Hi everyone, here in the States we have a long Memorial Day Weekend honoring our fallen soldiers. This is also the weekend that opens up summer, especially on lakes and oceans.
We were bracing for the onslaught of numerous boaters today, since the weather finally broke into sunshine and no rain-it has been raining for days again.
We still sit back in the early mornings and enjoy all the birds that come for their seed-at day break, very peaceful still in early mornings.
A batch of lilies are blooming today so I grabbed my camera and also decided to take a video so even on the backside of the house-not the lake side-you can hear all the boats-surprise hummingbirds flew in and I was standing very close to their feeders. I filled them back up after the video
I haven't gotten back to weeding in this area as it is loaded with poison ivy and poison oak-just can't get into that again Allot of the iris's that I had seperated out last fall did not bloom this year, so thinking next year I will have allot of blooms.
Here is the video I took and if you enlarge to full screen you can see the hummingbirds up close.
Above is the neighbors dock
I have not tried wet on wet watercolor yet and wanted to try that this morning. I used watercolor paper instead of mixed media paper and I think it turned out pretty good, although the paint did not run as allot of videos I watched showed it would. I wanted the sky to go into the water and I am liking this so far. Not sure how I will proceed Perhaps a mandarin duck practice from the book I have been using It needs a few clouds added too.
A few days ago I messed up my lower back-stretching for groceries in the car. So it's been very painful, getting a little better today finally. I slept on the floor last night so my back would be straighter. This is not good since I have so much work to get to outdoors.
Those of you in the states any plans for your long weekend?
Good start on the watercolour, have a great long weekend!
ReplyDeletethank you so much Christine, I am liking this so far
DeleteAnother great post, Kathy. I loved seeing your beautiful lilies, and the hummingbird shot is so good. You did a wonderful job on the background page. Enjoy those boats!
ReplyDeletethank you Mary, I am happy with this background page too-and that was surprising that the hummingbirds came up so close where I was standing-pretty cool
DeleteGlad to know that you are feeling better, Kathy. The back pain is not a joke. I always have problem with my right upper back and neck and although they wouldn't kill me, but just so uncomfortable and affect my daily life. Happy Sunday!
ReplyDeletethank you Angie back pain is the worse, my father suffered with it all his life do a job accident. I get in trouble once in awhile with my lower back we used to heat only with wood for our two woodstoves and it would get my back really bad if I wasn't careful-allot of pain
DeleteHappy Sunday
Hope your back is soon better! Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeletethank you much Valerie, I probably need a chiropractor to put things back in place but I don't know of any nearby
DeleteI think the lily is some type of Asiatic lily but I'm not sure the actual variety. They're really pretty and I'd love them in my garden, but when I plant them I get one year and then the chipmunks or voles eat the bulb. And I like the effect of the watercolor on wet paper. It gives it motion like water or the sky. And your shashiko patterns are beautiful. I can't wait to see them finished. I have never tried Japanese stitching but I love the effect of Japanese dyeing. Have a great rest of your weekend Kathy. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteGood morning Erika, I think you are right and that this is Asiatic-we have so many issues with those chipmunks too-they always destroy every tomato here so I am not planting them this year.
DeleteYes the shibori dyeing is beautiful with all the different folds.they do. I have not tried that and I have a book on it. Hope you have a wonderful weekend too-hugs
GoodMorning Kathy! I'm up early planning on getting out the door for a walk after i have a cup of coffee.. lol If i had to guess I agree with Erika it looks like some type of Asiatic Lily.. but i don't know which one.. I'm sorry to hear about the poison ivy.. I've never had to combat that so i'm not sure what to tell you.. I'm allergic to it too.. We lived half a mile from the Lake in Arkansas.. I'm you remember me complaining about the noise.. uughh.. I would love to live on a nice quiet non recreational lake.. Hubby wouldn't even go out on the Lake on weekends.. too crazy.. We don't really celebrate Memorial Day... I know alot of people have get togethers and picnics.. our neighbors do.. But we just never have... Maybe if we had more friends or family close.. We've spent the last few days getting hubs shop ready for spray foam insulation.. on Tuesday.. Well yesterday must have been the day for trying new things... I'm working on some refrigerator magnets...lol Can't wait to see your stitching.. as you might already know sewing is the one craft i haven't done much of..... But i do have a TON of jean pockets i have saved over the years to do something with... Happy Weekend! Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteGood morning Deb, enjoy your walk. yes the money grabbers have really taken over this lake since covid here made the national news-we are free state here so many flocked to Lake in the Ozarks with their huge ocean boats-I am mostly in my craft room or computer room this weekend. In the past before retirement we had lots of friends so we had very huge picnics on the holidays. but Memorial day is for remembering our fallen soldiers so we never believed in going overboard with celebrations this weekend.
DeleteI look forward to your magnets those sound like fun. jean pockets would be fun to embroider and make into things-like little purses etc. I used to have bags and bags of jeans parts-I used to make allot of raggy jean quilts for quilts and for soldiers families. I got rid of most of what I had when moved here but I still have a few jean things.-fun to create with
Happy weekend to you too hugs
I thought of making the pockets into a quilt somehow... not that i know how to make a quilt mind you.. Just thought it would be something to tinker with ... I have a little $50 sewing machine i bought from Walmart one year... never even used it yet.. I thought i would at least make some pillows.. might be easy and fun.. I knew a lady years ago.. she was old when i was a kid and she made stuffed animals.. that sounds like fun too.. Enjoy your weekend.. Alvin is off to play golf today here in a little bit.. Then its PLAYTIME while the cats away..lol
DeleteI could see your pockets made into a quilt-I would sew them on top of a quilt square around the outside edge of the pocket-especially if you left fabric around it and then cut the edges of that extra fabric into a raggy look. if you need help just ask-I know the basics of quilting but never made anything fancy
Deleteenjoy your Playtime-hugs
You live in such a great place and it´s so nice to hear your voice :-)
ReplyDeleteLove your that sky - beautiful!!!
I just tried with pencils again. Chicken, here....
Maybe I´ll join Nicole with the faces, though...
Very cool to find such treasures! I shortened a skirt. By golly. It looks awful now, LOL!
You slept on the floor?! Oh, my - I do hope you are better and ready for bed!
Your watercolour is beautiful! I’ve always been interested in that style of embroidery, there’s a jacket I’ve pinned on Pinterest made from denim that is decorated in that way, I think it’s beautiful and if anyone can master it , that will be you, 👍❤️
ReplyDeletethank you Laurie-hugs How are you doing?
DeleteLovely pictures Kathy. The Sashiko on a preprinted pattern should be pretty easy. Have a quiet weekend.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
Hi Carol, I was thinking that too-the one I drew on the denim-ah not so good, I gave up on it this morning, the markings did not stay visible so am looking into what to use to mark-I never was good with marking a quilt either-nothing ever seemed to work to work for me-sigh
Deleteah night quiet here haha the crazy boaters are out there are being rude at reckless
Love the embroidery pattern. I have wanted to try that too. Thank you for the lovely paper with the plants in it. I have been very late getting my happy mail out. I hope to send you a letter this week. Please take it easy for a while for your back! Happy Memorial Day!
ReplyDeletethanks Debra, yes I have had to take it easy these past few days-no worries about the happy mail-this is a busy time of year-hugs
DeleteThe hummingbirds have finally arrived in the mid-lands. Although, our robins are daredevils this year, swooping down at you as you try to get in the car. Lovely, watercolor! Looks like your creativity is very productive! Hope your back is better. We partied down last night with family. I am glad I have today to recuperate.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Elle, I have not heard of the robins doing that before. we don't see too many robins here at the lake, and I grew up watching those in Indiana. I am still struggling with my back-sigh glad you got to "party down" hugs
DeleteLovely artwork and photos. - Anne (Cornucopia)
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to read about your back. I know how you feel because I recently hurt mine and am often in severe pain. I hope yours is in better shape by now.
ReplyDeleteYour lilies are lovely. I really enjoyed your video and saw the hummingbirds too.
I was first introduced to sashiko a few years ago on Quilting Arts. The lady worked on blue and black jeans fabric. She showed a few simple stitches, then got into repeat stitches, then really intricate work. I hope you enjoy it, because it is supposed to relieve stress. Of course, that is only because some people like to hand sew.
thank you Elizabeth, now that I think some of the swelling is down I know for sure that I am out of alignment, from my neck all the way down I am glad you watched the video, it was a surprise to see the hummingbirds come in so close to me-I heard them when I was looking at the lake.
DeleteI think I will like sashiko, and I do like to have a hand sewing project around. I ordered a book over the weekend that includes the history. My biggest problem is marking the pattern on to the fabric-I thought it went well but then it did not stay clear to see it. so got frustrated with it. I needed a slimmer needle too for getting through the jean fabric. I used to get the qulting arts magazine but it is so expensive, and I when I remember i like their shows too on pbs.