checking in

Not a whole lot going on around here---still--in the piecing/quilting areas. I think the hot weather has a lot to do with it, really. High 60's/low 70's for overnight lows and up to high 80's/low to mid 90's for highs-----ugh! We won't get in to heat index values but it is summer in the South. You have heard that old saw about the 4 seasons in Alabama being " almost summer, summer, still summer and Christmas"? Some truth to it, LOL.

Tuesday the Belles met at our pal Beverly's house. The church were we normally meet has other plans for the fellowship hall Tues-Fri all through June and July. That's fine---we knew about it enough in advance to make other plans. The girls had some quilts to turn in as binding was completed. Here you see Skyler thinking he can hide under one while DJ and I were taking pictures of the 5 that came home with me. The one on top was last seen HERE and is made from stuff that I re-purposed.


We had a lovely potluck meal and good conversation---a more relaxed setting and no pinning for a change, LOL. Beverly DID have space where we could if we had to. I had all those batting sections I had sewn together into usable measurements in the trunk of my car, just in case. I had also grabbed our table clamps, etc at our last May meeting and have been driving aroud with that stuff too.

No, my Bridge Creek Blossom top is NOT done---it looks just like it did last week. I did manage to trace off the June calendar block though and stitched a bit on it----yeah, I am already behind on that project too but so be it.

Here is one of Lois' scrappy quilts. I cannot remember the pattern source for her pattern other than one of those layer cake, charm squares book but really the pattern is an old one. Vestibule or Square Cross are two names and it dates back to the 30's attributed to both Nancy Cabot and Ladies Art Company. All the author did was update it for using the pre-cut pieces so popular today. The one in the book was lovely since the fabrics all went together and were probably all from the same line----a trend that leaves some of us a little ambivalent. I think that Lois' quilt is far more fun being scrappy---it is a donation quilt after all and a child is going to love the little things they find in the fabric. I know I do! Woohoo for stash busting and re-purposing your scraps!

Monday I logged quite a bit of kitchen time as I prepared my dishes for the potluck and did some prep work for our meals this week. I am trying to get my recipe files into a more logical filing method in my MasterCook software. It is time consuming to copy/paste/delete but as I am working I am finding things that sound interesting or new to us recipes to try. I can heartily recommend the Chicken Souvlaki gyro style from the allrecipe pages, for example. DJ ordinarily does not care for yogurt or cucumber but loves the tzatziki sauce that comes with a gyro at Mata's down the road from us. He couldn't believe that I knew how to make it, LOL! Or that I can make flat bread that is just like theirs, for that matter.

Aline sent me home from the meeting with a big bag of fresh green beans from the garden. I snapped those up and fixed them while they were still fresh. Yummers! Lois had given me some yellow squash and zucchini the week before---some of it became two loaves of zucchini bread. Jane had offered some fresh beans last week as well but I was prepping for a colonscopy and had to pass. (The test went well though I did not feel well before the test or for a few days after even. Not their fault, it was just me. Ok now though) I still want some fresh blueberries and some Alabama peaches though! Then it will officially be summer.


Today is laundry day so Skyler was making himself at home in the underwear drawer. He gave that up when I came back into the room with the stuff that needs to be hung up. An hour or so later, and he is still on it. Warm laundry! Why do you think he was so opposed to getting on his cat window perch(es) when I washed them if he likes the warmth and soap smell???


Last picture: the red crape myrtle is starting to come out. The pinky, purply one is too and you might catch a glimpse of it to the right. When we moved here in 97 this poor thing had a fairly crooked trunk and DJ had to stake it up for the better part of two years. It got with the program though. There were a few roses out and the tiger lilies are in bloom. Lots more blooms open on the Rose of Sharon then when I shared a picture of it recently.

Guess that's it for this posting. Hope all is well where you are. Stay cool if you can!