All Hallow's Eve Eve

{"All Hallow's Eve" - design by Dulaney Woods Treasures}

Once again, it's been too long between posts.

My back and neck issues are generally managed (by oral medications and bi-weekly injections, physical therapy and chiropractic care) to a nagging, aching, level with only occasional bouts of stabbing debilitating pain.  In the past month or so, the state of pain has been inverted and the nagging, aching, level would be welcome.  At least I would get a few hours sleep from time to time.

Add to the pain and sleep deprivation a garage that has decided to start collapsing, and on-going stressors I prefer not to breathe life into by reducing to writing, I am struggling.

But, all that said, it's the eve before Halloween and I promised myself I would get a post done to wish those who have brought so much joy and comfort to my world a bewitching Halloween-tide.

I haven't much in the way of news...and my days are even more mundane than typical.

Each day starts the same...with my special "brew:"

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And if I've managed to bake, a treat...

{Butter pecan scone with penuche glaze}

The colors in the above photo (taken less than a week ago) are long gone.

Last week we received more rain than I ever recall getting.  In one 36-hr period, we had over 6" and I've heard the totals for the week were somewhere around 11-12."  This, of course, did not help my roof situation. 

Now, it's turned cold.  

It has snowed once, but did not stick.  Tomorrow, however, we are to get several inches...of the staying variety.  My gardens have not been cleaned but there's not much to do for it now.

Stitching has all but slowed to a halt, but I am trying to keep up with the weekly "assignments" for the Grace Bridges stitch-along.

{"Grace Bridges Sampler" by Stacy Nash}

It is a quirky piece: duplicated letters, missing letters, spacing with no rhyme or reason.  Despite my love of "wonky," I seriously battled my OCD in the second and third alphabets and my OCD mostly won out with many corrections. (It's technically not a reproduction so I felt at liberty to make changes.)

The upside: I know my math skills are not completely dormant.

The downside: It is very time-consuming and makes spacing in subsequent lines difficult.

So, I tucked my OCD neatly (very neatly) back in its box and am trying to embrace the quirkiness of little Grace...who I am convinced was a wild child more enamored of roaming the meadows searching for wildflowers and toads than learning her stitches.

And, yes, I continue to read. This is the book I just finished:

Most of you know my affinity to research regarding the Salem witch trials of 1692.  I have a complete library dedicated to books - both fiction and nonfiction - on the subject.  This, however, is one of the most readable sources I've come across.  Yes, there are footnotes (but not too many) and tons of endnotes/sourcenotes in the bibliography, but it still reads almost like a novel.

That's about it.

One would think that, after so many weeks of silence, I'd have something more to write about.

One would think.

Anyways, wishing you all a magical night of bewitchment ahead.

Stitches and Shadows

Wherever there is light, look for the shadow.

The shadow is me.  Anais Nin

The days have grown short here in Nod, and darkness and dreariness accompany them.  They are like those people who cast shadows even though there is no sun.

The sky is as moody as I am, and my bones are slow to let go of the chill that settles in them.  I try to commit the glorious colors and earthy smells to memory for another year but the winds and rains are so very quick to dull and mute them just as time is quick these days to dull and mute my memories.

Another month, and another death - that makes 8 in less than a year, including my beloved mum and Snowdog.  I am running out of people to lose.

My thoughts and attentions have once again turned inward, and I bury myself in books and handwork.  My hooking mojo is still on an extended walkabout, but I continue to manage to put a few stitches in.

My latest finish is "Shadows in the Night," a design by Theresa Meloon of Dulaney Woods Treasure. 

{Stitched on 36ct "Straw" linen from Weeks Dye Works, 1 over 2, with some limited 1 over 1.}

{Left side motif}

{Right side motif}

The poor lighting made for poor photos again today - the linen color is much "richer," than than it is showing. The little pumpkin on top is make of velvet.

After taking the photos yesterday, I really noticed how wonky the "X's" on the top of the drum were.  I ripped them out today and redid them. They're much better, but the light has gone and I am not re-doing the photos.  You'll have to take my word for it.

Speaking of fading light, it's time I get back to my stitches...and shadows.

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Wishing all my Canadian friends a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving.