Finishes and Florida

Hello, hello! I fully intended to post again in November, but we were away (more about that later) and I simply ran out of time. So... Happy December! Can you believe it? I know I say this every year, but where on earth has this year gone? It makes me sad that, as I get older, the years seem to be flying by faster than ever. Does anyone else feel that way? 

The last two weeks have been busy ones, but I did manage to finish my final two ornaments for 2023. Yay! I turned to my favorite comfort stitching for  my November and December ornaments: good old Prairie Schooler. I just find such peace each time I sit down to stitch one of those designs. I think it may be the classic themes and the fact that they are charted for DMC threads. The finished product looks just like the photo on the front of the charts and that isn't always the case, as we all know!

For my November ornament, I chose the 2012 annual Santa, in this case "Postman Santa." (Here's a little known secret for you--probably one my family doesn't even know... When I was a young girl, I used to want to work in a post office and deliver the mail. I guess I liked the idea of sorting and packing up the letters and then making sure they arrived at the correct house. So now you know a funny little fact about my childhood!). I used 40 ct. vintage country mocha Newcastle with all of the suggested threads, although I always use DMC 520 for the green on these annual PS Santas (rather than the suggested DMC 501). Isn't he cute? I just love all the details in this one. He even has a letter in his hand that says: "Dear Santa, I was good." And on the list  that is peeking out from behind, some little boy or girl is asking for a doll and a drum.

2012 Prairie Schooler Santa finish

December's ornament is one I've intended to stitch for years. The thing is, I knew that border would take forever! Finally, I just decided it was now or never and dove in... I stitched this ornament 'over one' on 25 ct. moss green Lugana with most of the suggested threads except for the red (I used DMC 221--the classic Prairie Schooler red) and the green (I used DMC 936). 

Love that border, but it sure took a while!

This design can be found in Prairie Schooler's "O Christmas Tree" (Book No. 82).  At five inches square, my finish ended up a bit larger than I like my ornaments to be, but I still love it! The little topper of greenery was cut from a wreath, hot-glued to the top of the ornament and then I snipped "berries" off a garland and glued each one in place. Simple, but pretty, don't you think?

O Christmas Tree finish for my December ornament

 

So, for all my long-time readers--you know what comes next now that I've finished all twelve ornaments, don't you? Yes! The next post will bring my annual "Parade of Ornaments"--hope you will all drop by.

Life catch-up... Thanksgiving was a bit different this year with none of our sons coming home so we decided to spend it in Florida! My husband wanted to check on his family home in Naples (the one badly flooded from the effects of Hurricane Ian in September 2022--you can read about it in this post). So we decided to spend six days in the little apartment above the garage which was not damaged. We got lucky and were invited to spend Thanksgiving dinner with my husband's younger brother and family who were also visiting their condo in Naples. It was delicious and so good to catch up everyone. 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I had ear problems the entire time we were in Florida. I'd had a sore throat the previous week and then when we flew down on the airplane, my right ear gave me all sorts of problems. No matter what I tried, it wouldn't "pop" all week! My hearing was significantly reduced in that ear and everything sounded as though I was underwater. The official name of this condition is "ear barotrauma" and boy, was it annoying (and quite painful every now and then). Ironically, when I flew home on Wednesday, my ear finally "popped" and I could hear again! I was still having pain off and on, so I did go see the doctor on Thursday morning. Sure enough, I have an ear infection. I can't even remember the last time I had one--or the last time I took antibiotics. So, that's what I'm on now--hope it clears up completely and that is the end of this saga. If any of you have preventative measures I can take for the next time I fly, I'd love to hear them. This is a chronic problem for me, but it's never been this bad before.

Even though I wasn't feeling my best, I felt a bit better just being in the sun and warm weather. Naples, Florida is truly one of the most beautiful cities in the United States and I thought you might enjoy these photos (especially those of you who live in the north like I do and are definitely feeling the cold of winter moving in). 

Naples Beach on the Gulf of Mexico

So many pretty flowers were in bloom!

I love the yellow feet on this pair of Snowy Egrets

On one of our walks we passed this giant metal sculpture in front of a garage. If you look closely, you'll see it is little figurines joined by their hands and feet.

Oh, that blue, blue sky--so nice when you've flown in from the wintry northern states!

Love the layers in this sunset photo I took on Monday evening.

Sadly, everything wasn't picture perfect... When you walk around Naples, there are still many of the smaller ranch-style houses (like my in-laws' place) that are sitting there vacant and unlivable since the hurricane. Once the estate is settled, my husband's family house will be sold--they won't be rebuilding. I can't imagine going through the worries  that potential hurricanes  bring year after year. We did go inside and it's not only heartbreaking, but rather creepy. The rust is taking over anything metal as you can see on the top of the dryer in the lower left. The mold has gotten worse, the few remaining pieces of furniture have started to warp and curl. I cried as I wandered from room to room--it's just beyond sad that this was once a home. I'm so glad my husband's parents never had to see their home in this condition...

The sad state of affairs a year after Hurricane Ian hit my in-laws' family home

 

I hate to leave you on that depressing note so I'll share one last photo that always brings me a smile this time of year. This little pair of Santas making a gingerbread house has been a part of my Christmas decorating for many years. In a previous post I mentioned that one of my sons' favorite antics was to take one of the little striped candy canes on the table and put  it in Santa's mouth to make him look like he was smoking. I guarantee you that when all three are here for Christmas, I will glance over and notice that one of them has done that again. Just one of those funny family "traditions" that happen each year.

This cheery scene in my kitchen always makes me smile. I just bought that cute set of towels at HomeGoods.

Hope your December is off to a great start.. I'm way behind on my blog reading/commenting since I was away for those six days, but I'll do my best to catch up this weekend. I know that some of my stitching friends are dealing with serious problems or illnesses and I want to send a big hug out to each of you. You know who you are... and I hope you know my thoughts are with you. Thank you for visiting today and be sure to stop by for my annual "Parade of Ornaments" in my next post. Wishing you a wonderful weekend--hope you are relaxing and enjoying preparing for Christmas. I know I am! Bye for now...

Thankful for life's simple things

Happy Thanksgiving week to all of my friends here in the United States! I'm sure those of you who are hosting the feast on Thursday are busy shopping for ingredients, prepping what you can in advance, cleaning the house, and crossing things off your to-do list. I have to admit that I've relished the extra time I've had this year without any obligations at all for Thanksgiving. I've spent time bringing  Christmas decorations down from the attic, organizing card lists, planning menus, and even buying a few presents. I'm hoping that by the time December rolls around, I'll be able to just sit back and enjoy the beauty of this special season. Without a doubt, this is the earliest I've begun preparing for Christmas. How about you? Are you holding off until after Thanksgiving (as I usually do) or have you begun checking things off your list of holiday tasks? Or are you one of those rare people who have everything already done?

Before I get to my stitching, I just want to take a few moments to thank all of you who left supportive comments or took the time to send an email urging me to keep on blogging. Some of your comments left me a bit teary-eyed and all touched my heart. It wasn't just that one horrid comment that I received that has me thinking about signing off... there are many things that have been bothering me over the past year. January 2024 will mark 15 years of blogging for me--pretty good I'd say, as I've seen many blogs come and go during that time. But, I'm tired of adjusting to the changes to the Blogger format, fed-up with how difficult they've made it to comment on certain blogs (including mine I'm told!), and just kind of worn out. I'm getting older--I begin my last year in my 60's in two months.  For now, I'll keep going, but there will come a time when I'll say adieu and I promise--absolutely promise--that I will let you know and say a proper goodbye. 

I've never been this far behind in my monthly Christmas ornament challenge! But, I'm almost caught up and I thought you'd enjoy seeing my two latest cuties. For September (yes! I'm that far behind!), I stitched "Merry Christmas 2012" by The Victoria Sampler. This is one of the charts that can be found in the 2012 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue (on page 71). It is stitched on 28 ct. dove gray Monaco with DMC threads. Although there wasn't a ton of stitching involved, this one was not my favorite to stitch... Do you see all those tiny reindeer and the sled carrying Santa? All are stitched over one. I love the final effect, though, and the sweet snowy town that they are flying over. To make it an oval finish, I added many more snowflakes. I like the blue checked backing fabric--it's nice to have an ornament now and then that doesn't scream red or green, don't you think?

"Merry Christmas 2012" from the 2012 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue

 

October brought yet another blue ornament and one I've wanted to stitch for many years. Just recently, a friend lent me her chart so I was finally able to check that one off my list. This is an older design by The Trilogy called "Secret Snowdrift." It's stitched on 40ct. woodland brown Newcastle using a variety of overdyed threads and DMC. I just love the six snowmen being blown about by the swirling snow--and check out those two little penguins peeking out! Adorable! This originally came out in kit form and I believe you can still purchase it. There is a lot going on in this piece so I kept the finish simple--the back is a blue flannel material from one of my son's old shirts and the blue cording is tied in a simple bow at the top. I also added a silver snowflake charm for a bit of sparkle. What do you think?

My finish of "Secret Snowdrift" by The Trilogy

Here are my September and October ornaments all ready for my tree... Just two more to go--can I finish by December? Yes... I... Can!

September and October ornaments for 2023

 

Since we aren't hosting Thanksgiving this year, I only put out a portion of my Thanksgiving stitching for a small display. The sideboard next to my kitchen table is perfect as we get to enjoy these pieces while eating our meals. I already posted these next photos on Instagram and some were surprised that this was just a "portion" of my Thanksgiving stitching. Yes, I only put out the easily accessed pieces this year--the ones I keep in an old dresser drawer in one of my guest bedrooms. The others are in boxes piled high in a closet and I was simply to lazy to get them out this month :)

Thanksgiving display for 2023

How about some close-ups? If you have any questions as to what the names of certain designs are, you can go to this post last year where I named all of my Thanksgiving pieces. Links are provided to each finish so you can learn more details. 

My favorite piece is the large Prairie Schooler turkey in the brown frame.

So, tell me... do you have a favorite? Mine is that classic Prairie Schooler turkey surrounded by the fall leaves  the last photo. I just love him! But, that tiny pouch stitched on black is a close second. Do you stitch for Thanksgiving? I try to do a piece or two each year, but, unfortunately, wasn't able to add to my collection this year.

Although we aren't hosting Thanksgiving, my husband and I were both craving pumpkin pie! That is a must-have for the two of us each year--along with pecan pie. But, I'll let you in on a little secret--I hate pie crust! I hate the taste of it and hate making it even more! I've never had a pie crust that I like and often leave most of it on my plate and only eat the inside of a pie. But, I've found a perfect solution--a crustless pumpkin pie! And a delicious one at that... It was so easy and saved so much time (and aggravation!) when compared to rolling out and transferring a tender pie crust into the baking tin. I found the recipe on the site "Cupcakes & Kale Chips" right here. I know this will become my new go-to for holiday desserts; in fact, I plan on making it again for Christmas! Give it a try and let me know what you think...

A yummy crustless pumpkin pie and an older (2005!) fall finish: Bent Creek's "Leaf"

I think you know by now that it's the simple things in life that I treasure... time with my dear family, a good book, the way the sunlight plays in autumn, a piece of music that moves me to tears, the smell of something yummy baking in the oven, the feel of the fabric as my needle and thread weave tiny x's while I sit quietly stitching. When we visited my little grandson earlier this month, I enjoyed another of life's simple things--something I hadn't done in many, many years: jumping in a big pile of freshly raked leaves. I think you can tell from the smiles on our faces how much joy this simple act brought us all. 

One of life's simple pleasures: jumping in the leaves with my sweet grandson

So, look for the simple things in life--they're all around you and bound to bring a smile to your day. I wish each of my U.S. friends a blessed Thanksgiving with friends and family. Through all the discord and disasters and discontent that the world has experienced lately, we still have much to be grateful for right here in our own back yards. And, as always, I'm so very thankful for the friendship of my fellow stitchers over the years. Whether a new reader or one of my oldest friends, I appreciate each of you. Bye for now...

Mister B (that tiny speck in blue in the lower left corner!) flying a kite on a beautiful autumn afternoon in Maryland

A cute Halloween finish

It's a cool, dreary, rainy afternoon here in western Pennsylvania... The perfect kind of day for stitching, but before I settle down in my stitching chair, I thought I'd drop in and say "hello!" Our weather has gone from sunny, summer-like weather just five days ago to today's more typical late October/early November gloom. But, I have an upcoming visit with my grandson to look forward to, so that helps keep me going through all the sad news and events that the world is dealing with on a daily basis. It's been an extremely difficult and sad month, that's for sure...

But, how about a cute Halloween finish to bring a smile? This sweet design by Luminous Fiber Arts is called "All Hallows' Eve" and is stitched on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle linen. I did make a few color changes--mainly to the moon. I wanted more of a golden moon so I used DMC 729 and 680. I also added a few leaves in the same 729 color (at the bottom of the design) to the charted orange ones. 

My finish of "All Hallows' Eve" by Luminous Fiber Arts

I filled in the eyes of the bird and cat using DMC 729 and added gray (WDW Porpoise) and a bit of white to fill in the moon's eye. You can see the eyes better in the photo below.

Isn't that mischievous black cat the cutest thing?

That stack of grinning pumpkins just makes me smile! I am definitely in the "cute Halloween" camp--anything scary or gory is not my idea of fun. How about you? I know some of you don't stitch Halloween themed pieces at all and I've definitely slowed down since my dad passed away on Halloween in 2014, but I still like to stitch at least one design each October.

These adorable cat scissors were a gift from a long-ago blogging friend.

I framed the piece in a simple black frame found at Goodwill for only $2.00. Well, it didn't start out as black or as the right size for this design! My dear husband cut it down to fit perfectly and I painted it a matte black and there you have it. This will be a gift for my three-year-old grandson who loves both kitties and pumpkins and is so excited to be going trick-or-treating in just two days.

I love it when I can find a thrift shop frame to use in my finishing. Thank you so much to my husband for resizing it for me!

Here is a closer look at the frame. Notice our stunning Japanese maple with its leaves turning the most beautiful crimson color in the background outside the window. 

I'm almost caught up with the finishing on my ornaments for September, October, and November so I'll share those with you next time. I need to get busy and finish up some Christmas gifts and, perhaps, start a Christmas sampler next month. I feel like I'll have some extra time this year since we're not hosting Thanksgiving. I'll miss seeing our sons, but it's their year to spend Thanksgiving with their significant others' families. 

I only had a few entries for the monthly kitty chart... I was surprised there were so few, but I know people just aren't reading blogs as much as they used to. My readership statistics are way down and it does make me question why I keep writing my blog. Of course, I love having a record of my work, but I can also do that in a private blog and not put myself out there for the world to see. I actually got a horrible comment on an older post last week that was just filled with the word "DIE" repeated in capital letters over and over. I mean, what's the point of that? Honestly, it hurts and things like that definitely have me questioning the future of Stitching Dreams...

Anyway, the winner of the kitty monthly chart is...

 KATIE in Indiana!

Katie--you are the winner of this cute chart! Please contact me with your mailing address and I'll pop it in the mail this week. Hope you enjoy stitching these kitties!

With a frost forecast in our area last week, I made sure to run out to the garden and cut some of the last remaining blooms. Just look at these gorgeous hydrangeas and pretty lavender colored dahlias. Not exactly the colors of fall, but I sure have enjoyed the brightness and cheer they brought into my home last week. 

My favorite flowers!

These pale lavender zinnias are so delightful! I photographed them looking down on my white kitchen counter and love the effect.

 

My middle son found another old crock at Goodwill and surprised me with it when he visited a couple weeks ago. He gave me the large one on the left last year, the front middle one with the cow is from my mom, and his latest find is on the right. I love how they look grouped together holding some of my houseplants.

My trio of crocks--all gifts!

And here is one last photo to showcase the beauty of fall (which has now almost disappeared with the rain and wind we've had today!). I went out to retrieve the mail from our mailbox on Thursday and as I looked back toward the house, this was the sight... Isn't it a pretty scene with the fluffy fronds of the perennial grasses and the bright orange leaves adorning our maple tree? 

Home sweet home!

It's hard to believe there are only two months left in 2023, isn't it? How I wish time would slow down. The older I get, the quicker the days pass and I often seem to have wasted the day away. Does anyone else do that? I honestly felt that I was much more productive when I worked! I really need to examine my usage of time--maybe 2024 will be the year to remedy that. Thank you so much for your visit today--I truly hope November is a kinder month for all. Bye for now...

Cooler days and a sweet fall finish

October is definitely here as evidenced by the much cooler temperatures and the rainier days this past week. I've been a bit laid up with a cold so staying inside and nesting was perfect for me, though. My whole family visited last weekend and I'm sure I caught one of their colds. But, it was worth it--it's always fun to spend precious time with my sweet grandson. It's been a week since I got sick now and I'm almost feeling "normal" again. I just seem to get more tired after doing chores like laundry or cleaning. Anyway... I have nothing to complain about in light of all the horrific things going on in the world. It's all just so very sad...

I have a very cute fall finish to share with you today... As soon as I saw this chart, I ran to Etsy downloaded it, printed it off, and began stitching! This is called "Pumpkins" and is from a Polish designer. You can find the chart right here in her "Cross With Me" Etsy shop if you are interested. I used the suggested colors and stitched it on 40 ct. vintage country mocha Newcastle linen. I did have to outline the upper left pumpkin in a darker tan color as it just wasn't showing on the fabric.

Such a pretty fall piece

I love the  simple beauty of this piece and it will be nice to have it on display from September through November, don't you think? I had a barnwood-look frame in my stash that my daughter-in-law had given me and it was just perfect. A very simple finish, but I love it! The trio of pumpkins shown on the sides came from a local pumpkin farm that we visited with my grandson last weekend. He loved the tiny pumpkins the most and picked out four of his own to take home with him. And while at the farm, he insisted on pulling the big wagon (complete with his four mini pumpkins) all by himself. I wish I'd taken a photo of him, but I bet you can picture it! I'm sure his mom and dad will be buying a bigger pumpkin to carve for Halloween in a couple weeks, too. He is so excited and already has his costume--he's going trick-or-treating as "Chase" one of the Paw Patrol pups that are so popular with toddlers.

My finish of "Pumpkins" from the Cross With Me Etsy shop

 

I am not a fan of the evening darkness that is creeping in, and I know it will get much worse when we change the clocks on November 5th... But, we've been having dinner by candlelight each evening to combat the darkness. I put together this cozy looking display for our kitchen table. (I already shared this photo on Instagram and one of the comments was that it "looks like autumn on a tray!" I love that!).  The front piece of stitching is from an old Just Cross Stitch magazine (I'm not sure of the exact date, but think it was in 2006 or so). I stitched it "over one" on 28 ct. black Monaco way back in 2015. You can read more about my finish in this post. And the "Season of Plenty" piece in the back is by Little House Needleworks and was stitched way back in 2009--the year I began my blog! Have any of you been with me since that first year? It seems like such a long time ago... If you'd like to read about that LHN finish, check out this post. How about you, do you light candles for dinnertime in these darker months? What's in the center of your dining table?

Love having dinner by candlelight in the fall and winter

Giveaway time... Today's offering is perfect for all of you cat lovers out there! Or for those of you who enjoy monthly designs. It is from an old Leisure Arts magazine (I'm sorry, I do not know which issue) and is called "Purr-fect" Holiday Wreath. A cute kitty is featured in twelve small monthly designs that you can make into little pillows or simply frame and change out the piece each month. Would any of you like to enter this giveaway? If so, please follow the guidelines below and I'll announce the winner in my next post. (Please note: The three pages are torn from a magazine and will be folded and mailed in a legal sized envelope to save money).

I'm having a giveaway for this chart of 12 monthly cat designs

To be included in the drawing for the monthly kitty charts shown above, please...

1) Specifically mention that you would like to win it in your comment 

2) Be a follower of Stitching Dreams (in my blog's sidebar on the right)

3) Make sure to leave your email address in your comment if I don't already have it

4) Answer the "Getting to Know You" question below.

Getting to Know You... Since Halloween is nearing and that usually means spooky and scary stuff, today's question is: "What is one of the scariest things you have ever done or experienced?" For me, that's an easy one... It was the hike in the jungle that my family did when we visited Panama in 2018. Honestly, I thought we were going to die--I still get anxious just thinking about that trek. Looking back on the photos in the piece I posted about that horrible experience brings back all sorts of feelings--none of them good! If you are new to my blog and would like to read about my "hike from hell," check out this post. Now it's your turn--what is the scariest thing you have done or experienced? I'd love to get to know you better!

 

  

I have some welcome news for our stitching community, too. Do you all remember the pretty patriotic finish I shared back in August called "Land of the Free?" Well, the designer of the chart, Willow Hill Samplings, has reopened her Etsy shop--you can find that chart again right here. Go check it out--there are so many cute designs available!

Blog commenting problems... and a possible solution? Recently I've had trouble commenting on certain blogs. Not all, maybe three or four of the ones listed in my sidebar. Interestingly, I've discovered that I have no trouble at all if I use a different browser. I normally use Firefox, but, for some reason, it refuses to let me comment on those few blogs. I've had others tell me that they've had trouble commenting on my blog as well. So, give another browser a try--I used Chrome the other day and had no trouble at all leaving a comment on those certain blogs!

It's SUCH a gloomy day here so I think I'll just post this and go sit and stitch the rest of the day away. Hope your second half of October is going well so far. Honestly, this year is just speeding by way too quickly for me! Thank you, each and every one, for visiting me today and for your kind comments and emails. I appreciate them ever so much! Bye for now...  

Four days that turned into two weeks...

Well, once again, I've only managed to produce one meager blog post for an entire month! I do have a good excuse, though... My trip to help my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson with their move to their newly renovated home in mid-September ended up being "just a bit" longer than I expected--ten days longer, in fact! I'll get into more details later in this post, but I know many of you are only here for the stitching so let's get to that first...

Before I left to help with the move, I was able to stitch this darling squirrel couple, but only got to the finishing today. "Autumn's Acorn Gathering" by With Thy Needle and Thread is stitched on 40 ct. summer khaki Newcastle linen with a mix of overdyed threads and DMC. I did change a few colors--primarily the blue of Mrs. Squirrel's frock and the pinstripes of Mr. Squirrel's britches where I used GAST Dungarees.

Such a charming couple!

I finished each one as a simple pillow with handmade cording in DMC 3033 which coordinated with the apron and the shirt. Tip: to get the ends of the cording to look nice, I iron the ends, sort of "comb through" them with the tip of my scissors, and then iron again. Then I carefully cut the edges as straight as possible with very sharp scissors.

I left off the jack-o-lantern face on the pumpkin basket--just wanted it to be more fall themed than Halloween. I also omitted the thread bow on her dress.

There is some satin stitching on the acorns and on the wings of the crow. I love these special touches that Brenda Gervais adds to her always charming designs!

Aren't his little suspenders the cutest? And how about that spiffy orange striped tie!

I haven't had a chance to do much fall decorating yet, but I did manage to set up this little display in a corner of my sunroom. I'm hoping to do more fall decorating next week. The brown carved wooden squirrels (on the right) belonged to my maternal grandmother and I collected the tiny acorns last week when we took my grandson to a local park for an afternoon.

The extent of my fall decorating so far!

 

So, there you have it--the extent of my September stitching! I didn't even manage to get my monthly Christmas ornament finished (although it is stitched). Hopefully, October will be a bit more productive in terms of stitching...

As I mentioned in my last post, my husband's extended family gathered for a memorial service for his parents on September 9th. Two of my nieces planned a truly special day for 40 of us that included the graveside interment of ashes, lunch afterward at a botanical garden, and a wonderful dinner (filled with lots of family stories) at a nearby restaurant. We saw relatives we hadn't seen in ten years so it was a very special celebration of my in-laws' lives. In between lunch and dinner we all took a walk in the woods near my in-laws' old home to spread some of their remaining ashes.  It was a cloudy, cool day, but just as my brother-in-law released the ashes near a beautiful old tree, the sun came shining through the clouds illuminating the remains as they drifted through the air. I drew a sharp breath and turned to my niece saying, "Did you see that?" "Yes," she replied with a smile and glistening eyes. I do believe in signs from our loved ones who have gone before us and this was definitely one.

The woods where my in-laws' ashes were scattered is so pretty and peaceful.

 

On Sunday, the day after the memorial service, we hopped into the car for the four hour drive to Maryland to help with my oldest son's move to his newly remodeled home. We cleaned out cupboards and closets, packed boxes, and gave the house one last cleaning. We worked from dawn to dusk on Monday as the movers were coming on Tuesday--there was so, so much to be done! Thankfully, their new home was just around the corner from the home they had been renting for the past two years so the movers didn't have far to go. After the truck was unloaded, we quickly realized that there was no way we could sleep in their new home due to the overwhelming odor of polyurethane on the newly refinished floors so we headed to a hotel. It was nice to just take a shower and relax in a calm, dust-free environment for a night. 

The next morning we were back at it, unpacking and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning (dust was everywhere as the entire home has hardwood floors that had been sanded). And... all while the workmen who have been doing the remodeling for the past five months were still there! We soon realized that four days was not long enough to make even a dent in the unpacking/cleaning/organizing/setting up a working home so I decided to stay longer while my husband left for home. He had to take care of a home improvement project that was scheduled at our own house that Monday. My son and daughter-in-law were extremely thankful for me extending my visit and said they couldn't have managed without me--I was so glad I was able to be there for them. 

Packing up the kitchen for the move. My son and daughter-in-law will definitely not miss that galley kitchen in their rental home!

All did not go without a hitch, though... the toilet for their primary bathroom arrived cracked, the dryer was delivered with big dents on both sides, the existing vent isn't large enough for the new stove, light fixtures were installed in the wrong location, etc., etc. Worst of all, they have no heat! The plumber who was supposed to call the gas company about connecting the gas line neglected to do so and it can take months. The previous home owner had oil heat, but my son had the oil tank removed never dreaming that it would take this long to connect to gas.  But, I have faith that eventually they will have a lovely home. It may be a while until they can purchase furniture, but they'll get there!

The outside of the house is looking great as a landscaper and his crew gave the home a quick makeover (it only took a day plus a few hours!). This is their new home--isn't it pretty? It's big, but they need all that space as my son and daughter-in-law work from home so they both need offices. And, of course, they need a guest room for us :) All of those big overgrown shrubs were removed and the sidewalk was replaced. The whole look is much cleaner and tidier, and best of all-- none of these plantings require much maintenance. We were all very pleased and the neighbor across the street liked it so much, he came over and asked the landscaper to do the exact same thing at his house!

My little grandson is, unfortunately, having a bit of trouble adjusting to the move. The house is much bigger than their rental home and I think Mister B is feeling a bit lost in it. He was very clingy--only wanted mommy or daddy and wouldn't even let me or my husband care for him. He did let us pick him up from pre-school one day and take him for an outing at a local park for a few hours. It was so nice to just relax away from the workmen and the chaos and stress of the move for a few hours.

Mister B loves to check for mail each day at his new house!

My husband drove back down to pick me up, stayed a few extra days, and we finally got home last weekend, tired, but fulfilled. We both enjoy doing projects that make a difference and that have a beginning and end. We put up curtain rods and hung curtains, replaced light switches, hung a new light fixture, did a mini-makeover on the guest bathroom with my daughter-in-law, hung pictures, etc. And since returning home--guess what?! That insomnia that I wrote about in my last post has just about disappeared. I so appreciate all of your suggestions on how to deal with it. I think, for me, I just needed to make sure that their move was over and they were safely in their home and then I could relax and not stay up half the night worrying about them!

My husband and I took a drive yesterday and discovered a wonderful walking path at a nearby park. It was so peaceful strolling through the woods as the sun drifted through the slowly-turning leaves.

 

A beautiful fall day for a walk in the woods

More signs... As we walked, my husband spied some round things on the ground, "Look at those walnuts." I didn't think they were big enough to be walnuts so we stomped on a few and cracked them open. They were hickory nuts--something I should have recognized as my childhood home had two huge hickory trees in the front yard. Each fall, my mom would settle all of us kids at the kitchen table cracking the nuts to make her once-a-year hickory nut cake. It took forever as there is very little nutmeat in each one, but the result was worth all the effort!

Hickory nuts and maple leaves--memories of mom.

I'd been really missing my mom lately and just know that those hickory nuts were a sign from her. And if that wasn't enough proof, as I walked back to the car after our walk (hickory nuts safely stuffed in my pocket), I heard a mother calling to her little girl on the playground, "Way to go, Elinor!" Again, I smiled to myself--Elinor was my mother's name. Thank you, mom--I love that you are still here watching over me when I most need you. How about you? Do you believe in signs from beyond? 

That was a long post! Yikes... I hope some of you are still reading along. We are expecting one last week of summer weather ahead (with temperatures in the high 70s) and I'm so happy. I dread the cooler, darker days that are coming. Hopefully, I'll be back a couple of times in October--that is always my goal--to blog twice a month--but sometimes, life interferes. That's okay--I wouldn't have traded those two weeks helping my son's family for anything. But, it sure did feel good to plop down in my stitching chair once we returned! I broke the cardinal rule of stitching: ABC (Always Bring Cross stitch!) when I went to help them move. I never dreamed I would be gone for so long and I think that is the longest period I've gone without stitching in 20 years! Remember that when you travel somewhere: ABC! Happy October, my friends--hope it is a good month for each of you. Bye for now...