Star Spangled Summer

I'm working on a new stitching project this week. I picked up this pattern from Heart in Hand on clearance at my favorite shop, Always in Stitches. These days, I find that it's often cheaper to buy a kit on sale than it is to buy a pattern, floss, and cloth. This piece is stitched on 32 count Belfast Dirty Linen (thanks to my "cheater" glasses, I can do small work again!). Have you priced cloth lately? Yikes! This kit included the linen, pattern, and button, and I already owned all the Weeks Dye Works flosses that the pattern required.



There's a part of me that wants to skip Summer and its 95 degree temps and jump right ahead into my favorite season of Autumn. Instead, I'm trying to appreciate the season I am in and not rush through these lazy days.

My son, Luke, asked me the other day what my favorite seasons are, in ranking order. My list looks like this:

1.) Autumn
2.) Spring
3.) Winter

And coming in last place...
4.) Summer

The funny part is that Luke's list looked just like mine! I know some people who absolutely love this time of year. Public school teachers, for example! :) My sister, Jenny, and my good friend, Beth, just love summer and can't wait for it to come. On the other hand, I usually can't wait for it to go.

The season does have its merits. Here are the top five things I love about summer:

1.) School's out! No schedules!
2.) Flowers and gardening
3.) Fresh produce and farmers markets
4.) Not having to put a coat on to go outside
5.) Stitching on the front porch

And here are the top five things I strongly dislike about summer:

1.) School's out...no schedules. I know, this makes both lists! I think I like the freedom at the beginning of the summer, but get bored and in a funk at the lack of activity for the last half of summer.
2.) Mosquitoes, ticks, and Lyme disease.
3.) Living in the AC when it's so hot outside.
4.) Sweat
5.) Sandal season and constant pedicures

In my area, summer unofficially comes to an end on August 11th when the boys go back to school. I am trying to organize a neighborhood Bible study to coincide with the back-to-school season. I'm going to try the book "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World". I'm advertising at the neighborhood pool and I've included a tear sheet with my name/contact info. When my husband last checked, there had been some takers. I'm hopeful that I can organize a small group of women who are ready to dive into the word, like me.

Hope your summer's day is star-spangled, too!