Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Midweek Update

Designer - The Cricket Collection
Chart - "Patriotic Sampling" #37
Design - "Patriotic Sampling"
Designer - The Cricket Collection
Fabric - 16 count cream Aida
Started - ?
Completed - July 2012 

My Mom has been working on some of her WIP's this year.  She just finished up "Patriotic Sampling" a couple of days ago.  Since she has had cataract surgery and lost her 'magna-vision', she prefers to work with Aida over linen.

It's Wednesday and I'm ready for a walk.  Care to join me?

The meadows are no longer green.  But I quite like this color combination too - the white of the Queen Ann's Lace, the purple Canadian Thistles, and the ecru of the grass seed heads.

I saw the first of the new Douglas Fir cones. 

The apples are growing.

With berries on the Cascara and other bushes, I'd hope to see some Cedar Waxwings at work.  Maybe next time - they are such pretty birds.

I think we are going to have a banner year of Blackberries.

My sister and I are arguing about the Vine Maple.  I maintain it is turning color already, she says no, the red is the color of the new growth. 

This is Western Baneberry (Actaea rubra).  Earlier this spring it had a spray of tiny white flowers.  Now it is in the midst of berry production.  First they are green...

Then they turn white...

...and finally they are a glossy red when they are ripe. 

I've just found out the plant is poisonous! In fact, all parts of the plant are poisonous. However, accidental poisoning is not likely since the berries are extremely bitter. The berries are the most toxic part of the plant. A healthy adult will experience poisoning from as few as six berries. Ingestion of the berries can cause nausea, dizziness, increased pulse and severe gastrointestinal discomfort. The toxins can also have an immediate sedative effect on the cardiac muscle tissue possibly leading to cardiac arrest if introduced into the bloodstream.  Yikes!  I here I thought it just a pretty wildflower!
I spied the first of the acorns too.

Here's the blossom of a Bull Thistle.

As you didn't eat any of the Baneberry, I'll assume you enjoyed our walk!

7 comments:

Vickie said...

Beth please tell your mom I love this piece. Simple, yet wonderful. :)

dixiesamplar said...

Love your mom's finish!! And such a lovely walk this morning...thanks for getting me out of my cubbie for a bit...even if it was only in my mind, LOL!

Carol said...

Your mom's finish is so cute--good for her for working on finishing up those WIPs!

Loved the walk, Beth...those Douglas fir pinecone beginnings are so neat! And I love the shot of the thistle...

Our leaves are actually turning brown and falling off already due to the summer's extreme heat and lack of rain. It feels more like September when you walk across crunchy leaves!

Ann at Beadlework. said...

That's quite scary really when you think that something so bonnie can be quite dangerous. I do like your final photo of the thistle.

Unknown said...

Please congratulate your mom on her finish and for sticking to a hobby she loves!! I can only stitch on aida as well - my particular eye issue gets worse if I try to use magnification.

I am glad that you didn't try those berries before you found out they are poisonous!! Of course, I knew you wouldn't.

Barb said...

Love your Mom's finish. I read a great book a few years ago about poisonous plants. It was actually a fun read. I think the author was from the NW. Does that ring a bell? As usual a great walk!

Lois said...

What a lovely finish by your Mom! As always, I enjoyed the walk! Sun is shining here this morning, one of the few days so far this summer that that has happened!!!