IHSW stitching and more hiking!

I had fun working on SDW for this IHSW weekend!  Another row down and I have started on some new motifs, nice to now stitch something other than letters!  The last row of letters was supposed to be a row of numbers, so I started out with a 10 and then stitched the first initial of all six of the stitchers working on this SAL.  Nicola came up with this idea on hers and I decided to follow suit.

And this past weekend I went exploring yet again!  

This time I went to Southford Falls State Park in Southford, CT.  

The park begins at Papermill Pond, a beautiful expanse of water with fields on both sides for picnic-ing. 

The lilies were almost ready to POP!

Then I came to the top of Southard Falls.....

...and followed down along the side....

...and spotted the falls all along the way.  I got some pics along the way without, thankfully, falling over the edge! lol!

And finally got to the bottom of the falls where Burrs Arch covered bridge spans over the falls.  

The arches in the interior of the bridge, seemed a unique architectural detail....

....and the view of the bottom of the falls from the bridge.

It was such a serene place and I LOVED the sound of the water rushing and falling over the rocks.  It was another beautiful day with the sun shining through all the trails.  

Thanks for coming along on this hike with me!  :)  

This week I think I will give some attention to the neglected Vierlande sampler.  

Hope you all have a fun and stitch-filled week!  xxxx

A Finish of Flowers!

Yes, I am doing a happy dance!!!  I have finished the SM1678 sampler from European Reproductions.

SM1678
dmc w/32ct antique white Belfast

This sampler was such a joy to stitch!!  

I especially loved the rose and the detail in the leaves.  

And also what I believe is a pear and apple tree?  All beautiful colors!  

It feels good to have a finish amid all the large BAPs I am working on because sometimes I felt like I was stitching for months and not getting anywhere.  Nice to have one at the finish line!  

I highly recommend that you check out Sabine's website if you love reproduction samplers, she has so many beautiful patterns at European Reproduction Samplers.  There are definitely a few more on my list to do!  

Thanks so much for all the great comments about my last post of Lover's Leap State Park.  It is wonderful that the weather is perfect for heading outdoors finally!

Enjoy your weekend!  Wishing you all miles of smiles and happy stitches!  xxxxx

Stitching and Hiking...

First, a bit of stitching :)

So it seems that my stitching mojo is back!  Each night this past week I was actually looking forward to stitching, something that has not been the case for weeks.  It feels good to be back in the stitching groove!  I decided to get back to my SM 1678 WIP, the German floral sampler.  It was a nice little break from SDW since it is on 32 count and a bit easier on my eyes.  Here is some of my progress from the week.......

SM 1678

This one is very close to a finish that I hope to share with you all soon!

And now for hiking... 

Those that know me will say 'ReaLLy?! Hiking?'  LOL  Not normally my thing.  I have passed the sign of a local State Park many times, Lover's Leap State Park in New Milford CT.  I have always been intrigued by the name of the park, it seemed both romantic and tragic.  

Today, I finally decided to explore and find out more...

Lover's Leap State Park is a beautiful 160 acre park situated by the Housatonic River.  The 'Falls Bridge' iron bridge was originally built in 1895.  

Fall's Bridge, Lover's Leap State Park

The bridge was refurbished in 2004-2006.  How perfect that it is red, the color of love.

Housatonic River

I found some interesting mushrooms along the way....

And trekked up to the top to the precipice.  Based on Indian legend, the daughter of Chief Waramaug, Princess Lillinonah canoed to her death into the Great Falls when her white lover did not return to her.  Upon his return, he saw her in the rapids and leaped to his death from this precipice in an attempt to save her.  Legend is that both are buried here.  This is where the Housatonic meets up with Lake Lillinonah.

So after taking in the gorgeous view, I began my trek back... down, down, down...  

I am just loving all the trees with the bright spring color.  Everything seems to have leafed out almost overnight!  

Wishing you all a wonderful TGIF! and weekend!  Thanks so much for visiting!  Happy Stitching! xxx

A Stitching Update!

Well, hello there!  How are you all??

It has been a while and I am still struggling with problems with my fingers, but I have improved enough to be able to stitch a little!!  Yay!   I have been plugging along with the SDW Sampler SAL and was happy to finish thru the alpha bands this evening.

SDW Sampler

I think this is about the 2/3 mark, although I will have to back track and do the fill-in on the church.  I am amazed at the size of this stitch and happy that I have taken this journey with the SAL group.  It will be very special when completed.  

This afternoon I watched one of my favorite movies, The Seven Year Itch.  

It is such a fun movie and easy to stitch and watch at the same time.  One of my favorite lines in the movie is when Tom is asked about having a blonde in the kitchen, he says 'Wouldn't you like to know, maybe it is Marilyn Monroe!'  Cracks me up every time :D

Hope you are enjoying this taste of summer we have been having, at least here in the Northeast it is feeling like summer already!  

Have a wonderful week with miles of smiles!!  

Happy stitching!  xxxxx

No stitching, just reading!

Hi there!  It has been a few weeks and UNFORTUNATELY!! I have not a stitch to show!

A couple of weeks ago I pinched a nerve in my neck which has caused my stitching hand to go numb.  I am on a course of meds and HOPE!! that it brings me some relief because I am really really missing my stitching!!

I have been trying to rest as much as I can and although I have become quite adept at using my other hand on the mouse I am trying to limit my typing as it is just frustrating!, so please forgive me for not commenting so much lately.

So instead of stitching I have been catching up on my reading.  Last I mentioned I had started Love in the Time of Cholera.  I finished it a few weeks back, and I give it a thumbs up.  I liked it but didn't love it.  At first I found it so interesting as it was a translated work and I was enjoying the romantic flourish and detail of the story.  Gabriel Garcia Marquez truly has a way of bringing the written word to a new level.  However, and I think mainly due to the way the book was translated and printed, after a while, I started to be at a loss at what time period I was in, it seemed very vague as years were flying by.  And, I did not understand the purpose of having all of the characters named by their full name throughout the entire book?  for those who have read this I think you will know what I mean.   I feel like I have read the names 'Florentino Ariza' and 'Fermina Daza' a ga-zillion times, LOL!  And even if I tried to just read the first name it did not work, in my mind I would read it all.  It started to exhaust me.  Now that I have read the story though I will finally get to watch the movie, which I think will be a good way to reflect back on the book, as well as watch Javier Bardem!

So I am on to a new book, full speed back into the future... Stephen King's Under the Dome...

As only Stephen King can do, I was immediately swept away.  I love getting into his thousand-pagers!! 

The bummer is I just broke my e-reader!!  So now I am reading it on my phone when I am out and about. I had the kobo and was wondering what type of e-readers you all may be using and how you like them??  Since I need to get a new one maybe now is the time to change?  

Hope you are enjoying the Spring weather that seems to have finally arrived!  I hope to be back stitching with all of you soon.  Wishing you miles of smiles!

March Madness!

Hi Everyone!  Are we all happy it is Springtime?!
Yes, I know, doesn't really look like it out my window either!
It feels like forever since I have posted.  I have had such a crazy busy month with work so my March Madness doesn't have anything to do with basketball!
I have had a some chances here and there for stitching, something finally to share with you all.

Here is my SDW, which is on week 21 of our SAL group.  I have lost count as I have not stitched each week and at times, many days in a week so I am just going with the flow...

SDW Sampler
dmc on 36ct flax Edinborough linen

I am SO amazed each time I look at it from top to bottom at how far it has come....

SDW Sampler

Another sampler I gave a few days of attention to is my Permin 1826 Celle Museum Vierlande.  I love how this one is shaping up and hope to devote some more time to it.

Permin 1826 Celle Museum Vierlande
dmc w/ 32ct Platinum linen

I also did some cooking...always a challenge for me!  :)

My Mom has a special dish, a mushroom casserole that we have at all of our family holidays, and since we can no longer get the mushrooms that my Mom would use (she would get a BIG can to make a BIG casserole!) I decided to have a go at it using fresh mushrooms and I think my version is quite de-lish and I hope it will be a BIG success at our Easter celebration!  

It is not all that complicated, just mushrooms with a bechamel cheese sauce with some bread crumbs on top, but the fact that I am trying to make it as my Mom would is a Tall order!  

So that is all the fun stuff that I have been up to in the past few weeks!  

I want to wish you all a lovely holiday with your friends and family!  

Happy Easter and Happy Spring!!  

A Brilliant! Flower Show

This past weekend I took my annual trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show.  This was my third year going and it seems to just get better and better.  The theme was London so everything had a bit of British flair....
From the 'Buckingham Palace' gates.....

           ...... and scenes that seemed straight out of Camelot.....

....to flower markets reminiscent of Covent Garden.....

....crowns of flowers....

....even a Mad Tea Party with Alice!

From vintage and romantic.....

....to modern and fresh....

....and everything in between, there was a rainbow of color everywhere you looked!

The perfect way to chase away the winter greys and get ready for Spring!  

And the main highlight... BIG BEN!  

On the strike of each hour we were treated to a rocking video filled with FABulous British music by the likes of the Stones!, Led Zep, and the Beatles to name just a few.

....oh, and the Queen made an appearance too! HA!

What a fantastic job by PHS, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and the vendors who create these amazing displays.  The imagination is boundless and the inspiration extraordinary.  If you are able to get to this year's show running through March 10th, I say go, go go!!  You will be in for a jolly good time, I can guarantee it!

Enjoy your week and weekend!  I expect to finally have some stitch-y updates to share after the weekend!  

Wishing you miles of smiles!  xxxx