Updates from July, 2023 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Noreen 2:20 pm on July 13, 2023 Permalink  

    Thursday the 13th 

    Man, oh man.  The heat sure came up today in a hurry at noon.

    We had hair cuts here in town this afternoon.  One day the hair feels ok and the next day, its got to go.

    The studio and I are hatching out a plan to work with a family member’s plan.  Nothing for certain and nothing out of the realm of possibilities.  There will be more at a later date.

    This is a short and sweet ditty today.  I came home from the haircut and didn’t really want to tackle much.  That’s what can happen when the earlier part of the week can do me in.

    Catch you tomorrow.

     
  • Noreen 2:44 pm on July 9, 2023 Permalink  

    Hello Sunday 

    This morning, with a breeze, it felt great.  With three cats following me to the east old Hosta bed, we headed out to see what the Roundup did for us yesterday.  Hmm.  I may be a little impatient.  We will try again tomorrow to take this walk.  I was just thrilled to have the area looking better than it had all of this spring and summer.  The cats found that hiding and playing in the tall plume grass a great game of cat and cat. 

    I can so vividly see Lena in her quest with weed killer.  Lena in her dust cap and a sprayer would check the rows of the new wind break.  She always had on heavy gloves.  If the weeds were too close to the young trees, she carried along a rag that she would spray with the weed killer and then take a hold of the weed and pull it through the rag as she held it.  Take that!

    If Lena, aka: Mom, was outside, more than likely a dust cap was on her head.  She took round circles of print fabric and sewed a hem that she would string elastic through.  Various colors of her dust caps were on the peg by the back door.  It was her perfect solution for helping out in livestock barns or in dusty chicken barns.  Mom’s hair was always fit to be in the company that the situation called for.

    As the east patio was getting a tidy look via the leaf blower, next door Jan came out for a chat.  Her yard reminds me of my yard years ago, waiting for the weed that dares show its face.  Jan is now retired from our school district.  May the birdies fly over her yard and pop out lots of seeds that will become weeds.  Jan has no hobbies to take her into quiet hours if there is no yard work.  She’ll get it figured out.

    The front deck had been my place earlier for coffee before I had gone outside.  When coming in from blowing off the east patio, I had a peanut and jelly piece of toast with the second cup of coffee while reading a few pages in my newest old book from the library while in my cherry red chair.  Washing the hands, the counted cross stitching needed a few pokes with the tapestry needle.  By the way, that cherry red chair is perfect for back support while stitching.  The left hand holds the hoop and the right hand runs the needle doing one “x” at a time.  I enjoy the quiet of my bedroom porch.

    The next event of my day was down in the studio.  A long time ago, I found four nice textured woven black placemates.  I had thought of making my own black mats from scratch for a project that has been discussed in the Pokemon vernacular.  I need three for sure and this will give me a chance to try out the fourth to see how it stitches.  More some time later on that.  I do move from one item to the next in my days as it is kinder on my ole body than overdoing any one thing.

    Tomorrow we see Dr. Renee in Mankato and she will sign off as Dennis’ wound doctor.  Everything done according to insurance and Medicare.  Jump through one hoop at a time.

    Enjoy what is left of the weekend.  It has been great.

     
  • Noreen 1:11 pm on July 7, 2023 Permalink  

    Another Gift 

    Another welcomed day of cool temps.  A great gift.  Breakfast under my belt, garden shoes on and out the door I went.  The Roundup I applied yesterday had a lot of weeds hanging their heads.  I chose three more Hosta to cover with my pails before the Roundup was sprayed.  Some of the broadleaf weeds looked sicker than some of the clover.  Hmm.

    With Honey Bunny trailing after me, I went to the far east to check on an older Hosta bed.  What my intentions are is for the plume grass to take that entire area over.  The white feathery plumes are beautiful in the late fall.  Each plume also has a seed pod for birds to harvest.  When I got closer to the area, I could not believe the amount of Nightshade plants.  They are easy to pull up and before I knew it, I had a bail of them piled up.  My gardening time was over.  Tomorrow I will take a clipper with me as there are several Elm trees that have gotten a pretty good start.  I intend to pull all the nasty unwanted, staying with my early hours as the temps may decide to climb over the weekend. 

    I visit the library and take home quite a few books from the rack of books put out to pasture.  When I came in from gardening, I enjoyed a cup of breakfast coffee and finished the one in my bedroom porch.  What I do with them when I have finished, I plunk it into the recycling bin just as the library does with those not taken home by anyone.

    My stitching of counted cross stitching took me up to the time Dennis came in for a noon half sandwich.  I had leftover meatloaf on a slice of bread and Dennis had a tuna sandwich.  One length of thread does make headways in the stitching.

    I had been contemplating a project in the studio.  There had been quilt blocks saved on a flash drive.  Rather than the multied colors on each block, I wondered what the design would look like in silhouette for either a placemat, a pillow or the popular mug rugs.  I have one such prototype under the needle right now.  When it is stitched out, I will need to confer with a partner in crime for decision time.

    Take care everyone and keep the balance in life as your main focus.

     
  • Noreen 2:28 pm on July 6, 2023 Permalink  

    My Element 

    On this chilly morning, I was up early and in my element, bent over getting after a few weeds that I knew would pull up well from the half inch of rain we had earlier in the week.

    Where the old Lilacs were cut down there is no shortage of sucker plants coming.  Not all are going to make it.  I reserve the right to set literal boundaries.  Realizing that my set time for gardening was fleeting, I set about putting three pails over three Hosta.  Let the Roundup commence.  I left the pails in place as tomorrow morning, I will protect three more Hosta before spraying.  Take that you nasty clover plants!

    I do put a time limit on my gardening.  If I waited until my arms began to ache . . . it would be too late.  If restless legs are difficult to contend with, the left arm, from the stroke, will keep me up all night as the nerves retaliate from too much for too long.

    Dennis was just getting up from his morning nap when I came into the house at 10:30.  His task was mowing the remaining yards.

    After washing up, I was content having a cup of breakfast coffee and reading in my bedroom sitting upon my cherry red chair.  After a bit, I worked on my counted cross stitch.  I am really enjoying the project.  I don’t stay at it for long lengths of time as the right hand tends to want to fall asleep from gripping the needle.  Everything in my world is doable if I listen to my body.  It all ends up giving me a balanced day and a balanced life.

    Tomorrow on my agenda is to do an embroidery design that I have been mulling over.  I will let you know how that turns out.

    This evening we are having the last of the two-minute meals we had purchased in Mankato this last Monday.  It will be meatloaf accompanied by our very own instant mashed potatoes.

    Don’t you just love this weather!

     
  • Noreen 12:05 pm on July 2, 2023 Permalink  

    Sunday the 2nd 

    And July is not going to slow down.

    For now I have decided to kick back and take on the persona of a retired individual.  In my thinking, I know that going back to the stitching in the counted cross stitch designs brings satisfaction, ever so slowly, while still having something to show for time and energy.

    Thinking back, my brother, Michael picked up a hoop and DMC threads.  While waiting for the batch grain dryer that was running out in the middle of the yard, Michael did counted cross stitch at the kitchen table to avoid going to sleep by twiddling his thumbs.  Michael did several designs with deer as the feature.  Today I know just where those framed pieces are.  They are hanging in the stair well of the repurposed granary.

    My-Cross-StitchThe design I chose will be worked two stands of floss over one, only doing what the hands and spirit allow per each time.  I chose a deep navy to do the entire design in one color.  The cherry red chair in my west bedroom porch has a lot of natural light to either read by or stitch by.  I am using a 16 count fabric.  Sixteen stitches per inch.  There is a huge selection of fabrics available.

    May everyone find their passion.  It may not be just one area of interest, but enough to give a balance in each and every day.

    Tomorrow we meet with the surgeon’s second in command in regard to Dennis’ left foot, to close the book on those types of medical appointments via door three of the Mankato Hospital.  Procedure must be followed.  A week from tomorrow we will do the same with the specialized wound doctor.  Oh so close to leaving those wonderful medical people in the closed book.

     
  • Noreen 1:31 pm on June 30, 2023 Permalink  

    There Goes Another Month 

    Time does seem to pass quite quickly here on Stauffer Avenue.

    When Dennis takes Dwayne to McDonald’s once a week, Dwayne’s wife comes out and thanks Dennis.  They live in Homestead Cooperative with a west facing unit.  One measly window with someone else’s grove to look at.  His days must seem endless.  His days of living his dream out on his farm place tinkering was cut short when his wife wanted to live in town.  Each week Dennis comes home to Stauffer Avenue, loving every minute of being here. 

    Speaking of tinkering . . . the mail carrier delivered my fabric, pattern and the needed floss for this Grammie to try her hand at counted cross stitch after a twenty-one year hiatus.  No, I am not sorry that the huge amount of floss that had been in the studio found a new home.  My counted cross stitch project will be done in one single color.  I have watched many videos, coming to the conclusion that is the way I will go forward.  The pattern I chose was designed using just one color.  Why make my enjoyment more complicated than need be.  Day-to-day can be as complicated as we wish to make it.

    I rode shotgun to the Lewis Drug today with Dennis.  Two of my 90-day prescriptions were a whooping $2.23 for both.  Dennis likes to go through to the drive-through window.  One day, when I was out and about, without thinking, I went right up to the drive-through.  Hello!  My left arm wanted to bat me along side the head, if it could have moved that far.  I apologized and told the gal, I would need to drive around to the front entrance.  She wouldn’t hear of it, and before I knew it she had gone out their back door and greeted me at my rolled down window.  Talk about hometown service.

    I hope anyone and everyone that can make their fourth of July enjoyable for themselves have my blessings.  Us on Stauffer will be most happy for you as we will be content and happy with you in spirit.

     
  • Noreen 1:37 pm on June 29, 2023 Permalink  

    Good Feelings 

    Today was the date on the calendar that is important to us.  Today Dennis and I were scheduled for pedicures here in St. James.  It was not a pedicure and a half.  It was for two, it bares repeating, two pedicures.  The last time Dennis had a pedicure for both feet was September of 2021.  For Dennis to have been able to soak that left foot, he sat back and enjoyed it.  Good feelings all around.  Hats off!

    When I had been in my bedroom porch reading, I had noticed one of the castor wheels was not engaged.  This afternoon, the cherry red chair went out onto the front deck.  Manned with scissors, tweezers and even a needle nosed pliers, Dennis tipped the chair over and went to work clearing all the castors.  At some point in time, the chair had been on a fuzzy blue nylon carpet along with other threads.  What Dennis picked out, strand by strand would have been what the birds would have liked to feather their nests with.  Good job Dennis!

    Today, I have been content in the studio doing some cleanup from fuzz and threads.  The first order of business was the furnace filter to be swapped out.  The next item was the filter on our huge dehumidifier to be taken out and washed.  Amazingly the amount of fuzz and threads over several months, has a day of reckoning.  It may be quite some time before any amount of studio time will be as structured as it has been over a king sized t-shirt quilt and two twin sized quilts.  It does do the heart and soul good feelings to do what some cannot do.

    I have no immediate plans for the studio other than keeping it tidy so that when I do get a wild hair up my butt, it will be ready.

     
  • Noreen 2:46 pm on June 28, 2023 Permalink  

    Well, Well 

    A photographer I am not.  Items in my stitching get moved about.  Items are patted down so all lays symmetrical . . . not.  It is what it is today.  Yes, I have been pushing it a bit.  Whether it is a studio project, a garden spot in need of weeding or perhaps one too many idiot phone calls . . . in time we are calling it for the day.

    With any project that comes out of the studio, measure once, measure twice before stitching so borders are uniform . . . and they are.  The last item on the twin quilts was for me to personalize them.  I had made sure that the quilt tops were identical in content and design so there could be no comparison to the negative.

    Well-WellThis latest project has brought me great satisfaction.  Taking a grocer’s bag of wrinkled t-shirts, dumping them out on the church tables and saying, “Well, well, well what do we have here.”  After two and a half months there are finished products.  The studio is happy, I am happy and Dennis is also happy.  Dennis had the job of arranging all of the blocks that then became a quilt top of sixteen blocks each.

    I don’t think I have it in me to do anymore today other than to help Dennis put supper on the table.

    Catch me tomorrow and see what is happening.

     
  • Noreen 1:35 pm on June 27, 2023 Permalink  

    Let it Be 

    Garden-SpotThis year the garden spots are on their own.  Whatever can come up and be proud . . . let it be.  If we could have more than a tiny sprinkle of rain, there are some weeds I could pull.  Me and a hoe do not get along.  I think the jewels of purple blooms at the picket fence may very well be a weed.  Each year I marvel at these plants.  I am sure they multiply by the seeds they drop.  We now have some on the east side of the house.  Whatever they are, I enjoy them and I encourage more next year.

    I did work in the studio for a time today.  My shoulders, arms and hand recovered quite well from some free motion quilting yesterday.  What I didn’t count on was my right knee.  Having the pedal to the metal yesterday . . . the knee sent me a message during the night.  Today as I have been stitching, I am using my left knee on what I call, “the foot feed.”  Many sewing machines have a bar on the right side of the sewing machine cabinet that engages the stitching when the knee puts pressure on the bar.  I think I could have sewn an entire wardrobe of clothing without the knee bucking.  Free motion is a whole bunch of stitches.  I have gone through six full bobbins.

    I have started a new book to enjoy whilst in my bedroom porch sitting upon my cherry red chair.  I picked books off of the “free” shelf.  It doesn’t seem to bother with who the author is . . . I can easily get with the program.  With reading, sewing and some YouTube channels, my days have a good balance.  I am contemplating adding one more diversion.  I have not done any counted cross stitch since . . . it seems like forever.  I have checked things out and a design called a sampler can be done in just one color.  I am leaning towards that.  Simplistic and yet satisfying.  I’ll let you know how that will go. 

    In thinking, I believe there is a whole bunch of items in my world with the “let it be.”

     
  • Noreen 3:08 pm on June 26, 2023 Permalink  

    What a Day 

    Enjoying breakfast coffee on the front deck seemed like the perfect way to start a week.  Granted, it was cool, but I sure didn’t mind.

    My first order of business was to take all extra, foot orientated, medical supplies off of the first floor of our home.  Right now it is all sitting in the middle of the walk-way on the basement floor.  Dennis thinks we may need some of it again in the future.  My thinking is that there must be a place to donate it to.  If we do have a medical need, Medicare and insurance would supply us with the appropriate supplies for the need.  I will think on it as it is not in my way.

    Today was a full day of stitching.  My ole cowboy kept me supplied with coffee.  In turn, I instructed him with a few tips on supper prep.  After this short blog posting, all the lights in the studio will be turned off.  Tomorrow when I come back down to the studio, the task on hand with the free-motioned quilting done, will be trimming the quilt from the extra batting and backing.  If the shoulders, arms and hands have recovered, I may sew on the binding.  I am not ruling out getting side tracked.  What a day I have had.

    I hope all have enjoyed the cooler weather.

     
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