Fabulous floral frippery

 Hello people.  This morning we revisited a greenhouse where I purchased a hanging basket for the wife of husband's friend, a caregiver to her mom who was not doing well.  It had three petunias in variegated colors I had not seen before. Very soft apricots, purples, and deep pink.  It was a small hanging basket and I really loved it.  My birthday is close and I thought I could get one for myself, but of course, none left.  A mass of very large and expensive baskets, already leggy, not what I wanted.

This is a small place, with some of the best displays I've seen.   These are just a few I thought I would share with you.  A large old pedestal sink was loaded with color and I guess that photo failed.  Their succulent displays are very unusual and special also.

I had a rusted bike like this, Carole wanted it, I will attempt to locate it since she never added a planter to it.

The white mini tunias at the right are part of a huge pedestal birdbath completely filled with white, red, and greens.

I have a large house with a rotted floor, could easily remove the roof and recreate this one. 

The two tone mini tunia at far left was one of those in her basket.

I finished another berry using the chart I posted (on right).  When no errors are involved, only one evening is needed, not four days.  Lower linen count for a size change and I added two rows of three plus a single at top.  Not sure if turning this small area will work to attach a ribbon but thought I'd try.  If you omit the two single stitches of the red's top row, you have a nice heart, so berry or heart, an easy little ditty.

I plan to start Mary Bell after coloring the linen to what I wanted.  I do not want to cut the 13 x 18 piece, but look at the difference in the weight of these two pieces.  With my stitch tension, the sheer piece even though 40 count, will certainly have pulled stitches.

But using this 8" x 12" will prevent cutting a piece that could be used for a larger project.

Always a linen skimper, and seeing the latest price hike, will continue to be!

Have a good weekend.

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Berry confusing

 Hi folks.  Is anyone else having issues with gmail and other programs?  I am finding a great deal that were never sent and are still in the Outbox, yet when I send again, they stay put.  So if anyone is receiving several of the same, sorry, but I have no idea (three different programs) if they are actually leaving.  Same with my inbox, they are not showing in any program including gmail.  WTH?  Quite confusing and embarrassing so I apologize if they aren't getting through, or are multiples.

Been busy, Chris is very sick (not covid related) and I got him in to a specialist quickly, but I don't agree with the diagnosis.  Come back in five weeks?  He has either IBS or Crohn's, I would bet money on it if I had any.  A bacterial infection does not make you very ill, allow a week with greatly reduced symptoms, and then start all over again.  For months.  He is better the last two days but it will start again in less than a week.

I've been berry busy, several sizes, some for me and some for others.  If you are interested in a tiny berry to hang or have a cat bat around, here's the ditty I came up with, full cap.  I've used 347, 3777, 221, and currently 22, most with 937 for the green.  You can place those $%#* knots with 822 wherever you would like or use a tiny bead.  Two pieces of 8x12 forty count linen are hanging outside to dry after I bleached and beat them, hoping I like one for the Mary Bell sampler.

The little furball is now a permanent member of my neighborhood.  They have decided to keep her.  The vet checked her, she is now seven weeks old and in good health, will stay indoors with three dogs.  I don't know if the other person backed out or they couldn't give her up.  Regardless, she has a home.  I sat outside for a bit and some days like today, are very emotional.  Chewy mailed a birthday card to Nitzy and I found another small clump of his fur in the mulch.  Missy is not feeling well today.

I hope your weekend is special, or just peaceful, with good thoughts and memories that make you smile.

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The berry that was close to being buried

 Came close to taking it out back and digging a hole for it.  The Enforcer motion detectors are at the garden and every time I try to get to the burning pit, I get the begeezers scared out of me and a soaking from the spray.  Until I remember that they are up and running, no stitchery will be burned. Buried.... possibly.

Maybe Mary and Meg causing a linen choosing fiasco made me decide on a VERY small project, but as small as it is, a whopper of a PITA.  Little scraps are stored in an envelope, even a few inches, and I chose 32 count Copper Penny for this.  Previously done on a higher count, very tiny precious little berry,  I wanted a little larger. If I had not rid my stash of Klostern, I would have tried this freebie on it.  And still want to.  

In a nutshell (it's a big nut)...  this new needle claims a very smooth eye but it was horrible and not smooth in the least.  I counted wrong. The Pineberry Lane chart shows the berry upside down on my print, and rather than flip it, I thought it would not be a problem.  Such a simple and quick two color shape, how could I screw it up?  Let me count the ways.  Over and over yet I still kept it the same position on my board.  The real head smacker is when I forgot to change the pattern to include a calyx in the center (don't be impressed, I thought it was called a leaf and looked it up).  So I remove all the red at the top which was a real mess since I fill vertical and then cross horizontal for blocks of color.  You can't remove one row at a time, each cross is going in two directions.  But I proceeded, had a ton of tails to weave in the back.  Didn't think it would take long but IT DID.  So let's move on and get this berry done.  Wait a minute.  I just filled it back in with the red, just as it was before I frogged it. Where is my head?  Was I bone headed enough to remove it again?  Yes I was.  Now, the mass of tails on the back have made it thick enough to not need fill when finishing.  But wait, that top is a little too high after adding that center leaf (that's what it is) so I removed a few rows and each vertical row added its own tail to the ever thickening back.  Better.  Now I can fill in the red and get to the seeds.  Hmm.  That red looks brighter.  IT IS.  I picked up 347 instead of 3777 because I left it out from trying colors for this linen.  Now about the seeds.  How many times can they disappear?  Let  me count the ways once again.  Where the hell are they going?  I make the knot, come up in a different area, and when I look to see how far from the previous knot I am, it's GONE!!!  I am coming up and going down in different holes!  They prefer to stay on the back and leave a little white thread buried in the red.  So after two attempts, I used a slip knot in the mess on the back after each knot.  Finding a stitch to attach it to on the backside was not easy since it's a road map of carryovers, woven tails, shredded fringe throughout.  But.  It's done.  And I'll stitch another without errors just for spite.  I can't believe how many days this has taken and how bone headed I am to not START OVER rather than continually frog and croak.

Sixteen foot doors are sanded, cleaned, primed, painted.  We couldn't get an overlay design of any kind because of the dark color which would warp them.  So flush it is, and I ordered bean straps for them.  Rather than drill into the steel (I hate steel doors) we will use strong magnets to hold the decorative straps.  Our old door had very pronounced wood grain texture, this does not.  If we would have chosen windows or patterned styles I can't imagine the headache with priming and painting.  So I'm glad it's simple.

Large orange male is hanging around and the black/white is here every day also.  They must be strays, Missy is having none of it.

I'm tired, going to bed.  Hope your weekend was peaceful, joyful, or both.

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OMG!

 Good news!  GREAT news!!

My neighbor put a note in my mailbox asking if a tiny black kitten was mine.  I was so glad to hear that they found it and tiny was safe.  After a few texts explaining that we had planned to call an agency since it was so young, she said she has a friend who wants it!!  YAY!!!  So I took two cartons of soft pate envelopes to her since "she" liked them and the tiny girl is fed and no longer homeless.  Was not expecting that at all.

And couldn't wait to tell you.

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June

 I don't know if the month will get better, but it's off to a rotten start.

I was getting within five feet of the little one, talking to him, feeding him (he ate SO much), sat on the deck until he wiggled into the shelter every night.  Tuesday morning at 6 am, he didn't come out.  We waited.  He was gone.  He cried every four hours for food, never went into the lawn, stayed within sight for days.  Missy was inside that evening and until long after we searched for him.  She was curious, not aggressive, but attacked another cat that came through we assumed was female last evening.   Maybe the mother?  Plans were not to adopt, instead hoping to find it a home, but it is still upsetting.

Bubblegum tunias, today they are getting their haircuts.  For $11, a real bargain because they have grown so much in two weeks.  You can see the cuttings on the bench from just one plant.  And what a mess this is from the sewer project.  No workers to help, at a point where I don't give a damn anymore.  I've been in a crabby funk and hope to have a peaceful hour on my swing remedy that.  Just like with babies, it also calms dementia patients. And crabasses.

I waited patiently for the garage door delivery, was to be at 1 pm.  And the paint to match the stained siding?  Was there ever any doubt.  I am sure they dread seeing me walk into their stores.  It's a curse.  A charcoal brown without green or red cast, is close to impossible.  The trick .... never put in the full amount of maroon and green tint. Start with 75%.  Add each tint in slowly, separately, getting close to 100% of formula.  Stop when the cast is acceptable and add no more.

Have not checked into a phone/plan yet, do not like the changes to Tracfone at all.  I only text and rarely use the phone for calling, no data needed.  I found that walmart (and others) offer a tracfone card adding 1000 texts for only $5.  Since I have service for several more months, a real deal for me.

No covid test, out of stock at local pharmacies, feeling better except for a 40# cold sore.  I ordered them online and by the time I get them, won't need them. 

No stitching.  I wanted to start Mary Bell on a light 40 count which I do not have.  I've grown tired of looking at Meg, and attempted to stitch her muted colors on a mottled darker linen, cannot see well enough.

  It's only Wednesday.  I have to wait until Sunday for Saltbox Stitcher?  I could go back and watch previous videos I guess.  Brenda directed us to Prims on Greenway which I had viewed a while back, and the latest #32 is chock full of goodies.   Mark won some $$ at golf so I ordered the applique book she mentioned. 

Well, my cold sore is now 43# so I'm calling it a night. Can't wait to look in the mirror tomorrow.

Stay safe, be well, find a swing.

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Remember .....

REMEMBER.

Whether resting at home or abroad.

 FROM THE FIRST TO THE LAST.

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I'm testing for covid tomorrow.  

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