Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Golden Days



In the mornings, a slight haze obscures the distant view across the strait. I can no longer catch a glimpse of the Olympic Mountains. Later, the sun burns through the clouds. By evening the garden is infused with a warm glow - bittersweet, for I know it heralds the end of summer.


How can this be? It seems that summer is barely begun. Each morning I've had fruit topped with yogurt and nuts for breakfast - I started in June with raspberries and blueberries, now it's peaches, dripping sweet. 


Last week I spent some time with the grands. Miss A is learning to sew! For the first attempt she drew a picture with fabric markers (a fish race with mermaid cheerleaders) and she sat on my knee so that I could work the foot pedal. She created a pillow. 

For the next attempt, I set the machine on a little table and gave her some paper to practice using the foot pedal. Then she made a pin cushion for her mother, and a small bag to put it in (along with corners clipped from sewing the pin cushion, because she thought they were pretty). 

I'm tickled pink with the sewing success. 


Three horses, made by my eldest daughter for the three cousins, also came for a visit. Pinkerton, Serena, and Neigh pranced up and down the garden sloped before being tossed aside in favour of the splash pool.


I picked a bunch of Queen Anne's Lace while walking one day. Such a delicate looking flower, yet so sturdy - growing, it seems, from the hardest, driest patches of dirt. 


And a nodding dahlia, perfect in symmetry, part of a bouquet clipped for my neighbour who recently turned 70 and had a small party on Saturday evening.

I've finally painted the master bedroom. I talked about doing it last spring break, but it didn't get done. Since the curtains had to come down anyway, they were washed, too. I still need to rehang the pictures, and that will likely happen later today. 

How are you spending these August days? Are they golden for you? 

28 comments:

  1. How sweet that your grand daughter is learning to sew and so successful at it. When I was about 22, a lady I worked with tried to teach me. Boy, I had trouble with that food pedal. Couldn't seem to control the speed. I wound up with a log cabin quilt square that we turned into a pillow, but I think my friend wound up doing most of the sewing. Drizzly day here in Boston so taking it easy. Best wishes, Tammy

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  2. I well remember the joy of teaching my grandaughter to use my machine. The first thing she made was a quilted mat for her mum. Sadly the interest didnt last into her teens, but maybe one day.....

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  3. Yes, the summer is passing way too quickly. I have been so busy, but can see it will slow a bit next week, so hoping for a day trip to the beach. Love seeing your beautiful peaches, grand daughter learning to sew, grands riding their ponies, and flowers. What a special way to spend summer.

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  4. Sweet that your grand is learning to sew. A friend of mine sews with her grands when she goes to visit. Beautiful dahlia.

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  5. I've been enjoying peaches on my morning cereal and baking with them. Now that they're plentiful and corn is being sold at the farmers market, it certainly marks the end of summer coming around.

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  6. Sounds like summer is passing too soon for your too, Lorrie. and isn't it so wonderful to have the grands for a time of fun together and making memories? I love the horses and their names as well. Your daughter did a great job!
    You can see the Olympic Mountains from your place? My brother lived for many years near the same mountains in Washington. We went to visit by train every summer, such fun times...

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  7. Summer definitely flies by, but it looks like you are making some wonderful memories with your sweet grands. So cute with the stick horses. I love Queen Anne's Lace - so pretty. We can see the Olympics from high points around here, too, if the weather is just right. It's always a thrill.....I love that you're teaching your little granddaughter how to sew. Lovely photos. x Karen

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  8. The toy horses are too cute! I'm trying to savour the final days of summer...

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  9. Anonymous5:30 PM

    How wonderful that you can teach your grand sewing. Your days have been golden for sure. I'll award you the gold medal for grandparenting!

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  10. Love that you are teaching sweet Miss A to sew - I have done that with the little girls too, takes a lot of patience!
    The kids 'horses' are fabulous, your daughter must be very creative just like her mum!

    We are in the 'dog days' of Summer now - hot, humid, damp, stormy, glaring sun, dreary evenings, murky mornings, blistering heat by noon, everything fried, trees already dropping some leaves as they give up the struggle with the elements, figs covered in bees and insects, mosquitoes biting. . . . . . . . . roll on autumn say I, and the sooner the better please!

    Mary -

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  11. What a sweet post, and filled with the sort of summer days and scenes that inspired songs extolling the ease of summer. Me? I am enjoying the summer but hardly get my head up between work, grandchildren and parents. It will be a summer to remember..........and there have been those glorious trips down to the beach!

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  12. It always feels good to get on with a long awaited project in the summertime...you must be pleased.
    Those peaches look perfect...such a sweet tasty summer fruit...I have been enjoying them at breakfast with my cottage cheese.
    Nice to see you having fun with the grand children...that really is like icing on the cake

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  13. Wonderful photos, as always, Lorrie!
    Yes, August days are golden... and this post brought many golden memories to my mind. We (a group of cousins) were much bigger than your grands when we were (still) riding horses like that and doing "show jumping". A male cousin was rolling his eyes dramatically. :)
    I'm sure knowing to sew will make Miss A very happy very many times.

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  14. Freestone peaches are my favorite!

    Hurray for sewing success! Sweet grands you have.

    I do hope you'll show us your newly painted bedroom!

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  15. Hmmmm...things have changed here. Not sure if I can get comment to stick. I think my iPad is wonky this morning as I can not comment in so many places.

    How good to have a golden summer! (Hope that there has also been some rain. We are very parched here.)

    What fun that you are teaching your granddaughter to sew! Catch them while interest is high and surely she will fall in love with it.

    Cute little riders, too!

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  16. Your lovely post evokes fond memories, both of little Ms. C. learning to sew (lost interest in it for now) & children riding wooden stick horses, too. Charming!

    My allergies have been the worst ever this year...that QA's lace makes me sneeze just looking at it. However, I'd love getting a bouquet of those perfectly formed dahlias...beautiful.

    We finally got a good soaking rain last night with more set to come later today. I'm hoping it will wash some of the pollen out of the air. I'm spending my August by heading down to sew in my nice cool studio with the air filter going. LOL

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  17. I once had a multi talented friend who told me at age five she learned to sew from her grandma and hoe from her grandpa. I thought she was very lucky. I'm thinking the special one on one time with a loved one makes the lessons all the more memorable. My sewing lessons took place in home ec and the memories are mostly frustration :/.
    Your photos today remind me of the finest things summer has to offer. I love fruits of summer and always miss them when they are gone.
    Hope you are going to share your new bedroom with us.

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  18. Thank goodness for grandmothers with the patience to teach little girls to sew, a seemingly lost art or skill among the young ones. Your peaches look so healthy and good. Mine didn't grow big, but had lost of flavor. We wondered if they were small because they came from a young tree? I planted dahlias too, but again they will be small. They are just beginning to bloom. Planted them too late. Summer has been golden. Peaceful. Easy. We will miss our fresh, home grown fruit won't we? Apples are next. Enjoy your weekend.

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  19. I so love the picture of your little miss at the sewing machine! She is off to a great start!

    And kudos to you for getting the master bedroom painted. Painting is a big chore, I think. Enjoy these lingering summer days!

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  20. Some day your granddaughter will be asked where she learned to sew the beautiful clothes she wears and a faraway look will come in her eye when she says "My grandmother taught me." And she will treasure the memory of a golden August afternoon.

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  21. How wonderful that your granddaughter is learning to sew. I know you will teach her your skills well. I love the horses your daughter made. So cute! Yes, I have noticed a definite change in the light during the day and the hour shorter evenings already. It is happening too fast! How I love summer. I wish you a beautiful weekend.

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  22. Your grands are just darling. Lorrie! I remember learning to sew on my mom's old treadle machine...I also remember using an electric one for the first time and scared me half to death! Stunning capture of the Queen Anne's Lace...one of my summer favorites :)

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  23. Such fun with the Grandchildren, the horses were amazing. How wonderful to share such a love of crafting with your Grandaughter. I too had a bit of fun with the sewing machine with my Grandson this week. The farmers have started their harvest a sure sign of the seasons changing.

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  24. How special that you get to spend time with your grandchildren and have taught your granddaughter to sew. Great memories for both of you! I just dahlias and enjoyed seeing your photos.

    Enjoy your Sunday!

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  25. Beautiful photos of the peaches and dahlia. Great mentoring of your granddaughter…she comes by her sewing skills honestly I believe! A great start for her. It sounds like you are enjoying these summer days. Here everyone is gearing up for school starting in another week. I'm guessing you have a few more weeks to enjoy.

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  26. I love the golden moments of August. The sun dips a little lower and creates golden sunsets.

    Your photos of the peaches and dahlia are a delight to the eyes.

    Thanks for the glimpse into your world this week.

    Hugs,
    Brenda
    xox

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  27. Summer fruit is wonderful! That peach is almost too pretty to eat (but I bet it tasted perfect).... lovely grandmother time .... making pincushions and memories!!

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