More CQJP Blocks - and RAIN!!!

We were so excited to wake up this morning and see threatening clouds!  It has been so hot and dry here, like much of the Western US.  And sure enough, by about 9 am the rains came.  It was relatively warm, so Bruce and I took our coffee and iPads out to the patio, and I snatched my camera as well.  While we listened to the pitter-patter of rain on the patio roof (in our pajamas!), I snapped some garden pictures.

Our healthy pumpkin plants are blossoming

Corn, pumpkins and green beans (and yes, a few little weeds)

Every once in awhile, Bruce likes to plant Indian-style. The corn (this year is Indian corn and some edible corn) is planted in a circle, with green beans planted in a circle around the corn, on which they will climb.  The pumpkins are scattered around to grow on the ground in between.

If everything sprouts, it is a beautiful thing, but as you can see, everything did NOT sprout, so we have some gaping holes.  This year we will re-install a chicken-wire fence where the rocks are for next year`s beans.   Luckily, we are participating in two community gardens this year, so we will (and have been getting) get our tomatoes, onions, peppers, squash, garlic, cabbage, eating corn, etc. from there.

But the grape vines (above and below) are doing nicely.  Look at the bunches of grapes that are growing along the north side of our patio (below).  The vines and grapes form a green curtain.

The vines mainly grow along the west (latticed) side of the patio, shading us from direct sun and giving us a lovely green seating area on the patio. We have lights and a fan out there, too. I can see from this picture that I need to hang my wind chimes!

Evenutally, I came inside and showered and changed into real clothes.  My first order of business was to get out my May CQJP and finish it up. It had been finished and was shown here, but I ripped out the heavy silk ribbon and replaced it with some light stitching. The silk ribbon at the end of the pink row of stitching looks dumb in the picture (I guess it needs more tacking down), but it is a double gathered bloom in person.

This is my June CQ Journal Project Block, below.  I did do the cable-chain stitch for TAST, but need to get caught up with other stitches in the July block.

Below are the May and June blocks together.

And this is the entire project to date, just pinned of course.  The missing block is the July block, which I am about to start.  The positions of the blocks are not set in stone; once they are all finished I will play with their arrangement.

But today I couldn’t resist auditioning some trim for the inside border. I am not sure if I will have enough, but I can always find something similar.  What do you think??

Well, now I am off to paint some laces to restock my Etsy shop. I sold out of a lot of stuff with the sale that ended yesterday, and I am thrilled.  :-)

Today I love:
The sound of the rain
The smell of the rain
The sight of Boomer curled up asleep with his paw over his eyes
The taste of fresh apricots
The feel of hands that have not been numb today.

Hugs,