Fragility

I had a rush trip to my family home due to a family tragedy. This trip was more family time then I’ve spent since losing my dad. It also took me back to the family farm and house I grew up in. Very emotional and…..well really no word….sad doesn’t begin to touch the surface.

I did catch a photo of the large grain silos that have been a part of the landscape I swear since time began. The community was in the heat of harvest and our motel was right next to these silos so the sound of the trucks loaded with wheat coming and going and the hot sweet smell of the grain was a constant while there. Lots of memories evoked!

We ended up taking our fur babies as with such last minuteness we couldn’t find an adequate place to leave them. They did just fine. But we suffered the heat miserably. It was hotter than blazes and no one had ac!! Our motel had a window unit that just kept it bareable! My how soft I’ve become!!!

On the high note, my oldest daughter, hubby, and grands live on a farm there so got grand time in! Middle daughter came with more grands so there was lots of love!!

Lulu the cow and family pet was a hit with the cousins. And look at those adorable baby chicks and lambs! The grands always win top prizes on their livestock at the fair!

I just had to share this pic of my beautiful Ellie! Already a lifeguard!!! Soooo proud!!

On the heels of our return home hubbys oldest, wife, and more grands came to visit. This was very special as this was their first visit since we moved away! We packed a weeks activities into 3 days!

There was the zoo….

And the beach….

And Saturday Market….

The highlight was definately playing the nasty jelly belly bean game! With flavors like rotten milk, stinky socks, rotten fish, and dog food it provided lots of laughs! And a bit of gagging!!

On the home front I’ve not done a lot. I did put up some of my plate collections. The Oregon plates I collected for Becca and then she passed them to Christina who passed them to me! We seem to do a lot of decorating that way!!

I love vintage plates, a love a developed from visiting my Great Aunt Lena. Her home was filled with wonderful treasures of all sorts and hutches brimming with collectibles. Her walls were adorned with samplers, pictures, plates, and whatnot! Oh how I loved going to her house!! And now that I’m all grown up I have a home just like hers!!! With my love for her style I began collecting small plates with quotes on them years ago. I really do have too many but what the heck I love them. I recently put up a few of them throughout my kitchen area.

Sorry about the bad lighting….too much sun in the day and too dim at night. Aren’t they just delightful? I love having things that remind me of my childhood and those I love!

Outside we had another battle to rage. We had a huge infestation of Yellowjackets! Give me wasps any day. These guys were mean and nasty. We couldn’t access the backyard through the side gate without getting stung. Finally after a weeks war and many stings to my hubby we won! Look at this huge nest!!! Creepy!!

Hubby finished the fence and started on the raised beds. We still need to lay some sod on all the dirt patches. Three big dogs are tough on landscaping!

Although making bags for the https://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchesPlusPurls keeps me busy but I found time to dye a new colorway.

I love the way it looks when dried and skeined! This colorway is called Lucid Dreaming and is on a cashmere blend that is soooo soft and squishy!!

Also completed the kits to launch our etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/HypwoolYarns. It’s been a very slow process!! Yarn dyeing and bag making is a full time job it seems! These and several of our color ways should be in the shop in a week! Can’t wait!!

Here is one of the yarns in the kits. This colorway is Dissociation and the matching mini is Altered Self. Love the names! The hot pink is Malingering and the mini is Hypocondria.

I finally invested in a decent ball winder and swift! Oh the difference decent tools make!! I then proceeded to cake up a myriad of my hanks….lol!!

While at the coast I discovered one of my fav yarn shops was closing…hate that! I did grab some Juniper Moon Farms Herriot and some Mad Tosh..

I had a bee sting that left me a bit sick a bed so I got myself into online ordering trouble But who could resist these? Vintage prints from Michael Miller and Alpacas!!!

And these? I’ve been just lusting for Tasha Noel since seeing a blog hop. And who can resist Tilda?!

And to my demise I discovered the world of IG destashes…..more on that next week but look at this killer snag..

These came from Daisy Cottage Quilting an amazing on line business! I adore her IG posts!!

So now for some exciting news!! I’m starting work at our local yarn shop tomorrow!! How fun is that?! Only part time but I can’t wait!!

And now to close and honor of my beautiful niece Kaela.

We plan our days, our months, our lives with such abandon never expecting those moments that come and change everything…..every single thing!!! Our family lost a beautiful bright shining star last month. My heart breaks for my brother, his wife, and my nephew. I cannot fully understand their pain, nor can I lessen it. I can only let them know I care and love them….and pray. I cannot understand why my beautiful gifted niece was chosen and never will. Life is fragile and can change in the blink of an eye, the intake of one breath…..