Pinwheels and Zig Zags

Believe it or not, I'm back with a finish! I'm calling this one Pinwheels and Zig Zags. It is for a very good man we know. This quilt is made with half square triangles cut by me with the Go!Cutter and sewn together by my friend Phyllis into squares. Then I muddled this together. I like it!

Here it is after a wash and dry. I do love that crinkly cuddly look and feel. 

It is backed with a tie dye design fleece and the binding is a shades of blue stripe. Mr. Muddling tested it for me and it is just perfect for our friend to enjoy as he lounges in his recliner. I hope he enjoys it. (And I hope he realizes how hard it was for me to get Mr. Muddling to give it up after testing!)

Thank you so much for all your sweet comments and emails after that last post about my mother. She moved off to heaven on the 12th of September. It's what she's been wanting to do for a while now, so I can't really be sad, though we will all certainly miss her. As I said, she was ninety years old and she had lived a long good life.

Still lots of pretty stuff out there in the yard. I just wish I felt more like getting out there and working. I've had some health issues I'm working through. Nothing major, just got to get all better! You know how it is. Getting older is not for sissies!

Buddy had the first shot to kill those pesky heartworms on Tusday and stayed overnight at the vet's for observation. He has to have absolute quiet and rest (yeah, right!) for a month, then another two shots and another month of rest. He is being very good about it, but he really wants to run and play. However, since it could be fatal to him if pieces of one of those dead critters in there migrated to his lungs, he'll just have to behave.

It's been a tough couple of months, but as our favorite pastor told us years ago, we are not meant to float through life on billowy clouds of ease! We have to fight life through. I've found that is true. Not always fun, but still true. And life is worth the fight!

I hope you've been well and happy and healthy while I've been AWOL from my blog. I'll try to do better, because I like to stay in touch with you. Because I love you!

Hugs and kisses,

Winding Down

This is a picture of my sister Sue and me with our mother. I am the blonde, and though you can't tell from a black and white photo, Sue always has had gorgeous auburn hair. Mama is ninety years old now and has been having some health issues. The last week in August she had another stroke and fell. Her right arm is fractured and she has lost a lot of her memory. Mama will probably be transferred to a nursing home/rehab facility next week. My heart is heavy, but at the same time I know she has lived a long, good life. She has had many struggles, but she has been an amazingly strong and determined woman when she wanted to be. 

At the age of forty, she went back to college to finish her degree in elementary education. She went on later to earn a Master's Degree. She taught at the local elementary school for many years. She has never thought of herself as exceptionally strong or intelligent, but she is. I pray that the great God who has taken such good care of her all her life provides for her exactly what she needs now. I am very thankful for my brother who has lived right next door to her for years. He has also taken very good care of Mama and is still doing that to the best of his ability.

Meanwhile, here in the Land of Muddle, Summer is winding down. It is still hot, don't kid yourself! But there are hints of Fall in the air here and there. Buddy is such a good boy. I am thankful for him. Those two chickens are the only ones left! I don't think I will get any more. 

My friend Phyllis sewed together many half square triangles I cut with the Go! Cutter from some of that last batch of fabric I was given by my sweet sister in law Gloria. I'm thinking I may do a simple zig zag design for this one. We'll see. 

I'm still making more blocks for the Scrappy Trips quilt. I got six of them put together in the last couple of days.

And here are six more ready to sew together.

I got all the 2 1/2 inch strips cut for the Christmas quilts that Sandy, Phyllis and I are making. Now I need to cut sashing strips from these whites. (Millie, do you see your Christmas strips under these? I won a giveaway on Millie's blog several years ago and made this quilt from them.)

It seems there is a lot of pain, anger and sadness in our world now. I know that it's there, and in a lot of cases it is valid. However, giving in to those feelings usually only makes things worse. I choose to look on the good things, the things that make me happy. Many of you who read this are people who make me happy. Your positive attitude, your talent, your willingness to share your knowledge all make this world a better place. I'm thankful for you!

Hugs and kisses,