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