my son

My son has returned from Afghanistian!!!  Safe and sound!

Hurray !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My son is back in the US.  He has arrived back in Texas from Afghanistian.  His second tour is now complete!  He is safe and sound!

Better yet, I get to see him as soon as re-intergration is complete.

I did get a photo of my July TUSAL but it's still in the camera.  As well as photos of my grandson's first haircut.  He is almost two (another month) and with a family wedding coming up, mom decided it was time for the curls to go.  Then she was quietly crying over the curls during the haircut.  The grandson still has curl to his hair, but now it is cut more like a boy than a girl.

They grow so fast.  It seems like it was just yesterday when my son had to get his curls trimmed.  These days he wears it so short you would never know it was blond or he once had curl.

Busy

I've been quite busy lately.  Between researching genealogy for myself and others, re-writing class instructions, and designing a new project and trying to stay cool, I'm tired!

Life has been hetic and doesn't look like it will slow down for awhile.  Be patient and I'll be be back more or less on a normal schedule soon.

wordless wednesday

Somewhere in there is my son

drought

Due to the severe drought, my county has now undergone a watering ban.  All those "lovely" 100+ plus days.   We actually "cooled"" down to the 90's for the past couple of days but still no rain in sight.  For the vast majority, crops look more burnt than anything else.  Some crops are just non-exisent.  I can just imagine what this will do to the grocery bills. 

It also certainly makes me wonder about the upcoming winter.  Will it be as abnormal?

semi-wordless wednesday

From the DAR sampler collection

11 questions

Stitch Bitch was tagged and I decided to play.

She was asked 11 questions, which she answered then came up with own 11 questions which I'm answering and my 11 questions are below.

1. How many cross-stitch patterns do you own? (Insert evil cackle) Far too many to count. Thank heavens I don’t have to count the counted needlepoint as well!
2. What's your ideal stitching retreat? No cooking but food provided, great snacks (but they don’t always like me), good friends, great attitude, lots of laughter (good and bad jokes), staying up too late, comfortable seating for stitching, stitching in pjs for part of the time, lots of projects to choose from, comfortable beds
3. Have you been or does it only exist in your head? Bits and pieces have actually existed, never everything at once.
4. What are your favorite stitching tutorials? (Link please!) http://tts-learntofinish.blogspot.com/ But I’m still terrible at finishing!
5. What is the smallest count fabric you've ever used? Silk gauze
6. What's your secret to keeping cool? (No really, what? It's going to be 102 tomorrow.) Air conditioning, thank heavens. It was 105 today and more of the same tomorrow.
7. Have you found any cute crafts to use up leftover/unused floss from kits or other floss unsuitable for actual stitching? Floss bobbins with excess floss to make magnets, borrowed from Stitch Bitch
8. Starting or finishing? (Not finish-finishing obviously.) Starting. Currently trying to decide what to start next
9. Favorite DMC color? Depends on my mood – currently probably 225
10. What other hobbies are undertaken in your household? (roommate, spouse, children, pets...) genealogy! Big time!
11. Do you ever make those recipes you tear out of magazines and stack in your kitchen? Only in the winter. I try not to cook during the summer, unfortunately hubby likes to eat dinner.

　 My questions:
1. How many project do you have in progress at the moment?
2. Do you prefer to stitch with other stitchers or alone?
3. Do you belong to an organized group. i.e EGA, ANG, local, etc
4. Do you read stitching blogs?
5. Your favorite stitching blog – no more than 5!
6. Name your favorite needlework tool.
7. Things that interfere with your stitching??
8. What type of stitching do you prefer, i.e. cross stitch, needlepoint, crewel, etc
9. How many years since you started stitching?
10. What type of stitching project, i.e. sampler, geometric, etc
11. What is your favorite project you have ever completed?

Want to play?  Leave me a note with your link.

What is favorite project you’ve ever completed

Late entry

Better late than never.  This was my June TUSAL.  It sat in my camera forever!

SORRY ABOUT IT BEING SO LATE !!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday my entry got interrupted and though I tried to edit it, I couldn't add any more photos.  So I'm trying today.

Your normal tourist photo

Loved the horse drinking out of the fountain!

Our hotel was next to this Embassy

One of the typical govt buildings in downtown

Freedom Plaza

DAR monument at Constitution Hall

Overall it was a great week in DC.  Lots of work but enjoyable as well.  To and from Constitution Hall was my only sightseeing but that's ok with me.  DAR came first.

It seems like June just flew right by.  I can't believe that it's July already!  Where has the summer gone?

In early June a friend and I did our annual visit to a somewhat local Fiber Fest.  As usual we found nmerous things we loved but only managed to come home with  a few.  Surprisingly enough, each of found a new laying tool for our needlepoint.  They are beautiful wooden piecesand good fits for our respective hands.   There were also lots of bags and basketsand other accessories.  Here are a couple of photos.

Also in early June, I accepted and was installed as the new Chaplain in my DAR chapter.  That added a lot to my schedule.  Besides regualr meeting, I now have monthly board meeting, district meetings and various other obligations.  It will certainly keep me very busy!

Matter of fact, the last week in June I was in Washington DC for rhe annual national conference - aka Continental Congress.  I learned a whole lot more about DAR in general and how things work.  OUr hotel was on the edge of GW University, roughly west of  Constitution Hall and even further from the JW MArriott where some of the meetings were held.  So everyday, our bus/shuttle took us past a few "highlights" of the city - like the GW Monument, the back of the White house (from a few streets away), several federal buildings, etc.