A Smattering

I swear, I try to keep up with posting, I honestly do; what takes me so much longer than it used to? I don't know. But, in a continuing effort to be more timely, let me entertain you this morning with a smattering of various and sundry events in my life over the past week. There was this-- Theodore the chipmunk who decided to jump in the watering can just prior to my filling it! I heard a telltale scratching, amplified by the galvanized metal, and look who was inside! I jumped-- you bet I did, and my glasses flew off and landed, lenses DOWN (of course!) on the bricks.  The left lens was chipped; smack-dab in the center of my line of vision! Take my word for it, I tried to get a shot of the offensive area (above) but it's hard to tell. I called the eye doctor's office the next morning and was advised to bring them in. I really wanted the lens to be replaced if possible. I was informed, after the glasses were inspected that my lenses were going to be replaced, both of them; and that my warranty expired that VERY DAY! 😲 One day later and it would have cost me, dearly. As they say, timing is everything. Oh, Theodore was released to scamper back under a shrub! If it's not one thing it's something else; remember that toad that hid in my tennis shoe?

My favorite first cup of the morning tea; has been for years. Stash, Christmas Morning, a blend of black and green teas with a hint of jasmine. It is perfect. Why do they have to mess with the packaging and even the tag? It's bad enough that the box sizes are smaller now but I have a whole new item to search for when shopping, the new branding doesn't resemble the original in the least. I liked the tag to read "Cup of Joy", it made me happy. A dear friend once told me that "change is life" and if one doesn't adapt to change we know what the alternative to life is-- but change for the sake of change?
I took Lynnleigh shopping the other afternoon for fabric to make a sundress. Here's the pattern:

I told her that she would need to choose something to make a dress for herself and and also a contrast fabric. (Yes, of course, there will be a doll dress too!)  She was very serious about the entire selection process, no greater decision has ever taken longer. The hardest part for her? Finding the "contract fabric"!😉 I believe that she had a fun time and was pleased with her ultimate selections. 

She had a performance with her singing friends the following evening, it couldn't have been cuter!

Some quilting has been going on. I quilted this for a friend last week. Her desire was for parallel wavy lines; it turned out nicely, I really liked this pattern. She made it in a mystery block of the month class. 

I have another QOV on the rails now, these are always different, inspiring, and so much fun to work on!

The Hydrangea are spectacular this year! These are around back, adjacent to our patio space. I have inadvertently cut them back at the wrong time of year, more than once, only to be left bloomless the next summer. Now my plan is one of benign neglect and they're rewarding me. We still have no 'start date' from the contractor for our screened-in porch project back here; we know that we're on the list, hopefully we're getting near the top. Sadly, it looks to me like we'll be enjoying it in the fall instead of the summer this year; but there are many summers to come, it's all good. 

The new perennial garden is coming along; blooming is beginning! We have, at long last completed the making of all the stepping stones and are still in the process of installing them.

Another viewpoint. The beaten-up large stone in the foreground has since been replaced. 

As I posted earlier, we made four personalized stones and placed them randomly for the grandchildren to discover, each one bearing their initials. Gregory was first one to stop by and discover his on Sunday afternoon. I think he liked it!

Today is the last day of school in public schools here; remember how that felt?

Forty eight years ago today my husband and I graduated from high school together. We were the last class to graduate in front of the school, outside in the driveway, squinting into the setting sun. (Since then, graduations have been moved indoors, into a field house that wasn't quite ready in 1971.)

SUMMER!! It seemed like it lasted forever back then. 

Life is Good!