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!

Would you believe

Posted on 2023-08-03 by Holly

that I received a heavy package in the mail. No recognition on my part as to the return address. Not a name, just a street address.. Opening it up – this is what was inside – one each, ugly large … Continue reading →

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so many dogs

Posted on 2023-08-01 by Holly

I just couldn’t resist this photo – after finding it in my email + having had it texted to me several times. It seems that the green of Golden Retriever originated in Scotland in the 1800s. And so there was … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Travel | 1 Comment

More Greenhouse

Posted on 2023-07-26 by Holly

and I keep adding a bit here and there to Lola Crow’s Greenhouse of Oddities. You can see that big, lovely bit of poisonous plant dripping a bit of blood in the middle. I actually finished this up on Monday, … Continue reading →

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Treasure Island – Part 6

Posted on 2023-07-25 by Holly

Another one of my SALs that had another section released last week is this year’s Owl Forest’s Treasure Island. So far I am keeping up – but not sure that is going to be the case for the long run. … Continue reading →

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All 4 elements

Posted on 2023-07-24 by Holly

And finished! I am rather pleased….given this is over 10″ wide – I am thinking about a 30 cm wide round hoop/frame….

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and the fire element

Posted on 2023-07-23 by Holly

This piece, as I have mentioned in previous months, is called 4 Elements. It is by Satsuma Street. As it is another one of those “a bit larger than I would otherwise want” type pieces, I have been glad it … Continue reading →

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Headed to the corner

Posted on 2023-07-22 by Holly

I haven’t posted much about the July portion of the Royal Gardens SAL Perhaps it is because I am just finishing up the last bit of June (that portion of the border coming down to the corner). Each one of … Continue reading →

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Alternative Libraries

Posted on 2023-07-20 by Holly

I just can’t resist. As I mentioned a couple of years ago, we put up one of the “wee free library boxes” down at street level near our mailbox. There are a number of them in our neighbor. Some seem … Continue reading →

Posted in Around Berkeley | 1 Comment

Flowers

Posted on 2023-07-19 by Holly

This lovely bouquet of flowers appeared on our doorstep today. It was sent by a friend and fellow stitcher who decided that I needed cheering up. I like doing things for other people, but often feel guilty when anyone does … Continue reading →

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Greenhouse – 7th Planting

Posted on 2023-07-18 by Holly

And another portion of the Greenhouse of Oddities has been released. But since that was last Friday and stitching wasn’t really high on my list of priorities after getting home from cataract surgery. it took till yesterday till I got … Continue reading →

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She is done

Posted on 2023-07-17 by Holly

and I just finished her – Summer Cat by Barbara Ana. The fabric is one of the DMC printed 14cts that they came out with in the last couple of years and is stitched with all DMC. I even completed … Continue reading →

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Summer Cat

Posted on 2023-07-16 by Holly

Thinking back to earlier this week – I guess I really don’t notice my eyes. They are just there. My glasses are on/off my face depending on what I am doing and which method seems to get the best result. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch, Knitting, Medical | 1 Comment

Not particularly

Posted on 2023-07-14 by Holly

much fun at all. Admittedly, it wasn’t exactly a poke in the eye with a pointy stick. More like a series of something or other under just enough sedation that I didn’t run screaming from the operating theatre. Cataract surgery, … Continue reading →

Posted in Medical | Leave a comment

Stitching cats

Posted on 2023-07-12 by Holly

I am thinking this will be a series of four. Spring cat is already done – and I have a good start on Summer Cat.   the 1700 stitches today were mostly in her skirt, but also the sailboat and … Continue reading →

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A call

Posted on 2023-07-11 by Holly

As I mentioned (I think I did….) that I was seen in the cataract clinic yesterday. After going through the testing and jumping various hurdles, I was told that the surgery schedulers would call me and arrange surgery date/s sometime … Continue reading →

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Almost gone

Posted on 2023-07-06 by Holly

Staring in 1986, my first assignment out of the AEHA Occupational Medicine residency was to Army Materiel Command which was located at the time on the southern beltway stretch in Virginia, not that far from DC. I mention this because … Continue reading →

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Closets

Posted on 2023-06-30 by Holly

Some people’s closets are nice, neat, organized, and come complete with a door to close them off from view.  My closet can be best described as needing to be excavated on a good day and perhaps deserving of a match … Continue reading →

Posted in Home | 1 Comment

Fancy Ladies

Posted on 2023-06-29 by Holly

Pam of StitchNewEngland started a set of Zoom stitch togethers over a year ago. One is for the Hawk Run Hollow stitchers and a second one featuring all the “Fancy Ladies” such as designed by Bella Fillapina, Nora Corbett, Lavender … Continue reading →

Posted in Cross-Stitch | 1 Comment

Treasure Island

Posted on 2023-06-28 by Holly

S0, ok it is an every two week release on Friday but since I wasn’t exactly home this weekend, this was the first chance I had to stitch this particular segment of the stitch-a-long.  This is Part 4 of perhaps … Continue reading →

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Sacramento

Posted on 2023-06-24 by Holly

It has been over two months since I arrived home from my double transatlantic adventure. But who is counting….. and even longer since George and I took a weekend away. So, after warning all the kids (and making sure that … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | 2 Comments