Fingers Crossed

Monday evening my friend KW and I took our entries to the Fairgrounds, got them all tagged, and left them to their fates.  They'll be judged today.  On Thursday AT and I are going to lunch at the Fair (WW will take a beating) and will see if any ribbons are attached to anything.  Our entries looked a bit pitiful against the wool dress knitted from the woman's handspun and the lace shawl she entered but there's always hope.  We each entered a shawl so we're competing against that but neither of us knitted a dress so she's on her own with that one.  I'm excited.  Also nervous.

We've had an Oriole visiting the last couple days.  Durwood caught sight of it on the oriole feeder and then we both saw it on the birdbath.  Then it moved to the suet.  Neither of us knew that Orioles like suet but apparently they do.








It wasn't until after I put all my new fabric in the washer that I
realized I didn't take a group picture so you get them one at a time.  I found the khaki and black linen blend zebra print on the Red Tag rack for 60% off as was the black and white linen blend.  I found this blue w/bugs cotton for 40% off and bought a yard just because.  The other fabric's a gold khaki solid cotton that looks like linen and will make a good skirt for a dress with a print yoke and sleeves.  I want to sew up a black striped t-shirt I cut out last winter before changing the serger thread from black to white so I can sew up the last tunic/dress I cut out last week.  I also cut out another swim shirt for the grandkids so I should sew that up too before I get cutting on this new fabric.  It's kind of ironic that I'm sewing up a nicer wardrobe for my retirement wear than I ever had time for when I was working.  Also what I'm making might not have been very good to wear to work what with unpacking cartons and hauling tanks.  Whatever, I'm really enjoying sewing and wearing these clothes.  Makes me feel good.  I even ordered a used copy of a serger manual today on Amazon so that I can't screw things up too badly.

On Sunday I looked out to see a Downy Woodpecker on the suet and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird on the nectar.  They're far enough apart that neither one's very visible but I like this picture anyway so you get to look at it.


I have been admiring this fern's new fronds emerging from the center.  It's amazing what a weekly watering will do for a plant.







August 16--Egyptian, 19th Dynasty, West Thebes, Detail of a wall painting in the tomb of Queen Nefertari.  The sun blazed overhead throwing no shadows and making the sand feel like it would melt your feet right through your shoes.  Cassie was glad to duck into the cave-like tomb.  It wasn't really cool in there, just not as hot.  It was dry heat which sucked the moisture out of her pores until she felt like a piece of jerky.  The wall paintings were incredible, bright and filled with hieroglyphics which she thought looked like the best kind of code, kind of like ancient emojis elevated to an entire language.

I thought I'd manage to post yesterday but didn't have a moment until almost bedtime so decided that today would do.  I'm determined to get some sewing done before the wills vs. trusts speaker Durwood wants to go listen to this afternoon.  He's bribing me with the promise of supper in a local family restaurant.  I hope they have potato pancakes.
--Barbara