Rainy Day Today and other things

 Hello Everyone!

Well it is a rainy day here today!  There has been so many downpours and the wind!!  There is alot of flooding in the counties around me.  My sister, Sandy and her husband, Dan are on their way down here for a visit.  They should be here in about an hour.  

I have been knitting alot.  I finished the Autumnal Cardigan I was working on finally!  The yarn is DK Black Cherry from Heidiandlana.com.  Here is a photo of completed.

I was real happy with the way it turned out.  I learned alot knitting this.  

I am so excited!  A few weeks ago I brought all my outside plants inside for the Fall and Winter.  My Meyer Lemon tree is now loaded with buds!!  They smell wonderful when they open!!

The other night I had dinner with my friend, Holly.  She is such a sweet and thoughtful person.  She started out by saying she knew the anniversary of John's death last year was coming up and she wanted to give me a little something.  This is what she gave me.

It is so beautiful!  Of course I cried.  I miss John so much everyday.  The thing is Holly lost her husband when she was 30.  He had to have surgery and never had been put under before.  He was allergic to the medication they gave him and died.  She is so sweet to think of me.  This year 11/27 falls on the day after Thanksgiving.  When my family is here for Thanksgiving, the next day we are going to release a Chinese Memory Lantern in honor of John.  Megan has wanted to do something and she asked if this idea would be all right.  I told her it was, so we are going to do that.

With Thanksgiving coming soon and all the things going on in the world today, I am going to leave you with a photo of a little pillow that I bought.  I think is is very fitting for all of us!  

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!!

Sherri

Autumn Has Arrived

 Well I think it is safe to say that Autumn has arrived in NC!  The days and nights have become cooler.  The leaves are changing colors, the flowers are either being revived and blooming again or they are slowing down.  People are picking apples in record numbers this year in NC.  Jenny, Kevin and the boys went to Hendersonville to pick some apples and they said it was loaded with people picking.  They brought me back some apples (Gala and Pink Lady).  I made an apple crisp and boy was that good!  

I hadn't painted with my watercolors in some time, so I painted the pumpking below and I really love the way it turned out.

A few people have asked me to paint some note cards.  I think I will do this for all the seasons.  This weekend and next week, I will be working on creating some cards.  I will put them in my etsy shop for sale.  I had really missed painting and I really enjoyed getting back into it!

I have the house all decorated for Autumn and Halloween now.  It was really alot of fun getting everything all together. I bought on etsy 4 medium sized pumpkins this year.  They are so pretty-I just love the jewel tones!!  You can see these below.   I love Autumn!!

I have been knitting alot also.  I am finishing up a cardigan for myself and I am knitting a shawl a friend of mine asked me to do for her.  It is ironic they are both the same base color ( deep maroon).  The shawl has flecks of a few others colors like navy, red and gold in it.  The Black Cherry colored yarn from Heidiandlana.com that I am using for my cardigan is solid.  I will show the finished projects as I complete them.  

Well off to make some pumpkin bread!  I hope you all are having a wonderful Autumn!  Get out and enjoy this wonderful time of year!!

Sherri

Trip to NJ

 Well I just got back from a trip to NJ.  My Mom decided to sell the family house during the pandemic!  She did get a buyer and I had to go up with my youngest daughter, Jenny and the 2 grandboys to help get things divided up and packed up.  We did a really good job I think!  We stayed at my sister, Sandy's house.  We also got to celebrate my niece, Devyn's birthday, see my new great niece, Bradley and visit with just the family this time.  We were very cautious because of COVID.  I wanted to see my friends but with COVID I thought it would be better not to.  When I was at my sisters house, I felt like I was at a spa.  She has a pool with a gorgeous view, a hot tub, a tiki bar and just a really relaxing place to hang out!  Here are so photos of Sandy and my brother-in-law, Dan's place.

Jenny, the boys and I really didn't want to leave!  Who would!  

New Paint in the Master Bath 8.4.20

Hi Everyone!  I told everyone yesterday I would be back today with some photos and descriptions of painting my Master Bath and granite countertops.  Well as promised here are some:

This is the before photo of my Master Bath

This is the after photo of my Master Bath.  I love how everything worked out.  The only new items I bought was the coral picture in between the mirrors and the 2 mirrors.  I had everything else! 

Here is a few more photos of the bath all painted up:

I was very happy how this project turned out!  Everything worked out so well and I only had to buy a few things for the walls and that was all!  

Enjoy your day!

8/3/20 A Walk in the Garden

I have been really bad about posting!  I try to remember to post almost every day but that has not happened in quite some time.  Well I'm here today and I took a walk around my garden.  Here are some photos I took:

This coneflower has done really well this year, even in the extreme heat!

This is a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree that needed to be brought back to life.  It is doing really well!

Mandevilla Vine

My marigolds are doing so well this year.

Heritage Rose

This red Tuberous Begonia has out done itself this year.  I hope I can keep it alive through the Winter.

I hope you have enjoyed taking a stroll with my garden with me!  I will post tomorrow, my Master Bath redo that I have completed recently!

Everyone have a great evening!

Waxed Cloth Food Covers

A few weeks ago my daughter, Jenny and I made waxed cloth food covers.  I liked them so much and use them everyday, so I thought I would make some yesterday and put them on my etsy site.  (My etsy site address is cmcdermitt1).  It took me longer than I thought it would, but they came out great!  Here are a few of them:

I decided to make these because I am trying to be more eco-friendly.  This replaces saran wrap type products.  The heat from your hands molds the food cover around a container, veggie, fruit, etc.  The only thing you have to be careful of is if you use one for onions or garlic.  The answer to that is use just that cover for just that item.  If they get dirty, you just simply wipe them off, you can even use a little soapy water if necessary.  They should last a year or more!  Glad Jenny wanted to make these, it was fun!

Everyone have a wonderful day!

Sherri

Walk Around the Garden in Between Raindrops! 5.20.20

Hi Everyone!  Well this is the second day of rain in our area.  We are supposed to have rain until late Thursday night or Friday a.m.  The weatherman said we are supposed to get a total of 12" of rain and I think we will get that amount.  I have been going out in between the raindrops to empty the dishes I have under all my plants on the courtyard patio.  I don't want them to rot.  My roses that I ordered from Antique Rose Emporium arrived last Wednesday and because I went down to Megan's house in Georgetown, SC Thursday thru Sunday afternoon, I was not able to plant them.  They are doing great though!  If you ever need roses that is the place to order them from.  I've been ordering from them for years and they never disappoint me.  As a matter of fact, here is a photo of some of them:

They arrived in boxes and they were secured really well in there.  They come in 2 gallon pots and are so healthy.  The roses I ordered are General Schablikine, Graham Thomas, Heritage, New Dawn and Pink Prelude.  I cannot wait until they bloom!!  I will take photos of them when they do!

 Last week I went to pick up dirt at Pike Nursery.  I also came home with a few lovelies for my garden:

Rex Begonia

Fuchsia

Madevilla

They have all been wonderful additions to my garden.  The hummingbird has found the fuchsia already!!

I also ordered atleast 20 daylilies from Hemmingway Nursery in Hemmingway, SC.  They used to be Roycroft Nursery but they bought out Bob Roycroft who was retiring.  The new couple bought his stock and moved it to their nursery in Hemmingway.  They run the business the same as Bob did before he retired.  He is also involved in helping them get started.  Wonderful stock and selections!  My little courtyard garden will be an explosion of color this summer thanks to them!!

I have been keeping myself busy with knitting, reading, watercolor painting, making new things like waxed material bowl covers.  I made some with my daughter, Jenny a few weeks ago.  I have decided to make more and put them on my etsy site.  You use these covers instead of saran wrap, you know save the environment! :)  If you are interested my site is cherylmcdermitt1.  I won't have them on the site until tomorrow 5/21.  Take a look and even if you aren't interested, let me know what you think!

Everyone try to have a happy day, I know things are getting tedious being at home and trying to be safe but the more we are at home the less this virus spreads!!  Everyone be safe and take care! 

Sherri

Short Walk in the Garden Today

I had a few things around the house this morning to take care of, so I just got to take a short walk through my garden.  I am so excited, my dahlias are sprouting!!  I have never grown dahlias in containers before and I wasn't sure if it was going to work but I guess it will!

I know it is small but it will produce dinner size flowers later on.  So excited!!

Every year I plant potatoes with my youngest grandson, Jack.  Well this year COVID-19 changed that!  I planted them by myself but showed him how they are doing.  This year I planted Yukon Gold and Red potatoes.  Hopefully he will be able to harvest them with me! :) 

I brought with me to the new house a little foxglove plant I had.  Today it surprised me by blooming!!  I love them.  They are a biennial so I usually stagger the plantings so I always have them blooming in my garden.

My dark purple iris that I brought to the new house is still blooming away!  Love that one.

Well that's about it for today!  I hope everyone is having a good day and that the sun is shining on you! :)

Sherri

Lighthouse Painting

Yesterday I got my watercolors out and painted a lighthouse painting.  I had already painted a lighthouse painting but there was a paint blob at the top of the lighthouse that happened from a drop of water falling off the edge of my brush.  I tried my best to correct it, but I knew it wasn't perfect.  I posted it on FB anyway.  One of my friends saw it and asked if she could buy it.  I told her not that one, but I would paint a new one.  This one came out just right!!  I am doing a porch drop off to her today. I am glad everything worked out!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and weekend!

Hugs,

Sherri

Yesterday Playing in the Garden

Yesterday I had to go to Lowe's for some more potting soil.  I had received my Dahlia tubers the other day.  I decided this year to grow them in pots.  The soil here is horrible and I would have to do so much ammending that it is just easier to grow them in pots this year.  I also put together an urn ont he front porch.  I bought 2 different colors of coleus, 1 New Guinea Impatient, and a purple million bells or mini petunia.  Here is a photo of that:

Here is some closeups of the 2 different coleus' I planted in the pot:

The other day my son-in-law, Kevin put this hanging plant up for me.  I really love it!!

I have been trying to grow my own veggies, now that I don't have a squirrel issue.  I have tomatoes, yellow squash, beans, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, potatoes and herbs growin in the courtyard now.  Here are some photos of some I have:

This is one of two pots of potatoes.

Tomatoes growing

Green Beans-I need to transplant some into another pot.

I also bought myself an early Mother's Day gift!!  I bought a blue hydrangea!  I have always loved them.  I planted it in a large pot.  I will probably leave it in there.  The rain knocked it down a little.  I'll have to stake it up and tie it.  Here are some photos:

Well I hope you enjoyed the stroll around my garden and porch!!  Everyone stay home if you can and be well!

Hugs,

Sherri