Working on the post last night at 11:30 my screen froze! Gave up and went to bed – still frozen this morning so Iām starting over.
They brought my dryer yesterday unexpectedly – to my delight. I went from this
to this!
Reader photos
Harvey is available for $10 – both sizes are included in the pattern. Cash or check only. Please include your address label.
Each pattern costs $10.00 postage paid. Send cash or check to:
Mary ETHERINGTON
2345 Palm Ave
Garner, IA. 50438
If thereās another pattern you want feel free to order it for $10 and tell me what youāre ordering. I cannot go back to all the emails and comments to crosscheck our conversation.
PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR ADDRESS LABEL TO HELP ME!
Arenāt you glad I got a new copier? Iām back in business. Things are looking up.
Hank arrived yesterday and Iāve said this many times – the first day is hard on all of us. The visiting dog has to adjust to the farm, Keeper is beyond excited and Hazel hates it all.
Iāve become enamored of the lowly pothos philodendron – probably because it grows so fast and is so fun to watch.
I think Iām caught up – questions?
I believe the fabric is on as hurt (spelling?). I used is as the background on a wool project and it fringes well.
My youngest son has 2 of those dryer racks. Several years ago he had them made by an Amish friend. He uses them for his heavy work clothes to dry on and cut his utility bill.
Bernadette – PLUS – his clothes will last longer not being dried in a hot dryer
Your new dryer is fabulous and fits SO perfectly! Do you have any idea of where to get the wood one you were using ? I had one many moons ago and canāt find any! Theyāre all metal now and rust so easily.
Your pothos looks great! Iāve had 3 of them in the past year that died. I had them by the window, watered them by placing the pot into a pan for the roots to absorb the water and they just died. I canāt seem to keep any plant alive inside my house! I even killed an air plantā¦AN AIR PLANT!!! Hahahahaha I saw a planter that said, āMy next victimā and I’m thinking l need it!
Weāre going to Colorado to visit our granddaughters and *possibly* talk about moving there. Itās all going to depend on how I feel being back in the colder weather. If I hurt too badly in 50 degrees (normal March daytime temps), we will stay in Florida. I truly dread the thought of another out of state move.
Sending love to all.
Oh Mary, your new dryer looks fabulous. How fortunate you found one that fit in that space. We had issues with our washing machine this week. Itās a front loader, which I dislike immensely, and my husband was doing his laundry and managed to catch part of his Shirt in the door. When he opened the door, the shirt was twisted so badly, and it ripped the gasket. Anyway, the repair man had to come several days later and had to remove the top and the whole front. I had no idea it would require so much work. Needless to say and Iām glad we have repair men, but it was a few pennies to fix.
Mary, I hope you are feeling better. Your description of trying to stifle a cough was right on. I have had coughs that really persisted causing headaches and sleepless nights. There is so much going around and they say this is one of the worst flu seasons in a long time.
I love seeing Hank and Keeper together. I can only imagine how cold that water from the frozen pond was. Hank looked like he was drenched. Brrr.
So weāve had a few nice days and the daffodils are up with buds. And yesterday I spotted a pretty crocus that had popped. Being close to DC they have predicted that the cherry blossoms on the ellipse will bloom on March 28 to April 1 this year. Last year they were blooming on March 17, which is the earliest theyāve ever opened up. We have had a pretty cold winter this year.
You are so generous to offer us your patterns and invested in the copier to do so.
I picked a small bouquet of snow drops today, but they definitely donāt do well in vase. Just an attempt to see some happy Spring flowers. But the daffodils are coming and they will do well.
Thanks again, Mary. Always look forward to your blog.
Pat in Md
Yes Mary I have read Dewey! I loved it! I should read it again, Iām sure I have forgotten a lot of it! But, I could just picture that cat in the building š„°
This dry dry winter is really concerning us! The grass looks so dead. The little snow we did have just evaporatedā¦it had no moisture in it! 50 years ago we dried out 0 bushel of corn on 25 acres that had been alfalfa the year before so had been plowed and didnāt have a stitch of moisture to start!
Have a good night!
Good news about your dryer! I have a wooden drying rack for delicate but it’s not near as big as yours. I don’t need one that big but your drying rack is awesome!
Beautiful Scotch! Sweet photo! Today my friend and I went out for her birthday lunch and decided to visit an old friend who moved to south Missouri a few years ago and recently moved back to town. They have 3 doodle dogs. (I’m not sure what kind of doodle.) They were so happy to see us. The 2 girls calmed down but the boy, Murphy, was so excited to have company. He had a stuffed toy he kept bringing to me and kept jumping up then down from the sofa. Our friend’s husband put Murphy in a kennel. After a while, I asked where Murphy went and when I found out he was put in his kennel, I said he is perfectly fine. We love dogs. I miss my dogs. They let Murphy out of his kennel. He is so sweet and full of joy and made my heart happy!
Sheryl – oh, Iāve been in that situation with my dogs – theyāre soooo happy to see someone and that person is not necessarily thrilled to be the object of their attention . I have put a dog in a crate before but it breaks my heart – itās their house! Iām so glad to told them to let him out!!! Heās just exuberant, right?
He was pretty happy he had company. He had a toy he acted like he wanted me to take but would duck and run away when I reached for his toy. He kept coming back and jumping on and off the couch by me. I totally enjoyed it and got a kick out of him but his “parents” were afraid he was being annoying. I’m sure some people wouldn’t care for it but I didn’t mind.
Your new dryer fits in perfectly and happy to hear about Desās refrigerator too. All good news. Iām sure Hanks mom loves seeing her boy having fun at your house.
What a luxury a clothes dryer is! When we lived in rural northern England years ago (had 4 little children at the time), there were no clothes dryers — and I had mountains of laundry Every Single Day. I still don’t know how I managed not to lose my mind; it is rainy and damp and cloudy most days, and not much chance of hanging things outside, although I did try. We had a long wooden series of rods called a creel that was mounted with ropes and a pulley that hung from the ceiling over the huge cast iron stove. I had to roll it down, put the clothes on the rods, then crank it back up above the “cooker”. I just looked around online and was very surprised to see that these are still made! There are several pictured at pulleymaid.com
Mary, have you read the book Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat ? It may be for an middle-school-aged child, but I sure enjoyed it! He’s a famous Iowa cat; here’s the blurb from Amazon:
“Dewey’s story starts in the worst possible way. On the coldest night of the year in Spencer, Iowa, at only a few weeks old–a critical age for kittens–he was stuffed into the return book slot of the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility (for a cat), and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most.”
Susan – yes, I own the book about Dewey and Spencer is just 90 minutes away – Connie moved to the lake just north of Spencer. Dewey is an unbelievable story! Wonder if any others readers have read Dewey?
Glad you had such a nice surprise of the dryer coming early. Itās usually the opposite, the deliveries are usually later than they say. I dry a lot of my delicate clothing on a piece of clothesline my husband installed between a cupboard in the laundry room and the wall. Right above it is a heat register so it does help dry things in the winter. Saying that it would be horrible to do without a dryer in the winter and having to dry all my clothes that way. Glad you got a copier too. What a wonderful week. Hope the meds are helping your cough.
What fun the dogs are having. Hope Hank settles in just fine.
Glad that dryer arrived so soon. You just never know.
I worked as a hostess in a restaurant. I’d always tell them, ten minutes, and work hard to clear off tables. I’d hate it when other hostesses would say half and hour. And do nothing. One never knows.
The Pothes philodendron is beautiful. My daughter go one as a gift for a housewarming. She’s learning to keep it alive. A Good one to learn on.
Love to hear from you. Glad Hank is accepting the chickens.
Beautiful Christening dress framed.
Mary, I think the fabric in question might be cotton bale bagging (I believe that’s the correct term). When it is washed and dried the weave shrinks so if you were to purchase yardage you would need to allow for the shrinkage. It also ravels a lot! My plan was to make a jacket and embellish it. Well, that hasn’t happened…yet. I bought the fabric in 1994 (I found the receipt). Oh, well…one day…
Judi L – very interesting! Thank you!
The dogs look like they are having a blast which reminds me how much I disliked this time of year and having to clean wet, dirty dog several times a day. But that’s their life and they will live it. It sounds like you’re on a upcycle as far as appliances go so enjoy as long as it lasts.
Today, I was in the mood to do some extra cleaning, so I hit the bathroom & living room hard which was really needed. It feels really good to have that job out of the way.
By-the-way, if anyone is looking for really good books, I have been reading several of Don Reid’s books. Everyone I’ve read are winners.
Mary is your 30 Stars pattern available? I love it so much.
Rita – it sure is! $10
Yippee! On the early delivery! The dogs are having so much fun!
Weather is going to cool down for the weekend. There was actually a thunderstorm in our area Tuesday evening with some hail and a little hail!
Love the sunshine but it is terrible dry!
Joy – heard about thunderstorm – very unusual for this time of year. Do you think weāll ever catch up in the rain dept? Iām not looking forward to watching everything die in my yard. I have irrigation around the house which I didnāt run last year but will this year although Iām not sure thereās a blade of grass left to grow.
Yay for the dryer!!!! I want a drying rack like you have. The dogs look like they are having a blast. Mud and worn out dogs go together. LOL
Hi Mary, l think the fabric is picot, used for collars and cuffs when you want nice white collars and cuffs on dresses(when we were young and always turned out in our Sunday best!)
Glad to see the dogs have fun and you have your dryer and phone copier problems sorted out! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Hi Mary and readers, love the sampler from Italy, maybe if we adopted less letters the English language wouldnāt be so difficult. Grandson in second grade has 10 spelling words to learn each week. SIL always tries to use tricks to remember how to spell words for the week. I wish all schools required spelling words. The dogs look like they are having a grand time together except Hazel.
Mary glad you got your dryer and not have to remodel. We are waiting on a new washer and dryer also. It went out just before we went to Texas. Then my daughterās dryer went out while we were there. We got her washer and dryer replaced and then I ordered the same model back here in Iowa over the phone. It has been delayed because of the weather in the Midwest last week. Hoping that it comes in this week. Got all my rugs washed in the old washer and the area cleaned except for the dryer vent. Daughters and our appliances were both more than 16 years old.
An update on Kim. She is recovering nicely from her surgery and will not have to do breast implants. She was outside walking a couple times during the day to help with stretching the stomach muscles. Her next procedure will be nipple reconstruction and a hysterectomy. This is because the ovaries and tubes emit hormones that cancer grows on.
Spent time outdoors yesterday trimming the bushes that can be trimmed this time of year. Too windy and turning cold the next few days. Will have to do indoor chores.
That fabric has an interesting weave. It looks like something one could use for crossstitch. I wonder if it is cotton.
Yahoo. The essential dryer came early.
Boy, oh, boy, for so many of us, when so many of us, when it rains it pours! Been there, done that. I hope you all get your appliances fixedly.
I call that dryer rack..humidity. Out here in Wyoming, we need it. I have one that hangs on the wall and I use it all the time.
Itās beautiful today. No wind. Lots of sun. Keeper and Hank would have a ball playing here. Hazel might ever join.
So glad you got a dryer to fit your space. My new refrigerator was delivered yesterday & it fit perfectly. Bought it from a small local appliance dealer with great delivery & service. I just hope my old Maytag washer & dryer keeps chugging away. Loved the pictures of the boys & it brings back memories from when I had a houseful of playful dogs. But I don’t miss the mess!
Mary, I agree that the first day for a visiting dog is the hardest. I have my friend’s dog here & he cried off & on for several hours the first day & slept by the front door. Yesterday my friend Ron kept Preston for a few hours while I ran errands & he cried when I left. Last night he slept on my couch on a fleece blanket…on his back which tells me he’s finally comfortable here. The belly rubs have helped too! Mary, hope those meds are helping. So happy you have a new printer & a new dryer that fits in the space! Our weather has been wonderful here in SW Ohio! I’m hoping to be able to sew in my sunroom today. I seldom heat it in the winter due to high heating bills, but the sun coming in the windows does a really good job. Hank looks like he’s having the time of his life with Keeper!
Glad to see that things are improving on a whole lot of fronts for you, Mary! When I was young, the fabric used for your coffee and sugar labels could be hopsacking.. It’s a bit more refined than burlap, and occasionally is even used to make clothing. Sometimes people painted over it to make it stiffer, and sometimes they fluffed the edges, probably to confuse the threads that wanted to unravel since it wasn’t hemmed. Check this out:
https://www.amazon.com/Plastex-Fabrics-Hopsack-Natural-Fabric/dp/B00M24VCQ8
Wanda – thatās it! Thatās the name I learned with this fabric years ago.
Happy Mary – working printer, working dryer! Happy Hank – play time at Mary’s with Keeper. Sweet Biscuit – sharing warmth and love. Beautiful pathos plants – Mary’s green thumb showing through!
Jan
Yay for your new dryer! We’re in some kind of funk here, my dishwasher isn’t heating the water properly, I got an eye infection that’s lasting for weeks, my muffler on my car is making a puffing noise and it seems like the whole exhaust system might need replacing and then MY clothes dryer started squealing like a pig! My husband is going to look at it to see if it might be something he can replace – fingers crossed. Hoping that warmer weather will break this bad luck spell, haha. Mary, I believe that the fabric in question might be “drop cloth” fabric. Lots of country decorating uses drop cloths for curtains, etc. and it’s a tightly woven cotton. You can buy them online or at the hardware store. Jan in MA
The fabric with COFFEE and SUGAR could be fabric used for Cross Stitch.
Great news that your laundry room is operating and no laundromat is required. I think the fabric is a thick french linen. You can cross-stitch on it and fray the edges.
Love the upgrade in dryersš¤£š¤£. I use a dryer rack for rugs etc. Does the job.
Dogs love water like kids love mud puddles.
Harvey is cut -ready to be stitched. Great spring pattern.
Been thinking about a spider plant for inside the house -supposed to be good for purifying the air.
Your new dryer looks great! So glad you found one that didnāt require remodeling! I felt your paināmy 7- year old washer gave up the ghost ONE WEEK into the pandemic lockdown. Only 7 years old and the repair guy said the motherboard was fried and they donāt make this model anymore. He said he might be able to find a motherboard but it would cost as much with labor charges as just getting a new machine. My dad, who lived down the block, had a Maytag I liked so I looked online and our Loweās had one ( just one) in stock. I went immediately to claim it. Told the clerk I needed it delivered and installed in my basement and the old one hauled out. No dice. The company had just issued an order that no employees could go inside a home. They would set it in my driveway! Long story short, a family-owned appliance store in the next county ordered me the machine, delivered and set it up for me. I had to wait a bit but I hauled my laundry down to my dadās. Just maddening. But Iām grateful I didnāt have to go to a laundromat!
The animals are adorable, as usual! Glad you got a copier!
I believe that fabric is used for Buck Weaving or Swedish embroidery. I believe they are the same thing. I do not know what the fabric is actually called.
My mother taught us how to do it but I doubt I remember any more. That was at least 60+ years ago.
I am going through the same process of watching my daughter’s dog but a little farther ahead. We are on day five. The first two days are always rough. Lots of fun with two high energy dogs. A Border Collie and an Australian Shepherd. My guess for the fabric is it is come kind of home dec fabric. The fringes seem really fluffy so that throws me off. Love the old sampler. Congrats on the new dryer.
I am wondering if the fabric is Swedish Huck fabric. It is used for Swedish Huck weaving.
I love your old fashioned clothes dryer. I have no place for a dryer so I air dry. Yours is so big I could do two loads! I have a clotheslineā¦I refer to it as my solar dryer. In cold weather my rack sits over a heat vent and dries overnight. ā¦thank goodness for my hot air heat system.