MOTHER NATURE AND ME -

She did it again! Mother Nature gave us 31 inches of snow last Friday and Saturday and now another 14 to 18 inches Tuesday and Wednesday. Will spring never come??

This first picture is looking out my front door. These iciciles are hanging over the door. This is the bird feeder on the front railing. If you look closely in the middle of the feeder there is a small black spot. This is the tail of a Junko shoveling the snow off of the feed. I felt really sorry for the little fellow - he was such a hard worker.

Meanwhile, in the house, things are also happening. I have finished the rug that I started in November with Cynthia Norwood at the Howard County Arts Center. I love the background of this rug. It is 6 different shades of wine and is really a beauty. The pictures do not do the color justice.

I don't know why the greens look so washed out. Believe me they are vibrant and lovely with the rest of the colors.

I made a few adustment to the design of the rug. I added another group of leaves in the bottom center of the rug instead of using the design heart. Also, since I consider this to be a floral rug I removed the distelfinks located in the four corners of the rug and extended the tulips in their place. This made the rug more pleasing to me.

I used five different paisleys in the rug as well as number 5, 6, 8, 9 and hand cut material.

This was truly a fun project. As soon as I began to put the background in I knew that I would love the rug. I'm sorry that the pictures do not show the true beauty of the background.

So on to the next project. While I am getting my head "wrapped around" a pictorial that I intend to do, I am working on my scraps rug. This rug is being made from a lot of the #3 left over cut strips accululated over the years. It is what I call a "no think" rug.

I hope that all of you rug artists out there are keeping warm and dry. We certainly have had our share of winter weather. In the mean time, it is great weather for hooking, reading and just relaxing.

Eloise and I keep looking for spring. Here she is in the window watching the neighbors and hoping that spring is just around the corner.

We both send our good thooughts and blessings your way. Keep those hooks moving!

Doris

A DUSTING????


The weather man said we would get a dusting. HaHaHa!!! It "dusted" up to 7 inches when I measured the height of the snow on my picnic table. The table is in a sheltered spot and does not get blowing snow so it is pretty accurate.


It started about 9 am on Saturday morning and didn't quit until about 9 that evening. Richard and Danyel came Saturday morning and brought in loads of wood for the wood stove and I kept it roaring all day long. For those of you that didn't get snow I thought you would like to see some pics of my property. This is a view from the deck.

The barn and part of the deck. I love the snow caps on the top of the railing.

The sky was so beautiful. In the winter I love the looks of the spidery tree limbs against the sky. They are truly beautiful. An art lovers dream.

This is Eloise's path to her favorite spot in the yard. She loves the snow but hates the cold. If it would snow in July she would be happy. She loves to roll in it and make snow angels with her body!

This is the front railing. The bird feeder and a flower pot are wearing hats of snow.

The snow and cold was reason enough for staying inside but in addition I had a runny nose and sore throat. So a good excuse to stay quiet on Sunday. As a result I finished the hooking on my latest project. I now have to clean the back and check to see that I didn't skip any spots. I also have to dye the wool and binding for the finishing. I plan to do both of these things today. In addition, on Sunday I put away all of the leftover wool from this project. I'm so proud of myself! I almost never take the time to do that I'm in such a hurry to get to the new project. I must admit that the hooking room looks pretty good at this point. I don't think that my table will ever be completely clean but after all a girl has to have a place to lay her tools and assortment of junk.

My new project will be to finish an already started rug. Since I have 5 unfinished projects I'm not sure yet what I will tackle. It gives me something to think about today while I am doing the laundry. Today promises to be busy if I get everything done on my "to do" list. Time to get started.

Take care of yourselves and keep warm. Eloise and I send our love to all of you.

Doris

IT'S A DILEMMA - I THINK!!!!!

The word dilemma according to the dictionary means: A problem seemingly incapable of a satisfactory answer. I think I have a dilemma! Those of you that have been to my home know that in my living room I have three of my rugs. Two are on the floor and one is hung above my couch. My friend Traci was here last Thursday and while looking at the rugs discovered that something didn't look right on the rug in front of my curio cabinet. This is the rug. It was designed by Pearl McGown and is called Japanese Wedding Plate. Strange name because I took the color plan from a Chinese Celedon Wedding Plate. I first saw this rug many years ago at a 5 day workshop held at the Garrison School for Girls in Baltimore. I think the year was 1973. I fell in love with the design, purchased the pattern and carried it around with me for many years. I finally hooked it in 2006. It has been on my living room floor since 2008.

I thought you might like to see a couple of close ups. This rug was not placed in a high traffic area nor was it placed where the sun could hit it directly.

It happens to be one of my favorite rugs. It was a prize winner at the 2007 Maryland State Fair.

Look carefully at the tree branches. The brown is bleeding onto the background. This is what Traci saw when she looked at the rug. I can't figure out what has happened. The rug is not where it could get wet from shoes. Traci and I both smelled the rug - Eloise has not "mistaked" on it. She is completely housebroken and would rather die than mess in the house.

The background wool in this rug is Celedon Green purchased from Dorr some years ago. I don't think that they produce this color any more - I think they now call it Mint - and it is slightly different. All I did to the background wool was wash it before I used it. The brown wool is the only wool in the rug that I didn't dye myself. I am not looking to blame anyone for this bleeding but I am looking for an answer to the problem so I can keep it from happening again.

In the meantine, I have taken the rug up and replaced it with this rug.

This is also a McGown design that I hooked some years ago. I have forgotten the name of this rug so I just call it Autumn Leaves.

While I was at it I decided to take up the rug in front of the couch - maybe I just needed new scenery - so I put down "Double Caswell Carpet" a Quail Hill design. The rugs above were all hooked with a #3 cut but his rug is hand cut - approximately a 5 or 6 width. It is 3-1/2 by 7 feet long and this is the best I could do to get a picture of the whole rug.

This picture shows the entire end of the rug and is repeated on the other end of the rug.

This is a close up of the center of the rug.

I hope that all of you rug makers out there will leave me a comment if you have any ideas about the cause of the bleeding. I have eliminated sun, water and animal discharge. I have 4 rugs that have been on the floor continually since 1975 and have never had a problem like this. Help me find a solution to the problem.

In the mean time, I hope you have enjoyed a peek at these three rugs and that you continue to read my blog.

Happy hooking one and all!:)

Doris

IT'S SUNDAY -

Yep, it's Sunday. It's a cloudy ugly looking day. The weatherman says that it is going to rain. He knows how I hhhhhate rain - so why does he do that? It 8am and I'm just where any self respecting girl should be.

It really is comfy and warm here.
My mom has been rattling around in the kitchen for some time. I smell the coffee brewing so I guess she is half awake. Ho! Ho! I smell blueberry muffins - think I'll get up! They are sure delicious. My mom shares them with me because I know how to get that "poor" dog look. I really am a bit too fat but at my age who cares? Not like I'm on the look out for a good looking guy.

Our mail lady's name is Diane. She is a nice lady. About twice a week she leaves me a puppy bone in the mail box. She knows that I like her even tho I bark when she comes. Today is what I call "moving day." It's the day that I move my stash of bones (I have a stash of bones instead of wool) off of the foot of mother's bed and hide them. I always know where they are - you can't fool me - so DON'T MOVE THEM when your are cleaning.

Gotta go now and take care of this biscuit. Hope you all have a wonderful week. My mom has lots of things to do this week so guess I will spend some days alone. Think about me and know that I will be interested in all of the things you are doing this week. After all, a girl has to keep up on the news!

Blessings to everyone -

ELOISE

A BETTER ATTITUDE!

Finally, the malaise that I have been feeling has passed. I think the sunshine this week has had a lot to do with feeling better. Today I baked cookies, finished the laundry and even did a bit of house cleaning. In the process I straightened out my top dresser drawer and found a charming little pink book that my husband had given me many years ago. So my blog this posting is to share with you the contents.

A poem called "For You with Love," by Louis Utermeyer

Love is the whisper of earth
When the stars pale
And the dawn-winds hail
A new days birth . . . .

The laughing abandon,
The shining glee
Of the fountain's leap
And the headlong sweep
Of the sea . . . .

Love is the memory
Time cannot kill,
The cherished tune
Gay and absurd . . .
And the music unheard

The silence that trembles
And seems to fill
The heart when the song
Of bird
Is still . . . .

Love is God's plenty . . .
An endless measure
Of gifts that descend
In sun and in shower
On mountain and plain . . .
The quickening rain,
And the storied treasure
At the rainbow's end . . .

Love is the coming alive
Of a golden bush
That cannot wait for spring
Blossoms that bring
Joy to the day
And honey to the hive . . .

The call of the hills
and the answering ocean
When everything's a maze
and a blaze
of color and motion . . .
Torrents of wonder, of waves,
an wings . . . .
And the whole sky sings . . .

But first and last . . .
Time present, time future,
and time past . . .
Past all belief and thinking of . . .
Earth beneath
and heaven above

Beginning and ending . . .
Forever new . . .
LOVE IS YOU . . .

Be sure to tell you family how much you love them TODAY - tomorrow may be to late.
Doris

A Nothing Week!

I have not updated by blog because I have been leading a very boring life. I guess it's the weather - I've just wanted to stay in the house and do as I pleased.

Last Saturday my daughter Joan came over to spend the day. It was a late celebration of my birthday. We did lots of things with the computer, she is much more knowledgable about this gadget then I am. After playing around for a while we went shopping. Our shopping plan was to go to Michael's for some shelves for her and some candles for me. I couldn't believe it - their $6 and $10 candles were on sale for $1.00. I treated myself to four - a big shopping!

We had invited Richard and Danyel to join us for a late luncheon at the Red Lobster (my favorite sea food place) and found ourselves with time to spare. This resulted in going to the Valley Mall where we always find something to spend our money on - good gracious - no will power! I did buy myself a birthday present at Joan's urging. I got a new winter jacket since she insisted that I have been wearing the same one for 12 years and she thought it time for a change. However, they were having a sale so 70% off sounded good to me and it truly is a very pretty jacket. After that a lovely luncheon at Red Lobster and then home to Eloise.

During the rest of last week I played bridge on the computer, a game that I love. I also worked on the rug that I started with Cynthia Norwood in November. It should be finished but bridge takes a lot of time! Speaking of Cynthia, I was distressed to hear of her illness. I did e-mail her and have received a very sweet reply from her. For all of you who have not heard from her, she is doing well, taking her medicine and planning to take about 6 months off or until the doctor gives her the word to return to teaching all of us.

My friend Traci invited me to go to Chambersburg to the Grant Street Woolworks last Thursday. We had a delightful day of hooking and laughing with Linda, Kathy and Barb. Linda's son Aaron is here visiting and he joined us and gave us lots of laughs. Of course, Louis and Bo were also in the hooking room looking for pats and food. Linda treated us all to roasted potatoes for lunch. A good time was had by all.

Here it is Saturday and I got up with good intentions. I planned to get the few last Christmas things put away, tidy up the kitchen, wash my hair and do some laundry. When I was eating my breakfast I had the notion to bake some cup cakes so as soon as I finished eating I got them going and into the oven. I tidied up and did a few small things while they were cooking and was ready to wash my hair when the oven told me the cup cakes were ready. As I took them out of the oven Richard and Danyel arrived. We started talking and I was telling them that I had been thrown off of POGO because I didn't pay my dues so I couldn't play bridge anymore. That started a whole long session with the computer. Glad to report that I am now in the good graces of POGO and can again play bridge. Also, they talked me into going on face book, so they have set that up for me. Hope I am smart enough to contact my friends and have a good time with it. In the mean time, no hair wash, cup cakes not frosted, no laundry done, Christmas things still to be put away, but all in all a pleasant Saturday.

Hopefully, this evening I will get a bit of hooking done. I am really pleased with this new rug. I especially love the background. The rug is called "Amish" and is an Old Sturbridge Village pattern that I purchased from Cushings. I have made a few changes in the design that better suits my purpose and I think makes the design more semetric. I will post a picture as soon as I have a bit more worked.

Well, that's it for my week. I hope that all of you had a more productive and interesting week than I had. Hopefully, as the days get longer and the weather warmer things will also get more interesting.

USELESS FACT OF THE DAY
In 1964 the Rev. Martin Luther King. Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize. Happy birthday Rev. King!

Doris

REFLECTIONS ON LIFE -

Today is my birthday and I have been thinking about what a wonderful life it has been and I hope it will continue to be. I was born January 6, 1926 (you do the math) in Washington, D.C. My parents were kind and loving and always had time for my brother and me. My mother was a wonderful lady. She taught her children manners, that laughing was important and she read to us each day, instilling in us the love of books. It was her contention that the whole world could be yours thru reading. My father taught us to be responsible, a work ethic that meant that you worked every day. He taught us to fish and play ball and to love animals, and to me he was a very special person. All in all, a wonderful childhood.

And then came World War II. The end of childhood as many of us knew it. Work at the ration board on Saturdays and letters to loved ones. Some came home and some didn't. We were always grateful for their sacrifice and their willingness to keep up safe.

Then came marriage to a wonderful young man that I had met my senior year of high school. The marriage produced two beautiful daughters and lasted 59 years until the death of my husband. The only picture for this blog is a picture of a picture. This is our wedding photo taken when Bob was home on leave - everyone was in the service.Oh how young we were!

When I was in the throes of despair after his death my dear friend Carole came to me and said that I had to start hooking again. I had stopped hooking in order to take care of Bob . This was the best advice anyone could have given me. I am so grateful that she introduced me to a group of hookers that really cared, not only about hooking, but about each other.

And so my second oddesy into the hooking world began. I never dreamed when I started to hook in 1970 that it would become such a large part of my life. I can honestly say that it has saved my sanity on several occasions. In addition, it has allowed me to meet and know so many talented people, and to make many friends.

As I look forward to this new year I have resolved to continue to promote hooking and to help as many hookers as I can. Also, I have resolved to be more active in the community outreach programs, one for the food bank, one for the women's and children shelter and for the animal shelter. All of these programs are thru hooking groups.

I look forward to seeing each and everyone of you in the new year. May your 2010 be a productive and happy experience.

Doris