Happy St. Valentine's Day 2026

 

{Adaptation of one of the designs in the Primitive Trio of Hearts Reproduction Motif Pillow Tucks" pattern by Jenny Hoffman ("Country Rustic Primitives"). I believe it is stitched on 40-ct Raw Wichelt linen, but it might not be. 😶}

I hope you found some small joys in the day.

The Disappearing Crow

Yes, I've been gone again.

And, like all other of my disappearances, this one was not for enjoyment.

The short version of the story is that I got sick...very sick. Hospital-stay sick.  After an ambulance ride and a day and night in the ER, I was diagnosed with a kidney infection and sent home with medications....

 But I didn't get better.

No doubt, as the hospital called me within 24 hours and wanted me re-admitted as my tests showed a "rare strain" of bacteria which was resistant to all oral antibiotics except one.

And, given my amazing luck, it was the one and only antibiotic to which I am allergic.

As a result, I needed special antibiotics administered by IV...in the hospital.

After a week of additional testing...and me being my cranky self...they decided to insert a picc (a "peripherally inserted central catheter") in my arm so I could administer the antibiotics myself and sent me home.

I am slowly recovering.  The antibiotics were finally stopped and the picc line was removed last week.

I am still compromised - incredibly tired and weak, but I'm getting there.

I have, however, missed the past several weeks.

My house is caught midway between Christmas take-down (serves me right for procrastinating in that department) and Valentine's Day and, at most times, I am still uncertain of what day it is.

There are a dozen and a half things to catch up on, missed deadlines, and unmet expectations, but they will have to wait.

Accepting that part of "this" has been difficult.

One thing that I've neglected is replying to some of the (later) comments on my last post.

For that, I apologize; however, I was literally unable to read or process things for a while. But please know that I have since read them and my lack of a reply does not diminish their meaningfulness in any way.

Happy Hearts Day

 

Pretty in Pink

 

{"My Dear Hearts" by Blackbird Designs...Stitched on 36ct "Tango" by Picture This Plus}

I stitched this little heart is from "My Dear Hearts" by Blackbird Designs last year but just now got around to "finally" finishing it...and, no, it was NOT a WWR casualty.  When I got done, I decided it is definitely "pink-ish." 

 I may have to stitch this one again on a red linen like Aztec Red. (Ha! Yeah right!). Until such time, if any, that THAT happens, I just may have to reconsider my relatively recent (last post recent) dislike of pink.

But, for now, it is Thursday.  And, as promised, I have drawn a winner for the needlepunched heart in my last post.  The winner is:

BUT....

Although not exactly the same as the first, I did have another of the hearts and decided to draw a second winner.

The second name drawn was:

Congratulations to both Teresa and Marshel.  Please contact me within 3 days with your mailing address and I will get your heart in the mail.

Thanks to everyone who played along.

 I wish now I had more hearts.

💕

Not Feeling the Love

 That pretty much sums it up these days....on so very many levels unfortunately, but I'll stick to the most obvious:

Valentine's Day.

Since I have a predilection for hearts, I have an excuse each year to add splashes of red to the overly white and dreary days of January and February.

And each year I usually do a small cross stitch pinkeep, or even a small punched or hooked piece, to commemorate the uneventful day.

Not this year.

The best I could muster was finally finishing the heart pinkeep I stitched (ahem) 2 years ago that has been lingering in Never Never Finished Land.

{"Love Bird Pincushion" and "Love Letter Needle Keep" from With Thy Needle & Thread's "Be My Valentine" pattern.  Stitched on 35ct Abecedarian from R&R Reproductions using WDW flosses.}

I did pull out a few heart things....

But, with 9 days to go, that will likely be all she wrote.

I also managed to pull out my "intended" holiday project - pattern, linen and floss...  I don't suppose that counts though.

{"Sweetheart Pincushion" by Blackbird Designs}

Perhaps next year.

Our winter has begun in earnest.  We have had several snows since October of course, but yesterday was the biggest snowfall so far this winter.  

This little fella was out and about in the early part of the storm. I hope he made it home safely.

We got a little over 8" (hmmm, the forecast started out at 2")....then the winds came, and now the Frigid Cold.  As in -20º frigid....and that's without the windchill.

Yeah, just not feeling the love.