Late summer days

​On these late days of summer, there's been a lot of activity in my garden. Hungry caterpillars munching away on the butterfly weed and bumble bees gathering pollen during the day and then settling in for the night, wings tucked as they curl up inside the cosmos flowers. Squirrels, always comical to watch, have been feasting on the plentiful seed pods of my witch hazel tree and I love seeing the occasional bunny out for a stroll at dusk.

Droughts are not common in Connecticut but July and August were so hot and dry that there was less green to be seen this summer. If it weren't for my 3 rain barrels most of my flowers and vegetables would not have survived. Our lawn turned a crunchy brown but the Queen Anne's Lace that usually gets mowed over could not have been happier. 

Also known as wild carrots (Daucus carota) they are drought tolerant because of their long tap root and they don't care about having nutrient-rich soil. I really enjoyed having the meadow of white flowers this year but beware as they are considered invasive in some areas.

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​If you follow me on Instagram you've probably seen the unusual stitching project I've been working on since early July. It started when my husband was getting rid of an old pair of gray camouflage shorts that were falling apart. Knowing me so well, he asked if I might want them for something before he tossed them in the rag bin. The worn pattern was so intriguing that I knew I wanted to stitch on them. ​

​Since I had already mended the shorts once by machine there was some messy zig-zag stitching that I wanted to cover up. That's how the dyed cheesecloth came in and it was handy that I already had a pile with a variety of colors to choose from. ​

This is what one of my Instagram friends said: "The peaceful sereneness of this 'landscape' puts me on the shore with the gentle waves washing over my feet as I walk, and little tide pools all along the way with the possibility of hidden treasures inside."

When I started stitching I had no plan or specific intention but I did begin to think about water as the piece evolved so I really love her description. 'Tide Pool' sounds like the perfect title. There's still more threadbare fabric so I may have to stitch a few companions : )

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​In the U.S. we're celebrating the Labor Day holiday weekend. Some call it the "unofficial end of summer" which I'm never quite ready to hear. No Bar-B-Q plans for me this year. Instead, I'll be eco-printing, thinking about upcoming classes I want to offer, tending the garden and relaxing a little. Wherever you are this weekend I hope you can find at least a little time to relax, just like my Belle does every day.

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Japanese Anemone in my Waterford, CT garden

 
​The world is full of magic things, 
patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper. 

~ W. B. Yeats