THE BEST MEDICINE . . .

A million 'thank yous' to you lovely blogging friends that have again offered your messages of support and prayer on my health ~ my biopsy results were not perfect but have definitely ruled out all the very nasty things that it might possibly have been and although I now await kidney test results, I am optimistic on the Doctors getting me through this!

What a gorgeous weekend we have just had and with the added bonus of a Bank Holiday Monday here in England it meant 3 long awaited days working in the garden . . .  for me it really is just The Best Medicine!

Like all gardens after such a long long Winter, Spring brings such beauty and colour

I love the grass and trees this time of year ~ so green and fresh

I don't actually know the name of this flower but the smell is just heavenly

My favourite part of the garden ~ a gentle slope from bottom to top and so many fragrant flowers and shrubs as you brush past them

My sewing room and the gorgeous shrubs I look out on to

Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine

Mr. Robin keeping watch from the Magnolia Tree for any worms as I dug the flower beds

My Mum gave me this Lilac Tree as a little sampling about 8 years ago, hers perished shortly afterwards and mine is still flourishing, it got hidden away when the team were in the garden last year landscaping and building the Garden Room but it's been rescued and treated to a new pot

DH has been painting the garden furniture and has matched the colour to the new pots exactly, so pleased with it

We've put the bench under the Apple Trees and hopefully after such a disappointing yield last year we'll be luckier and  get a good crop

Next to the bench ~ a new border ~ lavender, pinks, rosemary and choisya

And finally my rocking chair, also being lovingly restored by DH to match the bench

So any sewing I hear you ask? 

Well not a great deal I'm afraid!  I have progressed further with my HaED but the light is poor today, Yes! the rain is back so I will try and take a good photo of that for next time.

This wooden flower shape was a freebie with a recent cross stitching magazine but I didn't like the flower motif they suggested stitching on it so found this little chap to sew on instead, it came with a keyring attachment so I shall attach it to my Summer canvas bag once the good weather returns!

I'm just about to finish another small project, unusual but very cute but again I'll keep you waiting 'til next time and by then I might even manage to get it sewn up too.

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

x x x

NO MORE STITCHES PLEASE . . .

A hairy caterpillar slowly crossed the path in front of them,

in search of something to eat.

'One day soon it will change into a butterfly' said Big Nutbrown Hare.

'With wings?'

'Oh, lovely wings' said Big Nutbrown Hare.

Happy May everyone ~ how quick has that arrived?

OK, so I have been keeping quiet about my continuing health problems but as my title to this post probably indicates I'm not stitching, well I am and I'll show you more in a minute but just to fill you in, in as fewer words as possible . . .

Not been too good for the last 6 months and have been sent to see yet another Specialist.

Felt I was being exceptionally brave when I went to see him on my own just before Easter, after all it was only for a consultation so it's okay DH I can cope, WRONG!  2 biopsies, a local anaesthetic and stitches ~ not quite what I had envisaged ~ needles & injections ~ no, no, no! 

Went back a week later to have stitches removed and get results ~ biopsies missing and no trace of them at the London hospital they were sent to!  Still missing 2 weeks later so last week had to have the biopsies repeated ~ more needles, more injections ~ even more no, no, no!

Told the Specialist if this was going to be a regular event I'd bring him a chart out of my Stash box and at least he could stitch a design with his crosses!  At least he changed the colour of the thread this time from black to blue!  Anyway stitches out tomorrow and awaiting results with much stress and quite scared ~ totally had enough of feeling rubbish and not knowing what is wrong with me ~ there! story told, not a very joyful one so let's move on . . .

My thanks again for all your supportive messages and advice on my HAED attempt ~ I have not given up on it completely but have followed your many suggestions of tucking it away and coming back to it later . . .

SO, what to stitch in the meantime?  I know, I'll start another HAED instead (I'm putting this insanity down to my present state of mind!) ~  

'VIBRANT VISTA'

This is another original artwork by the wonderful Jane Wooster Scott, I love her designs and HAED have quite a few to choose from.  I've avoided anything with snow this time and opted for an Autumnal/Harvest feel and . . .

so far so good!

This design is a little smaller than my first choice ~ only a mere 134,00 stitches and 35 pages of confetti, actually the sky is a welcome break with more solid areas of stitching, but even so this still feels like it's going to be one very big Wedding!!!
I've stitched on it nearly every day in the past couple of weeks ~ I find it a great way to take my mind of other things and I'm so so enjoying it.

Gorgeous warm weather here in the South at long last and I have 2 very happy bunnies who can now discover what that lush green stuff is in the garden!

Thanks for stopping by
HAPPY STITCHING
xxx