The Beach

It is maple syrup month in NH, how sweet it is! 

Did you know you have to boil down approximately 40 gallons of sap to get 1 gallon of syrup? So the next time you see the price of real maple syrup and then grab for the fake stuff remember that and step away from fake.

So I again was looking through things this week and found this very interesting. 

People twigs as found in the wild. I think it is a fun thing to look for when hiking or just a casual walk. 

I got the chance to see my sweet friend this weekend. 

She has a lovely home at a Maine beach and offered an over night.

Because of the time change I got up and saw the sun rise over the ocean. 

There is a public walk along the water. The color of the water was spectacular, more like topical water, not the usual color of the very cold water on the Maine coast. 

My friend and I have both had our vaccines more than two weeks ago so we felt very comfortable with being together in the same house.

As you can see it is still cold on the coast. There she is sea glass hunting.

A very interesting tree they have it braced to not fall over.

I also got to see my 97 year old aunt for the first time in year. She also has had both vaccines. It was so good to see her again!!!

I also got to see my Roomie!!!! We kept our distance as she is due for her second vaccine so we wanted to be safe. You can find her HERE.

Well I am home and it is windy and we are having snow squalls.

Husband has the fireplace going, PJ time and maybe a cup of tea.

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Have a wonderful and healthy week!

I Like Big.....

Patterns......................what did you think I was going to say? I love working on larger rugs. Why? I have no idea. Smaller patterns are just to fiddly or I should say I just get going and it is time to bind it, my least favorite thing to do in rug hooking.

I found this in "The Rug Hook Book" and decided that I wanted to hook this piece. I had it enlarged to 33 by 46. Yup a big one!

I finished hooking Herb Angel, love the look on her face. Now to bind it.....sigh

Well of course I started another pattern while waiting to get more patterns I ordered. (More on that next week.)Ohhh such a sickness to many patterns not enough time. This was in a primitive quilts magazine.

I added a large bunny and I do think that the crow needs a limb or something to be on. The house has been several colors but I have decided on off white and the light brown on the side. The gray is coming out.

While flipping through things at work I found this. I texted it to my grand and she is all for us making these! Once the snow melts and we can get in the woods to collect our materials we are going to give it a try. She is so excited about it. We saw her today and she has come up with a plan....lol love it!

Do these glasses make my eyes look big? I am trying the cross stitch I talked about last week. Ugg I feel blind as a bat! I will look to see if I can order a magnifying glass to help me out.

Tipping the scales...We have had these scales forever. But when we go to the Dr our weight is about 7 to 8 lbs more. Husband is convinced that it is the weight of the clothing. I take as much off at the Dr as possible in a common hallway without embarrassing myself, and still it is that far off...

Plus I have to wear my glasses to count the little lines on this scale and that adds weight lol..

So we got new scales. But when I bought them I did not know they were suppose to Judge me. When I step on they let me know if I have gained since the last time I was on them! I like a scale that quietly tells me my current weight with no other input. 

Speaking of weight, I keep making bread in the bread machine.

This is Ricotta loaf with my homemade pesto. Another new one for me and another keeper! Next time I would put more pesto in, I put a heaping tablespoon but I would double it next time.

And because I freeze any bananas that have gone by to use in bread later, I bought these. Six Bananas for 41 cents. I made some banana pudding and froze the rest for another time. 

Another week and other magazine. I picked this up at the market today. I am looking forward to a cup of tea and this magazine tonight. 

This also came out of a magazine and I am not sure which one, but I think it is well said or well written. Will we all reevaluate? Have you already? I know we have, I would love to hear your thoughts.

So I will close with one crappy picture. This is a very large red tail hawk sitting in our tree. It was a very cold morning and all of a sudden all the little birds were gone. We looked around and there he was. I tried to tell him there were lots nice, big, fat, gray squirrels to snack on. (they are destroying our birdhouses.) But he kept silent and looked around. I wonder what he did snack on that day? Maybe I don't want to know. 

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Have a wonderful healthy week!

Dying With Snow

We had a beautiful full moon last night. I love this picture it looks like the big pine is reaching for the moon. 

Today was 50 which is warm in NH at the end of Feb. It was time to change the air in the house. I dusted, cleaned out the fireplace and vacuumed. The fresh air felt sooo good.

I put an onion bread in the bread machine ( a new recipe) 

It is a keeper! Husband loved it. 

We got snow and The Old Tattered Flag showed how to snow dye.

So I thought I would give it a try. The orange was traffic cone orange. And I thought why not do the natural too.

I put the damp wool in the pot and filled it with snow.

And then I drizzled the dye over the snow and covered it with foil and kept it on low for about an hour. I did keep checking to see if it was taking up the dye. 

voila! usable wool! I used green and bronze over the orange.

And the natural I used a earth tone mixture.

I finished the challenge that saundra hosted. No wool was used.

I used an old t-shirt, old curtains, vintage bark cloth, vintage lace, skirt lining, upholstery material. I learned I love my wool! But so glad I did the challenge. 

And speaking of wool, my Herb Angel, that has been hanging round on my frame much to long is coming to the finish line. I have this bit, an eye, and the border. I still really love her but will be glad for a new project.

For those of you who have followed for awhile know I have a soft spot for magazines. I love opening the mail box and seeing a new magazine....  I found this one in a local market. It is a Maine magazine with no ad and lots of really great articles, information, and craft projects. While pricey I do think I will get a subscription to it.

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I had bought a cross stitch kit some time ago and never opened it. 

Well I took it out this week spend a very long time sorting and labeling the floss and now I will try my hand at cross stitch. I haven't done it at least 25 years. I wonder if my eyes can take it.

***

Rabbit Rabbit 

Happy March!

A Visit!

Our Sunday was bright and sunny with temps in the mid 30's.

Perfect for a visit from Sweet B and her family. We have not seen them it seems in forever! No Christmas, and no birthday! But today was the day! She ran in and hugged me so tight, how I have missed her. She gave her parents a hard time when it was time to go. She loves being with us as all things stop and all attention is just for her. There will be days in her life when she will not want her old grandparents around so we will indulge her until that happens. What a joyous day it was!

My daughter had several of our wedding pictures when her aunt cleaned out she passe them to my daughter. So she brought one to us. Sweet B asked why her mother was giving us pictures of random people lol. She had a very hard time believing it was her grandparents. Ahh youth.

I get the magnolia Journal magazine, not my favorite but this month they had this question. I could think of several things that are keeping me from what really matters to me, how about you?

So shall we see what is going on in the hooking room?

Husband made that sign some time ago perfect I would say.

I got a new table! At the habitat store for 40.00 I painted the trim black and husband put wooden blocks under the legs to make it counter height. a perfect work table. 

I hung up some of my rugs (there area a few I did not hook in there)

and ordered new bedding, it is on its way.

I have been working on herb angel just background left. and I may need to dye some more.

Saundra over at woodland junction is hosting a challenge....

You choose a pattern from her offers and hook it with fabrics and things you would not normally use like the very first rug hookers. They used what they had. So I gathered some cottons, vintage bark-cloth, some lace, seam binding, and some yarn. And I chose the tulip.

I kept it small so I could accomplish it. 

I have a whole new respect for the first rug hookers,this is not easy. I am at least started and will finish. But very glad I kept it small. You should visit Saundra's blog she is posting them as they are done. Amazing work. 

True! 

I am a week and half out from my second vaccine. It made the visit today possible. 

***

We are in for more snow tomorrow. Of course I have to drive an hour south to a Dr's appointment. I had to wait months to get into this Dr so cancelling is not a good option. 

But because we are getting fresh snow I will try snow dying, it seems to be everywhere this week. The Old Tattered Flag did a demo and lit a fire under all of the people with snow! There have been some amazing results. 

All of you in the South, I hope tonight finds you warm, healthy and fed. What a horror you have been through. I saw people in the north saying "what is the issue this happens to us all the time?" But we are prepared and lots of us have wood stoves or generators to get us through. 

Have a wonderful healthy week! 

Happy Valentine's Day

It was a cold week. My walk was either very cold or snowy. 

But I was happy for the fresh air and exercise.

I am already seeing a big difference in the length of the days.

When I get home now after 5 I have time to get a walk in before dark. It makes such a big difference to have the extra light. That is my biggest complaint about winter is the darkness.

This weekend is the great fishing derby of the Lakes Region.

(this is not my picture) But people come from all around to fish, the prizes are amazing, a new boat or 15,000. Plus it is the winter vacation week for the Massachusetts  kids. They all flock to our state for skiing, snowmobiling, fishing, etc, etc.... So we are busy in this area! to say the least!

A resort that rents out very rustic cabins to people who pay a lot of money to stay there cuts ice every year off the lake. Yes each porch has an icebox and gets an ice delivery every day through the summer! They chip the ice for their cocktails or and to keep the beer cold lol. Really it is beautiful and right on the lake. We have been lucky enough to be invited there for dinner a few times. ( They have an amazing dining hall)

Again these are not my pictures but that is how thick the ice is on our lake right now. How beautiful? I feel very blessed to live here cold and all.

***

 I got my second vaccine on Wed. I have an auto immune issue, Addisons (president Kennedy had it also that is why he always looked so tan) and had a bit of an issue for about 10 hours. Achy and tired, I did what I was suppose to do and it was over in no time. The reason I know 10 hours I woke up at 2 am with the achyness and by noon I headed out for my 4 mile walk. I am so happy this is behind me and now to see Sweet B!

I hope you all had a lovely valentine's day. I got cards from friends and husband. A video call from Sweet B and family. It was perfect! 

Have a wonderful healthy week!