Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Cha Waits While the Floral Background Grows


I know I am close to finishing Cha but I don't have the energy or focus at night to work on her this week.  Too much is going on!  Oh, well, things should calm down shortly.  Right?  RIGHT?!!


In the meantime I started the third step (of five) in SharonG's brocade variation stitch.  You can see that it is changing the background substantially.  I may have to outline the skulls to separate them from the background. I didn't expect that but it is easy to do.  Part of the fun of this stitch is watching it change as you add another layer of simple stitches.


Even though it is very hot here, the seasons are starting to change.  I found my first frog in the garage this morning.  Reptiles try to sneak inside where it is cooler during the heat of the day.  Thankfully it was a baby toad this morning, not a snake!  Above you see him just before he hopped out of my hand onto the mossy ground out back.   Yes, I washed my hands!


Speaking of which, the thing on the screen and in my hand is a jar fly.  You know them as cicadas.  They love the heat and spend all day sitting in the tops of trees, buzzing to each other.  Judging by the racket, there must be thousands of them all around us.  Despite the numbers, I rarely see them as they are usually very high up, but yesterday I found this baby sitting on the screen.  He is about 2/3 grown.  (Yes, I did wash my hands again.)  He has the same bulging eyes that the toad did. Odd how nature creates a similar look in different creatures.

The critters we share Chilly Hollow with are fascinating to me.  It's a sign of the summer season changing to fall when I start actually seeing them.  Usually we hear, but do not see them, as they are shy around people.  I hope you enjoyed a quick look at a few of them.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow