I love spring!

I am not sure if today is supposed to be a repeat of yesterday's drippy damp day or not  It is already warmer than it was all day yesterday by about 5 degrees.  I shut the furnace off (DJ insisted) and opened a window or two.  I thought I would try to get some shots of the blooming things that can be seen out back since there is some cloud cover.   Watch where you are stepping though as the fire ants have been busy since it just rained! There are about 5 started mounds around the lilac bush in particular.


There are a few of these out---daffodils, I think???  Or some sort of lily.  We do/did have some stargazer lilies planted out in that area but I thought they had the orange centers.  Someone straighten me out!

We have three azaleas, this being one that was here when we moved in though in a large pot at that time.  The white one is an encore and has never done well and the other appears to be lagging behind.  I think I saw some spots of color but didn't linger to look, LOL.  I don't "do" outside much especially when the laundry timer was about to go off.  Behind this is a gardenia bush but it is way too early for that to be out---June maybe.

 Same bush, different angle 

The lilac bush from two different angles.  They are not indigenous to Alabama but DJ has been babying it along for years.  I know he is always thrilled when he sees the blooms come out and reward him.  You see that the Rose of Sharon bush right behind it is trying to leaf out.

We lost a bit of the bush in the center so it looks a bit leggy in spots but all in all, doing well.  

Okay, back to the laundry detail.  Skyler made himself right on home atop the whites so good luck folding undies!

two posts in one day?

Around the house----
You will most likely find the husband tending to some of the outside chores.  Today he is removing some old caulk from our siding. Next some re-caulking, priming, painting will ensue.  Note that he has the ladder atop the air conditioning unit and that he had to whack the heck out of nearby bush to even get at it first.  Due to sun exposure problems, he has to get out when there is cooler temps and some cloud cover so that limits his time.

The lilac bush is in full bloom right now---the best it has ever looked really.  It smells heavenly too.   The Rose of Sharon bush that is right behind it is almost in full leaf now too.  It is normally the last one to come around.  Maybe the two weeks or so of above normal temps and plenty of sunshine brought it along too.   We have not had a lot of rain though considering it IS spring but DJ said we had a half inch in the gauge with the overnight showers.

Our white azalea of the encore variety finally bloomed but this bush has never done particularly well---scrawny thing.  We are lucky if it blooms once, let alone again in the fall.  You also see the blooms dying off the newest azalea planting.   Both it and the other bright pink one are done.

And here is the door greeter waiting for me to come back.  Hard to believe that we have had Skyler for almost 4 years now. We lost her this same weekend back in 2008.  Skyler came to live with us the following week, after the kitchen flooring was installed.  The hosta plant we planted at Pippi's grave site is just starting to come up.

You can see some native dogwood in bloom in the trees, the wisteria seems to be about gone, the forsythias is open and I notice some snowball bushes are out now.  Got to love the spring, pollen and all.   Renewal,  life goes forward

Happy St. Pat's Day and Happy National Quilting Day

Happy St. Pat's Day and  Happy National Quilting Day!! Got something planned to celebrate both of those things?  DJ said I didn't have to prepare a corned beef meal but I may do it down the line.  Maybe it will just be c.b. hash tonight and go straight to the leftover type meal, LOL.


This is as far as I got on the March Button Up last evening.  I am waiting for some brown plaid fabric that goes at the button to represent the carrot patch.  I'll also use it for the binding cut on the bias and maybe the word "March" at the top.  I am torn about that though since Easter comes in both March and April.  I didn't want brown borders so I extended the yellow above the bunny's ears and then more yellow for the side borders.  The binding brown will frame the whole piece---should work.

I bordered this piece after my last post on the 15th.  The binding will match the narrow green flap of color.  I'll quilt this and finish up the embellishments once I get the March button up done.  For now I'll just enjoy it on the design wall.

The only other thing I got done is pressing 4 quilts worth of binding.   I did that first thing yesterday morning before I allowed myself to play with the March piece.  You cannot work in a cluttered work space or at least I personally can't.   When the binding is all piled up in like a mess of colorful spaghetti on your cutting/pressing surface and you want to sew, it must be dealt with.

So I guess my plans for National Quilting Day will be to prep some of the applique elements of the Button Up.  There are some colored eggs and his tail that I will treat like you would a giant oblong yo-yo over templar material.  There is also some basic trim and accents for the ears that I will prepare over freezer paper.  I have the carrot tops fusible already prepped but not the carrots but I am guessing freezer paper is the way to go on them as well.   The nose, fuse definitely.  That just leaves some decision about the letters---do it or not?  Or try to write "Happy Easter"  hmmmmm

DJ's outdoor workload has picked up a bunch now that spring is here---well he would say spring has been here for weeks.  Not by the calendar perhaps but weatherwise, he may be right.  He came home from Lowe's with a replacement azalea bush.  We have three now along the patio area.  A white one is encore variety and it doesn't show much signs of blooming while the other pink-red one is in full bloom now.  I'll share pics of it later.  The lilac bush is just starting to come out as well.  Dogwood is out all over, both the native and people's trees as you drive around.  The yellow pollen is REALLY out and we could use some rain to dampen it down.   Yesterday there were thunderstorms above and below us, even hail but nothing here.  Weather dude says we will stay in the 80's till the 22nd----ugh, not ready for that.    70's fine but 80's, not so much.

Well, best get this day started and find something to go with green shamrock socks other than my turquoise pj's!  Don't want DJ pinching me every chance he gets.

spring has sprung

Every where you look these days, there is a flowering shrub or tree beginning to leaf out. Good bye shades of brown and tan! Hello, yellow pollen. Paper says juniper, maple and elm are the main culprits for the medium to high pollen counts.

I really enjoyed my trip to town this past Tuesday through the old established neighborhoods. Dogwood trees and their white canopy of blossoms are everywhere along with wisteria dripping down in other spots. I saw quite a few flowering cheery trees too with just the lightest hint of pink.


Some had irises in bloom but it might be a little early for most of the azaleas---including ours above. If you look closely you will spot a hint of red. Our lupines are up as well but I forgot to snap a shot of them.


The neighbor's dogwood tree is at right. I happen to know that this is a native dogwood that "came from Cheeha Mountain" He told DJ that when we were struggling to grow a succession of dogwoods of our own. I didn't think you were supposed to take things like plants from state parks but maybe it was okay then?? We lost two pink ones and a white and gave up. The last one was the hardiest but it was no match for three drought years..





The camellia, our state flower, is out though maybe not as loaded with blossoms as it sometimes is. I took these pics on Tuesday and we can only hope that the light frost we had yesterday did not do a lot of damage to the bush.








And the lilac bush---not native to Alabama so DJ has to take care to augment the soil and fertilize it. We were not sure it was going to make it for a while this past winter but it looks like it is doing better than we thought. One azalea bush really DOES need to be replaced.

DJ was just out planting some cosmos seeds that came in the mail. We will see what happens with those, LOL.

Today there is rain in the forecast and possibly bad weather---hail and such. We under a tornado watch currently and DJ said that was predicted till Tuesday. So far it is just cooler, overcast and some sprinkles.

Me personally? I quilted three wall hangings of various sizes (2-22 x 43's giftie and welcome, 1-18 x 22 Spring) on Thursday. Friday while I was still in the mood to quilt I did one more a 42 inch square medallion quilt that my mom had made and gifted to me. I will have to do a little research to remember the correct name but it was a pattern she had gotten from Connecting Threads a few years back.

Now the binding blitz begins---first the giftie since the recipient has an early April date coming up. My plans are to do the four pieces I just quilted and the Daisy Chain queen sized quilt that has been waiting atop the armoire. Mom's wall hanging was also one that WAS in the stack but I have dealt with it. That just leaves one full sized quilt left that just needs 7 or 8 more blocks quilted and something done with the borders. I am gaining on it. Woohoo!

WIP Wednesday

Another edition of WIP Wednesday---the week are whizzing on by, it seems.

My friend Judy dropped off the queen sized raffle she made for donation that she had asked me to bind for her. I made and applied the binding on Saturday and started stitching. By Monday evening I was done. Back out came the stitchery---April snowman block from Freckles. I am making some progress. I cannot say that I am fond of doing satin stitch nor do I particularly like my results. I will modify some of the remaining eggs to something more textural---like the long-short split stitch I used on the carrot nose. Other than that, I am having fun with this, LOL, which IS the point, after all.

Since I am really not doing too much sewing output these days, I thought you might want to see some of the spring flowers and shrubs around here. Here is a bloom on my husband's pampered lilac bush. I don't think I have ever seen it as loaded with blooms as it is this year and it smells heavenly!

On the way out to the backyard to take this, I noticed that the azalea bushes are starting to come around too. Just a hint of that glorious dark pink/red at this point so I'll wait on those. What I think are lupines are up and my hosta planted near Pippi's gravesite is coming back up.


I couldn't resist taking a picture of the neighbor's dogwood tree while I was out. Driving around you see lots of out there but this is the closest to the house. DJ and I have tried 3 times to grow our own tree with little success. I guess we'll just admire theirs. Ronnie had said that this one came from Mt. Cheeha years ago so I imagine it is the more wild, native and hardy variety.

Yellow pollen is everywhere. I am told it is predominantly from the pine trees. Those with allergies must be miserable but it is all part of spring. We had a couple of days in the 80's--record breaking highs reported in BHM the last two days. Rain is due in tomorrow, they say. So far it is a bit cooler today, thank goodness, with a pleasant breeze blowing. No doubt some of that yellow is coming in the house. I figure that is why there are dust cloths.



Hope that you are having a good day and thanks for stopping by--------

WIP Wednesday?

Ah, not so much piecing going on today though I just finished piecing the latest commissioned t-shirt quilt yesterday. Does that count LOL? We had the possibility of storms in the afternoon so I started piecing early in the day on the 3rd and 4th vertical rows. By afternoon we had it spread out on DJ's bedroom floor to snap a horizontal measurement for the top and bottom borders. I took a picture of it at that point though I had yet to apply said borders. Horrid picture since I cut off a few blocks and it is not laying down straight either. Maybe Susan & Joan can get a decent shot of it when it is delivered to the owner? This is a surprise gift for him, they said, but may be hard to keep since he works right next door to the shop.

Today we had a break in the weather and a gorgeous spring day though the week's forecast includes more rain and possible thunderstorms. I got my walking in and was able to run a few errands with DJ but I figured this would be the best day to make a run up to Boaz to deliver the t-shirt quilt.

In exchange for making the t-shirt quilt, Susan is going to quilt my Cheese and Cracker top shown HERE plus reimburse me for any fabric and interfacing that I use to make the t-shirt top. I hurried up and washed up the 3 plus yards of 108 inch backing last night in preparation for the trip up there, though at that point I didn't know which day I would be going. A service for a service so that worked out well for both of us. They both sew but just don't have time to do the piecing plus they like the way I set the shirt pieces, too. Susan said that someone in the area sets them all cattywampus which would be an interesting look.

While I was there, another client came in with a completed top. As it turns out, she is a 30's nut like me. Susan had to haul CNC out again. LOL, the customer and Joan were looking at the fabrics closely---"I've never seen that one" "I have that one in another color" LOL. Joan had two gorgeous quilts to show me as well, one with 30's that I had seen as a top on my last run up there. Both were in the Geraldine Quilt show over the weekend. I didn't go this year though and was happy to see them completed. We had a nice visit before I headed back.

It was such a nice day for a drive! I didn't call anyone to see if they wanted to go along for the ride since it was so short notice. I didn't actually decide I was going until 11. Maybe on the return trip when CNC is ready for pickup. The route up there is basically 4 lane divided highway but I cut off of US 431 in a couple of spots through the residential sections of three towns along the way. There are lots of dogwoods both wild and cultivated in bloom. I spotted azalea bushes in all shades of red, pink and white. There is wisteria hanging everywhere and lots of redbud too. I love spring!

Our bushes are starting to come out too. The azalea shown is one that was originally in a planter when we first moved in here 11 years ago. The leaves look a little washed out--not green and glossy so we may need to refer to the gardening books. The other bush we have is much smaller with a little larger bloom. The yard (weed patch really) looks really shaggy but DJ is out on the mower now taking care of that.


DJ's pampered lilac bush is starting to come out as well. Lots and lots of small buds yet to open. We also have a few jonquils and lupines in bloom but I didn't take a picture of those.

Earlier today DJ and I picked up some marigolds to put where we have our Pippi buried. It was a year ago this past Saturday that we lost her. That still makes me sad. BUT by the same token, that means that this coming Friday will mark the day that Skyler came home to live with us. I made a good choice there.

SO what's next in the sewing department? I whole heartedly believe in the "reward" system. If you finish up one task, then get to work on something you want to. In my case that would be the machine applique and quilting of the "Be Kind" block. I switched out machines last night so I am sort of ready once I change machine feet and wind a bobbin or two.

I had binding to press for the t-shirt quilt and the two donation quilts I pinned last week. I also cut some binding strips for Judy's quilt. By the time I got done with all that tasks and cleaning up the mess in the room, I was ready to call it quits in the creative department.

I may just do a little redwork on the Santa block tonight and get a fresh start on "Be Kind" tomorrow---see how I feel after supper. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it------------

Happy Easter--almost! Spring just sprung but you would not exactly know that from our thermometer this morning. DJ planned to play golf but was discouraged by frost. He DID go about 2 hours later than he wanted as it was warming up quickly. This afternoon, he is out painting on the shed. So far it looks like we have yet another green toned paint that doesn't quite match. We'll see after the 2nd coat is put on over that primer but it looks like three shades of green on there now, this last bit looks a bit olive.

Me? Goofing off, I'm afraid. Chatting with a couple of friends, surfing a bit. A continuation of yesterday's goofing off actually. I've been reading a bit lately, did some stitching on the bluework snowmen. No sewing unless you count finishing up the binding on my Merkitty challenge quilt. That only took the better part of the 3 days--ugh. BUT I finally got around to all the blogs I subscribe to even if I didn't comment on everyone's--some were too far after the fact. Good to check in with you all though and see what you are up to. I might sew a bit on those revamped braid blocks in a bit.

A visit to Libby and Finn showing pictures of themselves and/or siblings in their Easter finery as children led me to dig out a few pictures from my photo album and scan them.


I think I was about 3 (?) in these pictures but I don't have a date on the back of the photos. My grandparents must have been visiting with us as there is also a shot of my brother and I with our parents in my album taken that same day, I believe. All I know is that the third child down the line is NOT in any of the photos at that point but I think my mom was expecting with him. I am three years older than Dave as he was born just one day before my 3rd birthday in August. I'm only 16 months older than my brother Steve who doesn't look very big to me in the shot above. Well, we both were when you see us standing next to Mom and Dad.
Mom will tell me if I am off base on this whole story, LOL. My maternal grandmother made the outfit I am wearing. Purse, hat, coat and dress. No gloves but I have one from my 4th birthday that DOES have the gloves and big petticoat. Maybe when my bday rolls around this summer I'll share that one. Banana curls and all, like Margaret in "Dennis the Menace"
Well those blocks aren't getting done but obviously I am not aching to sew in the first place. Maybe I'll put a few more rows in my cardigan instead? Too many choices and not enough hours to get it all done in the first place. Easier to just kick it down a notch and recharge the batteries. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

more spring pics

Every year, it seems, we have birds building nests on the front door light and occasionally the back door one as well. You look closely and click on the picture I think see that the bits of grass and some sort of fuzzy stuff. Makes me wonder if it is quilt batting or dryer fluff, LOL.

The Bradford Pears are blooming every where and it seems like it happened just overnight. Highs in the 60's and plenty of sunlight will do that, I guess. This at the entrance to the subdivision at the end of our lane. I don't know if you can tell but there are three rows of trees, on the outside edges of the two lanes and on the median. About 20 or 21 trees. Looks like popcorn on the tree limbs in person.

Not sure what kind of tree this is in our yard but it is flowering--might be the plum tree or the apple. It was darned near dead but seems to be coming back this year. DJ had sawed off some of the really gone limbs so that may have helped.

And this one---no burning prohibition in the county, obviously. The across the land neighbor is NOT being very neighborly. I just shot this through the window but he he has been at this since early afternoon. I hate this--first, because we finally get some nice days and could have the window open and then can't because of him and 2nd, I have a real problem with smoke anymore. (Tightens up my chest) The breeze shifts and he is sharing this with the whole subdivision. GRRRRRRRRR

This has been a day of errand running and paper pushing mainly. I picked up some sheet protectors and a new notebook while I was out so got my 9 patch BOM ideas filed away and combined with another smaller notebook of kid quilt ideas. Cleared out the old mail and catalogs that I was just piling up and filed some recipe printouts in the notebook I just emptied. Not sure what I'll do the rest of the evening. Or maybe I do, after all. I saw that they have revamped and reprinted the Mary Ellen Hopkins book "It's Okay If You Sit On My Quilt Book" I have a copy of the old one and will re-visit it.

The Belles will meet tomorrow and MY main plan for the day is to go through the donation box and get things re-organized in our storage space. I know that there are some tops in a lower bin that need to see the light of day but they are hard to get at right now. A couple of the girls want to save "everything" and I want to winnow things down and get it down to one container. If anyone has any objections to my tossing something, then they are welcome to take it home and make something with it. Only fair, right?

break time

Today's output-- I finished putting the borders on the Framed 4 patch a little bit ago. DJ is holding it upside down from how I had it pictured in EQ but it would be incumbent on me NOT to complain to the quilt holder. This should definitely be a girl quilt with that pink background, don't you think? The blocks came from Nancy as a donation for kids quilts. This set was all the same color so they went in their own top while the green, blues etc all went in another that I assembled in late January. It can be seen HERE for comparison and I think can go to the Boys Ranch.

My EQ sketch looks fairly similiar but at the time I drew it up I was not sure what background fabric I would be using.

I continue to get better acquainted with the Brother machine today. I did notice that I was harkening back to the days of the old Kenmore and trying to use the knee lift as the control---we are talking 30 some years ago! It was an old machine of my mom's, in a cabinet and what I took with me when I was in nursing school.

I also did a bit of stashbusting for the quilt's backing. I know that I used some of it for the backing on Beth's Indiana Puzzle quilt because the fabric she picked from the suggestions I had was not wide enough and I filled in with the complimentary piece. She will be 12 and I know that I bought all this "Peppermint and Sassafras" line when she was just a baby. I have some over cut binding and a 10 inch square of it left---outta here! They will make more of a nice neutral tan should I need it down the line. All that is left to do is press the binding and mark a line down the middle of the zigzag's for quilting later. After supper for that though

Spring is feeling like it is right around the corner here in NW central Alabama. The crocuses have been in bloom for about a month now, the daffodils are about to open and the camellia has been trying to burst out in bloom for weeks now. That is not good when the temperatures got so cold the past two weeks and we had almost a week of nights in the 20's. Today we are up in the mid 60's and heading to 70's by week's end but that front came with rain and thunderstorms this morning. The birds are out in full force digging for worms and our car port is full of worms that have crawled out and didn't crawl away so will probably will dry up. What I call "worm suicide" I tried to take a picture of the oak tree (the lone oak in Lone Oak Subdivision) across the way as it was loaded with those black birds. I see them on the larger view so hopefully it will click open. It had gotten so loud with them singing! I hear the frogs too. Good to get some fresh air in here.

That's it for now--got to start supper preparations.