I had a very relaxing week. Summer semester started on Monday, and I teach two classes. This is the first summer I teach in seven years.
Finally I had time to finish the redwork embroidery.
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| My first redwork embroidery |
I want to make two more pieces in different sizes so I can hang them all together in the living room.
Staying home means more cooking. I have been eating a bit more than usual. And not doing enough exercise. I do have time to exercise, but I find million other things to do. Sigh....😔
I made this 2 ingredient ice cream by Judee at Gluten Free A-Z. I used frozen bananas and blueberries. It was delicious. Thanks Judee!
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| Banana & blueberry ice cream |
Another dish I made this week was one of my all time favorites - tartiflette.
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| Tartiflette |
I didn't do much in the garden, except watering. There are three little mockingbirds in the nest now, and the parents are really aggressive. They chase away other birds, especially blue jays, and squirrels. The other day they watched me intently while I was picking greens. I took a quick photo using my cellphone. I wanted to use the DSLR camera, but then decided not to scare them or move the branches by trying to manipulate the camera.
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| Baby mockingbirds |
After completing the redwork embroidery wall hanging, I crocheted a toilet paper cover. It was super easy.
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| Toilet paper hat cover |
This website is full of nice and easy crochet projects. I tried crocheting a rose, but the pink yarn I used was of very poor quality. I don't have a good quality yarn in a color suitable for flowers. (are there blue roses? 🤔 )
Yesterday I started crocheting a beret. And I have been reading the 8th book of Charles Lenox series - The Laws of Murder.
The latest Misfits Market box was a disappointment. I switched from small box to large Misfits Madness box, and on Friday I received it bent, half opened and leaking. One bunch of kale was completely yellow, and the other was also in very poor condition. Zucchini and cucumber were not fresh either. I sent the company an email with photos. If I don't receive a reasonable reply I am going to cancel the subscription.
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| This is how the box arrived |
So, that's what I did this week. We are supposed to get rain tomorrow and Tuesday, and I look forward to a couple of rainy days with more crocheting and reading.
I hope you all have a wonderful week! 🌻🌻🌻
This week I am grateful for
1) greens from the garden
2) having time to crochet
3) being able to finish redwork project
4) chats with family and friends
5) being able to download books without going to the library
6) birds in the garden
7) yard guy mowing grass
XXX
Nil
HI Nil, That's too bad about your box of produce. Ours is beautiful, but we pick it up in person. I bet they will refund you. Shipping can be damaging. They throw those boxes around violently. I have to really package my soaps carefully for that reason. Love the baby birds. Have you ever considered bike riding for exercise? It's so freeing!
ReplyDeleteI also think that the box got damaged during shipping. This time the box was delivered very late and according to tracking it had been in the truck for about 12 hours. No wonder ice packs were all melted.
DeleteHehee I don’t know how to ride a bike. I mean, I can in a straight line, without turning. 🤣
I just have to disciplined about using my exercise bike. It’s right there in the living room (I intentionally keep it there) and still I lie on the sofa and read.
Yeah, I would complain about that box and its contents too. I like your redwork lady -well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks earthmotherwithin. It's my first redwork, so there are mistakes, but I'm happy with it. :)
DeleteLove the photo of the two squirrels and the baby birds are all wide open beaks at this point, aren't they? Your redwork embroidery is very pretty! The ice cream looks delicious! Maybe I need to freeze a couple of my bananas and try to make some, myself! The toilet paper cover is cute! It's too bad the box of misfits produce came damaged and the produce wasn't fresh. Hopefully, you'll get a refund or a new box of produce to replace it. Hope the summer classes are going well and you have another good week.
ReplyDeleteBaby mockingbirds are growing very fast. According to my bird book, they fly away in 10-13 days. I think soon they will be ready to fly. I see the parents constantly bringing food to the nest, so they must eat a lot. :)
DeleteSo far the classes are going well. :)
That's very poor quality. You should definitely be refunded.
ReplyDeleteThe embroidery is beautiful. How long did it take you?
xx
I don't remember exactly when I started the redwork. Most probably around Feb-March. Then I got busy with remote teaching and abandoned it. I think if I had spent an hour or so each day I would have finished 10 days or so. It's not a very big one. :)
DeleteLots of fun things in your week.....baby birds, crochet and your redwork turned out so nice, well done. Do you have designs picked out for the next ones. Shame about your veggie box, that kale and zucchini are very sad, hope they refund you. Had a giggle at you saying you can't turn corners on a bike hee hee that's cute.
ReplyDeleteHehee when I was a grad student, my labmates brought a bicycle and tried teaching me how to ride in the narrow corridor inside the lab so I could hold on to the walls as I tried to balance the bike. It didn't work. LOL
DeleteIt's like swimming. I could swim as long as I don't breath. :D
Heehee too funny Nil💕
Delete🤣🤣
DeleteOh I do like that redwork, and you did a lovely job at the crinoline girl. Maybe in the hopper for me sometime.I have a current project to finish, my first also. Toilet paper cover is so pretty blue, do you have any pink crochet thread to crochet a rose? I like pink and blue together. You got a good picture of the baby birds, waiting for their supper. I hope that you can be refunded for your produce. On the redwork, did you have a pattern already on the fabric, or did you free hand it? It is really pretty.
ReplyDeleteFaith, I found the pattern online. I printed it (had to enlarge to fit the embroidery hoop), then taped it to a window, put the fabric over it and traced the pattern. Using a carbon paper would have been easier, but I did not have red carbon paper. I didn't want to use blue carbon paper because I thought it would show the blue outline under red stitches.
DeleteYou are so creative, love that hat and the photos of little birds, so cute! I love banana ice cream, yummy!
ReplyDeleteThank you Natalia. :)
DeleteThat is such a shame about your vegetables. Let us know the outcome. The picture of the sweet baby birds is perfect. Your red embroidery is charming.
ReplyDeleteI hope that I'll receive at least a partial refund. It was really disappointing to see the condition of the box and vegetables inside.
DeleteI do like your redwork piece, nicely done.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for reading and commenting Gaia. :)
DeleteI love your craft work. You are very creative.
Ohhh cute little birds!
ReplyDeleteYOu are still enjoying the "Charles Lenox" series!!!!! I think I remember, that you saw one, on my blog, and got one and really liked it. -smile-
Do you eat Gluten Free? Or is it, that you need to eat Lactose Free? (the ice cream recipe)
Not good produce delivery!!!!!! -sigh-
🌺🌸🌼🌹🌻🌷
Wisps, yes I learned about Charles Lenox books from one of your posts. Since then I have been reading them. :)
DeleteI don't have to eat gluten/lactose free food, but I tend to try new recipes if I have the ingredients already at home. :)
My mother did several red-thread embroidery projects when I was young. I have no idea what happened to them.
ReplyDeleteThat box is certainly a disappointment and I hope the company makes it right.
Exercise? Weren't we supposed to cancel that along with visiting people? lol xo Diana
Haha I like that idea. Social distancing from the exercise bike!
DeleteI have been disappoint in the quality and contents of the Misfit box. I am giving it two more times and if I don't see a big improvement in quality I am going to do other things. My veggies are growing and will begin to produce before too long, plus local you pick farms are opening.
ReplyDeleteMost probably I too will cancel it. Until this last box, I was quite happy with the content.
DeleteNil, I love the birds. I have a blue rose. It is beautiful. You are doing so well with your crochet and embroidery.
ReplyDeleteChel, I didn't know there were blue roses. I'd love to see a photo of your flowers one of these days. :)
DeleteA shame about the misfit box! What nice pictures....have fun teaching summer courses. Beautiful redwork. Andrea
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for a reply from Misfits. I'm sure they are busy now that many are buying things online.
DeleteYour embroidery is very pretty! That food looks great! Love crochet and love to see what other people are making! Sweet tiny birds! There is a family of barn swallows making a nest outside my bedroom window! It's against the law to disturbe migratory birds and I would never do it! They are adorable! Sorry to hear about the vegetable box! It's upsetting! Take care and stay safe!
ReplyDeleteI looked up barn swallows and they are cute. They must be very brave to make a nest outside your bedroom window.
DeleteI'm waiting until mockingbird babies fly away to use katuk leaves on that tree. :)
What a shame your box arrived in a damaged state. I hope you receive a prompt reply from the supplier.
ReplyDeleteYour embroidery work is beautiful and I love your idea to display several of them together. X
I'm still waiting for a reply from the company. Hopefully I'll receive one within this week. :)
DeleteGood luck with your summer classes! At least after last semester all students should have experience with online classes. Those veggies do look very sad, hopefully they'll send you a replacement box that's in much better condition.
ReplyDeleteThe course I teach now has always been an online course, so I hope students know what to expect. :) I did not want to teach a F2F class as an online one. It's too much work and I really needed a break after a very hectic spring semester. :)
DeleteHope the summer classes go well for you, Nil. Sad that the veggies arrived in such poor condition and hope the company gives a refund or replacements, but with warm weather now, cold packs don’t hold up as long in shipping. Mockingbirds are very protective of their nests and have been known to attack, so be careful, but thanks for the baby bird pics. The homemade ice cream looked great!
ReplyDeleteThe mockingbird pair is very aggressive toward the other birds, but for some reason they are silent when I'm in the yard. The nest is very close to the raised beds, and I worked there while the nest was being built, so perhaps they know me. :)
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