Loretta's Sidewalk Sale

So yesterday we arrived very early at Loretta's to start setting up and there were early birds already there.  I kind of felt bad because I wound up taking most of the space outside under the overhang and Angie and Linda were inside.  Sorry Guys.......didn't mean to be such a hog.  But all was well because we kept the door open and ushered everyone inside after they had looked through my piles of stuff.  We all seemed to have a very good day. The rain decided to stay away and just down the road was another yard sale so the sign they put up on the main road also brought traffic thru to us.

This was like old home week for me.  I saw some of my quilt guild members and some neighbors I haven't seen since I stopped working.  I do miss socializing with everyone. I met new quilters and crafters and just had a fun day with my friends.  I have to give a HUGE thank you to Livia.  My dear friend helped me set up everything, stayed all day and watched over my stuff for me at times and stayed to help me pack up.  What a doll she is.

I also got quite a few to sign up for the next 3 classes I'm teaching in August.  I will post them in the class section and will be sending out emails to all on my class and customer list.  If you read this posting and you are not on my email list please leave me a message to add you. I still have some bags of assorted laces and fabric scrap bags that I will leave in the Mountain Laurel Craft Room till I start bringing in Christmas items. I also have some of my used craft patterns of Dolls, Santa's, Bears, etc. for sale in the Craft Room.

Now it's time for me to work on some table runners and then watch some TV shows I saved for a night of reruns.

I took up the entire space. And still have more in the

attic I could sell.  I really need to downsize.

 

Angie seems to be having a great time.  See those lace ornaments

on the green board.  They are done on the embroidery machine.

So many to choose from. So many ideas you can do with them.

Update on Mr. and Mrs. Wren

Today is the 17th day since the last egg was laid and we now have one head bobbing around inside the nest.  While mama was out feeding, I quietly looked inside the house and there was a little featherless, big eyed chick sleeping in the nest.  I'm sure another egg hatched today.  In the next few days I will wait till the parents leave and try to get a picture of the babies in the nest.  They really aren't too afraid of us when we are around.  Only if ma is on her nest and we stick our heads too close or make a loud noise will she fly out.  We also get scolded when she wants to come back. Mr. and Mrs. will do a lot of chattering and fly from chair to chair and from one end of the porch to the other.
When we move away and stay quiet, then will she fly right to the house and enter with a small insect or worm in her beak.  It's so cute.  So as soon as I get a good shot of the chicks I will post them.

Deer Feeding in our Back Yard

We live on 4 1/2 acres and most of our property has been kept natural.  Since we have lived here we put two bowls out in the back to feed our deer corn.  This time of year they have their babies with them.  Today we were surprised by 2 Doe's and their fawns and believe it or not a Buck. It is unusual to see a Doe and Buck together this time of year. The babies were romping in the yard while the parents ate.  I wasn't able to get the babies before they ran into the woods.  Here you can see I also captured a hummingbird landing on his feeder. Later in the evening after dinner I took the 2 dogs for their evening walk around the house and all of a sudden Daisey took off for the back yard.  The deer had come back and she decided to chase them.  They ran a little in the woods and when I called Daisey she ran to me and the deer started coming back to their bowls, then Daisey would run back and the deer would back up a little and huff at them.  They kept this up a little  like it was a game with them.  I guess after all these years they know this little 6 pound dog could not do any damage to them and is not a threat but a friend to play tag with.

 

 

Little Lacey is Feeling Better

 

Our little 3 1/2 pound Yorkie, Lacey has been sick since Wednesday with a stomach virus.  Boy was she sick.  This little dog was dehydrated, would not eat, had the runs and was vomiting. So off to the vet we go and $$$$$ in our vet bill.  She comes home with meds and again she also has her ear infection.  This ear infection is a chronic problem which may cause us to have to put drops in her ears weekly.  She is so upset over everything that has happened to her, ( 3 shots, x-rays, ear cleaning, thermometer put you know where), she is off to my bed (not hers) and stays there till the next day.  Until today we have not been able to get her to eat and she drank very little.  The Dr. said all this was ok and in time the virus would pass.  Well today was the day.  She woke me up woofing for her breakfast, wanting to go out and then wanted to play.  Although when she is feel good she can drive you crazy, sometimes the quietness of a sick doggie is like a vacation away from unruly children. As you can see, Lacey is energizing  in the sun, and sticking her tongue out for the camera. That's when you know she is back to normal. 

 

 

Home Sweet Home

So I'm sitting on the porch waiting for Angie (my BFF) to come over and I notice movement in the birdhouse on the porch.  Well out flies a Carolina Wren and she had laid 3 eggs.  So we all went inside so mama could go back to her nest and be by herself.  Later in the afternoon I went back out to inspect the nest and 4 eggs were there.  For years we have had wrens nesting in the oddest places on the porch, but this time she actually nested in the bird house I intended her to nest in.  It will be so much fun to soon hear the peeping of babies and watch mom and dad feed their babies.

Road Trip

Yesterday, my friends and I went on a road trip to Harriman, Tenn.  We stopped at a quilt shop called Loose Threads. I found 5 more browns to add to my new RV Quilt Fabrics.  SO .......... now I think I am ready to start cutting the fat quarters up.  After our fabric stop we decided to venture into downtown Harriman and found some interesting buildings.  One of the buildings of which we could not go in because of reconstruction work is the Temperance Building constructed in 1891. It was the headquarters for the East Tennessee Land Company, which founded Harriman.  It also at one time had   a jail in the basement.  This jail is known to be haunted.  I would have loved to go down there and see....Then there was the Harriman Historic Carnegie Library build in 1909. We hit a few antique shops and then Lunch.  But the most fun place was the Rocky Top General Store still in business since 1957. This wonderful store is family owned and we met Owner David Webb the friendliest shop owner ever.  Now there is every thing in this store from soup to nuts and even a kitchen sink.  If they don't have it you don't need it.  Our day was completed with an ice cream cone from Dairy Queen.  So wonderful to have such great friends that you can share the day with.

Sittin and Rockin on
the  porch.

There is something for
everyone inside this
store.

I Think It's Time To Built An Ark!

So we have been home from our trip for a week now and it has rained every day. Yesterday we had half a day of sun but it rained last night and has continued for most of today again.  Now we live on the top of the Cumberland Plateau so we are not suppose to flood, but.......I'm really thinking it may soon be time to build an Ark.  I have not watered my garden or potted plants but maybe twice this summer.  I feel bad for the farmers because all this rain is really not good for some veggies. One good thing about the rain though is its been a cooler summer this year and I have enjoyed that a lot.

So Saturday is my Wool Felt Candle Mat Class and I have the kits all ready for the students.  It should be fun.  We will bring our lunch and enjoy each others company while learning some hand applique and make a really cute strawberry candle mat. I love doing my hand work in the evenings while watching tv.

Now I want those of you who are local to remember, Saturday, July 27, is Loretta's Sidewalk Sale. A group of us local crafters/quilters each have a table outside the shop to sell our gently used patterns, left over fabrics, yarns, paints, and other crafting/sewing related items.  Inside the shop will be sale items from 10 to 50% off and in the Mountain Laurel Craft Room everything is 20% off. I have been going thru my studio and boxing up things I will be selling outside and working on my new items that will be inside the craft room.  So I hope to see you all there ready to buy up all our STUFF.......Hope you all are staying dry....quack quack.....joanna


These kits have everything
in them.  May have started
some of them, and never found
the time to finish them.

 Ever wonder where I get the
ideas to make everything I do.
Well I am selling over 50 of
my gently used patterns at a
great price.

Want to make some
scarfs for presents.  Well
I have yarns in many colors
and textures for you to use.

I have half bottles and some
new bottles of acrylic paints.
Most are duplicates of
what I already have. Just
enough to finish a project.
Priced really good.

Last Day in Pigeon Forge

This is our last full day in Pigeon Forge.  During our stay we went to see the Titanic Exhibit, The Smokey Mountain Opry, The Comedy Barn and today we drove to Gatlinburg to walk around the stores.  We had great weather with the rain coming during the night so it never interfered with our days out.  Unfortunately the grass here in the RV Park has not been mowed and it was very difficult to walk a little 3 pound Yorkie in the very high grass.  Every morning I had to towel dry off both of the girl's bellies. It was a very relaxing trip and well needed after another scare with my mole being removed.  I can't wait to get home and start working on my new patterns, prepare for a few new classes at Loretta's and see the beautiful bird houses Johnny plans to make and I promised to paint and decorate.  For now I think I will take a short nap before grilling some hotdogs for lunch and finish posting pictures on FB and here.  You all have a wonderful week and be safe.