Enthusiasm

Hi Folksies
Another month has passed by. Summer has been very enthusiastic in her charms this year. After everyone, including myself, complaining about the long, cold winter, Summer has decided to show off all her glory. I enjoy the beauty of Summer. I sing sweet songs to her all Autumn, Winter and Spring. When Summer enters, I continue to sing of her beauty - after all, I love to garden. I do keep reminding her year after year to just skip August and beckon nature to bring me a sweet Fall. Sakes alive, August arrived early this year. Those dog days of summer, sweltering heat that only okra and peppers thrive in. My poor tomatoes are not doing as well as earlier. My squash has pretty much played out, cukes are finally saying adios. I have canned right much, the rest thrown in the deep freeze until I get cooled down enough to get the kitchen like a furnace again.

Summer isn't the only thing that can be enthusiastic. Take me for example. What I lack in excellence, I make up for in enthusiasm. I start each and every project from cleaning the house (did I just say that?), raising children, caring for my parents, sewing, quilting, gardening, with great gusto! Sure I make plenty of mistakes along the way. Always have, always will. I have a dear friend that never gets much accomplished because she wants everything perfect. Uh oh. She is the first to tell me when she sees one of my creations, "Well, you could have done it this way, or I would've done that or, or, or . . ." But she never will because the fear of imperfection is like that little cloud that followed the kid in the Peanuts cartoons. I love to learn and that means making mistakes here and there.
My stitches aren't even, but heckfire shoot, I AM a Folk Artist. (I reaffirm this to myself regularly because it sounds official). Oopsy, getting off track again! Let me continue . . .

So, Summer ~ continue to sing your song. You have not been the perfect summer,
missed the mark a few days here and there, been stingy with the rain once again, but your joy in keeping the heat of the sun focused on us, has been full of
enthusiasm.

Happy Fourth of July!

God Bless America! Thank God for Independence and Freedom!

Who doesn't love a holiday? Time off from work for most folks and in the summer it is always a great excuse to get together with friends and family to celebrate. We generally always have a big cook out at our place. We get a couple of charcoal grills going - love the smell of lighter fluid and charcoal - I know, don't write me that it is a carcenogenic; I am not worried about that stuff. We grilled out yesterday and after Luscious gets home from work, we will grill out again today!

I love not having to do more in a hot kitchen than I have to! I have already been busy canning and freezing what needs to be done. Our garden has been fairly productive this year. Lots of squash, tomatoes, peppers, beans, cukes, okra, corn are among the most prominent veggies. We have been fastidious about saving our heirloom seeds each year and I declare, each year the veggie patch gets better.

This past weekend Luscious and I had our hands full with trying to pick more of those yummy blackberries. We picked 2 gallons all total with more on the vines!

Our guests will be picking their own blackberries with an invitation to come back in another week to start on the blueberries that are just now starting to get sweetly ripe. Oh the delish mixed berry yummies I can make!

When I am not getting sweaty in the garden, I am busy working on more projects for gifting. One of the current quilty projects is called Pineapple Blossom. I am putting four squares together then hand quilting them. When completed it will go to one of the kids as a Christmas pressie.

Lots of hand stitching; nothing fancy at all but loads of fun. I am using various colors of DMC number 8 thread in plain old irregular running stitch to go with the scrappy look. I am grooving on this one, folksies.

Enjoy your holiday, give thanks for our brave men and women over the years and currently keeping us free. God Bless America!