World's Best Wife!

I'm sure you're wondering how I came by the title "World's Best Wife!"  Well, one morning when it had rained too much for my DH (dear husband) to be in the field I suggested that he go COMBINE SHOPPING!  At which point, he declared me the World's Best Wife!  Now DD (darling daughter) informs me that since I'm his ONLY wife, that also makes me his worst wife and everything in between.  I'm going to ignore her and go with my hubby's proclamation.  After all, Mother's Day is coming up and he needs to get me something................. I even asked for something in GREEN!  That way it will match the tractor I got for my birthday a few years ago.  Remember this?

Speaking of green..........we have some beautiful things blooming in the flower beds..............

And things continue to progress in the sewing room.............

My Dashing Through the Snow quilt finally got that candy cane striped border on it.  I really overshot the amount of border needed, so I expect you will see it pop up again on another quilt.  Now for the final border and binding debate.......... 

I think there will be a narrow green border with red binding.  

More tiny houses..............  and I'm learning to make trees to add in to make things interesting!  Keep watching for more houses and trees.

The Friendly Goat and Penny Pig blocks from the Farm Girl Vintage 2 book.  I'm making these 12" blocks this time around.

And a Goat finish...........

Delilah is all quilted, bound, and labeled!

And my main UFO for the year is finished.............

Farm Girl Vintage, the first book, all blocks in the book are in here and they are 6" blocks.  I love this one and can't wait til September to show it at guild!

And would this post really be of any interest at all if there wasn't a photo of a cat?  Cici and Dory were enjoying some sunshine in the bay window.

Christi

Odds and Ends

I have a few random photos to share that just haven't seemed to fit in any post, so here they are together.  Enjoy!

We enjoyed burning all the sticks gathered from the yard in the fire pit one evening.  We're definitely enjoying the patio when the weather allows.

Cici thought she would surprise us with ............... herself! on Easter morning.  She was pleased to show that she could still fit in the Easter basket.

Easter lunch was pork kabobs on the grill with cilantro lime rice.  Very tasty!

Since I no longer have Izzy to walk with, DD thought maybe we should try taking Cici and Dory for walks.  She had harnesses, so we gave it a try.  Cici actually liked being out in the grass until an ATV drove by and scared her so badly that she escaped the harness, dove through the porch railing and slammed into the back door trying to get back inside.  It was a very very short walk.

I have also been reading papers for DD.  Trust me, this one was riveting.  I did learn that Raspberry Pi is not a food! (note the spelling).  I'm still unclear as to what it is though.  I also read a paper for her ethics class over the book that was written about the euthanasia deaths in Memorial Hospital in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.  Trust me, not an uplifting read at all.

And spring has definitely sprung!

The Hubs took me mushroom hunting and I found these!  We went again the next night, and he found 3.  He has also found at least 2 ticks on each hunt.  I am apparently not sweet enough for them because I haven't found any.  

Christi

All things quilting......

So, it's been awhile since I've posted anything from the quilting room.  Let's catch up!

With the start of the Covid-19 Quarantine, you would think that would be a time to get lots of things finished.  However, I seem to be attracted to every "Stay-At-Home" quilta-long out there.

Here is my first such project done with Edytia Sitar from Laundry Basket Quilts.  She called it "California".  She gave a new block each day and how many to make (of course, using her fabrics).  She also showed where they would be placed in the quilt.  

Here is my first photo.............it's the pieces around the outside.  The inside block is the start of Bonnie Hunter's Unity quilt-along (I know, just like when you say the word "squirrel" to a dog...so many quilts to start!).  I pulled from my scrap bins and the neutrals are all from trimmings of other quilt backings.

Here are all 100 blocks completed and laid out on the floor.

A few minutes later, it looked like this thanks to Dory.

And then...........

It looked like this!

I'm working on webbing it together now, so just have 4 rows left to do and can then sew the rows together.  It will be getting some kind of borders depending on what I find in the stash.

 Back to this photo........

In the center is the start of Bonnie Hunter's Unity quilt-along.  This was the first step.  She is adding a round each week.  

Here it is with the round for the second week added.  I didn't enjoy this round at all.

And here it is with the third week added.  I like it much better now.  I am currently working on the fourth week.  I was really tired of flying geese, so am glad this week is only half square triangles.  I have everything cut and have started sewing.

Sew Sweet Quilt Shop is doing a Village quilt-along.  Everyone got a free pattern and you make house blocks as you wish.  I'm using leftover charm squares from partial charm packs.  I actually have about 30 of these made now.  If you do it like the pattern, it takes 132.  I may change it up a little.  I'm thinking of adding some trees in there.  I've also done a lot more with chimneys since this first photo.

Temmecula Quilt Company is doing a Stay-at-Home Sampler, giving out one block a day.  The blocks are only 3.5".  I'm using a charm pack and some neutrals in mine.  I may have 2-3 more blocks of this one done.  I don't do them every day because they are so quick to do.  I let it go and then do several at a time.

And, I finished these blocks for my guild's president's mystery quilt.  I am leading that one.  We started at the beginning of the year, and I was going to make it last for several months.  But due to everyone being home, I have been giving clues more often and will give the final clues in May.

There is more that I don't have photos of yet, so stay tuned for that.  I do actually have a couple of finishes, but haven't taken photos.

And lest you think that Cici hasn't been pulling her weight in the sewing room.........

She's obviously exahausted from all her efforts and guidance in fabric selections.  This is the pillow I made for her some time ago.  I think we finally have it in the right location for her to use it.  She didn't want to be left out since Dory made it in to this post and she wants you to note that she is not misbehaving in her photo like Dory did with the quilt blocks.

Christi

Dishwasher Dilemma

So, one afternoon a couple of weeks ago my sister from Iowa called The Hubs and asked what he was doing.  His response, "I'm sitting on the floor watching the dishwasher run." which was literally the truth.  At which point, she knew he was REALLY BORED!  However, the dishwasher hadn't been getting dishes clean, so he was trying several things to figure out what was wrong.

And sometimes you get tired while watching the dishwasher run and need to lay down!

A part was ordered and installed.  While waiting for the part, we had to wash dishes by hand.  Now, I have no problem doing dishes by hand, but for The Hubs and DD, this was a catastrophe!  Whenever we would have a meal where we set out all the leftovers and you pick what you want, they would leave just a little bit in each container to put back in the frig.  I finally realized that they left just a little bit, so the container wouldn't be empty and have to be WASHED BY HAND!  DD even went to the basement and found the assortment of leftover paper plates...........you know, Halloween ones, birthday ones, etc.  Can I just take a moment to say that one of the things we are supposed to be doing during this "Stay At Home" thing is washing our hands.  What better way than to wash dishes by hand!  Neither of my grandmothers had dishwashers (other than the grandkids, of course) and I can remember doing lots of dishes by hand at family dinners.  Both had small kitchens, but one had a great big long counter to put clean dishes on and the other had no counter space at all.  Most of her dishes were stored in the limited cabinet space or in cupboards on the enclosed back porch.  I reflected on those family dinners (fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, pie) while washing my dishes by hand.

And in the meantime, the frig had a little problem as well...........

This was fixed by The Hubs.

Notice how that yellow LED light makes it into every photo!

He even gave it a follow up check days later to make sure everything was still working correctly!

Now, back to the dishwasher.  The first part didn't work, so a second part was ordered.

And when that didn't work, the dishwasher was loaded up and taken to the appliance store to be worked on.

This provided the opportunity to clean the cubby where it had been.  And finally...........

A new dishwasher was delivered!  The other one was over 14 years old, and the parts needed were no longer available.  DD is enamored by the third drawer for laying the silverware in.  She loves organizing it all.  The Hubs is enjoying it as well.  We've had it a week, and I can honestly say that I have yet to load or unload it, put any soap in it, or push any buttons on it.  I'm sure my turn will come when the "new" wears off, but so far, I'm enjoying letting them play with it!  DD and The Hubs have even had some disagreements about the best placement for things in the dishwasher.  DD wants all the silverware and everything organized in it, and normally The Hubs and I would roll our eyes behind her back and think that as soon as she leaves, we'll do it any way we want.  But since her start date for her job has now been postponed until October, she's probably going to have us trained to do it her way by that time.  Maybe you can teach old dogs new tricks!
Christi

Goodbye Izzy

We had to say goodbye to Izzy on Saturday.  She developed a neurological disorder for which there was no cure.  It had caused her to stop eating and drinking, develop pneumonia, and other things.  There were trips to the vet on Friday and Saturday and a trip to the university vet hospital in Columbia.  It was an extremely sad day.

Here are the last of my Izzy pictures...........

A rare nap........

Trying to "help" me with my block trimming............

And just being all around adorable...........

She will be missed.
Christi

Izzy Time!

This will be a short post as Izzy doesn't think to much of computer time.  We have one very active puppy on our hands.  She knows no fear, except for COWS!  I was walking her across the road one afternoon and the neighbor's cows were up close to the driveway and Izzy was not impressed with the cows!  She scurried to the edge of the driveway to get away from them.

The hubs bought some brick pavers to extend the west side of the patio where the rain runs off the roof and it is always muddy.  Izzy was a tremendous help in digging out the dirt, putting in the sand and setting the pavers.  Her efforts resulted in a much needed bath............

She was a little uncertain about the bath process, and the soap bubbles were entertaining to her, but the game of trying to catch the towel that was rubbing her dry was way too much fun!

Getting dirty seems to be one of her favorite things to do........second only to chewing!  Some spot baths, and another full tub bath have occurred.

Izzy does try to be helpful.  She was helping pick up sticks after a wind storm.  

We made a quick trip to Rolla on Saturday to move out dd's belongings from her apartment.  Somehow managed to get it all in the back of the truck and the car.  We were moving so fast, I didn't even stop for photos, but we did resemble the Clampetts moving to Beverly Hills.  When I expressed this to dd, she said, "Who?"  I am so old!  Most of her stuff is put away in the house now.  We told our neighbor we were going to be gone that day, so he came up to visit Izzy in the afternoon and let her out to play for an hour.  Social Distancing, you know.  We have to take turns playing with the puppy.  

Christi