Tuesday - Pink Umbrella

I stitched up this little one last night. He decided to hang out with a beautiful hosta in Mom's rock garden this morning. I'm enjoying the 60 degree morning and wearing jeans today! The kids and I enjoyed a walk last night with long pants and sweaters for a couple of miles. It was heavenly after Florida feels like in the 100's for the last few months! There are so many beautiful flowers in bloom - I really miss seeing bee balm, cone flowers, daisy, indian sunflowers, hosta and all the pretty annuals. The birch trees with their bright white trunks against the shades of greens. I am so lucky to be able to come up here and see them (and family of course) in the summers.

Slow Sunday

Sitting on the screened in porch overlooking the lake this morning. Listening to the loons call to each other - we have a Mom, Dad and baby loon on the lake this year. I was able to get this photo of them yesterday.

The sun is peeking out behind the clouds and making diamond sparkles on the lake. It will be the third hot and humid day in Vermont today before a blessed cool front moves through and drops the temps back into the high 70's for the daytime temps. Much better than the upper 80's we have been having. Lets hope the wind sticks around today... it makes the hot bearable when you don't have ac! I see us being on the lake in tubes, kayaks or boats (pontoon and/or paddle) today.

As Kathy took 5 projects with her camping recently.... I had to check and I had similar in my busy bag. The embroidery didn't fit into the bags (I had to bring 2 quilts up with me this time to gift). I do have a few stitches to add into the grad quilt binding. About 5-6 needles I think. Too hot to do that until tonight. She saw it Friday and LOVES it! Yea! Unfortunately... the pillowcase is on the back of my sewing chair in Florida! Will have to ship it up before she heads to college.

I have the counted cross stitch - yet to be touched. Some dish cloth yarn and knitting needles - yet to be touched. New to me scrubby yarn from red heart. I started a project with this Thursday night.... I hope to finish it today while stitching on the swing down by the lake.  I used the youtube video here.

I also had some 2 inch fabric squares cut out for Emily's project so added a few pinks to make a pink and white 16 patch. I'll work on that sometime this week. Should be enough to keep me busy for a couple of weeks =)

I don't think I will have as much work time while up here as I was thinking as the internet connection is not stable enough for dialing in. I'll plan to go in once or twice this week and maybe once next week and guess I get a 'forced' vacation =). I don't want to leave the kids alone all day with my parents too much. My sister is taking them overnight Tuesday so I'll work the full day Wednesday and then pick them up from her house. A big thanks to her for doing that.

Both kids have driven the boat... but I didn't get the Aidan photo. This was Emily yesterday before we heard thunder and saw lightning over the other side of the mountain. Uncle David took over and put it in fast and got us off the lake.

Linking up with the other slow stitchers at Kathy's Quilts. 

Vermont....

Looking like a beautiful day in Vermont. The kids just got back from a kayak paddle. They couldn't get the bikes out of the garage yet.. they are tucked behind a bunch of stuff. Once I shower I'll help get the paddle boat down and out so they can get to the bikes. They went fishing yesterday and caught a few little fish off the dock. They are at it again with the fishing poles this morning.

Lake Elmore, Vermont. 

Emily kayaking

They got an expanded level of where they can go this year alone - well together without me.  A little further down the lake. They were excited. Not really an issue as I'll only let them go when it is calm.

Aidan kayaking

The lake was a beautiful calm this morning with a mirror image... until the loons decided to break it up! I hear there is a Momma, Dad and baby loon this year.  The kids got back just in time... a water skier just went by and now there are little rustlings on the water with the sun hitting it - it looks like sparkling diamonds.

A lazy day at camp is planned today. I get to go into work tomorrow and see the actual office while the kids will enjoy a day at camp. I hear aunt Terri is coming out tomorrow afternoon so another adult besides Grammy and Grandpa will be out here. The temps will be high for VT - around 90 degrees so I'm sure they will have lots of water time in and on the lake.

Cross stitch....

Excuse the dust on this one... it has since been dusted but I didn't get a good photo after. This is September from the book Quilts for All Seasons. This one hung in my grandfathers room at the nursing home while he was there. 

 This one is August from Quilts for All Seasons. It needs to get pressed and framed properly. I honestly can't remember which one I did first - I am thinking the September one then August. Then I started January..... Maybe it will get a few stitches added while on the plane this morning? We will see.

Tiny Tuesday Umbrella

A pink owl decided to perch on the umbrella today!

Sunday....

Binding....that graduation quilt still needs a couple of sides bound and hopefully at least one side will get bound today. Worst case... it will get finished up in Vermont if it is not done by Tuesday!

As the sewing area is under construction (painting will finish today and then new floors) I am not really sure what will be taken on vacation. It might be a very old cross stitch to go with the embroidery work I will try. I found it finally while moving things around. Turns out it was in a yellow and blue 'backpack' purse. Amazing the things you find when going through things! This is January from Paula Vaughan's book  Quilts for All Seasons.

Linking up with the other slow stitchers at Kathy's Quilts.

Thursday....

Someone had a riding lesson today. I didn't have hand work prepped..... so took the knitting.

Emily was riding Smudge today - he is a little faster on his trot than other horses she has ridden!

I used up 4 ends of yarn... 2 of the pinks. The kids said it kinda looks like Neapolitan ice cream... if the blue were brown! These were all bits left of all cotton lily - sugar and cream yarn. Works great for dish cloths..... the dishes won't mind the multi color! The other two leftovers of color and hot pink and lilac =).  I heard Mary Poppins 2 is on Netflix.... might have to watch that tonight with a little binding and a little knitting.

Time to change and then go help the kids put the painters tape up and work on coat 1 of the yellow on a few of the walls in the sewing area - maybe 5 of the 9. There are lots of angles in the rest of the room! Lots of shredding and recycling of 'stuff' this afternoon has made a dent in the mess. 

Well - 3 walls done (good things the floors will be replaced!). My helpers....