So beautiful was this day in May, my favorite month of the year. Becky stopped for a chat and then Angela came to clean – when I asked her to help me take the porch covers off, she was more than willing. She’s much taller than me and could reach from the back of the golf cart!
So tonite I’m enjoying the tv in the porch – even tho it requires a sweatshirt.
I showed this yesterday – A Walk Around the Block.
Here’s the original:
Seasonal runners from a reader – a new look 4 times a year!
I took sooooo many more pictures but this will crash if I don’t close for tonight.
I just love the plaid walk around the block wit the dogs in the center. The plaids are right up my alley & I have some scraps leftover from making quilts for the Veterans home. Hazel & Molly are quite a picture of contrasts. It’s so nice to wake up to bird song & last night I fell asleep to hooting owls.
Des – I think my owls left and I’m glad because of my chickens – the smaller ones. Plaids are always fun to work with
I much appreciate your pictures in this Merry Month of May, Mary! All’s well here too.
I’ve been watching for the Orioles, and this week they arrived. And wrens, and a hummingbird…maybe just one so far? The Linden tree in my yard is always last to leaf. It’s leafing and arrival of Orioles coincide. Next winter I’ll see the nest which no matter how hard I look now, I can’t see!
Gardening to their calls is the best!!
Bonny – I have a tree that I got from Emma many years ago and she told me that when it bloomed the orioles would arrive …. And it happened just that way!! Do you also get the grosbeaks? I gave my hummingbird feeder away – I don’t feed the hummingbirds because the cats can get them as they hover in one spot. I won’t let that happen.
So enjoyed the photos and commentary this morning. I have nothing done for the birds or flowers for my porch and deck. Not sure when it can happen. Retreats taking up my time and going on a bus trip in a few days. I am on the go and trying not to think about how hard it is to keep up.
Happy Mother’s Day tomorrow.
Fran – I like to live these retreats through you because I will never go to one. I’m always interested in what you’re working on. My problem at retreats is chatting – I talk to everybody and don’t get any sewing done!!! No surprise, huh?
Oh, I just love it when all the various birds come through in May. I’m always hopeful to see a warbler of any type. Our Juncos are finally gone – they’re adorable and I love them, but they’re “winter feathered-friends.” By April’s end I look at them and just feel grumpy about lingering cold weather. LOL Anyway, the Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks are a joy to see and I’m waiting yet for Orioles and Bluebirds to join the regular crew who are year round diners at our feeders. Wonderful quilts the past few days, Mary. Thanks for the delightful pix of quilts and pets.
What a way to start my day, looking at beautiful quilts thinking I need to find more time to sew! I really like the watermelon quilt, bright and cheery. Makes me wish for some cold watermelon.
I studied Barney’s picture for a long time. He looks just like my Olivia, down to his look. Olivia and Barney have the very same serious look. Liv always looks like she is trying to decide if she should enjoy herself or just be serious all the time and I think Barney has that same look on his face.
The bottle brush tree is amazing. When it was mentioned I thought of the tropical bottle brush plant I have seen at nurseries. They look frail and decidedly not easy to grow. Now I wonder if they are a relation to the trees or an off-spring someone cultivated. They have that same red fuzzy bloom.
Enjoy your weekend everyone. I send blessings and wishes for blue skies and lots of love for mothers day.
More beautiful quilts today!!! I love this blog!
Charlotte – I’m putting your dad on the blog tonight – I needed to take a break between recipients but it’s time to wish your dad Happy Birthday!
Wow lots of great pictures and quilts. Yes Kim I’m sure we’d all like to see pictures once the wildflowers start to bloom. Busy here in Elko, NV visiting our granddaughter (and of course our son and daughter in law). The weather has been very warm here. Our son will be cooking a wonderful Mother’s Day brunch for us all, I’m excited about that and we are having pulled pork cooked on the smoker for dinner that night. It will be a great day of eating.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Teresa – you got there safe and sound! Ooh, sounds like you’re going to be eating well – Mothers Day is always a bit of a sad weekend for me.
I agree that’s Lucky Stars & I’ve made more than one quilt from that pattern & actually taught a class on it. How nice to have help opening up the porch. I spent yesterday tidying up little things I should have taken care of months ago & caught up on shredding old documents. Ron & I are going to visit a large antique mall on Saturday & then visit a grocery store in Cincinnati called “Jungle Jim’s”! It’s quite an experience & people travel hundreds of miles to visit this store. Lots of ethnic foods. Their produce is always fresh & usually cheaper than regular grocery stores. I’m hoping to find some rhubarb there. When we moved 8 yrs ago I left my rhubarb plant at that house. Wish I had brought a start with me. I’m sure the new owners didn’t know what that plant was! Barney looks quite at home on top of the quilts!
Alice – you’re busy! I will make another batch of rhubarb muffins today – I gave many away and will do it again with the next batch. Yes, we should all write to Terry Atkinson and thank her for a great pattern. A large antique mall would be dangerous for me to visit – I can always find something I need/want!
I am absolutely drooling over the fabrics in your original Walk Around the Block. So many homespun plaids and stripes. Yardage at that time, but not as available now. Thrifted cotton shirts seem to be the best source for a good mix of those soft woven fabrics now. Thank you for sharing farm news and so good to see Connie.
Sandy – I have lots of that brushed cotton from years ago and I think I’ll do something with it – even if it’s just squares. Some fabric company should make it again, shouldn’t they?
I totally agree that some company should produce some beautiful wovens again. I have used up much of my collection of plaids. Unfortunately, living on a retirement income and with the price of good fabric currently $13-$15 a yard, I may not be able to return to having a wide variety of wovens even if they become available. I remember talking with you at your shop years back and you telling me if fabric got to $12 a yard, you would retire. $12 a yard has come and gone!! And, you are enjoying retirement!! It does seem that thrifted cotton shirts may be a good alternative if they are priced reasonably and part of the thrill would be in the hunt.
Sandy – the hunt is not so much fun anymore /I used to buy 100% cotton shirts for $2 – now some are $10. I always bought the biggest size I could find / more fabric for my buck. Can you believe I thought $12 was high? Dang / good thing I have a huge supply
Yes, that is an Atkinson Designs pattern, Lucky Stars. I have made several and love how you never cut off a point on the stars. Great pattern.
Arrowhead Gramma – Yes, that’s it! Agree about the star points- I have recommended it to several beginners. And I’ve made that quilt several times – I wonder where my pattern is? Haha?
I love the “Lucky Stars” pattern. I have made this many times frome crib size to queen. And I agree Mary, it is a great one for beginners. Besides not having to woryy about cutting off the points, there is not need to add borders as they are a natural part of the block. I hate putting on borders!
Beautiful patriotic quilts! Sweet Barnie sitting in comfort 😻. We are still having some goldfinches, grosbeaks and just a couple of Orioles yesterday. I told them Miss Mary had stocked up on grape 🍇 jelly so they must have hightailed it up there! 🥰
Hi Mary, the bottle brush is a very well manicured bush! In Australia they are more of a shrub.We have a 2 and a half year old visiting today, Stella is kept very busy supervising her! We are giving the outgoing president of our quilt guild blocks so she can make a quilt, so l have had a busy morning cutting 36 different fabrics in various colours to make a trip round the world block .Will sew tomorrow, hard work when my stash is a mess! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – I wish I could see Stella and Luna – they must be getting so big.
What lovely quilts and I do think the one is Atkinson design. The wildflowers we planted are starting to come up and hope it continues. We planted a hummingbird/butterfly garden today and put up two hooks for our feeders. Slowly but surely the back yard is coming along. When our daughter came home we helped her plant her tomatoes, 2 planters by the front door and her herb garden. Work is so much easier when you have e many hands to help. I hope you enjoyed watching Tv on the porch today.
Kim – I’ll bet your property is really going to be beautiful! I can’t wait to see your wildflower area which I always have admired but never been successful at. And it’s all more fun when there’s more help!
I will plan to share pictures if it all comes together. I have taken before and hope to have some nice afters to share. Hummingbirds have arrived so I need to put their feeder out today.