nuntium tricesimum sextum (36th post) motif #12 and goodies

Well, now here we are on August 8th.  Next week, we teachers go back to school. This is extra early and a little hard to face.  : )

We spent an extra day in North Dakota and then came home last week on Thursday night. We had a great time and I was able to finish one pair of the Mary Konior booties during the trip.  Then I had surgery on Friday morning and have been able to tat pretty much since then so I got the second pair done! Woo hoo!  I forgot to mention this last time but this is actually motif #12! (4 times)

motif #12 (x 4)

While in ND, we got to see many wonderful things and people including my grandparents.  We call them Oma and Opa and I got them 26 years ago when my mom married my wonderful step-father.  Oma crochets beautiful things and knows how much I love hand-crafted works.  She showed me a lovely quilt that her mother started and then her sister-in-law finished and then returned to Oma and Opa.  Can you imagine?  They did put a dent in my tatting time because we had to play pinochle which is always so fun with them.

And then I spotted this doily which Oma made, isn't it glorious?  (Actually I've admired it for many years but I wanted to spotlight it.)

My parents took us all to Hobby Lobby and said, "Get what you want!"  I hope someday we can do that for our children and their families but certainly not now!  We had so much fun and I really overdid it on the Lizbeth.  There are so many colors available right in the store!  I also got some interesting findings and the bobby pins that Randa uses.  It was truly Christmas in July (August).

And then on the way home, my wonderful husband said we could stop at Nordic Needle in Fargo- that was fantastic too.  They had EasyBobs- yay! and the book Tatting from Burda which has been on my wish list forever and the loveliest Brazilian thread.  It says it's embroidery floss but I couldn't resist so my younger daughter (color consultant) helped me choose to my heart's content. 

I don't know how it will tat up but it was so pretty and shiny and soft, I'm determined to make it work.  I think this had better be my birthday present, don't you?

North Dakota is so beautiful.  We went to Fort Lincoln state park to the fort blockhouses which are rebuilt. This is one of the loveliest views of the surrounding area and the Missouri.

This year the Missouri River is deadly dangerous.  There's too much water upstream so the two dams above Bimarck are releasing extra water.  Consequently the houses in the river bottoms are in danger. If you look closely at the picture, you will see these homes surrounded by sandbags.  The city has put up dikes but even so the danger looms. The problem has lasted since late May and will continue until winter.  What will happen when the river freezes?

I'm feeling very blessed and lucky to be here, safe in Minnesota with both of us with jobs and good health.