THIS AND THAT -

This is the time of year that I begin to "store my nuts" - just like the squirrel's so that on Thanksgiving and Christmas I don't have to spend all of my time in the kitchen. I can really enjoy my family and still put good "eat's" on the table. Soooo, last Tuesday I baked 5 pumpkin pies and 4 of them are in the freezer. I had to taste, of course, so one is about gone. They turned out very creamy and oh! so yummy! On Wednesday I went to my Pearl McGown hooking group. We met at Vi's house this time and it was so good to see our friend Barbara. Barbara lost her husband a few weeks ago and this is the first time she has joined us in some months. She is a most beautiful person and we are all praying for her and her new life without her best friend.

On Thursday I went to the Grant Street Woolworks hook-in. Seems to me that there was a full house. Several new guests as well as some of the regulars.

Bo is a regular. He loves hook-in days. So many people to love him and so many for him to mooch from. He thinks that he is a hooker - thus he has taken his table space!

This is part of a piece of paisley that I was able to purchase from Linda. I am color planning a new rug (geeze you'd think I don't have any in progress!) and I loved this paisley. I am planning to use several paisley's in this new rug because it is an Amish design and just calls for this type of material.

This is a picture of the rug that Joanne brought with her. She has finished the hooking and was planning to start the binding. With all of the talking going on I wonder how much she got done.

This was Joan's first visit to the Grant Street Wool Works. She was also putting the binding on a finished rug. So sorry I didn't get a picture of the rug but I was so facinated with the way she was doing the binding I forgot to take the picture.

Kathy and Joanne. Kathy is starting to set up to work. Please notice the paisley piece on the table. It is truly lovely.

A friend of Linda's (sorry I didn't get the name) on left is knitting, Linda and Pat laughting about something. Pat is a spinner and weaver in addition to being a rug hooker. I took her some of my daughter's basket making materials since I know that she will use them. I want someone to put these things to good use.

Traci is here with me today (Friday). She went to the Brandywine hook-in on Saturday. I was unable to go because I was concerned about Eloise (who is much better). Traci reports that there were so many people that she felt like a sardine in a can and did not even get her hooking out. She has some great pictures of the rug show and also bought some wools. I think in spite of the crowding she had a good time.

Tomorrow the Boonsboro ATHA group is going to visit Barb Carroll at her shop. Wish I could go but to long a day for me. I do think that this is a great group project and I hope everyone has fun and comes home with lots of wool and lots of new ideas.

Thought of the day -

An idle mind is the devil's workshop.

George Carlin

Happpy hooking!

Doris

A MOSTLY QUIET WEEK -

My little Eloise gave me a bad scare this week. On Wednesday night she lay on the floor as tho she was dead! Just out of it. Her eyes were so filled with pain that it was as tho she didn't know who I was. I was really scared that she was dying. During the night I lifted her onto the bed and at sometime during the night she moved from the foot of the bed to the top of the bed and I knew that she was not paralized. To make a long story short, we have been having a bit of aspirin therpy and things are much better. She has managed to get on the bed twice today by herself and up in my hooking chair (her favorate place) several times. Things are looking up at my house!

This evening reminds me of a little saying that I used to tell my girls when they were little. The rain rains all around - It rains on ships at sea - It rains on towns and cities - and it rains on you and me! It appears that it will be a gloomy weekend. I happen to love the rain so I have been hooking all evening. I have purchased a new hooking frame and I am loving it. It is large and swivels and has a great floor stand. I am beginning to think that I must start selling some of my extra stuff. I now have 5 frames and only two hands.

I went with my friend Traci on Thursday to the hook in at the Grant Street Wool Works. We always have such a nice time when we go hooking there. The company is so good - such good conversation and friendship. I have come to the conclusion that Linda is a "neat freak." The shop is always so clean and neat and during last week she had rearranged everything. I always see something new every time I go there. As I have mentioned before, not only things for hookers, but gifts that every women would like to purchase. How about these cute teddy bears?

This grouping of wools, baskets and gourds galore!

And to top it all off this lovely winterberry tree. The whole shop was decorated in oranges, browns and greens in keeping with the season. Really pretty - great eye candy.

Traci and I enjoyed all who were there and we missed all who were not there. Looks like the weekend is going to be a washout - great for spending time with the family and doing a lot of hooking!

Thought for this blog -

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away!

George Carlin

Doris

WEATHER. WEATHER. WEATHER!!!

Everybody's talking about it. Seems more like January or February than October. I love the rain so I am very happy. I think that these types of days are the best for doing whatever makes the heart, mind and soul happy. Thus I have been spending my days hooking and playing bridge.

My friend Linda programmed Pogo and especially their bridge games on my computer for me. My husband and I were avid bridge players in our youth and spent many happy hours with friends playing. When you loose your partner you also loose many contacts. Seems unfair, but that's the way life is. I have missed the happy hours of bridge and have always read the bridge column in the paper to keep up with what is happening. This Pogo program is great fun because you are actually playing with other people. I often wish I could see their body nuances or facial expressions since that is so much of the bridge bidding but I am glad just to be able to play. It has given me many happy hours during this cold rainy spell.

I did go to the Blue and Gray rug makers in Gettysburg last Monday. They had quite a turnout. That is the place to see beautiful rugs. I'm sorry that I don't have any pictures this time - guess I was just to busy talking!

Also during this rainy spell I have been hooking. The Boonsboro chapter of ATHA is having a Christmas swap. It is a small mat 10 x 10 to reflect either winter or the Christmas season. I have chosen Christmas for my theme. My piece is almost finished but I can't show it until after the swap. Also, since this is the year of purple for this group this piece is supposed to have at least several loops of purple wool incorporated. I could not figure out how to do that in my piece so I will simply roll it for presentation tied with a purple ribbon.

I'm sure that by now all of you know that Eloise hates rain and the cold. If it rains to hard she won't eat and doesn't even consider going out. She would rather walk around with her legs crossed! As a result she has spent these last few days in my bed (?) her bed (?) upside down, her favorite position, under the covers with all four legs up in the air - very unlady like - making the covers look like they have a tent in the middle. I have given up making my bed neat and tidy since she remakes it as soon as I have finished.

Even tho the weather is bad, I do feel that mother nature always finds a way to surround us with beauty. Thus, the following pictures taken from the deck.
Beautiful clouds surrounded by outlines of trees that are almost bare leafed.

Storm is on the way - how beautiful is that!!!

I wish I ould get that blue in the dye pots!

Getting lighter after the storm - love the trees and one white, white cloud.

May peace be with you on these gray and rainy days - keep your spirits high for this too shall pass.

Doris

RANDOM THOUGHTS

It's that time of year again. The beautiful fall harvest of pumpkins, fancy corn and gourds has arrived. Time to begin looking for the wooley bear worms to see if the winter will be cold or mild.

This hanging arrangement is on my kitchen door and is my welcoming sign to those coming to see Eloise and me.

The chimney sweeps are coming this afternoon to clean my two chimney's and get my wood stoves ready for the coming season. It sure feels mighty nice to have a wood stove going on the cold fall mornings. It is wonderful to drink your first cup of coffee in front of the stove - especially since I have an arrangement where I can watch the flames.

This is a week of chores. Downtown this morning to the drug store to pick up some medicine and get a few things at the grocery - no food - just those cleaning products that always seem to get used up - necessary but not much fun.

Part of the arrangement on my dining table. I intend to prepare the butternut squash for some nice pies for the winter but until I get them ready to cook they look great as part of the centerpiece.

Sadly, the last of the tomatoes and squash have been harvested from the garden. When I think of Maryland, I think of tomatoes, sweet corn and crabs! All are past their prime now but oh! what wonderful memories of the goodies of this past summer. Now it's time to put the vegetable garden to sleep for the winter.

We put the lily beds. magnolia trees, and rhoda's to bed for the winter last weekend by cleaning and heavily mulching them. The new iris roots were planted by "Mr. Tree" and should bloom this next spring.

I want to thank my friend Linda for putting Pogo on my computer. I have spent many happy hours playing bridge with other bridge nuts like me. Most of my partners have been great and certainly understanding when I have made a mistake. Bridge must be like riding a bike, you never forget, just get a little rusty. The rust is wearing off and the old desire to be competitive is showing its ugly face! A good pastime for cold winter days!

Tomorrow will be a cleaning day and no doubt I will find a few more stink bugs, altho they seem to have slowed down their appearance. Thursday is another day at the doctors office to see what is going on with my blood count. If it doesn't take to long I will go to Chambersburg to hook with the Grant Street Group.

If you want to put some beauty in your life go to the blog named Pugs and Hugs. The pictures of the church that is going to be dismantled are absolutely georgous! What a wonderful place to worship in - so sad to close it down.

Quote of the day -

Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.

elizabeth bibesco

Doris

IT'S ALL ABOUT RUGS -

On Wednesday, I Hooked with the Cattail Rug Chapter of the Pearl McGown Guild. This is the first group of rug makers that I hooked with starting a long time ago. The members come from a wide range of Maryland and have been together for many years. While we meet twice a month, this is the first time I have been able to hook with them since June. I really have missed all of my old friends and was so glad to see them. Naturally, I had to take pictures of the rugs finished and in progress.

The first rug is Carol's. It is a very long table runner that she is making for her daughter-in-law. I show only half of it here. The other side is the same but it is to long to get in one picture. The color plan is lovely. She is planning to put fringe on each end. This next picture is Jean's rug. She has rejoined us after a 2 year absence. We have all missed her and are so glad to have her back with us. The hooking on this rug is finished and she was putting the edge on.

The shading in her pears is lovely.

This next rug is Lina's. I wish the background had shown up better in the pic. It is several shades of soft tan and is just beautiful.

The little Scottie is really perky and makes me smile.

Here is Meg looking intently at a rug that was being displayed on the floor. We always have a "show and tell" time which is great fun.

This is the oriental that Meg is working on. Oriental's are her specialty and all of the floors in her home are covered in them. Needless to say, a beautiful home. The color plan of this oriental is so vibrant and lovely - I know it will be really beautiful when finished.

This next rug is Margaret's. She did this at a camp she attended this spring. It is one of the rugs that is embellished with all sort of materials. All of the flowers are prodded and the grass is a number of different types of wool - yarn, wool strips, etc. Certainly not a rug to walk on but to be hung on the wall. Margaret says it was fun to do but doesn't think she will do this type of hooking again.

And last but not least, our Ginny's rug. This had us all laughing. What a wonderful job she did on this. The ruffles on the panties are done with a white yarn called lace yarn. The ring on her finger is a large facetted piece of glass and her necklace is blue glass. You really have to see this rug close up and personal to get the full impact of if. In case you can't read the whole saying it is " Put on your big girl panties and deal with it." Ginny is most generous with her rugs and gives many of them as presents but this one she says is for herself!

All in all, a good time was had by all. Of course, as with all hookers, this group has its share of great cooks and the food was scrumptious!

And now back to the home front. My mission in life this week is to kill as many stink bugs as I can. I have never seen them as bad as this year. They are everywhere I look, however I don't think I'm alone. I think we will get one more picking of tomatoes from the garden this weekend and also some more butternut squash and that's about it for fresh vegs. Time to put the garden to sleep for the winter. It makes me sad to see winter come but this fall weather is grand and I hope all of you are enjoying it. This is a great time to out doors. After all, the best hooking time is January, February, and March so enjoy the outdoors while you can. Have a great week all.

Doris