Sewing in the Mountains

My dear husband and I are enjoying some quiet time here at our cabin  in North Carolina.

Mountainside Cabin on Seven Devils Mountain

Now, the mountains are covered with these flowers that look like yellow black-eyed Susans.  But I don’t know what they are called.

Looking down from the front deck—these flowers are like bursts of sunshine.

Even in the densely shaded woods behind the cabin, they bloom.  Does anyone know their name?

Before we head back home to Florida next week, I will have spent 8 blissful days sewing in the mountains.

Bob will have spent 8  days cleaning the gutters, replacing a bad light switch, fixing the screen door and doing a multitude of chores around here…groan.  But that is what makes him happy.  Watching him makes me glad to be a woman.  I just fix dinner some nights.  And sew.

What a soul nourishing getaway this has been!  Of course, sewing here lacks the conveniences of sewing in my cluttered but well stocked  sewing room at home.   Here I have a 6′ table, poor lighting and few sewing supplies.  Making do is not one of my strong points, but still I have managed.

And we are aching to hug our grandchildren.

But there are compensations, like a land line that rarely rings and a cell phone that can’t catch a signal up here.   The gloriously cool weather is a welcome relief from Florida’s hot summer.   I’m actually wearing a sweater during the day!!!!  Smocking on the deck is like being nestled in the arms of a cool Mother Nature.   Then there is quality,  uninterrupted time with my wonderful husband of 44 years,  another plus.  All of these factors are major compensations for the shortcomings of my sewing area.

Of course, most of my projects up here are pink things for Grandbaby Girl #2.  Ok, so the  Swiss flannel slip is white but the bullion roses are pink!

A white baby wale Swiss pique diaper shirt  is almost complete but it is trimmed and smocked in pink. Hmmmm…this bundle of joy is going to need more pink.

I am anxious to make the matching bloomers with the ruffles on the bum.  Other projects are cut out and in various stages of readiness.  I do love sewing for a baby girl.

The title of this post, Sewing in the Mountains,  brings back so many memories.  For several years, I taught at Mildred Turner’s 4-day Sewing in the Mountains  school in Maggie Valley, NC.  With talented and dear friends Londa Rohlfing, Carol Ahles, Kathy Stachowicz, April Dunn, Terri Johnson, Jeannie Baumeister and Pat Cook so much was learned, so much fun was had, so many friendships were made, so many stories were made to tell.

In some later post, I will share some of these special moments, like Mr. Plaladsky’s  hilarious addendum to my oft told horse-in-the-house story.

Meanwhile, I’ll just continue to enjoy our retreat in the mountains and keep on stitching.