Around the Yard ~

A little tour around the yard ~

In spite of it being very dry, plants continue to do well.

This pug wind spinner makes me smile.  A gift from hooker friend Melissa.

On the south side of the house.

Metal rooster hiding in the plants.

The north side ~

Miscellaneous blooms ~

I never got around to moving the baby bathtub planter to the garden.  Maybe next year :)

My mom bought this old wheelbarrow for me at a garage sale 25 years ago or so.  This year I have become a real believer in Miracle Gro.  Over the years I used it sporadically.  Every year I planted wave petunias and they never did very well.  This year was no exception.  I decided to try a little Miracle Gro (several applications) that had been languishing on a garage shelf and they have been blooming prolifically and really filled up the space.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Lucky Me ~

I did have a bit of luck recently.  I was one of the lucky winners on Moosecraft's blog.  Sharon was having a give-away in honor of her birthday.  She was giving away two absolutely beautiful punch needle pieces, one of which she punched.  Now it is happily residing in Ohio.  Beautiful punching, finished to perfection and did I mention HUGE?  At 7" x 9" that is a big punch needle piece.  Thank you so much, Sharon.  Such a generous gesture on your part.  I love anything patriotic and will cherish it always :)

Perfect on the patriotic shelf of my bucket bench.

Well . . . the USPS finally delivered 4 days late.  It was "expected" delivery, not "guaranteed" delivery, but come on.  Expected in 2 days but arrived in 6.  Totally unacceptable.  The items in the package were consignment items to be sold at the Great Smoky Mountain hook in in Tennessee.  Needless to say they did not get there and it cost me sales.  NOT HAPPY.

Let me begin by saying that I am not a baker and really don't like to bake, but I have been baking pumpkin rolls for 40 years.  Never have I had an epic failure until this week.  My oven is ancient and I use an oven thermometer to monitor the temperature.  I had baked two rolls without issue.  The third didn't seem to be baking properly so I even left it in the oven a few minutes longer.  I take it out and begin to roll it in the linen towel.  It was still partly RAW.  WTH???  That one went in the trash and I didn't have any more pumpkin, so the next morning headed to the store for another can of pumpkin.  

Image from the internet

Why you ask did I need three pumpkin rolls?  My #1 bad boy, aka firstborn son, loves them and Friday I am heading 2000 miles west to drop them off.  Oh, and to also take him out to celebrate his 40th birthday.  I am smacking my head trying to figure out how that happened.  40???  Did I have him when I was 12???

There has been no hooking going on.  Not a single loop in weeks :(  The only thing I have been doing is a little cross stitch.    I recently purchased a Q-Snap frame and I do like it.  It holds the linen nice and taut.  Here's my progress so far.  Sweet design by Lori Rippey.  I will take it with me to Las Vegas and work on it during my flights.  Hooking just wouldn't work . . . lol.  The airplane seats are now so narrow (especially on Spirit) even a small person barely fits, but for the price, I will be inconvenienced for 6 hours or so.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

So Sorry but I MUST Vent ~

I am so ticked I am ready to spit nails :(  I mailed a Priority Mail package on Saturday to Greenwood, IN, a six hour drive from me.  Expected delivery was Monday.  Now the recipient was leaving town today (Thursday) and the package needed to be there before.  A two day cushion.  Well . . . the package arrived in Greenwood yesterday (Wednesday) from Indianapolis.  Today, the package was sent BACK TO INDIANAPOLIS.  WTH???  Stopped at the local post office and got no answers.  Tried calling USPS and the wait time to speak with someone was 35-53 minutes (and that was about 10 minutes after finally getting to that option).  Tried an email but they must have a problem with their site because I could enter some information and not get to the next page.  The post office really let me down.  That package needed to arrive before today.  Thanks for listening.  Rant over.

Now for the iPad issues.  Went to Best Buy and I thought the issues were resolved, but only partly.  Rose (Three Sheep Studio) suggested I change browsers but need to wait for tech help (DSO) since I don't know how to do it on the tablet.  If that doesn't work, back to Best Buy or the Apple Store.

On a happier note, I have a houseguest for a few days.  DSO flew to the EAA AirVenture in OshKosh, WI, for a few days.  I just love the way she sticks her little butt in the air when she has her morning dental treat.

Thanks so much for stopping by . . . and thanks for letting me rant.  I promise the next post will be more upbeat.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Love/Hate Relationship ~

Look closely.  These sheep are made from old telephones and phone cords.  In my wildest dreams I would not think to do this :)

I am referring to technology, my iPad, and blogger in no particular order :(  

Where to begin?  This will be so disjointed because I just don't know how to tie it all together.

I thought I was having a problem with my desktop computer.  I had to fight to highlight text in order to change a font, size of text, sum a column in a spreadsheet, etc.  It was happening in Word, Excel, and blogger.  DSO to the rescue :)  Did you know your mouse can go bad?  Yup.  It can.  I wish all the solutions were that easy though I struggled for a couple months before asking him about it.

Have you noticed that many blogs are coming up as "not secure"?  Mine was off and on.  I think I have that issue fixed.  I had to go in to settings and change it to secure, but why?  I never changed anything to begin with.

My iPad was ancient.  It would no longer accept updates and would constantly freeze up.  I thought about getting a new one, but just hated to spend the money.  Well, at Best Buy the other day (DSO getting an upgraded phone to help me out since I broke another phone screen - twice.  I think I need an unbreakable Fisher Price phone), I decided to look at the iPads.  I thought they never went on sale, but lo and behold they were $200 off, so I decided to bite the bullet and get one.  Well, it is great . . . except I can't get Messenger.  I click on it and nothing happens and I do use Messenger a lot.  The worst issue is that I cannot leave blog comments from the iPad.  It will not let me comment as Rugs and Pugs which is how I always do it.  It says comment as Google account and when I type something in and hit publish, it just disappears.  It will not give me the option of logging in to my Google account.  Can you say frustrated?  Is anyone else having these issues?  

Sorry for the rant.  I'm hoping I can get these issues resolved.  I hate being so technologically challenged.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

eBay + Etsy = 2 Easy

I told myself I would not peruse eBay or Etsy in search of tin doll heads.  I didn't listen but after taking a little look-see, told myself I would not buy.  It is just too easy to succumb.  Well, I did not heed the voice within (what??? you say) and now it's an official collection.  

It was just such a good deal I could not say no.  Heck, the shipping was almost as much as the doll head.  This one is marked Minerva on the front and Germany 6 on the back.

Good looking family, no?

Do you listen to the voices from within?

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

The Moving Wall ~

The Moving Wall is a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.  Last weekend it was in Wellington, OH (home of Archibold Willard, painter of the Spirit of '76).  Though I came of age during the Vietnam War, I thankfully knew no one who paid the ultimate sacrifice, but there are 58k + names etched on the wall.  So sad.

~ May God Bless our Soldiers and 

may God Bless America ~

Lauren

One More ~

One more tin doll head marked Germany came home with me yesterday from my favorite antique show in Milan, Ohio, birthplace of Thomas A. Edison.  She is on the right.  One more is needed and it will be an official collection :)

They sit atop a Shaker sewing box purchased at the same antique show a few years ago.  The cross stitch heart was a gift from Melinda at Merry Wind Farm and the pincushion in the old shoe was made by Bobbie, The Evening Stitcher.  I have some very talented friends.

I also purchased a lightening rod minus the ball.  I know I have a ball or two . . . somewhere . . . I just need to figure out where.  I also bought three Christmas gifts and a birthday gift.  I was pretty happy about that.  I prefer to give gifts that a person would not normally buy and something that can't be found at Kohl's . . . lol.

Happy Monday.  A hot one here in northern Ohio.  After all the rain we had this spring, I knew when it stopped we would be in a world of hurt, and we are there.  The grass is already turning crunchy brown :(

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

A Quick Trip ~

We're home from our whirlwind trip to Chicago, about a 600 mile round trip.  We left Tuesday morning and got home late this afternoon.  It's an annual affair taking my grandson Jake to visit his cousins Sophia and Alexis.

Some random pictures in no particular order.

We took a trip to the lakefront north of town to pick up Alexis from Lacrosse camp.  Here's "Joliet" Jake (think Blues Brothers) in front of the Chicago flag.  That hat cracked me up. 

This picture was taken about 3 miles north of the city.

Being the redhead that he is, Jake does not tan so that is him looking all pale and white :)

My niece drove us to the area called the north loop (I think) to see her hubby's office and have lunch.  Sophia, DSO and I decided to take the El (elevated train) back to my niece's.  On the walk to the station, we wandered in to Union Station Railroad Station which opened in 1925.  What a gorgeous edifice.  They sure don't build them like this any longer.  This American flag greeted us as we entered.

 We walked past Willis Tower (aka the Big Willy).

DSO waiting . . . 

. . . and here it is.  A great way to catch glimpses of the city.

Cousins.  Age wise, Jake is between the two girls.

Saturday I have an applique class with Rebekah L. Smith.  Just what I need . . .  another project and this is a big one (at least for me).

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Back to School ~

I hope every one had a glorious 4th of July.  DSO had his annual party.  We dodged a few sprinkles early on, but overall a wonderful, albeit hot, humid day.  Ah, summertime.

I was shocked to see school supplies already in the store the other day.  Today the Kohls ad came with back to school sales.  I feel as though summer has just begun.

Still don't have a real hooking project planned, so I quickly hooked a little fall mat.  I will bind it on the way to Chicago Tuesday.  A great way to pass the time.

  

I also started this 1776 Patriotic Eagle cross stitch by Lori Rippey.  I prefer to stitch samplers but this is the perfect gift for a friend.  I am not off to a good start.  I've already had to frog (rip out) stitches twice and I've barely begun.  You can purchase the chart here.

Here are my goods from last Saturday's primitive antique show.  The two treen containers were priced right . . . not that I needed to add to that collection.  The Santa was also a great deal.  The little Staffordshire dog has some damage and was just sweet.  The doll's head is tin and marked Germany on the back and Minerva on the front.  I'm told it dates to the early 1900's.  The coverlet was my big purchase.  I bought it to cut up, but as always I am having second thoughts.  It does have wear/damage, but as you can see in the second picture, it is dated 1843.  I assume the ends had major damage because they are sewn down with the date folded in half.  A few other purchases may become gifts so are not shown.

Poison ivy ~ ugh.  I contracted it again for only the third time in my life but two summers in a row.  I really should have gone to the doctor but every day I thought it was getting better.  Mostly confined to one arm, the itching has been driving me crazy.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Happy Birthday America ~

God Bless America 

Land that I love

Here's hoping your holiday is everything you are hoping for ~ and more.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren