Rotted, but not Forgotted

Rotted, but not Forgotted

Plum Street Samplers

Just Cross Stitch 2012 Special Halloween Issue

32 ct mystery stash linen

Gentle Arts Fibers: Adobe, Endive, Raven and Tradewinds

Every year, I tell myself to stitch more seasonal pieces--my intentions are good, my results are poor!  Yes, Halloween is a few months off, but thought I better get this stitched before there were other distractions.  

Ahh, now what to do next?  Stitch? Quilt? Rug Hook? Garden?

The May Flowers

One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday afternoon is to take a walk through the garden.

These Buzz Buzzer Asiatic Lilies were on sale for half price at the Lowe's Garden Center.  I love a bargain!  They will make a nice addition to the red/yellow perennial border.

Bishop's Weed or Goutweed planted under one of the Japanese maple, looks so cool and restful.  Some gardeners do not like this plant because of its invasive nature, I would much rather have this "weed" growing in my garden than some other weeds.

Jackmanii clematis--one of my favorite plants in the garden.  Each year this clematis blooms more profusely than the previous years--the vine is covered.  (Having Jack in your name is also a big plus)

The first daylily!  There are so many more daylilies to bloom, so faithful, I call them dear friends who return year after year for a much anticipated visit.

Miss Oak Leaf Hydrangea 

In March, Miss Hydrangea received a healthy spring tonic (fertilizer).  She is going to reward me with hundreds of beautiful flowers.   The bloom heads will turn crimson and cinnamon in the fall.

Anthony Waters spirea

The birds love spirea, they use her delicate branches and stems when building their nests.  The morning dove (who is still sitting on her nest) used the spirea stems to build her nest.

Yarrow

Miss Yarrow is also blooming in abundance.  Will be collecting and drying for use in fall and winter decorations.

Miss Million Bells, Trailing Petunia (Calibrachoa)

Since we didn't win the lottery, Miss Million Bells will bring smiles and enjoyment greeting summer visitors to Thistle Manor.  A nonstop bloomer that does not need deadheading and gracefully spills over the sides of containers and hanging baskets--a sure winner.  Oh, she also attracts hummingbirds, how can a gardener go wrong with this wonderful plant?

AppleJack and I will be spending Memorial Day working in the garden.  Surrounded by all these lovely beauties it will not seem like work.  

Tap Root Farm

Tap Root Farm

My partner in crime, stitching budding, friend Carmen called asking about my absence from blogging.  I have been distracted.  Our family was celebrating a wedding--Chloe and Pearce.  Our family lives great distances apart and getting everyone together is a feat.  Where do they live?  Upstate New York,  Iowa, Virginia, Florida, Arkansas, Delaware and Washington (state).  Do you see our challenge in gathering family together?

Am attaching a link to the history of Tap Root Farm for the history lovers.  Tap Root Farm is located in Franklin, Tennessee and is a 300 acre operational Angus beef farm.  The first house was built in 1807 and was a log house.  The first house was burned in 1863 during the Battle of Franklin (Civil War).    After the log house was burned a second house was built and destroyed in 1887 by a tornado.  A third house was built and destroyed in 1909 by a tornado.  Yes, the family rebuilt again.  House #4 is still standing.

The wedding was outdoors and the weather was glorious.  Everyone was very thankful for the bright sunshine--it had rained the past three weekends and it rained the evening of the rehearsal.

Second Lieutenant Pearce, aka the Groom with his cousins David and Luke.  Pearce was the picture of confidence and composure.  He said his vows to Chloe with such conviction, he pulled at the heart strings of all those in attendance.

Father of the Groom pinning flowers on Grandmother of the Groom.

Chloe walking down the aisle to meet Pearce.  Chloe's Father gave them each a big hug and then wiped a tear from his eye.

Smiles and happiness

Part of Chloe's new family.

Hydrangea is one of Chloe's favorite flowers and she used them extensively.  ( A girl after my own heart).

This is one of my favorite photos of the day--it's the men in our family.  So rare for them to be together. Thank you Auntie M for sharing this photo with me.

After weeks and months of planning, we celebrated late into the night, blew out the candles and went to bed.

Congratulations Chloe and Pearce, you bring joy to our lives.

About those HST's

It all started with this pile of left over HST's (half square triangles) from a Jo Morton LWC (Little Women Club) quilt called Pottery Shards.  Seemed silly at the time to have HST's available and not use them.



Then, I found this HST quilt on Pinterest and fell in love with the borders and thought it would be a good way to use up my left overs.

I can hear Grandmother Bessie's words resonating in my ears:  "now that you are up to your hiney in alligators, do you remember your goal was to drain the swamp?"  "remember your goal was to utilize the HST's."

So, three hundred and twenty four one inch and three quarter HST's later for the body of the quilt, progress was being made.  For the record, I did not have that number of left over HST from making the Pottery
Shard quilt.

Ahh, then I reached my favorite part of the quilt:  the first border also made of HST.  It would have been in my best interest to have paid better attention in quilt and math class. 

And since I had made and used so many HST's for the quilt, why not add a few more for the corner blocks of the quilt?  Yes, thirty six more HST's.  Since I was at the snack table when the quilt teacher was teaching the segment about adding corner blocks, I had to find instructions on adding corner blocks. 

Weeks later, I present my HST quilt.  Yes!  Another finish, more stash utilization.  36" x 36."  When I asked AppleJack about my latest accomplishment, he smiled and said, "it's beautiful, such a lot of work, wonder how long it would have taken you to make a full size quilt."

Wrapped In Love

Log Cabin

Last night was the rehearsal dinner for Pearce and Chloe.  Yes, the wedding is this evening.  In the words of Chloe it seems surreal.

Grandmother's Flower Garden

Chloe and Pearce asked members of their families to share their quilts.  Stitched with love, used for years and  generations.

Trip Around the World

A most fitting pattern for Pearce--he was commissioned last week and will most likely be making several trips around the world with his chosen career.

Monkey Wrench

Beautiful, playful colors--having a sense of humor will serve them well in a marriage.

A generational wedding ring quilt

Congratulations Pearce and Chloe, may these quilts wrap you in love.

Flowers for Mother

The Knock Out roses bloomed just in time for Mother's Day.

Peonies are just beginning to bloom.

The iris have been glorious!

The heavenly scent of lavender

Our trusty, rusty old red wagon filled with plants waiting to be planted.

Mrs Morning Dove sitting on her nest diligently

 and patiently waiting for her chicks to hatch.

My Summer Reading Program

I have started putting together my summer reading program.  I'm starting with Stacy Nash's My Name is Lidya. 




When I am needing to feed and fuel my inner quilter, I will be reading Primitive Quilts magazine for inspiration. 



A Primitive Place magazine is my go to source when Thistle Manor needs sprucing up.

Ahh, I'm liking these summer reads.

The Postman Always Rings Twice

Millennium Frame by Needle Needs

In the 1934 crime novel by James M. Crain, the postman might have rang twice but around Thistle Manor the postman has been on high alert!  I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Millennium Frame and the poor postman quickly deposits the mail and darts to the next mail box in fear I will ask my famous question:  "Is there a package from the UK for me?" 

The postman was more thrilled at the arrival of the Millennium Frame than me!  He is breathing a sigh of relieve and can now make deliveries without being stalked.  I tore into that package quicker than a child can open a present from Santa Claus.  Since I had watched both the Needle Needs video and Nicola's video, I knew the assembly directions by memory.  Mounted on the frame is Hannah Breed by Scarlet Letter.  Poor Hannah is feeling very neglected.  (Gulp) It has been months weeks, since Hannah has received any attention from me.  Am sure she is feeling like an abandoned orphan girl. 

The workmanship on the Millennium Frame is outstanding!  And the tension--whozer!  Because of the amount of tension on the linen, the weave is opened and doing the over one stitching no longer seems like a chore. 

Hannah, please be patient for a few more weeks, Thistle Manor is a Beehive of activity with bridal showers, graduations, class reunions and weddings.  Mr. Postman you can now return to your regularly scheduled postal duties.

April Showers . . . May Flowers

Knock Out Rose

Tennessee Bearded Iris--Blush

More Tennessee Iris (sometimes called the poor man's orchid)

Nellie Moser clemetis

Lavender--the bees do love you

More Tennessee Bearded Iris