Spring Arrivals, Friends and Family

It's been quite awhile since I had a chance to say hello. I've been busy doing some decluttering here in the office to make room for all my New England and New York books. My collection of those books has really grown (both fiction and non-fiction) and they needed a home. They've been sitting on top of the bookcases for a long time, but now have an area all to themselves in one of my smaller bookcases.



Spring has been here in our area for quite some time, and all the flowers are blooming, the grass is green once again, and all the trees have their leaves. Here are a few photos of our wisteria. It grows along the side fence, and this year it's finally starting to become a little fuller. We've only had it a few years and each one brings more blossoms. It will bloom again the end of the summer.





This was the first rose of the season. It was taken in February, just a month after my husband cut the rose bushes back (they were still blooming in December).



I've been busy working on lesson plans and reading to keep ahead of my 9th grade American Literature students. I have a favorite pen I always use in class and they've all fallen in love with it. I received it a few years ago from my friend Terri in a swap on one of our groups, and her husband made it. I was recently talking about it and our friend Heidi asked me to share a photo. It goes perfectly in color with the wisteria photos, doesn't it?? :)





Last week when the mail arrived I was so excited to open a package from my friend Mary Kathryn, and find this beautiful pillow that she stitched and sent to me. I just love it and it will always have a special place in our home.



Finally, now that allergy season is slowing down, I've been able to get back to cross stitching in the evenings. I really missed it the last couple of months, but managed to work on a crocheted table runner. I shared pictures of that here a few weeks ago when I was working on it, and today I'm adding the finished photos to my Keeping of Christmas blog, in case you'd like to stop in and take a look.





Right now I'm working on one of the new designs by Prairie Schooler, Weather Wise. I just love this design. The saying is one my great-grandmother always said, so there's a family tie-in... the colors are perfect and even though it's a summer scene, they remind me of autumn... and I'd love to live in the little village and go sailing on that boat!







Speaking of family, just the other day when I was going through some things in my closet, I noticed an old red box sitting there. I couldn't remember what was in it, and when I opened it up I was so excited. It's full of all sorts of trims for sewing. Now that I've found them again, I'll be putting them to use in some of my needlework finishes!








Some of them were ones I bought to use on baby clothes when I was pregnant (back in 1984). I also used them on a few little dresses and overalls when our daughter was a baby, and later a toddler.








The other trims belonged to my grandmother and great-grandmother, and were passed down to me.

I noticed the dark blue lace (it's a heavy crocheted looking lace) was wrapped around a card of some sort, so I gently pulled it out.





Isn't this great? You can tell how old it is just by that car on the front. Inside the card is the train schedule for the Long Island Railroad in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY. The date on the card (which is a bit hard to see here) is May 14, 1924.





















I hope you enjoyed my little show-and-tell for the day, and I hope to get back to visiting with you all on a regular schedule!