Saturday, September 1, 2007

It never pays to admit to too much!


Marion, everyone else is growing older...not me. But I'm told it's better this side of the grass than not so guess I'll accept the birthday wishes.

Cousin Heather is helping me upload my screen saver, Cameo for Kate is one of my original designs although an updated colonial lady pattern. Some may remember my living room from Rosey's Retreat.
I'm riding the crest of a culinary wave this week-end....

Rosey, in Canada

Friday, August 31, 2007

Thea

I am so sorry to hear about your best girl. You have more than enough to contend with without losing her. Our most clever dog was a BC X with an Irish wolfhound, large but very very clever. I keep thinking about you and your problems I just wish your DH would realise he has to make changes and come out of denial, but he is a man so I wish you luck. I suppose there is no chance you will be at the Craft Show this month? I would love to meet and have a coffee. We are taking a bus load down on the Sat so maybe?? good luck my friend and we are all thinking and hoping things will get better. Hugs Bee in NZ.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

nearly but not quite !!

It's Friday Aug 31st here in NZ. I know for some of you it's still Thursdays 30th.... "Somebody" on the BB has a big birthday today ! I would like to be the first to wish that special person a very happy day and a great year ahead. Enjoy !!

Marion (off for a walk on the beach with the dog (and the husband !)

No title

I hardly know what to say, Thea, about the loss of your BC. What a tragedy and it seems one insult too many heaped onto your life of stress over the past few years. I cannot imagine how you must feel. I know that I would not cope at all well with the death of one of our Aussies here at home because they are, like the BC, knowing, caring, intelligent animals who are so loyal to their owners that it's like loosing a member of the family...which they are. I'm trusting that your grief will abate over time and that a new BC pup will come into your life. I'm glad you've posted to the Chat Board.

The day has dawned and it is fog, upon fog. Raw, not cold but after a storm blew through last night with some welcome rain, the grass is beginning to renew itself and thankfully, we may have some green left to the summer although the trees are starting to drop their leaves, likely because of a lack of rain. More apples to cut up and make into apple sauce and I'll be busy picking apples from friend Penny's trees for the rest of this week. I freeze the applesauce over winter. It's comfort food along with warm freshly baked muffins.

Sara, I can well imagine reaching for the wrong tube of anything first thing in the morning.

Rosey

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Jelly fish quilt

Good evening everyone. I was so sorry to hear of Thea's hard times that just keep on going. The loss of a loved dog is adding insult to injury.
While at the Daytona condo I worked some on a 9in. X 12in. quilt of a jelly fish. I took the picture about 2 years ago in the same area when there was a bunch of them washed on shore. This will be my first "art quilt" that will be for sale. I'm excited about it! On Oct. 5th there will be an art walk in St. Augustine, and the local quilt shop there is going to hang all our small quilts. I'll have to put a price on it, and sell it, but it was fun doing it. Just have to do the binding, and maybe sew a few shells onto the bottom of it.
I'm in charge of refreshments, maybe I'll bake some small pies and call them "Art Tarts". It worked for Paula Dean, why not me?
I met a GF tonight for pedicures. We were supposed to meet up at 6:00 PM by a local Winn Dixie grocery store, the shop was next door. She went to the wrong shopping center. Then went across the street where the store was 6 years ago! She finally made it about 30 min. late. I can get a lot of miles out of that one.
Not as bad as my brushing my teeth with Benedryl cream (which was next to the travel size Crest toothpaste) at 6:15 AM.
I seem to function better when I just go ahead and get up at 6:00 or so, and then take a nap later, when I can. Had been walking on the beach watching the sunrise, which isn't until about 7:00 AM. After 8:00AM it is blazing hot, so have to do something else.
After my trip to West Palm this weekend, I'll take a digital picture of the Jelly Fish quilt and attempt to post it.
I sent off the application and photo of the "Explosion of Color" quilt to the U. K. this morning. It only took me 30 min. to figure out the machine at the drug store on how to print 1 copy of something. Slow learner's class for me.
THEA-my 2 cents worth. It seems that you are trying to work 3 jobs. 1-wive and mother 2-nurse 3-farm hand. It doesn't suprise me that you are stressed.
Could you and DH give up the lease on the farm and move into a town? If not, have DH come up with something that HE thinks would work, as what he is doing now is obviously not working.
Since my hot flashes woke me at 5:00 AM, I'm going to crawl into bed and start reading a mystery book, take a Tylonol PM if I can find one in the house.
Sara in Fla.

checking in

THEA - I am very sad to read you lost your working dog. What a painful blow! I'm sending you prayers and hugs.

ON THE WEATHER FRONT - Our 100+ heat wave seems to have ended - we hope - and today we actually got 8/10 inch rain on top of the 4/10 we received Friday night. These are all very spotty, scattered and does not mean people 50 miles from here got any rain. We're all grateful for what we get. Of course it still feels awful outdoors but we've traded dry heat for awful high humidity. Aaarrrgh!

HUMMERS! In the meantime I currently have four hummingbird feeders out. I'm trying to help the poor little guys cope with the drought. Very few flowers have survived this summer's weather, especially petunias which they are fond of. I think these birds have text messaging or a newsletter or cell phones. I have so many hummers right now, I can't count them. I also think they're hooking up IVs because I'm having to fill one of the 8 oz. feeders twice a day now. Apparently it is their favorite although I have some more just like it. Go figure. They've apparently signed peace treaties in lieu of their wars over the feeder (hummers are territorial and protective of their food source) or else they've got the whole dang family in on the Big Feed. ~ sigh ~

TOILE - I ordered some of the blue toile fabrics today online. After making my red & white toile I'm ready to make one in blue. I guess this is as close to a "series" quilt as I'll ever get. LOL I won't do a nine-patch, though. Maybe a log cabin...

Must go start food prep for supper. Tomorrow I spend the day in Shelbyville at the Walking Horse Celebration, visiting the parents of my dear long-time girlfriend. I go down every year on a day trip to visit with them. They're wonderful folks.

Hugs to everyone!

Tribute to Girl Friday who crosses the rainbow bridge

Just a note to say I lost my womans best friend yesterday. We had been working stock and then came down to the road from the yards. About to cross the road a tourist camper van appeared around the corner. Friday who was running beside the bike did not see or hear it, and as the farm bike swearved to the side and stopped, she ran right past and was killed by the vehicle.

To Girl Friday; A Border Collie,
working dog extradornaire, pet of never ending playfulness to two girls, breeder of awesome pups and and a womans best friend; always there to greet and guard me, companion of many miles out walking on the roads and farm. A dog with a temperment who impressed many whom she met with her great nature. A dog who loved to run and race the farm bike, a spirit of good humoured competitiveness who never sulked if beaten.

Go chase the rabbits in heaven all you like Friday girl, your working days are over. Enjoy your sleeps in the sun undisturbed and and help keep those pesky possums out of the fruit trees in paradise. love you always, Mum.

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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Congratulations Karen

Karen both your quilt and your story are beautiful. Your prize was well deserved. Way to go!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Grand Champion Quilt


I lurk here most every night, but don't post very often. Just wanted to share that I won the Grand Champion prize for one of my quilts at our county fair. I was really amazed it won, as I hardly ever even get ribbons on things I enter in Open Class. I also received a beautiful cut crystal bowl. Guess I didn't get it in this picture.
This quilt has a story to it that I'm wondering if it maybe had a little extra help with winning. No, the judge did not know the story.
I made this quilt in a class I took from a lady who owned a small quilt shop in a nearby town. I took the class in Oct., and she passed away from cancer in Dec. In early Jan., my Mom ended up in the hosptial also fighting cancer. On my few evenings at home I quickly quilted and bound the quilt, so I could hand stitch the binding while I sat at her bedside. Mom passed away in late Feb. I loveingly call this my "Cancer quilt", and think about both wonderful women when I look at it.
Happy Quilting!
Karen in KS


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Sunday, August 26, 2007

Monday..

Yes, Rosey. NZ did take my breath away when I first came here (44yrs ago !!) England is beautiful but I love the wide open spaces here and the beautiful mountains and lakes. I seldom drive anywhere without being aware of the privilege of living here. NZ certainly isn't a country without problems but on a scale of one to ten it would score fairly well down I think..

Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains are impressive too ! Thank you for posting that photo. It takes an age for me to post photos on our very slow connection here, but it does make the board come alive to see where people live and spend their holidays. America is such a huge country and has such a variety of scenery. We pour over the National Geographic Magazine when it comes. That way we get to "visit" some very interesting areas !!

A huge pile of ironing is awaiting my attention ! Once that is dealt with I can take the dog for a walk on this lovely crisp, sunny morning..

Marion.

Gorgeous!


Marion, what lovely photos. You really do live in the midst of a postcard!!


I'm going to try to post a picture of DH, Gus and me taken about a month ago at Redfish Lake, which is near our cabin in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains.


School has started again for DH (he's a high school principal), so we are getting back to normal for the year. I actually made an attempt to get into the sewing room the other day, but it was pretty much hopeless when the temps started to rise again. Yard work is calling much more loudly than quilting at this point.


Kathi

The 'Sunday' Post

I'm trying to make a commitment to myself to post once a week but it is not as spontaneous as the old board when a 'click' would do it. I'm astounded at the amount of spam that is on the old board and the frustration exists in wondering why people would bother going to the trouble of doing this. It boggles my mind. Isn't there a better use of time?

Marion, those photos don't look real. They look like some advertisement for tourism. They are just magnificent. Imagine living so close to something that beautiful. Did New Zealand take your breath away coming from England? There is much beauty in England but of a different kind, I think. Glad you had a great trip.

Thea has posted to the other board and I'm hoping she will come over here to let us all know how she is. I often don't go to the other board because of limited time.

Another week past and guests from Belgium stayed with us for a few days...very energetic; they were here last year and use our B&B as their first and last night's stay in Canada to wherever else they are touring...this year, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Celia kindly provided some tourist info for them on NB and I have visited NS so was able to give them some information and B&B info there. They return Sept. 11th, to fly home on the 12th. This week-end I had my first rock climbers staying with me. This couple were going further north to climb rocks on the Bruce Penninsula. Two 'horse' moms filled out the complement of guests this past week-end and now I have a break of a week or so in-between bookings. It's been a fun season but hard work and I wonder every year if I have the energy for another but so far, so good, while I can manage it.

We've finally had some rain, not enough to stem the drought so there is a little more green in that dead grass outside. And this year I have not cleaned up my studio as I normally have with B&B guests coming in...my studio is off my dining room where they eat...so I haven't wanted to leave it messy. Seems my guests are interested in a quilt mess so that's a plus...shouldn't have bothered putting my quilting away before.

Rosey