Mid-Summer

I can not believe it's already the middle of summer...it seems the older I get, the faster time flies....And, try as I might, there just isn't any clear way to slow it down.

Mr. Wonderful was in Kansas all last week, thankfully working a job that he likes!  He's learning a lot and seems to be really happy with this company.  They pay decently and treat their people with respect and honor.  That's my kind of company!

While he was gone, I worked on a couple of things that were just hanging around...things that just needed a bit of time and they were done.  Here is one...a small quilt square I've been applique-ing by hand...then I sewed the squares together on the machine.  It measures out at about 30 inches square. I'm not entirely sure how it's going to be quilted yet...but then it will sit nicely on the table during the spring and early summer.  

I think I'll bind it in a pink - I know, pink isn't my normal colour but this just seems to be calling for pink.

John asked me to make up some spaghetti sauce this morning....here it is, bubbling away....we like our sauce thick and meaty and this will be nice for dinner tonight along with some garlic bread.  With plenty to freeze for several meals later in the summer and autumn. 

Nothing much else to tell you, friends.  Enjoy the rest of the summer, I'll post again soon.  In the meantime, thank you for stopping by.

July Fry

 That's what they say in the west...June Gloom, July Fry...and it sure is true for Arizona in July.  I spent a week there last week. It was 113 degrees when I landed in Phoenix.  My beloved desert landscape just made me happy!  I've missed it so!!!

I spent 4 days in Northern Arizona with my mom...hadn't seen her in a couple of years.  I know my brothers are keeping close watch on her but my 'daughter's heart' needed to see for myself.  One of my brothers and his family came for dinner - here is Mom, R, and Me...youngest brother couldn't make it - sigh!

I was also excited to meet up with a cousin I hadn't seen in about 35 years...met Tammy for breakfast and she came over to Mom's to bring us fresh apricots from her tree that afternoon.

 Mom and I visited with Aunt B and then went quilt shop hopping...2015 Row by Row Experience started the day I arrived. This was Arizona's first time participating.  Some really, really cute patterns -  will show them when I get them done.

On Thursday, I took the shuttle down to Phoenix and my friend Meredith picked me up.  I hadn't seen Mer since 2006 when I last went to Camp Watch-a-Patcher.  Our mutual friend, Shelly, drove over from California and the  3 Quiltateers were together again for a few days.  Mer and I went to 7 quilt shops to pick up free Row by Row patterns and once Shelly got there, we spent the rest of the time going thru the 7 bins of fabrics Shelly had brought over for us to pilfer thru....I was a good girl and only took what I could fit in my suitcase without going over the weight limit. 

 This is what the living room looked like the day after Shelly arrived.  Meredith had set up some sewing lessons for me and Shel so we spent a lot of time discussing sewing v. quilting.

Our granddaughter, C, turned 10 in mid-June...she still plays with her American Girl doll (thank goodness!) so I made an outfit for her doll to go with the gift card we gave her.  I'm quite proud of this one!.

 I took the red eye flight home on Saturday...was so exhausted by the time John picked me up at the airport on Sunday morning.  Still needed to do the laundry but that was just about the only 'chores' I got done.  On Monday, I looked out the back deck and saw this...so close and all alone.  I didn't see any of the other herdmembers but I'm sure they were near.  Part of the joy of living in the country.

John got a new shirt.  And the saying tickled me.  It's so true. "Mowing. It's what I do. It's so much mower!"

Hope this makes you smile as well.

Thanks for stopping by!