Mid to Late August Catch-Up

Well, it's been a while and I keep thinking there isn't much to report.  We will see when we get to the end, shall we?

A while back, John asked me to make a 'flag' for his smoker, something like those that are used on airplanes.  It is attached to the plane in between flights and simply says "Remove Before Flight".  They put covers on the exhaust pipes on the planes to keep animals and bugs out.  And they need to remember to remove those covers before the planes take off.   I did some calculations, and programmed a 'design' into my embroidery machine.  Found some rip-stop fabric in the stash - have no idea why I had it, don't remember ever using it before - and sewed out the design.  Today I topstitched the entire thing and John put a grommet in.  Here you have it. 

 

There's a little magnetic cover to the left of the sign that keeps mud-daubers out of the smoker box...but it needs to be removed when the smoker is in use.  I made one for our next door neighbor's smoker as well.  They are both so pleased with their flags.  It takes so little to make men happy!

The local newspaper (it comes out once a week) had an article a couple of weeks ago about a Barn Quilt class.  I love the idea of bar quilts.  If you don't know, barn quilts are not really fabric quilts but instead, they are large (like 2 feet by 2 feet or bigger) wooden 'signs' that have been painted to look like a quilt block and then attached to the front of the barn.  A lot of different areas in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa and Indiana - to name a few - have put together Barn Quilt Trail maps for tourists.  Our town decided they might like to do something like that to encourage some tourism here.  So I signed up for the class, mainly to find out how best to do the construction or painting of the quil square.  What a fun day!  I learned a lot and will be painting several more to change them out with the seasons.  Here is the one I did.

The block is called Monkey Wrench - I decided to do that one because life seems to always throw a wrench into plans.  It's to remind me to be flexible.   I plan on using my cutting machine to cut Pieceful Harbor, est. 2004 and adhere it to the middle before I seal the block.  You won't be able to see the writing from the road but I will know it's there.  Our neighbor, John, has agreed to make some french cleats for the barn so that I can put up one block and then slide it out to change up the blocks.  

They are never out of each other's sight.  Even if one is down the hall, the other can be laying on the tile but facing the other one.  They are such good friends.  Angel - the white one - is younger than Shiloh but has about 15 pounds on him.  He always lets her go in and out of the doggy door first - I attribute that to Alpha Dog (Angel) but it's probably more like he understands she is bigger and he doesn't want to get stuck in the door when she rushes through.  

Our temps are finally cooling off...it's only in the high 80's and low 90's this next week.  Wish we'd get some rain....the drought conditions have the farmers concerned.  I can't imagine have a working farm and depending on the crops for our income - we'd be screwed this year, for sure.  John has tomatoes and eggplant growing in our little garden this year.  That is enough for us to get tomates for the next year when we can them next month.  

 Be safe, be well, be cool (or warm, depending on where you live here on earth).  Until next time, thanks for stopping by.