Wednesday News

Good Wednesday morning to you all!  Here it is, the first day of summer and it finally feels like summer here in Spokane.  I think it is supposed to get into the 70's today.  Whoo-eee!  Monday the high on our deck was 58.  I feel like I've moved to the northern edges of the earth.  Four weeks ago my green beans were about 3 inches high.  Today, they are about 3 inches high!  So discouraging.  This is the second summer in a row of these cool temperatures and the garden not producing at all.  I've been reading blogs of other people who are harvesting lots and lots of produce while some here in the northwest haven't even been able to plant yet!  Strange things going on in the weather these days.

However, with the cool temperatures, I've haven't been tempted to be outside much, so I've got lots of handwork done.  I have completed the sheep blanket for my yet-to-be -born granddaughter, but I'm not going to post a picture until I give it to my daughter.  I want to see her face when she sees it and I know she reads the blog sometimes.  Selfish of me, I know, but I have NEVER, EVER worked on anything as complicated and time-consuming as that blanket and I just want to see her reaction.  It's not a professional job by any means, I see lots of mistakes and knowing now just how detailed it is, I would have gone with a higher quality yarn, but it is what it is.

The wedding blanket is complete except for the border which I will begin today.  It will fit on a queen size bed once the border is done.  I'll show the completed blanket next time.  I never do the borders the same when I make these blankets.  It's whatever my crochet hook chooses to do.

 Then, I had flannel left over from backing the baby blanket so I made two BIG recieving blankets.  Monday I sewed the hems and then yesterday I crocheted a border around one.  I'll work on the other one today or tomorrow.  It takes a bit of time because you need to pre-punch a hole for the crochet hook with a needle for each stitch but I like the results.  A friend made me seven of these blankets when Alex was born 23 years ago and I still have them.  I like them larger than the ones you buy in the store, but these are REALLY big!  I think I'll be making more of these in the future.

 The crochet border makes a nice finish don't you think?  Look!  I even found sun and moon patterned flannel to go on the back of the blanket.  I can't wait to show you the finished blanket!

Tonight hubby and I are taking pizza to our friends who just had the baby.  We'll eat dinner with them and steal some baby cuddles while we're there.  There is nothing like cuddling with a newborn baby.  Little J was 1 month old yesterday and weighed in at 6 lbs. 12 oz.

Tomorrow night is our annual chinese buffett with friends in Cheney, WA which is about 35 miles from here.  We have dinner then, go to Tom's house and sit in his garden and have a short devotion.  This takes the place of our regular Thursday night Bible study here at our house.  Tom isn't able to make the drive to Spokane every week anymore due to his health, so we go to him!  It's great fun and a change of pace too.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate and be warm for us.

Then, on Friday, we're off to go camping again for a couple of days.  We're heading north this time to Loon Lake.  Dear friends, Larry & Nita from church are going with us. They have a beautiful motor home and we've camped with them in the past, but it's been a long, long time.  After all, we sold our camper over ten years ago!  How time flies! 

Our son in Montana has made reservations for us to go camping with them in July near Missoula, MT.  It's close to half-way for all of us and I can't wait!  I haven't seen my grandbabies for over two months now.  That's way to long for a grandma to go without wrapping her arms around her babies, don't you think? 

So that's my busy life in a few paragraphs.  I went to knitting group and visited the nursing home yesterday.  I always enjoy Tuesdays.  VA was even up in her chair at the nursing home and we got to visit a bit.  Usually she's in bed sleeping and I can't rouse her enough to chat.  She'll be 90 this year and the alzheimers is taking it's toll on her.  I can tell she doesn't even know who I am anymore, but always loves to see me.

Well, I think that's about it.  Have a wonderfully blessed day everyone and I hope the sun is shining wherever you are on this beautiful June day.

Blessings,

Betsy