Making designs

 I am steaming ahead with this, it helps I do love the design so far, geometric designs around the edge of my work appeals to my tidy mind. I have done a bit more on the other side, for now I want to finish this so I can ensure it's balanced. 

The pink flowers are the imposter in this design, in the original there is a bigger design using the same lines as the knots, I think this is nicer, and much simpler to sew, once I had worked out the positions of everything. 

I have finished my three stars, I did try and find a bigger design for this middle spot, but nothing felt right, in this photo it does not look right, but once I have stitched the other side it will balance. . 

This is important, I love this bowl next to my chair, a friend turned it for me years ago, when I am sewing it becomes my storage pot for the colours I am working with, handy for me, it does look messy but no tangles. 

We very rarely watch TV in the evenings and never in the day, I have a very good daylight lamp, so sewing in the evenings is relaxing for me, hubby often reads, we always have a playlist on Alexa, we have a big speaker for her so the sound is good. I'm not reading much I want to get ahead with this border, I plan to stitch the whole outside before starting the fun middle bit. 

Daytime is garden, greenhouse and garage, we are nearing the finish line with the latter, regarding the garden I am waiting for the temperature to rise to normal levels for this time of year, I have plants to go out, but I'm not going to risk them. I do like to always have something to do, I can't sit and stare into space, I fidget and have to do something, I have a pile of books waiting to be read, which is OK, reading is my second love after stitching. My knitted blanket is in a basket by my chair, I've not touched it in a couple of weeks, which again is OK, I will finish it a some point.

I wished for rain and I have got it, we have had heavy storms for days, the ground is truly wet, my pots look good, it still bloody cold, which should change later this week and into the second bank holiday weekend. We both are missing sitting outside with a coffee and slice of homemade cake, just chatting, watching the wildlife and Lilly, noting which plants have blooms, a perfect scenario for a couple of oldies looking for peace and relaxation at home.

Outside

 Garden looks great, loads of new growth everywhere, there was enough rain to keep garden going, now I am asking for sunshine and warmer days, I want to start planting my veg gardens.

 Roses, both bloomed when we were away, the pink one exploded with blooms, the white for now only one bloom, with loads of new growth I am expecting loads more.

This pot outside the patio door is simple, and beautiful, the third bloom will be white.

I've started netting my strawberries, looking as if we are going to have another great year, the raspberries and blackberries has grown in height.

Inside the greenhouse I have cucumbers growing and flowers on my tomato plants, everything is still doing well except my french marigolds seeds which again failed to germinate. 

I watered the garden on Friday and Saturday of last week, we did not get much rain when we were away, it did pour down late afternoon on Friday as we arrived home. In the greenhouse everything is good, I left most of the plants standing in water, which should have lasted a few days, I left the door partially open, we did not have any frost. Saturday we were expecting showers all day, it stayed dry and sunny (no heat), until late afternoon when it became much wetter.

George and Will spent time with us on Saturday, Mummy and Molly went to a birthday BBQ, George only wanted me, so I played with him most of the time, he had missed me, I had loads of cuddles. Sunday was another day at home, we both did a final sort of the garage, places were found for the last few bits, we sat in the front section for a while, it was cool and breezy outside, so a perfect spot to rest.

I still need to dead head around the plot and pick up after Lilly, neither job is hard, just needs doing often. Hubby has finished painting inside the garage, we have popped the outside rug on the floor for now and set out both our recliners, it's looking and feeling how we imagined, we still have to decide how to clad the two divining panels, I would have liked a fake living wall, hubby not liking that, so we are looking at other ideas, we did get some bamboo but neither of us liked it once it arrived, so it has been sent back. 

Back home

I love the shades of green and brown in this yarn, a mixture of cotton, wool and acrylic, at £3, very cheap, it will make a perfect pair of socks for me. I did not need anymore yarn, but it's never a need is it.

I got myself a new quilted jacket, very much my style and reduced from £50 to £20, from Edinburgh Woollen Mill so a great brand, perfect for summer evenings. They had loads of lovely 100% cotton T shirts, I resisted I really do not need any more.

 I missed posting this on Thursday, which was the day this year when UK has used all the annual renewables our earth has to give, again a couple days earlier than last year. These details have been recorded for years and still very few countries improve their status, all we can do is try harder ourselves. 

This was another good read, what would you do, a few strange happenings on following Wednesdays, you have a stalker, is he/she escalating, why pick on you and only on a Wednesday? Book 34 read this year.

Lilly was waiting by the door when we arrived home, she must have heard our car pull on the drive, very happy to see us, ate some food and went back outside to stalk things in the garden, later we had loads of cuddles and she lay on our bed with us this morning, very happy to see us back.

We had a lovely break, missed most of the rain storms, only got wet when we unpacked the car on our drive Friday late afternoon. Our apartment was well equipped and comfortable, on the edge of the main shopping street close to the beach. We found nice places to eat out, including a great fish and chips. The only downside was I was so cold, my own fault I packed long sleeved T shirts rather than jumpers, I wore my fleece every day, I've had my hair cut short and my neck was vulnerable to the cold.  

It's sunny here, storms should happen throughout the day, so I'm off out into the garden, some dead heading to do, hubby is already looking at his list of things to finish, the little ones are coming to visit, George has missed me, I did have my evening video calls and a couple in the mornings before school. 

Where am I ?

 This space behind the sofa is mine, I don't use it much at this time of year, the tunnel I'm very unsure of, it makes a strange noise when I go near it. I do like the rug to rest on better than the cold floors in the winter.

I do love a box, this is a good size and very strong, the last box broke quickly, I still hide in here later in the evenings.

I have two beds, the round one near the patio doors, the square one in their bedrooms, I don't use either.

I loved thus spot when I was a kitten, I can still fit in there, but I don't, I think she is hoping to reclaim it.

 

I spend more time outside, I love the garden and beyond, I visit loads of other places which they don't know, she wants me to wear a camera, he does not, so for now I am free, as I have said before, I'm wild, I have shady and sunny spots around the garden, recently I am in their garage, I'm very noisy, they are up to something, and I need to know what, is it for me. 

I still watch the birds, I don't bother chasing them, I have learnt I can't catch them, I do chase the bugs around the garden, and I love to watch something scurrying under the red acer, I also go into the garden next door, she is very unhappy with me, but she can't stop me, it is scary there and often I have to leap at the fence to escape things.  

They have left me home alone, a lovely friend of theirs comes in everyday to feed me, I say hello and check they don't forget my food, I am much happier here than in a cage at the cattery, I know she checks the security cameras in the garden and sitting room throughout the days, hopefully they will be back soon. 

Love Lilly x