The Last Day of the Year

Look at the time of this post!  Are you impressed that I was up at 4:18am?  I'll confess it was for the siren's call of a 25% off cross stitch sale - Central Time Zone.  Oh, the sacrifices we stitcher make for our craft!  

The last day of the year is a time for reflection.  I thought I'd end the year with a recap of my twelve favorite photos.

January 2011 - Pileated Woodpecker

February 2011 - Hellebore Blossoms

March 2011 - Blue Bird

April 2011 - Shooting Stars and Lambs' Tongues

May 2011 - Wild Iris

June 2011 - Hummingbird and Fuchsia

July 2011 - Verbena and Agastache

August 2011 - Evening Grosbeaks - Fledgling and Mom

September 2011 - Cedar Waxwings Eating Berries

October 2011 - Big Bunny

November 2011 - Large Buck

December 2011 - Junco

Which one is your favorite?

I wish everyone a most Happy New Year!

Christmas Wrap-Up

Design - "A-Wassailing" - limited edition kit

Designer - Shakespeare's Peddler

Fabric - 40 count Meadow Rue Lakeside linen

Fibers - GAST - limited edition colors - 1 strand over 2 threads

Started - 23 December 2011

Completed - 29 December 2011 

I really enjoyed stitching this piece.  A neat design and interesting use of colors and motifs.

And now for my Christmas Wrap-up...

I didn't cook Christmas dinner, but I did provide dessert.

Chocolate covered marshmallows, chocolate chip cookies, blackberry crumb cake, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, and mint chip brownies.  Yes, there was a theme, and the theme was chocolate, and it was good!     

On December 24th, we had a truly lovely sunset.

I thought Nature had given us a special holiday gift. 

Then on Christmas Day morning, I stepped outside to bare witness to this magnificent sunrise.   

The colors were so vivid.

And the entire sky was saturated with color.

Another wonderful gift...

...for those who took the time to look and enjoy!

Better Late Than Never - Wednesday's Walk on Thursday

Design - Partridge

Chart - "A Prairie Christmas"

Designer - The Prairie Schooler

Fabric - 32 count Lambswool linen

Fibers - DMC - 1 strand over 2 threads

Started - 26 December 2011

Finished - 28 December 2011 

I think this is the prettiest one yet - love the pears!

I am so glad I decided to stroll about on Monday afternoon, as it began to pour Tuesday evening and hasn't yet let up.  We've had over 2" of rain thus far.  The creeks are now churning along, and there are lakes puddles everywhere.

Let's take a pre-rain storm look at the outdoor world.  

I think the young pines look like bursts of fireworks - large geometric spirals of needles.

The deciduous forest is a blue / gray tableau - moss reigns supreme!

Or should I say moss and lichens reign supreme...

One of the few things that is still green and growing is the wild honeysuckle.  I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't the Kudzu of the Pacific NW. 

And the moss to has a star burst pattern similar to fireworks, but on a micro-scale.  

Some of the wild roses still have a few leaves as well.

The Big Creek (pre-storm) - I can only image what it looks like now.  Probably deeper and muddier.

I think part of Santa's beard got caught on this branch. 

Not holly, this is the shiny new growth of a Mahonia (Oregon Grape).

The tree ferns glowed under a gray sky.

Dorothy's Creek - moss covered - gurgled along.

And how could I take a walk, without spying a mushroom on the forest floor?

 This is the last walk of 2011.  I look forward to many more in 2012.

A Rainy Day

...And it's back to "Wassailing" I go.  I'm sure enjoying working on this.

The weather has turned stormy - rainy and windy - a perfect inside sitching day!

As the year comes to a close, the birds and critters are busy at our feeders.

This Towhee patiently waited for me to set out sunflowers.

An Anna's Hummingbird used the mullein as a perch.

I caught this Junco has he swooped in to land on the peanut feeder.

The Hairy Woodpecker was also present at the peanut feeder.

Chip-the-Munk popped out to see what I was up to.

"Sunflower seeds?", he asked?

"That would be great good news!"

We did not open our gifts until the 26th. 

When we did, we had Hufflepuff Helpers.  

Padma found a gift tunnel to hide out under.

While Parvati found the 'purrfect' empty box.

Hope you received at least one perfect Christmas gift. 

A Catnip Christmas

I started on the PS "Partridge" ornament.

Each year, on Christmas morning, my sister presents Solomon, Padma, and Parvati with new Catnip Mice.

Chaos then ensues.

Solomon licks his mouse to death

Padma rolls his mouse to death

Parvati claws her mouse to death

 Tom-Cat looks on in supreme disinterest, immune to the siren call of Catnip.