Spring Samplers

Thanks for all your congrats.  That was really nice.  Baby Gabe is doing well.  We had a video chat with him and the rest of the family yesterday.  My son was so sweet toward the end, talking about how glad he was that I had gotten us set up with the webcam because it used to upset him that we were missing out on Emma growing up.  He said that now, we will be able to see Gabe's progress. 

He said that Gabe is still "frog-legged" which I guess is because of the C-section birth, but, he's been stretching out on his own.  They say when he stretches, he looks like Superman, flying.  He also told us that Gabe's got a cyst on his eyelid that will have to be removed when he's about 1 year old.  I understand that this happens frequently - it's extra skin that developed, but not fully - and that the surgery is routine. 

And no, I'm not going to visit him on the webcam everyday and watch his toenails grow.  I'm not that kind of gramma.  In other words, H-E-L-I-C-O-P-T-E-R is not my middle name; a fact for which I think my daughter in law is eternally grateful.

I have been working still on the American Sampler and here are some progress photos:

 I just adore these birds that are at the top of the columns.  They are SO pretty.  I'm thinking that when this is all done, I may stitch them on larger count fabric, like Tula, and make them into clippy birds for the Christmas tree - like the needlepoint birds I showed you last time.  Speaking of those needlepoint birds, I'm so glad you all liked those too.  I'm salivating to get started on one, but am holding myself back.

This is an over-view of the center section of the sampler which is complete - well, sorta.  I'm going to put a different phrase in the cartouche.  And hey, turns out I used the wrong color altogether for the grass.  It was supposed to be 3347 not 732.  Now, how I made that reading mistake when I went back several times to check, I have no idea, but I did.  I am still going to live with it.

 Here is a detail of the Lady that you can see in the overall picture above.  She is stitched over one.  Whew!  That was something else.  But it just makes that center pop having her there.  I tell you, the photos here and in the magazine, do not do this sampler justice - even with my mistakes it's going to be one of those that I will greatly anticipate and then love to hang on my walls.

And here is the overall progress to date.  A little more of those golden green cross stitches and then some leaves in cross stitch on the to do list for tonite and then I'll begin on some Queen Stitches.  I really despise working on Queen Stitches.  Valerie, down at Shenandoah Sampler did such a beautiful job with hers, but I'm not that good.  I will give it a go and if it becomes too much for me, I'm converting them over to cross-stitch.  But I'll give it a go.  Anyway, I decided that since I dread them so much, I'll work some cross, then some Queen and then go back to some cross again.  If I break it up, maybe I can get through it?  Would that all the world's problems were this great!  It is also nice to be working on this sampler at this time of year because it just makes me feel springy!

Our weather has changed from distinctly summer-like (82 on Thursday afternoon) to cool, damp and springy.  I will have to mow the grass tomorrow once it dries off.  And, of course, all the peach trees have bloomed as well as the cherries and last I looked, my pears are about to break out in song.  Unfortunately, the weatherman is saying the Shenandoah Valley may be hit on Tuesday morning by frost.  That would be terrible for the crops.  Here are a few pictures of what's been going on outside my door -

 Above is a from the bottom, up - photo of my weeping cherry tree. 

When I was walking back up the driveway the other day, after getting the mail, I noticed some pink blossoms along the fence row that I'd never seen before.  Upon closer inspection I found what is shown at left.  It is probably a volunteer that originated in my compost pile.  There were two more actually growing out of the compost pile.  I am not a serious composter, and the ground hog eats much of what I put down there.  In fact, she may be responsible for this one along the fence row.  I'm thinking of relocating the two in the compost pile to somewhere in the landscape.  I'm not one to turn down free trees.

Below is a photo from last weekend when it was foggy and my Yoshino cherry was still in bud.  Later in the day, it would be in full bloom.

And, while this last one is not a stupendous photo, it does show an apple orchard on the left and a peach orchard in the back along one of the toes of the mountain.  Hope you enjoyed.