I decided that a more organic and less regular treatment would suit this piece better. I'm not in love with this stitch, but it has its place. Again this forms part of a whole so it doesn't really look very 'whole'.
This was part of the TAST 2010- Week 21
I remember having lots of fun with these chickens. I have used it in my new piece in combination with other stitches so I will post that when I reach them.
I am making serious inroads into the backlog, thank goodness.
I have used this stitch before in TAST 2010 but decided to add it to this piece along with some small beads. It does make a nice edge.
I'm taking a few days away from home, 5 days actually, and I'm off this morning. I am having a few days with friends were we will just chill out, stitch, read, walk and generally relax. I have a book to listen to whilst I stitch,
and lots of music on my ipod. There is no internet up on the Downs were we will be staying and I suspect that it is going to be very cold, so I'm packing the winter woolies. I am taking this time to recharge the batteries before we start the renovations on the house. I need to fortify myself to deal with builders, painters etc and then we will put the house on the market for sale.
I suppose the people who lived here 120 years ago developed a love for the house the same as us? Some residents were born and died here, like the young girl (Hiendorf) in this picture.
In the 1940's The veranda had a door and wooden blinds to keep out the western sun. When the tree on the verge died we found that it had grown around a star picket. At this time the widow's walk was still in place up on the roof. Those lovely trees down the side had long gone when we arrived. By then it had been turned into flats, the verandas had gone, the gardens were overgrown and the house was in need of love and attention.
It took us years to put back all the brick walls. The house had been built in the time of gas lighting and all the pipes were still there along with the servants bells. (Unfortunately I never had any servants.) When electricity was installed they just plastered canvas covered wires onto the walls. The plumbing was so old we had to replace it and then we had a fight with the building inspector who said there wasn't enough fall. Those trenches were open for ages and I kept loosing my boys into them. (Little boys never look where they are going.)
We have a resident ghost(s) as well, an old lady or ladies. I'm not sure who she or they are but we did have two different sets of spinster sisters who have lived here in the past. Both sets of sisters didn't like their sibling and were known to be rather difficult. I have felt them at times but I have had people here who have asked "who is the old lady I saw?"
As luck would have it I now know descendants of all the past owners. I never went looking for them, they just came into my life. Now I suppose it is our turn to join the passing parade. I definitely do not intend to return and haunt the place.
We have been talking about doing this for about 5 years now but time for action has arrived. This is the house were we raised our children, my daughter was born here. It is one of those major milestones in one's life and I am steeling myself against the day when I move out. I thought I would spend all my days here but seven bedrooms and a house that is over 60 squares in size is going to be too much as my husband and I grow older. Better to make the move now while we are fit and reasonably healthy. I suspect I have just entered the grieving stage of this move.
I have put up various posts for the next five days, so my essence will still be here, if not my body.