Hello Monday

Hello and happy Monday!! I was gone all last week on a work trip to North Carolina. Well most of the week anyway. I am so glad to be back to a regular routine. I was even glad to get back to work today. What???

I did take a couple of days off at the end of the week to sort of rest and rejuvenate. I did some work outside in my yard, and trimmed shrubs and some overgrown hedges. I still have a lot to do. I was just reading that and I was thinking, where was the rest? If you are like me working outside is restful. The temps have cooled a little and will be even cooler this week. I am loving it!!!

I stayed home most of the weekend. On Saturday, Mark and I drove to Knoxville with my niece and picked up her kayak from a friends’ house. It was in an area I had never been to before. I just love looking at homes and yards in places I haven’t been.

We also worked on the house a bit and it seems so clean and shiny. Too bad it won’t last long.

I thought I would show you some of my projects I am working on. You know it isn’t me if I don’t have several going at one time. Sorry for the wrinkled comforter. The color is a great background for my projects.

***This is the granny square afghan I am working on for my nephew. This is Tennessee Titans colors. One of his favorite teams.***

***My Hats off to Halloween cross stitch. I really need to get to work on this one. I want to get it finished, framed and out before Halloween.***

This is a shawl I started yesterday. It is sort of a trial and error. I am going with a pattern as I go along. I’m not sure if it will work out. I used an inexpensive yarn so if it doesn’t work out, it’s no loss. I just realized it looks sort of like candy corn. You see where my mind is. There’s several other colors as well.

***This scarf. I love the pattern and I love this green color.***

I am also reading a couple of good books.

***First Lie Wins. I just started this one on my Libby App. It is already full of secrets and suspense. I will let you know what I think of it.***

Isadora is a University researcher. On her 30th Birthday she reads an article about 31 ways to be happy. Being the researcher she is she tries to prove the article may not make everyone happy. A lot of things happen for Isadora along the way. I have heard a lot of good things about this book. I can’t wait to read it.

That is pretty much what I have been up to. A little boring I know but just the way I love it. I have a sister trip coming up in a couple of weeks and a work trip in October. So for now I am just going to hang out at the house and enjoy some quiet time with my husband and the kitties. Speaking of kitties, I will leave you with a picture of Kitty Kitty. She was very cool to me when I returned home. I think she was mad that I left her behind. She’s starting to come around. Silly kitties.

How is your week? Do you have lots of plans and fun things to do?

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!

Sunday Morning Coffee Share

Hello and happy Sunday. I haven’t had a chance to share coffee with you in quite a while. Come in and I will make you some very strong coffee, the way my husband likes it, or a light roast, that’s for me. Or we can have tea, water or a big Diet Coke. Let’s catch up.

What I have been up to you ask? Work. My work load is always crazy in July because I work in tourism. July is our most popular month for visitors. Our hours have been long. I am usually too tired by the time I get home to do anything but eat some dinner and watch a little TV or read. I have been going to bed before dark. Yeah I’m that old. Ha!!!

The weather where I am? HOT, HOT,HOT. The humidity has also been really high. It almost feels like you are walking through warm water when you are outside. You can see that after today we might get some rain and a slight break in the temps.

What am I reading? In typical me fashion, I am reading two books at once. I don’t mean for this to happen but while I was in the middle of this book,

I actually own this book so technically I can finish it anytime. But it is such a psychological thriller it’s hard to put down.

This one became available on my Libby app.

I had been on the waiting list for this one for months so I had to grab it. It’s really long and I know it will probably take me the full two weeks to finish it.

What I am watching? As I mentioned, sometimes after work, I just like to veg out watching TV. I discovered this great cooking series called Zoe Bakes. I think it is on MAX. Zoe Francois is a self proclaimed dessert lover and baker. She loves to eat cakes, pastries and anything sweet, almost as much as she likes baking them. The recipes are very user friendly and she does them step by step. She has a very unusual way of doing chocolate chip cookies. It’s not in the recipe but in the actual baking. I plan to try them today so I will let you know how they turn out. I’ll tell you this much. She takes the cookies out of the oven halfway through baking and lets the pan drop onto a flat surface. This takes the air out of the cookies. She does it a couple of times during the baking process. Supposedly it makes them a little flatter and chewier. I’ll keep you posted on that.

***Isn’t she a cutie? I just love watching her. After a long day at work there is something soothing about watching people cook. As long as it’s not me.***

What am I loving? Well I have to tell you about my orchids. I now have eighteen. I know!!! Too many? Never. When my mother in law passed away last week. I received these beautiful orchids from my work family. There was three in this beautiful planter. All three are different sizes and colors. I thought that was just the sweetest thing because they know how I love orchids. I think our local flower shop was a little confused when several people called within a day or two to ask if they had orchids. They did not. My co worker had to buy these at a local grocery store. I thought she arranged them so nicely in this planter and she even added several bags of my favorite dark chocolates. So nice.

**Isn’t this planter beautiful? I’m not sure if I will keep all of the orchids in the planter. So far I have moved one out.**

What projects have I got going on? Well I finally finished the blue shawl. I washed it and blocked it a little, it really didn’t need a lot of blocking.

I also decided to switch to crochet for a minute and I started this little bo-ho bag. It is super easy and works up really fast. I needed something that didn’t require a lot of thinking or counting stitches. I will probably use this to carry some of my other knitting projects. I can’t wait to finish it.

What a nice visit we have had. Please come back soon. Oh and before you leave I will take you to see some of my other orchids. Several of them are blooming and so beautiful.

***I think someone wants to be in the picture.***

Have a wonderful week and always remember.

Love your day your way!!!

The Little Loomhouse in Louisville Kentucky

Several weeks ago I visited Louisville Kentucky. I had to go there for a work meeting. Because I work in tourism a lot of our meeting time is spent attending other tourism attractions. I was so excited when I heard we were going to the Little Loomhouse.

If you missed my recent posts about Louisville you can check them out here: A few days in Louisville Kentucky and Visiting Churchill Downs

The Little Loomhouse is a nonprofit, community based, fiber arts education center and historic site. This site offers both tours and weaving lessons and a fiber and spinning tour. The site is actually home to three cabins and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This entire place came to be because of a woman named Lou Tate. Lou Tate was a master weaver and she invented the Table Loom also known as the Little Loom. This loom makes it possible to teach weaving anywhere because you can take the loom just about anywhere.

Lou Tate was born In Bowling Green Kentucky. Her interest in weaving began when she received five generations of weaving patterns from an elderly weaver, Nan Owen.

In the 1940’s, Tate started an experimental weaving group. This weaving business led her to her first love, teaching.

The Lou Tate Foundation took over the property in 1979 shortly after Tate’s death. A grant from the City of Louisville in 1983 enabled much needed restoration for the cabin, Tophouse.

For more information and facts about this fantastic place visit the website www.littleloomhouse.org

Our group arrived at the Little Loomhouse on a rainy morning. We were taken there by bus. We had to walk up a very steep hill to get to the cabin at the top, Top House, where we would have a weaving lesson. I was beyond excited.

We walked into the cabin and even though it was fairly small it was packed with tables and tabletop looms, beautiful bolts of thread and finished works that would take your breath away. We were told to pick a loom and have a seat. A lot of our crew looked around nervously like this was not their “cup of tea”. Although in the end I think everyone enjoyed it.

Our guide gave us a quick lesson and we were soon on our way to making a mug rug. I could quickly see how the rhythmic movements could be so soothing and relaxing.

We also went to one of the other cabins. A lot of spinning wheels and looms were on display. This was more of a museum with so much history.

And of course I just had to have one of the hand woven bags that were for sale.

I think their mission statement sums up everything Lou Tate would have wanted The Little Loomhouse to be:

We are a Louisville, Kentucky Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Our mission is to continue the legacy of founder Lou Tate, by educating students of all ages about the history of weaving and textile arts through diverse programs, residencies, and community partnerships and ensuring the preservation of our landmark cabins. The Foundation serves students of all ages and cultures who want to learn about the history and practice of weaving, textile, fiber, and folk arts.

I hope you enjoyed this visit to the Little Loomhouse in Louisville Kentucky.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!

Hello Monday

Hello and happy Memorial Day. How was your week and weekend? Hopefully it was a nice long one for you. I am so humbled and awe stricken to think of the men and women who have served our country and gave everything in doing so. Let us never forget the reason we observe Memorial Day.

Have you ever had a week that felt like it was a month long? Well that is how work was for me last week. It seems like all I did was come home, eat some dinner and go to bed.

On Wednesday we noticed a dog running around the yard. We saw it on our blink security camera. We thought he belonged to someone visiting one of the neighbors. We kept seeing him and then when Mark came home on Wednesday he, turns out it was a she, followed his truck down the driveway and proceeded to make herself at home. She looked half starved. My husband said that was just the hound in her. We weren’t sure how she would do with the cats so we put the outside kitties in the garage.

***She came right up on my deck while we were gone.*** ***Sorry for the bad pic it was from the blink camera.***

The dog, I named her Sally, and was already figuring out which day I could get her to the vet, did not have a tag on her collar. She was big and goofy and so sweet. We gave her some food and water. During the night it rained and I was so worried about her. By morning she had gone back home. Turns out some people were camping down the lake and she was just wandering around. I was a little disappointed and a little relieved. Although I would never let my babies wander like this alone.

On Friday, I again went with some friends to Iron Works Grill on the river. They do karaoke every Friday night. It is so much fun. Plus the views are spectacular. Aren’t those mountains beautiful?

A couple of weekends ago I went to an estate sale. The people having the sale had actually had it for a couple of weekends so they were ready to get rid of some things. Well everything actually. This is what I got:

***This blue Buddha for $2.00. I think it will go great in one of our bathrooms.***

***I cannot pass up a nice cake stand. And this one doubles as a bowl $2.00***

Look at this purse. It is a little worn and I am going to redo the lining. I love it. It reminds me of the purses my mama carried when I was a little girl. I may try a little diluted bleach water to whiten it back up. $2.00.

I just couldn’t pass those things up. I know my husband rolls his eyes when I drag pieces into the house but I always find use for them eventually.

The pollen here has been crazy. So many people are having sinus and allergy problems, fortunately I am not. My poor husband has allergies and this time of year for him is really hard. We have also had a lot of rain. It seems like it has rained almost every day for a couple of weeks. I guess that helps the pollen a little.

***The roads near my house were almost flooded this morning.***

I leave you with the best thing I have received in a long time. A friend from work found out I like to sew and that I had a sewing machine. He told me that his mother or grandmother had an old tackle box that was full of sewing supplies. He asked if I would like to have it. He said he had no use for it. I told him I would love to have it. He brought it in today. It was full of all kinds of goodies. Threads, bobbins, needles, buttons, sewing machine tools, pins etc etc. I was in heaven. I offered to pay him for it but he said giving it to someone that could use it was enough. I was really touched.

I have been knitting like crazy with every spare minute. I worked on a shawl and almost have it finished. I guess you could say it is more of a wrap. I made another one exactly like it last year but it was my first one and I wasn’t too happy with the way it turned out. Hopefully I will have it finished and blocked by the end of the week. I also started another pair of socks. Pink.

That’s it for me tonight.

Always remember

Love your day your way!