Summer musings

I had hoped by now to show you more progress on the lovely Ann Rayner.  However between frogging part of the house (28 rows!!) and traveling to Florida to see our fathers, I've made little progress. 

I was able to stitch some in Jacksonville, but I didn't do any in Orlando.  Then we had a two-day drive home.  Bumpy roads certainly aren't conducive to stitching on linen, so instead I knitted on prayer shawls for our church.  I finished one and got half of another one done.  I don't seem to knit at home, so I've decided to keep my knitting basket in the car.  That way I can stitch whenever we're in the car.  For example, I've found I can knit two rows on the way to church and another two on the way home.

Here is the large red house on Ann's sampler.  It's an interesting looking house.  I've never seen one quite like it before.

Here is another view of the house and some of the surrounding motifs.



Last night I stitched the basket of fruit.  The bottom four rows of the basket may look strange.  That is because you had to stitch the first half of each stitch with one thread color and then cross it with another color.



I'm curious as to what fruits are in the basket.  The red ones are probably apples, but what about that pink one at the top?  (I've not seen anything like that before.)  Perhaps the fruit at the center bottom is a piece of citrus.  Guess those are my Florida roots showing.

Since returning home, I haven't been able to get a childhood song out of my head...I want to wake up in the morning where the orange blossoms grow.  I remember singing this song in elementary school.  Thanks to the internet, I was able to find the rest of the words. 

The first verse is:

I want to wake up in the morning where the orange blossoms grow,

Where the sun comes creepin' into where I'm sleepin',and the song birds say hello.

I love the fresh air and the sunshine, it’s good for us you know.

So I’ll make my home in Florida, where the orange blossoms grow.

I read many stories from people reminiscing about singing this song in elementary school.  (The version we sang talked about blue birds, and not song birds.)  I wonder if children in Florida are still taught this song.

Since returning home, I've stitched a bit more on Ann Rayner, but I'm now focusing on a new teaching piece.  I've also started French lessons in hopes of a trip to France.  Years ago I took French lessons, but that was SO long ago.  In January, I bought the Rosetta Stone lessons, but with all that happened the first half of this year, I just started them.  Wish me luck.  Each morning I do a lesson.

We had a quiet 4th of July.  Our children spent the holiday with their in-laws, but they sent photos of our grandsons who certainly seemed to have a good time.

Haiden learning how to "skip" rocks.  (That looks like a pretty big rock to "skip".)

Yum yum--chocolate ice cream!

Garrett in a "big" pool for the first time.



Guess who just learned how to clap.  He sure looks excited about that.



Since my last blog post, I've scheduled a class with the Azalea Sampler Guild in Jacksonville.  I'll be teaching  Long May She Wave on October 29th.  I'll soon be posting class contact information on my website.  You must be in class to get the kit.