Have you checked out Jo’s Country Junction and the flooding in their town? She says it’s back to normal now but that was a lot of water! My succulents have been wheeled in and out of the garage for days now and they’re still saturated. I’ve even taken some out of the pot to dry the soil.


Wednesday is Dirty Dozen Day. I always forget how weedy August can be – I have never pulled so many weeds! I mowed today – the grass finally grew enough to mow. Tried to clean house a bit – sewing room, too. Look at all these little tubs – each one has a project in it – guess I forgot to include these in my list for the Dirty Dozen. I’ll never wonder what to work on, will I?

Found these charms already sewn through the middle.



I’m also getting ready to sew rows together for my Hayseed quilt.



Reader quilts









Couldn’t resist laying the old morning glory quilt on the ground. I never even got around to binding it.
The closing photo says it all – Hazel, the ball, the mud, the $70 pedicure.

Mary I take it it’s your pedicure that is ruined?
Is the Morning Glory a Country Threads pattern?
Hazel looks happy as a clam 😉❤️
Donna O – Morning Glory is an old old pattern from a book we did for Lesiure Arts back in the day. I don’t think I even have a copy.
I am constantly amazed at your beautiful piecing! I know embroidery is fussy…esp Brazilian embroidery….but I love, love that. Handwork is my favorite! But I’m not so patient with precise piecing! Our fires would love your rain!
Carrolyn V – I could never do the sort of handwork you enjoy – my fingers are just too clumsy!!
I love the last picture! She looks so happy to be with you:). The mini quilt shows of Dirty Dozens are so much fun. They are all so different. We were able to get Buddy, the stray cat, into the carrier and to the Vet. He has now been checked for Feline Leukemia, given flea treatment, neutered, given all shots, and checked for worms—none. He came home on Saturday and is here to stay. He’s adorable. Well, Squeak doesn’t think so. She growls and hisses when she gets near his door. Sigh. Hoping for he best in the next few days😺.
Diane – they will work it out! Thanks so much for taking Buddy into your home – they might even get to be friends in the future!! And your “free” cat is probably like my free parakeets and all the others. Costly.
I am loving the Hayseed quilt. That’s going to be beautiful. So enjoy your life on the farm. Country living is the best.
I just love ending with a laugh!
The quilt show is beautiful today, as always.
At the store today they had Black and White popcorn. If you’ve never had it….don’t start. If you have, you understand my statement. It’s so good, and I’m a sucker for it.
Tim’s corn is looking very good. Just a guess, but how tall is it? What kind of birds are at the bird feeder?
Our County Fair just ended. The Guild had a big booth of quilts. The firemen/paramedics happily hung the quilts from the ceiling. Guess they didn’t want the old ladies falling off the ladders and they would have to take care of them. They were greatly appreciated and everybody had a smile.
We had Project Warmth Work day today. Everybody made nice progress on their quilts. I’m putting the Scrap Crazy blocks into a twin for the Children’s home. It is going to look nice. The brightly colored blocks never fail to make me smile. As usual, we always love show and tell.
The rain storms went around us again, but it is cooling off better at night. Days are still in 90’s. It is amazing how quickly the air cools when the sun goes down. It doesn’t do that in Iowa.
Hope you get everything dried out.
One of the motion cameras might solve the mystery. Then you would know? And what were the larger black birds flying across the pasture south (?) of the barn. There were 2 of them.
Take care. Betty in Rapid City
Betty – birds were probably just crows, I couldn’t tell in the photo. Tim’s corn is 9-10’ tall! The birds at the feeder are Baltimore Orioles.
The quilts are all beautiful, especially the log cabin star quilt. I am wondering how it was quilted. The quilting appears to be raised, or is it two lines of close quilting that deceives my eye? It is beautifully done, however it was done.
Oh such beautiful quilts today! And the morning glories!! I love Hazel…she is so fun and cute!
Yes our fires would love your rain! Our biggest fire is now 10 miles from Lake Tahoe and people are being evacuated. That is such a beautiful place….I pray they can stop the fire soon!
Wonderful quilts! Your morning glories are beautiful; love that morning glory quilt. 🤗
Have a great week. 🥰
$70 pedicure ??? Holy smokes !!! And I thought $45 was high after switching shops because of customer service/attitude problems. Nothing like a happy dog and it’s ball
Love-Love-love the pictures of Hazel & her ball…..So cute 🙂
So glad Diane decided to keep Buddy….Makes my heart glad when a Kitty gets adopted by wonderful people. Squeak will get used to him,,,,,it just takes time.
Enjoy your day 🙂
Happy too that Diane in Ohio has given a helpless animal a good life. Buddy is the name of our rescued cat who just walked into our back door one night in November on a very cold night, and he walked right past our terrier at the time.
He wanted to be warm inside as he was tired of outdoor survival. Like so many of us with big hearts for stray kitties, it was vet appts, calling around, and Buddy
now cuddles up with the dogs.
Cooler temps here today but very comfortable with high of 83. Maybe tomorrow I will use my Roma tomatoes and make some sauce to make eggplant parm.
The quilts are simply gorgeous!!! Thank you readers for such beauties to admire. I loved the last picture with Hazel dropping the ball on the golf cart at your feet. She’s saying like heck mom get out of riding in that thing and get out here to play with me!
Kathy in NY – Nice – another rescued Buddy!! Hazel can be very demanding when she puts her mind to it!
All the quilts are beautiful ! OMGosh, all the rain over at Jo’s Country Junction and the devastation….just makes me want to cry!!! On a happy note, so glad Buddy got a wonderful home and family. We have several rescued cats and they are the best mousers!! LOL We also have seen NO snakes on the property,
Mary, can you believe I am STILL working on my Bulls Eye quilt?! I laid it aside and haven’t worked on a thing quilty wise at all. Just have had no quilt mojo at all. But it is slowly starting to come back.
I have been to a few auctions here and there and actually bought a few quilts for cheap cheap ($20 or less) and people thought I paid too much!!! Don’t understand where people’s minds are at now a days!!!
Anyways, have a good week. We are in the 90’d today, and 80’s tomorrow!
Brenda in SC – oh, how I wish I could buy some of those antique quilts!!! Dirt cheap – very sad really. You better get going on that bullseye quilt – I want to start a new quiltalong this fall! And you need to join in, too!
Did I tell you about the little girl who sits on the pew ahead of me in church?? She had on clear nail polish with gold glitter in it! She was so proud of it that she took off her shoes to show me her toes!! I stopped by the dollar store and got some and did my fingernails! I told her she had inspired me! She was so tickled! Mom said, “Glitter just makes life better!” Sounds like something I should stitch!
Tanya T – oh my gosh, isn’t that cute? I had a little girl about 3 show me her fingernails after church Sunday and she had a big bow in her hair, too. I sit on the piano bench during the children’s sermon and I get quite a view. Yes, I think you should stitch that!
Mary, beautiful post as always! Love especially seeing the “30 Stars” quilt!
Mary, I thought of you last Saturday. I live on an acreage in Iowa just west of Iowa City. (Hawkeye country!) I happened to look out my kitchen window and there was a huge bird in the yard watching something. It wasn’t a bald eagle but it must have stood two foot tall. It was intently watching something in the yard. I tried to find my phone to get a video but just as I did it flew up into one of our trees. I think it was a hawk. Possibly a red tailed hawk. Thank goodness my dogs (Buckshot, a black pomeranian, and Zoey, a black and white pomeranian shih tzu mix) were indoors. I am worried about my neighbors cat as I see it around now and then. I told my daughter about the sighting and mentioned that must be why we haven’t seen many chipmunks anymore. They were destructive. Sad as it is it’s kind of ok. But then I realized all of our squirrels and rabbits are gone too! I’d forgotten the struggles of trying to keep Zoey from dashing after squirrels in the yard when we go out for potty breaks. Often she would run them up a tree and then sit and wait. She would wait all day if you let her! She also loved to watch them from inside. We’ve lived there for 13 years and never experienced this. I wonder why these bigger birds are coming so close to homes for prey this year. Could it be the high temps and lack of rain (prior to last week)?
Diane B – very interesting! Maybe it’s always been this way but we didn’t pay close enough attention. The bird sounds quite large – it could have been a juvenile eagle – feathers just brown instead of white head, etc. watch your little dogs closely – I hope it doesn’t get the neighbor’s cat! I am constantly on edge, never relaxing, just wondering when the “next shoe is going to drop”!
Mary that hazel is just the cutest!!
Hi Mary – Beautiful pictures today! Thanks for sharing. I espcially like the quilt Diane in Colorado made. Does anyone know the name of the pattern?
Thanks for your blog! Such good thoughts and inspiration.
Does anyone know if there is written pattern for Playing with Leftovers quilt. Such a lovely small quilt for a table.
Love all the quilts you ladies are finishing. Best seat in town for a quilt show.
Best of all Love all the comments, helpful hints, and concerns. We just have so much to share.