One of THOSE days

Skyler laying on the clean towels---you may not be able to see just how downhill his head is laying but I don't know that he is in any better shape than I am today.

If one more thing goes wrong, I believe I should take my husband's suggestion and just go back to bed. I stayed up too late reading a short book I had gotten from the library so I was sound asleep when the alarm went off at 5. Normally I wake a bit before the alarm would go off or Skyler sees to it that I do. At first I couldn't figure out what that noise was but since I want to beat the heat and bright sun beating down while I walk, I got up and got going. So far, so good. I even remembered to run DJ's mail to the post office and the water bill to the drop box. Usually he has to ask me more than once as I walk right past them on the way out the door---I didn't write those checks out after all.

First thing that happened? My ear buds kept breaking in and out on the mp3 player. It had done it before but now it was a more constant thing. By lap 5 I tossed them in the garbage can and continued on without it but as soon as I got home, grabbed my checkbook and off to get a replacement set---NOW, before I got busy and didn't have a set for tomorrow's walk.

Still not such a bad day. I decided to bake before it got to hot in the house---that's when I should have turned around and went the other way. I had some leftover buttermilk to use up, enough bananas in the freezer which I had pulled out yesterday to thaw and printed off the recipe for Banana Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Fudge Frosting. I guess because of the buttermilk, it is one of those recipes where you need to alternate mixing in the dry ingredients with the wet. (There is still some buttermilk left but that might go in cornbread or pancakes later---neither of us would consider drinking it) Still so far, so good.

The flour was in the 8 cup measure, the oatmeal, baking powder----I reached for the baking soda container just as Skyler let out a loud squawl. I turned around to see what his trouble was (nothing, just running up high on the pass through again) and promptly dropped the container right in the flour mixture spewing it all over the counter, the stove, the floor, the rug, me---everywhere! Dump that as who knows what is missing in quantities?

I drug out the shop vac to clean up the mess. I don't use this often, we haven't had it long as it replaced an old canister Eureka we had. When I have used it , DJ has gotten it all set up for me. That might explain why I plugged the hose into exhaust opening instead of vacuum one. My mess was now an even worse one--oatmeal, flour all over the floor---great! The current ant invasion is going to love this if I don't get every speck up

DJ came home from his hardware store run and asked why the vacuum is sitting out. No sooner did I relate the story of why I needed the vacuum. oh great---he is laughing and thinks this is funny! No cake for you, Mister if you keep it up, I am thinking! I told him to NOT put it up till I was done with the cake ingredients. I knew that alternating dry and wet usually sprays the counter with flour when you start the mixer back up so I would be prepared for more vacuuming. Wouldn't you know-- the thawed bananas in the ziploc bag decided to release their liquid all the way from the fridge to the workspace. I told him that if the floor didn't need mopping before it did now. Ugh, it even dribbled on my socks and more mess for the rug!

Turns out unbeknownst to me, he had already swept the floor and spot mopped this morning. You see, the floor was tacky from the ant spray he had to put down right at supper time last night. Yep, Skyler spotted them right near the bookshelf and door threshhold. NOT AGAIN with those darned ants! He thought they were after some old cookie crumbs in a cookie jar we no longer use and headed for his tin where they are now stored. They didn't get the word about the marshmallows stored in the other cookie jar with the unsweetened chocolate. We think they left the stored dried fruit and pasta alone that are in jars atop the book shelf. I have lost more food in the last three years due to the ant waves and we have even had them short out our airconditioner unit. Sick, sick, sick to death of them to say nothing about the ones biting me----in the house! I can avoid the ant hills outside but in my own house?

This cartoon from yesterday's Garfield sort of explains our approach to cleaning. Can't wish it away but when it bugs you enough, you deal with it. The house isn't filthy, it is clean enough but neither of us spends all day cleaning house unless we have company coming---THEN we "G. I. Joe" really clean it. We joke "when is Herb coming?" as the house needs cleaning. We vacuum when it needs it, dust when it needs it. It's not my assigned job anymore than it is his. The kitchen and bathrooms are kept tidy. We just don't live to clean, know what I mean?

So the oatmeal, flour and banana water is cleaned up and the floor cleaned not once, but twice but I hit some spots he didn't while I had the shop vac out. The rugs and cleaning rags are in the washer. I didn't burn the cake----which at this point would have been par for the course at the rate I was going. BUT I have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Since then I have caught myself thinking "it would be just like me to drop the batter bowl and break the glass all over the floor". Or "it would be just like me to spill this whole tray full of cubes from the ice maker".

Well, actually I did sort of cause a problem with those the other day, come to think of it. DJ seldom uses ice and I don't use a ton of it but the ice maker keeps churning it out. About every 4 days or so I dump most of the tray out. DJ went to get out a garbage bag from under the sink the other day and found some water standing. Near as he could tell, the condensation from all the ice melting was dripping off the pipes. I am to dump the stuff outside now or risk getting the ziploc bags boxes, kitchen towels etc all wet again.

Dare I try to sew today with that klutzy cloud hanging over my head? I feel like that character from Al Capp's Li'l Abner Joe Btfsplk about now. (yeah, showing my age too). I will wait till afternoon to find out. Cake should be cooled enough to make that yummy frosting---cross your fingers!

ed note---well, I just about messed the frosting up too as I forgot the butter and brown sugar was on the burner and got distracted. DJ said if that cake is even edible, then we should call it "Miracle Cake". Sheesh, I am dangerous!

this and that

I don't know how well this picture turned out but there were three birds out there that Skyler was trying to charm, one a cardinal and a pair of two others that I can't identify. I think there is a nest in the nearby holly bushes but haven't spotted it yet. They are squawky things with a fairly long beak and they torment him a goodly part of the day. It does not seem to bother the birds that I am in here with the TV or book on tape on either.

Norma was off on Friday so we had a sort of spontaneous "Move It Forward" thing going on. My "Two of a Kind" had been going slowly for a good part of the week but I have it up to the 11 of 21 row mark or the upper right corner is the actually corner top of the quilt's width at this point. I think we nudged Pat to get the borders applied on her Magic Trip Around the World though she was headed there anyway! See her blog for the finished top and a few posts back as to what makes this a magic method--pretty cool!

Yesterday after the grocery run I was busy in the kitchen so no sewing there. I had hardly sat down when another day's golf tournament DJ was following was pre-empted for continuous weather coverage. It was in the county just east of us and headed this way to the northern part of the county. Weather spotters apparently saw one on the ground near our little town. We didn't feel the house shaking and couldn't tell if there was rain or high winds at the time but didn't take any chances and went through our safety plan. Never lost power which was good because I sure needed those fans on after my kitchen stint. No way would we, stupidly, stand by a window or outside to look. It is still raining this morning---DJ said we had an inch in the rain gauge a few minutes ago.

No signs of lightning in the area so I will able to get the machine. A friend needs my help with some quilting--she tried but none of her machines were cooperating for various reasons. She brought over three pinned baby quilts on Saturday afternoon. It should go quickly with simple stitch in the ditch straight lines. I have 6 donation quilts piled up at this point so I'll probably keep pushing to get those done or near done this week. I'll definitely be ready to get back to my Two of Kind after that!

After I posted last Sunday, I had found out the May dates when this same friend and her husband would traveling through IL. Marilyn has family in MO, IA and MN while Roger has family in eastern NE so they drive within miles of where my parents and a brother lives. She asked if I wanted to ride along---I do-- but told my mom that I was not sure that I could be gone for 11-12 days especially since I have my Dream Trip to OR (DT2OR) coming up in August. DJ agreed to pick me up at the ATL airport----he better! A one way flight was arranged so I can be home in a week. Thanks, Mom!

Also last weekend the FABS finally nailed down the dates for our retreat. Two of girls needed to put in for their vacation time so it was decision time. Just set the dates and we'll work out the rest of the details from there was the plan and consensus. I have been watching airfare rates for some time to get a ballpark idea of rates but with Pam's help we looked at flights that would get me to her house a few days ahead of the retreat and closer to her home. We both have been waiting for this trip for 10 years!! We met in a yahoogroup back in 98-99 and swore this day would come, someday.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Cher in person on several occasions when she came east to see her sister who lives in the ATL area, approx 2 hrs away. Norma and I have become fast friends the past couple years through our blogs, emails, IM's. We aren't going to let something like the US/Canadian BC border stand in our way if I'm coming to PDX! Pat joined the 4 of us more recently, again through blogging, and I can't wait to meet her in person! The flights to and from are booked and I'm counting down the days (92 at this writing) I am still pinching myself.

So that's about it for this installment---darned near a pictureless post and likely to be that way for awhile. IIWII--------

another finish

I don't know if this goes on the "Move It Forward" weekend tally or not. Since Norma and I set the "rules", I suppose it could if I said it counts. Friday was the official day but I finished the remaining bits of stitching on my Bird Brain Santa Sunday afternoon.



Next up: binding on my bargello quilt. I am going to set the room up and get to stitching in a few minutes. A few more books on tape have been downloaded from the local library e-books so I am ready to roll there. I am very pokey when it comes to binding mostly because I stitch it so closely together. This has 80-20 batting and I may need to add a bit of batting in there to plump it up a bit too. However, the biggest reason is that I get sidetracked by the computer. The next thing I know I am off playing my newest fav on the solitaire program or working a jigsaw puzzle or checking blogs and email, LOL. No wonder a large quilt can take 3 days! I will probably drag it to the quilt meeting tomorrow where I will have fewer distractions. Yeah, right--keep telling yourself that, Linda!

Our Easter was a fairly quiet day. I had debated about even fixing a traditional type meal. DJ said he really didn't care one way or the other but by the time I went to get groceries, there was not a single spiral cut ham to be had. I ended up getting a package of ham steaks which is enough for the two of us anyway. The only real fuss I made was making Picadilly Carrot Souffle. Even dessert was courtesy of Mrs. Smith and the scalloped potatoes, Betty Crocker. I just didn't have time to do the scratch stuff I normally would do. I also threw together a little batch of guacamole and some tzatziki sauce for some meals this week. Actually I am sort of combining two sauce recipes but the basic ingredients are very similar.

I have a taste for a gyro sandwich this week but after a check at three groceries, the only lamb I found was two sorry packages of lamb chops and a huge leg of lamb. No ground meat that I know I have spotted before. SIGH. This is one of the times where I realize how spoiled I was in Bloomington-Normal being able to find almost ingredient for fixing anything that struck my fancy. I do a lot of different ethnic stuff to the point that DJ has asked what country are we eating in tonight, LOL. Also in B-N we had a great restaurant to go to and let someone else fix it--the gyro, that is. This place gave you more than two little strips of the meat like the one spot that makes them here that I know of.

More griping about the local stores. I remember when we first moved here not being able to track down pita bread among other things. I attempted to make my own which sorta worked. (Should try them again on my yeast bread making journey this year) At one point a store that closed within the last two years had kits for gyros in the deli that had everything you needed but the produce---alas, even that is not an option. I have also been looking for pierogis for about two months; the one store that DID have them, does no longer but I finally spotted them at another when I got groceries. Wsgon wheel pasta and whole chiles? None in town but a store about 20 miles north of here does have them. I stopped on the way back from Gadsden-Boaz and got some.

I realize that some people are more of the "meat, bread, potatoes and beans" mold than I am. Others are happy to use all the convenience food and mixes too. I prefer to scratch cook if I can to control the fat and salt contents but don't always. Some days when I am really busy sewing, I just it fast and done! Stores can't stock everything, I know. As a matter of fact, I am on the hunt for semolina flour too. Again, they used to have it and don't anymore. I can check at the health food store after our meeeting for that one. Just plain frustrating!

Back to the gyros meat business, I read a suggestion on all recipes that one lady suggested putting the meat in the food processor to compact the loaf and broiled it rather than grilling it like burgers so I am going to try that. I'll prep it this morning and chill it so it is easier to slice thinly when we are ready for it. It has been raining and blowing through the night so I don't want to plan on grilling anything.

If you hung in through the rant, bless you, LOL. Off my soapbox and off to the kitchen.

I got nuthin'...........

Well, it has been one of those weeks where little is getting done here creatively. No finishes of any kind but then I didn't really expect to have any either. Do you count the following as creative or just part of the process?

• made and applied a pompom to that golf head cover when DH said he might play golf today
  
• wove in the ends on 5 dishcloths that I had knit
• crocheted another dishcloth just for something different----I don't think I had crocheted any actual objects since the granny squares in the 70's! Had to google how to do a Half double crochet stitch, LOL. I am knitting one more to use up the yarn but I pretty well set for dishcloths right now
  
• cut out the strip sets for my Twisted Sisters class this coming Saturday
  
• applied the inner muslin border to my Cheese and Crackers top at our quilt meeting on Tuesday. I said I was not going to leave till I get that done. I was the first one there and the last to leave, LOL.
• stapled the loose protective covering on the bottom of the couch and love seat yesterday when DJ helped me flip them over to get at it. 12 of Skyler's puff balls under the couch, 6 under the love seat---no surprise there!
  

Nothing much picture worthy in that list. I forgot to take my camera to the meeting as I had a whole trunkful of stuff to haul with me this time since I was sewing plus a thread order to deliver, etc. Pat had a sweet quilt for a little girl that I need to corral DJ to hold up.

I helped a few of the girls to make a hot iron cover like the one in my tutorial HERE. Linda C got hers done except for the fitting to her own iron. Woohoo! Since we didn't have ribbon to match and had extra bias strips for the finishing edge, we used the extra strips to make self ties. That plan worked out nicely once I remembered how you fold the fabric to make them. A good learning experience for Linda since she learned how to cut bias strips, how to offset her 1/4 inch seams, how to do a binding join and few other things along with it. Others just wanted the pattern to take along to try at home. (One girl is going to try to make a little teeny one for her Hobbs iron and we discussed how she might go about doing that. )

I swapped out machines because I have intended to start sewing the TwSis strip sets for several days now. I want the Janome Gem for this project since that is what I will haul to the workshop. I had a bunch of errands to run yesterday and still have some paperwork that needs tending. The days have been busy but as I said earlier, no real production and very little sewing.

My friend Judy called yesterday to see if I could get away and run up with her to Boaz as she had a couple quilts to deliver to the long arm quilter. I should have stayed home, I guess, but it was more fun to get out the house, LOL. Here is what followed me home---yeah, more 30's fabric. As much as purple tones are my fav color, I have little purple in the 30's prints and used half of it in the Cheese and Crackers. Just half yards. The buttons may work for the "Be Attitudes" quilt-let. I need something that looks like the cherry on top of the cupcake for the March block. I have a button collection so if they don't work, no biggie.




We had a good time and had a nice visit plus hit two fabric spots, went window shopping at the home dec outlet store and a delish lunch at the Mill Street Deli. (SW chicken wrap---yummy!) Spotted some Bradford Pear trees starting to bloom and some of the forsythia is coming out along the drive but it was pretty overcast today. We may have some storms coming in the next few days but I sure hope it is nothing like the hail and two tornadoes in the area we had recently. DJ has found that the shed screen needs replaced as does my bedroom window from the quarter sized hail we had.

I've been essentially busy in the kitchen ever since I got home and sat down to write this note. Threw a roast into marinate for tomorrow, made some spinach manicotti for supper. Is there any easier way to fill those things? I tried a stuffed ziploc bag with a little success. I re-loaded my munchie veggie tray and still need to put some pinto beans on for an overnight soak. I am craving chocolate so I would not be surprised to be whipping up a pan of brownies to get THAT out of my system, LOL.

Hope you have had a good day in whatever you chose to do----------

what's gone on this past week

Boy, this should teach me not to take so long to post. 3rd post in one day. Then I promise I will hush up, LOL.

As always when you return from a trip there are things to take care of on the home front--unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping, errands and so forth. It was no exception at our house. I had books to list and fabric to put away on top of that. More on the fabric later.

I had done most of the binding of this donation quilt in the car when I wasn't taking my turn driving. I have shown it some time back as a top but now it is quilted. I call it Pippi Memorial Garden to honor my kitty girl but the real name was Rose Garden or some such thing. I am just being too lazy to go link to the past post or the pattern site if it even said it on the pdf file. I took the last stitch on it Sunday evening.





Here is Skyler giving the quilt one last love. Somehow I feel like Pippi would be proud of him since she was a champion quilt tester. This was the last one to go in the box as it was heading out with the others for M2M. I mailed out 14 quilts yesterday morning.. Pat is kindly quilting 3 others and 3 of them have already been sent on so that makes 20 children that will receive a quilt from my mom and me with binding help from my quilt group.

Back to the fabric---it was in two boxes and then a smaller one with scraps, orphaned blocks and quilt "toys" and notions from the man who donated the fabric. It couldn't really stay in those? Or could it? There really is not a lot of surplus space around here to store it but I could make some room in the bedroom closet if I cleaned some stuff out. I did that first--tossed some clothes, donated some clothes to the thrift store. The few things I did keep went in the blanket chest. Then I separated the fabric stuff from the boxes into types--Christmas fabric, homespuns and plaids, tops that need remodeling. Boxed those up separately. The stuff that remained? I separated it by colors but that led to going through the existing stash stored under the pressing//cutting table plus a few bins on the shelving units. It all broke down basically into reds, blacks and grays, blues, greens, purples, pinks and yellows and yardage for quilt backs. Back into the bins when I was done. I don't have enough room to devote a whole bin to some of those---they is still some of the same colors in other spots---but it is better than it was.

By Friday night I should have cut out the fabric for the FABS challenge the next day. Problem was--I had lost my glasses that I need for distant driving when I was on my trip. I had made an appointment for an long overdue eye exam that day and had my eyes dilated. Who knew? I have some cataracts developing and some changes that needs some further testing in about an week. This might have been a blessing in disguise if there is indeed something that bears watching or further treatment. BUT my eyes remained fuzzy from the dilation and I didn't think I better be operating a rotary cutter. Instead I rewrote the EQ drawings and amended the document I had made for the cutting and such for our use the next day. If anyone wants the pdf file for this, email me and let me know and I'll be happy to share it with you.

I was kind of lagging behind Pam, Pat, Norma and Cher all day but here is my finished CGF ( Cher's Gym Floor for our acronym loving bunch)top. If you have seen how theirs turned out you see how different they look. Cher and Pat did the original version with 12 inch squares of focus fabric while I scaled mine to 8 inch. Pam did as well but she didn't flip the blocks as I had originally drawn it. Norma did something completely different and made the blocks half the size and used her scraps.

The focus fabric I used was another challenge piece from my mom called Jungle River Party. She sent the raspberry red back with me as it matches the elephant in the fabric so well. The lime green was unearthed in the fabric organization shift though I believe that I had used some as a quilt back in the past--I found the cutaways stuck in with the yardage. The gold is that favorite told tone on tone that WTIL participants will remember as "Kit fabric" Ellen sent me a roll of the yardage when more was donated. All from stash--if not my own, then someone else's originally but I work on the idea at that point that possession in 9/10ths of the law if it has resided at my house for more than a few months.

Here is what my Mom did with the same fabric. Pat generously shared her directions and a tutorial on how to make one of these HERE . You can see where she had raspberry red fabric to share. I may use the leftovers for binding---or more of that lime green??? Mom also used a bit of that ubiquitous gold TOT.

So what else? My printer died yesterday and had to be replaced as I had packing slip to print. That's is how I found out it would no longer feed. 4th one of my 11 year computer life. The heating grate on the grill disintegrated and by the time the food I was grilling yesterday was done it was sitting on the flame. I was trying to find the parts online last night but we have an ancient model number I guess and no parts. DJ talked to a humanoid today and he suggested some universal parts---I checked when I went to pick up my glasses and told DJ about it so we are back in business there.

We decided to switch to Vonage and are waiting for some sort of phone router to be delivered. The CSR assured DJ that a 10 yr old could install it. DJ asked, in effect, if the 10 yr old came with it. Turns out we know of one that will be headed this way in about two wks---we might need you, Ted, LOL.

Oh, the glasses? Mom just called and found them in her car. I had borrowed the car when I met Allison for lunch but didn't remember putting them in the car for night driving. Doesn't that figure? Well, the new ones are for distance and driving and not close up reading. Save me from buying a cheap pair of reading glasses anyway.

I didn't do a lick of sewing today again and I might not tonight either. Got some library books due tomorrow so I may just curl up with one of those after supper. And so it goes...............

bargello bowling--standstill

Norma posted on her blog about our sewing together on Sunday. I got a bit of a jumpstart on Saturday joining some strips but she soon caught up and surpassed me. Time out for groceries and cake making will do that. And guess what? My husband thought we should eat, LOL.

This is how things looked by yesterday morning. 1st strata completed and 2/3rd of the 2nd one joined. I sewed for about an hour but then needed to go walk, run a quick errand for something I was to bring to the funeral luncheon, shower and get ready to roll on outta here. Another of our quilt group is currently hospitalized and I stopped to see here briefly since it was on the way to the visitation.

Next thing I knew, it was 3:30 and I was just getting home. My husband greeted me with the news that the house guests we expected this afternoon would be here in about 2 1/2 hours. Thank heavens the house only needed some touchup work---mostly vacuuming though I did have to change the bed linens and clean the bathroom too. He also told me that they would be here for dinner and told THEM we normally eat by 6 p.m. I could have slugged him---hurry up and clean and cook besides??? Man, you aren't wanting much are you? But I pulled together a decent meal aided by leftovers from the luncheon. Then no houseguests arrived. We turned in at our usual time as sometimes they do arrive late and stay out in the van.......

No van this morning either......I am sensing some major miscommunication between the two husbands at this point. Maybe DJ just thought they were coming last night and got the cell phone number out. Meet you at the golf course at around 12. The wife decided to ride around the golf course with the guys and I decided that was not my cup of tea and stayed home to enjoy the peace and quiet, a nice breeze from an opened window and knit. Up to the 70's again today but storms are expected tonight and through the night. Trust me, my sinuses are well aware of that change in barometric pressure. (The crocuses loved the warmer weather, I think, as we now have 29 blooms up instead of the 7 or 8 we counted two days ago. No sign of the purple ones but we saw that the daffodils might not be too long in making their appearance.)

No more sewing till they are gone---all the strips are put away including a nice stuffed shoe box full of cut strips from my mom that I can't wait to get into. Enough for two quilts probably, LOL but since she cut them a half inch bigger than I am using, I have more for bowtie blocks with the leftovers. Busting stash from her and me, I would say. T-shirt quilt stuff is put away but Cher and Finn, I promise you I will be good and get back to the t-shirt quilt before I start sewing more bargello stuff. I had already gotten a bit of the first round sashing added when I decided to "play" this weekend.

Well, my solitude has come to a screeching halt---they are home. Where is the aspirin? Oh, no cooking for me tonight. If we are going to eat at home, it is leftovers from last night, I already decided, LOL.

another week has flown by

Time flies when you are having fun, right? Last post I was heading off to the Gadsden Quilt show in the next day (pictures at end of post) and looking towards two days of sewing at the 8th Annual Bama Belles Fall Sew-In. Time to update my blog, I would say.

I don't have any stitching that I can show you---I got a pile of rail fence blocks done at the sew-in and swapped some out with Theramae who was stitching some as well for a little variety. Other than cutting side setting triangles for the both of us, that is as far as my potential top got. It can wait.

I came home with a stack of 8 or 9 quilts and I still need to number and document them before they can be dispersed. Some will go to WTIL headquarters and others, down to the Presbyterian Home for Children in Talledega. The girls also pinned the last three tops my mom sent that will be going to Mexico and Pam's project. So it is looking a bit crowded in my bedroom right now with available surfaces covered with quilts in some stage of completion. One of these days I better get cranked up on quilting these up.

I also met with the young lady who has commissioned the t-shirt quilt and got the shirts here whenever I am ready to get started on the quilt---a couple of weeks from now anyway. First the row robin blocks, then my merkitties challenge quilt and then the t-shirt quilt. I found the black and white gingham she requested last month in Collinsville and picked up the WOW and interfacing I needed in Gadsden at Hobby Lobby on my way back home from the quilt show. The yardage was marked down and I was able to use a 40% off coupon on the miles of fusible interfacing that it takes.

I am nearing completion on the first block I need for the fall row robin. Working out well but can't show you the results for some time. What fun digging around in the fabric stash pairing up colors! I did have to buy some brown fabrics just to augment the stash and wouldn't you know that every piece is a Thimbleberries print? Not exactly my "thing" since I always think they look too dark and muddy and I swear that I was just shopping by color, not designer when I entered "Brown fabric" in the quiltshops.com search box.

On a non- quilting front, I picked up some yarn today to make an earwarmer/headband thing and maybe some mittens. My ears are getting a little chilly in the morning when I walk and I think that might be just the ticket plus I love to knit when I get a chance. Quilting takes precedence but I do enjoy it. Maybe a bit in the mornings instead of wasting time playing solitaire.

I am also making a committment to do some strength training. My friend Judy recommended a book she found helpful called "Strong Women Stay Young" and lent me her copy. I already own some free weights from years ago and DJ has some a bit heavier but I picked up the ankle weights they recommend today. A little more reading and I am going to get started on that next week. I continue to walk daily now (time off for the sew-in though) and am up to 2.8 miles consistently in about 52 minutes. The fact that I feel like a slug when I don't walk is a good sign for me. Even better, I almost weigh what it says on my drivers license, LOL. That is progress!

Oh, this week's home catastrophe---the plumbing which has been backing up water from the washer into the kitchen sink for months now got worse. DJ did a load of wash while I was gone sewing and the water also flowed out from behind the washer and dryer. He called the plumber who had to go down through the stand pipe and remove a big clog. And under the continued home concern category. no animal control person yet. Not surprising since there is only two of them for the whole county. The others called two or three weeks ago and still no response. They said they would be here Tuesday but no show---a standard problem around here where they tell you what you want to hear so you quit bugging them but then do what they darned well please. BUT no matter, the dog has moved on to either our neighbor across the lane or some other location. I have not seen her for days but something is eating the dog food and drinking the water. Just hope it isn't "varmits." DJ said I should probably quit putting food out if the dog is no where to be seen.

SO enough about me---how about some pictures from the quilt show? A couple of the Belles had several quilts exhibited and some won ribbons in the Viewer's Choice categories. "Horror of Horrors" though, the best of show picked was an appliqued "Kit Quilt". While someone still had to do the quilting and all that applique, I guess it grates on the organizers that a more original design, design set or something with personal fabric choices should have received the recognition. I say, that is what you get when you have uninformed, non-quilting general public doing the picking--they pick what reminds them of what grandma made and so forth and tend not to reward the truly well executed or designed at such events. I'll load as many as blogger will let me-----

Aline's Hanky Quilt--many of the handkerchiefs were bought by her daughter who has been living in England but moving back Stateside soon.

One of our newer Belles, Rosa made this lovely batik star sampler. Theramae helped her arrange the blocks and the multicolored cornerstones a few months back. It is huge though and I could not get the whole quilt in the picture.

I did not know the maker of this quilt but it sure looks fun---those moveable eyes are cool.

I don't know if you can tell that the skirts on this quilt, wall clock etc are three dimensional. The quilt was a challenge piece though I am not sure just which piece HAD to be used.

This quilt was made by Edna, a quilting friend from one of the other quilt groups in the area. These are BOM blocks from the Burns' "Pioneer Sampler" book that about 8 of us from Calhoun County took at a now closed quilt shop. She used the fall colored option while mine are made in 30's print (still need to finish quilting mine) but this is an interesting set for the blocks, I thought. A personal challenge, she said, on the informational notes.

This was one of my favorites--all those itty bitty hexagons and I love the fabrics as well. The quilter executed her design very well, I thought. Ribbon? Who knows---those were awarded long after I left.

This was another one I really liked---a watercolor feel to it. I do not know the quilter.

One of Gary's entries called I think, "Bird of Paradise". He said he had to learn how to foundation piece for the zig zag border. Well done and of course, being a purple lover, I love it!

I don't know much about this one other than it was foundation pieced as well. Very striking.

Guess that's it for now. We are invited down the lane to the neighbors for a cookout tomorrow so I am either headed out to the kitchen to bake a banana cake with caramel icing to contribute to the meal OR finishing up that row block. What I don't do now, I do later...........

Checking in on a Friday

Well, another week has just about come and gone. Next thing you know we will be changing the clocks back to standard time and it will be Thanksgiving here in the States and Christmas soon to follow and on to '08.

Finn asked in a recent post if we "loved the stitches" Oh, I do--whether I am machine quilting or hand quilting but I love hand quilting the best. Always have. I guess Ms. Pippi doesn't care one way or the other just as long as she can test out the quilts. I was nearing the finish of the quilt and she was bound and determined to get up on the quilt hoop---twice that evening, as a matter of fact. Finally I just gave up for the night and once she left, folded it up with the backing facing out and let her have it for her night time sleep spot. BIG mistake. For the first time in months she had pukers. Naturally it hit the quilt--"Murphy's Law". I removed the solid matter and rubbed a laundry stain product all over it. It was on the back of one of the pieced blocks and nothing showed through to the front side so I hoped for the best as I had one more blocks to quilt. Naturally the block I needed to do was located right near the "anointed" spot. BUT I took the last stitch in it just before supper yesterday and it hit the laundry. Thank heavens it all came out. DJ said that if it didn't, I might have another quilt for my own (or Pippi's own) I did put a bit a time into the process but that was NOT the intended purpose when Nancy sent the BOM on to my quilt group to use for our donation quilts. You have seen it in previous posts but I'll get its official portrait next week at the fall sew-in.

Other than that, the only other quilty thing that got done this week is removing the lone strip I had sewn on my 4 patch stacked posie blocks. The color I used just was not "doing it" for me so I ordered a Moda Marble in "Pine" that I like much, much better even with the blocks that have a lot of green from the floral print. I know I will be much happier for having done this as I believe this one IS staying at my house or possibly one of my nieces at some point.

I am about ready to start my row robin blocks---it is not due to be sent out till the middle of November and I am determined not to leave it all till the last minute this time. I decided to go with a foundation pieced block and need 6 of them. Kim may read my blog so I can't say which block I ultimately chose but I am looking forward to some sewing time.

We have had a cold snap the last few days again--it is almost November so that should be expected. Last night for some reason I just could not get warmed up--getting sick or something?? More like a case of role reversal as he was warm enough and I was cold. I put two quilts on the bed and had on my winter pjs but was still cold. We had not turned the heat on yet as the indoor temp was about where we would set the furnace anyway. When I turned on the heat, the thermostat started smoking!! DJ checked it and vacuumed out the dust and darned if it didn't do the same thing again! The a/c side of the thermostat was okay but the heat side, smokin'. A third quilt on the bed finally did the trick and of course, by morning I was down to one, LOL.

But what to do about getting this fixed? DJ could replace the thermostat himself but didn't know if that was a good idea if it was just going to act like it shorted out again if the problem was further down the line. Since he was not sure which direction to proceed with repairs, he stopped by the a/c-heating guy's office to see what they thought might be the problem. They came out soon after and golf was out for the day. Varmits (their word) had chewed through the wire outside. Sheesh, first the fire ants shorted out the a/c this summer and now varmits did in a wire and caused the short. Always something when you are a home owner.

We just had a new Lowe's store open in what used to be Fort McClellan property about 5 miles from our home. DJ and I ran over to check into siding for our shed which I knew needed some repairs and kitchen flooring which I didn't know he was considering but would heartily approve. I am not sure what style of architecture they have at the Fort (Spanish hacienda-like) but this Lowe's is made to look like the rest of the buildings on post. Even a new building near there is similiar in feel. Maybe that was a requirement to build there but who knows? I believe they said that this was the first one with an different exterior. Anyway, I got some more walking in trooping all over the store with him.

There has been a stray dog hanging around the neighborhood for about two weeks now--probably dumped. I'm thinking part husky (blue eyes) and lab maybe, female. It seems the whole lane had been feeding her intermittently and in comparing notes, all but one household had called animal control. Well, now she has adopted us, more or less. DJ called animal control as well but we could not just let the poor thing starve or not get any water till they get out here. There are only two of them for the whole county and last time we had to call them it took like 3 days---we have passed that now. Sweet dog, good disposition, doesn't bark but has a bad skin condition. We just cannot keep her and pay out big bucks to get her treated. Pippi has been an expensive enough kitty this year to take on any more vet bills. The neighbors are not willing to take her either though one might if they didn't have 7 dogs and 2 cats already. We have a fenced back yard but no place to keep her when the weather gets too cold. It is just sad and irresponsible when someone abandons an animal like that. Looks like she (I call her Gigi for "Good Girl") will be here at least through the weekend anyway. At least Pippi doesn't seem too freaked out that the dog is hanging around either of the doors.

There is a quilt show up in Gadsden at Noccalula Falls so I'm headed up there tomorrow morning. I was going to run up today but DJ needed me to stay home in case they came for the dog as he was headed to the golf course--that changed but I decided I could wait. The quilts are going anywhere till tomorrow night, after all. I doubt that there is any water going over the Falls though with this drought. It is a little strange to see a water fall like this right smack dab in the middle of a residential area anyway. BUT I digress---Gary told me that he had 80 some quilts entered this year which is good. Normally he is begging for entries and is lucky to get 40 some and has to fill in with their donation quilts. Last year even some of the Belles were hung. I sure as heck don't have anything done to enter though he told me to get my round robin done so it can be hung with the group of them NEXT year. Yeah, right--first of all, I have to do something with that last row (ugh, brown poly and what is what those corners?) and I want it bigger plus have you ever met me?? My own stuff doesn't get done in a timely manner. I think only 5 of the 14 are done at this point so I am in good company. I should get some pictures for blog fodder anyway since I'm not being very productive and/or can't show what I am going to work on this next week.

But first the fall sew-in on Monday and Tuesday. Simple scrappy rail fence blocks for the group block or work on your own stuff. Have strip baskets, will travel.

Guess that's it for now-----hope you all have a good weekend in whatever you chose to do.

lazy Sunday

Another day of not a lot going on---I guess with both of us "retired" and homebodies it just isn't going to be a thrill a minute in the first place. I shouldn't expect it to be otherwise, LOL. Our weather turned fall like again for a few days with mornings in the mid 40's and afternoons up to the mid 70's. Lovely weather really. They think we are in for some rain tomorrow though--cross your fingers that it materializes. This morning I was dressed in a sweatshirt and long pants trying to keep warm. Tomorrow morning, it is supposed to be in the 60's again at 6 a.m.--I'll be back in my summer walking outfit trying not to get overheated. Make up your mind--which season is it? *VBG*

Thursday I did go on the trip to the Collinsville (AL) quilt shop taking a couple of the Belles along with me as part of the carpool trip. Three other vehicles left from Calhoun County but we took a slightly different route up. By the time we arrived the others were already standing in line with bolts in their hands waiting to be cut.


Here is what followed me home. A couple of flat folds yards--the soft green, pink chopsticks and two yellows. Actually I had bought the calico yellow before and used most all of it on a quilt back--and wanted some more. The black and white gingham was needed for the commissioned t-shirt quilt I will be making at some point. And lastly, I love that blue and yellow print and took the 6.5 yards left on the bolt. It is on the back of the quilt I am handquilting and is so soft and quilts like a dream. I think my purchases totalled about 17 yards and I didn't find that Christmas fabric I have been drooling over in the shop so that's all the stash enhancement for this trip.
Our group of 16 had a yummy lunch at Nessa's. Because the menu is always set by Nessa (no ordering off a menu) I was a little indulgent but ditched the croissant on the sandwich since I knew I was eating dessert regardless--Italian Cream Cake.

Because the room had cleared out a bit once lunch was done, several of the girls stopped to see if there was anything they may have missed. Actually, earlier the group was at the point that once something was cut, the one standing around the large cutting table held up the bolt and asked if anyone wanted some yardage off it before it was put back on the display tables---like shopping from someone else's stack.

We took an unintentional scenic route on the way back. Some fall colors emerging though it is a little early for that here and the weather persons have told us not to expect much of it with the very dry year we are having. The road out of Centre looked sort of familiar but I apparently went too far back to the west but figured we would hit the route we needed if I turned back to the south eventually. I didn't have my Alabama map with me and unlike the other vehicle, no GPS either. Jane called her husband to see if we were on the right track--we were not lost. Soon we were in the county just north of us and then hit a little map dot with a service station. Jane ran in and got directions. Turns out we were about a quarter mile away from a road that took us further south and to the route we needed. I think we all 3 breathed a sigh of relief when we were back in our own county though. Oddly, we got back 30 minutes before the other vehicle did and they left BEFORE us. It would not have mattered but Jane's mom was in the other one and Jane was her ride home.


This is what was waiting for me when I got home. My mom had been to the Bloomington (IL) Hancock's looking around and some of the fabrics were marked down to $1/yd. She got some more fabrics for quilt backs or sewing purposes for the Belles. Nice and bright and pretty kid friendly, right? As I was taking pictures for this post, guess who could not resist the emptied out shopping bag? She stayed in there for well over an hour!

Friday I did get some sewing done---I was able to get 32 more 4 patch posie blocks made for a total of 64-5 inch unfinished blocks. What fun those are! Looking at for cut squares and seeing a different little mirror image emerge is like a little mystery is solved as you work. Yesterday I started on the narrow sashing though I take turns like and then not liking the color I selected. While I love the technique and the pattern idea ( a simple variation of a stack and whack), I do not particularly like looking at the pattern itself. So much verbiage that it about makes my eyes roll back in my head wading through it. Being more a visual learner I probably would be better off with some pictures than all those words. You know, I don't think that I ever did see how wide to cut the narrow sashing---I asked Norma and looked back on her September blog archives. The link will take you back to her first one--she also has one in pumpkin fabrics later in the month.
Saturday morning we were off to a pancake/sausage breakfast after I got my walking in. Jane's husband's was involved in it as a fund raiser for his lodge and she gave me two tickets. I sewed through one side of that sashing on all the blocks between chatting, hands of solitaire and watching a bunch of programs I had recorded on the DVR for later viewing.
Today, I was toying with the idea of handquilting a bit again---I said that I could finish it in a month of Sunday's and this is Sunday after all. Didn't happen but that's okay. Researching a few things on the computer, more hands of solitaire, read for awhile, just generally taking it easy. Doesn't make for an exciting, thrill a minute post but that's how life goes at least around here.....................

Caught up----temporarily

When I last posted, I had just begun some machine quilting. I did 6 large block Rising Star on Thursday. The picture links are in my last post for all but the snuggle up so the links are for the online patterns.

Friday I started off with a Snuggle Up with 6 inch squares and double border that Marilyn had made and donated. I followed that one up with a 4 x 6 block set of Faux Log Cabin and finished off the evening by doing the horizontal and vertical lines on Boot Scootin' Boogie in the Warm Wishes.

Saturday, it was back to the center rails on the Warm Wishes and next up the Hidden Spools By mid afternoon it was onto the last one, Cross Roads to Jerico (see the link to Nancy's original top--I don't see a pattern online)--now that one was a bit labor intensive since I only do ditch work but it was worth the effort even if it took me longer to do it than the other two.

Sunday---bound, labeled and trimmed all 6 of them so the Belles will have plenty of binding to keep them busy at tomorrow's meeting should they not want to pin some of the tops I have on hand.

LOL, no quilting today--I walked, ran a few errands, got my hair cut (short) and worked out some pictures that I can share with fall and/or Thanksgiving themed quilt blocks. You know how many blocks share the same name but can look completely different. This will be the case here. Turkey Tracks, Wild Goose Chase, Maple Leaf.........The numbers are the Brackman assigned numbers from BlockBase software or her book Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Blocks

Top row: Hickory Leaf or Oak Leaf #3110, Providence #1819 or 2920

2nd row: Duck Tracks (found it on Quilter's Cache), Peace and Plenty #1201

3rd row: Hearth and Home Quilt #3230, my attempt to draw Harvest Basket from the 365 Quilt Blocks a Year Calendar atop my computer---something is wrong and I can't color the danged handle so gave up for now

4th row: Spider Web (there are about 20 some blocks listed in BlockBase that have Spider in the Name so lots of choices there!), Corn and Beans #2486---six blocks with that one.










Moving onto the word "turkey"---all the ones in the right column are called "Turkey Tracks" BlockBase lists 7 of them but these are 1883, 3098 and 3109 from the top.

Left column Turkey Giblets #1305, I would call the next one "Bear Paw" but one of its alternate names is Illinois Turkey Track #1879 and the lat one, Turkey in the Straw #2782














Let's try geese named blocks

Top row: oh this is a good one Wild Goose Chase but alternate names are Ducks and Ducklings, Corn and Beans, Hens and Chicks---its all good, LOL #1859b--the other block is labeled 6-grid Wild Goose Chase in EQ

2nd row: Wild Goose Chase or Birds in Flight but they were flying the right direction till I rotated it #480, the other one also Wild Goose Chase #2051

3rd row: Flock of Geese #1321, more commonly called "Dutchman's Puzzle" but it is another Wild Goose Chase #1339a

4th row: Wild Geese #1692b, Whirling Geese (or Cyclone). You can google them--one is one the McCall's site online and the other Eleanor Burns' Quilt in a Day








Then there is the variety of maple leaves and its variations in spelling

Top row: The Maple Leaf #3736c, Maple Leaf or Autumn Leaves #1887

2nd row: Maple Leaf--that might have been one of the foundation pieced ones, and that other one is called Oak Leaf

3rd row: Maple Leaf #1740, Tesselated Oak Leaf--this started out in BlockBase as #1440 but I eliminated a couple of the extraneous lines


Other suggestions might be Autumn Tints 1103c or 1886, Autumn Star #4186---too many pieces on that one!, Hovering Hawks #1323, Puritan Maiden #2009 and another name for a Lemoyne Star is "Puritan Star Quilt" #3735b

Soooooo when I get those three Fall/Thanksgiving themed row robins coming through here it looks like I will have a lot of choices as this just touched the tip of the iceberg. There are 8 of us in the round this time including me so we will go a little longer and have 6 weeks between rounds. I sure don't want to do the same thing on all three of them as it will not keep their section a surprise when their buddies tops cycle through.

By Wednesday I will be back working on my own row to get those blocks finished up. They are supposed to be in the mail by the weekend. Will I make it?? Going to try but why or why did I procrastinate--guess I was just too busy with the donation work as usual. I think my pot roast is done so catch you later

some progress 'round here

I'm making some progress around here on that Christmas row----and otherwise, LOL. Two of the blocks are complete except for the appliqued bits and the other three have all the components done. There they are stacked and pinned down to my flannel workboard.

This is often how I work---print out a mock up of the block for reference and keep it right where I can see it. If it is a quilt, then I print that out too especially if I need to know how much sashing to cut, etc. This time since I was foundation piecing I needed to watch the sectioning so I did a screen shot of the EQ page that shows that prior to printing. I had to be mindful that not all those tips were red and mark the foundation as such.

Yesterday I prepped all the leaves and the little gold circles that will form the center of the flowers. The bias strips for the stems I did while I was working on the first block. I MAY use that old Jinny Beyer border stripe between my rows depending on what my rows turn out to be. I have owned this piece of fabric for a long time so this might be the perfect chance to use it in some manner, don't you think? Bust some stash? The pattern calls for a lot of red and white checkboard but I don't think the pattern needs to be slavishly followed--that's for inspiration. I am setting this aside for a few days though as I need to get a couple quilts quilted before our Tuesday meeting.

Yesterday afternoon/evening I quilted the other half of the Rising Star in those purples and teals that I love so much that Nancy sent us earlier this year. Well, HERE they are before I made them into two smaller quilts rather than one large one, including the Crossroads to Jericho and Boot Scoot Boogie that are in my "to quilt" stack. The original faux log cabin is HERE shown with its original border. That one is now living at the Boys Big Oak Ranch while the 2nd half is the one that I will be working on today--maybe a quick zoom lines one first though. I don't like having to change thread on the needle when I am on a roll quilting so decided that I am going to do something different this time---keep quilting however many I am going to do in the couple days and THEN do all the binding and label application as one step. Normally, I get that part done before I move onto the next quilt and have to stop to unthread/rethread in between. See how this goes.

I guess Sunday is the first day of fall. We have had a few cooler nights lately and have been able to forego a/c completely for two days and reduced time the last two. I don't have to get up quite so early either to avoid the heat and sun which is nice. I think we are in for some rain today though--a little muggy, overcast and a bit of a breeze blowing in. Maybe due to that approaching storm in the Gulf?? We still need it as our little burg is still under watering restrictions. The burn restrictions were lifted a month or so back, unfortunately so one of the neighbors is back to smoking up the neighborhood--then we have to close the windows and doors. Good bye fresh air. GRRRRRR

Good thing I did my grilling LAST night if we are due for more rain. We tried out a couple of the steaks that came in our meat package and yummy!! I fixed baked potatoes and since I had the oven on, blueberry peach cobbler. We also had the last of those green beans that the neighbor had brought us (I blanched and froze most of them at the time) and a tossed salad. All we needed was some yeast rolls and we might have thought we were out at a restaurant for a special occasion meal. I think DJ felt like he was a king last night eating that good as it normally doesn't happen. He does not often rave about my cooking but he specifically came back to the sewing room to thank me. Usually I only get that kind of high praise after a holiday meal. I am not saying this right---he doesn't take it for granted or anything but he is just USED to things being good that he just doesn't compliment me all the time about my efforts. AND if we have guests for dinner, he will not say "this is really good, Linda" in front of them and put them on the spot either. He might chime in and say, "she is a good cook" if they say something first.

I have no confidence when it comes to making steaks though---I always afraid I am going to ruin an expensive chunk of meat. A roast, no problem. Cheaper cuts, no problem. I may have told you this story before--my parents were gone on vacation and left us older three kids home as we all had to work--late teens. My brother Steve had bought a t-bone steak and asked me how he should cook it. Why I didn't consult a cook book I don't know---I would now--but I said that Mom always put the meat in before we went to church (obviously a roast) but I must have told him to put it on broil??? I will always remember his coming out like, an hour later, to see the last charred bit from the rack blow away with the wind. (Mom, there may have been a very good reason for all the potato peeling detail though I could make a mean fruit salad and stir ice cream custard pretty good then, LOL. Obviously I was NOT ready then but could follow instructions when told what to do.) Live and learn.............

Speaking of fall (LOL, several paragraphs ago I was---my mind is not going in a linear fashion today, is it?) Jeanne has been making some neat blocks lately, some with a decided fall theme. Three of the row quilts that I have coming up are fall/Thanksgiving themed so I had been looking for some appropriate blocks in BlockBase and have a list of some possiblilities if someone else doesn't use them before I do my part. I mentioned this to her in comments and Jeanne asked me to post what I had come with. I will next post, with thumbnails---this quilting isn't going to give me any blog fodder for a few days.

Till next time---

one of those days

It has been one of those days----not getting much done but not totally goofing off either though I did waste an hour playing La Belles Lucie with a Draw---I admit it. Mostly it seems like I have started a task but then it lead off in other tangents.

Right after I walked this morning, I had to go buy some packing tape and an ink cartridge to take care of some of the odds and ends the meeting yesterday. I hit Walmart at 7 a.m. so you would think I was thinking ahead and combining my trips---generally being organized. You would be wrong. I still had things to put away from the meeting and that led to a general desk clearing. Below is what it looked like in here when I got home yesterday so you can see why.

A document I was to email needed updating first--okay, hope she got it but will tell me if she can't open it. While I was it, I updated my notes about machine quilters in the area. Now that might be construed as thinking ahead a bit. When I meet with the lady next week to see what can be done with grandma's tops, I will have alternative information of where she might try next if I don't want to deal with them. A little side tracked but no biggie.

But, when I went to print up my newly minted document, my newly installed the black print cartridge was not working. I cleaned the nozzles like 5 times and it was still not working. I read up on the companies' suggestion for cleaning it manually. No go. So I packed up the other box I need to mail to headquarters so I could combine my trips. Box 1 is parked in the living room in my cart that I carry stuff into the meetings. Oops, almost out of mini sheet mailing labels so I stopped to order them online--can't find them here in town. Then I make another trip BACK to the store and got a refund and another cartridge though I checked out other printers if this one doesn't work (it did but I've done some homework). I also picked up the envelopes I should have gotten on round 1. I mailed off the boxes on the way back home. Then later I looked for some fall clothes at a vendor online and wound up ordering some flannel sheets for DJ at a totally different site instead..........

LOL, as I was typing this, DJ found out that we cannot get two of his fav stations on DISH on the two sets with the DVR receiver and wanted me to check the link online. 20 mins later and a bit of clicking no information seems forthcoming. He can call tomorrow.......and that is how it went. No piecing, no quilting going on today. I have plans for tomorrow and possibly Friday morning so things are definitely slowed down for a few days.

We had a productive meeting yesterday---9 quilts pinned, 8 are in those piles you see above so you know what I will be doing next week. Most of us were helping to pin though I had a lot of quilt pics to take. Lois was sewing some more Lauder styled Puss in the Corner blocks and Rosa helped her by doing the secondary cuts and pressing. This has been an ongoing project but they worked till they had enough made for a 5 x 7 block set. I am going to square them up and Theramae volunteered to take care of the assembly.

Rosa had been working on binding at the last meeting and had brought her notions to pick up where she left off but we had parcelled out the quilts between Jane, Sarah and Theramae to get them finished up in the intervening 2 wks. She looked crestfallen when I said that we had gotten them all done----but I assured her that I would definitely have some for her in two weeks time so plan on doing binding!!

Theramae brought an interesting package----a friend of hers is going through her things and passing them on to people she thought might like them.

A little folded cover containing a lot of vintage appearing hankies. They came home with me but Aline has been making a hankie quilt so I let her pick out the ones she wanted --the embroidered ones. She knows where the rest are should she need more.

Lois also had a pile of blocks to share--- she and Beverly have been taking little sessions at the quilt shop where they work with a ruler or technique of some sort so she has blocks without a home. I will add them to the other abandoned blocks that I have on hand. Ride that 'ol Orphan Train, right, Finn?

Here are a few of the quilts that were turned in---Ashley from GA sent us the tops, I quilted them, the girls bound them and they are now on their way to WTIL headquarters. Nice and bright and kid friendly.

There are more but I'll save that for another day. Tomorrow, several of us are going up to Collinsville for the Quilter's "Yard Sale". They will be selling a yard for $2.50 in the same space that we used for the retreat last month--day out with the girls. In spite of us buying 280 some yards they still have more so some more quilters will have some fun too. The only thing I really "need" is stuff for sashing and cornerstones on my 4 patch posies but that may be hard to match and I am not all that sure what I am looking for either---I'll take the project box. Doesn't cost money to look, right?

this and that

If anyone reads my postings from a RSS feed through their web browser, you may have seen an old June post that I edited to replace the picture. Roger kindly sent the original jpeg to me so I took the old scanned photo off and put the real image up. Sorry for the confusion but much better without the glare off Dad's and my shirts. And if none of that makes any sense, I'll refer you back to the original post HERE .

Been somewhat quiet around here the last two days. I finished quilting the sashed Ohio Star quilt seen HERE yesterday afternoon and started finishing the binding on my Beetle quilt. Pat came by to pick up 3 quilts since she volunteered for binding detail. I dropped Lois' quilt off for her yesterday morning and caught her in the middle of freezing corn. She sent some cukes home with me but unfortunately, DJ thought it was a bag of kitchen scraps and tossed them. ( Color me sad)

I had a few errands to run this morning as well as a couple of calls/emails to make in regard to the quilts we will be delivering to the Boys Big Oak Ranch. We CAN deliver them to the facility the day we lay them out on the church pews which will be a good deal---won't have to haul them all back to Linda S for storage just to drag them all back out a few days later. And, I sent something into the community pages of our paper as invitation for anyone to come see them that would like to do so. As part of the press release I needed to get a tally of just how many quilts we have donated since we started in 2000----1575!! and we aren't done for this year yet. That's a lot of kids wrapped in love. Of course, we have had help over the years---our friends who have come to sew-in's we have hosted over the years have helped sew and donated tops; friends from the internet have sent tops, blocks and fabrics, my Mom who is a long distant Belle has made tons of quilts for WTIL and so forth. Still, not bad!

I don't have any finished tops to show you and Pippi has been making herself scarce lately so no recent pics of her either. SO I'll guess I'll share a picture of the WTIL raffle quilt. The yahoo group helped make blocks some time back and my mom came down to Alabama for us to assemble it. Ellen asked someone to quilt it but that did not work out because of the quilter's teaching and traveling schedule but no matter, it is done now, thanks to Ellen.

Tickets are available on the Wrap Them In Love site (which I cannot open at the moment. ) Go to the home page HERE and click on the raffle quilt if you are interested in purchasing tickets. I don't think that this is going to click bigger so please check out the one posted on the website so you can see the quilting better. I believe that the drawing will be held in December. I thank you for your consideration of a cause that is near and dear to me and others.

We have been having a bad time with ants this year, both inside and out. Remember when they zapped out the switch in the air conditioner a couple of weeks back? I have had it with insects that belong outside being inside though. Last week they had gotten into a cupboard with baking supplies, sauce mixes and pasta. Tonight just as I was starting supper I discovered that they were in the muffin mix (double corn casserole was intended), dried soup mixes, puddings and jellos. When I think about the money that just went down the drain in recent days with those pests it about makes me sick. We have tried everything to get rid of them! Right now the cupboard contents that could be salvaged are sitting in laundry baskets on the kitchen floor. I do not want to deal with putting the stuff away tonight.


Speaking of Pippi, we have to go for her followup labs tomorrow to see how her kidney function is holding up. Of course they would like us to make an appointment. HA! She disappears and pops out when she darned well feels like it. Just when she is starting to trust us NOT to be putting her in the carrier every time she turns around, I'll prove that her trust was unwarranted. Bad kitty mama! She has been staying out from under the bed a bit more during the day time hours. In the evening and at night she curls up on the sewing room pressing/cutting table on whatever quilt is laying out but retreats once DJ and I get navigating in the morning. I think she could be eating better but subjectively she seems to be acting okay. Cross your fingers that she doesn't have to have IVs for a couple days again.


I tried a new recipe tonight from the Southern Food about.com site---if you have fresh blueberries on hand, you may want to give it a whirl. Pretty tasty and not too sweet.


Easy Blueberry Pudding Cake


INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups fresh blueberries


• juice and zest of 1 small lemon


• 1 cup all-purpose flour


• 2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


• 2/3 cup granulated sugar


• 1/2 cup low fat or whole milk


• 1 large egg


• 1/4 cup melted butter


• 1 teaspoon vanilla


• 3/4 cup granulated sugar


• 1 tablespoon cornstarch


• 1 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS:
Place blueberries and lemon juice in a buttered 8-inch square pan. Mix flour, baking powder, soda, salt, spices, and 2/3 cup sugar. In another bowl whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla.

Stir dry ingredients into the milk mixture; pour evenly over berries, spreading if needed. Mix 3/4 cup sugar with cornstarch and sprinkle evenly over batter. Slowly pour boiling water over all. Bake at 350° for 40 to 50 minutes.

Guess that's if for today--------

Best laid plans.........

I "overslept" this morning---lately with the summer heat and trying to get my walking in early, I have been getting up anytime after 5 but usually no later than 6:30. That is not easy for a confirmed night owl to do. An "up and down" night made me awake with an "oh no!" when I spied the clock. But walking was not too bad---it is just enough overcast and a bit of a breeze is blowing with temps about 70. What a blessing that is!

I thought I would share some pictures of the crepe (crape?) myrtle trees that are just starting to come out. There are four total in our yard. This red one is probably my favorite, colorwise. When we first moved here 10 years ago, it appeared to be a fairly recent planting and it was growing as "crooked as a dog's hind leg" as DJ would say. It spent some time getting staked up. The kudzu, of course, is the greenest thing around but the yard has shaped up considerably with a bit of rain in early June. It has been a little spotty at our house lately with other areas getting some measurable amounts. (The bare patches on the yard were once fire ant mounds)

Still, voluntary water reduction made no difference in the town's water tanks and our little burg is now under water restrictions--several towns in the county are since they estimate us to be anywhere from 14 to 20 inches behind on rainfall totals. This ban won't effect DJ and I much since the two of us use well below the gallon uses before they would tack another 40 bucks on the water bill. Having said that, we will do our part in the home/yard just because we ALL should conserve that precious resource, drought or not. Off the soap box---that would require rinsing, no doubt, LOL

Two white crepes greet you at the entrance to the lane---one is tree like. The other, small--DJ and I had to reclaim it from the kudzu vines our first fall here. The pinky/purplish one really looks skimpy this year but truthfully, as dry as it has been, we didn't much expect any blossoms.

Somewhere on the page, the Rose of Sharon in the back yard that has a bunch of angel trumpets and day lilies underneath it. Rather an odd color mix with those pinky purplish flowers but it gives DJ something to look at while seated at the kitchen table. To the right, his pampered princess, lilac bush. Those are not native to Alabama apparently so he has to augment the soil, fertilize etc to even get it to grow. He mowed last night but needs to weed whack!

Rose of Sharon blooms up close. You know that there is an appliqued quilt block named after these. It does look like this bloom. The park where I walk has white ones but they are not out yet.












So anyway, in spite of my "late" start this morning I quickly sorted the laundry and got that started, did my walking and ran a quick grocery errand for a couple items needed for the next couple days. Actually I was half considering what the supermart would have thought if I just grabbed a cart and walked for 40 some minutes really fast as it felt so cool and climate controlled in there---I could grab the produce quick on the way. Several laps from one end to the other and front to back might do it?? Took the pictures on my return and started my post. Nothing exciting but hey, I can live without that.

Speaking of excitement (read: expense) we can do without--- the a/c problem from Sunday? Believe it or not, it was caused by dead ant bodies. They are awful this year with the drought but who knew they could cause this? Apparently the contact points inside the switch attract them. They all follow each other so the gap is filled up with more and more of them. The a/c repair guy said that roaches will do the same thing. Now that DJ knows this, he can keep on eye on things. As for the vacuum cleaner I may have ruined (third time the card has been electrical taped, after all), he did some minor repair but I believe we are in the market for a new one--at least pricing them for now and tracking down a "Consumer Reports" best buy recommendation first.

On the quilting/piecing front: I have a small basket with quilt kits stuck in it that I intend to work on over the next month or so but it was packed to the gills. Some of the "packing" is the other half of the blocks from Nancy's donation this spring---they were twin sized and we can get two quilts for the kids made with those. (One quilt I cannot bear to re-size yet and the group had some other suggestions for it that we will re-visit). I re-assembled one top yesterday, bordered it with some fabric from my stash, found a neat border stripe of undetermined origin (all I know is that I didn't buy it, LOL) that I cut on the bias to set it off and then backed it with yardage from my muslin bolt. Silly me, bought 36 wide so everything takes two widths of fabric. I washed and ironed about 8 yards of that yesterday---my low back is NOT happy with me. Who knew that ironing could be injurious to your health? I knew I didn't like doing it! Now Pippi thought it was great!!! I could not keep her off the fabric as I pressed it--the teflon coating on the pressing board was nice and hot and the muslin smelled nice and clean. Met the kitty criteria anyway.

I had missed Judy's post about the July challenge till I read it on Mary's post ( behind on reading-- again)---guess I just met some of that challenge criteria and didn't even know it! I had started on a 2nd set of blocks last night--the body is back together; the border fabric is pulled and pressed so I'll pick up with that one. Time to check the dryer.............the stuff that life is made up........