Thursday, September 14, 2017

Bright September







The morrow was a bright September morn,
The earth was beautiful as if new born;
There was a nameless splendor everywhere,
A wild exhilaration in the air.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


A day of mist and drizzle last weekend was the exception, not the norm for September thus far. Bright days and cool evenings mark the gradual tilt of the earth away from the sun. 
In the garden, the sky blue hydrangeas have turned to lime green. I cut long stems and plunked them into a tall, copper-ringed French flower bucket. They greet me in the hallway when I return home each afternoon. 


On the breakfast table, a mason jar filled with late summer blooms in vivid and muted colours preserves the illusion that summer days are not yet over. 


Regular readers of this blog might remember our trip to France and the UK last summer where we visited a cousin of mine. Teresa and her family made a visit to Canada this summer, seeing family and friends. We enjoyed a short tea-time together on the back deck. It was a good opportunity to bring out a variety of tea cups.


In June I made a long list of tasks and projects I hoped to accomplish during the summer. Most of them remain undone, but I'm still whittling away on a few. One was to use some of the bits of embroidery I've done and tucked away into drawers. 


I did manage to re-organize my sewing room in hopes of using it more. Just a few things left to do there - I'm putting the embroidery pieces into hoops and will put a grouping of them on the wall above the single bed in the room. The bed is great place to lounge, and it's where grandchildren nap and sleep. I have a strong awareness that we live in an earthquake zone and I won't have anything heavy hanging over a bed. These hoops will be a great solution. 


Most of my embroidery is of the free-hand sort. I get an idea in my head of what I'd like it to look like and just begin plying needle and thread. In the stitching above there are still leaves to add and some french knots to scatter among the foliage.

What creative or other projects are you doing these days? Is September bright in your corner? 
 

23 comments:

  1. Just look at you, filling your house with such lovely flowers and other things. It does makes us feel so good, doesn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Such beautiful embroideries and flower arrangements. Still a summery feel in your home. Lovely. B x

    ReplyDelete
  3. My blue hydrangeas are now a deep crimson colour. It's so surprising that they change colour so vividly.
    How pretty your embroidery is.

    ReplyDelete
  4. When I saw your embroidery on IG you said pulling out old stitching… or something like that and I wondered why you'd pull out your beautiful stitchery --well anyway, I'm glad I mis read. Your work is lovely and even more so if created by ideas in your head. The idea of framing in hoops is a good one!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your last boat trip was so beautiful. I am in love with your gorgeous flowers and your lovely stitching.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've mostly been hosting people, so not much time to create. However, I am finishing two knitting projects, so that's something!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your embroidery is delightful! :) I also viewed the beautiful photos from your boat trip earlier ( no time to comment then )

    Hydrangeas : I have a Pee Gee Hydrangea that turns from white to pink and then dark pink as the season progresses. Abutting my back yard is my sister's MIL's house. SHE has a standard hydrangea that always, in the 15 years that I have been here, turns to lime green.

    This year, both of our hydrangeas doubled in size due to rain and weather but what is very strange is that hers is turning pink like mine, versus green.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your embroidery is delightful! :) I also viewed the beautiful photos from your boat trip earlier ( no time to comment then )

    Hydrangeas : I have a Pee Gee Hydrangea that turns from white to pink and then dark pink as the season progresses. Abutting my back yard is my sister's MIL's house. SHE has a standard hydrangea that always, in the 15 years that I have been here, turns to lime green.

    This year, both of our hydrangeas doubled in size due to rain and weather but what is very strange is that hers is turning pink like mine, versus green.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The embroidery hoop grouping is a fabulous idea for over the bed!! And your free-hand work is stunning. (I would have to frame somebody else's as a I have no talent whatsoever. Somebody has to be the admirer; that's all I can do!!).... I love hydrangeas -- the way they are beautiful in all stages makes me happy.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful flowers...the real and the embroidered ones, and those on the assorted china cups.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Such beautiful needlework and such a good idea to use embroidery hoops as frames. I love the idea and may do something like that when my craft room is established, inspirational. Loved to see the teacups, the country roses one is a delight.

    ReplyDelete
  12. and our weather is just amazing. 70-80 soft sunshine and cool crisp nights. With a campfire no less last night. That was watched from the porch so ...no bugs and no bats... just bedazzled by the flames

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sweet embroidery. I love it! I need to plan a tea time sometime soon. Hope you have a lovely weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm not much of a crafter so I always enjoy seeing the projects of others. Great job on the embroidered hoops. I'm also loving your pretty English bone china teacups. Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love it when the hydrangea blooms change into their "fall wardrobe". Your embroidery is just beautiful! So glad you will be able to display them. Blessings on your weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  16. First photo is fabulous!!! It should be framed. Love your bouquets. And your embroidery projects are so sweet. I love random embroidery. My special project this summer has been to crochet Southern Belle dresses, hats and little hand bags for my dolls. They are about finished, just need to add ribbons and flowers - and the dolls are ready for a tea party.

    And indeed - September is bright and glorious in my corner of the world - since we are in the same corner we get to enjoy the same weather. I hear a bit of rain is expected this weekend - I am still wanting summer - but then I want summer all year 'round, though I have started to decorate for autumn. Have a grand weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Your hydrangeas are still so lovely. What beautiful embroidery and tea cups too. For me it is just taking a day at a time and trying to keep up. Jim had knee replacement surgery last week, so driving him to physical therapy. He is beginning to heal and actually got in the garden to prune the roses a bit today. My days get so busy and I wonder what I did. Tomorrow it is a babysitting day. Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love your embroidery - and the Longfellow poem too!! I will save it and savor it along with these September days.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love your flowers and teacups and bits and pieces of embroidery. I have been working on some projects here that I hope to share next week sometime. It is a bright day here---I am a couple hundred miles north of home in the UP...love it- xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  20. Your flower vases look incredible Lorrie! Embroidery framed in a hoop is such a simple, but effective way to display your work. I'll bet the grandkids will enjoy looking up at the sweet samples as they drift off to sleep ;)
    Fall is arriving here (I think!), although we are still in shorts & sleeveless tops and um, we turned the a/c on last night (!)
    Wendy

    ReplyDelete
  21. Those stitching projects deserve a place for display . . . they are charming! The sewing room seems the perfect place for them.

    This September Saturday was bright, but too warm and humid for my liking. Soon enough, it will change.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love the embroidery pieces. It's peaceful to do and peaceful to look at.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment. I read and value each one, cherishing the connections we can make although far apart. Usually, I visit your blog in return, although if you ask a question I try to contact you directly.

A Wander Through my Mind

  Nothing is so beautiful as Spring -  When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush; Gerard Manley Hopkins When I opened my bedroom...