Sunday 18 May 2014

Stitching pears.....

is driving me bananas!!

Why.... because I'm stitching green pears on a green(ish) dotty background and I am boggle eyed!   My strongest crafty spectacles are about as much good as a chocolate teapot in this case and I've lost count of how many times I've attached those pears to my finger end.    

Oh well.... seven down...... nine to go........



It's not all been pain and suffering.     I finished all the applique for Block One of In My Garden.  Yes....the fountain is the wrong way round.   So much for remembering to reverse the pattern before tracing it on to freezer paper! It's not the first time I've messed up and it won't be the last......


Ta da!!


Block One is finished... done...  and I'm feeling flushed with success.  Either that or the menopause is making a comeback!     Block Two is a work in progress (the dreaded pears).... watch this space.

Mum commandeered my sewing room again this weekend


Her  latest project is a blanket for Maisie.    Bit of a big blanket for a very small cat.  It's going to have to be folded so many times poor Maisie will get a nosebleed sitting on it.  

What else?

It finally stopped raining long enough for me to get out into the garden....


to check out the damage to the big greenhouse.    What a ramshackle state it's in!   Weeks of the worst storms we've seen in years with gale force winds and falling tree branches all but demolished Mac's pride and joy.   The front view isn't much better....


Now  Mac is convinced we can fix it 'together'!   Which basically means he'll supervise while I do the heavy lifting.   I'll never forget the day we were installing the glass on the roof and he left me on a step ladder holding a large glass panel in place while he went to get some tools....  he only forgot I was there didn't he!! Had himself a cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich before he realised something was missing.....me!!

In the interests of sanity and the preservation of marital bliss.... I'm ignoring the greenhouse for now.    I've started digging instead.....


The veggie bed didn't have any occupants last year and guess what..... the grass moved in.   Darned thing has turned into an extension of the lawn.,   The ground is still soaking wet so no chance of giving it a good going over with my trusty garden fork.    It's a hands and knees job with a pair of tweezers (OK... a hand fork) .    Mac suggested I wore his old wet suit to creep about the soil... that man has a problem!

Right now you might be asking what happened to Maintenance Man.   Well...  he just went and got himself a regular job didn't he!   Can't say as I blame him....self employment in hard economic times is no fun for a family man.    So... it's back to the land for me.  

I'd almost finished ground clearing  .... OK... I'd reached the point where my neck and shoulders had solidified..... my little finger hurt... I was cold and wet and about to start blubbering when......


along came more rain.    Was I glad to see it... perverse or what!   Still... I got to go inside and once I'd managed to bend enough body parts to get into a nice hot bath all was well... until it was time to get out again!

Well... I think it's time for me to shut up.   I'm starving and the Lasagna in the oven is smelling oh so good.   Time to open a nice bottle of red and relax....ahhhhhhh!

See ya soon...... don't do anything I wouldn't do (ha... plenty of scope there then)!

Hugs
Josie

24 comments:

Chookyblue...... said...

hope you made it out of the bath to enjoy the red.........send the rain my way.........nice stitching.........perseverance don't they say........

Jeanette said...

Yes send the rain our way Josie. Maisie o=is going to have a beautiful blanket. Good luck with those pears & the green house. Hugs,xx

Susan said...

They really are lovely blocks, but I remember those pears driving me wild too! Good luck in the garden.......think I might stick with the sewn variety.

Brenda said...

Rain here to Josie! We decided on raised beds this year since we have been getting our garden in so late in the spot where it has been because of all the rain the last couple of years. Hubs is doing the digging....I have been doing my normal putzing around, filling hummingbird feeders along with others. Sitting up a fairy garden area even though I had told myself I was not going to jump on that band wagon. Still working on my crochet but the sewing has stopped for the time being. Love your quilt and your mother must love her kitty!

Anonymous said...

hi Josie ,lovely post ,oh your mum is so gorgeous,love that she is making a rug for the cat,god bless her,hope you have an awesome day my friend.xx

Leanne said...

You are such a character Josie, what a poor site your green house is in, wish I could pop over and play in there, I would help you fix it up. I love gardening.
Your garden blocks look amazing, beautiful work my friend. Has your package arrived yet? I got mine and I did email you, hope you got it.

Talk soon
Love leanne x

debbie said...

Lovely quilting...and gardening. I only grow in pots these days due to my health, but I have some very happy looking pot residents at the moment LOL. xx debbie

Rebecca in AK said...

Your Garden blocks look amazing! So sorry about your green house, I hope it won't be too difficult to repair. Your Mom is expecting Maisie to grow into quite a large cat I see! Rest up before you tackle anymore digging!

Wendy said...

Your blocks are gorgeous Josie, love them! Your mum's blanket is going to be lovely too. Too bad about the glass house, maybe there is another friendly handy man around somewhere?? xx

margaret said...

your fingers maybe suffering but this quilt is going to be fabulous, I think it is the Anni Downs one, Mum is hard at work and see you have a lot to do in the garden, here in the UK we have enjoyed 3 beautiful days but looks like a change is on the way must not grumble!

Shirley said...

Maisie will have the best bedding a cat could ever want and need. All looking good. What a colour that sky looked. Remember that it's a grand life if you don't weaken. Red wine helps.

Elizabeth said...

Good Morning Josie!
I hope you've recovered after your digging. Your posts always make me laugh, I wish I had your sense of humour, you must get it from your Mum. Love your quilt you are working on, its just perfect. Happy stitching, Hugs, Elizabeth

Helen said...

Gorgeous blocks, love them...... One very lucky Maisie it will be a terrific blanket to snuggle into !!!!!!

marina said...

such gorgeous applique, You always do the most beautiful and perfect work.
Maisie is very spoilt getting a new blanket from Nana?
Hope you don't get roped in to fix the green house...just avoid eye contact and pretend you are asleep should he ask..

Diane-crewe said...

poor greenhouse .. and poor fingers .. it will be so worth all the pain in the end xx had to laugh at the picture of your mum .. she looks so serious with her "cat" blocks x

Michelle Ridgway said...

Gorgeous blocks! Yes poor fingers. I hope you really enjoyed that bath a wee drop of red....still chuckling(sorry) about the missing, munching hubby x

Lynda said...

I admire anyone who does hand applique. Yours is beautiful! I just machine applique since I can't seem to get my fingers to do what my mind is thinking. Always enjoy your blog and sense of humor.

Tilly Talksalot said...

You've been a busy bee. Beautiful blocks. Wish I could come and help with the garden and greenhouse, and yes I know who would be sent up the ladder! At least there would be wine involved. Lol. Hugs XX

Lynda said...

Regardless of melting chocolate teapots and sewing pears to your fingers, your trees are beautiful and so are the other segments you've finished. We've had a lot of rain too - gets you down after a bit, and it's so lovely to see the sun. I hope Mac doesn't have any repair plans involving you this time :)

Anthea said...

Oh wow that poor greenhouse:(
Your stitching is coming along so beautifully Josie - well done - it's looking stunning so far!
As for Maisie, I'm having visions of her up the top of a big pile of folded blanket, Princess & The Pea style! Pics please!!

Ondrea said...

I love your blocks. So, you appliqued back to front, who would know? I would call it my humility block like the Amish do hehehe. Sorry about your greenhouse. Have you considered raised garden beds and no-dig? Just a thought having done Permaculture. My hubby does all the vegie patch and he is in a wheelchair. Raised beds are great.Thanks for sharing your little part of the world.

FloS said...

Bravo for your first block and good luck for the pears !!
Florence

Raewyn said...

Hope you enjoyed your red and the lasagne. Your appliqued block is looking so good - surely those pears will behave themselves if you give them one more chance? Good luck in your garden too, my garden is way too big and just when I think it is finished, I turned around and see I have to start all over again... every time :-)

kiwikid said...

Had to laugh again Josie....I could just see you up the ladder..sorry about that!! Next time be very busy with something else!! I have grass like that in the garden, didn't go out in the summer 'cos I am scared of snakes and now it is cold and wet!! Maybe one day!!Love your block, I would not have known it was back to front, you have just put your own take on it!! Artistic license it is called!! Lol!! Hope you enjoyed the lasagne and wine!