So much to I want to do on a Slow Sunday...

 Hello  - well my week didn't have nearly as many engagements in it as last week but there was still so much I wanted to do... clean out the garden beds, plant more perennials, scatter some seeds, put away the bird decor, get out the patriotic stuff, fully finish the patriotic stuff I've stitched in the last year, finish up the patriotic piece I started last week, work on the quilt top on my design wall, water the sod 3 times a day so it doesn't die this time and assorted other stuff.

Needless to say I did NOT get all of this done... in fact I got just a few things done and then spent the rest of the week feeling guilty about what I didn't get to... I need to keep reminding myself, Rome wasn't built in a day... and the deadlines I set for myself are almost always overly optimistic... I am my own worst critic ... and anymore this old body isn't built for speed... 

My knee, which shall be replaced July 1, decided that I wasn't paying nearly enough attention to it over the weekend... I want to blame the flare up on the weather... it was rainy... but there is probably more to it than that. On Monday I broke down and took a Tramadol ... and as soon as I did I remembered why I don't take them... they do alleviate the pain but they make me a lethargic lump...the day was a total bust for any productivity...  Tuesday I spent time with Elliott and didn't want to be lethargic so I switched back to naproxen... it's okay... but not great... by Wednesday I was itching to get out and do the yard work but it rained almost all day... which was probably God looking out for me as I did rest my knee... 

Then Thursday dawned... a perfect day to work in the yard!!  Temperature was only about 70, overcast skies, a nice breeze and the ground was soft and squishy from all the rain... soooooo Nick and I spent ALL day working in the yard... I got the dead daffodils and alliums cleaned out of the beds and then Nick dug lots and lots and lots of holes for me... by my calculation we planted 20 cleome, 6 echinacea, 3 tickseed, 4 nepeta, 2 lavender, a bee balm, a trumpet vine, a canna,  2 speedwell, 36 dahlia tubers and a bunch of seeds... there are still more seeds I want to get in... and there will probably be another perennial or two that follows me home... but for the most part I think the yard is done...  I've planted less than what I've done in past years as I'm reminding myself things will spread... and last year things got a bit out of hand... in the Spring I hate to see bare spots so I tend to over plant... trying to rein that in... and  what I've planted should be able to take care of itself as long as it gets watered and I have the drip irrigation and the sprinklers... while I hope to be pretty mobile  by August, I know that I won't be able to play in the yard in July with the new knee... so fingers crossed  what we got planted will flourish. The Old Farmer's Almanac is calling for above average temperatures and below average rainfall with lots of humidity... which seems to be the case every year anymore... sigh... 

And Friday...well it wasn't just my knee that was hurting ... I hurt ALL over...so much stretching and bending ... arrrgh... and I ended up watching Elliott in the morning for 2 hours while his Mom attended a funeral visitation, then I took another family member to lunch, went to Costco, Kroger and the local deli, picked up a prescription at Walgreens and finally came home and took a nap... I deserved it!!!

I got NOTHING done decor wise... I wanted my patriotic stuff up for Memorial Day but it didn't happen... it is at the top of my list for this upcoming week... right after I get all of this stuff FFO'd...

From left to right and top to bottom -  Patriotic Tiny Town by Heart in Hand...the two spools are from Crafty Bluebonnet Designs... the one on the left is Patriotic Pear  from Threadwork Primitives ...the one on the right is a strawberry from Prairie Schooler American Strawberries 

but wait there's more...

From left to right and top to bottom - Liberty House from Heart in Hand... this was a little kit I bought years ago ... as far as I can tell it is OOP.  God Bless America is from Erica Micheals, the flag is done in smyrna crosses on a piece of Aida and the big yellow house ( the house is white on the chart) is American Sampler House from Annie Beez. 

Oh... and this pair ...

Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam from Prairie Schooler No. 8 American Primitive.  

I had no idea I've stitched this much patriotic in the last year or so... my FFO work is cut out for me... gotta buckle down... 

At least this piece is done... I picked up the American Sampler by Primrose Cottage from the framer... and I LOVE it!! There is a little metallic silver edge on the bevel of the frame... IRL it looks soooo good!

And just before I wrote this post I put the last stitch into  the Bent Creek Patriotic Row ...yeah finished!!

I want to get this to the framer on Tuesday...

 Backing up here... on last Wednesday, when it was rainy, I did get some sewing done and now have half of the blocks for the Hush Too-Ra-Loo quilt top done...

the blue is Thatched by Robin Pickens in the colorway Cornflower... it is a blue with a lavender undertone... periwinkle blue... and I love it... as for the low volumes...well the volume got turned up. I started with lots of nice quiet prints... but it was boring... so I cut out some of my more vocal "low" volume prints... chickens and birds and lobsters and umbrellas and other novelties... I LOVE novelty prints... LOVE LOVE LOVE them... and a busy busy busy quilt will make me HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY! 

The blocks are BIG... they finish 18" square...and I already have a pretty wide back in my stash for the back of it... and I think Delinda will have the 2 quilts I dropped off to her a couple of weeks ago finished very soon... it would be great if this was together so when I got pick them up I could drop this off... there is a chance I can do it... I should have some time on Sunday and Monday... fingers crossed I can get it done. OOOOOHH... and as I was proofing this post I just saw where the block in the upper right hand corner has a boo boo... I will take care of that...LOL

I've also been pondering what I might be able to do while I recover from my knee surgery.  I have plenty of UFOs both cross stitch and quilting and I think I should turn my attention to them. Cross stitching should be a good activity while I keep my leg propped up and I think I will be able to sew ... I have 2 Juki sewing machines which are my favorites for piecing ... one upstairs in my craft room and one downstairs in my basement sewing studio... I assume I won't be fond of going up and down the stairs but I could toddle into the craft room... I'm going to bring up several of the UFOs... they are waiting  to be released from their plastic bins  and perhaps  they will see the light of the sewing machine in July... 

And I don't know about you but somehow this July is a culmination event for me and the US... the 250th birthday of our great nation!  I remember all the celebrations back in 1976 and I loved all of it!  Stitching up so many patriotic pieces this last year has put me in a great mood for all the festivities!!  I'm going to decorate the sunroom porch, my living room, the back hallway and the kitchen... I think I have enough knickknacks and cross stitch to deck everything out ...

And the timing is great for me to have the patriotic stuff out and take a break from deadlines... I need to be semi-realistic in that I have to slow down and recuperate from the knee surgery... there will be physical therapy and exercises to do ... and I'm pretty good about that stuff... guilt and the desire to keep myself going drives me ... I keep watching videos the surgeon I'm going to posts on FB... lots of people my age coming in a week or two after surgery without a cane or a walker and they say they are taking minimal pain meds... just over the counter stuff... I'm thinking this is one of those situations where I need to "manifest" what I want to happen... a speedy recovery with minimal pain... that's the ticket!! 

So I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today... I think I need to attend to a certain family member's grocery order but then the day is mine... and on Monday I'm going to go work out but nothing else is on the agenda... I should spend my time either working on those quilt blocks or FFO-ing stuff... however a nap on the porch is always soooooo nice!

happy stitching-

carol fun