Summer Time

I don't know about where you are but here at the mission it's hot.  Really, really hot.  Some mornings when I try to walk about 5:30 a.m. the humidity is so high I feel like I can't get a breath.  It's a good excuse to skip the exercise, as if I need one.  :)

I've finished up one more patriotic cross stitch piece.  I didn't even bring my sewing machine with me this time so my evenings are spent on handwork.  This one is by Lizzie Kate and is called Land That I Love.

My apologies for not at least having it ironed but an iron is something I'm living without for this six weeks away from home.  Can you see me smiling?  No iron!  :)

I've become enamored with some of the Little House patterns.  Well, more like addicted.  If anyone cares to feed my addiction with some patterns you're giving away or selling - it's definitely a weakness you could seriously take advantage of.  This is the one I'm working on right now.

Down here in Louisiana the sugar cane is growing so fast I can almost see it get taller overnight.  Ever seen sugar cane?

It reminds me a bit of corn.  It's about as tall as me and will be a lot taller when it's harvested in the fall.  It's so pretty and bright green after a rain....

And the early mornings on the bayou are so amazing.

Out in the distance there are barges and shrimp boats, waiting for the morning or for the season.

Back at home my grandmother's rain lily has bloomed.

This was a couple of weeks ago when there was quite a bit of rain.  Right now it's dry there...and hot...so the blooms have gone.  But the best thing about this rain lily is that when it rains it springs to life again.  Just watering it won't make it bloom.  It takes rain, almost as if God's watering it and it won't bloom until He does.

I brought a couple of small wool applique projects with me but it makes me sweat just to think about working on wool right now.  So, after work today, I'll be back with my Little House piece.  Wonder how they'd feel about me stitching at my desk....   :)

Rain and Noise

I didn't get everything done for the Fourth that I wanted to - it rained and rained and then rained some more.

The umbrella stand under the new table and chairs didn't get painted to match before the rains hit....we got over 4" I think and that umbrella there on that table, well you can't see the top, but the wind blew so hard it picked it up and blew it away!  It landed on the roof of the garage and since my husband and son weren't home my sweet daughter-in-law climbed the ladder and got it down for me.

My husband always cooks shrimp gumbo, which he did.  I always bake, which I didn't.  I had an implant done Monday (oral surgery, not the other kind) and it has hurt the whole week.  My face swelled so bad I got a black eye!

It still aches but it's much better than it was so I guess all is well.  I go Monday for a check up.

As you can see by these pictures there were some sunny days this week and boy was it hot!  There are fireworks going on out on the lake as I write this and I just have to ask....what's the point of the ones that make noise but aren't pretty?  I don't get it.  Loud but no sparkles - that's like cake without icing.  Why bother?

I finally got a new car to replace the one the 18 wheeler smashed.  Did I show you this already?  If I did that's ok, I'll just show it again because I love it.  :)

I'm headed back to the mission this week.  This time my husband isn't going because the heat down there is just too much for him.  I'll be gone six weeks and I'm sure he'll come to visit me one weekend and I'll come home one weekend.  I'm taking lots of stitching with me so I'll keep you posted with how much I actually got done.  I almost finished another patriotic piece this week but not quite - soon.  Could someone please answer this question for me - those of you who cross stitch, what are the benefits of a scroll frame versus other kinds?  I find myself switching from the pvc pipe ones to a clover one to a spring one and right now I'm using an antique spring one that has what looks like cork on the inner lining that holds the fabric.  I like it quite a lot - it's an oval shape and seems to fit my hands.  Do you switch around like that?