Chickens and a Puppy

Today was house cleaning day out in the chicken house.

The nest boxes have all been emptied and filled with fresh clean hay.

The chicken yard has been raked and there's a nice hill of compost working there in the back left corner.  The girls will work on it more in the days to come and since it's much warmer here now, it won't take long before we have some nice compost to add to the garden beds.  In this picture they are enjoying some cornbread and fresh mustard greens from the garden.

And remember the nice little dog beds I showed you just a few days ago.  Yep, that's Lady and her handiwork on Bruno's bed.

 

Yesterday I was out in the back yard with the dogs, and the chickens were running free having a good time.  I noticed that Lady and a chicken were fighting over who was going to eat more of the fresh egg they had cracked by the patio.  Really, I thought one of the chickens had just had an unexpected egg drop and didn't think much about it.  Until I noticed later that Lady had another egg in the same spot.  When I went to the chicken house I saw that the crafty chickens had hidden a nest under their nest boxes on the floor and Lady had found that nest and carried a couple of the eggs outside to play.  We've had a number of dogs in the almost thirty years we've lived in this house, and a lot of chickens, but this is the first time I had ever seen this!

 

It IS always interesting around here.  Sometimes it's more aggravating than others, but I wouldn't trade our life for anyone else's.  We each have a place that God has positioned us.  It's up to us to do our best in our own place.  I'm trying!

 

Hugs and kisses,

A Little Sewing

The blocks for this quilt are all made.  Now to get them sewn together.

In my cleaning of the sewing room the other night I found a coupe of very nice sample pieces of upholstery fabric.  I made Bruno and Lady each a bed.  They're not really mad at each other, just at me for making them sit for their picture.

I backed the dog beds with purple fleece and filled them both with leftover batting.  So, both were pretty well free.  I like that.  Free is my favorite word!

I also like (a LOT) this yellow Angel Trumpet outside our back door.  We had some very cold weather this week, believe it or not, near freezing.  I am thankful none of the pretty flowers that have begun their career this year were harmed. 

 

I know that all too soon it will be the heat of Summer, but right now I'll just be thankful for the almost perfect weather we are having.  I hope it's nice where you are, too!

 

Hugs and kisses,

Spring Cleaning in the Sewing Room

What a mess!  My little closet storage area was completely out of hand.  So, out it all came.  Poor Bruno and Lady look like they're not sure what to do about it all.

Everything is now back in its place and maybe I can get some sewing done around here! 

 

Lady is still not sure everything is all right.

 

I saw this on facebook.  I wonder if it would work.......

 

Hope things are cleaner at your place!

 

Hugs and kisses,

Helping, Making, and Watching Things Grow

Mr. Muddling and I have a couple at our church who have it in their hearts to start a boys' home for troubled boys.  I have it in my heart to make quilts for them to put on the beds in that home.  I have two very good friends who also quilt and when I told them about it, they want to make quilts, too.  Don't you love that!  This is one that Phyllis and I are starting - a simple string quilt in 8X10 rectangles which will form diamond shapes when put together.  Or maybe we'll sash them.  Still muddling.

Here's one I started a couple of night ago.  I'm using the chisel die from the Go! cutter, along with the 3" hst die.  It goes together really quickly.  I'm using the shirting fabric that a friend gave me last year.

 

Last night I cut a lot of tumbler blocks with the Go.  My other quilty friend, Sandy, said if I would cut them, she would make the quilt.  Sounds like a good deal to me.  I am so excited to be helping with the birth of a ministry that will be a blessing.

Here's a glimpse of what's going on out in the back yard this morning.  I'll have to say it again, I just LOVE Spring!

This is the view out our back door.  Not fancy, by any wild stretch of the imagination, but still green and growing and making me happy.

 

I hope that there's lots in your world that is making you happy, and that you are finding a way to be a blessing.  It just makes life a lot better when you are more interested in giving than in getting.

 

Hugs and kisses and lots of love,

I Know You Should Not Have Favorites.....

But I think this is my favorite so far of all the quilts I've made.  Maybe because I worked so much on it when things were not going well medically for Miss Ru.  Sewing therapy, you know.  Also maybe because I was really sure I was going to keep this one for myself.  I love the fabrics and the bright colors and the "unplanned-ness" of it.  But I think the main thing that makes it my favorite is that I now know that it is going to one of my best blessings - Pastor Sulynn Burton.  She and her wonderful husband Pastor Malc have been so very kind to Mr. Muddling and me since we began attending their church.  We are so blessed to be there.

 

And by the way, Miss Ru is doing very well. She went to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with a couple of friends and one of her best boyfriends (He's three.) on Wednesday afternoon/night.  They all had such a good time.

 

And yes, that is the puppy in front of the quilt.  Hasn't she grown!

 

 

Here she is while I was sewing on the binding.

 

A girl has to get her beauty rest, you know! 

My very dear friend Phyllis has recently learned to quilt.  She's been here a couple of days this week quilting two quilts she made.  I am so proud of her.  She's learned so quickly and is doing a marvelous job on all those quilts she's making.  I think she's already made one for each of her four children and for some of the grandchildren!  Yeah, she's definitely been infected with the quilting bug. It was so much fun teaching her what I know.  We've been friends for a lot of years.  Just makes my heart happy!

 

The weather here is well nigh perfect.  I was outside playing in the dirt this afternoon.  I do love this time of year!

 

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend.  'Cause you know I love you!

 

Hugs and kisses,

Deb's Stars

Deb's Stars seems like a fitting name for this beautiful (mainly because of those star blocks Deb gave me!) quilt.  I finished quilting it Friday night.  Mr. Muddling laid prompt claim to it, though there has been some long distance agitating from the younger daughter and a little more from the daughter-in-residence, Miss Ru, both trying to usurp his claim.  I don't think it will work, by the way.

 

 

Here's a view of the back, not that you can tell much about the fabric, but because I like that almost cross-like effect of the sun shining through.  It was really bright.  There's batting in there, believe it or not - Warm and Natural, at that!

 

I feel very blessed to have such a good blog friend.  Thank you again and again, Deb!

And yes, I am happy, happy, happy!

 

There is another quilt loaded on the frame.  Hopefully it will be quilted tonight.  I guess I'd better get started, huh?

 

Before I go though, I wanted to share with you this pink jasmine vine growing just outside our back door.  I stood on a chair to get this picture.  It has grown all the way up a very high pole and is now just growing on itself.  The smell is wonderful!

 

Have a good night/morning!

 

Hugs and kisses,

With a Little Help from My Friends

Some time back, my friend Wonky Girl  (Deb) and I had a little email conversation about "strings" with the result being that I sent her an envelope with some of my overflow of said strings.  (Don't ask.  I have no clue how they keep multiplying. It seems that the more string quilts I make - the more strings I have left.)

 

Anyway, this week I got an envelope in the mail from Deb sending me these beautiful star blocks.  Believe me, my mouth fell open.  They are GORGEOUS! - each and every one.  I immediately emailed to see if she'd lost her mind  made a mistake and she assured me she had plenty more.  O Happy Day!

 

The orange/yellow sashing fabric was a gift from my good friend and neighbor Sandy a while back.  Is it not perfect??  I was just so excited about the whole thing I stayed up most of the night finishing sewing it all together.

 

Thank you so much Deb!!  I will think of you each and every time I see this.  Because you know it's staying here.  And thank you, Sandy, for the perfect accompaniment!

 

Meanwhile, out in the back yard I put a little fence around the garden bed right outside the back door.  This is to protect what is growing there from dogs and chickens.  Today I put something someone else in there for protection, too.  Can you see her?

 

How about now?  Yes. That is Chloe.  Young Lady has decided that Chloe is the perfect playmate for her.  Chloe does not agree, but has not been able to convince Lady of that fact.

 

 

Hard to believe, isn't it, that she could ever do anything wrong?  Look at that innocent little face.  She is so much like a toddler human that it is just hilarious when it isn't making me crazy.  (Those are two of her toys underneath her.  She is very possessive.)

 

And here is another look at those glorious star blocks.  I am just so in awe of people who can do things like this.

 

It has been lovely weather here all week.  Our windows are open right now, though they'll be closing soon as it will be cold later tonight.  I hope your week is going well and that there have been lovely surprises for you, too!

 

 

 

Hugs and kisses,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not Much Sewing

I was looking for something else the other night and ran across some leftover rows of blue fabrics.  I was immediately sidetracked and started playing with them.  I made these two little mug rugs last night.  There were some more strips that I sewed together.  I'll border those and maybe make a small quilt.

 

Our younger daughter's roommate has a birthday today.  I had heard that she would like a bag holder for all those plastic bags from the grocery stores that threaten to overrun us.  She is a lover of red, so I chose these two Kaffe Fassett prints,

and put together this little bag holder for her.  There is a loop at the top to hang it by, and the bottom is elasticized to dispense bags as they are needed.  (There are LOTS of tutorials online for making them.  You can google it.)  I mailed it earlier this week and yesterday got a little video from them.  She loved it. 

I am loving all the Springtime flowers in our yard.  Isn't this narcissus beautiful?  You should smell the fragrance!

Here's a little look at some of the other things going on out there.  You can see there are some nice looking peaches on the tree.  I just wish I had remembered to put the dormant oil spray on them.  The worms will probably really enjoy them.  Bummer.

 

And yes, here are my ever present helpers just waiting to be of assistance.  Right. 

 

Hope your weekend has been lovely and that you've had lots of fun!

 

Hugs and kisses,