Interruption of Birthday Pictures to Show Some Storm Damage

 We had the wildest storm last night - The wind was blowing so hard that it seemed like a hurricane.  The lawn was filled with leaves, and the clump of leaves I photographed above was interesting, because we have no trees anywhere around us with this kind of leaf.

 An evergreen tree that was growing north of the garden shed at the back of our lot had roots that were too shallow, and the tree was uprooted and settled over the shed.  No damage done - just a lot of work to remove the tree.

 This big branch blew off of one of the evergreens at the back of our lot.

You can see the roots - no way to lower this tree back into its hole.  We didn't get as much damage as a lot of people.  The wind was actually like a huge microburst - very quiet, and then everything came.  Dust was thick in the air over against the Bear River range - we just had a lot of debris blowing around.  One of the plastic chairs on the front porch found itself quite a ways away in a flower bed.  What a strange wind.  Wouldn't like to have to be out in it.

Going Back in May to Post Pictures of First May Visitors

 We wore Benjamin out completely!  Time for a nap with his many little vehicles.

 Ryle kept very busy.  She decided to decorate some of the Dixie cups from the bathroom.  She informed me that she left some.  She is such a charmer, she should succeed in life.  One funny story that Sonja told is that her mother (Brittany) has taught her not to ask for things.  Sonja had some cookies in the car, and finally, Rylee asked her if she didn't think they would get too old and spoil.  Smart kids figure out things, anyway.

 Sonja still has her smile - Very happy about son Seth graduating from the U. of Wyoming with such honors.  We love her great patience.

 And then, there's artistic Bethany.  Ron took the girls to Big J's for ice cream, and they were relieved to find that Bubble Gum ice cream was still on the menu.

And getting Brittany to smile without clowning is a trick.  Love this family.  Glad to see the girls doing so well.  Just missed Arrilla in the group.  Too bad she had to work, but that is the practical side of life.  So glad we're in the path of traveling family.

One More Post About My Birthday

Birthday blessings just keep on coming.  Dorothy and I were going through quilts this morning, when she got a text from Sara - In the discombobulation of their moving, she had thought today was the 28th, and was terribly embarrassed.  Nothing to worry about - it's normal to get mixed up when your whole life is in an upheaval.  Anyway, she had this lovely bouquet from her family delivered this afternoon.  Can't believe how beautiful such a variety of flowers can be.  My cup has really been filled to the overflowing point this week.

Visitor on the Day After My Momentous Birthday

We woke up this morning to a blue, blue sky, some fluffy clouds on the horizon, but promises for a special day.  Looking out on the cul-de-sac in front of the house, Ron spotted this fellow taking a stroll around.  Guess he visited everyone in this cul-de-sac and the one to the south.  If there is a turkey shortage this fall, we know that there are some in the Hollow.

The Birthday of Consequence

My 80th birthday began with wonderful happenings.  In addition to Dorothy and Ken's arrival the evening before, Ron got up early and went to the store to bring home this wonderful bouquet of 12 white roses.  Dorothy and Ken gave me this wonderful picture book that he had made with help from family, especially Dwight, my brother photographer.  The book is wonderful - I wish I could share it with my family from here, but guess you'll have to come to Preston to see it.

We went to Logan to a late lunch - went to Tandoori Ovens, which Dorothy and Ken had found the evening before - an Indian cafe contiguous with a gas station.  The food was fantastic!  We are converts - the surroundings aren't luxurious, but oh, the food was good.

We were sitting in the living room recovering from our food and visiting when the three neighbor kids came to the front door, bearing a peace lily for my birthday.  They are so cute - have to get a picture of them.

Then, Ken made a fantastic carrot cake, and Dorothy made the frosting - what luxury!  And so the day ended with lots of visiting and reminiscing in between.  And so we finished the day - calls and best wishes from many.  A birthday I won't soon forget - maybe it will be enough for next year, too.

Tulips and Siberian Iris for An in-between Mother's Day-Birthday bouquet

These beautiful flowers came by Fed Ex.  The tulips and iris were in tight buds, and it was wonderful to watch them unfurl for a couple of weeks.  Thanks to Brig and Linda!  Flowers in the spring do mean that summer isn't far behind, even though we're still getting drenched a few times a day.  What an excuse to not have the garden planted.

Mother's Day Came and Went

Dorothy and Sara know that I (we) love flowers, and they have truly spoiled me over the years.  This bouquet had red roses, and an unusual dark purplish flower - It is beautiful.  Thank you for the Mother's Day remembrance.

Going Crazy - Quilting, That Is

 I made this quilt for a Craftsy class on crazy quilting.  Loved the class, because I learned all different ways to making a block, as well as demonstrations of many of the stitches.  Fun, for sure!

 Detail:  I had a funny little heart-shaped doily that I put some paint on and stitched it to the middle - Not as successful as I'd like, but it breaks up that four-patch join.

Disappearing Nine-Patch

For quite a while, I cut various sizes of blocks from left-over fabric - Now I have a use for some of them.  This scrappy quilt was made by sewing five-inch blocks, alternating darks and lights, and using a dark navy for the middle.  Then, by cutting down the middle of the finished block, both horizontally and vertically, and manipulating the cut blocks in a uniform way, I ended up with this little quilt.  Lots of fun and fast!  The disappearing block has taken over.  There are disappearing 4-patch, hour-glass, and pinwheel blocks.  Someone got very inventive and tired of the same old thing - why not play by sewing simple basic blocks, and then cutting them out again.  Never know what one might end up with!

Organizing My Sewing Space

 There is no doubt that we've had a very mild winter.  Ron has not once had to use the snow blower.  Therefore, spring cleaning hit very early, and I made a decision three weeks ago to organize my sewing life.  My sewing "studio" is comprised of an upstairs bedroom, with an overspill into the next bedroom.  However, no matter what the size of a work space, it just doesn't work well unless it is organized, and this certainly wasn't.  Entropy happens when you keep working in  a space for years, making little adjustments, but never addressing the problem.  So....

 Fabric is measured, labeled, sorted according to color and style, and stacked in cubicles and shelves. Now, I can get out a piece of fabric and see immediately if I have enough for a project.

 In between my cubicles, I have room to hang my extra cutting mats with skirt hangers .

 Some of the shelves are labeled very carefully about the nature of the prints.

 This shelf came from a closet in our Tumwater home 20 years ago.  At last it is organized with baskets, boxes, and the ability to find things.  I put away the ironing board that blocked the shelf for so long,  and put an ironing mat at the end of my big cutting board.

 All of my unfinished projects are sorted into boxes, and labeled.

 Either side of the southwest window of the room is flanked with bookshelves and cabinets.  This one holds buttons, sewing books, clippings, my radio, iPod,  magazines, and miscellaneous.  You can see the small design wall, and my little wall-mounted TV.

 Bookshelf in the guest room (subsidiary quilting room) next door to my main sewing room.  Here are my quilting books, with the exception of Harry Potter, who lives one the top shelf and a few special books on the bottom shelf.  The middle shelf also houses my bean-bag lap quilting frame.  Just for show is the card that Dwight sent to me of of of Sue Gilgen's landscape quilts.  She is one of my heroines in the art quilting world.

At the top of the bookshelf live the two visiting teaching ladies that I created while in Washington for a dinner.  The smaller couples are living in another bookshelf in the same room.  

  I can only point out that this is extreme luxury - a far cry from sewing on the kitchen table for years and years!  Now, maybe I can also have time to sew and play with fabric.

Just a Little Sewing Advice from the Past

If this doesn't make me feel guilty, nothing will.  I'm afraid that I'm not this structured!

Last of the Christmas Decorations - Time to Put Them Away

 Time to dismantle the tree - Some of the ornaments, including the German candle holders and candles, and the girl on a star swing singing "Silent Night" (music printed on the little book she holds) are 38 years old - or so.

 Another view of the Nativity.

 We have loved this little figurine who reminds us of a little cockapoo who lived with us for years.

 The Christmas rabbit on the first step was made by a friend in Tumwater, Jody Bromley, who charmed Tony's recalcitrant Sunday School class.  The other two elves came to us via the Christmas boutiques that I used to visit.  Last year, our neighbor children were amazed that we needed an "elf on the shelf" to watch and see if we were being good - the first we knew of this new Christmas lore.

 Granddaughter Brittany made this Christmas decoration for us a long time ago.  We always think of her and wish her well in her challenging life today.

 Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without real evergreens, and two daughters, living a continent apart, gifted us with these two adding to the beauty of the season.  Beautiful roses, and fragrant evergreens!

 And, my Boyd's bear  Mama Bear in her glamorous fir coat and purse, sits on the woodturner chair, keeping watch over Santa's elves below - a remnant of the elves I used to make for a craft show in Powell, long before I met Ron.  Christmas decorations are full of memories, and it's a good idea that we tuck them away at the end of the season, so that those memories are sharper than they would be if we became so familiar with these objects that we forgot to really "see" them.  So  today, all I can say is "Happy New Year of 2015 - May it be a Very Good Year".

Wise Words From a Book

A few years ago, my older brother (whom I always obey), suggested that this is a book worth reading.  He was right - the author, Wendell Berry, has a wonderful way with words and thoughts - clearly defining ideas and feelings that we ordinary mortals have trouble clarifying. I've been re-reading this book recently, and am admiring all over again the wonderful phrases he uses.  One quote this morning is a very good reminder for me - "Expectations is like a bucket of smoke".  Maybe it means, "Just get over it and get on with life".  What do you think?

Christmas Decorations Revisited for 2014

 It's almost time to put the Christmas decorations away - Where does the time go?  When we were children, the tree, purchased at a reduced price on Christmas Eve, was put up on that evening, and taken down on New Year's Day.  after being carefully stripped of the tinsel, which was laid in a box for next year, as well as any ornaments and the lights.  Today, we live with the decorations longer, and enjoy the memories that seeing them each year engenders.  The picture above is a wooden decoration painted by daughter Julia in her folk-painting days.  It hangs protected on our covered porch each December - and sometimes into January to welcome all visitors to our home.

 This little tree was purchased a long time ago, and is decorated with miniature ornaments, many acquired during my two years in Germany.

 This little Santa clasps his hands together and hangs on to the lamp in the living room each holiday.  He is a memory of dear friend Phyllis Hansen.  Behind him hang two wood-turned mushroom birdhouses that Ron made a few years ago.

 This picture is a little hard to see - it is my Petersen mouse nativity scene.  My collectibles in this line are each significant to us - I could collect forever, but manage to put a stopper on when I realize that there isn't enough room in the little glass case for more of these wonderfully crafted figures.

 This nativity scene is at least 30 years old.  It was used to tell the Christmas story a few times when we had little grandchildren around on Christmas Eve.  I know it's old, because it's marked "Made in Taiwan".

Two of these are Christmas decorations - the standing Nativity cut out of a piece of olive wood, which was a gift this Christmas from our friends, the Silvernagels, and a small silhouette of the Nativity scene which we bought in Bethlehem 21 years ago.  The figurine of Christ and his lamb was a gift from our friends, the Garners, when they moved from Preston to Mesa permanently this fall.

 The three-figure Nativity was made in Relief Society in Tumwater - long time ago.

 I found this little Nativity set in Olympia at a little specialty shop on Grand - I got it for almost nothing because the shepherds had been lost.  Perhaps they had already come and gone by the time the wise men got there?  (True story)

 This silver-plated and now oxidized Nativity set was purchased at a jewelry store in Jerusalem.  Ron didn't tell me until later that I paid too much for it, because it is just pot metal which is plated.  I still like it.

And, the is our partial collection of our Santa Claus figures.  On the left is one that I purchased at a craft fair in Olympia.  The next one is a paper ache Santa that Ron had a long time ago.  The little Santa in the air was a gift, and the one on the right was a hand-carved Santa made in Arizona by Mr. Nelson, who used to refinish furniture in Olympia.

More tomorrow.