As Promised ~

Here's what little hooking I have gotten accomplished in the last month or so.  Pretty pathetic I might add!

I hooked 6 of what I call coneflowers.  The pattern called for hot gluing them closed, but I thought the seam would be better sewn (a real pain!!!).  I don't know why but every one ended up kind of pointy.  I still need to gather sticks and add wool leaves.  I think if I stuff them a bit with fiberfill the point won't be as noticeable.  At least that is what I am hoping.  Pattern by the Wooly Horse.

I haven't pulled a loop on my Santa in forever.  I really don't have that much more to hook.  I thought the black border was a bit harsh, but Sibyl Osicka, the queen of small cuts, said it was just fine.  Not sure how much was done when last posted.

Harper photo bombing 💕

Last but not least, Proud Lion.  Some progress made but I thought by now I would be finished.  The best laid plans of mice and men . . . sigh.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Harper hugs 😊
Lauren

Yard Stuff ~

My poor yard has been neglected for over a month.  First it was getting ready to vend at the outdoor show, then the sale at my house, and now another sale this Friday and Saturday at my friend's.  Plus life and just lots of other stuff.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  In my wildest dreams I never imagined retirement to be this busy.  

Just some random pics from around the yard.  Most of them taken a couple weeks ago so the plants are not looking this good 😓

Note to self.  Stop buying wave petunias.  I buy them every year and they NEVER do good.

The autumn clematis smells heavenly.

My bubblegum petunias no longer looks like this.  Very leggy, and unlike Marly, I did not give mine a haircut.

Tell me it isn't so!

Google says this is a type of fungus, a puffball mushroom.  It is extremely dense and grass is growing through it.  (A puffball chia pet?)

Found growing from a neighbor's rotting tree stump.  Google says it is a cluster of golden oyster mushrooms.  The neighbor joked that someone who lives near her would eat them . . . and she hasn't seen the person for a while.  I am not a 'shroom eater, but if I were, I would be hesitant to eat any not purchased from a store!

Harper is doing great and is pretty much recovered from her spay.  I only have her wear the donut of shame at night.  She is almost ready for adoption.  It will be so hard saying good bye and happy life.  A few (or more tears) will be shed.

Her tail has THE BEST curl.

In my last post, I forgot to mention that the cigar boxes were all given away at the hook in as door prizes.  

And too funny!  Supposedly over 5200 views on my last post and only 6 comments.  Sure would be nice to know what the heck is going on.

Next post, I promise to share hooking . . . or lack thereof!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Crooked River Hook In ~

I was busy at the hook in making sure volunteers were at their stations at a prescribed time, so sadly no pictures to share.  At Friday night's set up I did remember to take pictures of the cigar boxes display.  It was absolutely wonderful, with 67 boxes having been decorated.

A few pictures showing boxes a little more close up.

The hooked red, white and blue hearts, American flag, "boobies", the punch needle horse and the blue heart with a key were boxes I decorated.

In the back row the grungy heart on a red box was mine.  The next row down the punch needle chicken and the USA to far right were also boxes I decorated.

Overall, I'd say the hook in was a great success even though attendance was less than we had hoped for.  We had 99 registered but were hoping for closer to 120.  Beginning next year we will be alternating years with another Cleveland area guild (to the far east, we are to the west).  Hopefully guild members will be more willing to volunteer knowing we are only doing it every other year.

Hopefully one of these days weeks I will actually have something hooking related to show!

Late this afternoon, DSO and I went to a prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk.  I am still in shock and disbelief that he was assassinated.  Please keep his wife Erika and children in your prayers and hold your loved ones tight.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

Cone of Shame ~

Or shall I say donut of shame?  This inflatable cone is so much better than the hard plastic ones.  She is able to eat and drink (though she has not yet 😭).

As you can guess, Harper was spayed yesterday.  They said she did great.  We had an uneventful hour ride home from the vet's office.  She sat quietly on my lap, looking like Yoda!  She was pretty drugged up.

Came in the house, drank some water and proceeded to throw up on my hooked rug in the kitchen.  At least the other times she got sick was on a hard surface.

I thought I would be able to hook a bit with her sitting next to me.  Uh, well that wasn't meant to be.  She insisted on being on my lap, so I obliged.  I wish I could figure out how to post the video of her on my lap, but I am not that tech smart 😓.  It was a hoot the pug noises she was making!  

Still looking like Yoda . . . giving me the stink eye.

She is contentedly sleeping beside me while I type this post.  I am hoping she has a speedy recovery and in two weeks she will be ready to find her furever home.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Harper hugs 😊
Lauren

NEVER will I ~

 America is mourning.

May God bless America.

Lauren

Out of Control ~

I think the world has gone mad.  The senseless murder of the young Ukrainian woman, Iryna Zarutska, in Charlotte, N.C.  Pure evil.  This country needs to deal with mental illness and judges need to stop releasing criminals.  Why is mainstream media not talking about this?  It happened on August 22, and it is just now being talked about.  I don't consider myself a prejudiced person and I am certainly not a racist, but if that was the killing of a black woman by a white man, they would have been burning cities down.  And now I have just learned that Charlie Kirk has been shot on a college campus in Utah.  As of this writing, nothing is being said about his condition.  What the hell is going on in this world?  What ever happened to agreeing to disagree?  I am just sick to my stomach over these senseless acts of violence.  

Please pray for the families of Iryna and Charlie.

Lauren

Nine Years Ago on this Day ~

I am not sure where the last nine years have gone.  It feels like just yesterday I retired . . . but my day job seems like a lifetime ago.  It may not have been the smartest move financially, but it was the best decision for me and I have not regretted it for a second.  If you are thinking about retiring, I say JUST DO IT!!!  I have yet to be bored and there are never enough hours in the day.  How did I ever have time to work? 😁

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Seriously!!!

Why does anyone in their right mind have 6+ tubs of Halloween decorations.  Not fall . . . Halloween.  Does that mean I am not in my right mind?  Highly possible 😁

On Labor Day after getting home from my brother's, I was in the kitchen with Harper and heard a rustling.  I looked out the kitchen window to see if my neighbor was making the noise.  Nope.  I opened the cupboard door under the sink, and there was a 

  

in my recycle can desperately trying to jump out.  To say I screamed like a girl is an understatement!!!  Thankfully there were only a couple things in the bottom of the can so he wasn't able to climb out and I was able to carry the can outside and dump him out.  Tuesday I put "mouse food" in the garage.  I have had mice before and they just make me feel dirty and they are most unwelcome in my house.

Still no hooking to show.  Perhaps after the Halloween decorations are out I will find time to pull a few loops.  I miss being creative.

I am still getting a crazy number of hits on my blog.  Still haven't a clue what is going on.  My AI visitors?

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren