Friday Finish!

 

Another week flew by and I think the weekend tired me out, so I have been resting more than doing anything constructive.  Add a noreaster to the mix and no power for three days. We did lose our outdoor tent, but nothing else was damaged.

I was able to make up a couple of Balsam pillows for Christmas. I used a design by Cheri Saffiote, that was part of a larger design. It was something fun to do, to keep my hands busy and a start on Christmas gifts.

This weekend we had planned on taking the kids for a day trip and getting photos, but Saturday didn't work out and we headed to the beach for a bit. The weather is getting cooler and the tides aren't always the best, but still fun to walk along the shore and find a few good treasures. I was surprised to find the blues and the dark one was a new find, it looks blue, but when you hold it to the light, it is a yellow shade, maybe an old piece of carnival glass.

And on Sunday we made it out with the kids. We piled into the RV and headed to the castle. The colors weren't as vibrant as we hoped, but it was a nice day to be out, and take a few photos.

The family photos came out too dark or too light and they are the worst to get nice photos since they all tend to fidget, but this one came out nice and I have been working on my editing skills to make them better.

I did get some nice photos of the scenery. This is the Essex train that takes people on scenic rides up the Connecticut river.

A view from the castle, looking down river.

After the castle, we headed to Devils Hopyard to see the falls. They were not running as strong, but a nice spot to take photos. A day of squatting and running around was enough to tire me out for a week, lol. Tomorrow is rain and hopefully we can find some places with nice color on Sunday. I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Friday Finishes and Fun!

 

This week I worked on my table runner, it is finally finished! I like to keep the runners simple for now since the cats sleep on them and occasionally a claw gets into them, so sadly, they don't last. I hand quilted this one, then I added a blanket stitch around the edge. It has a middle halloween block and pumpkins and fall around it, so I can leave it out for the month.

I also made a small lavender pillow with the monthly stitchery by Kathy Schmitz. This was a fun one to do and of course I changed a few things to simplify it.

We also had some adventures last weekend, though we keep it low key, just getting out and enjoying a few places was enough. We went for a ride and ended up at the castle, always a nice place to walk around and plenty of parking spaces. There were pops of color here and there and we even spotted an eagle, flying over the river.

On Sunday we headed to the island. Rain was predicted and I didn't want to waste what time we had, driving around. It was a great day for the beach, very few people and we got a nice spot with views.

And of course, we went to this spot to find some glass. The tide was going out, so we spent time searching and time, just enjoying the views. 

And I spent some time enjoying my feathered visitors. There are a lot of Black Capped Chickadees that live in the pines and they love to come when I put a bowl of seed on the porch.

And quite a few Tufted Titmouse. I think there was a boom in breeding this year, I have never had so many as I have this year. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and find some ways to find joy in the area where you live.

Art in Maine!

The one thing that you see a lot of in the Blue Hill, Stonington area is art studios. Lots of painters and pottery but I avoided most of the galleries since they are a bit pricey. Then there are the places that sell pieces that are slapped together to sell to the tourists, not what I would buy.

There is one place that is a must stop, if you are in the area. It is called Nervous Nellies Jams and Jellies. I knew they had art done by Peter Beerit, but I didn't realize how extensive the art and displays were, until we arrived. Peter came to Deer Island to start a jelly business and little by little, he has been creating sculptures from found items and building towns based on his travels.

The minute you come in, you are greeted by this lovely couple for a cup of tea.

Bill and Bean are spending time in the jail for smiling too much.

The sheriff is relaxing in his office, unaware of what is going on outside.

Unbeknownst to the sheriff, a jailbreak is in progress.

There are characters in every building and the surrounding areas. This guy is just chilling.

The piano Player....

Bill is getting his fortune told.

After a stop to get some jelly and maple syrup, we found an entire scene of characters, including a castle.

And back to Peter's studio, where a group of characters, were swapping the local gossip, on his porch.

It is a wonderful place to visit and Peter's art is sure to put a smile on your face. He is continually adding to his towns and characters, and there is much more than I have shown here, and more to come. He also has living characters, who visit the bird feeders, that is builds. This little guy was enjoying his perch, waiting for us to leave, so he could raid the bird feeder.

I hoped you enjoyed seeing a bit of Nervous Nellies with me. More to come this week, places we visited, our adventures and misadventures.

Friday Fun!

I am not sure if I had a good week or bad, lol. Bill took the week off since he has been working non stop all month, but plans don't always work out the way we want. The weekend was a bust, with the holiday, too many beach goers to want to go out and fight the traffic. Then I broke a tooth and had to go to the dentist, late in the day, so it killed any paddling on that day. Then I had to go back another day to get a regular check up and it took awhile with X-rays and cleaning. That will teach me to put off going to the dentist;) To top it off, my cheek swelled up so I look like a chipmunk on one side, lol.

The good thing is, we got to go out for a couple of days and enjoy some paddling, even though it was still a bit on the humid side.

We went to Barn Island which is off of the coast of Connecticut and paddled down a cove, then out to the island. The cove was long and calmer, fun to explore new areas.

We even spotted the castle. On the road side it looks more like a castle with gargoyles and stone work. From the back it is a mix of styles, but a beautiful place sitting on the marsh.

You can also find unexpected items while exploring. Why there is an old mini submarine in the marsh, I have no idea.

Today we went to Ninigret Pond. It is a saltwater pond that has a lot of coves and an opening to the ocean. As we came out of the launch, we passed a guy who was hauling in his oyster pots.

We explored a cove today, it was a nice way to paddle without the winds. There was a little spit of land with a duck blind on it, but I guess the birds didn't care.

After we paddled around the cove we came out to the pond again and the wind was blowing harder and I was getting hot and tired. The great thing was, it was low tide and there were sand bars in the middle of the pond. The perfect place to stop and go for a swim. After we rested we went to the ocean but the tide was coming in, along with hundreds of jelly fish, so I decided not to stay and swim there, lol.

And for those who would like a dose of cute, my son took a video of Nicholas and put it to music, just too sweet, love the little guy:) I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!