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Sunday, August 4, 2013

Dog Days

Good morning everyone, and welcome to August, the dog days of summer.  In keeping with this theme, I thought I'd start off by sharing this short video of my dogs - Ruby and Molly - and how they've been spending their summer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve5fhSnHp_0&feature=player_embedded

I love this clip, because it really shows what herding dongs do - they herd other animals.  Unfortunately since the girls don't have any sheep of their own to keep together, they spend a lot of time herding each other!

The crazy pace this summer hasn't let up one bit since my last post, so stitching time has been rather hard to come by.  However, I have have managed to reproduce a satisfactory replica of the Hemingway home in Key West into "Once Upon an Island" and I'm really quite tickled with the result.  If you saw my previous post, you'll remember that this was the actual home......


And this is what I came up with for the sampler:

 

Not an exact replica, but that's not really what I was going for anyway.  Here's the entire piece as of this morning.  I'm still debating about what to put in the four corner boxes and a suitable quote for under the scene.  In the meantime though, I'm buying some time by getting the border in place.  Hopefully once it's done I'll have figured ot the rest of it!

 

Jim and I had the rare opportunity to take a boat cruise around the southern point of Egmont Key with the local Audubon Society a few weeks ago.  This part of the island is a federal bird sanctuary, so visitors are almost always prohibited access to it.   July is the height of nesting season for many of the sea birds, including laughing gulls, brown pelicans, sandwich terns and American oystercatchers, all of which find the beaches on Egmont Key the perfect spot for raising their chicks....

 

and doing what seabirds do...
 

No visit to Egmont is complete without appreciating the lighthouse.  The boat tour around the nesting grounds was cut a bit short by a sudden rain squall, but the rainbow it produced was worth the change of plans.  Start to finish, it was quite a spectacle!


One of the perks of my job is that I do occasionally have the chance for some travel.  Because if this, I spent last week in Little Rock and had the chance to spend some time with my sister Judy and her wonderful family.  Turns out, Judy is a budding jewelry designer, with quite the eye for beaded color and style.   Lunch at the Starving Artist Cafe lead to a stop at a nearby favorite bead shop, where we picked up the beads and supplies for this project.

 

It was great to have the time with her and to come back with such a special token.  Love you, Judy!

So that should bring me about up to the present time, though fast as it's passing, I'm probably alredy behind again.  As always, I love your comments, and am so glad you spend a few moments of your dog days here!

9 comments:

Gabi said...

Beautifuk pics and a very wonderful chain!
Greetings from Germany

Gabi said...

Sorry, little mistake. Want to write beautiful of course!

Krista said...

Wonderful pics, Mary! Love the lighthouse pic with the rainbow. Your dogs are so sweet, they look like they are playing hide and seek with each other! Awesome stitching on Hemingway's house. I hope to get down to Key West someday, looks like a fantastic place.

P.J. said...

Very creative on the sampler progress. Thanks for sharing some Egmont pics. Nice!

Margaret said...

I love how your sampler is coming out! I think you did Hemingway's house perfectly! So cool that you got to go on that cruise and got to see all those birds -- wow! And what a beautiful piece of jewelry your friend made for you! Wow, she is really talented!

Melissa said...

I have heard that about dogs that are herders. Our neighbours had a border collie that I adored and said one day I'd like one just like him. He's passed on now. Someone told me about their herder personality and that it probably wouldn't suit me (all that energy) so I will admire from afar. Your dogs at least have each other to keep company.

You've adapted Hemmingway's house nicely in your sampler. That boat trip must've been something - thanks for sharing the photos. And that necklace - love it!

Penny said...

Your sampler is looking lovely! I really like the colors. The boat cruise sounds interesting and that lighthouse picture is just beautiful! Gorgeous necklace! If your dogs get tired of herding each other, I have a few cats I could send them. :)

Carol said...

My brother-in-law owned two Australian Shepherds who used to just run and run like that Mary--sure wish I had half their energy :) Love the house you created and the little palm trees in the background.

Such a lovely necklace your sister created--lots of talent in your family, I'd say :)

Anonymous said...

Hello

Just found your blog.
Beautiful stitching and stunning photos! That necklace is just lovely.
Happy weekend (: