Where did May disappear too?

It doesn't seem like May should be gone already. The month just began an eye blink ago. Time seems to fly when you're so busy you can't see your backside for the dust.

Today I enjoyed my backyard after a long morning with eye doctor and errands that needed tending. My Rhodies are blooming so beautiful, the birds were singing and the deer came up to the yard. They are so tame they hardly flinch when you move. I know I'm not supposed to feed them but what do you do when they rob the bird feeders?

Tomorrow I need to get busy and start on a major project of organizing/cleaning my sewing room yet again in preparation for some major sewing. I've 2 great grandbabies on the horizon needing quilts. Brooke Jo is due end of September. GGbaby #2 is due in December. Brookes quilt is picked out, fabric purchased, ready to go. I know I've been procrastinating, it's hard to keep my mind together long enough to sit down and sew with all that's been going on the past couple months. How do you sew when you aren't in the mood and do a good job of what your making?

Now the weather is sun shiney, and there's all these things to do outside. No time to sit in the house sewing when the grass grows faster than a speeding bullet, the garden needs tending, there's picnic furniture to get cleaned, the roof needs sweeping and the gutters cleaned. The BBQ needs a power wash and new insides installed.

I don't want to be inside after the long winter of gray skies and rain. I want to take advantage of all the sun and warm temps. A cold glass of beer and an evening out under the umbrella. Up here in my corner of the world sewing is for winter time when the skies are gray and the rain falls steadily for months at a time. A fire in the fireplace, a quilt on my lap, stitching away.

Leaf Seasons is still calling out to be quilted, hanging over the back of the loveseat in waiting. it's been there for some time now and should have been done. It's not a big quilt, a small twin, but there it lays just begging to be taken care of, crying out "quilt me, quilt me". What do you do when your minds miles away and life just gets in the way?

I wish there were more hours in the day to accomplish all the things I want to do but sadly there just aren't. I'm thankful for what I have and those things that I can get done at the same time wishing there was just a wee bit more time in my world right now. Just a few more hours each day, a few less appointments, less time spent in the car going from one place to another, siblings that shared responsibilites of my Mom, more time with my DH and most of all more "ME" time spent on things I want to do for me. At the same time I'm grateful to have good health, a roof over my head, enough to eat, good friends both here on Mavericks and here at home. I'm thankful I'm able to see each morning as I wake up. While life does seem to be in shambles for me lately it does go on and there will be better days coming.

I've been a busy bee out in the yard on the business end of the mower and weedwacker. It's looking pretty good now just in time for DH to come home for the weekend. Got out the power washer and did the driveway while I was at it and the sun was so warm.

Last night I finally put a patch on my Log Cabin quilt I burnt a hole in after falling asleep with a lit ciggy. Yes, I know, smoking in bed is a no-no and I don't do it anymore. The LC was our wedding quilt from my mom from 28 years ago and I never thought I would be so lucky as to find a matching fabric while cleaning out her sewing room but I found a block amongst the many log cabins she's started with 4 good sized pieces.

Today I had to take Lady in to see her Vet. She developed a wobbly back end and I thought it was Diabetic Neuropathy but turned out to be a sprain. I guess I must have pulled a wee bit hard as I was dragging her out from under the bed for her insulin shot. Poor Baby, she's been gimpy for a few days. While there they did an ultrasound to check her bladder (hadn't seen her pee in a few days) which was fine and took some blood for necessary tests. Tomorrow she has to go back and spend the day so they can catch some urine to test for Ketones. Her diabetes is under control which makes me pleased as punch and now have some new guidelines on how much insulin to give her depending on her 2xdaily blood sugars. She's so used to having her ear pricked she sits quietly in my lap while I get the equip ready.

Tomorrow I'm off to have coffee with my #1 favorite sister. I know you're not supposed to have favorites. I was 16 when Marcie was born and did many a diaper changes and bottle feeds taking care of her. My 2 oldest sons, Marcie and my youngest brother grew up together. They're 51, 49, 47, 45 and more like brothers and sister rather than aunt/uncle and nephews.

While in town I get to go to the LQS and pick out the fabrics for my newest (due Sept 24) great granddtr's crib quilt. I've picked out a pattern (Springtime) from Rock A Bye Quilts by Leisure Arts. It's all pinks, not my color at all, with a wee bit of yellow and green (gdtr said no yellow or green), some applique I can do while watching TV and strip sets of squares. I told her no fancy applique this time around since her SIL is also pregnant and due in December. 2 Baby quilts to make.

Many thanks for all the wonderful comments on the green/purple quilt. I'm seriously thinking of trying to sell this quilt and wonder at what kind of price tag I should hang on it. Every year my old quilting group has a display during our Pioneer Days which gets a lot of traffic. Any suggestions on a price?

It's finished, it's done and now what am I going to do with it? What a wonderful job Nikki did and I couldn't ask for a more perfect quilting motif if I had chosen it myself. I chose the backing, the threads, requested a soft lovable quilt, not a stiff board then said here are the reins they are all yours, do what you want and she did. I couldn't have picked a more perfect motif if I had tried. She's young, I don't think she's had her LA for a long time and it gave me pleasure to let her grab the reins and take it for a ride on my quilt.

It's been awhile since I've been able to write on my blog. I'm still not getting any quilting done as we're just now finishing up with the packing up of mom's home, getting it ready to rent to one of my nephews. We're to the point where we have a huge 2-car garage full stacked 5 feet high to re-sort, organize, designate what is to be kept for Mom, what is to be hauled to the dump and what we want to put in a garage sale. It's been a huge undertaking, but Mom is happy at her new home so well worth the many hours spent.

More treasures have come to light and while I haven't taken any pictures this time, it's been fun to look and enjoy more memories.

Several books of ration stamps from WWII

A certificate from when Dad worked at a war plant in Minneapolis

More pictures of Mom as a very young lady in her early 20's.

My 2nd grade report card from St. Anne's Catholic School in St. Paul, MN

The only letter Dad wrote to Mom, dated 1937

A battery operated tin toy bartender who pours a drink. While it no longer works I can remember my Dad playing with it, laughing and having such a good time. It was given to him as a birthday present in the 50's.

A picture of my parents best friends sitting on their Harley...I remember many rides on the back of this very Harley behind Elmer who I always called my "second daddy". .

A bottle of dandelion wine, still good and very aged. Us kids used to pick the dandelion heads and mom always made big batches of wine every year. I can't remember her making it for more than 50 years.

Yankee Quilter....my neice borrowed all mom's old photo albums to make a memory book for her parents 50th wedding aniversary. We asked they be returned so we can go through it with mom and put names to the faces. Most of her old pictures do have names/years written on the backs of them so will be fun to see who they are.

Patti....Mom has all her faculties, she's 92 and can no longer live alone. She fell and realized it was time to move to an assisted living facility.

Happy Valley Quilter....will be happy to share a picture when the sampler is all framed.

I leave you with my furballs enjoying the first fresh grass of the season. They remind me of two little cows chomping away.