Yesterday was Becky’s birthday and we went to our favorite pizza place, the OP in Clear Lake. We don’t go out often anymore so this felt like a real treat. We don’t give gifts anymore – nobody needs more stuff but a new dish towel? Now that’s a different story!
Here’s the photo from Sherry that shows how to tell male from female monarchs.
This afternoon on our regular trip on the wilderness trail, Hazel sniffed out a harmless woodchuck in a log and killed it. I hated it so much I left her there and went to the house. I know she was bred to do this sort of thing but, just like the cardinal, it makes me sick.
I have really enjoyed the Olympic closing ceremonies – the Tom Cruise segment was a brilliant idea to highlight Hollywood. Loved it!
Who sent me this clever little water bottle/jar opener? I love it and I’m going to make one for each of my vehicles and for my friends, too. Where do I buy this rubbery material? What’s it called?
Reader photos
An old newspaper clipping sent by a reader – brought back many memories – from 1988.
Have YOU sent me photos that I haven’t posted yet?
P.S. JB has an appointment at the vet tomorrow morning at 11 – his right eye is completely blind and sometimes very sore looking. I wonder if she’ll recommend removing it. I’m not sure my old buddy would survive the sedation however. I’ll let you know.
Sounds like Becky’s birthday dinner was a for n evening; Hapoy Birthday, Becky!
I love the cow quilt.
I had never really thought about how to tell a male Monarch from a female; however, I am glad I now know. Thanks, Sherry.
I am glad you are not in constant pain, Mary. Thanks for the blog. Take Care, 🥰
Hi Mary, I was having so much trouble with my computer, that I never had a chance to explain the photo.
The red and white with black and white small quilt, is actually a sewing machine mat. The black and white section hangs off of the side of the table and is meant to hold seam rippers, scissors, etc. Some left over blocks were re-worked for this project, I.e. a gift for a friend. It’s quilted, so the sewing machine can sit on top and not scratch the table.
Thank you for sharing all of the wonderful photos Mary. Any and all prayers are appreciated for those in Tioga County Pennsylvania where the floods just hit. A dear friend of mine lives there.
San / Murphy, NC
San – isn’t it sad to hear about all the terrible weather people are getting hit with? I hope it’s not an ongoing trend – insurance companies are pulling out of Iowa because of all the horrible weather events. Sounds impossible, doesn’t? What a thoughtful gift you made for a friend!!
Happy birthday Becky! Tea towels are great gifts. It’s always fun to have a new one and they’re used often enough they need replacing often.
My Klaus caught a wren under my chair one morning. I take the kitties outside almost every morning as they’re mostly indoor kitties. Klaus is a hunter – he caught a squirrel once. I heard the wren screaming at the cats and suddenly Klaus ran under my chair and came out with the wren. There was nothing I could do and it really upset me.
I’m enjoying the sewing room and butterfly pictures.
Mary, it was so fun to see the news article about Country Threads! It brought back many memories.
Carol McGarvey the author, and I roomed together in Des Moines right after we graduated from Iowa State. We were both starting our first “REAL” jobs…Carol with the DesMoines Register and I was an interior decorator for Sears at Merle Hay Plaza.
Carol is a dear friend who spent her whole career with the Register and now does freelance articles. I got married and moved to Seattle in 1968 and miss being able to spend time with her but technology helps us stay in touch!
Vicki – I remember this detail now!!!! We can credit Carol for making our name familiar!!!
I will try to. make the jar opener, that’s clever. My friend said she used the liner material to put in a high chair seat to keep the baby in. Just saying.
Loved reading that article about the early days at Country Threads!!
I never knew that about the monarchs either. We tried years ago to grow one in a jar and made the mistake of carting over to my grandchildren. I think the trip disoriented the butterfly and it wouldnt leave the yard.
Glad to ee that you are feeling a lot better and acn go out with your sister. Happy Birthday, Becky.
As always your reads are amazing!! Very nice sweing room, Vicky.
And I love the beach library. Take acre everybody.
Thanks for the comment about my sewing room. I recently reorganized it as I have way too much stuff and I figured out fabric I could donate. It was of course, apparel fabric. I kept all the quilting fabric as I have too much fun and too many ideas for it.
I love the jar openers. I have circular thin rubber ones, but this allows for color that can be personalized. Neat idea.
Hi Mary, great article! I sure have enjoyed the monarchs also. Just like the bluebird pictures. Anything like that, I just love!
I sent a couple of ‘before’ and a couple of ‘progress’ pictures of our garage conversion to my craft room to you Mary. I can try sending them again. I don’t know how to label them, but can explain them in the comment section.
Colleen – please resend
Good morning all,
Sherry, thanks for the picture of the monarchs – learn something new every day!
To open a jar, I usually place a thick rubber band (at least 1/4″ wide) around the lid. It usually works. But, I really like the gripper idea, being flexible they mold to the lid better than the commercial rubber variety which I can’t use – hands too small. The rubber shelf liner is on my list for the next trip to the store!! It’s a great way to use up some of my stash.
So is the rainbow scrappy triangle squares quilt you showed, Mary. Another creative way to use scrap strips. I’m learning scrappy quilts take more time to plan, trim pieces and sew than a regular quilt. Yet, I’m learning to use the smaller pieces to sew as starters and enders during another quilt assembly. Many of you probably do that already, but I’m relatively new to quilting, so learning ways to be a little more efficient in my productivity has been a giant leap in the last year or so.
Have a productive week, no matter the endeavor. 🙂
Jan
Jan in AZ – I’m guilty of not saying things that I assume all quilters know – and I’m thrilled there are actually new quilters here reading the blog about nothing!
Thank you, Sherry, for the Monarch pics. I have a question for you??? I found a black fuzzy looking tiny caterpillar on a celery leaf in my hoop greenhouse. As I watch it each day, it gets bigger and puts on more color. My camera photo ap tells me it is a black swallowtail cat. I am overjoyed, but afraid now that something will get it. My gh doors stay open this time of year, but most things, like birds, seem to avoid going in. Do you think I should put it in a jar with some celery leaves or just take a chance? I will try to send some photos, hopefully anyway. My photo sending ability is hampered by so few bars here.
Happy Birthday to Becky. Sounds like you sisters had a good time.
Love all the quilts (especially the cows)
Thinking about JB with love and fingers crossed.
I am so sorry to read about JB’s eye. How is he doing otherwise? He must be at least 20, if not more. I remember when you last told me his age, he was one year older than my cat Tuna, who turned 19 this summer. I am adding him to my thoughts and prayers list.
That rubber stuff is shelf liner. They do work quite well. But best to buy the good stuff as the cheap stuff falls apart after several twists.
Fun to give as small gifts.
Mary, you seem like your old self again.
Always enjoy the photos and little bits of your life as well as others.
Rain here this morning. Loving it. Off to MO Wed for a 4 day retreat. Some place new. Probably will go over MSQC one day since we are so close,
Fran – I’m feeling like my old self again – when I got your card you were heading to a retreat as well. I have a question – do you actually accomplish something or do you end up with a UFO from each retreat – this would be my version.
Mary, sometimes the rubbery stuff isn’t even working to get the lid off, then I resort to one of those jar opener things (I think mine is from pampered chef). Even the vanilla bottle lid words in it! My hands ‘ain’t what they used to be’ 🥴.
Love all the pictures! I especially liked the newspaper article. I didn’t know you and Connie way back then!
So fun!!
I have a sad bird deal, some barn swallows made a nest above our bathroom window which I can see from my kitchen window. I can watch the parents feed them and one little bird fell out! So sad! A lot of people don’t like them but they catch a lot of bugs! I love them and when they sit on the Shepard hook in front of my kitchen window they are really pretty.
Joy – I am still sad about the young cardinal. Connie and I started in 1979 – we each put in $300 and never ever needed to use any of our own money again although we didn’t take a salary for a whole year. We started with four patterns and a distributor picked up one of them, log cabin hearts, to take to the Houston show. When we got a letter from the Shamrock Houston ordering 12 dozen, we were on our way!
Mary and Connie, that is amazing! You probably have one of your patterns and don’t even realize it. You guys did so well!
But! I was busy making clothes for my kids at that time! 4 babies in 9 years kept me busy sewing! Stretch and Sew was a big deal! I could buy bundles of knit fabric for shirts for the kids. I made underwear, shirts, sweatshirts, etc. busy busy.
Have a good one!
Bottle opener – fabric on one side and shelf liner on the other side.
Happy birthday Becky. Love the cow quilt; so cute. Thanks for the picture on how to identify male and female monarchs. Enjoyed the article about you and Connie’s business. What a fun idea to stay up sewing. Good luck with JB and his eye.
Donna Jo – those all nighters were fun but killers by about 4 am – ha!
Please explain the jar opener. Is there fabric on one side?
Linda, you can make jar openers/grippers using just fabric on one side and shelf liner on the other. Just sew shelf liner to right side of fabric, leaving an opening for turning. Turn right side out and finger press/use your little wooden iron ( a wooden clothespin works as a seam pressing tool, too) and topstitch around the edge. Fast, easy, useful! And they sell well at bazaars. You can make them any size you want. Just don’t use an iron, it will melt the shelf liner.
Loved the monarch information! So neat. That cow head quilt is so neat! The rubbery stuff is drawer liners, and I find it at Dollar General in Algona. I have had my roll for over 10 years. Ground hogs dig holes in the fields and will dig them in your yard too. I don’t like killing anything either and my cats kill birds and rabbits all of the time here too. I had one leave a blue Jay at my door this year! I was so sad. We have to take the bad with the good I guess. Just like taking the good with the bad. I would put bells on them, but then they wouldn’t be able to kill the mice, screws and voles. Hope you can get answers for JB. And continuing to send prayers out to you and all the readers! May God be with you all 🙏💓
I enjoyed reading the newspaper article. Great pictures today. I agree with you about the jar opener. We each got one at the quilt shop hop in June. I use it all the time. Haven’t made any yet.
Wow, Mary…yours was the largest pattern business in the U.S. that’s awesome.
Looks like you had a great time for Becky’s birthday. It has been a while since you all had pizza.
I told you I’m not techy…I took 18 pictures, you got 1 of them. I’ll try again with fewer in the email.
Hazel is only doing her job.
I wish the friendship shown by the youngsters at the Olympics was contagious around the world and last a lifetime. I wish the world would get along. That many young people can make a difference.
Jo – actually I got 5 pictures and loved seeing them!
I’m lovin’ the cow head quilt top. Thanks Sherry for the female/male Monarch butterfly photo. I’m passing it along to my daughter.
I loved the information about the butterflies! I can’t wait to share the pictures with my grandson! He’s 8, he’ll love it. Hugs,
Hi Mary, hope JB goes ok at the vet.Happy birthday to Becky!It has been interesting to learn about monarch butterflies and their development. I have started quilting my string stars,that will keep me busy for a while.Mornings will be housework and making bear paw blocks as part of the next quilt. Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sherry, thank you the fascinating information about the monarchs! So interesting! Love all these sewing room pictures, too. Happy birthday, Becky!
Hope you get some answers with JB eye issue, hope its a simple fix. Thank you for the super pictures on the monarchs and how to tell them apart. We have some show up on our wildflowers so now I shall pay closer attention to them. I do enjoy seeing the butterflies and bees in our wildflowers/woods. The beach library is a clever idea indeed, it needs a few shovels and pails added. Weather continues to be cooler and some showers.
Morning Kim, the beach library is on a lovely beach we frequent near our camp and I actually have a stack of pails and shovels our grandkids used for many years in our travels to Myrtle Beach. I need to donate them. Our traveling days are over. It cracks me up that this library display shows how popular all the farms are in around our area with the play trucks and tractors. Those toys sure held up to donate. Our kids always had a dirt pile to drive trucks around. Santa brought Tonka trucks every year. There are several book libraries scattered around the village shaped like lighthouses and so fun to look at. Kudos to the originator of these libraries from years back as it reaches original audiences.
Kathy – I think the beach library is brilliant!!!
The jar opener rubbery stuff is cabinet shelf liner. Can get it at Walmart or Dollar General, any place like that.
Mary – well, of course, it is!!! I should have known that myself!!
Poor sweet JB. Hope the vet appointment goes well.