Spring has sprung in Mint Hill, NC!!

SPRING HAS FINALLY SPRUNG!!!

I love Spring!  Spring has been here for a few weeks now in Mint Hill and we are loving it!  I have planted my pansies (should have done that in the Fall but ran out of time!), the daffodils are blooming, all the flowering trees around here like magnolias, cherry, pear and bushes like quince and baby's breath are blooming-just gorgeous!!

I decided to make a St. Patrick's Day/Spring wreath for our front door.   I saw a little wooden plaque at Hobby Lobby that said "Get Your Green On!!"  I knew I just had to put that on my wreath.  I saw some really real looking ferns at Hobby Lobby and had to put them on the wreath too!  I think it turned out pretty good-see below:

I've done some decorating for Easter too in the Dining Room.  The dough bowl my Dad carved by hand for me needed some Easter decorating and this is what I came up with:

John and I had gone to Pottery Barn and they had the cutest little gray bunnies for sale.   Of course, one had to come home with me!  I thought she would look so cute nestled in amongst some green Spanish moss, faux grape hyacinths, lily of the valley and ferns.  I just loved how it came out!  Dad would be proud!!

While I was at Hobby Lobby the other day, I saw an armillary there!  I just loved it, so I had to bring that home with me too!  I had an armillary before but it got broken and I had to throw it away.  If you don't know what an armillary is, here is Britannica's explanation:

"Armillary sphere, early astronomical device for representing the great circles of the heavens, including in the most elaborate instruments the horizon, meridian, Equator, tropics, polar circles, and an ecliptic hoop. The sphere is a skeleton celestial globe, with circles divided into degrees for angular measurement."

I had the concrete pedestal already it just needed this armillary!!  Great addition to my garden!

Well I know certain parts of the country are getting cold weather, cold freezing rain and snow but right here in my little corner of the world we are experiencing Spring and I am grateful for that!

Enjoy!!

Books for 2017 and Christmas 2017

Well as busy as my schedule was last year, I only got to read or listen to 15 books.  Here is the list:

1. Silver Bells at Moonglow by Deborah Garner.

2. The Collector by Nora Roberts.
3. These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly.
4. Pekoe Most Poison by Laura Childs.
5. Lookaway, Lookaway by Wilton Barnhardt.
6. The Search by Nora Roberts.
7. The Girls of Ennismore by Patricia Falvey.
8. One Good Thing by Wendy Wax.
9. I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley.
10. Kiss Carlo by Adriana Trigiani
11. The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand

12. Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

13. The Irresistable Blueberry Bakery and Cafe by Mary Simses

14. Arsenic with Austen by Katherine Bolger Hyde

15 Winter Soltise by Elin Hinderbrand

I really miss reading books.   I do however, enjoy my Audible account!  I listen to books to and from work.  My commute can be anywhere from 35 minutes but more likely 45-55 minutes.   It gives me a chance to unwind and get lost in a book on an otherwise boring ride home.   You can just listen to so much music, which the radio stations seems to play the same songs over and over!

I hope everyone had a very happy holiday season.  We had a very different, but great Christmas this year.   We rented a wonderful log home up in Blowing Rock, NC.   It was really cold but a wonderful holiday!

This was the log house we rented near Blowing Rock, NC

Entryway into the log house

Twig railing to the second story of the log house.

Mantel/stove area

Our view from the back of the house!

Sunset on Christmas Eve 2017

2017 Mountain House Christmas Tree

Beautiful star my son-in-law, Ken made with just construction paper and glue dots!!  Can you tell he is an engineer!   Just beautiful!!

2017 Christmas Eve

Jack having a special moment with Papa on Christmas Eve

Jack, Megan and Jenny getting into the Christmas spirit!

Jack on the left, Owen on the right waiting patiently to come down Christmas morning!!

                                                                                               

SAFF 2017, Fletcher, NC

Saturday John and I drove up to Fletcher, NC (which is right next door to Asheville).   SAFF 2017 was this weekend.   SAFF stands for Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair.   I had been once before about 7 years ago.   If you knit, weave, spin, needle felt, wool applique, etc. this is the mecca of all shows in the South!!

SAFF 2017 Exhibitor Booths

This was outside, it is like a Yert with a sheepskin roof.   Really cool!!  You could go inside, children that were there loved going in there!!

A woman was weaving on an 8-harness loom.   I love the color of yarn she chose!  I have a 4-harness loom and I haven't used it in years, might have to get it out!

This woman is truly brave!  It was raining, cold and the wind was blowing but that didn't stop her from spinning outside with just a roof over her head.   She was dressed in many wool layers and she was doing a great job of spinning!

 I bought the most beautiful gradient yarn from Miss Babbs (one of my favorite yarn suppliers).  The names of the colors are Muscadine Grapes (the darkest purple), Concord Grapes, Moon Drop Grapes, Pinot Noir Grapes, Sweet Jubilee Grapes and the lightest purple was called Valiant Grapes.   The colors are just gorgeous!!  I can't wait to pick out a shawl pattern for these luscious yarns!!

The John bought me a beautiful shawl pin made out of white birch.   I actually wore it to work today with one of my shawls that someone made for me.   I got lots of compliments.   It was so cold here today, I really needed it!

It was raining but you know what, we didn't care because we had the whole day!  Emma, our Golden Retriever/Lab Mix went to the petsitters to play with all her doggie friends for the day-she had a blast!  I just love to go to these fiber shows and get rejuvenated again with knitting, weaving, etc.  I might even get my drop spindle out this winter!!  I have always wanted to do wool applique, so I stopped by an artists booth and was fascinated with all the different wool fabrics and felts!  So Michele from Raspberry Rabbit, if you read this I will probably be purchasing your British Woodland Creatures kit!!!!  I love this fiber craft!!  What a great way to spend a Saturday!!

Raining = Yarn Day 10.07.17

Today has been rainy, so today was a yarn day.  I bought 2 skeins of yarn for a Portuguese knitting class I'm going to take in 2 weeks at Baskets of Yarn.  I bought Knitted Wit, Ex's Flannel Shirt.  Here is this beautiful, rich cranberry colored yarn.

I had the yarn swift out, so I decided to wind some more yarn.  2 skeins of a beautiful blue yarn.  Just beautiful!

Tomorrow it is suppose to rain even more.   So I will be knitting.  I am working on a shawl called Lilli Pilli.  I also will probably be doing a little reading.  This is a good weekend to just relax and rest!

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Moon Vines

Well it is a great day here at the McDermitts!  The moon vines started blooming!!!  I was so happy we got one blossom so far.  Jack, my grandson and I collected the seeds from last years plants all summer and into the Fall.  I ended up planting them without Jack because of rain and other obligations.  Here is the results:

I sent a picture to my son-in-law, Kevin so he could show Jack.  Jack thanked me for sending the photo and Owen said he loves me!  What great little boys they are!!

Hope y'all are having a great night!

The Weekend of 08.11.17-08.13.17

What an awesome weekend John and I had!  Friday was our 38th Wedding Anniversary!  We had to work but we had reservations at Ted's Montana Grill for dinner and it was wonderful!  Here is my hubby at the restaurant:

I had the Ted's Bison Filet and it was so tender!  It was sooooo good.  John had the Bison Pot Roast and he said it was wonderful too.  I would definitely go back there.  Our waiter, was so wonderful.  He was so polite and knew just when to come to the table and when not to pester us like some waiter staff does.

Then Saturday we ran errands in the morning.  Around 3:30 Owen and Jack came over.  Jenny and Kevin had some things to do, so we watched both boys for a few hours.  Owen was already scheduled to stay overnight by himself with us.  We had so much fun with him!  He is such a good boy!  We played games, he played with his Legos, we watched movies and just plain had fun with him.  This morning he slept in until 8:30!!  I made him emoji pancakes (his request) and bacon.  He loves bacon so much, I think that is what keeps him going because he doesn't like much else!!  We hung out the rest of the morning and then took him to Hickory Tavern for lunch.  After that we of course, had to go to Target so he could pick out some Ninjago Legos and a Minion gift for Jack.  We dropped him off at his house, visited with Kevin and Jack for a short time.  We are not home chilling out :)!!  It was such a great weekend!! 

Jack popping up to say hi!

Owen enjoying the rocking chair on the front porch.

Mr. Sleepyhead Owen this morning 08.13.17.

Papa and Owen at the Breakfast Table.

Owen, the Artist was create a photo for us.

Yesterday while Owen and John were playing I was able to go out and take some photos between the rain drops.  Thought I would share them with you:

My begonia in the hanging basket on the front porch.

Black Swallowtail Butterfly on the Butterfly Bush out back.

All of a sudden I love taking photos of clouds.  These beautiful, fluffy clouds were taken near my house in Mint Hill.

This was Saturday night after the rain storm.  Just gorgeous sky!

Emma thinking she is a cat :)!!  Crazy but loveable dog!!

The first hummingbird moth we have had in our yard!

Japanese Painted Fern seedling. 

One of my two lemons on my Meyer Lemon tree.

Succulents I'm growing.

Raindrops on roses!

Raindrops on the rose leaves out front.  I love the coloring of these leaves.

Red Lantana

My heirloom rose in the front garden.

Regal Emma (well at least for that brief moment!

Spider web and spider in the garage door opening.

Stormy sky last night.  Just beautiful from our front porch.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and I hope you all have a great week!!