I bet some of you will love that tractor, so I picked this shot.
Yet I prefer this one. :)
The temperature's too nice for even the sunset to make one feel melancholy.
My poor neighbors (yes, this tree resides in their lawn)--whoever loved and cared for their large, yet oddly shaped (It's very long) back garden is has been long-gone these 15 or 20 years at least. It's an absolute ruin--and I can honestly say it only shows beauty at this part of spring. Their postage-stamp sized front is clinically tidy with 2.5 shrubs under the picture window--all the "i's dotted and t's crossed". I'm no green thumb, but I do long to go and spruce up that yard of theirs. The lay of the land is such that They are 20 or 30 feet below our little apartment house; anyone walking by peers right down into their back yard as into a goldfish bowl. I used to talk myself out of going and offering to do various yard work tasks for them--"Certainly they'll have a restraining order brought against you for even suggesting it!", I lectured.
Then the end of last summer they started in with my landlord because I hang my linens (sheets, towels, pillowcases, etc.) to dry at my balcony. "It doesn't look nice." "This is a nice neighborhood, not a slum." "What if someone were to see your clean laundry drying!?" If you were raised thinking this way, think again--the average American family spends over $300 a year just to dry their wash! The dryer is one of the most wasteful of home appliances, and it literally pummels your clothing while blasting it with scorching air to get it dry for you. Your things will last longer and look nicer if you hang them out, not to mention how healthful and anti-mold it is; particularly for bedding which takes up a certain amount of moisture from you body and doesn't always get the airing it needs. There is no local ordinance against line, drying, but I gave it up because I couldn't decide whether or not it was a battle I wanted to "choose". Now that the weather is so balmy, It's definitely resurfacing in my mind--hence the ramble. I hadn't even realized how much I was thinking on it until I looked up at all I'd typed! Well, at any rate, here's a website with more details on line-drying, particularly from a standpoint of protecting and promoting the right to do so: Project Laundry List.
Now, for the "Inside" (I had intended to make this a Pict-o-Blog; "Hah" to that!)
It's my progress on Quaker Diamonds! I left the blossom of the center flower 'till last 'cause I was thinking of making it purple rather than red. Now, seeing it "all" I'm leaning red. I'm so loving this piece, but it is enormous and the 14" Q-snaps make it HEAVY! Also, the 3-strand perle is FUN to stitch with, but after a bit the effort begins to tell--you feel like you're yanking the thread through! So, my advice is that it's great fun, but pace yourself unless you're made of sterner stuff! :P
Finally, I'd like to ask those of you who keep a prayer/quiet/reflection time to remember me for an "unspoken" request this week.
I want to also thank all my kind readers; I so enjoy your visits here, and being able to stop in at your blogs as well!
Yours from a Spring Eve,
Berit
26 comments:
The flowering tree next door is lovely, but how silly that the neighbors think hanging out your laundry is tacky! Don't they know about going green? Quaker Diamonds is looking good!
nothing better to sleep on them fresh line dried sheets
so crisp and fresh
i think neighborhoods are crazy about that
or maybe folks just forgot the way it felt to have crispy fresh linens
diamonds are dazzling and they do look fun
i will keep you in my thoughts
smiles
c
Oh poor babies had to look at your clean laundry "eyesore" but nothing wrong with you having to look down and see their trashy backyard! Some people are just nuts about their complaints. The stitching looks great and yes I will remember your request sweetie. ;)
First, I am sending up a prayer and will keep you in my thoughts for your "unspoken" request my friend.
Second, neighbors can just be the pits. That is why we moved where we are now and for the most part in the spring/summer I can't even see their houses.
Third, I absolutely love the colors in your Quaker diamonds. Such a great combination of lots of colors. It is going to be gorgeous.
I think QD is looking so fantastic :) I understand about the fibers though as I do not like stitching with more than 2 strands...it's one of the reasons I am stitching Q&Q on 40ct. I love stitching with one strand of floss. Keep at it though as it's going to be amazing!!
As you already know I am praying for you dear friend :)
(((((hugs))))))
Great progress!!
I say: If you want to hang your laundry, well then, hang your laundry.If the neighbors raise a stink, simply raise your eyebrows, look pointedly into their yard, and say "Nuff said??"
Oh! P.S. I will pray for you this week!! My pleasure!
You will be in my thoughts this week, I hope everything works out for you.
As for line-drying, it's the norm over here. We dry clothes outside, weather permitting, from March to October and we don't even own a tumble-dryer. I say do it and let them complain, as long as you're not breaking any laws. I really can't understand their objection, quite frankly.
QD is looking lovely, nice progress!
I don;t understand these people, I have a neighbour who never hangs her washing outside to dry. I love my freshly dried laundry.
Beautiful stitching!
Sending good thoughts and prayers your way.
Great stitching!
Thinking of you and praying for you.
QD is coming along nicely. I'm using PTP Mello for my Q&Q 32 count with 2 threads of the Valdani. I really like the color variations of the Valdani and the PTP is really nice. I have QD in my stash for later.
Will keep you in my prayers :)
And I LOVE LOVE LOVE QD :)
are you using the valdani threads?
I'm wanting to purchase this and Quilts and Quakers too. :)
Quaker Diamonds is one of my favorite, as for the pictures of the tree, well, personally, my first reaction was that it reminded me of every single HEAD I have stitches with all of the confetti stitching.lol
Be always in stitches.
I say "hang your washing out if you want to".
QD looks great.
Hanging laundry looks tacky, Oh my goodness.... Some people really need to tune in to reality. But hey, my vote is that this is a battle worth choosing. Just my 2 cents.
I love your project!
I'll keep you in my thoughts. :D
Holy crap, this is our neighbor's place? You really framed out all the JUNK that they have left out all year....and this is the neighbor that complained about us hanging our laundry out on the balcony?
I will keep you in my thoughts for all good things, Berit.
Lovely stitching on QD.
I love line dried clothes - the smell is lovely - bringing sunshine in!
Lovely pictures! I am assuming from the comment that Marcness left we didn't get the entire picture! I say hang out your laundry and be proud!! I'd buy a big old pair of knickers and a humongous bra to hang out just for kicks! Nothing beats laying down at night on sheets that have been line dried!
I can't wait to pick up my fabric for Quaker Diamonds! It's in - I just have to find time to get to my LNS! Your progress looks lovely!
Forgot to mention that I will absolutely keep you in my thoughts and prayers!
We recently had new neighbours move in across the street- 2 middle-aged men who sit on their front deck all day long, and party loudly all night. We live in a nice, quiet, peaceful neighbourhood, and their actions are not appreciated at all! My next-door neighbour told me that when she and her sister were walking to the farmer's market on the weekend one of these new men made a rude comment about her. And then yesterday, when I got out of my car, they stared at me and started laughing hysterically, for no reason that I could identify, other than my mere presence. They then proceeded to drink all day, and one of them backed their truck into a car parked on the street. People are weird, where in the world do they come from?! I sympathize with you!!!
Your Quaker Diamond is fantastic, I love the colours! And on a side note, I recently got a Q Snap and I'm in LOVE with it! LOL!
I will definitely send good thoughts your way! As for the laundry--I hate that sort of attitude--they should be happy you are trying to help the environment! I air dry most of my clothes and would love to hang everything out to dry (I love that sunny smell of clothes and towels off a line). And your Quaker is looking lovely. I think I am going to have to work on a Quaker design some time this year!
Berit, I'm so glad you stopped by my blog today... I'm IN LOVE with your Quaker Diamonds! I think red on the flower would really pop nicely against the other colors. So very beautiful. You will certainly be in my prayers, and I pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you through this time. That His peace and grace will be upon you always. :) Melissa
I think line drying is smart and environmentally friendly--not tacky at all. It hasn't been so very long ago that everyone dried their clothes in this manner because there was no such thing as a clothes dryer. I say if you want to dry your clothes outside, go for it. :)
Quaker Diamonds looks great!!!
I have said a prayer for you already and will continue t remember you this week.
Saying prayers for you, that all is right in your world.
Hang in there with the crabby neighbors. We had two sets of crabby neighbors... one was named Dick, the others' last name was Butt. I thought maybe it was a sign, and when we went for house #3, looked for one w/o a body part name. ROFLOL It worked! I hang my towels on my banister to try... just dry them a bit and then hang them.
QD looks AMAZING!
Quaker Diamonds is gorgeous and absolutely perfect.
Doesn't your landlord know what drying your clothes in a dryer does to them? It can shrink them? It knocks the stuffing out of them? It makes them yucky! All the fluff in a tumble dryer is actually from your clothes! It isn't fluff at all.
Well during the winter we (that's the royal we meaning him upstairs) dry everything in our spare bedroom which was supposed to be my stitching room but that' a whole other story and during the summer it goes out in the garden if we are lucky and it isn't raining.
Well that's all from me. You do whatever you want.
Lots of Love
Patti xxx
This cherry tree in blossom looks so beautiful. And line-drying is also the norm over here whenever it doesn't rain and is warm enough. I do it all the time. I hope that you can continue doing so.
Greast progress picture of Quaker Diamonds.
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