Monday, April 20, 2020

No Trip Bah Humbug. Damn quarantine!

So this past Thursday 4/15, Pamela and I were supposed to be going to the Hill Country on our annual Mother - Daughter Trip but the virus mess screwed up our plans of seeing wildflowers and drinking wine. We haven't even just jumped in the car to just drive round to view any. Now we might be drinking our wine that we already have. Just maybe.  We've started a new tradition and that is Pamela comes up every Sunday or Saturday and has dinner with us. And at that time she and I get into my wine collection.  As far as wildflowers and bluebonnets we just have to enjoy what we see when driving to the store or each others house.  
Being safe also messes me up on being able to go out and find new places to take pictures when I complete a quilt.  On my way to Bryan to help Pam and make an HEB run there's this historical spot by the Brazos river that had bluebonnets so I stopped to snap a couple of pictures of just the flowers and of my latest quilt finish. 

 We were supposed to be going to the baby shower on 3/28 but of course that couldn't happen which was sad but it gave me time to finish the binding on the quilt and not be an indian giver. Meaning I give the quilt but then take it back to do the binding. LOL

The Walk About quilt pattern has become one of my favorites to make.  This quilt was for Pamela's long time friend Marlaina and hubby Josh for their new baby boy.  Their oldest son Thomas calls Pamela, Aunty Pam. He became a big brother today 4/17 and this is the quilt I made for Connie Lee O'Brien.
In the photo the gray is reading black but it is gray.  It's Moda Safari fabric line that Pamela and I found at The Spoiled Quilter in Fayetteville. Cute little shop that I hope when all this quarantine is over I can go visit there and maybe drop by the Blue Mule Winery. LOL
Anyway this quilt was quilt by Donna's Lavender Nest with the animal cracker theme. You can see the giraffe and lion. Came out really cute. 
And check out the back.  I had a panel with some of the safari animals that cut out and my sweet friend Elly while at retreat cut out the letters for Connor's name.
And of course I made a label for it. 
Pamela was able to find diapers that Marlaina hadn't been able to find in Houston and Pamela made a door wreath and letters for the baby's room. She bagged up the quilt and other goodies and ran it to Cypress before Connor arrived and dropped on their door step. Here's a picture of the new guy in town.







David, I and Lilley have been having happy hour on the patio every other night or two. I drink wine while David usually drinks beer. Lilley just loves to hang out with us. No I'm not drunk in this picture.  LOL
David moved the temporary fence panels last Thursday (4/9) around the shed (aka mini mansion) because the grass had gotten so tall he couldn't just mow.  When we let the cows move in the grass was so tall you could just barely see their heads above the grass. And in an hour they had ate it down to where you could see them. They were happy gorged little cows and Jerry too. Of course he got into some mischief while in the area.  David caught him eating the insulation off the water tank pipes between the 2 - 5000 gal tanks. He had been pulling it off and in the process created a leak. Something David will now have to fix.  David had a couple extra panels to block off the area after that. 
 Oh there's the wood pile. Lol.

For Good Friday I drove into Brett's BBQ in Rockdale for curbside service and picked up 2 catfish dinners. Supporting the locals. Those catfish filets were huge. The cole slaw was a sweet/sour and oh so good and you can't go wrong with green beans.  And there was 2 hush puppies. all this for $10/plate.  Sooo good. While sitting in line they even had some live music. Made the wait pleasant. Gotta check out what this Friday's special is.. . ...  Yum






The plate stand and bunny with her pearls that my friend Donna Lynn made me sits on a sewing cabinet in front of the east window of my sewing room. Ms Bunny watches me sew and make a mess and if she tires of watching me she can look out the window and watch the sun rise if I don't have the blinds down.


 Well in 7 days the 11 cows and Jerry totally devoured all the tall grass in front of the shed. I can't imagine where they put all of it. They are little piglets and they're looking for more tall green grass.
So we are going to move them back to the back pasture the shortest distance which is past the barn and house. We were hoping this wasn't going to be a mistake because they could have ended up on the front porch if they didn't follow David with the cow crack or even worse in the garden.  We narrowed the possibility of that happening by lining up the cars and the truck.
While David was opening the gate to the back pasture and getting a bucket of cubes me and Jerry were talking.
 I gave him a good rub from his ears down his back. He enjoyed that. And wouldn't you know it when it time to transfer everyone he was the one who ran towards the garage and garden.  The cows were on top of David trying to get in the bucket. Since I was chasing after Jerry I didn't get a video of the cows crowding David.
I thought Jerry was going run right through the garden but he managed to run between the raised garden beds.  It took me 3 tries before getting him to head back around the cars to the gate to the back pasture.  Ornery thing.  LOL
He joined the cows in eating the cubes David put down in the grass. He and they were happy again.



After that bit of fun it was happy hour but first David pulled out a ladder to fix one of the ceiling fans on the porch. They blades were loose. Before he put the ladder back in the garage I asked him to put it under the Eastern Phoebe birds nest that we finally gave up on chasing them away. I wanted to see what the eggs looked like. Well the ladder wasn't quite tall enough so he had a hard time holding the phone up there at the right angle to get a picture. He wouldn't let me go up the ladder, like his knee liked when he went up.
He finally got the phone in position to take a picture in the next.

Well too late I still won't see what the eggs looked like.
There's babies in there sleeping.
I think I can count 3- 4 little beaks. About 15 minutes later Momma Phoebe showed up to feed them. You could hardly hear the babies. You had to listen real hard to hear their little chirps.
I will say unlike the barn swallows who make a complete nasty mess anywhere they build a nest this little bird is very neat. Between the mud and poop from the swallows they are not allowed near the house if we can help it. Unlike poor Pamela who has 2 swallows that keep trying to build a next on each side of her front door.

This little Phoebe bird is very skittish and swoops in and out only if she thinks we're not looking. I have say there's no messy nest dropping or poop on my patio. She built her next at the corner of the porch and and covered walkway to the garage.



Now we got to sit down for our happy hour. Apparently the cow moving and the bird nest adventure just wore Lilley out.  She hoped up next to David and closed her eyes until she heard us talking about her.  She closed them again though.





Right before things went into a shelter in place we met our good friends Larry and Sylvia for dinner at Crossroads Tavern for all the catfish dinner you can eat. They showed up with the big gift bag saying Happy Belated Birthday.  Inside was the cutest banner that now hangs in my sewing room. Go figure it has the tailend of a pickup truck. Too cute!  And inside was a wind chime. Couldn't have come at a better time.  The one we had had fallen apart for the 3rd or 4th time. David got it hung up not long after we got it home.

I love windchimes and this one has pretty little sounds. Thank you again Sylvia and Larry.
And on that Happy Note I'll end.

Until next blog post....Don't let someone be a priority in your life when you are still an option in their life…~unknown




Monday, April 13, 2020

What a change?

While at retreat there's never a TV on but several of the girls keep up with news alerts and shared updates on the virus status. Covid-19 keeps spreading and more and more shelter in place, social distancing or gathering of no more than 10 and business and schools closing.  But who would have expected the hoarding of toilet paper and paper towels or the run on the grocery stores. David told me to stop at the store before leaving LaGrange to pick up some supplies.  Crazy! There was no meat in the bins, no milk or other dairy products and on and on and on.
To this day finding toilet paper or paper towels is a tough job.
A couple of weeks ago David decided to move the cows from the back pasture to the front smaller pastures where the grass had gotten really tall. To do that he grabbed a bucket of cow crack and started shaking it at the gate. The cows know that sound. In fact so do our neighbors big cows. LOL They started lining up at the fence line 'moo'ing that they wanted some too". It was so funny.


Our cows got to the front pasture quickly and were rewarded with thick tall grass and cow crack in their feeders. They were like kids in a candy store.
 We have a bunch of indian paint brushes growing along the fence line. They are bright and pretty in their masses.

Ferdinand was a happy bull. Tall grass and flowers to smell. LOL
Hadn't share a picture of the Rock'n K in awhile. 
 
Then we rode the 4 wheeler down the road where the wisteria is growing and blowing like crazy. It was so pretty. The blooms are all gone now but they were in full force a few weeks ago. 
 


 We may need to plant some somewhere on our property eventually.


David loves this view on our neighbors property. 
 My friend Donna Lynn of Donna's Lavender Nest gave me this little car and since she had shown me how to turn it into a pincushion.... I did. 
 Came out pretty cute.
A friend suggested that these would make nice gifts.  Hint Hint. LOL. When I find some more  little holders I just may do that.
Someone sent the nurses at Scott & White boxes of Girl Scout cookies as a Thank you for their service. As you can see they were all smiles.
Pamela went through curb service to pick up some Mexican food and a Margarita at Lupe Tortilla.... Well Sophie was real interested in what Pamela had to drink.. LOL  Then I received this picture.....   mmmm I guess she passed out drunk.  JK
David David how does your garden grow.  This was one of the blueberry bushes about 10 days ago and now look at it. Blueberries! We tend to eat a lot of blueberries. Hope they taste good. That would be bad if they didn't.
Since the cows are in the front pasture we have to close both gates. One to the road and one to the house. So David has been opening and shutting them when I leave.  I came home the other day and saw plastic all over the ground inside the gate. David picked it up along with some cardboard.  OH CRAP! That was the windmill ceiling fan's new controller replacement.                                            Box 0 Donkey 1          It seems that if it's on Jerry's side of the fence it's for him. I tried putting a sign on the gate to leave boxes/packages outside the gate well Jerry ate that too. Such a brat.   David hasn't had time to see if the controller works or if it was damaged.   Now when I go out the gate Jerry gets right up behind my car as if he thinks we won't see him and he can sneak out. Of course he stops at the cattle guard.  I wouldn't put it past him to figure out how to walk on my special narrow grate placed on top of it
I have one more great nephew that I needed to make a quilt for. He recently turned '1'. Yes I know I'm a little behind but it's made now.  I made the pattern called 'Walk About'. My sister Nancy made one before me. She's new to quilting but she's whipping them out. She's doing a great job. Anyway this one is for her grandson Tate. It's a woodland creature theme.  I was very proud of myself and did mitered corners. They came out pretty good for my first time I thought.  

 At the time I was ready to get it quilted my friend was busy so I tried someone new and just down the road from the Rock'n K. The quilter also does hair.  Gene owns Talk of the Town Hair Salon & Quilt Shop in Rockdale. The first thing you see when you walk in the shop is his long arm quilting machine and generally with a quilt on it. I also needed a cut and color the day I went in.  It was a win win. Nothing like trying a new stylist and dropping off a quilt to get quilted.   I wasn't sorry at all. Happy with my hair and my quilt.  I must add that it was really hard saying good-bye to my stylist Brittany. I might have shed a tear or two which then made her hormonal self cry. She's pregnant with a girl. Yahoo a girl. Boys were starting to out number the girls. I'll still see her as a friend when Pamela goes for her cut and color. 

Anyway Gene did a custom quilt job on the quilt. He said he let the quilt tell him how to quilt it. They had a great repore' LOL. Really love what he did.

 
 You can really see all the quilting on the back.  I'll be sharing my quilting jobs from now on between him and my friend Donna.  


 This shelter in place and staying safe made it difficult to go find a new place to snap a couple of pictures of the quilt before mailing it off.  I like to find different places but the good ole Rock'n K works well too. 
I can't believe it. I mailed off the quilt on Thursday (4/9) and Little Man Tate received his quilt already Saturday (4/11).

His Dad and Mom sent me this picture with a big Thank you.  
I love it when you get a big Thank you with a picture of the recipient and the quilt. Makes me feel good and think just maybe they like it. It's funny how lighting plays with the color of this quilt.
Tate is such a little cutie. Hope this quilt brings him warmth and comfort for years to come. It was made with love and hugs.

So David was ready to return to the office on April 3rd but instead he went in on March 24th to pick up the monitors and computer off his work desk and on the 26th he started working from home. Sometimes he closes his office door when he's talking on the phone or concentrating on a drawing.
Lilley tends to stress over the separation. She used to having full access to her furless Dad and that closed door is just not right.   Poor darlin just stands there starring it down and maybe a bark and a paw or two on the door.  
How can you resist the face? David started laughing when he saw her and opened the door.  She was happy then. 💓
The world has stopped in it's tracks and we all have to figure out a way of living without in personal socializing.  The past year I have been on the farm and rarely left which was my choice. I mean yes I went into Bryan to hang out with Pamela or at the quilt shop but staying at the farm was my choice now it's not. People have had to figure out new ways to celebrate birthdays, get married and on the news last night they show expecting mom's driving up to the curb for their check ups. Wow crazy.
Pamela and I were suppose to head to a shower at the end on March for her grade school friend but that was cancelled too of course.  I actually got a quilt made almost in time for it. But more on that on my next blog...

Until next blog...."What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you" ~Ralph Waldo Emerson






Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Quilt Quilt Quilts

There's a park not far from Pam's house that had some really pretty wildflower color and I had a quilt that I needed to take some pictures of. The sun was so bright that it kinda washed out the quilt colors but it was a simple quick quilt.
When I made it I didn't have anyone in mind but I decided to offered it to Margie @ RR Retreats as an auction item for her oldest grandson's benefit.
She accepted. Hopefully it's bring a few bucks.  The quilting was done by Donna @ Donna's Lavender Nest. The quilting made the quilt.
Luckily enough Apache Pass Steak House was open on March 13th and David took us out for our family birthday celebration. We all ordered steaks and different sides.  Since it was our birthday they comped our desserts. I got a berry cobbler with ice cream, Pamela got peach cobbler with ice cream and our waitress brought us a chocolate cake of some kind. Pamela was wanting me to order it but I wanted the berry and the waitress decided to bring the chocolate one on her own. Sweet Sweet Sweet. Oh and the steaks were seasoned and cooked perfect.
David and I found this place when we moved to the Rock'n K and went there for our anniversary. Pamela felt it would be a good place for our birthday dinner. I didn't argue. LOL
After dinner we went out and sat on the deck to have some adult beverages. It was a great evening.  David is a sweetheart.  Happy Birthday dinner celebration to us.  Thanks to my sweet husband/Pam's sweet dad

Saturday (3/14) David and I got up and went to a Big Event at the Boutique in the Woods. We paid for a space to try to sell some unused items around the house.  But the virus scare seemed to scare off any customers.  Only a few other vendors were lucky enough to sell anything. We closed up early and went home so I could pack for quilt retreat at RR Retreats by Margie in LaGrange.
I had sent all the ladies that were coming to retreat a questionnaire regarding health, travel for themselves or anyone they had been around.  Everyone was to answer the questions and decision whether they should join us or not.  


And I had 10 ladies all in good health show up for a week of fun, creativity, and completing some of those projects that had been sitting in the closet. No one had any projects sitting in the closet to finish right? Yeah right!
I can't thank all the ladies in attendance enough. Everyone brought food and supplies so we could cook a couple days & those that helped clean up because I was only gonna have Margie cook 2 evening meals for us.  Also can't think my ladies who made gifts. Probably need to Thank David Moore, Donna Lynn's husband because I know he cooked the BBQ we had on Monday. It was very tasty and there was none left for leftovers.
Okay so the rest of this blog might be a photo overload. I'm having a hard time deciding what photos to share. I also have to Thank Elly big time for all the pictures she took.
This is the beginning of her (Elly)10 minute blocks. She had a whole quilt finished the next day.  It was really interesting how it went together.   This Diana working on the binding of one of her quilts.
Donna Marie went appliqueing with dresses on her tone on tone block to make another quilt from the pattern called "Dressed to the Nines. Before retreat was over she had all the blocks ready to sew together.  I want to make this quilt one day.

 
There was a kitty hanging out just waiting for loves and attention. And he got it. Sandy loved on him every morning when she got up and here Connie is giving him his fair share of her attention. 
He's quite photogenic when he wasn't pawing at the camera and my hand. LOL
 Mary Jane completed this quilt before retreat was over. And then here's Jane was an overachiever this retreat.
While we're all quilting away Jim (Margie's husband) calls me Tuesday afternoon to say he had to rush Margie to the hospital. She had had a heart attack and was being flown to Austin for treatment. WHAT! HOLY COW!  Us girls were very upset. We formed a circle and immediately said prayers for Margie.   Later than afternoon Jim called to say they put 2 stents in immediately while she was on the gurney.  He said was already asking to come home.  They kept her a couple nights to make sure all was okay.  Jim is gonna have his hands full keeping that woman down. She only knows one speed. Ninety to nothing.  We all wish Margie the very best.  I actually saw Friday (4/3) and she was doing great. No stopping her. A little more excitement than any of us expected that's for sure. Thank God Jim was working from home that day.
Elly was busy creating quilts and the banner for her grandbabies all the while taking pictures for me to share with my readers.
She asked me to bring my Accuquilt Go cutter and my Texas and circle die.

    With the circles she started creating a bulls eye quilt.  She also worked other quilts
Like I said everyone pitched in when it was time to clean up after cooking.
And then there were some who took their job of clean up super serious.  Love this woman.  
I won't mention any names but one night we were all laughing and talking when one of the gals said something about looking in the bathroom medicine cabinet and drawers. She told us we could learn a lot by doing so then asked if we had ever done it. She just knew we had but we hadn't.  Today while listening to my book audible called The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. That concept came up in the book. I cracked up and immediately thought of.... X. See I didn't spill her name. 
There's no telling what we'll learn at retreat besides quilting. LOL
More quilts.
Pat was another busy gal.
While modeling her kitchen towel wrap in front of another top she completed with a stack n whack pattern.
Sandy my usual over achiever was busy finished up some quilt tops.





Connie started off very frustrated with a quilt pattern she was working on but with a little help from her friends it started coming together. She just had to take baby steps.
 
My friend Donna Lynn her at her sewing machine with her blocks on the design wall behind her took time to show those that wanted to learn how to make pincushions.


I wanted to learn and here's my new pincushions.



I'm not the only Aggie fan here. Mary Jane always has a least one Aggie quilt to complete while at retreat.  Love this one. If  didn't already have a home for it I would have brought it home with me.    Before I stop I wanted to share some gifts I received from my friends.....

There were so many other pictures but I have to stop somewhere and this is it.

Until next blog.... n  Friends are like quilts, a great source of comfort.