True Stories from My End of the Summer Garden...

Summer is in danger of wearing out its welcome... we get to this point every year, when it's too hot, too sticky, and the joys of working outside have become a chore. I left this topic in June, when you remember, I vowed to match Mr. SFO's manicured grass with equally lush gardens. For a while, I did keep up-- then two weeks of blistering heat and humidity kept me inside. This is what I found when venturing out yesterday:

Whatever weed took over my caladium garden, I'd like to transplant to flats and sell it. A more uniform and hardy ground cover, I have never seen.

When I bought this new rose bush to try in the front, I'm pretty sure "a sense of humor" was not listed on the tag as a characteristic of growth. Since "a sense of humor" is listed on my tag, I'm leaving this comical sprout until Mr. SFO mentions it.

In this part of the country-- two front doors is a "thing." I don't get it-- but one is theoretically a mud room entrance and one a formal entrance. I guess our people are all mud room people, because that's the only door we use. Occasionally, a more genteel visitor rings the bell at the formal door-- in this case, it was our septic cleanout guy. When I opened the door, instead of looking at me, he was glancing to the right-- no doubt admiring this amazing beanstalk that is hidden from my usual view. Thank God he did-- in another week, it would've taken a chain saw to pull this baby out.

So that's the front yard-- I'm afraid to visit the back-- but a storm is plowing through tonight, hopefully bringing in some cooler weather-- so no gardening excuses anymore. I am very ready for fall.

Did I say that I might spend an entire day finishing my Sew In Love quilt? If you believed me, you got taken for one big long ride! No doubt due to some undiagnosed ADHD, it's not really possible for me to stick with one project for that long. Final assembly has commenced, however-- it is still conceivable it may be done in time for my quilt guild's Hang A Quilt day next Sunday. 

I counted 54 pins in just one row to match the points... 

Then there are two borders... the finished size is 75" x 75" which is about as big of a thing as I would make. Still not a fan of pink-- but it is BEAUTIFUL-- really, even the pictures in the book, no doubt taken by a professional photographer, do not do it justice.

My little Mill Hill Halloween ornament is all stitched and I have started beading it-- it's going well-- no seed beads down the back of my couch yet.

And then, since this is supposed to be an embroidery blog, I will tell you the Kindness Cottage is ready for a first test today-- it is an adorable farmhouse-- "ALASKA" is sketched-- I'm still going in alphabetical order for now, while deciding if ADHD and a 50-state series make for happy road trip buddies-- and I have all 30 Halloween icons drawn for a new advent calendar.

Now, let's get out there and stitch!

xox 

Carol