood. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. 

Lots of Wonderful sights to see on the walk around the grounds, but I never did see any umbrellas;)

Saturday Walk!

Today was a beautiful day, it is so nice to finally see a touch of spring. Warm sun and cool breezes, perfect weather for walking.

We went to Black Rock which is a beautiful area that runs along a rocky coastline, to a beautiful sandy beach.

We always stop and enjoy the waves as they crash against the rocks.

I let Bill take a photo of me, a rare thing and of course he was taking too many and I got ready to get up and stuck my tongue out at him and of course he took a shot. And of course that was the only decent one that he took, lol.

The hurricane really tore into the cliffs and destroyed some pathways and left rocks all over the place.

This used to be a carriage house, I don't think anyone is home. A beautiful day to be out and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Before we went for a walk, we hit the thrift store and this was my find of the day.

Weekend Wanderings!

Yesterday was a cold day and we got snow and rain, so it was a good day to go shopping. I found a new store that I wanted to check out and had fun walking around the rooms, at least three times. The store is called Carol's Country Corner and she carries primitive and country goods. You could walk around a second time and see things you missed the first time, so a fun activity for a rainy day. There were a lot of wonderful prims and some antiques and I took some photos, but most came out bad or blurry. This was one of my favorite displays, wouldn't this set up, be fun in a corner of the house.

Here are some of the goodies I got, the sheep and the spool candle will go with a sewing display, that I will be doing in my sewing room. Bill bought the tin candle and striped candle, he had to have it, lol. He is worse than I am, he went so far as to pull that garland off a tree, since it was the last one. He said he liked it, think I should leave him in the car, next time;)

Today was beautiful, a bit cloudy at times and a bit of drizzle, but the rain stayed away and it was a lot warmer. We wanted to check out the area at Point Judith, where there is the lighthouse and fishing area with the breakers. This is what we found at the fishing area. The area was deteriorating from some recent storms and hurricane Sandy did a lot more damage. This is the parking lot now, before it went to the sign, way in the back of the photo. Half of the old parking area, is gone.

We also went to Black Rock. The high cliffs were fine, but as we walked, we realized all the bush was gone. Then we went onto the beach and saw why, the storm came up and ripped away at the land and took half of it, back into the sea and left more piles of rocks on the beach and the pathways.

There was a lot of damage further up and areas where the path got taken down, but it is still a beautiful place to walk and enjoy the views. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.