HAPPY NEW YEAR

and wishes for a healthy and happy 2011.  May it begin and continue better than 2010 ended.  Tomorrow my holiday quilts will return to their storage box for another year.  In the meantime, here's a photo of my Christmas wreath.  

Currrently Reading

(cover illustration from Amazon.com)

Threats at Three (Lois Meade Mystery)  by Ann Purser.  I've read prior ones in this series.  It has all the elements I like: an English village setting; great characters; interesting but not overbearing subplots.

 

Bedtime Ritual

Washing your face after bedtime snack.

Blizzard of 2010

That's what the news - TV & morning paper - is calling it, so guess it's official.  Grateful that I'm tucked in, there's food in the frig & freezer, the furnace is working & I have my computer & Kindle & a quilt to finish binding,  a cup of coffee and a donut. 

Three "goods"

Santa was very good to us.  He brought us each a large bag of Whiskas chicken treats.  

He was also very good to our human "mommy". 

And, it's very very good to be tucked inside while a blizzard rages outside. 

Sending Wishes for

a safe and Merry Christmas to all.

Seasonal reading

Reading in the holiday mode: A Holiday Yarn: A Seaside Knitters Mystery.  Setting  is on the coast of Massachusetts.  Going west for Fleece Navidad.  Both belong to a series I have read & enjoyed.  Downloaded the free sample of Al Roker's The Midnight Show Murders, but just couldn't get into it; sorry, Al.

Soothing Holiday Hour

Listening to Live from Lincoln Center Baroque Holiday with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center while stitching down binding. 

Holiday Preparations

Computer tower went to repair shop this afternoon; hopefully will have it  up and running again before the holidays.  So photos of seasonal quilts will be post-seasonal.  Did get a few Christmas quilts hung; limiting decorations this year. 

Holiday Sabbatical Continues

Continuing my holiday break from quilting, just hand stitching down the back of  a binding.  Finished one that was 1/2 done so there's only one left to do.  Good to do while the talk shows or holiday music shows are on.
Desk computer is still down so no photos yet.  

Holiday Quilts

My son has hung some of the Christmas quilts so the house does have a holiday season feel.  Keeping it bare-bones simple this year although I have so many holiday quilts rarely are all out.  Once my desk computer is back up & running, will add some photos of this year's group. 

Have 2 small quilts to finish the binding on -- I machine stitch the front then turn to the back & handstich it down (double fold, not bias). 

Access restored

First my desk computer crashed, then this laptop crashed.  the desk computer is still down, but thankfully this laptop is up & running (crossed fingers).  

and the kitties have forgiven me for being away, after they extorted adequate compensation (in the form of treats) of course. 

playing in the background, Channel 13 pbs new york is having a pledge program of music from the 50-60s.  talk about memories! 

Before Amazon I purchased very few books and those were usually non-fiction ones I "had to have".  Sarah Ban Breathnack's Simple Abundance was one.  The other day I pulled it out and began to re-read it.  From her entry for today:  Every life comes with its hard times (so very very true).  Everywoman chooses the Strength, Wisdom, Grace package rather than a "different" life.  "Strength to meet your challenges,  Wisdom to embrace real life, and the Grace to be grateful not only for what you have, but what you've escaped".  May I have that package? 

Home Again

So happy to be back in my own nest.  Although it's suprising how much getting use to it that takes after my "enforced vacation" of ambilitory bed rest.  Fortunately the Rehab Center was a perfect match for me and was really almost a 100% enjoyable experience (just the 1 rotten-apple staffer; oh, and the food). 

Giving Thanks

Although this November has been a difficult, a very difficult month & I'm posting this from a "rehab center", there really is much to give thanks for.  Mom was blessed with "going gently into the night".  the KIds & Family are all well.  I didn't break anything when I fell.  with one exception the staff here has been super great , i was able to have a private room, and i'll be headed home tomorrow.  so many thanks on this day of giving thsnks.

no sugarplums, no walnuts, no

 roasted garlic & grape-tomato pizza here (see All That Spatters blog post a few days ago) -- although when i was out to the Command Post earlier there were two boxes of pizza; staff party? or some fellow resident having a special event?  at least tonight's fare was identifiable as hot dog (on low sodium diet?) unlike last nights "mystery meat patty".    so, rule #1 -- don't fall thinking you will have cruse food & drinks with umbrellas in a rehab facility.  or at least not in a new england rehab center.  maybe santa could tuck a cook book (thrifty gourmet cooking for a crowd) into the chef's sock.

honey

a natural sweetner used by man for centuries.  at some point in linguistic history it became a term of endearment for a loved one.  it seems that it has now become a term for anyone -- used in place of your name because 'they' don't remember yout name or whatever..  as a cranky lady of a certain age, i object -- I am NOT your honey, i feel like screaching. 

why i am blogging from a place where the staff calls one honey is another story -- story which i'll tell later.
meanwhile there will be no photos & most likely lots of spelling/typing errors 

Fabric Marking

Years ago DH & I spent a day in Nantucket.  This basket, a souvenir of that day, hangs on my quilt room door and holds my marking chalk.  I prefer blue or white, if needed; for me the yellow doesn't seem to brush off as easily.  And no wax, please -- just as pure a chalk as I can find.

Season's First Snow

 Mother Nature strikes -- this is what I saw as I groped my way to that first cup of coffee this morning.  So not ready,  psychologically
speaking, for nasty winter weather -- or even just the cold temps.

Not Quite a TGIF Day

Guarantee you'll feel better if you just pet me!

Thursday evening an eye infection clobbered me -- while it didn't affect my vision (thank goodness), it had that annoying "itch you must not scratch".   and didn't respond to my usual prescription salve for the occasional bepharitis flare-up. 

So rather than joining the free quilt session this morning, I was in the eye doc's office and then the drug store picking up the anti-bio drops that hopefully will subdue it.

I swear both Tri and Goldie, who had a lot of verbal advice for me at bedtime, knew how rotten I was feeling. 

While Nov started with some great fall weather, it's not been the greatest of months so far -- do hope that changes for the best soon, like tomorrow morning.

An Absolutely Perfect Fall Day

Election Day arrives.

Did you?  The polling place was busy, but no lines.  and no Tea.  actually it's nippy enough that a hot cup of soup on the way out would have been perfect. 

One thing I and a lady leaving at the same time as myself remarked on -- no PTA bake sale.  Wonder why -- too many of today's mothers work full time? a suspicion of home-baked items?  I always made something for the election day bake sale when my kids were in school there and enjoyed buying something different that another mother had made. 

Tomorrow is Election Day

DH was given a box of campaign buttons by his Great-Aunt.  It was a really mixed "bag", not all political; there's even one from a Pickle Convention! .  Using red, white & blue fabric (of course) and a simple pattern -- I think it's called Railroad; since this was eons ago I've long since forgotten its source -- I made this wall hanging for them.

Great for this time of year -- betwix & between Halloween and the Holidays.   And a perfect reminder to Get Out & Vote!

While my Grandmother wasn't a marching suffragette, she treasured her right to vote & gave me her sense of responsibility to exercise that right.

Halloween Table Square

Love this bat fabric.  The morning sun does cast a strong shadow.  Really should retake these photos later today.  Meanwhile...

A simple square with basic strip border makes a quick "special occasion" table set while using some of those scraps for the border.

                                                                                                                     

It's mine..

and I'm not giving it up!  Tri usually naps on the scratcher pad, but Goldie claimed it this morning.  His customary spot at the patio sliders must be a bit cool; there is the hint of winter in the air.

Only One Witch

And certainly not one of Macbeth's.  My neighborhood has run the complete gambit of trick & treaters -- from hordes of small children, especially when ours were small, to none at all (fear of contaminated candy?).  Fortunately the only trick was an occasional draping of a neighborhood tree.  It was aways fun to see the small ones in their costumes, and rather sad that things have so changed.    But a bag of small-sized candy bars will keep this witch's sweet tooth happy for some time while familiars Goldie & Tri celebrate with catmint from the garden. 

Currently Reading

Murder at the PTA by Laura Alden.  This is her first book, and so far -- I'm little more than 1/2 way through -- she's going on my "watch list" for another in this series.  It's my usual cozy murder mystery. 

Just finished Old World Murder by Kathleen Ernst.   "Chloe Ellefson is a newly hired curator at Old World Wisconsin, an actual pioneer living history museum in the Wisconsin."  The setting reminded me of Sturbridge Village in MA, which we spent a very enjoyable day at years ago.  Always meant to go to their Thanksgiving dinner at the Oliver Wight Tavern. http://www.osv.org/activities_events/event_calendar_more.html?ID=564&DateID=1635

Doesn't that menu sound yummy!  Think I'll look for a recipe for the Roast Pineapple Slices -- it would make a different side dish that should be rather easy to do.   I love acorn squash & it's in now -- must pick up some; I've done it with the brown sugar & maple syrup. 

Weekend Excitement

Friday night DD & I had a great time at the local scrapbooking crop.  Got quite a few pages put together, had a delish supper of giant shells with homemade cake for desert, and bought my Christmas cards from The Card Lady. 

Saturday turned into a rather exciting day -- My neighbor had a tree removed.  Goldie watched every minute; I assured him that his birdie friends would find a new nesting place when they returned in the spring.

Making holiday cards

While I don't make my Christmas cards, I do like to make the gift tags.  It's not too early to start collecting supplies for this project -- Michaels certainly has their holiday offerings out.  And, there is more selection now than there will be in a few weeks.  With the economy still weak, I have found that stores are not replenishing seasonal items once they are sold out.

So out will come the holiday punches, stamps & stickers on hand.  will surf the net for creative sparks too.

Actually this is rather like making a quilt -- taking bits of paper rather than fabric and creating from those bits & pieces.  

Bur first, one Halloween card to make for a family member.  

Swimming Upstream

Figuratively.  Since my daughter and I are going to a scrapbooking crop this coming weekend, I'm trying to put page bits & pieces together so I can work on the cruise photos from April.  With the way things are just not falling into place, causing much hair tearing, it's a wonder I'm not bald!  Really need a Cuttlebug that intuits my need for blue letters/numbers and cuts them, in the desired size.   While wishes are being wished, I would not object to having flowers at breakfast.

Rushing the Seasons?

The December issue of Scrapbooks etc. arrived today.  The December issue!  December!  We haven't even had Halloween yet!  Once that first shock wears off, if you want to do a December Daily Album like Ali Edwards, it's certainly timely to begin collecting supplies and putting together the base. And it's really not too early to at least start thinking about making package tags, which is a December project I like to do.  No need to think Holiday Quilts -- have more than enough to hang and to curl up under.  Must photo them this year.
  

A "Tablescape" for Thursday



Photo: Tablescape Lines from Linderhof.

I've grown as well as purchased these decorative gourds / pumpkins. 

Growing them is a fun thing to do, but as with any garden no guarantee

on the end product.  Sadly my current tablemates have no interest in

non-edible centerpieces.  "Wouldn't a pot of catmint be just as Fallish?"
queries Tri.







Wordless Wednesday

Fat Quarter Wall, Rainbow's End, FL 2003



Currently reading

Highland Laddie Gone by Sharyn Mccrumb.  Takes place at a Scottish Game festival in Virginia, not in Scotland.  Light and fun.  

Plaid isn't a fabric pattern I tend to use frequently.  Mary Mashuta wrote Stripes in Quilts, which I have and Barbara Horton wrote Plaids & Stripes: The Use of Directional Fabric in Quilts .

Should look to see if I have any plaid in the stash that would work well in the next child's quilt I do for charity.  It could add that bit of "dash".

How do they do it?

Decades ago I clipped a stew recipe from Woman's Day.  It became a favorite go-to recipe for fall and winter.  With the evenings becoming nippy, I had a yearning for that stew and for my Grandmother's Dutch Apple Cake.  

 At the grocery store today I picked up all the ingredients for both.  The bill came to $45, not including cough drops or cleansers.  I remember, in the distant "dark ages", feeding my young family of 4 -- meat, veggies, fruit and mostly homemade sweets -- for $30 a week.  How do young families today manage, especially if they have voracious teens?  

And still have funds left for fabric? 

Postnote from Tri & Goldie: We volunteer to taste-test  -- the stew, not the cake.   





Wordless Wednesday

The Chocolate Cure

"It melts ever so slowly on your tongue, and tortures you with pleasure" (Chocolat).

Everything is better with chocolate.

 

Humor turns to Anger

Sat, Oct 2nd, my neighbor got a new ride-around lawn mower.  Now our lawns in this 50s pre-zoning development (i.e., cram as many in as possible for max profit) are less than a quarter-acre, much less -- averaging 40x70 along my street, "handkerchief" would be a very apt descriptive.

So, watching Mike H. ride around killing the proverbial mosquito with his elephant, I thought of it as a subject for a humorous blog post.  You know, along the lines of  "men and their toys" & yes, maybe a subtle, or not so subtle, suggestion that it could be considered a classic Freudian phallic symbol.   

And then he crashed his toy into the storm drain -- smashing the pipe from my new, only 2-week-old drain.  This is the drain I had to put in, in my yard, because the drainage from his new special-permit-required 2.5 car garage diverts water into my yard, and into my formerly-dry cellar. 

If you want to shoot your neighbor, have your defense attorney put me on the jury -- you could confess with Both hands on Good Books, I'll still vote "Not Guilty". 

As sandles and flip-flops

give way to fall's sneakers, there's the annual fall question: what was happening all summer in this dark, neglected drawer?  Wild parties?  Swapping partners?  Why am I playing Hide & Seek with a cotton sock?  Goldie hrumps -- "See why cats are boss; I have one set of socks, they're always on my feet & a daily tongue wash keeps them nice and clean," in an ecologically friendly way.  And it gives me more time to nap -- a Win Win!

Wordless Wednesday Again

This is the quilt

Goldie was napping on:

Before I returned to full-time work, I did batik.  Actually my quilting grew out of that as a way of using the batik fabric in addition to clothing or wall hangings.  And then I realized that I far enjoyed the quilting using fabric from the LQS and put away the dye pots.  

This quilt was the last batik one I made.  It used scraps and left-overs of the batik fabric, basically color tests. Just squares with a diagonal color set.  Simple "big stitch" hand quilting in clam shell design.

It's my Linus quilt.

Part of the morning routine

You can read the paper now.  I've finished with it.  and Don't rustle the pages; it takes alot of quiet concentration to get in 8 hours of daily naps. 

More Memories

As I was doing the journaling on a scrapbook page about seeing a dance performance at Jacob's Pillow in the early '80s, I remembered the summer that dear daughter (DD) worked as a waitress at the Oakdale Theatre (dinner was available pre-show).  Joan Baez performed there that summer.  Generally I'm not a vocal music person, but she has always been a special favorite of mine, so DD got us tickets for the performance. 

Remembering that event, I went to play a Joan Baez CD.  Discovered that I didn't have one!!

So, public library to the rescue -- today I picked up "The Best of Joan Baez".  If I like the selections, I'll treat myself on Amazon.

Another special memory is also linked to the Oakdale that summer -- Frank Sinatra performed there & requested they provide dinner for him and his staff after the show.  DD was asked to stay late to waitress. Not only was Sinatra very pleasant, he also gave her a $100 tip!  (today using the Consumer Price Index that would equal $260)  Oh, and at that time not yet 21, she couldn't serve him or his staff so much as a glass of dinner wine -- the management gal had to do that.

Simple Pleasures

Mr. Chuck dining in the back yard.  Apparently he's returned to his winter burrow under the utility shed.

The grass seed  where the trench was installed is sprouting.  Last night's brief shower did work wonders.

A slice of carrot cake -- and having the weekly grocery errand done. 

Curling up with a good story - A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff.  That's vintage clothing, not vintage wine & prompted a visit to the Met's Fashion Institute web site.

Wordless Wednesday

Quilt Nights Have Arrived

Tuesday already!  Whatever happened to Sunday and Monday?  As the nights grow cooler, Two Cat Nights?, the feline boss seeks quilt warmth.  Problem: her preferred spot is precisely where my feet go.  This agile, light-footed leaper out does Harry Potter, becoming a magically anchored Two Ton Cat.  

Need I say my feet find another spot? (This "quilt" is simply a Target comforter.)

Saturday Installment 2 - Quick Jaunt

Local Farmer's Market  -- great for some veggies, a local field-ripe tomato - yum - and a bouquet of zinnias.  especially on a perfect fall morning.  There was a lady there with quilts for sale -- appeared to be mostly smaller size, like lap or throw.  Didn't want to juggle my veggies, zinnias and a loaf of zucchini walnut bread to check the workmanship or the pricing.  Off to enjoy a tomato sandwich and a slice of that bread which won't wait until afternoon tea. 

Speaking of fairs

I remembered this one: the Durham Fair 1995 -- that's my Fan Quilt  (one on left)  from an

Lowell Quilt Festival Images IV 1993 class, Fantastic Fans with Charlette Angotti.  She is still giving that class; see her website. http://www.charlotteangotti.com/  Her classes are not only productive, they're great fun to be part of.  I made this quilt for my Daughter; without my knowledge she entered it in the Durham Fair. 

Oh, and the fair is still held every year.  It will be Sept. 23 to 26 this year. http://www.durhamfair.com/  Quickly skimming the current needlework rules, I don't think my quilt would qualify now -- it's not hand quilted.  Perhaps the event became so popular, they needed to limit entries due to space available, which while the popularity would be good, it's rather sad that some must be excluded. 

Anyway, highly recommend Charlette's classes. 

Feet Up, Kindle in Hand, Apple Slices Within Reach

"Wearing a leash?  Being walked like a dog!  Absolutely, Positively, No.  Don't even think it!"  Tri tells me.  Goldie simply ignores the whole thing, feeling distain is strongest No. 

But that's what Diesel, the cat in Murder Past Due (Cat in the Stacks Mystery) by Miranda James, does.  The "stacks" in the sub-title refers to the Library where Diesel's human works; Diesel spends the day there -- supervising, of course, between naps and snacks.  

 

A fun cozy read.  Good break from putting away the summer clothes and pulling out the fall ones.  Also a well-deserved (if I say so myself) relaxation after a busy week.  

 

Sounds like a perfect fall weekend is coming up.  Great for going to a fair or craft show.  Or the local apple orchard.          

While the calendar

says Fall doesn't officially arrive for 6 more days, on September 22, I got a head start today. My fall banner is up and I've begun putting away the summer clothes.  Actual temperatures are very fall-ish and the furnace even kicked on last night.  

Meanwhile, I've also added another block idea to DGD's purple quilt.  

Unfortunately the morning was consumed by going to emissions -- sputter, sputter.  That's me who's sputtering, not my car which passed with ease.  Would rather have been quilting or scrapbooking.

   

If wishes were

to come true.. then beggars would be kings and kings would have a horse, and

the entry to my backyard would look like this

not like this

had drain work done yesterday.  Area on right still needs some clean-up, and grass seed put down needs to sprout.  (The 1st photo has been in my picture folder for years & have no idea where it originated.) 

Very Busy Week

 

Back in early May this rainbow appeared as we were headed toward the luggage pick-up area.  Supposedly there is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow-- gold I don't want, but if that could be a pot of good fortune, That I would like. 

This week is full of scheduled activity -- today it was trimming back ground junipers, then the outside storm drain, then the driveway resurface.  By weeks' end I'll be joining the kitties in their cellar hideout -- move over, Tri; don't sprawl Goldie; look guys I brought treats ...

Morning Multi-Tasking

Goldie's version: enjoy a sunbeam and supervise the daily tidying up. 
ps: Please admire, but don't touch, my fluffy tail.  We long-haired blonds are just so "hollywood", aren't we -- move over Marilyn, opps, maybe that should be Clark.

Update

Still on my break from quilting, but just before drifting off to sleep last night a block design for my next quilt came to me.  Keep a pad and pencil on the nightstand just for such thoughts -- so I jotted it down.  Just a simple applique for the DGD's purple quilt.  Read about using a washable glue stick to tack an applique down for stitching & think I'll try that trick.  

If I do a sampler quilt for DGD, as my thought is now, it's possible to make a block as inspiration strikes rather than it being a full-time endeavor.  And, as a bonus, I could use multi purples rather than being limited to a few; and the off-white background fabric could also have variety.
Photo of Goldie on Blue & White Sampler Quilt -- result of an internet Block Swap.

 

Because I'd like to draft that simple block before cutting -- to check proportions -- I intended to pick up a newsprint pad at Michaels today.  It's been years since I last bought one -- talk about sticker shock!!  Somewhere among all my "stuff" there has to be some newsprint I can use.  Ages ago one could call the local newspaper & pick up an "end roll" (like the end of a bolt of fabric) for $3.00. 

Have been working on scrapbook pages.  There are quite a few that need only the journaling and/or titles so those are the ones I'm finishing up.   Want to have a number of "page kits" made up for an October Crop. 
  
Reading "Miss Zukas and the Island Murders" by Jo Dereske.  I like Helma and her sidekick Ruth; it's an enjoyable cozy mystery series. 

Just "One of Those"

Should have followed Tri's example and spent the day like this:

After my first errand of the day was completed in record time, I thought I would be able to accomplish a few more on the To Do List -- no such luck, just a lot of running around.  So I'm going to join Tri, after a brief read, a good nap.  We'll make a good pair -- her on the scratch pad, me on the couch.  Goldie's in his cool cellar hideaway spot. 

Starting A-New

Having problems with my Of Quilts and Cats and Books blog on Typepad so I thought it would be a good opportunity to try Blogger, which is the most recommended by the on-line quilting group I belong to. 

This is the photo I was attempting to include on the post.  I do like the way photos upload here & especially the choice of size. 

Ladybug