Spokes and Stitches

Jackson Hole Shopping!

2012-02-12T20:05:00.001-05:00

Yes we still got the typical tshirts and stickers on our trip. But we also picked up a new rug for the front door and Go Postal got a hat for cold weather (he got a straw one this summer when we visited St Augestine). Now he looks like that water color Cowboy that hung over my fireplace in WS.

My favorite spot

2012-02-08T08:38:00.001-05:00

I have on my bucket list to go back to the Tetons often. I first saw these mountains in the 4th grade when my family moved from Houston to Casper Wyoming. No other range has stirred me like these. From Grand Targhee you get to look at the back of these peaks. I snapped this on my phone of Ken taking pictures. Hopefully the one of GP and I turned out. There is a shot of us at the top of the Jackson Hole tram. The skiing is pretty steep from here but I want to make one more trip to try the waffles they make in this cabin at the top. This cabin was built about the time I was born to facilitate the building of the original tram. They replaced it a few years back with one that gets 100 skiers to the top (standing) in about five minutes.

Spool Cabinet

2012-01-30T09:34:00.001-05:00

Go Postal and his siblings found this great spool cabinet in some of their parents things and gave it to me at Christmas. We are working hard to get the sewing room organized and found a home for it! We also had enough old wooden spools between us to load the first rows. I Love It!!

Done for the night

2012-01-27T21:47:00.001-05:00

Banjo and his Dad are done for the evening. We will have to resume the work in barn tomorrow

Next Big Step

2012-01-26T09:54:00.001-05:00

Our application for adoption was accepted so the next step is to complete a home study. We are using the Children's Home Society of NC for this. We had to work hard this week to get their application completed. It included autobiography questions galore like how did your parents show love, what are your goals for your marriage, how do you plan to discipline etc. We worked on them separately then compared answers....luckily no surprises, our answers were very similar. Go Postal had to describe me (and I him) and his final statement about me was "A slightly mischievous sparkle can be seen in her blue eyes at times". Who Me???

New Machine for the Quilt Room

2012-01-21T13:13:00.001-05:00

I am afraid this one won't see any projects as it is in rough shape. It was Go Postals grandmothers. The cabinet is in good shape and will serve as a sofa table. It was made by A G Mason in Cleveland Ohio. When I have some time I will research it more online.

Its been 10 years today

2012-01-16T20:18:00.001-05:00

Mom we sure do miss you. Your grandchildren all know you loved owls...you would be proud of them and just as excited about the fifth one coming home from China later this year I know.

Finally Time

2012-01-06T10:55:00.001-05:00

It is being mailed today !!!!

Somebody's Cold

2012-01-04T17:25:00.001-05:00

As soon as I pulled in the drive....Banjo let me know it had been a cold day and he was ready for his warm bed in the barn.

Happy New Years

2012-01-01T12:25:00.001-05:00

No real resolutions this year although our Pastor has challenged us all to read the entire Bible this year. I had started countless times like many others in Genesis and soon lost steam in some of the difficult old testament. I did complete it once using a 365 day version that gave some old and new each day. GP is going to try the chronological version and I may get the one minute bible to try. How can you not have one minute to learn more about God?

We drove the Studebaker to church but it quit in the driveway on the way home. It still needs lots of TLC to get it back to dependable but we will get it there eventually.

And finally I was moved this morning to make my first prayer quilt. A college student in our church just had yet another surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from her abdomen. Her third December in a row. She faces more chemo and another semester lost. I have some Appalachian fabric that I was hoping to use for Go Postal but we agreed she needs it more. Just in time we are off to Camp Dogwood next weekend for a retreat.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T08:27:00.001-05:00

Banjo got to come in for a very rare visit this morning. He swears he heard Santa. Merry Christmas everyone...we are opening gifts, having blueberry pancakes and then to church. It's lunch with the Brendles and supper with Mary and her family.

Reindeer Nutter Butters

2011-12-23T12:13:00.001-05:00

Fun. Something for Santas reindeer

Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T16:15:00.001-05:00

Go Postal loves to be outside, before we were married he would be outside mowing, working on a car etc right until it got black dark in the summer. With the new barn, he can at least go out and feel productive in the winter now.....he changed the oil last night in his mail car right up until 10pm. But today is Winter Solstice...so look up DH we have a little bit more daylight every day going forward now.

Twig Box

2011-12-20T07:54:00.001-05:00

Mt friend Pat L saw these somewhere and asked her son to replicate. He used old pickets and it is perfect for the cabin. I just went out and snipped some nandina to mix in with some evergreen. Instant and free Christmas decor!

Nutcracker

2011-12-17T15:59:00.001-05:00

I love going to the Stevens Center and look at the good company I had. We started off the evening with a pizza from the Mellow Mushroom so it doesn't get much better. Buddy thought he was being dragged to a meeting with his Mom....it took him a minute to figure out the surprise even after she handed him the tickets. He just thought he had been assigned M24 at the meeting. He had asked to go see the Nutcracker again this year but was told we couldn't fit it in the schedule. Glad we did.

Fun Saturday in December

2011-12-04T08:18:00.001-05:00

It started walking the Mistletoe 5k with Tree, a half price massage thanks to Living Social, my first flash mob (Robert Moody showed up at the piano in Belks and the store erupted into the Hallelujah chorus), then our work Christmas party at Hanover Park winery.

Getting the cabin ready!

2011-12-02T16:31:00.001-05:00

Go Postal brought the Christmas Tree in last night (sadly we don't have room for a real one so decided to use pencil tree I had bought the last year at my house). Got down the lovely Santa we were made as a wedding gift...he stands about 2 feet high and his coat is made from an old velet and silk crazy quilt (we will just hope that there was a terrible hole in the quilt and this is a great way of preserving some of it). Out came the quilted tree skirt, our quilted stockings and a small quilt draped over the trunk that serves as our coffee table.

The cabin is looking ready for Christmas, now it needs to smell like Christmas....maybe we can cut some pine branches for the mantle and get to baking some spice cookies. We alwys made these candy cane cookies too, but closer to Christmas so Santa can be left some.

What is your favorite Christma Cookie?

Bad Mood Morning

2011-11-29T13:50:00.001-05:00

I just woke up in a bad mood this morning. GP and I don't see eye to eye on our current transportation situation (9 vehicles and not one under 150,000 miles), I have been out of town so much that there is a list of chores a mile long, and I read a few emails before getting out of bed that set me off (not sure reading my messages before I get my first cup of coffee is a good idea). I was running late, didn't have the right keys with me when I got to the barn....but paused, to hear the most amazing tune from the wind chimes. Usually these chimes will strike one or two notes at a time and have a very clear sound...but today it was a symphony. I looked around and thought there wasn't even much of a breeze stirring...then thought is this God/Mom telling me to take a moment and remember every thing I have to be thankful for? It worked....much better mood now. Having a great day at work and listening to a little Christmas music over my laptop. Love this time of year, and I don't want to waste even one hour feeling like this guy.

This years Brenner Tree

2011-11-16T21:46:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the "Emy, Gina, and Peggy" elves that helped me get our quilt guilds entry all done tonight. And thanks to Anthony, Alden, and Fletcher who got all our wire cut to size. The owls are ready to greet the crowds at this weekend's festival of trees.

What's missing?

2011-11-14T11:06:00.001-05:00

About a mile and a half into our ride I tried to shift to an easier gear and heard a Zing......there went the chain! Got to get it fixed quick so we can bike the lights on Friday

Whoo is ready for Christmas

2011-11-09T16:54:00.001-05:00

These guys will be going on the Brenners Festival of Trees entry for our quilt guild next week. And we are just two weeks from Thanksgiving.....so hard to believe 🍂

Coffee Woes

2011-11-03T10:00:00.002-04:00

Right after I lost my job with Hanes I had a great idea, I needed to soften some butter quickly for baking and thought, the top of the Bunn coffee maker is nice and warm...well needless to say, too warm and melted butter went all down into the water chamber. After running countless pots of vinegar through it I saw I was never going to get the rancid butter scum out of my coffee. So, I swallowed hard and paid a ridiculous amount of money for a new one with a great caraffe (made more difficult by the financial predicament I was in). I justified it by how quickly it would pay for itself if it kept me from buying the $3.50 Latte I was used to while working. This model will keep coffee hot for hours...so GP can make coffee at 5am and its is still great at 7ish when I am ready for my first cup. But alas, our machine is leaking and the good news is they will send us a new one...the bad, is I now live miles from the nearest McDonalds and we won't even discuss how far I am from Starbucks. Luckily I am headed to quilting retreat this weekend so won't have to go without.....poor Go Postal, its instant for him. I have packed up 6 different projects and plan to make a monster effor to finish most! Pictures when I return!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T10:04:00.002-04:00

Yadkin version of American Gothic by Grant Wood. GP has more hair thankfully than the original. Mom made me this dress in 1986 I think, at least I could still button it although it was much looser back then. It was all the rage to wear a dress like this with our Justin Ropers back then.

Finally made the switch....

2011-10-23T21:26:00.000-04:00

OK, my pink blackberry that has served me well was slowly dying. So before I lost everything I decided to do some research. Everything pointed to either an iphone or droid. I have to admit, my first computer was an apple and with the recent passing of Steve Jobs this may have made me a little sentimental about having another apple in my life. I went to Verizon fully expecting to have to order one...but they had two in stock, if I was willing to get the 32Mb version in white. The white is cool, not everyone has one and GP gave me my first ipod in white. I will need some time to get used to typing on the screen, it works with the heat from your fingers...no using your fingernails or a pencil etc. But.....the camera can shoot from both sides, will make 1080p HD video, and has a flash that can be used as a flashlight (that was the first app I bought for .99, so when I have to get into the cabin at night I should be able to fend off any wild animals!) And it is set up to work anywhere in the world, so in about a year we can use it to send photos/videos back from China!

Once I get comfortable using it, it will replace my ipod, my phone, my gps...and I can but a latte at Starbucks with their app.

Stitching Generations Show Opens Tomorrow!

2011-10-20T14:10:00.004-04:00

The opening reception is Friday from 6-7 at the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center. This will be in conjunction with Arts on Main, they shut down the street...have a few vendors....music...and wine if you want! Come by and say Hi, Go Postal and I should be there until at least 9pm.

Stone Mt Sunday

2011-10-10T10:09:00.003-04:00

We had an afternoon church service up at Stone Mt yesterday....along with homeade ice cream and desserts. We started hiking about 4:30 and went about 3.5 miles total. Here are the boys at the Summit!

Buddy used my camera to take these next two...he is getting pretty good at framing out a picture don't you think....

What a beautiful Fall day, here is the whole crew taking a break at the top!

Two Bucks and a Football Player

2011-10-06T09:54:00.000-04:00

I was greeted by these two guys this morning when I cam down the cabin stairs, the actually they startled me because they were almost on the front porch! The acorns are falling like crazy and they like to eat them! It sounds like a gun going off sometimes when one hits the tin on the new barn. This isn't too great of a picture because it was taken on my blackberry and through the glass on the front door.

And here is our football player (#74), he isn't getting a lot of playing time because he isn't very aggressive. After a lifetime of telling a child "don't hit" I am not sure he gets its ok in this game....

He had just listened to his Dad tell him that he was going to have to show more to the coaches in games before he got to play more, when he turned to me and said "I can't believe I got a blue ribbon at the fair" Maybe he is meant to be an enginner and not an athlete...and thats ok too.

Next Quilt Show at YAC

2011-09-30T10:09:00.001-04:00

The curator at the Yadkin Cultural Arts center called in a panic...I need a photo for the next quilt show. Well I don't have any quilts collected yet, but thought I would hang Chocolate Chickens beside my Mom's Drunkards path (The theme is "Stitching Generations Together"). I was due in WS to meet my bee, and the qult stand was not cooperating with the slope of the ground...so Go Postal just drove a couple nails into the old pack house. We tried to get Banjo to "pose" maybe peeking out the holde in the foundation, but once he drew blood I gave up on that idea.

The show will open Friday October 22nd, and I can't wait to see the quilts and write the stories behind them!

Weekend in the Mountains

2011-09-26T12:29:00.001-04:00

Randy and Barbara gave us a night in a B&B up in Blowing Rock as a wedding gift and we were able to "redeem" that gift with them this weekend. We dodged the rain and were able to hike from the Cone estate on the Blue Ridge Parkway down to Bass lake (you can see in the distance) and back. It was a great time.

We then headed over to The River House just outside of Jefferson to spend Sunday night. I had bought a Groupon to stay there and we were so impressed. We didn't stay near the main house (which has a great restaurant and a wonderful front porch full of rocking chairs). We stayed in the farm's original Chicken House. It was unbelievable insde. Long and skinny it has room for a King size bed, gas fireplace (with hen nesting boxes as a mantle), a jacuzzi tub right in the middle of the floor, and matching bathrooms with pocket doors complete with bidets (which I am sure I have spelled wrong and do not know how to operate). We didn't get their in time for dinner, but did have dessert on the porch...a fresh apple tart with coconut ice cream....Yummy. We strolled by the river, met Lady Bear (a cow dog that belongs to a groundskeeper) and just had a great evening. The owner of this Inn also owns the Salem Tavern. Breakfast was very good and we were told to look for another Groupon coming soon. We will, because staying up here is a real treat.

A New Family for my House

2011-09-20T10:02:00.001-04:00

Yeah, we signed a two year lease last night with a family moving up from Asheboro. There is a four year old girl who is delighted with her new room upstairs, and I am glad there will be a family living in my house. It was just too sad to see it standing empty. And now I have a lot of help towards that mortgage each month.

Now I am excited to get our new budgeting software set up...upon big recco's from Lila and Summer we are going to try YNAB (you need a budget). Give every dollar a job.... Its time to start that travel fund for China.

Los Lonely Boys in Winston Salem

2011-09-19T11:32:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Salem Stitcher for the photos....I didn't even ask first but stole them from her Facebook page.

We met up at the new Ziggy's last night for the Los Lonely Boys concert. The new facility is great, my only complaint was it was too loud. I know it sounds like I am getting old, but when the sound is too loud all the clear guitar riffs become distorted I think. We ~~sat~~ stood upstairs along the rail (they took our chairs for the gold circle seating that cost another $20) but had a great view.

Henry(Lead Guitar), Ringo (Drums) and JoJo(Bass) Three bothers from San Angelo Texas

I had teased all night that I was going to do whatever it took to get a pick....but Go Postal wasn't too worried, he knew I wouldn't really get down there with the other groupies dancing in front of the boys. But as they played their biggest hit Heaven...Henry started tossing picks. On the very last one he looked up at the balcony and we started yelling and waving our arms...and he flung it. Surely it bouned back downstairs...but NO, there is was laying at Lisa's feet and I dove down for it. Good thing she was a friend!! Look how he had sawed off the tip playing so hard. Guess I won't be able to use it on my Mandolin but what a COOL momento of a great evening.

Camping Near Tsali

2011-09-15T13:44:00.000-04:00

Here are photos taken by Ken last weekend on our combo family/ski club trip to Tsali. This is a wonderful place to mountain bike and we camped nearby at Turkey Creek campground (they have coffee for sale in the morning...no waiting on getting it from a camp stove!)

Pat and I just rode one lap on Saturday - 9 miles on Mouse

The guys didn't wait for us...they played on this drop a few times

Not sure what happened to Go Potal here, he never crashes....but he went over the handlebars but luckily not into the lake....

See how pretty these trails are, this is from left loop on Sunday overlooking Fontana Lake

All that rode on Saturday.......

Dinner after a day of riding is very important!!

Veggie Pakcets and Pork Chops for Dinner

Homeade Ice Cream

McKinley learning the Jelly Fish from Ken

After two nights in the woods!

And a stop on the way home at Jimmy Macks for the burgers raved about in Our State! They didn't dissapoint.

The only bad part of the trip....I forgot our sleeping bags and pillow. We realized it about Asheville so we stopped and bought four cheap Fleece throws...4 for $12. You get what you pay for we about froze. Luckily Kim and Jared broght us sleeping bags for Saturday night or I would have been looking for a motel.

5 days and 9 States!

2011-09-06T10:52:00.000-04:00

We had a great roadtrip. We left at lunch Wednesday and got to Nashville in time to catch the last show at the Bluebird Cafe. It is a small venue, but what a treat....we heard four songwriters (one was only 17 and could very well be the next Taylor Swift) One had written "I love the way you love me" for her wedding, one guy had written Fishin in the Dark, and on and on. Mike would be at a place like this every weekend if we lived closer to Nashville! The next morning it was off to Paducah. I was on a hunt for more Mustard fabric...and it was so funny to me that Hancocks sits right behind a liquor store....is this for the husbands that can't take any more fabric shopping? We toured the AQS museum (no pictures allowed) and hit two more quilt shops. I made a pretty good haul, picking up lots of kids fabrics too for nap blankets and baby quilts. I have to say it was a great shop but Mary Jo's prices are better. They were cutting orders like crazy and one of the clerks said that probably 60-75% of their business is now online/catalouge orders.

I got nine yards of this mustard fabric with ketchup colored fish bones. It will be the backing for this new quilt which I am making BIG to fit our bed. After a mexican dinner and night near the river in Paducah we headed over to St Louis. I had 11am tickets reserved to take the tram to the top. You got into these little capsules that only held 5 people at a time and started up the arch. It was a little like riding a ferris wheel, quite an engineering feat for the mid 1960's,

The purpose of our trip was to visit GP's cousin Johnny. They were very close growing up and he now lives in Kansas City with his family. Their son is a freshman at Kansas so we went to the game, he was awarded a scholarship for Petroleum Engineering and was part of a group honored at halftime.

And we saw a Trader Joes near their house so as we took off Sunday afternoon we stopped in to stock up....we love their cereal, nuts, olive oil, marina, low sugar jelly....and much more. Hopefully we will get one in the triad area soon. Its great quality and value!

Then as we mapped our route home we decided to go through Lexington Ky and I realized being a holiday weekend my Aunt and Uncle would probably be at their vacation spot in Augusta. So sure enough we contacted them and decided to have lunch. They live in Colombus, Oh and we haven't seen them since the wedding. This is my Mom's little sister and it was fun to see them even for a short time.

Then back to NC through the rain bands of tropical storm Lee. Banjo was very happy to see us. So if I counted right.....NC, TN, KY, MO, KS, IN, IL, WV, VA. We would have been in Ohio if we had had time to take this free ferry across the Ohio river here in the background! Now we are cleaning up the Civic and selling it, able to tell prospective buyers it just had no issues on our trip and got about 35-37 mpg!

Road Trip!

2011-08-31T10:44:00.000-04:00

I got out my latest quilt project last night....knowing I will need more mustard fabrics to complete it. Won't it be fun to search for these at Hancock's!!! We stop tonight in Nashville to hear a late night session at the Bluebird Cafe then the next day head to Paducah. I get the rest of the day to shop and tour the National Quilt Museum. Sounds like a great way to kick off the Holiday weekend! Anyone need me to pick something up for them?

Welcome Friends

2011-08-25T11:20:00.000-04:00

We have had a man work for two days on our gravel road from 601 back to the cabin....and while he was grading, smoothing etc Go Postal had him add a turnaround and a parking spot for our guests out front. I have a lot of walkway/landscaping plans for down the road...but for now this will be a big improvement! Come See Us!

Harper Creek Falls

2011-08-15T11:57:00.000-04:00

The ski club went to a fun swimming hole in Linville Gorge on Saturday called Harper Creek Falls. This location was just written about in last week's Relish. The hike along the creek was about 1.5 miles and when we got to our desitnation, we used a rope to decend to the creek. It was pretty slick so the rope was a must.

Here is the group, the water was pretty cold at first...but refreshing!

There is a moss along this waterfall that is like a green shag carpet from teh 70's. It made a great natural water slide. The only problem was it was very slick climbing back up the far side so I only did it once.

But as we were finishing our PB@J's the sprinkles started....we packed in a hurry and scurried back up the rock (I seriously doubt I could have gotten back up if it was wet) Thankfully Pat had the same poncho Salem Stitcher used a few weeks back with her because I left my rain jacket behind. We got soaked on the hike out....just look at the run off on the trail.

It is a great location, we will definitely make the journey back

Stand In Quilt Room Kitty

2011-08-06T17:24:00.000-04:00

I am getting 100 of these signature blocks ready for a friend's daughter's wedding in Telluride later this month, but for the last 15 years or so I never was in my quilt room without a cat keeping me company.....so Banjo came inside this afternoon and kept me company (well kind of, he passed out on the back of the couch)

Hope its worth $14

2011-08-02T12:02:00.000-04:00

I normally would have seen this with all the other crazy fans at midnight, but we were on our cruise. I was holding off to see this with my nephew but its not working out....so I am headed tonight. We are checking it out in the new IMAX 3D at The Grande in WS. I so far have not been a fan of 3D movies, I don't think they are worth the extra $$ and hate having to wear the glasses. But we are going to check out the IMAX 3D, and this movie should be a good action packed test. I read the book so know I will love the ending...

Special Visitors

2011-07-25T09:26:00.002-04:00

Lila has come to NC for the week and spent the weekend with us at the cabin. Here we are after church, the girls have grown a lot and are speaking so well (in Spanish or English). Go Postal noted its good that we are getting a preview of what all needs to be placed higher up in the cabin and out of reach of toddler hands for future reference! They like feeding Banjo at night and right before bed they got to see our Racoon come by to clean up the extra cat food. Tonight after dinner we are all watching Tangled....GP and I are behind on our Disney princess movies.

What a Great Trip

2011-07-18T13:56:00.015-04:00

Here is Atlantis shooting off to Space on Friday just before noon. Just experiencing this with others that drove down to watch this historic end of an era was a blast for me. Traffic leaving the island was really heavy...they say 750,000 were watching! We had time after that to head back up to St Augustine to tour the old castillo and do a little shopping.
We met Dad and Teen and her daughter Lindsey (with boyfriend Jeff) Saturday night for a nice dinner before all meeting at the Disney Cruise terminal Sunday morning. We all boarded together and here we are in the grand atrium next to Admiral Donald. The Dream is his ship.

What a nice way to spend our first anniversary. The waiters made our napkins look like big bows (atop our heads) and served us this special dessert to celebrate. The kids all got a big kick.

Lots of characters were available, luckily our little ones were a bit past standing in line for the autographs but we did get a few....here is Marshall and Minnie.

Marshall, Alden and I with Pluto

The Disney Dream is huge...and beautiful...and the service is top notch.

Uncle Mike and Alden getting into Pirate Night! This evening's dinner was topped off with a pirate dance party and fireworks out on the deck. Alden saw Jack Sparrow rapel off the top of the smoke stack down to the stage to fight off pirates...and looked at me and said "Aunt Leanne, thats the REAL Jack Sparrow....none of my friends are going to believe me" Thats the magic I love!

And Disney didn't forget the adults....this was our day at sea, I hemmed Mike's Hawaiian shirt and we all had some quiet time while we sailed the blue sea.

There was more to do than we could get too. If I had to do it over, I might have stayed on the boat in Nassau and enjoyed the ship. The kids clubs were amazing but our group sticked together most of the time.

We did something one on one with each kid along the trip....with Landon, we went up on the sports deck and golfed with Goofy.

With Alden, we fed and snorkeled with Sting Rays.

With Marshall we went parasailing!

McKinley and I had our hair braided

We can't thank Dad enough for making this trip a reality. No doubt that the big kids had just as much fun as the little kids!

One Year Already?

2011-07-07T09:51:00.003-04:00

I can't believe how fast this first year has gone by....I love him more today than I did a year ago!

I have always loved John Denver, probably because Mom used to listen to him a lot when I was growing up. I have always liked Annie's Song...but it really hit me listening the other day, the words really moved me this time...now that I know what true love is.

You fill up my senses

Like a night in the forest

Like a mountain in Springtime

Like a walk in the rain

Like a storm in the desert

Like a sleepy blue ocean

You fill up my senses

Come fill me again

Come let me love you

Let me give my life to you

Let me drown in your laughter

Let me die in your arms

Let me lay down beside you

Let me always be with you

Come let me love you

Come love me again

4th of July 2011 - Working Holiday!!!

2011-07-05T10:17:00.003-04:00

Here is a shot of Go Postal's truck taking the final load from my house in WS to Boonville. We have a renter! This will take some of the pressure off for now, and when I get back from vacation will have month's of going through boxes and cleaning up to do at the new barn in Boonville. What a job....Dairy Queen and Whole Wheat helped us all day Saturday.

I also am trying to finish the Hawaiian shirt in time for the cruise, I hadn't made a button hole in 25 years and wasn't sure how to even approach it on my Mom's Bernina...so Mrs Goodneedle to the rescue. Just have to stitch on the sleeves and do a little hemming....which I can finish up by hand during our 6 hour wait to watch the space shuttle launch on Friday!

So thanks to friends I think we are going to get everything done before we leave town and really get to enjoy kicking back for a few days.

Sick Kitty

2011-07-01T11:03:00.002-04:00

Banjo woke up yesterday with a wheezing cough not common to hear in a cat....so Go Postal called me from the garage as he left for work so that I could check on him before I left. I decided that he better get a check up, and glad I did...he has an upper respiratory infection. So for the next 6 nights we get to give him three dropperfuls of antibiotics. I am thinking in a day or two that will prove to be a challenge as he starts to feel better.

Racoons like Cat Food!

2011-06-24T13:11:00.003-04:00

I went outside to call Banjo a few nights ago and thought I heard something crunching....but it was black dark. Thinking it was him I step off the stairs and peered around. I flew back into the house....its VERY dark out there at night and the sight of this little masked face about scared the pee out of me. Go Postal came down the hall laughing, wondering what I had encountered. I grabbed the camera and he posed for us (thanks to digital imaging for brightening up the original) He wasn't scared of us at all, I think he is still kind of young. So whatever Banjo doesn't eat first thing in the morning, the birds, squirrels, opossums and now racoons finish up for him. Life in the Country.

Just 6 little plants...

2011-06-23T09:57:00.003-04:00

Who knew how many cucumbers would come by planting just a little six pack of plants. This is what I have gotten in three days and plenty more coming.

So, I am trying to make freezer pickles.....any other suggestions?

Note to self for next year....we don't need as many cucumbers but do need more than 9 little green bean bushes.

In a few more weeks it will be tomato time!

Bike and Hike 2011

2011-06-21T12:20:00.008-04:00

Here is most of the crew in Damascus, just before hitting the Va Creeper towards Abington. They suffered a bad tornado in the area in late May that competly tore out a long trestle so we weren't sure what we would find. Several signs said the trail was still closed but we lifted our bikes over the gates and continued to ride. They had made a new gravel path around the place where one trestle used to be.....so we were able to make it all the way. But saw the clouds forming....

This is what blew over us on our trip home....we still had about 10 miles left to go!

Ken didn't stop....(he took the rain pictures)

Dairy Queen, Go Postal and I found a niche in the rock and hung out to the worst was over!

I got a drink from what was dripping off his helmet. The ride home was wet and gritty, they don't put fenders on mountain bikes. We didn't get to do our hike on Sunday because of the weather but spent some time at the Grayson Highlands visitor center and was entertained by the young ranger and all his animal calls. A late lunch at Tamales in West Jefferson after a stop by Dairy Queen's homeplace in Ashe county rounded out the day.

The Great Race 2011

2011-06-13T09:16:00.003-04:00

The Great Race travels each summer several thousand miles (this year TN to VT). You must enter with a car that is all original and made on or before 1969. Go Postal has entering this race on his bucket list so I may have to brush up on my navigation skills....because here's the thing. You win by hitting the various checkpoints closest to the given times without the aid of anything but a clock. No speedometer, no tachometer, and for sure no GPS. There was one model entered this year that was made in 1911, it was 100 Years old! Both the Willy's and the Studabaker qualify so who knows in a few years.....

And we started with the self tanning lotion on those legs last night! Trying to get them cruise ready. And on that note, please pray for Teen....she is in terrible pain with shingles and we all want her better soon! I know she will be devistated if these don't clear up in time for the family cruise...but I believe in the power of prayer as do a lot of you that read my blog!

How Cute is This?

2011-06-06T10:55:00.003-04:00

My TJ Lane thimble keeper and chain was supposed to be my birthday present this year, but look at what GP found for me at the local antique mall. Its a little toy singer for my quilt studio. I think it looks like it made a stitch at one time so I will have to do some research. He knows I like presents....so I also got an IOU for a new bike helmet (mine has cracked so really need to replace) and the Definitive Best Every John Denver Greatest Hits CD. He has me pretty well figured out!!

5/8" Seams and Iron them Open....

2011-06-03T15:39:00.003-04:00

I don't know how many years its been since I have sewn a garment...but I bought some fabric in Hawaii (Go Postal actually picked it out while I shopped for quilt fabric). So the Disney Cruise is coming up and I need to get his shirt done! I need to allow plenty of time to rip out seams because I know my quilting insticts will overtake me a time or two and I will make a 1/4" seam. We even bought coconut buttons.....and boy I hope I can remember how to make a button hole!

Thank Heaven

2011-06-01T09:17:00.003-04:00

This little sweetie was discharged yesterday! Recognize the quilt? I was working on it at my one day retreat with the gals at Black Mountain. Her Mom works with my sister and when they all found out about her uphill climb they asked for a quilt that they could all sign sending their thoughts and prayers with her parents up to Boston where she was delivered. Can you believe this little bright eyed girl has already had open heart surgery in her short little life? My hope is that she continues to recover and will be home soon with her older brother getting into all kinds of mischief.

Happy 40th Mary

2011-05-31T09:53:00.003-04:00

Mary is getting a little help from her youngest to blow out 40 candles. We all went to church, then after lunch Uncle GP loaded up his Jeep trailer and pulled it with the tractor...down through the woods and past the big hemlock, through the boggy arean and back to where the beavers have their dam. That gave me a chance to get the cooking done for the big celebration dinner.

Right before they left, Micky Mouse gave Grandaddy a call to tell him he was looking forward to having this entire crew on the Dream in a few weeks for a trip to Nassau and Castaway Cay. The kids have all received their message already so were excited to see Grandaddy get his call.

Monday, Teen took the three of us sisters to lunch...then we all had hour massages. Too bad she was the last one of us to turn 40!!

So after hosting 8 adults, 4 wild indians, and two dogs for the day....Go Postal and Banjo will probably relish the quiet today. We did have some time Monday afternoon to start laundry, wash three cars, get the tomatoes all staked and go see the new Piraetes of the Carribean movie. So a very full three day weekend, just the way I like it.

Goodbye Zorro

2011-05-24T11:12:00.002-04:00

We lost Zorro yesterday. It was quite a shock because he had just had a great visit with the new vet in Yadkinville. But he was almost 12 and I trust he just slipped away without much discomfort. I will miss his little inquisitive face to greet me each time I entered my quilt room in the barn. This is the spot I would always find him if I went out in the morning...he loved to perch on his gumdrop pillow (a present just for him when we got married from Salem Stitcher) and watch the squirells at eye level in the trees. He now lays to rest beside his best buddy Z kitty. Go Postal and I will miss him a lot.

Dash Game

2011-05-23T10:51:00.002-04:00

Friday night was a perfect evening for a ballgame. The ski club had 26 tickets and my sister and nephews were in the next section with tickets the boys earned for reading books. Buddy came by and sat with me for part of the game....it could have been because I had a full bag of popcorn!

Mother's Day Wildflowers

2011-05-09T12:00:00.007-04:00

Go Postal and I headed to the mountains with friends yesterday. We would give anything to have an afternoon with our Mom's but since thats not possible, I hope they looked down on us and enjoyed the views. We were off the Parkway just past Julian Price park and had a great show of Spring wildflowers. My Mom would freak if she saw us sitting here...but its not as scary as it looks. This Cragway trail has several senic overlooks just like this.

This trail was full of painted trilliums!

And what a treat, Lady Slippers!

Sweet little clump of Iris

I know my Mom would love GP and I would have loved his Mom....if for no other reason than she formed him into the man I love!

Happy Star Wars Day

2011-05-04T10:10:00.003-04:00

"May the Forth be With You"

Its Star Wars day, I can honestly say when I saw this movie in 1977 with my Dad....I was hooked. I have now sent all my nephews and neice through Jedi training camp, made a Star Wars quilt, ate Darth Vader pancakes, dressed up as Princess Leah for Halloween, and watched the series countless times. I hope that they will continue by leading their little ones someday through this wonderful story of good and evil and friendship and diversity.

Quilting and Hiking...Great Weekend

2011-05-02T11:01:00.004-04:00

I left Thursday and met my buddies at Black Mt for a mini-retreat, its normally three nights but I had a company trip to attend at Lake Lure so was only able to stay one night. But I got a lot done in 24 hours....this baby quilt for a nurse friend of Mary's, my $5 quilt block for the month and put the string blocks together for a Nuero Science ICU donation quilt. But above all else, got to laugh and visit with a bunch of cool quilters. Salem Stitcher, Mrs Goodneedle, AG and I also squeezed in a hike to the top of the overlook. It was a beautiful day for a hike on Friday.

Go Postal had a baked potato with the quilters Friday night, then we headed down to The Lodge on Lake Lure. CMS had rented the entire 17 rooms for an agency trip and it was great. Saturday we set out to Chimney Rock...here we are from the top. And if you are wondering...yes we hiked because the elevator is down for rennovations. About half the group made it to the top and again we had a great day for a hike and got to spend some time with each other outside of our normal work setting.

There were also two canoes at the lodge so we set out for a quick tour of the lake. Needless to say I was a whipped puppy by late afternoon, but remembered the claw foot tub and lavendar bath salts in the room......Look at the view of the lake from the tub, couldn't be a better way to cap off the afternoon and recharge for dinner.

Garden In!

2011-04-25T11:20:00.005-04:00

Friday's rain put a damper on my to do list, we didn't get to take the boys hiking but we still go to eat pancakes! The ground wasn't too wet so we went ahead with the plans to till the garden and expand it. Look at how cute this tiller is, it came with its own little trailer...good thing because it would have been touch to load in GP's truck.

We are making the garden long and skinny. With a fence to keep the rabbits and ground hog out hopefully..... The deer may be another story, but my thinking was if its narrow enough maybe they won't try to jump inside.

It was such a blessing that Easter Sunday warmed up, our Sunrise service wasn't too cold and it was sunny and full of birds singing in the trees. We all were asked to cut flowers and bring them to decorate the cross during the 10:30 worship service....it was a nice addition. I hope we all can remember the sacrifice of the cross and the hope it brings All Year Long, not just at Easter.

Vegetable Garden Warning

2011-04-20T15:36:00.003-04:00

OK groundhog, you and all your buddies have already been spotted checking out the garden spot. Well be warned, I am planting this weekend and we are putting up a small fence around the plot this year. If this doesn't keep you and your kind away we may have to resort to more drastic measures. I will not watch my tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and other vegetables eaten ... vine and all. Now your taller Deer friends will have a choice. If they fail to heed the fence, I will resort to an electric wire around the top baited with peanut butter. Come on, taste this yummy treat and ZAP, you will learn the hard way to stay away.

Yeah Spring

2011-04-14T13:07:00.003-04:00

First Pedicure of the season......my feet are happy that flip flop season is here!

OPI's new Texas Collection: Too Hot Pink to Hold 'Em

Weekend Fun

2011-04-11T14:45:00.004-04:00

I headed up to hike off the parkway with friends from the ski club Saturday even though it was quite hazy. We saw early wildflowers on this nice wooded trail but had to cut it short due to rain. It even hailed small pellets on us for a few minutes. To save gas, we all 6 rode in the Explorer, I took the photo early in the trip...not sure Sugar Maple and Dairy Queen would have still had smiles in that third seat after riding all that way. But we all felt better for getting outside (avoiding housework) and an early dinner at Butch's BBQ in Morganton. They make their own bread...yummy. Salem Stitcher had a camera with her that captured some of our sightings...check her post out.

Sunday afternoon it warmed up just in time for a Relay for Life fundraising concert in the county park. It was a beach band and Sugar Maple brought her Mom for her birthday. Even though she is struggling with Alzheimers she hasn't forgotten how to shag. That's her with Whole Wheat (who else would be wearing a fleece vest and that hiking hat to a beach music festival). Go Postal and I enjoyed the afternoon and slipped back to church just in time for the evening bible study...hopefully they didn't notice I still had my flip flops on.

Happy Birthday GP

2011-04-06T13:38:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was Go Postal's birthday and what a full day it was. I was first able to wish him Happy Birthday at 1:30am when we go up after hearing the bad storm that was pounding the cabin. Then again at 6:45am as I awoke to the sound of a chainsaw. Seems a huge white pine fell at the end of the driveway and he had to get it cut out of the way so we could get to work. Now mind you, I usually just grunt as he gets up at 5:00am and we don't really "talk" until I get home from work in the evening so wishing him Happy Birthday twice before 7am was a feat! I went over lunch to watch Buddy's third grade class compete in Southwest Elementary's multiplication tournament. His class was the ECU pirates, so he went to class with half his face painted purple and half gold. He did really well and you could tell all the kids were taking it so serious. They won their first two matches and will have the finals tomorrow. I wasn't planning on going but he grabbed my hand and asked me to be there....and I caved. GP was called by my Dad, serenaded by my sister's family and opened his gifts all before meeting his family for some Mexican food (his favorite) Here he is talking to his nephew who called from Ft Bliss to wish him a Happy Birthday. We then went by my house in WS to make sure there was no damage there...and made it back to the cabin about bedtime. A full day for sure!!!

A different kind of revival....

2011-04-04T09:38:00.002-04:00

GP and I went to church yesterday (actually twice) but in between our traditional services....we had another kind of revival. Its been about a year since I had my mountain bike off on singletrack trails. We rode about 6 miles of the Overmountain Victory Trail up at Kerr Scott. Within a few seconds of entering the trail, my heart was pounding and my lungs heaving....but my heart and soul were very happy. It didn't hurt that Dairy Queen and Whole Wheat invited us to eat Mexican with them after we were done riding. Nothing beats eating a basket of chips and salsa when you have just worked your tail off. Hopefully we can make some type of outing like this a regular service on Sundays while the weather is so grand. Want to join us???

My One Word - Listen

2011-03-30T10:20:00.003-04:00

Our Sunday School discussed the "One Word" message one of our members heard in Wilmington while visiting her son. We were to pick a word that represented something we wanted to work on in 2011. I chose Listen.....more to my husband (he doesn't often say much so when he does...., to those around me, to God)

Last night we got a call from Hickory, it was an offer on the lot we are trying to sell. At first my instinct was No Way...this is less than I paid for it and I deserve more. But remembering my word...I listened to my husband, I listened to God.....and a sense of peace came over me. Just take it...a few thousand dollars and in the scheme of things won't matter. The relief of having one less thing on my plate is worth it.

So we still have a house in Winston to sell and clean out, his father's estate to help with, and a barn to finish. But if everything goes well with the other party's financing....we won't have a lake lot anymore. And that sounds pretty sweet.

Happy Birthday Buddy

2011-03-28T09:18:00.004-04:00

Uncle Go Postal and I went down to Concord Saturday to celebrate Buddy's 9th birthday at the Great Wolf Lodge. Since it was cold and raining outside not a bad way to spend the day! We rode the water slides at the indoor park, had lunch and birthday cake then spent the afternoon playing Magic Quest. Can't believe its been 9 years since seeing him come into our world. Little brother wouldn't put on his wolf ears for the picture. Can you believe its almost April and this is what I saw coming down the stairs at the cabin this morning. I am ready for some 70 degree days, but I am afraid we will go straight into HOT.

Sunday at Stone Mt

2011-03-23T09:53:00.005-04:00

It was a little cooler on Sunday but still a great day to get out for some exercise....we headed up to Stone Mountain for about a 4.5 mile hike. Lots of climbing! We then met back at the cabin for some chicken and dumplings....yum. (I always need a food reward after exercising) Ken took the photos!
The new trail doesn't let you get on the rock face as much like the old trail did......probably a safety concern, it can be very slick if its wet.

The stream still had a lot of water flowing, sometimes this waterfall is a mere trickle.

Journey

2011-03-17T10:33:00.004-04:00

My 14 year old nephew asks "Aunt Leanne....have you heard of this band Journey, they are really good....." Yes Marshall, I was listening to "Open Arms" when I was aboout your age. We played their new album (with a great new lead singer who is every bit as good as Steve Perry) in the car headed to the ski slope. GP and I are headed to hear them on a Sunday evening in August in Charlotte....should be fun!! Come join us on the lawn!

Had to have it....So would have Mom

2011-03-13T14:22:00.003-04:00

Mom loved:

1. Cats

2. Thimbles

3. Owls

4. Jewelry

5. Me (most of the time)

This is a TJ Lane thimble I gave her several years ago for Christmas.... When walking around the booths at Mid Atlantic I saw this thimble keeper with an owl Chatelaine at a vendor that represented TJ Lane silver. Mom has been gone almost 10 years and the surge of emotion I felt when I found it was suprising....no matter what it cost, I needed it. I called GP and asked about an early birthday present...and of course he said fine. It makes me so happy to wear it....complete with the thimble I gave her (which luckily fits me so its functional too!)

Civil War to Space Stations

2011-03-09T09:08:00.002-05:00

Last night I was completing my first Civil War block for SO's new block of the month....I cut the fabric wrong for one of the strips and got frustrated and tossed it down. I looked at my phone and saw it was exactly 7:23 and the paper said we should be able to see the space shuttle Discovery and the Space Station cross our nighttime sky. So I stepped outside the barn and looked up. Sure enough here came what looked like a bright light (like a fast moving plane) move across the sky. I wasn't sure that it was the shuttle for sure, but then to my delight I saw another bright light at about the same speed following the same trajectory! That was the Space Station! So re-energized I walked back into the barn and found a fabric from my stash to replace the one I cut wrong and started again....but thinking about what progress we have made in 150 years. Sure another quilter may have been making a block like this with some of these style fabrics...but not with the tools we have today. Maybe if I ever get to travel to space...I will take an old quilt with me.

Beaver Dam

2011-03-03T09:36:00.003-05:00

Go Postal's brother discovered some new residents back in the woods. This stream is at the back of the property line and usually is very shallow. Some beavers have moved in and put in a dam across the 12 foot span. Its cool to me, but they are afraid it may cause the bottom to flood and we will start to loose trees. Maybe I can convince them to wait till the babies are teenages before taking it down. We saw several deer on the walk down last night, but they don't spook me. The dark Coyote we saw slinking out of the woods last week did. There is a new movie coming out about Red Riding Hood, it looks scary....think I will skip it.

Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival

2011-02-28T09:33:00.008-05:00

The crowds did not reflect a weak economy at this year's festival it was elbow to elbow both Friday and Saturday in all the vendor booths. The above picture is of the center of one impressive quilt, those little flying geese get so TINY!!! This year's best of show was a hand quilted very traditional applique, which was refreshing in a way.

This lady made the most awesome quilt with all kinds of felted animals on it. Then after felting the animals she hand embroidered all kinds of flowers, grass etc.

The next two are made in honor of special pets. These were both very large, and I am thinking that at this scale I might could tackle a portrait quilt someday....

This one was bed size! It reminded me of Jenny Lynn our calico. This was a quilt depicting a photo on a bulletin board...neat idea.

And finally after seeing all those quilts, who isn't inspired to think about your own quilting future. I was really trying to spend very little this year, but these two collections of fabric really called out to me. Soft pinks, blues and brown.....LOVE IT!! But really the most fun is seeing quilters that I don't get to see often...OhQuilter was in from Ohio and the Raleigh girls were there, we all had a "Show and Tell" the last night to show off our vendor "finds". Fun Fun

My name is Norm

2011-02-22T11:16:00.002-05:00

I have lived in South Georgia now for about 10 years with Nane's Dad. About a year ago I gave them a good scare when I left for several weeks. Come to find out some dogs had scared me away from my workshop when everyone was out of town. I "hid out" across the street under another house not knowing I was so close to home. Once they found me I had lost a lot of weight but was fine. Now my Dad lets me eat whatever I want and I rarely venture away from the house. This retired life is grand!

Just a week ago.....Images from Tahoe

2011-02-17T11:50:00.007-05:00

This was the last day skiing at Heavenly on Friday... we had clear blue skies every day in Tahoe and even though it would have been nice to have some fresh snow, nobody complained. Go Postal and I are on the end.

Most of the runs were tilled and groomed each night breaking up any ice that forms....our resorts out East could learn a lot from these guys.

GP would have rather been skiing than having to pose for a photo. He was a good sport all week, with my cold I was not as energetic as usual. He did get a couple of chances to go with the big boys on a few runs harder than I was interested in trying.

On our day off from skiing we tood a cruise on the lake. It was windy that day so better that we were not skiing. To be on Lake Tahoe with snow covered mountains all around just doesnt get much prettier. The water here is pristine and you can see down over 50'

I got to drive the boat! The captain was eating his lunch so he would just say three pegs to the left...etc.

It was a classic paddleboat. GP asked all about the two diesel engines etc while we were in the wheel house. I just wanted to drive the boat.

Here is the lower section of Heavenly on the California side. The gondola went up near the state line between California and Nevada. When you looked out across Nevada you saw brown plains...quite a contrast to the California view.

All in all a very nice trip and someday maybe we will make it back when they are having one of their famous dumps of snow. I also bet this would be a fantastic place to visit in the Summer.

14 Already?

2011-02-15T15:27:00.001-05:00

Happy 14th Birthday Marshall !!!

Heavenly it was

2011-02-14T10:26:00.002-05:00

This is where Go Postal and I were last week. We took our annual ski trip with WSSOC, this year to Lake Tahoe. We had three days at Heavenly (above) a day at Northstar and a day at Sierra. On our day off from skiing we took a tour of the lake on a Paddleboat....the Captain even let me drive! I fought a bad cold all week so didn't get in as long of days skiing as I would have liked but it is still better to have a cold in Lake Tahoe than have a cold at work! They were unseasonaly warm (upper 40's most days) but they have such a huge snow base that they got the slopes in great shape overnight. They actually till the snow to break up any ice that forms when it re-freezes over night then run the groomers to get the runs back in tip top shape for the next day.

I will post some more pictures when I get them uploaded off my big camera. Now my Valentine has caught the cold so after the quilt guild meeting tonight I will have to rush home and do some pampering.

For all you readers that ski (or want to learn).... next year the club is headed to Jackson Hole, Wyoming!

Early Spring According to Phil!

2011-02-02T09:38:00.002-05:00

Yeah, he didn't see his shadow and retreat to his burrow. Early Spring, I think I am ready!!!

Re-birth

2011-01-31T11:28:00.004-05:00

Go Postal and his brother worked Saturday at the old pack house (it used to keep the tobacco after it was cured...until it was ready for market) For the past 20-30 years it served as storage for his parent's antique hobby and un-official critter hostel. They spread out several old quilts for me to basically approve getting rid of.....most were completely chewed through, peed on, and basically starting to decompose. But this one had a little rip in the tied top so I gave it a better look. There was a hand quilted string quilt under this one...yes the edges are very worn so the original owner must have wanted to re-decorate and rather than spending money on a new batting just covered this old quilt. The thread used to tie this new top on was completely rotten so it pulled apart pretty easily. I will wash it and then cut it down. I feel bad sending any quilt "away" so I was tickeled that I could find at least a little piece of one that could be salvaged

Here is KB taking a look through a lot of old linens I got in a box at an auction. What I was after was the grandmother's flower garden top....I got that and lots of hand embroidered towels, hankies and tablecloths. She was going to give them to someone for re-purposing. Zorro had become her buddy earlier when she paused to give him a good rub down. I am afraid my generation and beyond are losing their appreciation for handmade items, most want to go to Wal Mart and buy cheap trendy linens that can be changed on a whim.

We had fun in the barn making string blocks, this was my first time...but they are a lot of fun. Mrs Goodneedle did a good job posting pics on her blog. I showed the string blocks to GP's neice and we may try to take her grandfather's ties and do something similar.

So, the quilt room (although a long way from finished) is starting to turn out quilts and good times. Thanks Miss Bee Haven for joining me!

Mud Tires

2011-01-26T15:43:00.003-05:00

I am thinking about putting a set of these on my little Civic. Our driveway is a muddy mess. Yes I am a little spoiled, I have always lived on a paved road, and had an attached garage....so I am just a little ready for Spring so we can finish the barn, get a back door on the porch and put in some walkways and a nice gravel driveway.

Fun in the Mountains

2011-01-18T17:02:00.008-05:00

Here are some highlights of my family's fun in the NC mountains this past weekend. We hadn't exchanged Christmas presents yet so it was kind of Christmas in January....along with good food and good memories.

We did some sledding, Alden is showing good form.....

GP and McKinley on the lift at Beech Mountain. I have never had such good snow conditions in NC. And a half off Groupon for lift tickets didn't hurt either.

She did great, wish I could have learned to ski as a kid!

This is Marshall's 4th day on skiis. He is fearless, he even did a Black Diamond with strict instructions from his Dad to stay in control.

Even Grandaddy got into the snow sports.....we all did a session at the tubing park!

I finally got Alden's Star Wars quilt and Dad's 70th birthday quilt all done. Check off two UFO's for me!!

This was our first get together in the snow...hopefully it won't be our last. I like the beach for summer, but you couldn't beat the conditions for outdoor snow fun this weekend.

My Quilting Heritage

2011-01-10T15:41:00.006-05:00

I was working on a quilt for my Dad's 70th birthday this weekend, with lots of old family photos and warm wishes from his siblings, wife and children. Stitching it on my Mom's 1980's era Bernina made me feel like she was connected to the project too. All I have left is to add the label, which is a step I like to skip but I realized how much I wish I had labels on all the family quilts I now own. So I will get the label on so someday some of his grandchildren may stop before letting the dog sleep on it!

But here is what I know about these quilts.....

These two rail fences were pieced by my great grandmother Lindig and given to my Mom for her high school graduation. I added borders and tied them a few years ago so I could use them on these beds that I got from my other Granparent's home.

This red and white quilt was made by my Grandmother Marshall. She and her sisters made mostly utility quilts, this one is one of the few that looks like it was made from new fabric. Its got a very thick batting and is hand quilted in a baptist fan. The blue and white quilt under it is my very first quilt...there isn't a real binding on it and the polyester batting sometimes beards through but I still like it.

My great grandmother Hamm and possibly my Grandmother Lindig made this for my Mom when she was a baby. It has different nursery rhymes embroidered into the squares and is super sweet.

My Grandmother Marshall gave this scrap quilt to my Mom and Dad when they were married in 1965. We had two and nothing made you feel better when you had a cold than to lay on the couch under one of these with our big Siamese Thai on top.

And my Great Aunt Wilma Lindig made this quilt probably with her mother. I haven't seen this pattern before although Fannye once told me she thought it was called 7 sisters. Uncle Lee and Aunt Wilma never had children and really spoiled us when we were little, I love that he decided to give us each a quilt when she passed away.

Road Trip!

2010-12-30T13:55:00.003-05:00

How does this sound, as we make our way to Altanta we are making a few stops, we have a new TomTom to play with along the way (if I have time I will download the Yoda voice):

1. Cracker Barrel for breakfast (I love eating breakfast out, but GP says it steals half his morning)

2. Trader Joes's in Charlotte (can't wait until the triad gets one)

3. Mary Jo's in Gastonia (GP also knows if we are headed down 85 I almost always need to pick something up there)

4. REI just north of Atlanta to look for some snow boots

We are visiting my god-daughter and then taking my neice and nephew to the new Harry Potter movie on Saturday. GP hasn't seen any of these movies (and only the first Star Wars) so I will use the time in the car to catch him up on the story.....I am sure he will be ready to put his ipod on and spend some alone time in the garage with Banjo when he gets back from this trip!!!

Fun in the Snow

2010-12-26T13:36:00.005-05:00

Here is our first family photo....with our blended households....Banjo and Zorro aren't really too fond of the snow but they are tucked back into the warm barn in their beds this afternoon. I think I will get a cup of hot tea and settle in for an afternoon of rug hooking. I may even get GP to sit down for a movie.....The Grinch or Christmas Vacation?

Here is Banjo doing his best snow leopard immitation. He bounds through the snow like a rabbit. We have 6-7" on the ground and took a Jeep ride back into the woods....it has made for a very pretty and memorable first Chirstmas together.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T11:45:00.003-05:00

The boys and I made cookies for Santa...and Banjo is snuggled in for a snowy Christmas Day. Hope everyone has a wonderful day with family and friends on this cherished day we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Merry Christmas from the cabin!

Shhh Don't Tell Banjo

2010-12-15T12:20:00.003-05:00

Mom had to make some cookies last night and was feeling a little guilty that she hadn't spent much time with me lately. So Dad smuggled me past Banjo and into the cabin. She had to get up every 11 minutes to take the next pan of cookies out of the oven....but I didn't mind, she left the quilt behind.

Christmas at the Cabin

2010-12-11T09:01:00.004-05:00

I had no idea as a brand new quilter that this Log Cabin tree skirt I made my Mom almsot 20 years ago would someday be under my tree in a log cabin. Go Postal and I both chose ornaments from our stash to get our first tree together done up right.

He added candles to all the windows......

And we moved our new Santa to a more prominent place on the Huntboard since it is his time to shine. We were given him as a wedding gift, made by oneof GP's college roomate's Mother. His coat is made from an old Victorian Crazy Quilt and his old world charm couldn't be more perfect for our decor.

Christmas cards are getting addressed and I am dragging GP to Winston tonight to start some shopping. It will be Christmas day before we know it!

Feliz Navidad

2010-12-08T09:32:00.004-05:00

It was showtime last night for the 3rd grade classes. Each celebrated a different holiday and did a very good job. Buddy's class had a song about a pinata party. Feliz Navidad.

I was also pleased to see a manger scene and a song about the tiny baby that would be King.

Bull showed us where his locker was. Their school used to be a high school so it has a nice auditorium and a LOT of kids....I think there were 8-3rd grades alone.

Now I'm in the Christmas Mood!

2010-12-06T09:58:00.003-05:00

First snow of the season, it didn't stick to the roads but very pretty falling. The lows will be in the teens this week so I my down coat and some long johns from the house in Winston this weekend.

We had an ornament making event after the Christmas parade and I really like these little reindeer made from corks.

And finally, here is the man himself. He comes to Yadkin county on a Farmall tractor!! We hope to get our tree up tonight and it will soon be time to address cards and start baking cookies.

Jeep Ride

2010-11-30T08:07:00.004-05:00

Uncle Go Postal took Buddy and Bull on a pre-dinner Thanksgiving Day Jeep Ride. Their Mom and I were busy scanning the sale papers and plotting our Black Friday strategies. Bull was worried that there were no seat belts, but we assured him that Uncle GP wouldn't let him bounce out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T09:41:00.002-05:00

I hope we can all slow down and enjoy our friends and family for Thanksgiving. I for one sure have a lot to be thankful for this year. I plan on carb-o-loading and hitting the sales with sis early Friday morning.

View over Coffee

2010-11-22T09:13:00.003-05:00

Usually I pour my first cup of coffee around 7am and watch a little of the Today show. This morning I had a much more peaceful first mug as I watched four does in the front yard eating acorns.

My new "spot" in the cabin

2010-11-18T09:19:00.002-05:00

I finally set up the Ott light I bought for 75% off last Thanksgiving for the cabin. With this new set up I got to work the last few evenings...and got the binding stitched down and most of the cat finished on my rug. This quilt has wool batting and flannel on the back so it will be used a lot this winter! Some of you may recognize this as the $5 quilt from SO last year.

Banjo is No Dummy

2010-11-17T13:21:00.002-05:00

Zorro and I worked in the quilt studio last night but when the wind and rain got really bad I came downstairs. GP was changing the break pads and rotors on my Civic....($100 savings woo hoo) He pointed over to the old wash tub thats filled with towels...and look who was in for the evening. Banjo was so comfortable that he couldn't get him to leave the barn at bedtime...so he spent the night in there. Actually I wouldn't mind if that would become a habit since I know he would be safer in there at night. We have heard coyotes before out there!!

Busy Weekend...Quilts, Deer and Preemies

2010-11-14T14:25:00.004-05:00

What a full weekend, we started off Friday night with the opening reception of our Bee's quilt show...it will hang in the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center through the end of the year.

Saturday morning we were on our way out the door to head to Winston to do some errands and GP's brother called. I heard GP say I will have her get her camera. He had just used his black powder rifle to get the pretty 11 pt buck. My Dad hunted when we lived in Wyoming so I had seen (and eaten) game before...but never had it been shot right in my own backyard. I am sure he will have this one mounted.

We did some work at my house then hit Chelseas to wish Salem Stitcher well during her quilt show and sale. After that stop we delivered about 15 preemie quilts to the Neonatal unit at Baptist. Here is sis with one she picked out for the little girl under the special lights to treat jaundice. We met several parents and they are always so suprised that someone would give them a handmade quilt for their baby...no strings attached. Our guild is full of very generous ladies who keep this project going strong.

Dinner and a show tonight with friends, then it will be the begining of another work week. Monday Mandolin, Tuesday $5 Quilt, Thursday Ski Club....good thing GP likes a little alone time every now and then! I have him set for the week with some homeade pumpkin bread, laundry all done, and putting on a pot of pintos for Monday night's supper. I love this time of year.

Yadkin Cultural Arts Center is Miss BeeHaven

2010-11-11T15:38:00.001-05:00

Here is a sneak peak of the Miss Bee Haven quilt show hanging at the new Yadkin Cultural Artc center, it will open tomorrow night with a reception from 5-7 and be up until the end of the year. Next door at the Uptown Wine Gallery is a show of handmade Santas. Drop by and enjoy!

First Snowflakes

2010-11-08T10:12:00.003-05:00

It was time for my semi-annual trip to Black Mountain to quilt, can you believe on Nov 6th we saw SNOW??? Look closely at the peak in the middle of the photo (I snapped this on my phone while sticking my arm out the back seat window).....the cloud was leaving snow on the peak.

The cold weather made us opt out of our normal hike up to the lookout. Instead Salem Stitcher and I walked from our lodge at Montreat into town....to get our own set of Dr Seuss fat quarters that others had found. I was able to get several quilts bound and the sleeves on...ready for the quilt show at the Yakdin Cultural Arts Center this weekend.

Thankfully it will be warming back up here this week.....I enjoy Fall way too much to jump right into Winter.

What will you do with your extra hour?

2010-11-04T11:44:00.003-04:00

I am headed to a quilting retreat this weekend...and its going to be very cold so no doubt how I will spend the extra hour. I have a Star Wars quilt to finish for a very patient 8 year old, my Dad's 70th birthday quilt to begin, two quilts to bind, two quilts that need sleeves for an upcoming show, two $5 quilt blocks to finish.....and lots of friends to catch up with. An extra hour will not be enough!

Its on the Market

2010-11-02T14:03:00.003-04:00

We finally have the house ready to show....I know its not the best time of the year to sell a house but nobody would look at it if its not on the market. We took so many pictures down, painted the hallway and straightened up the closets and cabinets. It doesn't feel like home anymore, so I hope it finds a new family to once again fill it with love and laughter.

Know anyone looking....send them this link:http://www.allentate.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?pageid=11&pagealias=ListingDetail&ListingID=1889435&Region=Triad&ListingPosition=1&From=Full

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T21:48:00.004-04:00

Banjo was our only trick or treater here at the cabin...he came calling this morning, and again tonight. He gets dry food in the morning and a treat of Friskies wet food at night. He still looks in suspiciously when he sees us in the kitchen....he remembers spotting Zorro walking around last Sunday.

It was a great Fall day today so after church Salem Stitcher, Go Postal, and Dairy Queen headed up to Hanging Rock. I haven't done much hiking this year and it was good to get some exercise a very clear day; we could see all the way to the Greensboro skyline from the top.

Then we had time to stop by and wish Bull (Jengo Fett) and Little Man (A Werewolf) a Happy Halloween and watch them and about 15 of the kids that live on their street take off on their quest for candy. Our Werewolf heard about a dentist that is offering money in exchange for Halloween candy....and he told me he wasn't eating any of his but turning it in for cash.

Good Reminder

2010-10-24T09:06:00.002-04:00

I went to a training class for work last week, one of those motivational speakers that remind us about our "soft skills" The engineer in me always thought these were kind of a waste of time, I am not sure you can teach people to be nice and respectful and thus good leaders if it isn't already in them....but I digress.

The speaker gave credit to George Carlin for the following, and it struck me as funny since this was out of character for him, but also a great reminder of how I hope I am living......

* Spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever
* Say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side
* Give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent
* Say "I love You" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside you.
* Hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again
* Give time to love, give time to speak. And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind
* Be a person of influence where people will come back to you

And for the Quilters

2010-10-15T09:47:00.004-04:00

I took a two hour Hawaiian applique class on Friday afternoon, to mainly learn more about the history and techniques of these beautiful quilts. It was supposed to be a group of 6 but a few had cancelled and I had the instructor one on one. I selected a kit that already had a taro plant design cut out in green batik on a brown background knowing it would blend in with the cabin decor best. The Hawaiians all learned to needle turn mostly from missionaries from New England. Most of their patterns reflect plants and nature. They echo quilt once they are done, and don't cut away the backing like I have done before with freezer paper pieces. I liked not having to prep all thei pieces, but I would have to practive a lot to be able to turn in the sharp valleys and curves consistently. But I hope to complete my square and have a nice memory of our Hawaiian honeymoon.

We had time before catching our red eye home on Sunday and GP actually found an add for the Maui Fabric Mart. I didn't think it would be open but much to my suprise it was....and what we found was the Hawaiian version of Mary Jo's. I knew I was pushing the 50lb limit on our suitcase but couldn't resist buying some fun fabrics. They were all between $3.50 and $4.75 per yard...and were nice 100% cottons. The woody/surf board fabric in the upper left will be a shirt someday for GP to wear to car shows. The lower left has a postcard theme.....of course he liked that one too. The upper right hand fabric was very nice so I got enough to use in a back and the lower right hand jeep/palm tree fabric was so soft...I could resist buying the last yard and a half that was on the bolt. It is sometimes hard for me to know how to buy fabric when I don't have a specific project already in mind.....but I couldn't resist.

Ahhh Maui

2010-10-13T08:12:00.005-04:00

Here are just a few of the shots from Maui. We had a great trip and decided to spend our whole week on Maui after seeing how high the inter-island flights were priced. But this gave us the opportunity to do ALL we wanted on the island. Here is a top-line agenda (mostly for me, because I know as I remeber back, it will be hard to keep it all straight)

Sunday - Arrived about 3:30pm which with the 6 hour time difference felt like 9:30pm to us. Got checked in and had an early dinner...then off to bed.

Monday- Got all our plans set for the week, excursions on the water and other day trips...explored the little town of Lahainia

Tuesday- Up at 3:15am to drive to the summit of Mt Haleakala to watch the sunrise. Unfortunately clouds blocked the sun's orb from peaking over the crater but it was still beautiful...and cold. It was in the 40's and windy at 10,000 ft. We then had time to visit Iao State Park on the West side.

Wednesday - Raft/Snorkel trip around the island of Lanai. I hadn't snorkeled in a long time and it was GP's first time. We saw all kinds of beautiful fish, green sea turtles and even a pair of Monk Seals (which the guide said are extremely endngered and rare to see) The water was cooler than we had expected, but it was a fantastic day.

Thursday - Road to Hana, we packed up the Jeep and did the 60 miles of curves and bridges as we stopped along the way to see the waterfalls and rugged coastline. Our day concluded with a dip at the seven sacred pools in Haleakala NP's rainforest. These pools cascade down the side of the hill in a series with waterfalls. Breathtaking...and refreshing!

Friday - Kayak/Snorkel trip to Turtle Town. Getting in and out of a kayak in the water with all your snorkel stuff on is a trip in itself. We saw bunches of green sea turtles hanging out on this part of the reef. Then I took a Hawaiian quilting class in the afternoon....don't think I will be a big needle turn applique person but I hope to finish the Taro leaf pillow I started. The day concluded with the Luau at our hotel.

Saturday - Learn to Surf Its not too hard if you have an instructor giving you a little push on your board and its about 8 ft long! GP had this on his bucket list.....so check that one off. The rest of the day we did a little shopping and watched the Sunset.

Sunday - We took a red eye home giving us plenty of time to take a helicopter tour of West Maui and the island of Molokai. It rained that morning delaying our trip so when we went at 2pm there were still a lot of clouds but we got to see more waterfalls and even a double rainbow! We had time to grab an early dinner of Mahi Mahi and chips and watch some sufers and kite boarders on the North side of the island where the trade winds are always ripping.

Our trip home was long....but now we are settling back into the cabin. I even made Gina's apple cake last night to welcome Fall in North Carolina. Trips like this one will stand out for us but we teased each other about coming home to paradise....it really is where I prefer to spend my time.