Still living in Shangri-la

Hey everyone, thanks so much for keeping me company during my lounging adventure. I do appreciate all the comments. Here's to us all inspiring each other to stitch new and wonderful things!

I'm about half-way through my resort time (aka house sitting), and I must say that I see the appeal of becoming a full-time house sitter. .... well, if I don't have to wrangle sprinklers anyway. Yes, ladies and gentlemen the sprinklers and I are not friends. The drip irrigation and I are fine, but I swear to you I paid attention to the sprinkler instructions and yet I can't get them to come on. Never fear! I do know how to work a hose! So the front bedding plants got watered the old-fashioned way. Now they'll survive until the gardeners return on Tuesday. Ahh, the joys of staff -- constant security patrols, twice-a-week gardeners, and a weekly house keeper who does laundry and picks flowers to brighten the place up. Yeah, it's the life.

And did I mention the oven works? lol Yes Cooking 2008 continues apace. I regret to say I forgot to picture the meatloaf from yesterday, and I took a corner out of today's lasagna before picturing. Heck, I didn't even think of a picture of food until now. No, I don't know why I'm doing the pics of Cooking 08, but so many blogs make me hungry with pictures of their dinners that I figure turn about is fair play. So later. It'll give you something to "look forward to."

The Ornament Campaign is going ok. I think I should be faster, after all everyone on the web seems to have ultra-fast needles, why shouldn't I? Regardless of my speed, I have two finishes to show so that's something.
First my little over-one sleigh--

Yvonne, the little bit of the page I have for a working copy says the design in by Polly Carbonari, but I haven't found out which book it was in. I'll keep hunting!

And a funky little tree that I don't have a pattern for, but I found a picture on the web so I went from a really bad blow up of the picture --

There will be some sort of star charm or button on the top of the tree, but I didn't bring any of those with me (see, I UNDER-packed!!!!).

I've moved on to another ornie from one of the JCS' (1998 I think) by St. Ruth designs (ya gotta love those folks!!)

That's it in the corner of the picture. I'm doing it on white opalescent in a dark navy (the pattern called for black crow from Sampler Threads, but I wasn't in a black mood).

Other than those little bits I have not much to report. The swing on the guest house's porch is my favorite evening locale. The humming birds that inhabit the back garden have decided I'm no treat. I have foiled the raccoon who discovered the sealed can of bird food behind the garage. I have not mastered the peppermill, and we now all know about me and the front sprinklers. So, I still have room to "grow." I think that means the hosts should stay on vacation longer.

Tomorrow I'm having a sort of stitch-in. A friend is in from waaaay out of town (try the Prairie states) so she's coming by and my usual stitch group who are also friends with her are coming over to catch up on all the gossip. If anything's really juicy, I'll be sure to tell you first.

Say, you've met the sheeps. Want to meet some of the other denizens of the establishment? Allow me to introduce you to my temporary friends -- (names are my own -- it's so must friendlier if you address creatures personally)
Ernie:

Duncan:

Mel:

Sue Ellen and Luann (the worm remains anonymous):

Bennie:

Larissa (her given name was Connie, but she thought "Larissa" sounded so much more Continental.):

Ignatio and Clyde:

Flirt (refuses to give real name -- goes by most-appropriate pseudonym):

Franklin:

and last, but not least Pietro: