Rick’s ankle still is not completely healed so no hip surgery yet. As we were waiting for our car to be brought around we couldn’t help but notice the people coming and going – people with injuries and conditions so serious we were instantly ashamed of ever complaining!
The gal checking out ahead of us had come from Arizona to see a doctor at the wound clinic and that’s just one patient. People come from around the world to Mayo and once again we were reminded to be thankful we live only two hours from Rochester.
The lilies are in full bloom!






The pink hydrangea was a gift from Connie in memory of our black dog named Carly who died years ago.

All of these radishes and more from one small packet of seeds – all too big, woody and hot to eat.

Garden junk on an old iron bakery rack

My friends got a new golden puppy named Beamer – his older brother, Bentley, died recently and I’ve always said if you’re a dog person, you gotta have a dog. And so they have a new puppy.
Reader quilts:






Yesterday I posted the trunk show video and so many of you watched it. Thank you for all your compliments! I will be mailing out autographed books in September but will NOT keep track of preorders. If you send me money now I’m going to keep your money and throw away your request – I’m serious! I WILL NOT ACCEPT PREORDERS. I will let you know as soon as Martingale sends the books to us. It will also be available from Martingale and Amazon.
I’m an old lady with too much to do – bear with me. I promise I will get books sent out immediately when they arrive. If I hear from Martingale what date they’re shipping you’ll be the first to know. Connie will have to drive back to Garner to autograph the books. yikes!
I’m off to the barn with Hazel to close the doors.
Any rats when you closed the door? Hope NOT! Sorry about Rick’s ankle and no hip surgery. It is hard to wait. We are lucky to live near The James Cancer hospital and the Cleveland Clinic is 2 plus hours away. We have not needed them yet, but good to have. Our daughter and son in law’s 27 th anniversary is tomorrow and the Stargazer lillies like she carried in her bouquet always bloom on the 15th😍. Yours are beautiful.
Beautiful flowers and readers quilts!!
I can’t wait. All your books are wonderful! I’ve made a few of the quilts with high hopes to make more. What a wonderful gift to all of us by writing another book. The two of you are awesome and seem to never slow done. 😊
Your lilies are beautiful!! So many varieties!!
Beamer is so cute!!!! Yes, with two of my own, I am terribly biased. Goldens are wonderful dogs!!!!
So many pretty quilts!! I love seeing what folks are working on!!
Your lilies are gorgeous! Can’t wait for your book!
Mary, I agree how fortunate Mayo Clinic is driving distance from Garner. Bill and I doctored for three years at Mayo. Sometimes 2 appointments a week. Wonderful doctors who Bill had a lot of faith in.
Liz – I still have not received the photos of your quilts
Mary, congratulations to you and Connie on this beautiful book. A crowning achievement of many marvelous achievements. Looking forward to when it is published! I love a scrappy quilt and this book provides lots of inspiration!
The flowers r Beautiful, the colors always amaze me,
Thank Goodness you can drive to MAYO, yes, when we see others w medical issues, I always say to my self my stuff is nothing, we have Mayo in Scottsdale,AZ…🙏🏼
Your rack w garden junk reminds me of my GARDEN Junk I have collected for many years, I am lucky to have an ole acre property and can spread it around.. 🌻🌻
Katie , Gilbert, AZ.🌵
The quilts were very nice to view and how cute the teens are holding up Jeanine’s. Always love seeing red white and blue quilts. And lovely appliqué on the table mat. Such fun seeing what other readers are working on!
Yes you are fortunate to be so close to Mayo. I have a friend who spent several months traveling back and forth from western New York to Mayo by airplane. Her daughters decided only the best care for their mom and insisted on Mayo so it’s a treasure to have in our country. Hope Rick heals soon.
Kathy,
Your comment made me smile. That is my granddaughter and her husband, but they just got married last October. They are in their early 20’s. She picked out the fabrics and pattern for their quilt, and it is king size! Not my favorite size to make, but do anything for our grandchildren!
I hear you, Jeanine. Our legacy lives on. Gosh they are so young looking but how wonderful a nice quilt will be for always remembering a good grandma like you are. I am wrangling with a very large size too quilt for a grandson that is a UFO – Bonnie Hunters Easy Street.
The quilts and flowers are so beautiful. Thanks for a great show today.
The puppy is a doll. Goldens are the best . We’ve had 5 so far. Each one has a unique personality.
His heart will beat strong when playing with the puppy.
You are hysterical! “If you send me money, I will keep it and throw away your request!” Too funny. I think we are all SO anxious to get the book that teasing us in July was unduly painful (wink, wink). I will, however, wait with patiently for the go ahead to order my autographed copy from you, despite the pain of waiting weeks and weeks. LOL Loved the pictures of the flowers. WOW, the lilies are stunning. I just love my garden here in San Diego. Everywhere we’ve lived I have had at least a rose garden and now I have an even bigger garden with lots of cutting flowers and citrus trees..
I agree it was too early to promote the book! I would have waited til late August but what do I know? It’s Martingale’s ballgame now and I’m just a spectator like you.
Mary, thanks for all the pictures. Your flowers are beautiful. I have a golden and just melt when I see a golden puppy. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful quilts too.
So sorry that Rick is not completely healed yet and has to postpone hip surgery but better to wait. Your lilies are absolutely gorgeous and I envy anyone growing blooming flowers. The only flower that I can grow that blooms are daffodils and hosta! The mallow plant intrigues me-I wonder if it would grow here. I am okay with green plants but if it is supposed to bloom-no luck and not sure why. Talking about seeing people with more/worse medical issues reminded me of something my Mother always said when I was growing up if we complained about anything. I think it was a quote from Helen Keller-“I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” It usually made us realize we were better off than we thought!
That quote by Helen Keller is one I’ve never heard. WOW, does that put all of us in our place. I hope you don’t mind if I use it when appropriate.
Congratulations on your new book! It looks very promising. I only do about one quilt per year, but I love your colors.
Beautiful flowers, beautiful quilts, old stuff, and a new puppy! Woohoo, what a great uplifting post to start my day! Thanks bunches!
Love your flowers, your garden junk rack, AND your perky instructions on the book ordering. Yes, Mayo visits are always my Count Your Blessings event. When I was there for radiation, some of those waiting were bald from chemo and one young woman was facing amputation of her arm if both failed. I will return in November for my next checkup.
In our new home in Wisconsin, we love meeting the neighborhood dogs, They all have human names except Guinness and Leiny who are named for their owner’s favorite beers.
We were @ Mayo this week too & it doesn’t take long to realize how fortunate we are & having them so close is awesome.
I love all the quilts, but am especially taken by the flower appliqued table topper. The variety of neutrals for background really make the flower colors “pop”.
Prayers for Rick and his wound. My husband had a spinal cord injury and doesn’t feel much in his feet. He gets sores on his feet from his leg braces, doesn’t feel them, so they get pretty bad by the time I see blood on his socks. We have a wonderful Dr. here in Des Moines that has taken care of him for years.
I feel for Rick and you for numerous Dr visits. Way of life around here, but we muddle through.
Can’t wait for the new book!
Stay cool Mary. My mom is coming home from the care center next week after breaking her hip. Of course she’s coming home on the hottest day of the week!!
Can’t wait to get it 😁
I so enjoy your pictures of quilts AND the beautiful flowers from your gardens. Please keep posting. Thanks
Love the reader quilts and your lilies are amazing! What colors!
Your new book is fantastic. Very excited to have my own copy.
Hugs from San Diego, CA
Oh, what luscious colors! Your lilies seem to glow from within and that little Prairie Mallow blossom just twinkles with colors meant for a quilt. Thanks to the readers who sent in pix of the patriotic quilts. Those little pinwheels and the pieced border have given me some ideas for a DD color call. The “garden junk” collection is just plain I Spy fun! Thanks, Mary for a great post. You make my day.
Good info about you n Connie’s wonderful book!
I have a friend with another toe infection from broken vein in a big toe! Praying it heals!
Lovely flowers there, Mary.
Just some thunder n a rain earlier this 59o morning! Sun is bright with blue sky @ noon 🕛!
I am thinking good thoughts for healing of Rick’s ankle. Absolutely no fun waiting around for something to heal.
I loved the trunk show! Love the book.
Flower pictures always make my day.
That puppy is pretty cute. But, I hear he’s a baby shark at other moments. LOL!
Glad I don’t have to lick my favorite between the lilies and the quilts. All are gorgeous. You must have two green hands, in addition to the thumbs. Very dry in SW CT. Our governor has just requested voluntary conservation of water usage. It is sad to see the trees starting to drop their green leaves.
Pamela Papazidis
Pick, not lick. Guess I should read before posting
pamela
Your lilies are gorgeous. I love all of the colors. We finally had some rain overnight and during the day. It has been so dry. You are lucky to be near Mayo. I hope Rick heals quickly. The quilts are beautiful, so many talented people. Time for bed. Have a good day tomorrow.
The Helen Keller quote is appropriate, but when you are in the mist of medical issues it can be a very daunting place. Happy that Rick is making progress, waiting is awful but the hip surgery will be a success if everything else is in good standing with the provider. Will continue to pray that the healing gets better daily!
Have you every grown a pose lily? It would close to a double lily. I have a niece that raises them and they are stunners!
We have a golden doodle, she is more golden that poodle and has a wonderful temperament. She is so kind, its like she is an ‘old soul’ in a doggie body. She just knows when to put her head on your lap and is the sweetest dog I have every owned.
Have a great weekend!
I remember visiting your quilt shop and the lillies were in full bloom. What a beautiful sight!!!
Mary, you are a hoot! If some people said they would keep the money and throw away the requests for books, the readers might think you were brazen, or some other grumpy word. But, Mary, you crack me up. I find myself thinking, “you go girl.” If folks don’t get your message, it’s their own darn fault.
Luci – haha!! Well, you can’t imagine some of the mail I do get and the questions! I have too much to do to waste my time on people who don’t read or follow directions. That said, I’m glad I gave you a smile today! Thanks for being a blog reader, Luci!
It is sad that we need scolding occasionally! Love your lilies, the hydrangeas and the mallow! Mary, if you read this and I send you a self addressed stamped envelope would you share a few seeds of the mallow? It really is pretty and I’d love it in my little cottage garden out front. Somehow I missed this post and am just catching up now. Jan in MA
Jan H – yes, of course! Last year the seeds didn’t dry before we had a killing frost and I didn’t get any. Once they’re started they’ll reseed over and over. Remind me what I said I’d do when you send the envelope!