I just walked to the barn to close the chickens up for the night and snapped these pictures. I mowed and trimmed and sprayed all afternoon but when I see these pictures I know it was worth it.
Reader photos
Got my latest issue of American Patchwork and Quilting and I’ve never felt so old!
There is not one thing in this whole magazine that interests me – not one quilt I’d ever be interested in making. I have left the mainstream quilting world – and I do not care!
I’m sitting in the porch as I write this at 9:50 and the neighbors are already shooting off fireworks. Ugh. What is so fun about making a huge noise? Noise that terrifies most pets – I hate it. And just a few minutes ago I heard some coyotes yipping in the distance. I don’t like that either. I do like my porch however.
What are your plans for the 4th of July?
I currently subscribe to 2 magazines – American Patchwork and Love of Quilting. I used to save 4-6 patterns from each. All of a sudden, I realized many of the patterns are repeats from several years (or longer) prior done it today’s fabrics or with whatever quilting is current’y the hot thing to do. I just took all the duplicates of Quilters’ Newsletters from completing my collection of them – SO fun to read how things have changed! Not only the tools & fabrics, but how quilting changed, the attitudes*, even how people signed their names. Yes, I did read every issue over 2-ish years.
*Oh my – the outrage over machine quilting, art quilts being included, the “cancel my subscription immediately!” letters in horror over showing a quilt that included bras in support of breast cancer awareness, and again when the naked female form was shown on a quilt…
Right now I have renewal forms for both magazines on my desk, debating if I will. Seriously waffling going on in my head. One side says to renew because if not enough do, they will go away. The other side says that between the block encyclopedias & books I have and what bloggers show, I should have plenty of inspiration. And making my own patterns and doing the maths would help keep the brain sharp.
I’ve been keeping an eye on the rain northern Iowa and southern Minnesota have been getting. Not much good comes with 5″ of rain at once. I’m hoping there won’t be a repeat of last year when all that rain came down the Mississippi and flooded parts of the lower fields on the small farm Niece & I co-own.
I forgot to finish that thought… I took the Quilters Newsletter issues to a couple of quilt shops for people to take. Fabric Stasher in Tipton, and Heartland Cottons in DeWitt have them.
All the loving care you and Rick put into your property shows in the beautiful “farm at dusk” pictures!
In our part of Illinois, we have “lightning bugs.”
The readers’ projects are lovely. In the past, I have taken four or five quilting mags; I am down to one. When I started quilting in the late 80’s, one of my favorite mags was “Quilt;” it has not been in business for years. Lately, I am not very productive. I think I need a pep talk/attitude adjustment. 🙄
Thanks, Mary 🥰
Jeanie – I loved Quilt, too, and have many past issues. Look out or I’ll be the one to give you a tongue lashing to get you motivated again – ha! I recently looked at a block book and thought maybe we could all make the same block and designate one reader to receive them. What do you think? I thought I’d write everyone’s name who sent a block and pull a name from a hat – I’d give the recipient 6 months to make something with the blocks.
Mary,
Just saw this comment. I think it is a great idea to all make the same block and would be happy to offer one. It would be a lively time to see what everyone has to offer.
Sounds like fun, Mary! I’m in. 😊
I absolutely love dusk on the farm. It is just so peaceful, calm, and beautiful. It’s my favorite time of the day to walk outside. We have a lane that is a quarter mile long (down and back) so I do get a nice short walk. I do walk to the mailbox so I usually get a half mile in. LOL I don’t mind fireworks WHEN it is scheduled for the 4th celebration., I know animals are so frightened by the noise. Our outdoor kitties hide. We have no plans for the 4th other than watch the fireworks from the nearby lake area from the comfort of our AC house. No bugs or heat.
I thought I posted this at noon but I probably forgot to hit Post Comment.
Several have asked about my fall table runner pattern. It is a very simple block but I did use a pattern for inspiration. The pattern is called Pumpkin Crop and is found in the latest book from Primitive Gatherings: Pumping Spice Gatherings It is a spiral bound boom and contains nine patterns. The full size quilt has 168 of these four patches but I used 24. There is a table runner pattern in the book and it is on my to-do list.
Today I am celebrating five years cancer free. I thank my four doctors at Mayo for saving my life after three years of being misdiagnosed. I continue to count my blessings and hope future generations are as fortunate.
How wonderful! \o/ \o/ I hope that you have a terrific celebration!
Donna – thank you so much!! And I hope your celebration continues for many years – just hearing the word Mayo gives me anxiety.
I cancelled the quilt magazines years go when they started the different colorways. That is for our imagination to put colors together that we would like. Then the directions are sometimes confusing for the patterns. It was helpful when they would put the finished piece size to know if you are on the right track.
Mary your yard looks great. We have a big yard and my husband does all the mowing. It always looks no nice when it is all just mowed. I do the flowerbeds, but will be weedy this year because I will be having knee surgery in July. Also, My friend’s husband also has a birthday on the 3rd of July. He brags they put out the flags for him. Great way to put it!
One of your patterns’ Mary, “Hidden in Plain Sight,” I made several queen quilts and runners. One of my favorite patterns.
Bernadette – knee surgery is no picnic but neither is a painful knee limiting your activities. I’m going to use that man’s idea from now on – everybody is celebrating my birthday! Haha!! Even a parade –
My apologies for not answering the first comment I saw about my fall table runner. I purchased Lisa Bonjean’s latest book of patterns called Pumpkin Spice Gatherings and the pattern Pumpkin Crop is one of nine in the spiral bound book. The pattern calls for 168 blocks in a full quilt. My version took 24. I love her new fall collection and bought a small kit to make the table runner featured in the book.
Today I am celebrating five years cancer free. I credit my four amazing doctors at Mayo for saving my life..two women and two men, all from different countries. Mary and I share Dr. Robinson, born in Jamaica.
Thank you for the fall table runner pattern information. Pat in Iowa City
Congratulations on a great health milestone. Pat in Iowa City
Donna – yes, Dr. Robinson is such a nice man!
Mary, I missed you playing piano at church this morning. I’m hoping you are well and that you got a day off for your birthday on the 3rd! Celebrate the whole week and find the time to do something you love to do.
Thanks again for “The Blog”.
Love all the pictures today.
Vicki – thanks for missing me! Ha! My video feed quit working so I didn’t get to see the service. Ugh.
Yes, I’m fine – just sick of playing with Margaret who will NOT go to the church to practice and only wants to play the same old arrangements. I don’t think I can take it anymore. And she was supposed to let one of the other gals play today but I see she played anyway. Sigh.
Mary I love the dusk pictures of your farm, so beautiful and so much work. It does keep us moving and that’s a plus. The quilt on your bed is such candy for the eye. All the other quilts are a work of art as they are made by our hands. Great job ladies.
This morning I mowed the fence row using a push mower as there are so many trees to go around. My husband finished the trimming and then mowed the yard. As he did that I picked a handful of green beans to go with the ones I picked yesterday, first cuke, watered the tomatoes that we have planted in pots. Then in the house to shower.
Not sure what’s in store for the rest of the day.
Rita – I can so relate to your day of mowing and gardening except our garden failed again – even my pumpkins!!
There is one good article in the magazine we are talking about. They show how to sew a no bulk binding. It makes sewing the ends of binding together easy and it looks good also.
It’s on page 16 and 17. I encourage everyone to try it at least once
Marie – that’s my method, too
Yes, I agree, that was the one good article.
Your barn, house and yard look spectacular. What pleasure all of your hard work gave you to see everything well manicured. Thank you for sharing, I can’t see why you love your home.
I enjoy the fireworks on the 4th, but the days before and after don’t make sense especially at 1 am. All that does is wake up people, which is inconsiderate. Our current dog isn’t bothered by them but our previous two would hide under the bed or in the closet and shake. We bought thunder jackets for them which helped a little bit, but they were still scared.
I too stopped subscribing to magazines because they didn’t interest me. Occasionally I will look in the store for a magazine to see if any quilt interests me, but most of the time there is not a quilt magazine in the rack.
Thank you for ALL the great pictures today. I needed to see them today.
I’m having a new water well drilled this month! The current one is collapsing. What a mess.
The drilling company assured me they will return to scoop up the muck in my yard after it dries out.
They went down 460 feet. I was hoping they would hit oil before water…but not this time!!!
I have lots of old magazines and books to peruse for quilt inspiration using new fabric.
I love to see the quilting at shows. Hand guided can be incredible.
Beautiful pictures at dusk. I feel the peacefulness and your tired-ness. Ha, ha!
And I love that last quilt the striped log cabin. Wow!
Pretty kitty too.
I think the quilting magazines have stopped creating their own patterns and articles, and just print whatever shows up from a fabric company, featuring some over-coordinated line of fabric. It makes the magazine much cheaper to produce.
The fun of making quilts, for me, is putting together many different bits of fabric, old and new, prints and plaids. Not something matchy-matchy from a layer cake. Not something that’s all solids.
Dot – I agree! The last pattern I bought listed the manufacturers fabric number for each piece! It was also too confusing to translate so I just didn’t bother. And the pattern was in a factory sealed bag so I couldn’t look at it before I bought it – for $12!!! I will continue to offer patterns for $5!
What a gorgeous pics of the farm at dusk. God’s country for sure! My 4th will involve snuggling with my cat who absolutely hates fireworks (also thunder which occurs daily since we’re in the wet season now). I’ll also be downsizing as much as I can part with as we are moving from FL to CO to be closer to our granddaughters! A 2,000+ mile drive with a cat who doesn’t like car rides is going to be so experience I tell ya! HA
Hope everyone has a blessed Sunday.
Jessica – now that’s a major move! I take it you’re feeling ok?
Just wondering if the fall table runner from yesterday’s blog is a Country Threads pattern? Would love to have it. Your farm looks so green and luscious, beautiful pictures. Pat in Iowa City
Pat – no, it’s not a Country Threads pattern but I’ll try to remember to ask in tonight’s post.
Pat – what date was the runner posted? Not yesterday
6/27/25. Also has pic of you with apron in cornfield. Thank you. Pat
Mary, I bet the earthy, evening odors at dusk must be great too. Such a magical time of the day. Thank you for sharing the photos.
I love all the plans for the 4th. They sound a lot more fun than mine: I’ll be in the hospital after have reconstructive surgery on my left foot. Non weight bearing for 6-8 weeks after.
Ienjoy your beautiful farm. It’s so lush and inviting.
Happy birthday to you Mary.
Many blessings, Judy
I haven’t purchased a quilt magazine since they discontinued the Quilt Sampler. I, too, have almost off of them, and yes, what do I do with them. My family certainly won’t want them.
On another subject, and I hope I am not out of line: Mary’s birthday is July 3 for those that do not know that. I think it would be wonderful if as many as possible would send her a card of thanks for all she does for all of us. Her address is on her blog. Please forgive me Mary, but I think you deserve a card shower, and what better way than for your birthday.
Still picking raspberries, and our beetle trap is actually working quite well. We moved it further away from the berries, and it is doing better. Go figure! I’m still collecting some in my syrup bucket as well. Trying to get this under control!
Have a great day. Of to get ready for church.
Jeanine – my, what a good memory you have! Like most old people say, at this point birthdays are just another day in the week. Mine is always complicated by the 4th. It’s a beautiful morning on the porch.
Great post as always! I love your bed quilt! I too do not like the quilt magazine quilts either. They do not seem to interest me at all. We just have to keep making what we love. Enjoy your summer.
I agree with the comments on the AP&Q magazine as well as other quilting magazines in the newsstands. Not sure who their target market is these days but, for someone who has subscribed from the very beginning, not much that interests me in them anymore. I want to support quilt publications but, like others, don’t want to waste money.
I subscribed to AP&Q from the very beginning. Last week, I received my last issue as I did not renew. I found fewer and fewer things that interested me. Love the green of your yard, Mary. We have been hot, hot, hot, but did get some much needed rain. We are going to one grandson’s basketball game this morning. I haven’t been to one of those in a VERY long time. Ours will be a quiet 4th. Take care.
Vicki – I wish I had kept the plastic bag the magazine came in so I could see when mine expires. I certainly won’t renew it.
LOVE love love the log cabin quilt out of shirtings. I’m with you on fireworks. In my book they are cruel to wildlife and domestic animals. We once had a cat that would growl at them.
I agree with all the previous comments. I have not bought a quilt magazine, in I don’t know how long. There’s very little that I find in the magazines interesting to me.I’ve gone to the library and have checked them out from there. I know it does not bode well for the magazine companies, but at least I’m not spending my hard earned money on a magazine subscription For something that I don’t.care for.
Good morning Mary. My rant about most magazines is the size of the text keeps getting smaller and smaller. Even AARP has tiny text. I used to love magazines but I don’t anymore.
Your yard is lovely. A little piece of heaven.
I had a scare this week. I got a rash on my face and rattled my brain about the cause. Then thought, this may be shingles. Doc agreed and started me on antivirus medicine. Couple days later rash is growing along my neck to my right side . My daughter took me to Urgent Care last night. Doc ruled out shingles and thought it was poison ivy. Admitted I had done some weeding ( small amount due to heat) and have a dog who rolls in the yard and sits on the couch with me. He gave me a cortisone shot. I’m very allergic to poison ivy. It’s always something. I haven’t had a poison ivy rash in years !!! And never think it’s on my property. It’s been a frustrating week.
I love to read about everyone’s plans for the fourth. I don’t have any yet. May have to make some!! At least get together with my daughter and her family who live close by.
Carolyn – poison Ivy? I don’t think I have it here in the grove but I have stinging nettles everywhere. I also have a hops vine that I even planted on purpose years and years ago which we are both allergic to – it spreads so easily Im not sure I can eradicate it.
I have started checking out the large print books at the library and we have a magnifying glass on the counter where we eat and read. More signs of getting old.
I, like several commenting, do not find many patterns in the magazines very interesting. I get 3 magazines that have become quarterly. I non renewed one of them and will non renew another one when it runs out. I am not seeing much new if anything. I like to look at them for inspiration but not finding it there. I have enough ideas of future projects to keep me busy.
I retreat w/ old friends in mid July so I am busy prepping projects to use my time efficiently.
We no longer have animals but we had our grand pup yesterday for part of the day. He suffers so much w/ noise. We had actually given him an anxiety chew as his neighborhood had been having fireworks for the last week. We live out in the country but we had a thunderstorm, a person down the road shooting and firecrackers about a half mile away. There was no consoling him-poor little guy.
No plans for the 4th. Granddaughters who are Girl Scouts will be in a parade in their town so will go in for that. Our neighbor along w/ friends put on a nearly professional fireworks so will sit on my porch for that.
Marcia – this sounds like Hazel – she simply quakes! I feel so bad for her – if she lets me I hold her very close and tight – like a thunder coat. She has one but won’t let me put it on her.
Mary, your yard and home look beautiful. I know it’s a lot of work but worth it. This time of year in Iowa and with all the rain everything looks so green and lush. I know in a couple of months it may not look as good. I too get AP&Q magazine and I actually threw this one in the trash. I was so disappointed. Last year I was encouraged to keep my subscription because there were three or four issues that had some great quilts and they even included a cross stitch pattern. Even when they do the optional colorways they don’t interest me. I still like my traditional quilt patterns and my reproduction fabrics. Last month’s issue with the log cabin and house blocks interested me but not in those colors. So I kept that magazine and would like to make that one out of my fabric stash. I hope AP&Q gets the message. Some of the patterns in the current issue were just weird to me. I’m glad I’m not alone in thinking that.
Debbie in Iowa
Debbie – I am so glad I made the comment about the magazine! I thought it was just me not willing to accept young quilters’ designs.
Agree that most quilts don’t interest me anymore. Is it the quilts or just that I’ve already done that? I find the simple ones interest me, I saw one with very large squares, various sizes with a couple of flying geese thrown in or a block, and I loved it. Simple big squares of your favorite fabrics. I don’t make large quilts anymore, impossible to crawl around on the floor to layout or baste. But I do still love seeing and touching my fabrics, what I have left is down to one small bookcase. I love to make blocks and my favorite quilt is an orphan quilt. Just put all the odd blocks together, it’s good memories and I love the look.
Linda – nice to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t make large quilts anymore. I came across some old shop sample squares from fabric companies and I think I’ll just sew those together some time. About the only size I make is for Keepers chair – ha!
Mary, your farm is gorgeous and the pictures are beautiful. I was trimming trees, bushes, and mowing today as well- but just a small house and yard.
Hi Mary, l gave up magazine subscriptions a few years ago and started to rip out patterns l liked, just saved a few full magazines that had several patterns l liked. Ended up with 16 super market plastic bags full of discarded magazines! I make scrap quilts mainly. Your house looks so inviting we would all like to pop around for a coffee (or iced tea! ). Thank you for being a great friend to us all! Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
magazines , newspapers wonder why they are becoming extinct — so many things have lost out on the idea that the customer/consumer is who is to be considered. It is sort of as if they just feature and produce whar makes themselves happy. Not much profit or satisfaction in that attitude.
On another topic, your dusk photos are great for going down memory lane. Do you have lightening bugs in your area ??
Brenda – we normally have lightning bugs but now that I think of it, I haven’t seen any this year!
Out here in Wyoming, those little bugs are called Firefly’s. Growing up in the south, I still call them lightin bugs. We loved catching them in a jar, watching , and then letting them go.
My favorite quilt magazine was ” Quilt Sampler” & I believe I have every copy, still. I agree the latest American Patchwork & Quilting is a big disappointment! I also subscribed to Quiltmaker & nothing in it either. I did like the block that Bonnie Hunter featured. I find myself using many of my old patterns & still loving them. I buy very little new fabric anymore. I’m always on the lookout for baby panels though. And try to use what I have in my stash for the borders & backing. For many years I’ve made quilts for the new babies at church. Panels are quick & everyone has loved them so far. When Kings Island is open we have fireworks every night! I can watch them from my front porch! Boots is the first dog I had in years that isn’t bothered by them or by storms! As he gets older, we shall see if that changes! The 4th we are going to a friend’s home for a cook out. Everyone brings a dish to share. I always bring an apple pie, Ron’s favorite. The 5th we’ll be going to another friend’s lake house to celebrate Ron’s 92nd birthday (7/2). I always make a German Chocolate cake, his favorite. Two of his girls will make the hour trip to be there. The owners usually take everyone a pontoon boat ride around the lake. And again more fireworks there. Busy weekend coming up! Mary, love the pictures of your home! So beautiful!
I’m with you , Alice … I still have every ‘Quilt Sampler’ magazine … it was my favorite. But what to do with them now?
Alice – I remember Quilt Sampler as well since we were on the cover!! I still like my old patterns as well – I just reimagine the color palette! Hug Boots for me!
Mary, yes I remember that issue & decided when we took our camping trip to Iowa & beyond we were stopping at your shop! You weren’t in the shop, but Connie was. My husband loved all the animals on your farm. Both of us were raised on farms & he would have been a farmer instead of an accountant if it weren’t for severe asthma. He’s been gone almost 5 yrs. And I did have Mr Boots a hug!
I also dropped my subscription to American Parchwork a couple of years ago. After saving all of their issues from their beginning issue, I decided that the early issues were the very best. I realize that I am a traditional quilter and the younger quilters like the more artsy and threadwork ones. Also dropped all the other quilt magazines for the same reason. I have plenty of traditional patterns that I will never live long enough to make, so I’m just trying to finish those that I already have cut out. Glad to hear I’m not alone.
Mary, your farm looks wonderful. You are an amazing woman to keep up with the animals, the yard and flowers, your husband, and still have enough energy to quilt in the evening.- not to mention keeping the blog functioning. You truly are Wonder Woman. Keep cool everyone, Jeanne in Co.
Jeanne – thanks for that sweet compliment! I would rather work than sit – I was always asking my mom what I could do but if I asked too many times, she’d find work for me – ha!
I must be the odd one here; I absolutely love fireworks! We will be down at the MIL’s for the afternoon and evening. Her yard backs up on the school grounds where the viewing stands are so we always have a good seat but not the crowds. Last year we had the main, professional show as well as three private shows that we could see. Oddly enough, we haven’t heard any neighbors shooting off yet. Usually it starts the weekend before and continues all week and even a few days after.
Your yard looks so nice, it’s like running the vacuum inside when you haven’t for awhile. So neat and orderly.
I also got my AP&Q magazine today. I like the cover pattern but thought it would look much better in Civil War Reproductions. Haven’t looked at the rest yet, I had cross stitching to do. AP&Q has been sadly disappointing for several years now and they used to be my favorite. I let my subscription lapse so probably won’t be getting another and I probably won’t be missing it either.
Your pictures are lovely. Such a peaceful setting. I envy you your porch! I haven’t had one for 22 years and I sorely miss it
I felt exactly the same about the latest APQ! I went through it from cover to cover and there wasn’t anything appealing in it. But that’s ok. I have plenty of patterns and ideas to last me the rest of my life…and the fabric to make them!
P.S. There are no ads in today’s post. Is this the new normal?
Jay – no ads? No idea. Sigh.
Your farm is lovely. I can tell you love your home and love to Be home. I’m that way too. I don’t need to travel or do things.. I just need my farm views, gardens, chickens and hubby. Oh..and, of course, my sewing room.
I gave up on quilt magazines a while back. I have kept old issues that I love and go through them again and again. So many more quilts in those to love than the newer ones. I think that ages me, but I don’t care. LOL
Hi Mary. Your place looks great! It’s hard work, I know. My grandson who lives with me has always been upset with the fireworks. He’s 14 now and still doesn’t like them, which is ok with me. There is an Independence Day parade that goes right past our house and we invite friends and family to enjoy it out of the sun in our garage with a lunch afterwards. It’s a very nice alternative to loud, crowded fireworks shows. As for the magazine, yep! Not a thing in there to inspire me either. I don’t think I’m going to renew. I like the old stuff better. I miss Quilt Sampler.
I love the smell of fresh cut grass, and your place is really lovely. Lucky you to have such a view and then to see Tims corn across the road. Not sure what our plans are for the 4th. There is a large event being held at our riverfront park and we go Thursday night and listen to some bluegrass music at 5 and country at 6:30 if the rain holds off. We probably won’t stay for fireworks on Saturday, just too many people. We are going back to my girlfriend’s place to stain her deck that we power washed a few weeks ago. My husband will replace her doorknobs on the front and back doors so the keys will match. We need the rain to stay away at least 2 days, enough already!
I’m in the same boat, the quilts nowadays are too contemporary/modern for my blood. I love traditional/folk art. Even the “ruler work” quilting is also the same. Glad I can free motion! I have made many Country Thread quilts in the 90’s. My first book was “For Love of Chickens”!
I must have over 200 books now. I am starting to “thin out” my sewing room. Dang, time flies and I have quilted over 50 years last Sept. Started in Adult Ed. with Blanche Young in 1974. I quilt ALL my quilts and have made over 600, miniature to Cal. King. I am just finishing the Dear Jane and going to try to “quilt it”. I just finished quilting a 40”x40” quilt and it really “pooped me out”. I love your photos of your farm just wished I could have visited it, before you retired….yes, it was on my list!
I love your blog about “nothing”.
Mary ❤️
Your hard work paid off-your farm is beautiful! I agree, most of the quilts I am seeing now do not appeal to me either. I went to a quilt show yesterday and saw very few quilts that I liked. There were two exciting things-one- the fabric vendors but I was very good and didn’t buy any. A few were gorgeous but I have way too much fabric now! Another lady commented as we looked that she had enough fabric to last her lifetime and probably her kids and grandkids too. The other exciting thing was the boutique where members sold on consignment things they had cleaned out of their sewing rooms. I bought multiple rulers-new in package and never used for $1.00 each. I also bought several books for $2.00 each. Two I found and purchased were Country Threads-Garden Club Quilts and Wear Warm Clothes.
Debbie Miller – wow! Garden Club! I saw a copy on Etsy for sale – it was over $100!!!!
Debbie – I went to Etsy to find a copy of Garden Club listed for $125.50!!!!! You got a deal!
Your yard looks spectacular, Mary! I also don’t like the cover quilt on your new magazine, but I do like the quilt behind it! I don’t think I’ve bought a quilt magazine since “Quilt Sampler” magazine ended production. Most of my inspiration comes from blogs these days, especially yours! Thanks for sharing everything!
That used to be my favorite magazine. I could hardly wait for the nest issue. I still have a couple of issues that have quilts I’d like to make. But I decided years ago it was a waste of money. I can see much lovelier quilts online, and the quilting bloggers have better patterns and tutorials. Every now and then I flip through an issue at the store and I never see anything that would cause me to purchase it. I does make me sad!
Carol – as I read all these comments that agree with me I decided to go to their online site and report my blog findings. Under “contact us” I had to set up an account with a password to send them a message – that is if I couldn’t find the answer to my question online! I am so sick of everyone online requiring me to set up an account!! I’m just ordering one thing and likely never anything more. I don’t want their emails or specials – honestly, I have never felt this old and out of touch. I also have several past copies of quilts that I’d love to make and maybe someday I will but until then I think I just need to cancel my subscription. Oh my, what a rant!! Haha! And goodnight!
Your place looks great – I love the way nicely-tended rural properties look, takes me back to my farm roots and reminds me of why I love living in a rural area. We had some fireworks the other night, but not too long – most of our neighbors are considerate about setting them off.
My daughter and her family flew in today from NYC to stay for a couple of weeks in the middle of nowhere (as my grandson puts it…). We will attend an antique engine show (we’re all member of the club) in northeast OH over the 4th with extended family (about 30 of them…) and camp out another couple of days. The extended family members come from all over – several places in OH, NY, IN and AL. There will be lots of food, laughter, campfire singing, games, memories, and good times. We will continue our family tradition of singing a parody to the latest newly-weds – we have a couple to catch up with. We’ll take 2 of the family’s old tractors (a Co-op and a Cockshutt) back to the farm after the show and show/teach our non-ag family members how to drive them – they love having the experience and we are extremely careful. We may even make a batch of bubbles and have fun helping the little kids make giant bubbles in the yard… we’re going to make memories!
Mary, I received my American Patchwork magazine yesterday and had your same feelings. I think I am going to let my subscription lapse and I have subscribed from about the very start of the magazine.
Loved all your photos. Your hard work really shows in the photos.
Hi Mary,
The yard looks fantastic !!
You are not alone when you don’t see any quilts that you want to make in current magazines. There are lots of us who feel that way too.
Enjoy the Fourth.
take care,
Sue McG in CA
Your yard is beautiful! My daughter is coming for the weekend. We only do the festival fireworks. A family member had company, they were shooting off fireworks, someone was holding a roman candle. Tried to hand it off to a young person. He said no, about that time the thing malfunctioned and the adult lost most of the fingers of his hand. No thanks no fireworks for me.
Dee – yup, those are the horror stories of fireworks!! There are big tents set up near Clear Lake and Mason City selling fireworks! They should be unlawful.
your farm is beautiful, I hate fireworks to, they have been setting them off for over two weeks every night
starting at midnight and i don’t live in a rule aria, these people don’t care about anyone. My husband is working so the people I work for said I could to, so I’m working. Happy 4th.
I also get American Patchwork magazine, nothing interest me either
Kathy L – so what sort of work does your husband do if you can do it, too????
I’m the same,I subscribed to a lot of quilt magazines for forty years,American patchwork and quilting,I kept the longest , but let it go about six months ago.I used to love when they came in my mail but I don’t like the modern quilts they have now . Makes me sad .I miss the good old days !Your yard looks great,so green!
I totally agree with you on the magazine. I didn’t see anything interesting in it either. Also, agree with you about fireworks. My husband always has to get a bunch for the grandkids to blow off. Thankfully one of our dogs is deaf so it doesn’t bother him anymore. I hate them though big waste of money. Pictures of the farm look great!
I got that magazine also. It’s been a busy week. I haven’t really looked through it but do not like the cover quilt. It looks like everything was thrown together with little thought but with not enough different fabrics to make it a scrap quilt.
Were they trying to showcase a collection of fabric I wonder? The pictures of your yard are beautiful.
Your place looks great! Agree with you 100% about American Patchwork and Quilting. That was my thought too when I looked through the magazine. I’ve subscribed since the very beginning and am considering canceling my subscription. Used to to love their publications.
Karen – yup, I will not renew either.