Friday Finish!

This week seems to have gone by fast, as each week has. It seems I never have time to do all the things I have planned. I was able to make a couple of little lavender pillow with some free stitcheries.  The designs are by Deborah Cade, offered in the primitive quilt group. She has several fun ones like this and I was thinking it would be a cute little quilt, mixed with prim fabrics.

I also made some new masks. One of my sisters sent me money for the ones I made her and extra to make masks for those who cannot afford them. Her twin sister loves angels, so the angel masks are going to her and the bandana ones, for a friend of hers. I also needed kid's masks, so I used some of the fun materials I had left.

I saw that we still have a mask order, until July, so more are needed.

I took some time to watch the birds in my backyard. I have a pair of hummingbirds that come to the feeder but they are always in motion and quick to leave. Hopefully I can get a better shot of the male with his beautiful red coloring.

This Carolina wren is living in one of the houses we put up. I can hear her babies, chirping in the house. I am hoping to get out for some birding this weekend, though we have rain tomorrow, it looks like a great day to explore on Sunday.

I hope this post finds you well and healthy.

Free Easter Bunny!

This weekend I took a break on Saturday since it was windy and cold. It gave Bill a day to work on the bathroom, though I am not sure how much he really did, lol. On facebook there is a group called Homespun Whimsey - Woolen Friends. She offers free patterns and block of the month. When I saw the bunny, I knew I had to make one.

I used what I had in my stash drawers and did more prim stitching, but I wanted to add a pop of color too. I like having things that the boys enjoy too, so more color in my pieces, lately. It was fun to make and I put it on the wall with rug tape. A great way to hang pieces without wrecking the walls.

On Sunday the boys had plans with mom and dad, so Bill and I went exploring by ourselves. We went to a small wooded park, that has paths and along the way, artwork by local artists.

It was a short walk, but fun to see something different and I left a painted rock along the path, for someone to find.

I was in the mood for a longer hike, so we went to the bird sanctuary at Trustum Pond. It was more crowded than usual, but we could still enjoy some quiet hiking along the paths and the local wildlife along the way. There are fields that are off limits for hikers, but I spied this guy and snuck in a little way to get a shot. A red tailed hawk, perfect spot to watch for mice in the fields.

The turtles are still hibernating, but we spied this beaver in the pond.

At the entrance, there is an area for birds with feeders and water, so a great place to see varieties of birds that are coming and going for the spring migration. This little Tufted Titmouse sat just long enough to get a shot.

The tide was going down and I wanted to check out the beach nearby. It was windy and cold, so I did a quick look in the immediate area and grabbed what I could, but too cold to stay out too long. The beach was covered in rocks, I know there was tons of glass in there, hated to leave, lol. The larger round piece was so clear, I grabbed it, thinking it was probably a rock, but I realized it was glass, so a nice find.

Hopefully I can get in the creative mood this week and start working on some art projects.

Friday Finish!

This week I finished another piece done with the snowman pattern from Kathy Schmitz's, One Stitch at a Time Club. I decided to make a runner this time and used white fabric with the fun blue snowflake border. I really like how it came out and am leaving it white for now, it may be going to someone who likes brighter pieces, but I can always tea stain it, if I change my mind.

The finished piece is 26" x 11 1/2".

We had some beautiful weather this week, so we took advantage of the nicest day and Bean got to have some fun time at the dog beach.

Of course he loves to jump, he is such a show off.

He found a piece of drift wood so a few rounds of fetch was mixed in with walking up and down, on the beach.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. I am babysitting Nick tonight, but the poor guy was fast asleep when he got here, so I am relaxing until he wakes.

Friday Finish, and Giveaway!

This has not been my week, or more like, my worst one in awhile. Bill was sick, then I got full blown flu so we were both sick, who takes care of who? LOL, we all know the answer to that.

Bill started to feel better and he did a few things, like take the dog out to play and stare at his computer, but I did get him to go shopping and make up a chicken fry and we made burritos, not the smartest thing to eat when you are sick, but Bill is limited in his cooking abilities. After that I decided rice was a much better mix with the chicken and much easier on my system.

So, two days of misery with the flu, mostly laying on my chair and sleeping, and looking forward to the next day when I would have more energy to relax and sew. Well, that night I had one of my old spells, when I was in the bathroom and ended up crashing my body into things as I tried to stay upright long enough to get back to the bed. Never made it, whammed my hip and whole right side into one doorway, whammed my left side on another door and Bill finally found me on the floor.

So, My body feels like it got  hit all over with a baseball bat, my motions when I am like this are in high gear, I thrust forward or sideways at high speeds, so not much that doesn't hurt, at this point. For now I am waiting for the main trauma pain to subside, then I can see if anything is really hurt or just needs some rest.

I had two things planned for this week, flu killed it for two days, now I can barely move my arms since my shoulders took the brunt, so resting them and just light typing today.

I received my new design from Kathy Schmitz's One Stitch Club and wanted to make a few things for my Christmas box. I did get one thing finished, a snowman dish cloth. This is a fun one to do on a  dish cloth and I was also thinking, what if I add another to the other end as a runner, maybe some simple trees on each side to balance it out, what do you think?

My other project will be a runner, but I just got it started before I crashed. Not the best photo, but my new flash is being buggy, maybe it was the discount batteries, Bill bought;)

We got quite a bit of snow, I was disappointed tonight, beautiful full moon to catch right after the sunset, but my bones can't take a car ride and the roads are still covered, so not worth the risk. The good thing is, Bean was in heaven, he got to go out with Bill and catch snow, that he was shoveling.

And for putting up with all my rambling, lets have a photo contest. The winner gets any free e-pattern from my ecrater site, even booklets. Name this photo, add a funny caption, you decide. I will pick a winner on Monday night.

Weekend Wanderings!

This weekend was nice, but cold. I still wanted to get out and as long as the sun is out, it is always a nice day for a ride. Saturday we went to Narragansett and Galilee. It is nice since we can stop in some stores on the way, then ride around the scenic route to enjoy views of the coastline.

Stopping in Galilee is always nice, we can sit and enjoy the views from the car. I did get out for some shots of the seagulls. A few were enjoying the day on the dock so I was able to get a nice close up of them.

I also caught this one, as it came flying in.

We decided to stop at Black Rock to get some photos and enjoy a short walk. Since I needed my hands to shoot photos, I kept taking my gloves off and it wasn't long before my fingers froze, way too cold but such a beautiful place with it's sculpted rocks.

We ended the day with the kids, who came over for dinner and some fun time with the kids. Here are my three favorite guys. I think Alex is going to be a smart alec like his brother, every time I go to take a photo, he makes a face at me. Very hard to get nice shots of the boys, but at least they are fun ones. Bean was playing roll the rock today, his favorite game.

Sunday I decided to go to Newport. It was sunny and a whole 10 degrees warmer, haha. I knew I didn't want to freeze again, so a ride to a few new places and around Ocean drive would be a nice way to enjoy the views without freezing. We stopped at a beach on the way and spotted this school. I looked it up and it is called St. Georges and for only 38,000 you can send your child there for the year, boarding is 59,000.

We got to our destination, Sachuest Point Wildlife Refuge. I can't believe we never went here, it is beautiful. It has a path that goes around the point, with beautiful views of the ocean and the surrounding areas. I would love to come here to paddle, they do have launches in the area.

The trail is on the ocean and in between are acres of fields and brush for the wildlife and birds. We spotted a herd of deer in the field.

It is definitely a place you want to visit, if you are in the area. This time I wore a pair of old gloves, and I cut off the tip of my index finger so I could take photos. It was actually nicer and warmer by the shore, so we really enjoy spending time there and just strolling along the beach points. 

We drove home along Ocean ave, an area famous for their mansions. The problem was, it was getting later and the traffic had picked up in town, the wind had picked up and the temperatures were dropping, so we just drove along the route and enjoyed the views. 

Since it was still early for sunset, we headed home and stopped in Jamestown to catch the last of the sunset. We stopped at Fort Getty for a different perspective and the setting sun was casting beautiful colors across the bay. It was the perfect way to end our day. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed following me along, on mine.

Friday Finish!

This was a slow week, did a lot of nothing and not sure where the time went, but it is friday again. I did manage to make a few new pieces to giveaway. I think these would be fun to give to someone who needs a little pick me up, during a tough time. They are from a free design that can be found at Free Christmas Coloring under angels.

I did one with tea stained muslin and one with a regular cotton.

We had rain and warmer temperatures so all of our snow melted. Bean loves snow but he also loves to play ball and he loves to do tricks. I was practicing with my new lenses and got some action shots, he sure makes a lot of funny faces and poses when he gets excited.

He never misses a chance to catch a ball.

There was a little snow left over, so we used it for snowball catching.

My son sent me a photo of Nick tonight, I guess he was too tired to eat dinner.

To end my night, I tried some shots of the moonrise. I wish I could have gone to the shore and taken it as it rose above the horizon. Hopefully we will have a clear night tomorrow and maybe catch a sunset or the moonrise, or both. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Lots of Snow Weekend!

We got quite a bit of snow this weekend, so we couldn't go out for any long drives. I was upset about my lens being sent back so we called back and explained to the company, which was actually a foreign service but at least he connected us with the manager of the store. It would be nice if they actually had a number you could call, but  you get an automated message only and no way to talk to an actual person.

The manager was nice and she said she would call back but after two hours, I got tired of waiting. The snow was starting to fall so we headed to the store before it got worse. At that point I was tired of going in circles, so I stated that I didn't like the fact that I would have to buy another lens and since the standard lens was junk, I would want a better one which was twice the price. It still came back to the statement that they already sent it back to the warehouse. No idea why they just didn't shelf it and sell it again and what happens when it goes to the warehouse, it disappears? Haha.

So, we came to an agreement, I get to keep the wide angle for free, so I came out ahead on that since it cost more than the other. Then she said I could have a discount on a new lens, so how could I resist. I decided to go with a better quality 55mm, so I have something for regular shots and it is also nice for portraits.

Of course I had to try out my new lenses, but even with the sun out, the roads were snow covered and slippery.

The first is with the Zoom. I usually shoot at 200, since the full 300 will come out blurry. I shot this from the porch and Bill and Bean are in the back yard. I was hiding under the umbrella, the boys didn't seem to care that it was near blizzard conditions.

This was a phone shot, Bean would stay out, till he turned into a popsicle.

Since we got a late start Sunday, we headed to the village. The first stop was the wharf. As usual the sun was in the wrong position but I caught this cute little guy, hiding in the pots, to keep warm. They like to eat the bugs and things that are on the seaweed that sticks to the cage.

On the other side, I noticed some sailboats, so had to go check it out. It was cold and windy, I would not want to be in a boat now.

In town is another wharf, where you can sit and enjoy the views. 

I was just about to take a photo of the seagull, sitting on the post, when he decided to fly off.

The last stop was at the town launch. It seems someone forgot to bring their boat in. I love the coves in the winter, but it is so cold, I had to give up and go home, to warm up. I hope you enjoyed seeing our town in the winter.

Friday Finishes and Fotos!

This week was a slow one for me, I think the holidays wore me out and I just need some rest time. I love to do simple projects while I watch tv when I am resting, so I worked up a few stitcheries this week.

The first is from Kathy Schmitz's One stitch at a time club. The sample was done as a pin cushion, but as usual I changed it and added some words for fun. They will be fun to use as bowl fillers for Easter.

The second was a freebie from Kathy, Strawberry pincushions. The only thing I did different was to change the topper, keeping mine simple and more prim. The colors are off, it is darker and done on tea stained muslin, but I had to use my zoom to get photos tonight.

Another thing I did this week was take back my wide angle lens. I decided I would be better off with a zoom, so Bill took it back and ordered the zoom and I got that, this week. The problem is, I went to take photos tonight and realized the wide angle was on the camera, ughs, I took back the wrong lens. I cannot believe they didn't check the box, I could have put junk in there, for all they knew. So now I have to get up there and give them the right lens and hope mine is still there. 

I took a few photos to try it. For some reason, no birds were around when I wanted them to be, lol. But, a woodpecker was busy in my neighbor's tree so I took a few shots. He was a good distance up and the limbs made it hard to focus well, but I think it came out nicely, considering.

I also tried taking photos of Bean, but he does not stay still. I got one as he was coming back with a stick. I cropped it to close up and I think I got nice definition for a crop of a zoom. Usually if i do this, all I get is a blurry object and Bean was in motion. Hopefully we can get out on Sunday, seems we have a storm coming in tomorrow. We will need to get out and get supplies and things before it hits. I hope you all stay safe from the storms and enjoy your weekend.

This and That Monday!

No sewing this weekend, mostly getting things done around the house and some shopping before Bill left for the week. I always like to make sure that I have everything that I need so I don't have to worry about going out, if I am down and since I am still resting my back, I have no desire to go out to shop.

My son came over for a Sunday cookout and I was able to download his photos from his phone. Most were ones I didn't want, but I got some nice shots of Nick and Alex, as well as some videos. I have been putting some videos that I take and a few from my son, on my YouTube Channel.

One of the things that happened while my son was there, was the baptism of Nick and Alex. We baptize children as a baby but she wanted to have it with her family, enough said;)

My son got a hotel to stay in while they were in the city, so they spent a week exploring the city. This is a great way to see the city and the mountains in the distance.

They also went to the zoo. Nick is with his cousins, Ivy's sister's kids. I met them while they were here, her sister and I got along wonderfully and her girls are adorable.

And here is a close up of Alex, he does look a bit like Billy in some ways. She is not coming home till the middle of September, so a long wait for grandma.

I haven't been able to work in the garden, just watering since this heat is not helping the new plants. Today it was full of birds, squirrels, a chipmunk and now a baby bunny. I notice a next in the back that had been ravaged, I think this one got away and now he is hiding in the thickets behind the trailer. He was not afraid of me, but then Bean wanted to see what I was doing and scared him away.

Today I got cleaning and laundry done, so hopefully I can get caught up on my BOM's and maybe a new project or two, this week. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

Paddling Up River or Not!

I hope everyone had a wonderful week. I have been looking at blog headings to keep up, but with the slow internet it was too hard to comment this week. Of course I could have stayed in NH for another week or the whole summer, but I do miss the comforts of home;) I took my first real shower today, lol.

We did a lot, every day and by the time I hit the bed, I was asleep in minutes, I tend to over do it, but it is well worth it. We paid till Saturday so we could stay and do some things before we left yesterday. I planned a trip on the Saco River, go up river and float down. Something relaxing and fun.

We started up the river, my goal was to go 3 miles to the bridge and be able to say I paddled to Maine. I was surprised at how easy the paddle was and then I noticed some small rapids, that propelled us forward and realized, the river is flowing up, not down.

There were not a lot of people when we went out, the river was beautiful and views of the distant mountains in Maine.

The water looks so calm, crystal clear and shallow.

Lots of beach heads along the banks, a perfect place to stop and enjoy a swim and let Bean play. I sat in the shallows, too cold for me.

We made it to the bridge and we stopped to take a rest. Then we headed back and that is when I realized how strong the current was. Now I know why people get picked up, but I paid to park only. Plus they charged me 10.00 a kayak, as well, which made no sense. I will email them, I think for that price, they should have given me a map and picked me up. It was confusing since I said I was just going to paddle and come back, no pick up needed, then when we went to the launch, they asked when we wanted to be picked up, so I am not happy with the mis-communication.

And this is how we paddled back, with our feet. I had my small play kayak, fun to play in, but not to paddle against currents. We walked along the shallows and pulled the boats along. Three miles trudging through a river current, I got a good workout and was exhausted by the time we got back. I think they owe us a free day on the river;)

Bean has such the life, when it got too deep, he got a free ride. We won't mention the time that Bill pulled both kayaks while I walked Bean on a long stretch of Beach and I waited a half hour, while he went down river to find the paddle he dropped;)