Our Swimmers

Dogs are blissfully unaware of elections, Covid, wild fires, and hurricanes.  They're excellent reminders of how to live in the moment.

They also know nothing of furniture protection.  This loveseat in our bedroom has been a favorite nighttime spot for Riley, then Annie, and now Fletcher as well.  We had it reupholstered between Riley and Annie, and I have not one but TWO covers to try to minimize the dog hair and smell.  Fletcher managed to get himself behind the back cushions, and seemed quite comfortable there.  Annie has done it as well - she reminds me of the princess and the pea!

Our two dogs have taken every opportunity to swim, which means almost every weekend.  Even now that the water is cooler, they show no signs of stopping.

Fletcher's favorite game continues to be "steal the toy from Annie".  We don't let him do it every time, but she doesn't seem overly concerned.

Todd's dog Max joins the fun sometimes.  If we swim from shore, Max might venture toward a toy.  If we're on the dock, she seems content just to hang out.  Emma occasionally joins in the fun, even though it wears her out for a few days after.

Even though the Springers seem to have an endless supply of energy, eventually they do tire out.  Their favorite spot is near their people, even if that means laying in the kitchen floor while supper gets made.  They're a handful, go through food quickly, leave dog hair everywhere, and I can't imagine life without them.
 

Pumpkin Season

Outside, there's a contentious election season going on.  Covid numbers are scary.  A friend and former coworker who is my age has been hospitalized with Covid.  Just turning on the news can cause despair and anxiety.  

I've seen several friends on FB talking about how making something or doing something creative helps them feel more positive.  A newly created fall wreath for a front door, a piece of furniture given new life with paint, or a beautiful loaf of jalapeno bread.

While I wasn't paying attention, fall arrived.  Even though it feels like March 202nd or something like that, spring came and went, as did summer.  Now the nights are cooler and the leaves are changing color.  I've put away the summer red, white, and blue decorations and brought out fall.  

There isn't much new in the mix, and I even pared down some and sold a few things to a nice woman with a booth at a flea market that I frequent.  So what I have now is the stuff I really like.  There is one new thing - my second hooked wool wall hanging.  It doesn't look exactly like the example picture, but I enjoyed making it and like the way it turned out.

It hangs in the kitchen over a crock bench that I had made last fall.  I like the simplicity of the crocks and dried gourds.  The jug on the left was a gift from my Grandad Corwine, and the one on the right was from my Grandmother.  The rolling pins at the bottom of the picture were also Grandmother's, and the two in the middle of the picture belonged to my friend Myra.  Some of the gourds were purchased at the Ozark Craft Festival, which used to be an annual tradition for my mom and I.

Last week, I went into a quilting store, just to look and maybe ask about a class.  By the time I left, I was signed up for a beginner quilting class, and was armed with a new book, the fabric I would need for the project we'll make in class, and additional fabric to make masks.  The class isn't until November, but I'm looking forward to trying my hand at quilting.