The news from the farm this week is all about camp in the barn! The campers left late last night and honestly I was so tired, I couldn’t sleep. Today will be a day to catch up on yardwork, laundry, quilts to be finished for the Chicago show, grocery shopping and hopefully a rest in my chair to make up for no sleep last night.
We had 12 people sign up for camp and they enjoyed the change in class format. This time everybody made the same projects and people went home with projects nearly finished. We tried not to overwhelm them with too many choices and it was a much better camp. They made Disappearing 4-patch and many spiral quilted it while they were in camp as well. We made flag pincushions and Pick Up Sticks, too. I overate for 2 days so it’s back to my diet today – without any cheating. Sam’s dogs, Leo and Savvy, are shown in several pictures when they visited camp. They learned the haymow dog door like everybody else.
All Iowa Shop Hop started last Monday morning and we’ve been seeing a steady flow of “hoppers”. We are preparing kits for the show in Chicago June 19-21. Connie and Mary Baker will be attending this show but I will be attending Eric’s wedding in International Falls, MN followed by a short scenic vacation on the way back home, something Rick and I just never do but we will take the time to recuperate from the wedding. Eric’s mom and I are preparing the rehearsal meal “long distance” so I’m hoping I don’t forget anything.
If you’re looking for a fun vacation next spring, consider joining Connie on a Civil War Quilt Cruise, April 26-May 3, 2015. The Navigator of the Seas cruise line will be visiting Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel and 4 different teachers will present classes while out to sea. For more information, visit the website at StitchinHeavenTravel.com or call 800-871-1338.
This is a sad day for Rick and me – it was one year ago today (which was actually during last year’s camp and I have been re-living that whole sequence of events over the past week and especially camp) that we put Izzy down because she developed a condition called Rage Syndrome. Her high energy would erupt into aggression and it became apparent that we simply could not take a chance she would attack a child who visited the farm. In my brain, I know we did the right thing but in my heart, I am still devastated.
Working on the rock garden, the stepping stones and the black dirt fill for the front yard. Here are just a few odd photos I took last weekend showing you our progress.
The last photo is looking east very early in the morning before the sun was actually “up” – mist was rising from the field and it was magical.
Hope to see you here at the farm for the All Iowa Shop Hop during the month of June!
Mary
Just for a Laugh …
Out bicycling one day with my eight-year-old granddaughter, Carolyn, I got a little wistful. ‘In ten years,’ I said, ‘you’ll want to be with your friends and you won’t go walking, biking, and swimming with me like you do now. Carolyn shrugged. ‘In ten years you’ll be too old to do all those things anyway.’
Loved the pics you sent today – as always. Those dogs are so wonderful. The 3 at the top of the steps so cute – they look so happy. And Rick seems to have a good dog lap. Sweet. I have always wanted to come to your camp but haven’t made it yet. The haymow looks sooo fun and sorry this is the last year for it. I can understand all the work in it – you need some good help with all this labor you do! What a great place you have for your home and shop – beautiful. Have a wonderful wedding and trip.
We lost our pug two years ago and I miss him every day. My heart goes out to you as you remember the day you had to let Izzy go.
On a more cheerful note, I’m sorry I missed quilt camp. I know you said this one would probably be the last, but I’m hoping you might change your mind.
Hugs, Mary!
Sorry for the sad memory of Izzy’s loss. But I know you have good memories of Izzy too and hope they will help you through the sadness.
Love the pictures of camp. What fun! Wonderful quilt being held up by the laughing woman.
The quilt cruise sounds like so much fun. I had no idea the Civil War was fought in Jamaica! 😉 Two of my passions are quilting and study of the American Civil War, so I would have a hard time deciding where to spend my time….
I always enjoy your posts.
I had to put a favorite cat down for the very same reason…I know how you feel…..love your blogs!
Some spiral quilted their piece while there? !!! Using the DSMs or longarming? You DO mean 1 giant spiral getting bigger and bigger as you sew parallel to the center and keep going round and round? Any clues how to do this without having to premark with water soluble pen or silver pencil and lifting/shifting your pressure foot/needle every few stitches? Or is FMQ and you just have to “airm and go and hope your stitches are somewhere near the same size(es)?
I’ve not yet gotten up courage to try this yet — maybe on a table mat?
Karen
I use my quilting foot as my guide and increase my stitch length.
I love the peach and blue top. Very pretty!
Looks like everyone of your campers were having a blast!! Hope you got caught up on your sleep – that can be mentally draining.
Our Black Lab has been gone 2 years. Yesterday, on FB, I found a picture of a sad dog and a caption: “Something happened in the kitchen and ….. just remember I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!! If Buck could have talked, he would have said this daily and it made me smile, thinking about my sweet-boy.
I had started following your blog over a year ago, so I remember the sad story of beautiful Izzy. As others have said, my heart also aches for you. It was such a difficult decision for you to make, albeit the right one.
At the present we have no animals, so I enjoy hearing about yours, as well as the shop.
Recuperating from surgery, wishing I could have been at camp. It looks like you all had a great time. And there is nothing like quilting with friends, old and new, to see you through painful times. I am so grateful for you and the happiness you bring to my life, even from a distance.