"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Thursday, January 27, 2011

This is the view from my porch..............

....................in the dead of winter.......... I am sitting out stitching.(no snow yet!)
Stitching is what I have been doing all of these past weeks. I have gotten quite a few things finished and am almost ready to start showing and selling.
Although the weather has been chilly, the days are filled with sunshine.
This is one of my favorite stitching retreats. The light is perfect, there is the sound of nothing but the birds singing. I sit in silence, to think on my plans and my stitches.
The Yupon Holly by the porch is covered in red berries, and the birds have been flitting back and forth in it all during the day.

This is a decorative kale....from last year, that is still living. I was told that it was supposed to die, however, it hung on all summer, so it deserved a new pot of soil and a pleasant spot on the porch. I also have around 20 little kale in the greenhouse that need to be out in pots during this time of year. I gathered the seed from this plant when it flowered this past summer, and the seeds sprouted! If any of you were here.............I'd be handing you a potted kale to take home with you! The warm days are trying to tear me away from my hand work and a part of me is wanting to go out into the gardens and start digging...............but if I am to try to stay at home this time.............I really need to get my work done



And then there is this............Sophie....................
"How long does it take to finish one piece??" She seems to ask.
I promised a long walk with her hours ago. She had been content to sleep at my feet during my work, but the shifting wind has awakened her and now she is impatient with me. Just look at that face..........how can I refuse?



15 comments:

Connie said...

Aw...Sophie has such a sweet face! It would be difficult to refuse her. Best of luck to you with your stitching, Kathleen. I hope your plan will work for you. Keeping my fingers crossed. :-)

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

How sweet of a post is this. I adore your views from your porch and sewing area. But nothing is as sweet as your Sophie's face, perfect nose for kisses.

I will be waiting to see what you have been working on.

What kind of trees are those with the curved trunks?

grammy said...

Sounds lovely....
I am not that patient. I have one embroidery piece that I did when I was pregnant with my daughter 36 years ago. It is a Holly Hobby about 13 in. I should take a picture and use it on my blog (o: Stitching never has come naturally to me. Now I can not even sew a button on without much ...frustration. My finger tips are pretty numb from MS and that makes holding a needle hard. Who knew??? (o:
all that to say your piece is beautiful and hope it will all work out for you. The peace and quiet sounds wonderful....but I have to be able to take off and go to Borders or Target or Hobby Lobby. All within 15 minutes of my house. My Mother had a gypsy spirit and i think I have it to (o:

Anonymous said...

That Sophie could melt anyone's heart! Can't wait to see what you are working on. I'm beginning to see little hints of spring around here. We usually have jonquils and forsythia to open the end of Feb.

Paula said...

I would LOVE a little bit of that kale, Kathleen! The view from your porch is beautiful... so peaceful. A perfect place to work! *wink*

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

Sophie is a good companion. She knows what's best for you - a little time here and a little time there. LOL

We call that plant Nandina, and I've also heard it called Heavenly Bamboo. I have a lot of it. It self seeds and multiplies like crazy. Some bushes on the west side of our house are well over six feet tall. I have to keep clipping them back every year or I think they's cover our house.

I really like your porch and the view from it. Our neighbors are getting a new roof today, right behind us, so you know what I've been hearing all day, and it isn't bird song. :)

I really hope and am believing with you that this time your dreams will come true and you'll find a profitable outlet for all you gorgeous stitchery.

Hugs, Elaine

Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

I think not only are you happy to be home everyday, but Sophie is happy too and wants to get it all in, just in case you go off all day again.

Debbie said...

That little Sophie is such a sweetie Kathleen, and obviously your close companion and friend. It takes so little to make them happy, doesn't it. I've had to take Beau out in the snow for some Frisbee just to run some energy off him. Go ahead and take the walk! A little stretch of the legs just gives us more energy:D

Sunny said...

Our little four-footed friends have a special way of communicating their wishes to us... and what would we do without them :)

I hope and pray your stitching efforts will be blessed . You do such a beautiful job!

Verde Farm said...

Sophie is beautiful! Oh how I long for color --like berries and that kale is gorgeous!
Amy :)

Anonymous said...

What a lovely porch! The holly and kale are spectacular. Good stitching to you.

Nancy M. said...

Sophie does look like she wants to go! I love your view, it seems so peaceful there!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Hi Kathleen, glad to read that you are doing what you so enjoy and kudos to Sphie for being so patient and waiting. Hope you both enjoyed a good walk.

Conni said...

Kathleen, I'm so glad you decided to stay home to stitch and work in the garden. And I bet Sophie's happy to have her "mom" with her every day...

How lovely to be able to work outside in the middle of winter! We're snow-covered here in NJ - and expecting a little more this week!

Vickie said...

Oh I love Sophie just sitting there being so patient! You must get up and go take her for a walk!

Nice view from your porch, Kathleen. I could sit and stare and enjoy that spot for myself. I don't stitch, but I think I could take it up right there!