Is this mid June? High temps in the low 70’s? Brrr! Too chilly to sit in the porch. So I admired the peonies instead. I’ll try not to overload you but they are so pretty!
Reader Quilts
Thanks to everyone who sent a photo – this blog that so many of you tell me you love and read every day cannot survive without your participation in comments and photos. It takes a village…….
Your peonies are beautiful and especially in the white pitcher! I believe the kitty is Three. He’s so handsome.
Sandy, I love your quilt!
Fantastic Peonies and Reader quilts today! And love the pic with JB3, love that kitty!
Beautiful peonies, Mary and I enjoy seeing every ones quilts.
great job.
Love your peonies in the pink color. Haze and smoke has left us and we can see the mountains again. We are under a drought advisory. today we received less than 1/4 inch of rain. the only green on the grass is along the septic lines. Thanks for sharing reader quilts.
Carolyn b Shenandoah Valley Va
Love love the peonies!
So many beautiful quilts!! Can’t wait to contribute again! I finally have a closing—July 7 with possession July 21. Long process, but now I can dream!
Your peonies are so pretty!! I see no ants. My Grandma had beautiful bushes but we could never bring them inside because they were always covered in ants. Is that not universally true of peonies?
I wondered about that, too, Diane ( great name😀)! When I was little my sister (age 5)! and I (age3) had a tea party under the peonies. My sister ended up covered in ants. She ran around and I screamed!! We have never had peonies in our yard even though I think they are beautiful. The quilt show is lovely, too. I will show some soon😀. If any of you have a chance, do see the Broadway series play of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Richard Thomas as Atticus was excellent. He actually was Atticus! It was very, very well done! We are cooler here, too. 68*
Your Peonies are beautiful! Thanks for sharing the Quilt photos. They’re fun to see everyone’s sewing talents.
This year for some unknown reason to me, my Poppy plant is huge! It has so many blooms and buds. I was wondering if anyone else has a Poppy plant that is out standing this year?
Debby from chilly Wisconsin too.
Debby – and I don’t have a single poppy but would love some! Do I look for a perennial? What kind of poppy?
Those peonies are gorgeous! We had beautiful peony bushes in our first house, but the ants were all over them. Do you have that problem? Over an inch of rain here yesterday; so welcome. Trees and plants look happy today!
Meredith, I think you need ants to open the blossoms. A dunk in a bucket of water makes them ready to take into your home. At least that is what happened for my Mom.
Mary, you are so lucky to have your beautiful Peonies. Ours blossomed early enough that we had them for 8 days before the rains came.
Meredith – yes, the ants come with the peonies but it isn’t long and they’re gone once I bring them in the house. A wet paper towel and they’re gone from my counter.
I love the garden photos. We have moved to a twin home in an HOA that has restrictions on gardening so I really miss it. Love the pets and quilts, too. I am always happy when I see your blog in my email!!
Never tired of your “around the farm” photos. The peonies are beautiful in the pitcher.
Is that 3 enjoying the rock garden?
Cool spring, helps things grow, then the heat comes and it is water, water water.
Reader quilts are priceless.
Shirley from OR
I love sitting down at the end of the day reading this blog. I have been so busy in the garden. The weather here has been wacky, hot ,cold ,rainy( which we never have in June) . So we need to work around it. I love the quilts, so many talented people. Just wanted to tell everyone that I Love This Blog.
I, too, want to say I love reading this blog. I’m so happy when it lands in my email. The peonies are so pretty. Can’t get them to grow in my shady yard. I’ll enjoy the pics instead.
The reader quilts always inspire me with color and design. The pet photos are fun to see all the time. I feel like I know your pets. Hazel and her antics gets talked about at our house!! Keep ’em coming, Mary! You keep us entertained.
I welcome the chilly weather this time of year. When it’s so hot my blooms don’t last very long, on the iris, the peony, and the early roses. So, I’m happy that it’s a little cooler than usual here. The reader quilts are amazing! As usual! Jan in MA
Love the peonies. I only had a few this year and they’ve already finished blooming. I shouldn’t complain; last year the deer ate all the buds.
I never tire seeing the peonies. They are a magnificent flower.
I’m happy to see lilac buds on my bushes. They are a very late blooming variety, with big leaves. No idea what they are, but I love ‘em.
It has rained again almost all day. The dove nesting just outside my bedroom window looks wet and cold. I’d like to put an umbrella over her!!!
The quilts today have hundreds of hours in them. Thanks to all for sharing.
Love your peonies….really like the beautiful from New Zeland (quilt).
Gorgeous flowers Mary and love the kitty checking them out. 💖🌺🌸💖
The peonies are absolutely gorgeous. I wish I could grow them in Houston. Don’t think they would survive the heat. Judi in Texas
For Sandy. Love the fillers in your outer border
Wonderful quilts to admire!!! Your readers make such nice projects. I have made the long Star one like Pat did but gave it away. I should make myself one.
Thank you all for sharing your talents with all of us.
Your peonies in the white vase are gorgeous to admire. We are getting into the 80’s after this coming weekend so I will enjoy these cooler days.
We finally got an inch of rain today after 22 days of none. I was leaving Best Buy trying to find a new iPad cover for mine which is older generation one and walked out and just stood in the parking lot feeling it on my face. Sure was a welcome feeling and I rejoiced. Silly I know.
Beautiful peonies!
My grandmother had a border of pink peonies between her driveway and my great uncle’s.
Pat Williams — I love your flag quilt, and a perfect place to hang it. I love patriotic quilts. Sandy in New Zealand —- what a work of art. I can see many hours of work on that beautiful quilt. All the quilts are wonderful, so fun to see. About peonies……I learned from my sister-in-law to pick them when the bud is just beginning to show a little color, and you will not have the normal ants. They will open when you put them in a vase of water. I had always cut mine after they opened, and yes, they could be full of ants. Yours are beautiful, Mary. Thanks again for your blog.
Peonies are beautiful. They had bouquets for sale at the florist in the grocery store and I was tempted. I remembered the ants on my Grandma’s so I passed.
All the quilts were great. Enjoy seeing the variety of talent. Thanks to everyone for sharing.
Mary, your peonies are beautiful! Our peonies had many nice blooms this year, too, but they finished blooming last week. Now it’s time to dead-head the spent blooms.
I’ve really enjoyed seeing the many wonderful quilts you have posted in the past several days. Great job everyone!
This “blog about nothing” is really something special to me….like other ladies have mentioned, I also look forward to seeing this arrive in my inbox! 🥰
Bonnie, in Oregon
Beautiful peonies, Mary!
Your kitty could be a relative of the two cats (brothers) I adopted/rescued in April. 🐈
It was 79 where I live in the Pacific Northwest today! But the cottonwoods were shedding so it looked like it was snowing!
Love the quilts! So much talent!
Love this blog. Thanks, Mary!
Sharon, Our cottonwoods in Minnesota are shedding also – hate it. My husband was so frustrated he took the lawn mower out and ran it up and down the driveway just to clean it up a bit. I wonder what the neighbors think.
Thank yo for the peony pictures! Growing up in Ohio they were everywhere! Went to Trader Joe’s, in Arizona, and there they were! I just had to buy a bouquet!
Quilt show was nice! Love to see everyone’s creativity!
Peonies bring back so many childhood memories. We had so many in our backyard in Detroit. Every year we would take a bunch to our teachers, but first we had to shake off all the ants!
The peonies are just beautiful! The quilts are just amazingly , so much talent!
We finally got some rain today , nice steady rain, farmers will be doing a happy dance!
I love your peonies. I have a couple plants , the same pink as yours. I love all the other quilts, especially the sunbonnet sue. I have been wanting to make one of them. One of these days. Enjoy the cooler weather as I don'[t like the HOT. And no rain is not good. Hate seeing all the brown yards. Too early for that.
Love all the wonderful quilts that were shared today. I feel so inspired by what everyone is working on. Our peonies are all done here in middle Tn but my Zinnias are full of flowers which the butterflies and bees are loving. We had a major rainstorm last night and lots of branches down in our neighborhood. My husband and I are busy sorting and packing our home since we will be moving back to Wisconsin in July. I will need 3 days to get my quilting space ready for the movers to come and get it on the truck……not looking forward to the snow but it’s time to be closer to family and there in Wisconsin.
The pics of your peonies are just beautiful. We have had similar cool temps here in West Central Illinois and southeast Iowa, too. Looking at 90 degrees on Thursday. Desperate for rain, the sprinkles we’ve had lately just don’t cut it.
This morning, my husband asked, “Did you read Mary’s blog yet?” Sooo, Mary, it is not a blog about nothing and even husbands read it😀😀. I love it, too, and talk about it to friends. Thank you😀
I love to read your blog! I have it bookmarked and check for new posts daily. I would love some 70 degree weather. The heat index was 112 today and real temps in the triple digits are predicted for the week. No rain in forever. My Beauty bushes and wildflowers are wilting. Guess it’s better than a hurricane.
I could almost smell your peonies!!! They are beautiful! Mine did not even bloom this year – how sad! The quilt show is always so inspirational – always see one that I NEED to make.
Yes! My first thought on seeing the peonies whas that I could smell them! Lovely pictures of both flowers, JB3, and quilts today. Thanks Mary and everyone. Kris
Your flowers are so beautiful! I sent a message but it didn’t go through I guess
Hi Mary, thank you to everyone for all the nice comments about my quilt! I love being part of this friendly group of people, their quilts, gardens and pets(and family members who get the occasional mention! )l would like peonies in my garden,planning a wildflower fenced off area where l can relax and Bella can run free next summer. Kinky and welly the cats from Taiwan are settling in upstairs and enjoying the garden after living in an 8th floor apartment for 10 years. Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – I bet Kinky and Welly are loving being outdoors!! How are Stella and Luna?
I enjoy the daily quilt show!!!
I see one from NewZealand this time. Do you happen to know how many countries you have followers from? I think that is so neat!
Peonies. One of my favs and yours are lovely. We have a hard time growing them here. Although I have a few plants, they never perform very well. This year they have done quite well because of the cold winter we had. Lilacs are the same, needing more cold than we usually have. We harvested garlic today and the bulbs are huge. I think they must also prefer cold temps in winter too.
The quilts are great. I am interested in making Pat’s quilt. What is the name of that pattern? It is so interesting. Also love Sandy’s quilt. Lots of work in that one.
Sue, the pattern is Strip Twist by Bonnie Hunter. There is free download on her website, just uses all 2 1/2 inch strips, fun and easy to put together. Thanks for asking. Pat
Love your peonies, they are the prettiest pink. Did you know Iowa has Peonie farms ? Great quilts I especially like that blue one by Pat, I think I could figure that one out.
I love peonies and yours are beautiful. Mine bloomed while I visited my dad, but I had a couple when I got back home. They were late blooming this year. My mom always had peonies in their yard. Beautiful quilts today. I’m always telling my family and friends about your blog. I learn so much on here.
Sandy in New Zealand. Wow! Your quilt is just beautiful!
And Mary it would be impossible to post too many pics of your peonies. They are so pretty. Thank you.
Thank yo for the peonies!! Love, love, love them!!! I can almost smell them looking at the pictures. LOL. I love seeing all the beautiful quilts….. inspiring. Yes, I read your blog every day and it makes my day better. Thanks!
Peonies and tulips are my all-time favorite! I just wish they both lasted longer. You do get the ants but that is because the balls have a sticky substance on them that the ants love. They usually go away once the blooms open. I have several and love to cut them and bring them inside also. I found some great real-touch fake ones I have all year too. Not the same but still pretty.
Chilly here for June also but I am actually loving it. We had a good all-day rain yesterday which we needed, and I hope it helped the Canadian fires. It has been hazy here and the air quality has been bad. People wearing masks, no outdoor school activities. Hard to imagine, with the fires being so far away, that it is affecting us. It’s better now.
The quilt with all the squares in the white borders calls my name. Love them all!
Your peonies bring back sweet memories of mom, she always had a bouquet of them on the table as soon as they opened. The ants are a necessary evil, if you don’t have ants to eat the sticky sap off the hard balled blossoms they can’t open. I had a friend who made the mistake of spraying her peonies because she saw the swarm of ants and then she was sick because none of her plants produced any flowers! Mom would shake them upside down gently to try and eliminate any strays but we usually had to smoosh a few who hitched along on the fragrant flowers.
Three looks interested in smelling the flowers, love that orange and white kitty!
Your peonies are beautiful! I enjoy reading your blog and seeing all the quilts made by your readers.
Your peony flowers are gorgeous! Great reader quilts too! Off to one of our local quilting groups today. It’s always a fun day with the ladies. 😊
Thanks for all you do! It’s been and up and down spring here in NH. Frost killed the apple blossoms in May.
Love your blog
I love peonies, however, they make me sneeze and my eyes water! I’m enjoying your pictures of them, Mary, and the pictures of the quilts.
Love the beautiful pictures of the peonies! I had no idea why they attracted ants! Thank you for educating those of us that didn’t know!! We finally had a nice rain of 1.33″, with more expected today along with wind! I’m hoping the momma Finch who has built her nest in one of my hanging baskets will stay safe along with her eggs! Building a nest there has made it hard to water that plant! I tap the basket so she flies out & carefully water it. This is her second nest. 1st one was destroyed in my spruce tree. Another bird did it?? Have no idea. Beautiful quilts! Some of you have been very busy!! Thanks for the blog Mary! Always makes my day to read about life on the farm!!
Alice in SW Ohio
What a wonderful treat to look at the pics and drink a cup of coffee! All of the quilts are beautiful , but the one from New Zealand is spectacular!
Your blog is the highlight of my day. Please don’t ever stop! lol
Gorgeous peonies. My aunt is the peony grower in our family. If they bloomed at the right time, we decorated the graves for Memorial Day with her peony bouquets. Beautiful quilts. The telephone niche brought back memories, too. Love older homes with built-in character like that. Always glad to see your blog pop up.
You could never overload me with peony pictures!! Love them! My favorite is the one with the kitty- beautiful! The quilts today are fantastic! So much inspiration there!
Beautiful peonies in the white pitchers. As always, beautiful quilts. We need rain here in central Texas, scattered storms are a hit or miss. We seem to get the miss part. Love your blog. I was born in Elma, lived in Alta Vista for awhile and ended up in Osage. Military brought me to Texas. Love reading about that next of the woods.
The peonies are beautiful, and the picture of the kitty with the pitcher of peonies looks like it should be on a calendar or card. My peonies were lovely this year but on the way out now.
All the reader quilts are pretty, but the one from Sandy in New Zealand is especially stunning!
I will try to send you a picture of a quilt I hope to finish soon, working on the binding now. This afternoon I will go tie quilts with the guild’s community service committee and have a good visit with the ladies.
I love reading your blog. It brings me joy to see your flowers and your pets.
I have been reading your blog for some time! I love all the photos and random stuff! That is certainly how my life rolls! I am from Charles City and am friends with Joyce Laffe!
Jen – Hi, Jen – any friend of Joyce’s is a friend of mine! Do you quilt like Joyce? I still can’t get over those fabulous quilts!
I quilt with a Millie but nothing like Joyce! I stick to pantographs. I have also quilted the straight lines like I see on some of your quilts! Sometimes the lines are the perfect stitch! I love each one of Barb and Joyce’s quilts. Impressive indeed. I follow Jos country junction blog too. Both of your blogs are my evenings reading. I have two fur kids. I need to send pictures sometime!
Jen – yea, you need to send pictures!
Your peonies are gorgeous. Mine are just getting ready to bloom. They are a deep pink and from a plant my parents gave my grandparents for an anniversary gift many many years ago (60+)
The readers’ quilts are amazing!
The picture of Three is adorable; how is his injured front leg? I do love him.
Thanks, Mary 🥰
Jeanie – Three’s leg seems to be deformed actually. It is a funny shape and his paw only has two toes. But you’d never know it!
Thanks for the update on Three’s bad leg. Clearly, he has adapted. He is just precious.
The peonies are quite something. They don’t grow here so we either have to buy them at a store or enjoy the pictures online. I got the cutest picture of my grandson “holding” a peony along with his tractor when we visited the end of May.
Beautiful quilts again from readers but Sandy’s quilt is quite spectacular.
We’ve been getting some rain and it’s kept the temperature low. But we’re supposed to have 100 by the end of the week and next week. I’m not looking forward to it.