HOME AND GARDEN: July 2021, The Beauty of Nature!

 The Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, UK. Allium and Salvia.

Good morning dear Stitching Friends. Sewtopia is back. Well, actually never really gone because my wee brain is always looking and reading for great ideas to pass along. As always seems to happen, Summer passes quickly. This year we are more free to travel and visit. Such a wonderful sense of freedom. It's the little things, you know, the things we may have overlooked in the past that has helped us focus. During this little hiatus, I touched base with friends face to face! Not via text or Skype, in person!

I have been reading, watching a long saved program on television, making some decisions about the blog and about life in general. Here is a list of the moments I have savored in the last few weeks.

• Goldfinches. Yes, they returned as they do in early July. That is when my wild thistle blooms and those little beauties enjoy them so much. The landscaper wanted to cut them down, no, no, no. I tried to get photo's but they are fast little beauties, I swear they saw the camera!The female has a subtle coloring but her warble is charming. I only see them here for a few weeks, they are not common in our area.
  
  
  Among Ancient Egyptian bird meanings, the goldfinch is known to represent the human soul and is considered to signify prosperity, happiness, joy, and abundance.
•  Our gardens are lush and blooming this year. We have had so much rain, and several bad storms. We have lost electricity three times in 10 days from trees falling during the storms. I am so grateful to have a full-load generator. No more worries about freezers defrosting, security systems blaring and beeping! 
  
• I've been cooking some new recipes. Some good, some bleh! I will share one or two soon in a new segment I am calling "The Cottage Kitchen." I test and test. When the bowls empty before I get a photo, I know I am close!
  
• I have discovered some enlightening resources for my spiritual studies. I am pleased to have found these scholars. One can never, ever stop learning. (IMO)  I need to be easier on myself, reduce the tendency for seeking perfection. It hold you back you know, as Jenny Doan says, with each project you learn, you get better and better. It is good enough. 
• On the decision front, I am giving in, two stair lifts are being installed. We had a workman here the other day, made generous outright offer for the house and all the property. I said thank you but no. We are staying in this house, I need to make it easier to navigate. Husband has serious balance and endurance issues. These will help him tremendously. No ramps required. Like this one. Geez, those things will need some sort of quilt covering!  Yikes.
  
• Of course, he is cooking up more projects, that will not happen. The kitchen was it. No more. Well, maybe one more bathroom but it is a smaller room. Maybe. 
• I will not monetize the blog. Those darn ads drive me nuts. Now, this is not a big-deal fancy place to visit but it is honest and the best I can do. 
• I have been considering blog content and how it has evolved. On another post I will outline general categories, that way, if you see something in the heading that does not interest you moving on will be easier.
• I will add new links for subscriptions soon. Since Blogger stopped linking I have been testing some other services used by other bloggers. We will see. It may require a format change. Ugg... 
  
• Walk your life and live your days with hope and kindness. Toodles! 
• A Pulitzer prize winning novel, also made into a movie, is well worth the read. Available in the secondary market and on Amazon.