No-brainer

The Sandbox is mighty crowded these days.  With the addition of the Singer 301 machine and cabinet it became an unpleasant place to work.  I felt trapped by stuff!

I don't know why it takes me so long to figure out what's bothering me.  It's a no-brainer really..... CLEAN UP!  Heh.  So I've cleaned up and rearranged and removed some of the furniture and it's soooo much better.  :-)  I will have to take a picture tomorrow while it's still neat (relatively).  

This 301 and cabinet are still where they landed near the front door.  

After doing some more online research we decided to buy these specialty screwdrivers from The Singer Featherweight Shop as well as a tube of motor lubricant.  On a warmer day when I can open the back door for ventilation I can start refurbishing my "new" machine and cabinet.  What a bonus to have the proper tools.

In the "plant room" I'm still battling mealybugs on the african violets.  I need to go over the plants again and separate out the ones who still look buggy.  (Ha!  One way to repurpose a table that came out of the sewing room.)  In other plant news, the amaryllis bulbs I saved from last year are finally showing signs of life.  I didn't kill them.  Yay!

The last of this year's batch to bloom is absolutely spectacular.

Five huge flowers on the stem!  Nice.

Since I was sorting out the sewing room the only actual machine sewing I've accomplished is making this quilt into a curtain for the laundry room.  The double doors were very awkward to work around and it's a big relief to have them gone.  This quilt wasn't doing anything useful so it got pressed into service.  It's a Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt from a few years back called Orange Crush.  Mom pieced this top and called it Tutti Frutti Crush.  :-)  I added the borders and quilted it, and we gifted it to The Tramp because of his love of bright colors.  Since the laundry room is near the desk in his study, and the quilt is just about the right size for the opening, it was a no-brainer.

Nothing fancy.  I just sewed on a strip to attach the clips to.  The top of the quilt flops over so there are safety pins involved as well, to stop the flop.  Not elegant, but it works.

I'm working on a rosette for La Passacaglia.  I've finished all the blue star points and have moved on to the next row of pentagons.  Another photo I need to take!

Today, sadly....very sadly....we made the decision this big old oak tree has to go.  Sniff.

When we moved in a year ago we had the tree trimmed for safety.  The tree was also covered with large poison ivy vines and a huge grape vine.  We cut the vines to about six feet up and it took months for it all to die off.

You can see how thick the grape vines were with my foot for comparison.

I have taken many photos this year of the lovely greenery against bright blue sky and cheddar house from my chair on the deck.  This was in the spring.

In summer the viney stuff finally turned brown.  It's ugly, but the birds like to perch in it.

I'm going to miss this view.

This was Thanksgiving morning.

And a few weeks ago in the snowstorm.

 On the weekend I was quite annoyed with Maisy.  I'd call and call her and she wouldn't come in.  And I couldn't see where she was!  Turns out she was digging behind the tree next to the fence.

Or rather....she was in the tree!  I'm wondering what was living in there that caught her attention.  Do I want to know???

Today I got down and took a proper look into the hole.  Oh my.  I poked my yardstick in there and almost lost it in the depths.  The tree is hollow!

North Carolina had two hurricanes come through in the fall, record rainfall last year, several snowstorms in the year we've been in the house, and each time I worry and worry about this tree.  In particular, it looms over our master bedroom.  Three sheds, several fences, and more importantly at least three homes are at risk if it falls.  So with our discovery today (thank you Maisy) it's a no-brainer.  It has to come down.  :-(