Flower Applique Block #2 - Harebells

This flower is called a Harebell - something I don't know anything about. Fun to do. By the way, the background of the block is white. I never noticed before that white looks gray in these photos - must have been the lighting on my design wall.

Crocus Applique

A few years ago, Eleanor Burns, the marvelous quilting guru who tosses unneeded bits of fabric over her shoulder, published a wonderful book on baskets of flower quilts in 1999. It was based on patterns and a story that was published in 1928 and 1929. I fell in love with the patterns, purchased the book, and some of the fabric (a floral stripe) that she designed and there both sat on the shelf. I finally decided that this spring would be the time to begin this project. I found that all I had left of the fabric I purchased that went with the quilt was the floral stripe and some basket fabric. However, it has been fun to make all of the baskets, applique the handles, and then make the applique pieces. I decided to make the three-dimensional flowers and hand applique them. So far, it has been fun to leisurely enjoy each step of this project - no end in sight, just relishing the journey. Now that I have a few blocks finished, I can hang them on my design wall, and enjoy looking at them, while envisioning the finished quilt - sometime.

Be sure to enlarge the picture.

More Flowers from the Spring Garden

Help! I'm having a senior moment and can't remember the name of this wonderful flower that is so generous in that it marches all around the bed it was originally planted in. The background is coral bells - certainly not white, as the nursery rhyme says. Columbine still beautiful, and the red peonies still showing us glories. The little gardens are full of past glories, promises for the rest of the summer, and

Spring Flowers - in Summer?

The red peonies are in full bloom - We are still waiting for the Maxima and another nameless bush. And how about the blue of bachelor buttons? They have to be reigned in, or they would take over the bed, but they are a glorious color.

Ron on Father's Day

Father's Day is a little different than Mother's Day. For some reason, people wax eloquent on Mother's Day about all the sacrifices, loving care, etc. that our mothers give us (all true), but we can't quite figure out how to show our appreciation for all that our fathers do, because of the stoic traits that men are supposed to display. Usually, our ward gives the mothers a Gerbera daisy for Mother's Day, and people give talks about what they learned from their mothers. Sometimes there have been talks about fathers, but more often, the subjects are generic, and in the past, have given the fathers a nice chocolate bar. That didn't happen today, but at least our Sunday School teacher baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies, which both mothers and fathers enjoyed while she taught the lesson on the second coming. We munched as we read scriptures on all of the difficult things that will occur and are occurring in the time before that, and appreciated that if we are on the path, we will be standing in good places. Eating a chocolate chip cookie provided a comfort that helped us look realistically at the world around us, and evaluate our place in it with a thankfulness for the comparatively safe place where we live. We sometimes have very strong winds, but a tornado is rare. Rain, hail, and snow come from the sky, in various degrees, depending on the year. This year, we had an abundance of snow, and the mountains are still showing lots. In places around us, people are still enjoying snow sports. Flooding is taking place south of us, but we are not affected. In southeastern Idaho, we have four seasons (this year, it's debatable - we skipped much of spring), but this fact leads us to an appreciation for rebirth in the spring.

But I digress. Back to fathers, and Ron, in particular. He was father of four children, of whom three daughters who are still living, so he has borne the heartbreak of losing a son. He has been stepfather to my five children, caring for them, trying to help them when he could, and caring for the two youngest in our home until they left for school or other events in their lives. He has been generous and gracious and kind to all eight children. The example he sets in striving to be even-tempered is a good one for my volatile family - (that means me, particularly). Having Father's Day to celebrate the fathers in our lives is a very good idea.

The Flags are Waving - in Mid-June

About a month late, the iris are in full bloom. Their fragrance is unbeatable, as are the orchid-like flowers they bear. I love it when a stalk has four or five blooms - they go on for a satisfying time. I remember how Mother and Daddy loved iris, and would save some of the strawberry-raspberry money to purchase some new varieties.

It's Flag Day! Strike Up the Band!

June 14th, and we actually have a beautiful sunny day. The Boy Scouts in our ward don their uniforms and assemble at 6:00 on patriotic days, and put flags in conspicuous places in the yards of those who want them. It's a worthy fund-raiser for the Scouts and certainly brightens up the neighborhoods as these flags fly bravely in the breezes. Since this is the first real day of good weather for a while, we feel as bright as these flags that honor our nation. The blue flax and columbine are in bloom - very late into the season, but that's just a result of the cold rainy-snowy days we had through the month of May and early June. Aren't they loverly?

Washington Visitors, and the Prize Gourd box

Evie and Dick came from Lake Stevens to spread a little cheer. We always enjoy family visits, and appreciate the good feelings that exist in our family. What a blessing! Evie, the true gourder, brought us a gift of a gourd box (I know, it's round, but that's what it's called), that she had chip-carved. It's quite a masterful work of art. Her friend made the bead that sits atop the lid as a handle. Be sure to enlarge these pictures so that you can see the workmanship on this. She also gave me a gourd nightlight, but I'll save the showing until another post.

The Pot of Gold

After days of rainy, cold weather, at last on Monday evening, the sun came out for a few minutes, and managed to paint a partial rainbow in the sky. I guess that means we don't have to build the ark after all. What a spring. At least there is a promise of some better weather. Who would think that the orchard would still be in bloom the last of May, or that the lilacs and iris haven't bloomed yet. Isn't there a song that says, "Spring will be a little late this year"?