A Quick Magdalena Menagerie Rug Update

Day 11 of this rug. 

I have finally had some time to sit down and work on the Magdalena Menagerie (MM) rug pattern.  I am making myself stay with the immediate area of the lollipop bush, circles and the immediate surroundings.  I do not like the circles!  They are very tedious to hook. 

It feels like I'm not making any progress, but in counting the circles, I only have 27 left.  I think I started with 60, but I'm too tired to count them all again.  I am almost ready to head for one of the crows as a relief from the circles, but that would be breaking my ground rules.

I am grumpy about doing the circles, but I have a large rotating frame from The Needleworks by Charlie Fitzsimmons and it is a beauty.  How did Magdalena ever hook all the circles in her lollipop bush?  Yikes, she must have been a patient woman!  Magdalena, are you watching me?  I hope it is giving you a good giggle up in the heavens above us!

I don't care much for the vase or whatever it is that supports the lollipop bush based on this picture, but it looks better in person than with the camera flash.  It will stay in for now because it looks old when you see the rug in person, but it may come out and be replaced yet. 

Here's a copy of the same picture in black and white to show value changes.  Some circles may have to be reworked as I progress further due to value issues.  It's too early to tell.

Please note:  research I've conducted indicates antique rugs created before 1923 are no longer subject to copyright law and this is why these rug patterns are offered for sale by commercial rug hooking vendors.  Before replicating any antique rug pattern, please attempt to determine the date of the rug's origination to be consistent with copyright.