All kinds of things

 This will kind of be a mixed bag of things we've been doing. One day trip was to a famous bakery here in Vegas. The name is Great Buns. Love their logo. We got there kind of late in the day so ended up not buying anything. 

The weather during the day remains in the mid to high 90's but it is cooling down at night into the high 60's so we have started walking in the morning again. Been doing between 7000 and 9000 steps. The 9000 step day wore me out. So limiting the length of walks for a while, need to build up my stamina again. We've walked a couple of time in The Wetlands. With all the rain over the summer it is very green and lush. All the ponds are filled high and lots more little creeks running in the underbrush. 

Usually there at turtles on this rock, guess the birds have taken it over.

I think this is a red neck turtle, it is not native to the area. But there a sure a lot of them. 

So serene here. Birds enjoying the pond.

I marvel at the many many shades of green that show up. 

My goodness, this is the first snake we've seen in all the walking we've done here. 

Interesting, wonder why this branch is all white. 

This pond has doubled in size since last time I saw it. 

Some pretty flowers growing in the water. 

Lots more benches around the park. A plaque on one of them. 

Heard the honking before we could see the geese heading south. 

Usually when we walk I end up taking a nap some time during the day. But still manage to work on my wall hanging. I have a lot more done on it since I took this picture. Every time I look at it I think of something else to do. 

And this puzzle - it took me about a week and a half to finish it. 1000 pieces. That is a long time for me, it was interesting to do. So much red, yellow, and purple in it.

The plumber finally showed up. Now we have a huge hole in our front yard. Big enough to bury some one in.

Woke up this morning - at 5 a.m. to thunder lightening and rain. But the sun was trying to come up. 

See it behind the dark cloud?

Really raining hard out there. 

I went out side to take a movie, near the end you can catch a bright flash, there was a  huge streak of lightening but I didn't have the camera on it.(had to edit this forgot to add the video)  The LOUD thunder came about a second later. I headed back in the house. It was close. Had a couple more very close strikes and loud thunder.

Thunder as I write this is still shaking the house. I guess the plumbers probably won't show up today. No walk today either. 

One of our sons live right on the Gulf coast in Tampa. A little worried about him. But looks like the eye will be south of him now.

Spooky doings on computer

Sometimes I wonder just how much "things" know about us. We both have our computers in one room and of course we talk about things. Well the other day I mentioned I wanted to buy some new bras. Just mentioned it, did not go on line and look any thing up. The next day on my Facebook page were a couple of ads for bras!!! Same thing we were talking about traveling to Mexico and now I'm getting ads for International travel insurance. Again Have Not looked on line for any insurance...Just darn right spooky.

Our weather has finally changed for the better. Low 90's during day, very little wind and low humidity. Love it. 

I've even managed to get out a couple of mornings and walk. Taking it easy only did 2.2 miles the first day. But the second day my ambition was more than my endurance. We went to walk in the wetlands and before we knew it the sun got up really high and we were at the edge of the park, furthest from home. Over 3 miles total walk. Was really worn out when I got home. I should be taking it easy for a while more as I am just finally feeling better from the flu shot...took almost two weeks. 

The park maintenance men came to trim the palm trees. I guess if he falls off the tree he is trimming instead of falling all the way to the ground he will just slam up against the other tree. Not my kind of job. He also has a rope around him and the tree he is on

Continue to work on my El Quelite picture/wall hanging. Not sure I like it, but will finish it. Each pattern piece has to be cut then fused to material then put on the backing. 

Kind of slow work. But interesting to do. A little more done here. Once the pieces fit and look good they have to be fused/ironed on to the backing. 

This is where I am today. All pieces showing are fused to backing. But have a whole lot more in little details and sewing to do. 

I did finish the Christmas tree wall hanging for our RV though. 

The picture of the puzzle 1000 pieces that I am working on now. 

I've been working on it for a week. This is all I've managed to finish. Very slow going. Oh well I want something to keep me busy.

We have a water leak in our front yard, it is a pipe that belongs to the community. Told them about it last week, no plumber has showed up to check it. So far the leak is very slow but it is undermining the yard. Guess I need to call them and send them another picture of it. 

More projects

 Been enjoying the cooler weather and a little rain. 

Got out a few times to craft stores, restaurants and grocery stores. I have been buying these fruit bars for years. But this time I really got a shock when I opened the box. The box was the same price as always.

But the bars have shrunk by a whole lot. Their tops used to be rounded like the picture and the bar was the same size as the picture. Not any more!

The top of the bar is now flat - like they poured something into the mold to reduce the size. The top of bar and the ruler are exactly even. Now bar is less than four inches big. 

And look how short the stick is. Talk about shrink flation! Will try another brand next time. 

This is one of the puzzles Bill bought me 1000 pieces. It took me about a week to finish it. This is the picture on the box. The actual puzzle had a lot more to it on both sides. Took me a while to figure out where the extra trees were supposed to go. 

I've started a new project. Going to make myself a new wall hanging. This is a picture I took last year in El Quelite. I love the colors in it.

I 

I made a black and white drawing of it using a light box - on top right. Then I resized the drawing using a stained glass program I have to resize patterns.

Then I went shopping for material. I did have some materiel in my "stash" that I will be using but wanted colors I didn't have. Pieces of some of the material I will be using. 

Today I'll probably start on it, but it will be slow going. Have to remember how to do it. 

This is Bill's friend Harvey. He feeds him - I know he shouldn't so please no lectures. I guess Bill didn't notice him quick enough so he came up to the door and looked in. Where are you?

Our weather has been much cooler for a few days - only in high 80's yesterday. But the best thing it is going below 80 at night. That really makes a difference. But now we have the humidity back, but even got some nice steady rain for a while. The plants loved it.  

Everything in our side yard is growing like crazy. 

Well nuts. When we got home from store I noticed this hole next to the driveway and curb. Water is gurgling up in it. So called the office to see if it was our problem or theirs. Luckily it is theirs. However to get them to fix it might take forever. A couple of blocks down there was the same thing but it was really leaking and water was running down the street. Did that for a couple of weeks before it got fixed. Ours is for now a very slow leak. Quite a bit of the area around it has been undermined so afraid to step on that part of the ground.  

Should have got out to walk this morning but didn't - will for sure tomorrow. Going to watch NASCAR race this afternoon. Hope my favorite driver does okay. But doesn't have a good start position. Also it looks like he will be changing teams next year. Too bad. 

That's it for now.

I have an EXCUSE

 Well kind of...

But first I posted a picture of the fabric rooster I made four years ago, but in the picture it wasn't finished. Here it is finished. Hangs in kitchen above a doorway. Every flower and feather was cut piece by piece from material then adhered to the background. Then top stitched.

This is fuzzy but you can see some of the individual pieces better. It was very fun to do. The pattern was from the Laura Heine collection. Some of the material came with the pattern but most of it was from fat quarters I had on hand. Mainly the feathers.

We went from almost a whole month of under 100 degree temperatures to HOT HOT HOT weather. At least the humidity is low again. And no wind for a few days. Yesterday it was so still out it looked like a photograph. Where we live in the lowest eastern part of the valley it is usually about three or four degrees higher than the "official" reading.

Another puzzle 500 pieces, not one of the ones Bill bought me, it is from a four puzzle set I'd bought a while ago. Was not a fan of the picture. This food is not my cup of tea. But it was a small challenge to do. I did it food group by food group.

I thought this particular part of the picture was ICKY.  

Think I'll do another one Bill bought next. 

In the mean time I have finished a total of five large and one half size tree wall hangings. Already gave one away to my walking friend. (She and I managed to get a 2 1/4 mile walk in one morning last week. - The only time we got out early and it was almost cool out.) One of the large ones. Added trim and presents to the original pattern. 

Just a picture of shadows I liked. Took it while waiting to see doc for Bill - He is now on antibiotics again. 

So now for my EXCUSE - well maybe only excuse. We went to the drugstore to pick up his prescription but had to wait about 15 minutes for it. The pharmacist asked us "Want your flu shot while waiting?" For years we never got flu shots, until the time about five years ago we both got THE FLU. Since then we've been getting them. Okay, no problem - get it and forget it. Well didn't quite work out that way. Come afternoon my arm was so sore I couldn't raise it. Well crap. Went to bed about 11 o'clock and when I got in bed I was cold so pulled the blanket up over me. (I haven't been cold since March. Should have been my first clue.) I have not used the blanket for months! Went to sleep - woke up about two o'clock not feeling well at all. Very, very hot - like 102 hot. Bill woke up and was going to get up - not realizing my moving around woke him up. I asked him to stay with me. Shocked the heck out of him. Then he felt me. I wish I'd thought to take a picture of the next couple of hours. To cool me down he covered me in packages of frozen vegetables. Asparagus, peas, stir fry etc. And then frozen wash cloths. It worked. Eventually I cooled down and fell back to sleep. But it took a couple of days to feel like doing any thing but sitting around and sleeping. The muscle in that arm is still a little sore but that too is almost gone. He had no reaction to it. Will I get another flu shot next year, probably...maybe not...So that's my story and I'm sticking with it. 

Got out early for groceries this morning, before heat and weekend shoppers. Tomorrow and next day NASCAR racing.