What a beautiful last day of summer !

Today was the most perfect gift from God !  Wonderful temperature, days after a good soaking rain, lots of sunshine with cool breezes.......and good health to be able to work and enjoy it !

Praise God !

Yesterday, Hubby's sisters visited and we took them out to lunch.  One of his sisters is selling a house and has been doing some long awaited destashing. 

 

When she came across these blocks, she lovingly set them aside to bring to me.  It seems that she started an afghan and never finished it.

The work is outstanding ! 

After looking over the pattern, I realize that she did an additional round

 on each block that was supposed to be the setting pieces.

 And the original pattern was to be done in yarn,

but she used thread, so these are very fine,

and obviously a different size than the pattern intended. 

 They're pretty enough to just display in
the basket in which I received them,

but it will be a shame if I can't find some way

to make SOME little something out of them.

 I'll have to study on it and experiment a bit.

Former (memorial gardens) layout

The past week has found me attempting to change my flower garden area a bit.  I planted my dwarf crape myrtles 10 feet apart last summer, and then filled in between each one with gladioli this year.  But having to twist and turn the mower in and out of all the spaces I created has become quite an aggravation, not to mention that the yard looks like a memorial garden with each bush growing out of it's own perfect little circle of broken up soil.  

New flowerbed incorporating present plantings

So I took on the job of making one long flowerbed down the length beside the driveway, incorporating the bushes within it.  I de-grassed between each circle ......... took me hours  to remove the sod and then shake all the good topsoil out of it.  And now I have begun using my little tiller to dig the bed nice and deep.  I don't know what I'll plant in those areas......need to keep it low to showcase the bushes ........ but atleast I'll have options now.  I think I'm going to like it, although I do need to outline the bed somehow.  Everything costs money and I'm not exactly swimming in it right now !  So, I'll do it as I can !

The current outstanding bloom in my other flowerbeds is this plant that was here when I bought the place last year.  Rose calls it "House Leek". 

 The leaves resemble a succulent; and the magnificent big blooms have bees on them constantly, but the bees don't attack us, thankfully.