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.

Sew Much Fun

I am finding that making something in the evenings after work is a great change of pace and focus, so I've been working on the guest/craft room.  The sweet little dresser has found a new home, freeing up more floor space.

Last week was the first week of school in a new year during a pandemic, so I found myself making several things to change pace. ;)

A new ironing board cover - if the iron is going to stay out, it may as well match the room.  I think the old cover is probably 20+ years old.

A found instructions for this little bag with pockets online and wanted to try it out.  The vintage looking Little Bo Peep fabric was found at a local fabric store when I was looking for something else, and the yellow gingham is actually vintage. 

Fabric left from the ironing board cover and mask making inspired the gingham bag.

 And this last one is for someone special.  I've made mistakes on all three, but I'm improving! :)  I have received a new-to-me sewing machine and we're enjoying getting to know each other!  I've nicknamed her Bernie, and she's just as quiet and smooth as can be.  We're looking to many adventures together!

Baby Dog

 We picked Fletcher up from his first home a year ago.  After traveling 5 hours to get him and 5 hours home the Saturday after school started, I was beat.  Sweet Fletcher was a snuggler from the beginning.  All the way home he was happy to be on my lap or in the seat with his head on my leg.

I thought it would be fun to recreate the picture David took on Fletcher's first night with us.

It was much more difficult and comical than the first picture!

He may be bigger (much bigger!) than he was a year ago, but he has not lost his love of snuggling.  

Rug #2

 

It was so hot at the lake last weekend that that best idea seemed to be to stay in the air conditioning and think about fall, so I started hooked rug number to.  I'm surprised at how quickly it's going.  

The Boy Swims

Since I took some time off the blog, Fletcher hasn't even been introduced.  He's a year old now and we'll have had him for a year in a few weeks.  He is very sweet and wants nothing more than to be a lap dog.  That's exciting because he weighs in the neighborhood of 70 pounds!  He's not quite the born athlete that Annie is, but he is learning.  He has recently mastered swimming off the dock AND finding the stairs...which is pretty important.  

We haven't taken nearly as many pictures or videos of him swimming, as managing two dogs has kept our hands busy.  I think we're getting it down though and got a few shots this past weekend.

Annie continues to love swimming more than anything else.  Todd and Scott joined us along with dogs Max and Emma for a while.  They are two of Annie's favorite people, but they didn't get a second look as she was too busy concentrating on the task at hand.

Getting two dogs to pose for a picture when they're much rather be swimming is no easy task!

It was a beautiful weekend, cooler than normal and lower humidity.

Couldn't figure out how to turn this video the right direction, but the dogs certainly enjoy some rest time after swims.  Annie seems to like the new fan blowing that funny little tuft of hair on her head.

The bonus of the weekend was returning home to finding these beauties ready to be picked from our tomato plants!  I love summer!

Flag Rug

Christina and I had talked about signing up for a rug hooking class at a local flea market, and finally did it, despite the need for masks and social distance.  I'm so glad we did!  While I wasn't quite as good at it as I expected to be, it was still enjoyable and I like the finished product.

We've both purchased the kit that the teacher is using for the August class, even though we won't attend the class.  I've been saving all sort of ideas on Pinterest for future rugs. The teacher from the class has a small shop in Ozark which is full of beautiful colors of wool, much of which she has dyed.  I'm looking forward to making more!  For now though, my pumpkin project sits in the closet while I stare at a pile of masks that I should be finishing.