Number Ten

 

Moda Blockheads block ten.  Such an easy block.  For me, so much redoing and ripping.

It started with different fabric choices.  There is probably a reason for following the directions in order.  And for cutting all the pieces before beginning to sew.

I pieced the center block first instead of last, just wanting to get motivated, and then the little triangle blocks didn't look nice with it at all.  Then the fabrics I picked for the four large triangle blocks, which should have been made first, didn't look good with the little triangles and center block.

And then piecing everything together - I got the little triangle blocks in the wrong orientation time and time again.  No reason, other than just zoning out.  Which led to the little triangle blocks starting to fray and needing to be resewn and repressed at the ends.

In the end, of course, it's my favorite block so far.  And I don't know whether it's just prettier or because I worked on it so long.

Flowers of Summer

may

 On this Labor Day weekend, the flowers are blooming profusively, maybe enjoying the cooler days after the hot July and early August.

I'm feeling nostalgic, wanting to hang on to summer but also thinking of .candle scents.  Although I enjoy scented candles, I don't usually burn them during the summer but with shorter days my thoughts turn toward the scents of pumpkin and apples and cinnamon.

Because i keep track of such things in my journal, as a way of keeping myself grounded, I can tell you that on June 24 (close enough to the solstice) sunrise was at 6:13 am and sunset was at 9:07 pm.  And today 7:05 am and 8:11 pm.  It feels like the long days of summer are sliding away even more quickly than usual.

About that eye doctor visit yesterday, it was good in the things that are important.  The new cornea is attached and clear.

I will need a laser treatment at the end of October to zap a "secondary cataract," the back of the lens that is kept in place with cataract surgery to help the eye keep its shape.

It isn't a big deal, very common, just a quick procedure.  I had a moment - I so wanted this to be over - but today I can put it in perspective.  It really isn't a big deal.

Catching Up

 

Sharing theses two new Moda Blockhead blocks before another comes out today. 

I think, but I'm not sure, that with today's new block, I have three more to do before I catch up.  And one of them is a big one.  I've chosen these easy blocks to get started again.

Tomorrow morning is an eye doctor follow-up visit and I'm hoping for a good report.  It's been three weeks since the last one.

My vision in the operated eye is variable from day to day and even from within some days, but the internet tells me that is to be expected. 

I learned after last summer's post surgery adventures to not take visits for granted.  The voice in the back of my mind reminds me of the visit when I thought things were going well, only to learn that I needed another surgery, which turned out to be two.

But, I'm telling myself that this is a different surgery, a different visit, and I'm picturing leaving the office, taking the elevator down, going out to my car and being happy.   

 

Monarch Caterpillars

 My neighbor two houses down has lovely flower beds.  And monarch caterpillars.  

I'm so jealous.

You can see one in the picture, on her milkweed plant.  The fluffy things at the top are seed pods.

This morning, before I knew about the neighboring caterpillars, I put some milkweed seeds from Kristen in damp paper towels in the refrigerator.  The hope is that they will sprout, I'll put them in loose soil, and set them out in late fall for spring plants.

With the milkweed plant already in my garden, maybe next year there will be monarch caterpillars in my own garden.

Friday Nights

Just like in many other places, fall Friday nights here are football nights.

On the left is grandson Aaron's football banner, on the right is his mom.

And between them is the picture my daughter chose for her stick-mounted toddler photo the moms wave around at various times during the Friday night games.  It's a thing.

In Aaron's sweet baby face are his blue, blue eyes.  I used to rock him and look at those blue eyes and be amazed.  Blue eyes just aren't a thing in my family.  Aaron's dad has hazel eyes, my daughter's are dark brown.

I love Aaron's blue eyes.

Can You See It?

 

Can you see it?  Dark space at the bottom, under the sewing table.  Little package laying on the sewing machine. new package of pins, thanks Diane.  Far left, sewing machine needle.  Horizontal slats, window  blinds.  Blue on the slats, stained glass quilt block.  Top, sewing machine top.

All of which means that I was actually sitting there today.  And catching up on one Moda Blockheads block.  There are three more to catch up on, maybe I can do another tomorrow.  For today, I'm content.

Special Edition

 

Ale 8 1 is a local soda, sort of a ginger ale.  I'm a little surprised that it's sold at my local Kroger, it's more of a central Kentucky kind of thing.

Sarah asked me to get some of their limited edition pawpaw flavor.  Pawpaws are native to Kentucky, and are usually harvested from late August to October.  Kentucky State University is known for its pawpaw program - the taste is described as banana mango flavor.

I'm wishing now that I'd bought some for myself - there will probably be a trip back to the store.

The Cincinnati Nature Center has pawpaws along a discovery trail.  There is a sign with a button to push, which was always a favorite back when I'd take the grands because it played the song with the lyrics "Where oh where is pretty little Susie, Way down yonder in the pawpaw patch."

I think I'll need to get some of this special edition for the grands too.  I'm sure they" remember hearing that song.

Cutting Flowers

 

One of my goals for the year was to plant some cutting flowers.  I didn't do a great job of it, but some of the perennials came through.  And, there is still a little time.

Today I drove to meet my retreat friends for lunch.  And then tonight, to Aaron's scrimmage in the opposite direction.  Those were the first trips out of my "neighborhood" since the surgery. 

What I need now is to just relax, to go back to my life, to trust that all will be well.

To start sewing again.

Certified

 

How wonderful is this?  My garden has been certified as a Plant for Pollinators Garden by the Cincinnati Zoo.

Sarah helped me register my plants and find the milkweed plant, which with the Baptisia is a host plant for several species of butterflies.

And thanks to Kristen for sharing some seedlings and seed pods from her lovely garden.

Of course my garden looks so much nicer than it did when Sarah arrived.  Along with weeding, she moved around a few plants.  Last night there were a couple of wrens flitting about and eating echinacea seeds.

And now to settle in for the quiet days, after company.  I haven't tried any sewing yet, that will happen, but probably not today.

Saturday

Sarah left this afternoon, and the house is way too quiet, of course.

But, my energy is returning and it's been fun getting out and about.

Saturday morning we went to Aaron's scrimmage.  His school is large, and the team was divided into two teams for the scrimmage.  I was glad we got to see Aaron play.

After the game, Sarah wanted to go to a large nursery north of the school because they had the milkweed plants we wanted.  When we got there, they were closed, I'm not sure why.

There was an injured morning dove in their driveway.  It could fly, but just barely.  Sarah has a tender heard for injured critters.  She put it in a box and called around to find a rehabber.

There was someone about an hour up I75 so off we went.  We dropped off the bird, visited a nice local nursery that had the milkweed plants, and had a good dinner before we started for home.

And that was Saturday.

The Great News

 

We had two nice days in a row with nice rain showers.  I loved the water droplets that stayed on the plants overnight.

The new air conditioner has done a lot of dehumidifying but little actual cooling.  And that's fine with me.  The ten-day forecast shows temps in the high 80's but no 90's.

But the great news - I had a good eye doctor visit today.  The gas bubble that held the new piece of cornea has resolved and everything looks good.  The post-op drops have been decreased from four to one.  No more restrictions, and I no longer need to sleep flat on my back.

And, I can cut off that green bracelet warning that I have a gas bubble in  my eye, contact ophthalmologist on reverse side of the bracelet before treatment.

I don't have to go back until almost three weeks.  Hopefully now I can relax and not be as anxious.  I didn't expect that anxiety, but it's probably normal after last summer's repeat eye surgeries.

Surprise

 

When Sarah came last night, she brought this delightful piece of pottery from a gallery display that I'd enjoyed.  I'd especially liked the shiny leaves.  It was the nicest surprise.

On her way, Sarah stopped in Berea to run two miles on the college track.  (This is not a surprise.)  She never ran track, but she did have one year of college cross country, different track though.

I'm doing well post surgery, just more tired than I expected.  And bored, there's that too.  I see the doctor again on Thursday and am hoping to be cleared to do a little sewing/piecing. I'm just not sure if that would be too much bending, but I'll find out soon enough.

Random

 

Morning glories are starting to flower, and the purple is as pretty as the pictures in the seed catalog.

This is the weather day we've been wishing for - sunny and temps way, way below 90 degrees.

Yesterday grand guy Aaron drove me to my doctor appointment.  All those times I've driven him to preschool or to appointments or for a day out, and now he was driving me.

I'm getting used to the idea of having someone else's cornea in my eye.  I don't think about it often, but when I do it feels a little strange.  I'm grateful to that person who checked the box on the drivers license.  And I'll try to be a good steward of the gift.