Surprised?

 I'm happy with color!  Yikes.  That doesn't happen often, and the process is usually quite frustrating along the way, but not this time.  I still have a very short fuse that could be lit by a match at 20 yards.  Surprisingly, this project has been peaceful.

I plan to stick with the lighter blue for the basket and work on the bottom area this evening.  Again.  Hopefully.  Now would be a good time to remove this slub and weave a new thread.

The Peach Truck has a schedule on their website of pickup locations, you order (25# boxes) and pay, pickup the designated day.  I plan to offer some and freeze half.

I'm still itching, not quite as bad.  The existing bumps are turning as hard as pebbles, a few new ones still coming.  You would think a dermatology office would hold a spot open several days a week for unexpected breakouts, but they do not.  I can be seen in October by the PA.  I told them I will bring photos of the outbreak for his review.

Be safe!

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Just peachy

 Hi folks.  Our first time waiting in line on hot asphalt in 90 degree temps for a peach.  We've heard about the lusciousness of The Peach Truck's bounty, so we jumped on board.  Sitting on a counter for three days is the recommendation for juicy ripe fruit.  Honestly, I did not expect rock hard light yellow and green peaches.  But people that get them every year say they are the absolute best.

Still stitching, not as much as I'd like, the background noise is very upsetting and on my mind.  We visited Carole yesterday with cannoli and brioche from .... Walmart.  I went in for her Hills Bros and passed the bakery, spotted these small cannoli in a package and oh my, they are wonderful.  Five in a pack.

 I had to purchase a new LED floor light with remote and flexible neck (Amazon), it's much nicer than the previous one we got her, now broken.  She was pretty darn happy.  And I removed several stains on her tops that the facility could not, all ink and marker.  The 70% rubbing alcohol removes both, so with a cloth beneath and several squirts and wipes, gone.  With the number of residents there is no way they can check and treat each item.  So I cleaned the very small hand sanitizer bottles and have one filled with Lestoil for the greasy stains and alcohol in the other for her to apply before laundry day.

Enjoy your day folks.  Hope it's a peach.

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Bite me

 And something is.  Or is it?  More on that later.

I'm really pleased with the colors I chose and the light floral clouds are exactly what I hoped they would be.  I used 761 for the pink and this looks really close to the chart photo.  Bingo.  I reversed the right floral so they are facing each other rather than both facing right.

We went to dinner with my cousins Saturday (I had only water).  An hour later I started breaking out with what I thought was hives, they were not.  Intense itching, mostly chest, neck, and arms.  I removed/cleaned the mud and moss bird nest early that day after they left it.  Bird mites are extremely tiny but visible with magnifier.   We checked with a magnifier for anything moving, nothing.  Plus I handled the baby bird several times the day before without a reaction.  This break out was so many at one time and much later so I doubted that cause.  I heard that panty liners in your bra absorb the dampness on hot days.  I added one to the band of my bra to prevent more irritation and it did feel better.  But that self stick back didn't stick well enough and I had an odd protrusion in the center of my t-shirt like an alien birthing through my chest.  And I just watched a rerun of that movie the day before.  Oh well, hopefully this will subside before I run out of creams and wipes.

July is more than half over.  Good grief.

Be safe folks.

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And now the green

Are you thinking I'm a little overboard?  I'm actually not frustrated at all and enjoying this project very much.  Because it isn't filled with alphabets, bands, motifs, its few elements are the focus.  Thread color is important and actually what drew me to this design, especially the two floral clouds.  I'm trying to get the same look as the chart's photo and my linen color is close, but not the recommended which usually requires some adjustments in threads.

Overdyed (both linen and threads) is hit and miss as many stitchers have found when comparing their project to the photo.  I think I've found the right green.  Called for 3013 is far left and barely noticeable, even though it looks great in this photo.  The next is 3348, more of a chartreuse, too bright.  The next THREE are the same GAST color from three different cards.  The last one is C&C, not striking enough.  So I chose the first of the three GAST, not too light, not too yellow, and I'm happy with it.

The flower is charted 224 (bottom thread) not my favorite pink since (to me) it is too cool. 3773 (top thread) is perfect.  If it doesn't show well once stitched, brighter 754 or similar may work.  On the Cocoa linen, those colors may be perfect, but what I'm pulling seems to be closer to the photo on  my Oatmeal.

My Phoebe was on the deck this morning, unable to fly more than a few inches off the ground before a beak dive.  With the hawks and stray felines, we put him back in the nest.  Well that was a mistake.  The other four took off as did the little one, not the best flight ability.  I watched them for over an hour as they kept getting closer to the woods and frantic mom and dad.  Little at a time, they made it into the brush.  I'm hoping they will be fine, mom is there and the babes knew enough to go to her.  

Visit at the facility with the cousins to see sis this afternoon.  She is quite upset as we all are since that background situation hit the fan yesterday. 

Our Hobby Lobby is coming soon.  Mark's retired friend and his wife are working as temp workers to stock and set up.  There were 80, but over 20 quit.  They rest are all older and retirees, and understand that when someone is paying you, you have to work.  

Enjoy the day.

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And now the blue

 Recommended conversion is DMC 926, I think a darker blue will look great with the very light floral above.  One is 3768, the other 924.  Both are good, I'll decide later.

I noticed an extra stitch mid-way in the skirt on the left, but that is charted.  Following my need for symmetry, I'll add one on the right.  Really enjoying this design.

Wonderful dinner out with cousins.  He is so great and his wife could not be sweeter.  We are going Italian again on Saturday, I just get sherbet since food is a problem for me and that's fine.  What to serve here Sunday hasn't been talked about yet.

I discovered that tunics can hide thighs, but holy hotcakes don't get a mirror to look at your backside!  It's like a tent.  An A-frame style.  I knew I had to lose weight but had no idea how wide my load is from the back.  I can wear a tank with an open tunic creating three vertical lines which breaks up width, but that thigh length solid fabric on the back needs a jackhammer to break that width.  MUST lose.  

What a difference in sun exposure with the tree gone. 

Have a good day folks

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Hazelwood

 Actual size is 13" x 19", 36 count,  I paid $16.25 and that is your cost.  I will pay shipping (US only).  Either a check or online gift certificate from 123Stitch as payment.  I have a piece of 14" x 18" Mayflower in 36 I may also be offering.  Too much going on to think clearly!  This linen's brown is taupe-ish and the mottling a very greenish brown.  I don't want to mess with correcting to my preference.

Cousins from CA arriving today, my other cousin is still in hospital, another doesn't want to forfeit any lake days at their camp so will only be here to have dinner with them one day.  So it's me.  And they want to take the ride to visit sis also and need me to accompany them.  Chris was told yesterday that the driver of their 4 day golf weekend has covid.  It wasn't heatstroke, it was a fever!!  Tested negative of course since it's only been a few days, he will continue to test daily, but he can't enter her facility until 10 days after exposure.

As for stitching, my test of the other two reds showed that 347 is the right choice.  It is very close to the Buckeye Scarlet and I will not admit to my shenanigans which brightened it just enough.  I would be kicked out of all stitching groups.  I don't plan on filling her body color and accents until later since I stitch in hand.  Best to add ecru and white at the end.

My Eastern Phoebes are ready to fly!  So crowded in that nest and although I scrubbed the area clean after the first brood, another mossy mess was built the next day.  Will there be a third?  This is at my front door and very hard to scrub in that cramped corner.  

My husband knows I haven't felt up to par lately and this morning he ran to do errands and brought back my newest favorite ....  the cold brew brown sugar foam from Dunkin.  Yowza!  

Mom's loon whirligig is in background.  Love that bird.  She also had what is called a mobile, it was a large goose whose wings had monofilament line from which it hung.  It would gracefully bounce up and down with wind mimicking flight.  I have never seen another.

Have a great day folks!

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