Friday, October 29, 2010

AVery Grateful Friday

GR&DF I do thank you for your kind comments about yesterdays rather satirical post - its just that the whole experience left me sort of chuckling along for the rest of the day.
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Now for today's post...... Grateful : greyt-fuhl - adjective - warm and deep appreciation of kindness or benefits received.
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There are so many things in my life that I have gratitude for - and yesterday was one thing after another. The mail brought three packages - one of them was from Berit - a dear Blogging friend from the East Coast - she sent me a lovely Birthday Present -

She knows of my crazy love of Belle Soie and my gathering of all the colours - sending me three lovely additions to my growing collection!! Thank you so much dear Berit!!

A second package was from a sweet Lurker I met at the EGA Conference - Valerie sent me a super package...

and inside....

... a wonderful piece of Royal/cross stitch stash. I was in the Uk in 2002 and remember all the wonderful things for the Golden Jubilee. Thank you so much Valerie - fore reminding me of those memories!!

The third package was from a sale the Vicki was having over at HDF on her lovely silk -

I had to take advantage and add some of the lovely silks to my ever growing stash.
Grateful for the mail, for friends and for lovely stash!!
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On the way home yesterday, now that I am busing it again until Rico gets back on the hoof, I have about 45 mins to an hour of time to just decompress from the day and reflect. Yesterdays ride and then walk home was much more interesting than usual - after I got off the bus and started down the hill - I have walked many times - I looked up and saw....

...looking east towards the East Bay down Army Street - how dark it was getting from the rain clouds that were coming in off the Pacific. What a great overcast sky. Still walking home I found these flowers all in bloom ....

... this vine was covering a rocky hillside - aren't they a lovely blue. Then as I started down some steps that connect the upper part of the street with a lower part I pass this ....

.... great hillside - the jade plant in front is about 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall, to give you an idea of how big this area is. The century plant behind it bloomed two years ago and is was really something to see - the long spike with a ton of flowers on top. I also pass this house on the way home....

How cute are their decorations. Getting closer to home I pass this....

... reminding me to "always stop and smell the roses." Grateful for a job, and a bus, and being able to walk home, flowers that bloom with no help and for Hallowe'en.
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And looking out from our balcony we had a really beautiful sky....

...looking east towards downtown..

... looking west towards Twin Peaks...

... looking north towards Hill Street. Grateful for the rain, for the fresh wind and for eyesight to see the expanse of sky and the weather closing out the day.
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And.... very Grateful for Blogging Friends that visit and for your kind comments and thoughts!! Thank you for again stopping by, have a wonderful weekend, and do stop by again!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Hoof Up-date

GR&DF so sorry for the not posting yesterday - got very busy very fast at work, Today I was late coming because we had follow-up appointment for the Frankenfoot. Cast your mind back to last week and recall that Rico had his Achilles Tendon Rupture surgically repaired. All week he has been slung up in Bed like the last broken down Diva!! Today was the first Doctors visit since then. So, we got there and I unloaded Rico and the hoof - I parked the car - in the non-elevator - parking garage - and hustled my butt down the 7 flights of stairs. Since it was 7:45 am and the whole doggone garage was full up to the roof!! What's up with that!!

I met up with Rico in front of the Medical Building where I had left him. Then it was up to the Doctors office. Being the first appointment of the morning the wait was not the usual 30 to 45 mins wait but just 10 mins. We eventually got into a waiting room and the Doctor came in - cut off the soft cast - not a pretty sight after a week - and then manipulated the hoof a bit - with Rico wincing all the while. The the Doctor slipped a walking boot onto the hurt-hoof. He told us we needed to come back in a couple of weeks and off he went. We made another appointment at the front desk and we were done.

Now Rico can do a bit better at hobbling around the house -
and he has a bit more freedom from the bed!!

There you sports fans - a little nugget of our sparkling lives her by the Bay!!
Take care,
edgar

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Cooking Tuesday

GR&DF the post tiles are getting less creative - I wanted to mention that yes, Sharon named the lighthouse correctly - the piece is of the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. I didn't realize I did not put the name of the place when I was writing about it. You can click HERE and read more about the history of the place. I have some really great memories of this place.

I posted two recipes on Blacksheep Bakes. Both were made over the weekend. The first recipe is for a pudding and the other for Apple Danish -

Although the danish is very tasty it is far from beautiful.

Last night I was stitching once again on something I can not show.

Not too much else going on - thanks for stopping by do come again!!

Tale care,
edgar

Monday, October 25, 2010

A Rainy Weekend

GR&DF the last two days where very wet here in SF. The rain was so needed and may be the onset of a very wet Winter. I remember when I first moved here from Florida. The first couple of winters were so rainy and windy I couldn't believe it, but the past few years have been very dry with very little rain. So this wet winter to be will be a welcome change back to our regular weather pattern.

Saturday and Sunday where very much stay at home days. I only ran to the grocery store on Saturday morning - the rest of the time I was either, running up and down the stairs for Rico, cooking something, doing laundry or cleaning something in the house. I can tell Rico is getting better because yesterday Rico took a sort of shower, propped up on the side of the tub with his leg in a plastic bad thing - he got to get the his first shower in 5 days. He was saying that he itched all over. Trying to keep everything fresh - I have been changing the sheets every couple of days - so that adds to the piles of laundry.

I got some stitching done here is a piece I can show you....

The snap is pretty crappy, with the light house being all twisty, but you get the idea. Not my usual thing to stitch but it is for a Christmas present, so I need to get it finished and framed. The linen is a really nice blue colour but here it looks all grey. I borrowed the idea of stitching it on blue from Melodee - thanks for the great idea!! I need to add the clouds and the title. I have recharted the name and date and will put them more in the body of the piece and not along the bottom as the original chart has them.

I made something out of these....

and will post in on the other Blog in the next day or so.

There you go sports fans - short and sweet!! Thanks for stopping by, do come again.

Take care,
edgar

Friday, October 22, 2010

A Lovley RAK/B'day Present and Another Gas leak in SF

GR&DF once again the week has wound down to a wonderful two days off!! We are supposed to be getting some rain tomorrow and some major showers on Sunday - so I am not very sure of the plans. Dale and I might just have to cut short our weekly outing to the "sales."

Yesterday the mail brought me a wonderful package from a stitching Buddie - Roberta - and here is a snap...

Along with three darling little acorn pyn cushions and a great acorn waxer - sweet Roberta included a sweet treat!! Some delicious Georgia Wildflower honey from the Shamrock Apiaries in Macon, GA. Thank you so much for the kind RAK/late B'day prezzie!!
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With the heighten fear of gas leaks here in SF since the explosion in South City last month - yesterday in Eureka Valley - better know to the world as "The Castro" there was a leak at 18th Street and Castro Street. Now, usually when something happens where they is a city trauma it doesn't affect me - but since I go home to Noe Valley through the Castro changing from the underground Muni to surface transport on the 35 Bus - my getting home was totally screwed up with this mess. Here is a snap of the intersection I was confronted with at 3:20 ....

looking NE up Castro street

As you can see they where lots of city reps around - and not a single one of them could tell me or any of the dozens of other people trying to get home about any buses that may or may not be moving through this area. I stood around watching the demolition of the street for a while and eventually a 35 Bus came around from Diamond Street and turned onto Castro heading south - towards Noe Valley - I jumped on that sucker and was home only about 20 or so mins later than usual. This morning coming back through the Castro on the way to work - you wouldn't have known anything had happened.
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Still working on a stitchy present - I will have a snap on Monday.

The flickers this week have been mostly documentaries. Sometimes that is the way the Netflix Queue. Two of them that are worth a look are "Secret Lives: Hidden Children and Their Rescuers During WWII" - 2002 - told by the actual people who where involved. Absolutely one of the most moving things I have seen in a long time. These are a few of the stories of the non-Jewish families who put their lives at risk to save Jewish children. It is beautifully done showing reunions with the adult children and rescuing families. The second film is "Shanghai Ghetto" - 2002 - this film is about the 20,000 or so German Jews that were able to escape just before the start of the war and ended up in Shanghai. An incredible documentary told by those that where there. I had never heard of this part of Jewish History and was fascinated by the stories. Many parts where very moving and the only negative thing I could say is that I think it could have been longer.

Another film from this week was "Telegraph Trail" - 1933 - starring John Wayne, Duke (his horse, and yes the horse gets second billing), Frank McHugh and Marceline Day. I really enjoyed this very short film - at 54 mins it had a very fast paced storyline. The story has many stereotypes, evil rancher, evil Indians, helpless yet smart pretty girl, the hero and side kick and the rescue by the US Calvary. An early film shot out doors, and worth a look.

There you go sports fans, another week another post!! Have a great weekend!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, October 21, 2010

It's Thursday....

GR&DF Rico and I thank you all for the kind words and healing thoughts!! Ja'Niece - I loved the comment!! I have been on the nagging end of the injury since it happened, and with his being stubborn to the point of idiocy, what could I do. I am just happy that it has finally gotten fixed and is now on the mend. The pain I think comes in waves, but with his popping his double strength percocet...he is sort of out of it big time.

I have posted the Gingerbread recipe on BSBakes. I made this on Sunday and it lasted until last night - with the last little piece I had for dessert.

I love this type of spicy heavy cake in the Fall. One of my most favorite gingerbread memories - and yes, I love the stuff that much to have a crazy memory tucked away in my ever so sieve like brain!! I was in Germany on tour - a lovely country btw!! - and we where in Nuremberg and found out this was a local specialty - and how!! Just soft and Delicious - called lebkuchen to me very gingerbread like. Love the stuff. I can usually find lebkuchen here, but only around the holidays... and they are fast approaching so I must start looking. These "cookies" made that trip along with the plethora of sausages I found everywhere and in every city we visited. How about this idea for a great trip - a sausage tour of Europe!! I would jump on the like a duck on a June bug!!

I will wrap it up for today - thanks for stopping by, do come again!

Take care,
edgar

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

A Jacked UP Foot

GR&DF thank you for all the kind words about the Pumpkin Patch. Karen asked if it was in Half Moon Bay where they have a gigantic Pumpkin festival with about a bazillion folks all celebrating this wonderful squash. Although a fabulous place - my humble snaps are from the Pumpkin patch in the City located in the inner Sunset.

Yesterday was taken up with a day long visit to the Presidio Surgical Center. You may ask - "why were edgar and Rico visiting??" In a nutshell.....A few months ago Rico managed a major boo-boo to his foot - it was the right foot and what he did to it was an - Achilles Tendon Rupture - which ain't pretty and hurts like the Dickens!! He has been hobbling about and bitching about how much it hurts until finally he saw a Doctor last month - and that appointment led to yesterday - and under the knife he went. Here is a snap of the result...

We got there around 11 am and left around 4:30 pm. I got a lot of stitching done while I waited, but it was a long, dull day. Everyone at the Center was super and I can't recommend it highly enough!! After getting home and him into bed I ran out an filled his prescription for extra strength pain killers which should take the edge off, but it will hurt for a good long time while it heals.

There you go sports fans - thanks for stopping by - do come again!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday, October 18, 2010

A Fallish Weekend - Lots of Snaps

GR&DF our little heat wave broke on Thursday evening and the temps kept falling all Friday back to the comfortable low 60's we enjoy here in the City. The weekend was very cool and overcast on Saturday and then on Sunday it was very grey and rained off and on all day!! I think we are in for a wet Winter - and boy do we need it.

Saturday Dale and I ran around to the sales, but there was very little to acquire - I only picked up some books. I will get a snap up later this week. On the way home after we stopped off for a sushi-licious lunch I stopped off at an SF Fall institution - Clancy's Pumpkin Patch - I try to stop off there every year as it really gets you in the Fall spirit - I had my camera so I got some snaps.....

There are lots of pumpkins in lots of different sizes..


These small ones are just right for little hands to carry....

There are lots of different colours ..


There are a couple of spooky vignettes that are set up for the extra cute snap ...

for Fall decorating there is also bushels of great looking gourds!!


and even old Mr. Tom was there all puffed up and not too happy.

In a few weeks this great Patch o'pumpkins will turn magically into "Clancy's Christmas Trees" lot -

I stitched quite a bit, but on things I cannot show yet. I even got a bit of baking done, but that I will hold off on until later in the week. There will be no post tomorrow, I'll be back posting on Wednesday. Hope your weekend was wonderful and that Fall is unfolding beautifully!! Do stop by again.

Take care,
edgar

Friday, October 15, 2010

Commenting on Comments - and - Always in Love with Betty!!!

GR&DF wrapping up the week I think I will answer some of the kind comments from yesterday.
Anna mentioned that on the streets of San Francisco are some of the Philadelphia trolleys - restored to the original city colours - they ride great and look super!! Jeanne mentioned her recent trip to Disneyland and getting wet - if I can find the pic of Rico and I on
the log ride it is really funny - I remember getting pretty wet on the sucker also!! Alice if you want any info at all about SF please feel free to ask - as I am always happy to help - and Yes, Tina - I think I would also have to reach age of 200+ to be able to ever come close to making a dent in my ever growing stash!!
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1921-2007

- This past week on TCM they played one of my all time favorite movies - "The Perils of Pauline" - 1947 - starring Betty Hutton, John Lund, Billy de Wolfe, William Demarest and Constance Colllier - I have always loved Betty in all her moves. I have a specail affection for this movie as it was the first film I ever bought - many years ago - first in Beta format - then when that format failed - I bought it on VHS - and I am sure I have it on DVD. I have never seen a really good print of it - and there probably isn't one left, but the print that is available is good enough. Here is a clip of Betty singing a ballad from the film...



Usually when you think of Betty and her singing you think of the comic songs but she could totally belt out a ballad like nobodies business!! Here is another clip from the film - and a more typically "Betty" song ....



I hope you liked both clips and if you ever get a chance to see any of her films, make the time - they are all top notch and wonderfully entertaining!!

There you go sports fans. Thank you again for stopping by and do come again!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, October 14, 2010

The Mail Brings some Wonderful Packages!!

GR&DF I was so happy to read all the different comments for yesterdays post and do thank you for them. Nancy - in St Paul's before I went I did my research and was aware of the crawl into the dome and going outside - which I knew I would never able to do - my getting to the whispering gallery was accomplishment enough for me that time. Katya5 asked where the mural is - on the corner of 24th Street and Bryant, but there are many murals all along 24th and on the off streets. If you where into murals there is the LIST of them here in the city.
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Yesterday was a truly banner day is so many ways - here in the city it was warmish and lovely - I do love the cold foggy days that we usually have, but occasionally it is nice to be warm and see the sun. I made it to the Farmers market and got this snap...

These melons are delicious (free samples) and beautiful all at the same time!! On the way over I got this snap of what I think is my favorite Street Car....

I love the lines of this car and the colour.
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The mail was supe -de-duper as it brought presents and stash - and I have some snaps.....


To add to my ever growing Royal Collection - Sadie sent me the Silver Jubilee Booklet and Gaynor sent me the lovely Silver Jubilee china cup. I had not seen either of these pieces over here anywhere - they are super additions - Thank you both so very much!!

The mail also brought me a super special gift from one of my Dear Blog Buddies - sweet Vonna - her generosity is well known and I am so lucky to call her Friend!! Here is a snap of the beauty....


It is a Special Edition Roundy from Shakespeare's Peddler - finished off in the beautiful way that Vonna has - the stitching is lovely and it looks great in our living room. I love that it is a different type of finish - the pedestal is great as it lifts is up just enough to call attention to how beautiful it is - I do thank you sweet Vonna so very much!!!!!

The mail also brought a tiny stash purchase - I was getting the itch bad and couldn't resist - it's like a drug!! Here is a snap -


When I first saw the Hallowe'en Quaker piece in the sneak peaks for Market I knew I had to have this - I am not always taken with Quaker type interpretive pieces, but this hit me just right!! I thought I ought to also get the great La D Da Christmas chart and the sweet little BBD pyn cushion - Since I first laid eyes on that Quaker piece I have been thinking about it and I am thinking of shifting some of the black to some subtle colour bits....... on well, no rush as my basket is pretty full with stitchity projects for a while yet. My evening stitching continues to be on pieces I cant show just yet.
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Here's a little ditty for a chuckle........ yesterday after we got home I got together my usual Wednesday laundry - usually a couple of loads for mid week - I got the washers going and off we went to the pool. After I knew the washers had finished I went up to the laundry room and moved the damp wash into the dryers.. now for the pay off - while pulling out some jeans I heard a clunk and looked in and saw my wallet - yes, you read that right, I had washed my wallet. Everything was pretty damp, but the silver lining ( and I looked hard for that lining!!) is that I didn't run it through an hour in the dryer. Everything dried out pretty well, and I ironed out all the wrinkled bits of paper and the money, now everything is super crisp in my back pocket!! All I could think of at the time was what a super ding thing to do!! I am usually so good about going through the pockets of everything, but yesterday with the warm day I was was chomping to get to the pool, so I guess that " haste does make waste!!"

There you go sports fans for toady with some lovely things to look at and more tid-bits from my wacky-doodle life!! I do thank everyone for stopping by, do come again!!

Take care,
edgar

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Crunchy Shrimps, BIG Art and Counting "Carols"

GR&DF thanks for all the great comments yesterday!! I am always ready to step out of the comfort zone and into the unusual when it comes to trying things. With that said, at my advanced age I am sure of some things that I do not like and will not do or try - the list begins with my irrational fear of heights - cant and wont do them - an even as I write that I know in my heart that isn't true - as I can force myself to do some very high things.... two examples come to mind instantly - when I was in Venice and I had a choice of going or not up St Marks Campanile - I chose to go up and was blown away by the gorgeous views of the city and lagoon - I was scared stiff the whole time, but I did it - the second time was when I made myself ascend up into the dome of St Paul's Cathedral in London - in the dome to the whispering gallery - scary as all get out, but once again I made it there and was glad I did. My crazy list goes on to things I will not ever again put in my mouth - bananas, mango's, plantains..are all on that list!!! For the most part I will try new things all the time. I always here my dads voice in my head saying "How do you know you don't like it until you try it???" ..... and I tell myself - you only live this life once - it ain't a dress rehearsal!! So jump in with both feet!!!!!

With that thought lingering - we stopped off in the Mission to pick up some things at the market - I see these every time we stop and I never get a snap....but this time I remembered...

They are with the snacks and spices so I am not too sure if they fall into the snack or the spice arena - but I am sorely tempted to buy some and find out!! I love me some shrimp!! I also got some snaps of a great mural I do not think I have ever shown - It is a pictorial history of Mesoamerica - including a Jaguar Knight from Mexico, an Olmec head, a Nazca hummingbird and a Mayan Lord....

to the left the mural wraps around the corner and continues on the front of the church..


I love that San Francisco has lots of murals, but the Mission seems to have the bulk of them - and here is an advertising mural I like....

I always enjoy a Laundromat with happy washers!! :)
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I got together my copies of "A Christmas Carol".... Here is a snap of them.....

In the top left - 2001 - "ACC" adapted by Stephen Krensky, pictures by Dean Morrissey, beneath that is a children's version 1991 - Illustrated by Marie DeJohn, In the upper middle with the spine up is a- 1985 - "Treasury of Dickens" with three of my favorite stories, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and ACC, printed in Great Britain. Beneath that is a Barnes a Noble PPB - 2000 - of Dickens Christmas Stories (many people are surprised to find out that Dickens wrote other Christmas stories) At the top again the red and green cloth bound version- 1901 - ACC, below that is a nice facsimile of "Old Christmas" by Washington Irving, moving down to the red bound with green spine - 1937 - ACC, next down is - 1994 - "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol", back to the top right the Blue Dust Jacket - 1993 - ACC - is a great version - an exact facsimile edition of the autographed manuscript from the Pierpont Morgan Library, moving down - 2006 - ACC, Illustrated by PJ Lynch on top of this edition is an ACC that was privately printed by Ball Brothers Company in Muncie Indiana - I would guess in the late 30's early 40's. This does not include all the Christmas books I have, that's a whole other pile of books!!
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I have been stitching away on an exchange so no snaps of that , yet.

Thanks again for stopping by and wading through all by babble!! Do stop by again.

Take care,
edgar

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

A Tuesday Post

GR&DF could the post title be a bit more dull?? I wonder. Sometimes I just haven't a clue what to call the days post - especially if it will be about different bits of info - oh well - its Tuesday and on with the post.

I did want to thank you for the kind comments and wanted to sort of answer Denise's and Peggy Lee's question - about "How Many 'A Christmas Carol' versions I have, and do I have duplicates?" I am not sure how many I have, and will get a count tonight, I do know that I am sure I have no duplicate printings/versions. I never thought about it before, but I would guess there are a good handful on the shelf.

Yesterday at "Whole Foods" we stopped to pick up some olive bread to go with the spaghetti dinner we where having - we ran into this deliciousness.....

Now, I am not a big fan of chocolate - unless it is really dark - and you know I am a big fan of the pig - from snout to tail - it is perfectly delicious!! So I squealed out loud at this and into the basket it went!! After dinner - I popped it open and found that the dark chocolate had a smokey taste with little salty, crunchy bacon bits - pretty good for a totally overpriced chocolate bar!! You can click HERE and get your own bacon/chocolate bar. It even comes in milk if dark is not to your taste.

On Sunday I whipped up a cake - called " Mom's Fresh Apple Cake" - I have posted the recipe for it and the frosting on Blacksheep Bakes. Here it is finished and ready for serving...

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There you go sports fans - short and sweet today!! Thanks for stopping by, do come again!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday, October 11, 2010

Monday once Again...

GR&DF thank you again for stopping by for a few moments. This weekend was a sort of Fall Clean up - at Casa Who Hound -

Rico and I ran around to a few Estate Sales on Saturday morning.
Here is a snap of the few bits I picked up...

I got a lovely - and large - faux bois frame, which will look really great with a sampler put in it - I also picked up a couple of Christmas books and armchair tidy from Past Times. I really like this bag as it reminds my of the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries in Paris - and can hold all the clickers we have in one place. The tapestries are at the Musee du Moyen Age - a great Museum and worth a visit!!

After our morning of running around we got home and got busy with some house work - so now the carpets are clean, there is a lot less dust, the laundry is done and there are some Fall Decorations scattered about.

On Sunday we went for breakfast over to Eddies and stopped by the Farmers Market - I got a couple of snaps -

This is a great snap of artichokes - I loved how they had some that went to flower, showing that this lovely thistle can be a gorgeous purple. On the corner was the flower tent -

...with loads of sunflowers and marigolds - some really great Fall flowers. I parked up by Alamo Square and took this snap of one of the lovely old painted ladies...

I am pretty sure this is a B&B now.

I stitched on an exchange and a present this weekend so no stitching snaps.

There you go sports fans. Do stop by again.

Take care,
edgar

Friday, October 8, 2010

A Stitchity Snap and some Flicks

GR&DF I am humbled by the kind comments and sweet thoughts for my stitching efforts and new Blog. I had an email about this Blog - and to answer the question - I am still going to post here most and use "Blacksheep Bakes" as only a place to gather up food related things. Now, with that said I am sure I can find enough food stuff to spread around between two Blogs.

I snapped away last night I and did acquire a fairly decent shot of "The Garden Path"
- and here it is....

The problem with yesterdays snaps was I couldn't get the 36ct linen to look at all right - this is closer to the actual colour. All that is left to do on this piece is the grass fill and the sawtooth inner border - which I am holding off on as that is non-counting stitching and I can do that on my flight to Florida in a couple of weeks. Its not like I have nothing else to stitch on!! I certainly have plenty of other things to work on until then. It is a shame that these "Sheepish" charts are OOP as they are really nice pieces to stitch - even with the chart mistakes.

I think I will catch up on some flick info ....

"Reap the Wild Wind" - 1942 - starring John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland - is all about the sea and sailing ships from the first half of the 19th century. Set in the southeast - Key West and Charleston - it follows the love triangle of Steve, Jack and Loxie. I had seen his film a long time ago and while re watching it remembered what a good flick it is - directed by Cecil B. DeMille it is a big a beautiful production - and Paulette Goddard is in great form. Next up is an obscure film called "Three Faces West" - 1940 - starring John Wayne, Sigrid Gurie and Charles Coburn - The Basic story revolve around a Viennese surgeon, played by Coburn and his daughter who have fled the Nazi Anchluss of Austria of 1938. Coming to America to build a life for themselves they are invited to North Dakota. They arrive in the middle of a dust storm. Eventually as the movie goes on the town is destroyed by the continual dust and the town packs up to move to Oregon. There is of course a secondary love story. The entire film was a bit plodding and if you are a John Wayne fan (of which I am not) it is an interesting film to watch. For 1930's dust bowl films "The Grapes of Wrath" starring Henry Fonda is far superior. . I 'll wrap up the films with a war film - "The Steel Helmet" - 1951 - starring Gene Evans, Robert Hutton, Steve Brodie, William Chun and Richard Loo. You know I enjoy War films and this film did not disappoint. It was Directed by Samuel Fuller and shot on a very low budget, the most glaring of the low budget moments was a Chinese tank made of ply wood, but that can be overlooked. This film is set behind the lines during the Korean War in a Buddhist Temple - with a rag-tag group of infantry men that have basically just run into each other setting up a observation post in the temple. Although this is a war film the story line is very character driven - a good war film with the occasional jarring moment of actual war film footage.
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From the comments - Tina asked about the header snap - the skeleton comes from a design by Birds of a Feather called "Remember Me." You can click HERE to see the chart. Also I had to chuckle at Melodee's comment - I knew you would know - ;)

There you go sports fans - thank you all for stopping by - do come again!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Some Stitching - an Exchange, a Present and a House

GR&DF it's Thursday, can we get a whoop - whoop!! Not that I am wishing away my life, but looking forward to the weekend. I do thank you all for the kind comments- and the chocolate covered strawberries are continuing to be totally delicious!! I did want to mention that I have opened up another Blog - specifically for baking and cooking and stuff like that - a place where I can post up the recipes and snaps to keep them together. The Blog is called Blacksheep Bakes and I have been tweaking and shifting stuff around for the last couple of days. If you would like you can click on over and give it a look. The first post is for the Pumpkin-Chocolate cake.

Nancy mentioned in the comments for yesterdays post the lamp in the roses snap - that was my Granny's Slag Glass lamp - she treasured it and when we broke up her home it was one of the things I really wanted to have - and so I see it everyday and think of her - such sweet memories.

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I heard from Michelle that the HOE Hallowe'en Exchange I made for her had arrive - and here are a couple of snaps of what I made and sent....

I stitched up a chart from CHS - I painted a box I got a a craft store and attached the piece to the top and lined the inside with some pumpkin fabric.... here is a snap of the entire exchange...

This was a totally fun exchange as I really love all Hallows Eve and Fall things!!

Yesterday I said I would put up some of my more recent stitching.... here is a piece that I am making for a present -

You really cannot tell but the linen is a lovely blue colour and not grey. I want to get it finished up soon and framed as there are only 79 more days until Christmas.

Here is another piece I have been working on....

It is my SoHRH - still a great stitch - but the white fill on this house is a killer - remember - I so do not like white stitching.

I am also working on "The Garden Path" - but I just couldn't get a good snap of that last night - It kept coming out blotchy and mouldy looking - I will try again tonight for a better snap.

There you go sports fans - another post at the "Olde Blacke Sheepe." Just me being funny - It reallye botherse me to see extra e's tacked onto the ende ofe thingse - kinda drives me crazye!! Have a good one and stoppe back when you canne!

Take care -
edgar

Flowers and Fruit

 Gentle Friends, I wrapped up the centre square stitching... here's a snaperooo... ... I thought about straightening up the baskets and ...