Monday huh?

Well, I don't have anything for Design Wall Monday - at least not anything I'm really working on, but I did dig this out of a chest a few days ago so that I could take pictures of it, so maybe I'll link it up anyway.  This quilt top was passed to me from my mom.  Back when I was in the 2nd grade (1961-62) and again in the 4th grade (1963-64) we lived in the house shown in my header, while having lived in yet another house in the year in between just a 1/2 mile or less away!  Sometime while in that twice-lived-in-house, my dad brought home some boxes of 'stuff' which, if I have the story correct, came from salvage of a houseboat that burned - but I could be wrong.  The quilt top was in that stuff.  

The Bethlehem Star blocks are all hand-pieced, and not by a perfectionist as some of those centers are pretty funny looking close up, but from a distance, they look ok.  The blue sashing and yellow cornerstone blocks were added by machine.  The star blocks all appear to be fabrics from somewhere ca 1930s -1950s - I'm no expert there.  All of the fabrics seem pretty thinly woven.  Each block is 24" square finished and not including the sashing, with 3 1/2 blocks x 3 blocks.  The sashing is 3 1/2".

I've no idea how, nor have I any current plan, to finish it, but maybe someday...

This is one side.

This is the other (it's hanging over the stair railing). Note how the solid yellow was pieced to fit in/square up, that one block.

Clearly not precision sewing.

Notice the one tip that's the same lavender as the center!

One end is only 1/2 stars, were more planned?

Flame is adding her opinion "it's fun to play on Mom".

Stash Report Sunday

This is really an increase from the prior week but since Judy was undergoing her blog switchover, it wasn't reported then.  2012 isn't looking good for clearing out the stash is it?

Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 0 yards
Added this Week: 3 yards
Added Year to Date: 53.8 yards
Net Used for 2012: -53.8 yards

Linking up to Patchwork Times where you'll find the reports of others as well.

So Little of Interest

I must apologize to any of my blog-followers who are wondering where I've been.  I just haven't had much to say and not much of interest to try to make sound interesting.  There hasn't even been much to take photos of, but I will post a brief video at the end today.

Yesterday was my birthday.  Quite uneventful other than to say I'm now in my last year of 50-something.  I remember when I was a kid and thinking how OLD I'd be if I should live so long as to reach the year 2000. Well, it's now 2012 and I'm a whole lot older than I thought I'd be way back then.  For my birthday, I chose to go to dinner at the Olive Garden, and I really spread my wings.  Instead of my usual soup, salad and breadsticks I tried something new off the menu.  Gotta tell you, in some areas, I'm as consistent as they come and when I find something I like at a restaurant, I'll order it every time!  Besides, s.s.& b. is quite a bargain at under $7.  But, I mixed it up a little.  I had  Moscato Peach Chicken: Grilled chicken breasts with a moscato wine and peach glaze served with spinach, tomatoes and curly mafalda pasta in a creamy parmesan sauce with a touch of pancetta bacon.Ooooh yes, it was quite tasty, if not pricey at the same time! We don't eat out a lot, usually just special occasions.  This still came with salad.  Boo-hiss, blech....there was a hair in my salad, but no problem, the waiter gladly replaced bowl of salad and salad plate that I'd already been eating from and where I discovered the hair!  Having had a late lunch, and extra salad ;) and a couple of those breadsticks, all of us only ate about 1/2 our meal bringing the rest home originally intended for lunch.

For dessert, I decided we'd hop on over to Ben and Jerry's for my favorite Cherry Garcia ice cream cone - so glad it's also available at most stores...every once-in-awhile, I'll pick up a carton and savor it over several days eating straight from the carton :)

Then went home and was gifted with my much-wanted Garmin Nuvi GPS unit for my car...yes, I'm happy! and then watched the opening ceremony of the olympics.  That was quite sufficient fanfare for my birthday!

Today, my boys went with one of Marty's friends a good hour or more drive from here to some fishing store...why, I've no clue, because Marty doesn't enjoy fishing much and has only been a few times, and Nick does like to fish but has only been a few times because of aforesaid Marty's not so much enjoyment of that activity.   Not sure when they'll be home.  So I'm just puttering and accomplishing little.  Because they went where the went, they weren't home for lunch for those leftovers and I ate a very late breakfast, so for lunch just fixed a couple pieces of toast and we can all have our leftovers for dinner along with a green salad.

So, speaking of spreading wings, the babies in the nest under the patio, and there were four after all, well, two of them have already flown the coup.  Number 3 is about ready to and that's what the video shows.  It was still there 15 minutes or so ago.  Number 4 seems to be either a late hatch or a real runt, and will probably be several days to a week yet before it's ready to say goodbye to the nest.  It's been nice to watch them grow, but filming/photographing is not optimal so I haven't done much in that regard. Number 3 shows action about 2/3 of the way through, until then I think it's picking ants off the back beam.  So, without further adieu:

Fina-Lee Friday

It's been a quiet week for the most part...you've probably guessed that already, due to the absence of posts from me.

• Turning the news on this morning, I was greeted with the horrible event in Aurora, CO. It's hard for me to grasp what goes on in someone's mind that they'd do this sort of thing.  My heart goes out to that community and those impacted by the actions of this person.
• Nick's had a couple times of getting together with one of his buddies this week.  At 5 this evening, he'll be going over to spend the night, then tomorrow the dad will be taking both boys to a place where they can 'battle' it out with their Airsoft guns in a safe environment.  I'm not keen on this but I guess it's a guy-thing.  
• Hmmm, given the event in Aurora...well, I do wonder if it's wise.
• The finch babies are growing fast, their heads pop up frequently now ~ appears to be just three.
• A rat got hung up by it's hind foot on a joint of the plastic compost bin.  I kept wondering why it didn't run away as I got closer.  OK, I had a soft moment, even for a RAT, observing that it's foot was a bit chewed up and being attacked by ants, eww, so I grabbed a stick and lifted it up out of the crack it was caught in and it scampered away without so much as a 'thank you Ma'am'. 
• On Wednesday, a friend and fellow quilter came out and visited. She needed to copy a file of quilt pics I'd taken at a quilt show we went to in March and then we went to a fabric store and we made some purchases and then we went to lunch and then stopped at a tea restaurant where we picked up some scones and other 'dessert' items.  I didn't even know that restaurant was there, but think I might like to go there for lunch sometime.  

Feeding Time

I can never tell until after I actually post if the video is working...so this may come off as soon as I post! Update: it posted, but in checking, it brought to mind that I need to apologize for the shakiness of the video. I was holding the camera up high for the best angle, and had zoomed in and shooting through a dirty window.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it ;)

We have a finch nest under our patio cover looking right out the window over my kitchen sink. Mama and Papa have been coming in and feeding the babes. I'm not sure how many are there. At least three, maybe four. I'm just hoping the blue jays don't come in and raid the nest before they're big enough to leave the nest. This is the first nest in a couple years.

Stash Report – Week 29, 2012

 I've had nothing in and nothing out this week.  I've been busy cleaning and clearing and making way for things to be stored.  As I've worked on that, I washed all the fabric I'd bought while I was in the wet land so that it can be stashed in my stash closet :)  My sewing machine is hidden by a pile of clean blankets and clothes to be ironed :(

Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 0 yards
Added this Week: 15.5 yards
Added Year to Date: 50.8 yards
Net Used for 2012: -50.8 yards

Linking up to Patchwork Times where you'll find the reports of others as well.

Oh yeah, it's Fina-Lee Friday

I'm eliminating the usual bullets, and negative attitude today, but still, getting back into the swing of things seems to have taken longer than I expected, but maybe it's just that because I know the kitchen remodel will be coming along all too soon and I'm not ready, that I'm just procrastinating in some areas. Whatever the case, since the remodel is on the horizon, I know I need to make storage space for the things that will be packed up and that means clearing out stuff that's already been set aside for the Salvation Army (my preferred charitable donation site for unwanted belongings); either them or the Vietnam Vets of America.

Perfect timing for some of the items this week, was that during our fellowship class at church it was announced that a new seminary family was arriving soon from England (there are two other sem. families arriving - from India and the Dominican Republic - soon as well)...with nothing but their bags of clothing...oh boy, what an opportunity to serve by giving from some of my excess. We had a twin bed wooden headboard but no bed...someone else had the twin bed with no headboard...how awesome is that? I had a perfectly good enamel tea kettle...I just rarely used it and got very tired of cleaning the cooking grime from its exterior as it sat 'decoratively' on the stove, hey, England - tea, works for me :)

The manager of the apartments where these families will be living is also a seminary family and I asked if any of them could use any boys' clothing (clothing wasn't on the original list). Yes! I had at least a couple dozen tees and as many polo-style shirts, along with a pair of black slacks and dress shoes - both had only been worn once for Nick's 6th grade graduation. I also was able to offer them some hangers, a bag of non-perishable foods & paper/plastic products (those because I shop at Costco and had plenty on hand and who knows when they'll get to a grocery store), some microwave cooking dishes, kitchen towels, and other things I forget now. What a joy it was to see the joy on the face of the manager when I took these things to her. And I'm sure I'll be able to offer more items as I progress in sorting through things in my kitchen as I pack up. Not to mention toys/books and who knows what else when I get to Nick's room and elsewhere in the house.

While I was sorting through things, I could only think what an amazing ministry it would be if someone had a building that could be dedicated to serving our seminary/missionary families by having usable items available like this that could be loaned out to the families for their household needs for the time they're here and then returning anything still usable when they leave for their home state or country. Missionaries rotate 'home' on furlough for only weeks or months at a time, sem. students and their families anywhere from a year or more depending on where they are in their studies and how much employment they have to do to provide for themselves and their families. Some arrive quite self-contained, others have more needs.

So, as we welcome new families to our neighborhood, to our church and to the seminary, we can rejoice in being able to help provide a few things to them. God has blessed me us with much.  And while we can turn around and bless others with the things we no longer want or need, it's helping to declutter my home as well.  And boy, I could declutter a whole lot more and probably not miss any of it.  When I arrived in this state, 40+ years ago, everything I owned fit in the trunk of my car...sure was easy to get up and move back then, lol.

Stash Report Sunday

My goodness! it's been forever since I've posted a report, or so it seems. One can count on an increase to my stash when I go on vacation. Have I mentioned that my aunt Irene is also a quilter?  We have a tradition of hitting the quilt shops when I get to the wet land? I'm home now and she's getting ready to head to quilt camp...some day I hope to be able go to along!

My additions will be added to 'this week' but in actuality were added during my time away in June.
Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 0 yards
Added this Week: 15.5 yards
Added Year to Date: 50.8 yards
Net Used for 2012: -50.8 yards

I'm sure others are reporting their numbers over at Patchwork Times, so hop on over and see how they're doing. In the meantime, here are my purchases made during my near-month away from home:

13 yards total in yardage and FQs, all from Jane's Fabric Patch

from Grandma's Attic - Farmer's Wife is an appropriately titled book I think from a store by that name ;).

Greenbaum's ... my first visit, nice store, but not much in what I tend to be drawn to...or maybe I was feeling a little guilty over my 13 yard purchase a few days before.  I bought 2.5 yds of this for patriotic quilts.

I also bought this at Greenbaum's.

These I bought at Boersma's.  My aunt Irene raved about them, so I HAD to add them to my ruler supply. 

This close-up shows the wonderful fabric grippy dots that run the length of the rulers in two rows - I like that.  The other thing I really like, is that the lines are black, and uncluttered, for those colors that don't lend well to the yellow, crowded line rulers that predominate my supply. They also have 1/2" markings as the rulers I purchased are 3.5" x 18.5" and 6.5" x 18.5".

Fina-Lee Friday

Who knew it would be so hard to get back into the swing of things after a near-month long vacation.  Some tidbits of the week:

• Marty and Nick went to see a movie this afternoon.  Why was not Marty at work you ask.  He had the day off as 'bonus' for extra hours put in over the last month of working on a deadline project.  They saw The Avengers.  The only comment: "Guess you had to see the original movies." (pertaining to each individual superhero).
• Raven snubbed me for over an hour right after we got back home last Sunday night.  She's happy now and being my best friend...or not.  Tonight, she chewed through the small electrical cord on my mini-desk fan. Boo! Hiss! Bad Kitty! Good thing it was only a 6.0 V output.  No indication she felt the slightest of zaps.  Now she's chewing on something else...maybe I should get a dog-muzzle and put on her!
• We had Panda Express for dinner tonight.  One of the items was Mandarin Chicken.  Seems someone was heavy-handed with the salt when making it.
• Summer heat is beginning to kick in.  I sure enjoyed the very much cooler weather, and some rain, while up north.  Marty keeps saying we need to get out of this state.  Uh huh.
• Not sure how many loads of laundry I did after vacation.  But it was a lot.  A lot spread over nearly every day this week.  And mail to sort through.  Marty picks out the bills to be paid - oops! missed one - it was due the day I was driving home, and all else is left for me to pick through when I get back.  
• I haven't found too many things that have been put away "in the wrong place" while I was gone this year.  That's a good thing.

Happy Birthday America