Away Again, Naturally

Portland Head

As we usually do this time of year, the dude and I drove up to Maine to visit my parents. This year, with the addition of the twins, my parents' house was full-up so we were fortunate enough to stay with my cousin who lives closer to the beach.

Her proximity to the beach facilitated our viewing of the Perseid meteor shower. We walked over and lay down in the sand and watched shooting stars for almost an hour while listening to the crashing waves; it was so relaxing. My mother (a mere three miles away) said they couldn't see for the clouds, but I'm pretty sure it was light pollution. Our delightful viewing came crashing to an end when a couple of drunk guys stumbled onto the beach and started throwing a lighted frisbee. Oh well. It was great while it lasted!

My cousin's younger daughter has become obsessed with lighthouses, so we visited Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth (look for Edward Hopper's portrayals) and then to Portland Head Lighthouse. I can't believe in all the time we've been going to Maine we've never been!

We also went shopping with the girls which was a lot less painful than it sounds--especially to this non-shopper. Those girls are so good. I don't know how my sister got so lucky! They made it through lunch (where there were no high chairs, only booster seats without the seatbelts) and several stores. And my sister got to do a full shop at her favorite store.

My elder niece and her "summer friend" were especially good mother's helpers, and I know my sister was grateful for the help. I'm pretty sure this is the best birth control these girls could have (for now). (They're only 15.) The twins loved the beach especially playing in the water. But what's not to love when you have attendants like these?

If you enjoyed this postcard from Maine, you might want to check out Serendipitous Jo's Summer (Pet themed) Blog Hop. Self-promotion warning: today's postcard is from me to Vickie. You can read it here.

I Made It Monday: Finished Fob

I stitched this in October of 2006 when my stitching friends from camp met up in Maine. So this 52x52 piece has taken me eight years to finish! (If I spend more time finishing, I am going to out myself as a procrastinator.) (Oh, really? You don't say. I hadn't noticed.)

Pumpkin Keeper, Drawn Thread

That fabric is not the backing. I went through the origami machinations of finishing the way Cynthia of the Drawn Thread outlines on the pattern (pdf). As my mother (the sewist) used to say when I tried to fold my way to sewing success, "That is not the way fabric works." It will do.

You can't tell from this photo, but that ribbon matches the vine exactly. Kind of a mushroom soup color.

This puts me at having finish-finished two projects for the year (of 12).

Away Again, Naturally

The dude and I did a piss-poor job planning our vacations this summer. No sooner did we return from Canada than we were off to the sea in Maine. Poor planning or not, it was still a relaxing time away from the office. We drove up after work, so I didn't get much stitching done. And I forgot my cheaters (actually, I didn't. I couldn't find them and then I bought a new pair and then I found them again). Where was I? Oh, forgetting the cheaters, so I stuck with a project on lower count fabric so I could see. And that was my August Small, and I'll save that one to show you later.

Speaking of not being able to see, I did have a visit with Maggie while I was in New England. Her eyesight continues to deteriorate, and she is doing less. She gets out plenty--a couple of restaurants she eats at regularly and movies with my aunt. Funny enough, she asked about you. She wanted to know if it was okay to get rid of the 100+ cards you sent for her 90th birthday. Since that was over two years ago now, I gave her permission. I hope you don't mind.

Coming home from our trip to Maine always makes me feel like summer is ending. And today when I walked into work at 8:00 am it certainly felt that way. And then my colleague told me I didn't have to be in until 8:30 because summer hours are over. There were so many things I meant to do on my half-day Fridays but never did. I was waiting until I had a rainy day to scour thrift shops for some supplies for garden accessories I wanted to make. I was going to use another to clean the craft room. I'm sure there were many other "meant tos" on my summer list. But there were some fabulous "instead ofs" too. Like this:

Helping make babies fashionable, scrubheaven

The Maine Event

Our trip to Maine was relaxing if not entirely restful. We packed so much into our days that even my mother's neighbors commented on how much we did. We all arrived on Thursday. While best pal and I waited for DD's flight to arrive we popped over to Colonial Needleworks in Bedford. It is a really pretty shop and she had a nice selection. I think the internet has totally ruined me for shopping. I see stuff in advance and then I'm put out when it hasn't arrived in the stores...

We drove up to my folk's place in Maine and met VT who my mom had been kind enough to fetch from the Portland airport. We had treats to share. I had made flip flop scissor fobs and a notebook to put into the bags I had decorated. I also included a few freebie patterns.

DD made up goody bags that included candy and gum, hand cream and a nail file, a magnet needle holder, a nap raiser, Thread Heaven, and a thread straightener. It was all included in a pretty little autumnal bag. So sweet!

After lunch at Wild Willy's on Friday, we made the pilgrimage to Yankee Cross Stitch which is loaded with beautiful stitched pieces, but I didn't see that many new things. It's a sad fact that we forgot to take a photo of us in front of the store. My mom drove us, and even though she doesn't stitch, she did pick out a couple of patterns. For me to stitch for her. But she bought everything I picked out because it's almost my birthday so it's the least I can do. I got two Mosey n Me patterns, Twigs and Blocks of Christmas; Carriage House Samplings, Annie's Garden; monsterbubbles, Lizzie Borden; Good Huswife, June Morning; Blackbird Designs, Flea Market Souvenir, and finally I found a copy of the JCS Ornament Issue. (I bought the Hillside Samplings chart, Animal Samplings, at Colonial Needleworks.) My mom picked out the Sue Hillis Designs, Why Men Fish and the Dimensions Flip Flop kit, though I have permission to substitute the fabric.

We shopped a bit in the mall where YCS is located. Before driving back we swung by Strawbery Banke so DD could see "a three hundred year old salt box" per her special request. We stopped at Yummies on the way home. We bought candy like we were...kids in a candy store. For dinner we had Mike's Clam Shack clam chowder and lobster rolls.

Saturday was a beautiful day so we took a short cruise past Nubble Light. We walked around (shopped) Ogunquit before heading back to pick up my dad for dinner. Lobster on the marsh. Mmmmmmmm lobster. Then we swung by the Bush's place to watch the sunset. (Some of us were more excited about that than others. But next time George, Jr. pulls his aw-shucks-I'm just-a-man-of-the-people act think about summering on Walkers Point. Personally, I know that I had a privileged childhood, and our summer place was next door to one that a bunch of frat boys rented!)

Then the weekend was over quick as it came. We did do a little stitching, I had kitted up a Drawn Thread pumpkin fob, but people had also brought their own projects. So it was more a weekend with stitching friends than it was about stitching. I guess we'll save that for camp next year.