Nearing the End of March

 

Well, let's see. What have I been doing over here since last I posted?

For one thing, I've made up a new batch of laundry detergent . I've had issues with allergies and this one does not bother me. Thank God! 

 

Another thing I've been doing is enjoying all the beautiful springtime flowers. I love them all so much. And.........I planted an orange tree - I think it was last year. Anyway, there are two blossoms on it today!!! And what they say is true, the blossoms smell delightful! Makes me so happy.

 

That beautiful red rose is growing  behind the greenhouse, and has been there since long before the greenhouse. It was one of those deals to entice you to subscribe to something or other. I don't remember what exactly. But I do remember that they asked for five cents, yes - a nickel! - for my very own Blaze rose. Best nickel I ever spent! The plant I received was about the size of a short pencil, but it has grown and grown and bloomed and bloomed. Year after year after year.

On the top left are two of the lovely Peggy Martin roses blooming their little hearts out! Next to them is an amaryllis - a picotee, then the dogwood flowering into the sky and a pink hydrangea I have babied for years.

On the bottom row on the left is Buddy, my funny little dog. He is growing 

up now but still very much a puppy. He is a character!

 

 

Mr. Muddling and I were able to get my Tin Lizzie (the longarm quilt machine) back in working order!!! I am so thankful for that. Thankful, too, for facebook groups that share their knowledge!

So. I got this quilt finished for the USO Lounge at our local airport. I need to make more!

 

The backing is this red flannel plaid, and don't you love the red and white stripe for the binding?

And of course we must have a label!

 

I am so thankful for so many things. If you've managed to stick around through all my blathering, I'm thankful for that, too! Blog friends are the best!

There ARE so many good people and things in this world of ours, it is silly not to be as happy as you can. Yes. I know there are a lot of bad people and bad things in the world, too, but I refuse to give much of my attention to them.

 

I hope you are having a lot of fun and happy things in your part of the world, and I truly hope you take time to thank our good God who only gives good gifts.

 

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine
 

 

Making Things Work

 

Hi, there! I thought it was time to drop back in and show what I've been doing since my last posting.

 

I had some snowball blocks my friend Deb sent me, so I alternated them with 16 patch blocks to make a quilt top for the USO Lounge at our local airport. I gave the sixteen patches some extra movement by adding some half square triangles from a quilt I had made earlier to the upper right corner of most of them.

 

Here it is on the quilting machine and down to the last two rows. Suddenly there was a terrible noise. I shut the machine off and put it in time out. I think Mr. Muddling and I can get it back in working order again, I just haven't quite worked myself up to doing it yet. But. I will!

 

 

My friend Sandy needed another project to work on for the USO, so I put these blocks and strips up on the design wall for her to see, and she liked it. We took them all down and she took them home to complete. I think these fabrics all came from Deb, too!!! I have some really good friends!

 

Some of these rail fence blocks were leftover from the Hard Crackers quilt I showed in my last post. And a lot more I made and added to the mix. I plan to get these blocks sewn together later tonight.

 

 

Isn't this a gorgeous amaryllis? I cut it a couple of days ago, and there is another stalk from the same bulb about to burst into bloom now!

 

Behind the beautiful flowers are eight little pans ready to be filled with batter to make Everyday Fruitcake. It is made with dried fruit and not the syrupy sweet glazed fruit in regular fruitcake.  I took some of those completed little loaves to our ladies prayer group on Tuesday morning to share with my sweet friends.

 

 

The irises and roses are showing off in Ruthie's Garden and proving that Spring is truly here! (Don't look at all the weeds. I know it's bad. I'll get them cleaned out soon!)

 

Sorry, I don't have a fresh picture of my darling Buddy. He's been so busy all I have are blurry videos! Constant motion. But I do love him!

 

I hope you have lots of things in your world to give you joy. It is important, don't you think?

 

Enjoy your weekend and try to have lots of fun!

 

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I Was Absent

 

I made three small quilts. This one, "Bethlehem is about 18 by 18 inches. It will live here and be displayed during the Christmas season. I saw it online and had to have it. 

 

This very colorful little cat is about the same size. It has gone to live with our friend Cass in upper New York state. She loves it!

 

 

This one is a bit larger and lives here as a utility quilt. It is made of 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch pieces sewn together to make 2 1/2 inch squares. I had a bag of that size and used them!

 

 

I said in this post that I wanted to enlarge a small quilt I had seen in The Big Book of Civil War Quilts. Well, I did! I figured out what I needed to make it a full size quilt.

 

 

Hard Crackers, biggie sized, is now hanging in our hallway.

 

 

And Miss Lady who was a Christmas gift from me to Mr. Muddling in 2012 has moved off and left us. I really hope it is true that all dogs go to heaven, because there are a lot of them I've love to see again. Lady loved Mr. Muddling and followed him everywhere she could. She was always such a good girl. We miss her. My husband especially has a big hole in his life right now. Good thing Buddy keeps him just aggravated enough to ease that pain!

 

 

Yes, this is my life. Flowers, chickens and Buddy and his toys! And of course, my darling Mr. Muddling! I love it all. The picture on the top left is a lantana plant I grew from seed sent me by my friend Deb. Thank you, Deb!!!

 

I hope all is well and happy in your world. As a neighbor of ours, long ago deceased used to say, "It's a great life if you don't weaken." He was a character! And a lot of life is just about as good as you decide it will be. 

 

Love and hugs and kisses,

Elaine