Author Archives: Holly

About Holly

fiber person - knitter, spinner, weaver who spent 33 years being a military officer to fund the above. And home. And family. Sewing and quilting projects are also in the stash. After living again in Heidelberg after retiring (finally) from the U.S. Army May 2011, we moved to the US ~ Dec 2015. Something about being over 65 and access to health care. It also might have had to do with finding a buyer for our house. Allegedly this will provide me a home base in the same country as our four adult children, all of whom I adore, so that I can drive them totally insane. Considerations of time to knit down the stash…(right, and if you believe that…) and spin and .... There is now actually enough time to do a bit of consulting, editing. Even more amazing - we have only one household again. As long as everyone understands that I still, 40 years into our marriage, don't do kitchens or bathrooms. For that matter, not being a golden retriever, I don't do slippers or newspapers either. I don’t miss either the military or full-time clinical practice. Limiting my public health/travel med/consulting and lecturing to “when I feel like it” has let me happily spend my pension cruising, stash enhancing (oops), arguing with the DH about where we are going to travel next and book buying. Life is good!

Heathrow T4

Posted on 2024-12-01 by Holly

Obviously time zone whacked here. I think I slept off and on last night, but it is hard to tell at this point between exhaustion and a wonderful (not) but actually expected migraine.  I don’t know what it is now … Continue reading →

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Heathrow

Posted on 2024-11-30 by Holly

Flying toward sunrise, it is 0715 in the morning. GMT. The clouds below us are textured in lumps and bumps appearing like a layer of meringue. Red at the horizon flows into rose to pink before vanishing into pale blue. … Continue reading →

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Flying out

Posted on 2024-11-29 by Holly

I can’t say a whole lot about today except that it felt like it would never, ever end. Up early, drive to El Sobrante. Pick up Miriam, figure out how to get to the Richmond BART which we made it … Continue reading →

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Turkey Day

Posted on 2024-11-28 by Holly

And US Thanksgiving rolls around again. Unlke when we lived in Germany, we don’t often have extra people at the table. Invitations were extendewd but schedules conflicted. We hauled out the “good dishes” (Troubador pattern from Villery&Boch which we bought … Continue reading →

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Some Idiot

Posted on 2024-11-27 by Holly

decided that it is a good idea to start placing their SPAM calls as early as 0800 US East Coast Time. So my phone rings with what is obviously a spam call at what is 0500 here. I had not … Continue reading →

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Poppies

Posted on 2024-11-26 by Holly

No, puzzles haven’t comletely falled off my radar – this small one was purchased in Portland (Maine that is) on our cruise this fall…

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Another finish

Posted on 2024-11-25 by Holly

I will have to look it up, but I think this finish ~57 or 58 for the year. The pattern in Vampryum by Noctiflora. It was a mystery SAL. The fabric is 16 ct something from WitchesGarden dyed for the … Continue reading →

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Nasty looking critters

Posted on 2024-11-23 by Holly

Is all I can say. But I am making progress and am sure that I will be able to have this particular WIP finished this month as well Thow are defnitely bleeding hearts, more small wings and yet anoth fanged … Continue reading →

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Better Late

Posted on 2024-11-22 by Holly

Than never. That is what I decided at about 0900  this morning when I realized that there was one, sadly empty laundry basket in our bedroom. Since we have another basket, and it was missing – well there was the … Continue reading →

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Among the flamingos

Posted on 2024-11-21 by Holly

I am not sure what she was thinking –  or even if she was. But all my lawn ornament flamingos really don’t provide much cover. And they certainly don’t make for snacks.

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More Clock

Posted on 2024-11-19 by Holly

Remner the Haunted Clock which was a 4 part SAL by Tiny Modernist? The end is now in sight! Only a couple of thousand stiches to go!

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Still working on the wall

Posted on 2024-11-18 by Holly

I mentioned, didn’t I, that we were having some retaining walls repaired. Other than a couple of places, nothing had been done to any of them for years and years. Which means long before we moved in. Everything was fine … Continue reading →

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another day, another critter

Posted on 2024-11-17 by Holly

As I was checking over progress photos, I realized that I hadn’t posted this particular one I am thinking those purple flower like things look a bit like eyes, the sides are starting to taper down and adding a couple … Continue reading →

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Sadness

Posted on 2024-11-16 by Holly

A number of years ago, a good friend of mine was outside, stitching somewhere there was sun. She had been using a magnifier. Just a few seconds of sun and she wound up with a hole in the fabric. It … Continue reading →

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324

Posted on 2024-11-15 by Holly

Is now done. Yes, the name of the pattern is a number which, in turn, is derived from the number of different DMC flosses used.  The designer is Arlene Cohen of WorksbyABC. . \ just to make it even more … Continue reading →

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Back to Weird critters

Posted on 2024-11-12 by Holly

One of my other mystery SALs finished releasing all of the parts while we were cruising. At this point, most days I am finding it more effective just to drive through on a single bit of stitching rather than work … Continue reading →

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Remembering

Posted on 2024-11-11 by Holly

I know that in the past I have talked about the US using this date as Veteran’s Day while I stil think of it as Rememberance Day. Probably an effect of living in Europe for more than a couple of … Continue reading →

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No Time like….

Posted on 2024-11-10 by Holly

Update – No Time Like the Present – from Modern Folk Embroider is the last really big project that I have left to finish. Original Stitch count was about 35K. I picked it back up today and managed to work … Continue reading →

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Sunset

Posted on 2024-11-08 by Holly

out my craft room window I could get a much better picture if I either used my good camera or pulled the screen for the window, but I think this will do.  

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Crash & Crunch

Posted on 2024-11-07 by Holly

It was yesterday that something went thump/shake into the side of our house on the deck side. I was too tired to think about anything. George checked it out. Apparently one of our redwoods decided it had an excess branch … Continue reading →

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