… tick . . . tock . . . tick . . . tock . . .

That’s what it felt like this past week.

. . . waiting for the ‘powers that be’ to respond 

when there was a little issue with getting my website cart

to recognize the pdf downloadable patterns. 

(sigh)

(first a little vent. . . then some news!)

I actually was successful installing the software to the website

on the first day (!) 

(. . . although it did take me all day (12 hours) to get the ‘test’ download to work. . .

. . . you would have had a good giggle . . . 

as there was a squeal & a little happy dance involved!)

But then. . . for the last step, the website shopping cart wouldn’t recognize the pdf items as downloadable.

(bummer)

So, the next day, I emailed the software company 

(which is in England), 

& even though it was about 10:30 pm their time - 

I heard back from them within 30 minutes. (bless them!)

They had checked all my work on the things I uploaded 

& let me know that it all looked good. (. . . & I must admit, 

it felt good to have the affirmation that I could do it!) :o)

They looked into a couple of other things & found an issue with the 

id codes & the website shopping cart & suggested that I ask my web host if they had disabled the id numbers in the cart. 

(the software needs to have the id numbers for it to recognize the item as a downloadable item.)

So, I did. . . I sent in a support request to my web host, 

. . . it shouldn’t take long - as it was a simple question. . .

. . . & they are located in Oregon. . .

. . . I waited. . . (1 day. . .)

. . . & waited. . . (2 days. . . 3 days. . . 4 days)

. . . & then on the 5th day. . . I sent in a new support request, asking if anyone was home. . .

. . . (nothing) . . . I started looking into new web hosts.

Thankfully, I heard back from my web host this morning, 

& they assured me they hadn’t forgotten me. 

(felt like it though. . . enough for me to look into switching everything!)

I’ve heard of several other folks have had issues 

with getting web hosts to respond, & I’m wondering 

if there is a big influx of new websites at the beginning of the year 

& they are overwhelmed with too much to handle. 

(. . . or, they are still napping after their New Year’s ‘celebrations’. . . ?)

Either way, the good news is that within the next 24 hours, 

I will be working like a little bee to get the first round 

of pdf patterns available on the website. 

(. . . & yes, there will probably be another little happy dance!)

So, until that happens, I thought I’d show you what is making the news here in southern Arizona. . .

For us - this is really cold!

Pipe-freezing cold!

It’s kinda cute (after living in Minnesota) 

to hear the news broadcasts here.

They spend lots of time trying to warn folks of what it means when the temps get this cold.

I’m sure that all the ‘snowbirds’ that live here in the winter (folks who live in the north for the rest of the year, & come & live in Arizona for the ‘cold’ months). . . find it funny too.

(by-the-way, it is the afternoon now & we just reached the 30’s. . . I’m doubting we make it to 48 like the forcasters thought!)

I actually like it.

I get to wear my coat & scarf (& even my mittems the other morning),

. . . & it’s a change from the norm here.

(by the way. . . we’re supposed to be back up into the low 70’s by the end of the week.)

The first & last photos on the post are of one of the plants that I’ve been bringing inside each evening.It’s a cute little geranuim that a sweet lady gave me. . . 

& I am smitten with it’s color!

It’s the prettiest coral-ly pink.

Okay. . . I’m off to the website. . . 

Hope you have a great day!

♥ Bren

… the summer sun. . .

. . . is providing the warmth & coaxing all the flowering plants in the garden to put on such a pretty show for us. . .

This is one of my favorites - one of the Crepe Myrtle's (this one a tree) that we have in the backyard. I love how delicate & yet sturdy this plant is. . . it hangs in there - even when the sun is beating down on it & the temps are in the 3-digits for days-on-end. It just takes it all, thrives, & looks beautiful. . .

Right behind this Crepe Myrtle, is the tall wall where the Cat's Claw vines are putting on their summer show. . . the yellow is so pretty behind the pink of the Crepe Myrtle blooms. (It's called Cat's Claw because these vines seem to grab (& hold!)onto anything! These are planted at the base of these 12 ft. walls. . . & they had grown to the top & flourished within the second year they were planted.)

. . . & while we've had plenty of summer sun. . . we got a little taste of a bit of rain early the other morning. I remember waking up - ever so slightly - & hearing it hitting the window (. . . before I fell back asleep almost immediately!) . . . It sounded so good, as we (& all of Arizona) need to get our summer rains so very badly. We have been in triple digits temperature-wise for well over a week & it's been so very dry for such a long time, but it's looking very promising that we might get rain on Sunday & Monday. (yea!) I'm thinking that we won't even mind if we don't have fireworks on the Fourth - if it is because we are getting rain!

Here at home, (. . . inside. . . with the air conditioning running!), Dad is doing pretty well after his surgery. (Thank you to those of you who checked up on him!) At the hospital, when the surgeon came out to talk with me after the surgery - he told me it was a little more involved than he first thought. . . but that Dad did well. They then had a bit of a complication with him in recovery - managing his pain, but in the long run I think it worked out for the best, because he's not trying to over-do here at home. I'm thinking he doesn't want to go back to the pain level he had. Bailey has been 'on watch' with him. . . where he is always laying nearby him. . . just so he can keep watch.

Design wise, I've got two quilts at the quilter & my days have been spent at the design table writing up the directions & making hexagons. . . (lot's & lots of hexies!. . . I love them & they are soooo addicting!). . . & new stitcheries. Can't beat that for a way to spend the day!

Hope you have a wonderful & safe celebration of the Fourth of July!

♥  Bren

… I ♥ hydreangeas. . .

If you've followed my blog for a bit - you probably know my love for hydrangeas. I can't explain really why - but I do. It's one of the heartbreaks of living here in Arizona - as they do not thrive here well - at all. I have silk hydrangeas (in many different colors) scattered all over my house (. . . & please, those of you who "poo-poo" any flowers that aren't real  for use indoors, don't judge me. . .) A couple of times each year - I break down & buy some potted hydrangeas, & I would do it throughout the year - but they are ridiculously expensive here!

Then . . . the other day when I was checking to see (dreaming really) - if there might be some new type of hydrangea that would just love & thrive in our Arizona climate. . . I found these . . .

Oh. My. Stars.


Seriously. . . you know that tingling feeling at the back of your jaw . . . & you just know you might start to drool at any second?. . . that's what happened to me when I first saw these. They are called 'Vanilla Strawberry' Hydrangea (heck, no wonder I almost drooled!), & the colors range from a creamy white to soft pink to a deeper pink - all one one bush. I had never seen this type of hydrangea before. . . & just when I thought I couldn't love them any more. . . !


No, they're not a miracle hydrangea that will grow & thrive here. . . but now I'm just hoping that some angel of a nursery person decides to pot these & sell them at the florist &/or garden center! . . . I'm certainly going to keep my eyes open for them!


Hope you have a great weekend!
♥ Bren

… of bit of color

While the temps are are making their way up the thermometer around these parts. . . the blooms in both the front & back yards are taking advantage of the sunshine & putting on quite a pretty show. . .!

The backyard is surrounded by a cinderblock wall. . . & for part of the back wall - it reaches about 15 feet, & one of the first things that Dad did was to plant, bougainvilleas, pyracanthas, & what was then - small little cat's claw plants. When the plants began to grow up the walls, Dad ran wire along the wall at different levels for the stems & tendrils to have something to take hold to. . . & boy did they! Now, 10 years later - here is the top of part of the 15 foot wall - with the cat's claw 'water-falling' down from the top. I just love the backdrop it provides for the backyard. You can also see - (in the lower right corner) a bit of the red berries from one of the pyracantha bushes that have also grown quite tall!

Just in time for the Fourth-of-July. . . the pot of blue petunias are putting on a wonderful show!

Just this past week, one of my very favorites - the crepe myrtle tree's blooms are opening. I mentioned a few years ago - how much I liked the blooms of one of the smaller crepe myrtle plants that we had. . . & over the years, Dad has continued to add them to the variety of blooms in the yards. (Isn't he sweet!) At last count, there were 3 in the backyard (1 tree, & 2 bushes) & there is a wonderful large crepe myrtle bush in the front yard. Love them!

. . . & even though they bloomed earlier this spring. . . we are seeing a few of the gladiolas sending up some new blooms!

These sweet little blue flowers are on what was a little bush not too long ago - (in the side yard - outside one of my Dad's bedroom windows) - & now the bush is taller than I am! It's full of these sweet little flowers. . . & is a testament to Dad's green thumb.

These tiny little blue blooms popped up on our rosemary topiary that sits at the corner of the driveway & the walkway to the front door. . . (see them on the top right?)

The rosemary topiary has been there for years. . . starting in a much smaller pot . But not until this past year have a ever seen it's little blue blooms! One of the things that I love about the rosemary is how - when folks come over - they love to brush the palms of their hands over the rosemary & then take a big sniff of their palms & everyone smiles & lets out a big "sigh!" !  :o)

Even the two nandena bushes that sit in their pots at each side of the front door are getting onto the act & are showing their pretty colors!

As for me. . . I'll be spending most of the day indoors. . . I like the sunshine. . . but when the temps are getting into the 100's + . . . I think my time in the yard will be able to be counted in 'moments', & I'll spend the weekend finishing up some pattern writing &, inspired by these pretties from the front & back yard, start on some new 'pretties' of my own!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

♥ Bren