Summer's Last Gasp

A bearded Iris of unknown lineage is blooming in my yard, right now.  It has no idea that tonight, the temperature is going to dip into the low 30's and it is going to get zapped. 

Maybe I'll cut it and bring it inside.  There are at least 2 other buds on the stem, but I'm sure they will not bloom in a vase. 

This beauty came from my Mother.  She lives in a retirement condo.  The condo residents do a small amount of gardening outside the buildings.  Mom knew that I had been looking for a clear yellow bearded iris.  She found one in the gardens outside her building and asked permission to take a cutting for me. 

When she found out there was also a reblooming one (this one, above) , she asked permission to take a cutting of that for me too. 

It doesn't rebloom every fall, but when it does, it is a sweet treat!

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And now for today's Wren Report...

Yes, the wrens are still hanging out in my teacups.  Two days last week they did not show up.  I was convinced that they had flown south for the winter, but the third day they were back again! 

More Bookbinding

I finished Eric's Guitar Practice Journal a few days ago.  I was pretty happy with it, except for the very last row of stitching.  I tore the concertina (the big accordion fold that holds the pages) while I was stitching the front cover to the book.  It was a major tear, but I made a paper bandage to cover it. It looks a bit Frankenstein, but the other alternative was to trash the entire concertina and rebind the entire book. 

 

My rows of stitching are pretty wavy and crooked, but I am pleased with the result.  I learned quite a few lessons from this book.  

 

 

I figure it will take Eric about 5 years to fill it.  By that time, I will be an expert at bookbinding or I will have totally given it up and will be willing to buy him a store-bought journal. 

 

After my success with that book, I have been playing a little more with bookbinding.  The book below is a Coptic bound book, approximately 4 x 6 inches. 

 

 

It is made with leftover ETG letterhead, a Triscuit box cover, and scrapbooking paper left over from another project.  It is bound with #5 perle cotton (embroidery floss).

 

On the front of each signature within the book, I printed a graphic from The Graphics Fairy. 

  

 

Originally, I planned to make a concertina of a contrasting color to use with this book, but I decided it didn't really need a concertina.   

 

 

I'm really pleased with this book.  I'm not a journal-keeper (unless you count this blog), so I have no use in mind for it.  The pleasure of making it was all I needed.

 

The book I have been using for bookbinding instruction, as well as inspiration and ideas, is Real Life Journals: Designing & Using Handmade Books. 

Wrens, Titmice, Chickadees, and a Cardinal

No pictures today.  Bad Blogger, I know!  (insert lame excuse here)  But I do have a Wren Report for today...

This afternoon, Eric and I were sitting in the kitchen when we heard a bird commotion on the patio.  I peeped out the window to see what was going on. 

There were a pair of Tufted Titmice flying from chair to chair, to railing, to chair.  There were also a pair of Black-capped Chickadees acting nervous and hopping around in the bushes beside the patio.  I'm not sure what their role was, but the Chickadees were clearly involved.

My little friends, the wrens were there too.  They were the most active -- flying from the teacups to the chairs, into the potted geranium, to the railing, to the light strands, up into the rafters of the gazebo, and back again. 

Everyone was making noise, but the wrens were squawking the loudest.  I think the wrens were trying to convince everyone else that the patio and gazebo were the sole property of them, the wrens.  Or maybe they were showing off their cool new country home to their friends from the city.

And the Cardinal?  I think he just showed up for a drink at the bird bath and decided to stay for the freak show.  He perched in the little red maple to the side of the patio and watched for a while. I think he eventually gave up and went away. 

The Winds of Change

Fall has arrived, and I think it is here to stay this time.  After the morning rain, the sky was beautiful and the air is crisp.

Autumn Shadows

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Wren Report -- Day 4

Today, one of the wrens showed up in the afternoon sometime.  He/she flew to a potted geranium and poked around in there for a few seconds.  He then flew up to one of the teacups and hung out there for an afternoon nap.  Not sure how long the wren stayed, but by the time I got up from my nap, he was gone.

An Evening Downpour and Wren Report -- Day 3

On the way to dinner tonight...

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And now for the Wren Report -- Day 3...

Last night (the evening of Day 2), both wrens showed up again.  The one I frightened had moved to another teacup (there are 8 to choose from). 

This evening (Day 3) they're both back again in the same teacups as last night. 

Playing @ Bookbinding

First, a word about yesterday's wren.  There were two wrens last night, in teacups. I frightened one away by taking its picture.  The other one stayed all night in his teacup.  This morning, around 7:00 am, we looked out and the wren was still there.  Within minutes, it had flown away.  I stepped outside and was promptly greeted by "teakettle, teakettle, teakettle" from a tree at the edge of our property.  I think the wren was saying "Thank you!"

 

Fingers crossed that the one I frightened away didn't get eaten by an owl.

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 And now, bookbinding...

 

I'm in the process of making a guitar practice journal for Eric.  The binding method is called "Coptic with Concertina." 

 

This is my second attempt at bookbinding.  My first attempt consisted of a simple sewn booklet.

 

A Wren in My Teacup

A Carolina Wren to be more precise!

 

 

Unfortunately, he/she flew off after I took the second picture.