Quiet Weekend

Barb,me,Louise, Kathy in the basket

The piranhas have gone for another year. We were so lucky to be able to get together. What started out as  friends sharing in my sorrow became a good week of therapy for all of us. Right up till the last minute before they left, we were into things. The water pump that waters my gardens wasn't working and we tried to fix it. But in the end, needed some brute strength to get it working again...enter my brother-in-law. Barb was also finishing up with some rust dyeing that she started the day before. It turned out pretty good for the first try. I just wonder how the fabric will hold up after vinegar, water, salt and all that rust. But it does look interesting! 

posing near the dreaded water pump

rust dyeing as our background

Flat Kathy

After the bustle of the past week, it has been a very quiet weekend. The house is empty and the giggling and laughter has ceased. Miss my friends but you can read about more of our adventures here and here. Kathy from slow stitching Sunday was not able to join us, but  we had fun with her in a "flat Kathy" version that joined us wherever we went.

This is the project that I worked on all week. Those squares finish at  1 1/2", what was I thinking. Now I have to do more designing to make it bigger for a finished quilt top. The background I see now should have been more of a solid but it is for a little girl and I think she will like it anyways!

sparkling heart

Today between rain showers, humid sunshine and tornado warnings, I will be knitting away on a baby blanket. I have one more week before it is needed. Can I meet my deadline?

I will also be checking in with Kathy and joining in with some slow stitching and seeing what everyone is up to. Fall is just around the corner, the start of quilting season!!

More adventures with the piranhas

General Store for tickets

and LCBO for supplies

striking a pose

bridge adventures with my dog

my toes for Bear and Fox

 Well there were so many good times happening, that there just wasn't enough time for blogging. So today I am playing catch up. Tuesday was sewing and playing in the creek. I have a small creek that runs beside my house and it is always good for a photo op! Louise's daughter owns Bear and Fox Apparel and we were setting up some "not so staged" staged photos for her website! It was fun to go stepping gently in the creek among the gravel, stones and the little creepy crawlers. You can tell by the looks on our faces we were having fun and enjoying the cool water on such a hot day.

a good sport

On Wednesday this good looking dude stopped by. He was helping to clear my yard of some unwanted lawn tractors and such but we told Flat Kathy that he was the stripper here to entertain. He is entertaining but with his wit and  lively banter not his dancing!!He was a good sport and let us take his picture! He also let us visit his farm and got to meet his little visitor. I had met this little girl last week and thought it would be a fun thing to do when the girls were here. We even got to feed her. It was the perfect thing to do to end our week together. On our way home, we stopped by a lot that I have a garden on and found that a moose had taken a stroll through it. His hoof print covers as much as a 6 1/2" square quilting ruler. That is a big one!!

moose track

sunbathing at the creek

Louise and Barb have gone home and I can't thank them enough for coming to visit. Many long chats, laughter and memories of my dear husband shared. It was great to share this time with them and feel like old times when in reality it is a new world for me. But we will see each other in one month for another retreat  with a couple other girls. I will be doing some travelling to get there so stay tuned for that and what adventures we may experience, because I know with these girls.....fun is sure to follow!

Adventures of Flat Kathy

Welcome Flat Kathy

 Although we miss having our other piranha friend Kathy being here with us in person, we had fun with our Flat Kathy and showing her around town. Yesterday we went to my local quilt store. We met two new doggie friends and supported the store with many purchases! I finally got to spend my gift certificate from Christmas.

sitting in the sun

at the quilt store

a little boating anyone

local farm for corn

dipping her toes in the water

After that we were off to the lake. My DH's family has a cottage on a hydro damn and we stopped for some sunbathing by the water(well Flat Kathy did). Then onto the local corn farm to purchase supper. We stopped by the graveyard to say hello to my hubby too. All this visiting  and we were home for lunchtime. Then the sewing began. It has been very hot here and the afternoon sun falls on the roof of the sewing area but we pushed through. There were short naps had in the afternoon as well which allowed us to stay up a bit later and enjoy the coolness of the evening.

This morning we wake to the coolness and it feels wonderful. With the day ahead I am calling for a Pajama Day. We will get busy right after coffee/tea and pancake breakfast. Stay tuned for more adventures with the piranhas!!

Friends are the bestest

lilies in my garden

 I have checked another first off my list. It has been 6 months since my hubby passed away. Six months of living and trying to get through life one day at a time. When you think that you couldn't be apart for more than a week or two and now months have past...it is  a milestone to say the least.

introducing "Flat Kathy"& Bucky

But with that sadness comes a little sunshine in the form of two friends who are here to visit and enjoy  a little  sewing/quilting time together. Enter Barb and Louise, two of the three Piranhas. We are missing and sorry that  our third person Kathy was not able to join in the fun with us. But just so she doesn't feel left out we will take our "flat Kathy" that we made, on our weekly adventures with us!

It is very hot and humid here (there will be under boob sweat happening)today and so slow stitching Sunday will be in the gazebo(per Kathy's request) after supper when it is cooler.

Barb's project

So till then here is what we are all working on. I am making a quilt for a little person in my life. They don't know so  I won't mention names. Louise is working on a batman quilt for her grandson and Barb is working on some panels that will be the center of medallion quilts for her great neices and nephew.

I will be checking in with Kathy and her slow stitching followers later today when I have some down time. Happy stitching ladies!

Louise's project

my project

Summertime summertime!

 How is it that it has been almost a month since I posted on my blog. Sorry to my friends that check in regularly that there hasn't been anything new, it doesn't mean that I haven't been busy.

ingredients for supper last night

The garden is growing and starting to finally produce things that I can eat. Beans, lettuce and zucchini are all growing well. The raspberries are also in abundance. I feel like the Forest Gump of raspberries. Raspberry jam, frozen raspberries, fresh ones on ice cream  or in pancakes! I haven't baked with them but I am sure that will be happening soon. Possibly raspberry zucchini loaf or cake.

In the sewing room I finished machine quilting the 3rd of  my secret project. I am hoping to be able to reveal the project by the end of August or beginning of September. But it must remain a secret for now!

farm themed quilt

I took a little break to make a toddler quilt for a special new great nephew. I gathered all the farm related fabric I had  and added a few others that could pass as farm fabric.(well ladybugs and dogs can be on a farm) It came together in three days just in time to be picked up and later that week delivered to the little fellow. I received a pic of him with his quilt and to say he was excited, is not over stating things!

I am getting excited for August as I will have two of the three and maybe all three Piranha friends here for a visit. (Kathy hope this isn't the first you are hearing of this)We were forced to miss last year due to Covid. I am also in the planning stages for another retreat in late September. I have to get this visiting in before the snow flies and I am not so willing to drive anywhere.

Today for my day of relaxing slow stitching, I will be working on binding a lap quilt. I first have to sew it on the quilt so some machine work will be required. I will be checking in with Piranha Kathy to see what she is slow stitching on and what others are up to this long weekend here in Canada.

 A potted plant from friends is blooming and putting on a great show. I hope flowers are blooming and brightening your day wherever you are today!