Christmas Cactus

 

Yesterday the Christmas cactus came inside.  The evening had the season's first frost warning.

During the summer it lives in a shady area on the back porch, largely neglected except for minimal watering and a few doses of Miracle Grow.  And it thrives.

My aunt and uncle had a huge Christmas cactus in their glassed-in entry way, and I always admired it.  Always wanted one like it.

It wasn't until I had a shady back porch for summer and a north east facing window for the other seasons that I had one that happily grew.

Now we'll see how and when it blooms.  Last year, I think, it was around Thanksgiving.

Just Two

 There were just two Trick or Treaters who arrived together last night.  The bowl remains full.  

Had I known that there would be no more, their haul would have been spectacular.

My daughter's neighborhood had about 150.  The neighbors get together at the start of their cul de sac with candy for the kids and snacks for themselves.  It's an event.

This morning is unusually quiet.  It's forty degrees.  The dog walkers must be postponing their walks until later. The construction workers the next street over have a day off.  There is little traffic noise from the interstate near by.  No one is up early to mow their yards.  So quiet.

Happy Halloween

 

The rain has moved out, and we're ready for a dry but chilly Halloween tomorrow.  

The big pink Pyrex mixing bowl is full of candy.  I'm always hopeful that this will be the year when lots of kids come to the door.

But the reality is that my street is up a hill, and the kids Trick or Treating below likely look up and say "no thanks," moving on to where there is more reward for less work.

Also, very few kids live in my neighborhood.

The grandkids from next door will show up, the little ones around the corner and at the end of the street.  Maybe another grandkid or two.

Still, I'm hoping for more

Lipstick Salvia

 

I noticed this red plant in my garden today, I think it's called lipstick salvia.  Or at least lipstick something.

I think it's one of the polinator plants, looking attractive even though all the self-respecting butterflies must be on their way to where they go.

It's been a day.  I hemmed a pair of pants for my neighbor's mother, met up with a friend who brought a table runner to be free motion quilted, baked lots of cupcakes for the chili cook-off at church tomorrow, cut up pieces for the next quilt block.

I oiled the bobbin case of my quilter so I'll be ready to do a practice piece, it's been a long time.  That bobbin oiling is always a bit of a challenge because I don't do it often.  t involved the instruction book and a screwdriver.  I quilted on a scrap and things look good.

The YAG laser procedure on my eye Thursday - wasn't.  The doctor took into consideration that we'd cut back the steroid sooner than planned and that it's only been three months since the transplant surgery.  And, my vision is improved, making the laser procedure less of an issue for now.

I was happy enough to walk out the door and not come back for two months.

By then it will be almost Christmas.

Close To the End

 

We're getting toward the end of the Moda Blockheads blocks, with the last on November 12.  There will be 24 total.

My goal in starting this project was to learn to piece more precisely, and I'll meet that goal, plus, bonus, I'll have a quilt top or a couple of wall hangings, depending on how I put things together.

I'm glad, really glad, that I'm doing this, but as it comes to an end, I'm realizing that I'm missing more creative work.  By its nature, making these blocks means carefully following directions for cutting and piecing, with limited fabric colors so everything will hopefully look cohesive.

I'm missing branching off into smaller projects with different colors, pattern adjustments, maybe some art quilting.  Definitely free motion qullting.

In a perfect world, I'd have finished my weekly block each week and gone on to other projects, but my world wasn't that perfect.  Still, I'm not disappointed.  It's been a good journey.

Goals Can Shift

 

This quiche represents my feeling about goals for my day.  Just because they aren't done on the day planned doesn't mean they don't get done.

That doesn't mean that this mushroom/broccoli quiche is delicious, it's only ok.  The recipe didn't call for any spices and I added a minimum of salt, but it wasn't enough.  Next time, salt, pepper, and just a little nutmeg.

But points for lots of veggies and just milk and eggs and cheese, no cream.

Does anyone else not buy milk?  I'm not a milk drinker, I wish I was but it hurts my stomach so I get my dairy other ways.  I use a dry milk powder when I need milk for recipes, which is often.  Milk in cooking or baking is ok.

I'm pretty excited, no getting up and out the door early for two days.  That feels really good.  Last weekend I was too sore to enjoy it, and I'm hoping this one will be better.

Not Getting Things Done

 

This comforter, knotted at church, was bigger than usual, with a pattern that required more knots than usual, and we didn't get done.  We can finish it another day.

And that's been the story of my life recently.  I'm finding that the early morning rehab sessions, helpful as they are, take a chunk out of my morning.  An hour there, plus the hour and a half total commute, make a difference.

Just writing that out helps me realize why.  I've been thinking in terms of the hour session but not considering the commute time.  I'm not sure how long this will last, I should have paid better attention.

Yesterday my daughter brought me two big pumpkins.  She said she had to dig way deep into the bin to get pumpkins with stems.  I'm glad she did.

I've been having internet connection problems again, not with my internet provider but with my laptop.  I'm hoping this latest fix does the trick.

Catch Up

 

Two more blocks finished.  I'd been waiting to use the Christmas tree fabric for a block that could use this directional fabric.

This morning was my first pulmonary rehab day.  We worked on warm-up exercises, with cardio coming on Wednesday.  I wasn't sure about the 8:15 start time but I found that I enjoyed the drive down my town's main street and across one of the bridges.  I thought there might only be a few people there at that early hour, but I was wrong.

Maybe the structure and being out early in the day three times a week will be good for me.  Maybe not.  

There would have been a time when I'd reward myself on the way home by stopping at the Reading Road Graeter's for a donut, but those days are over.  That location is where the baking and ice cream magic happen.

This afternoon was the dentist, the first time I'd been in a couple of years.  I know, I know, but I was busy recovering from the other unplanned medical things.  And now I'll need scaling and gum treatment.  Maybe that's better than cavities, we'll see.

There is an excellent chance of rain tonight and tomorrow, and that would be welcome.  High's in the upper 70's, so fall may be here.

I shopped for a mum for a friend who had oral surgery last week and left it on her door step.  I'm not always a big fan of mums, but they are so pretty this year.

Happy October

 

Happy October, everyone.  How can you look at these little guys and not be happy?

It's been the nicest week, with each day nicer than the one before.

Except that Cade's Cove and Sugarlands in the Smokies are shut down, so there's that.  

And the Reds lost their first playoff game, but they made it to the playoffs and that's a win in itself.

Thanks to hints from Joanne, I made an eggplant parmesan today and it smells glorious.  It's pretty labor intensive, so not something I'll make often, but it was on my list of things to try.

This day has spun away, and not just because sunset is right now, at 7:18 pm.

That Big Block

 

The Moda blockhead block at the top is 27", and it's finished.    Now that the big block is done, I can make some progress on the other so-far-unfinished blocks.  Maybe i can even catch up with those quilters who faithfully do their blocks every week.

All the completed blocks are laying on the floor, in no prticular order.  The suggested arrangement will come at the end.  I'm guessing that the big block will be in the center.

I ran out of white fabric and wasn't sure which Bella Solid white it was.  Lucky for me, I found a piece of the sane white shade in my stash that's big enough to last until I make it to the quilt store.  And fingers crossed that they have the right shade of white. 

This morning I got my Covid booster, so that's done.  Next week I start a pulmonary rehab series, and the thought of several people exercising in a small-ish space motivated me.  I'm still respectful of that virus.

No Motivation

 

It is the change of season that's making me lazy?  Well, not lazy, exactly, I've done ALL my exercises today (and there are a lot), walked 2 1/5 miles, tidied up the house.  Made an appointment for a Covid vaccine.  Made out a grocery order, caught up with emails and messages.

I'm lighting a fall scented candle in the mornings.  I love the seasonal scents, lot the little bit of light and hope from a morning candle.  We've had rain every day this week, no watering necessary.

There was the best visit with a long time friend who was passing through town, and, finally, that minestrone soup I've been wanting to make.

So maybe lazy isn't the right word, but it's something.  I'm not sewing, not doing committee minutes from two weeks ago,  not going outside between rain showers, not unloading the Diet Cokes in the car from the grocery order a week ago, not doing the reading for a Sunday meeting.  Today I didn't do the morning journaling and didn't make out a goal list.

I'm not depressed, that's not it.  And I know how to fix this.  Make a goal to work on those minutes for 15 minutes, sew for 30, read just one page, put a few things in the washer. Once i get started I'll be on my way

Health wise, there's nothing wrong.  I got a wonderful report from the corneal surgeon on Monday.  I just don't want to commit to getting started, moving forward.

Maybe tomorrow.

New Name

 

As churches do these days, my church is changing its name.  This coming Sunday will be the last service as Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship.  

This banner was made about twenty years ago by a lovely woman named Amy, with help from the congregation's children.  She was more brave than I am and helped the children use bleach to "paint" the designs.

Those children are adults now, and Amy lives in a different city, but it seemed fitting that their banner by hung for the service.  

After Sunday, the church will be known as City Peace Church.  There will be an outdoor service  on October 5, with the first in-church service under the new name on October 12.  Maybe I can make a new banner by then, maybe not, we'll see.  I'm hopeful that there will be at least something simple.

Oh, and about the name, there will be a formal subtitle, making it City Peace Church:  A Congregation of Mennonite Church USA

Unplanned Errand

No picture today.

 I had a nice unplanned evening errand tonight, involving meeting my lovely grown-up granddaughter at her off campus housing.

We completed our errand, then picked up sandwiches at my now favorite sandwich place, which just happens to be on the way home from my church.

We admired the cotton candy sky and the pink sunset, and I admired her ease at driving around the city and her knowledge of local current affairs.  

This is not the girl who started college two years ago, unsure about so many things   This lovely young woman has a poise and confidence, a sense of belonging, that warms my heart.  

And because I am a grandmother, I was happy to have a bag of cookies to grab on my way out my door for the four young women who share a house.  

And happy to have an evening seeing young people out and about on an urban campus, so different from my quiet life at home.

September Garden

 

I'm loving this pretty geranium.  It was one of the bargain plants I bought in the spring - a bargain because the blooms had fallen off so the color was a mystery.  And it's gorgeous.

The garden is in September mode.  Some of the plants are starting to die away, and others are blooming their hearts out.  The deer are leaving things alone, except for a low hanging sweet potato vine.  Every morning the plant has fewer leaves.

My daughter tells me that the time for Monarch caterpillars is over and I can stop looking hopefully at the milkweed plant every day.  I thought maybe I spotted some eggs, but after looking at my picture she told me they were aphids.  Oops!

I can't remember other Septembers being this dry, but I don't keep track of those things, so who knows. I guess real gardeners keep a log.  I don't.

Two More

 

Two more blocks.  Maybe I'm getting caught up more quickly than I thought I would.  I hope so, I want to mix in other projects.

In my grocery order this morning I got paper clips, staples, and matches.  I really wouldn't even know where to look for matches.  Or, maybe by the candles?

Since the beginning of the pandemic I've been picking up grocery orders.  If someone will shop throughout the store for my items and someone else will put them in my car, I'm happy with that.  Some people say, "But, the produce!" but I've rarely been unhappy with what's picked out.

My town will soon get a second Kroger, this morning I saw the start of the outside renovation.  Years ago, the building was a grocery store, then a building supply store.  

Two big grocery stores seems like a lot, but many of the shoppers at the original store come from downtown Cincinnati.  The new store isn't on the interstate so it will probably have more local shoppers.

And maybe with the new store there will be enough parkng, plus less crowding at the gas pumps.

Some Weeks

 

Some weeks the house is tidy, relatively, the laundry is done, exercises are completed, and the goal of two quilt blocks completed just . . . isn't.  There's only one new block.

It's been a busy week, with a birthday party, the first Bengals game, cookies to bake for Community Meal, the garden watered because it hasn't rained, a visit to a quilt shop I hadn't been to before.

There was the pulmonology clinic today, with the six minute walk test (completed), pulmonary function test (a little improved), and  visit with the thorough nurse practitioner (lungs sound good and clear).  With the commutes and some waiting, that took most of the morning.

So, just one block is completed, and that's ok.  Maybe with a little early morning sewing, I'll get the second done early in the morning before this week's new block is ready to be printed.

If I don't zone out, that is.  I've noticed that sometimes I'm spending unnecessary ripping time because the block looks easy and I'm not paying attention.  Something to work on.

All Those Candles

 

To

Tomorrow grandson Aaron turns eighteen, so the family party was today.

Eighteen candles - it had to be.  I had a box of nicer candles in my hands at the grocery, but there were only sixteen candles in that box so I put those candles back.

I only have two grandchildren, so the other gets a small un-birthday gift, a tradition that probably started on Aaron's first birthday.  And, if my actual gift isn't wrapped, there is something small for the birthday person to actually unwrap.  Birthday traditions according to me.

Since he has that September birthday, Aaron red-shirted his kindergarten year.  Now this birthday makes his start of his senior high school  year official. 

It's Ornamental Kale!

 

I was at the big box store today, looking for a metal garden stake that I couldn't find.

There were so many mums, all different sizes from modest containers to huge showy pots.

Lots of ornamental grasses and a few other fall plantings.  And on a small space on one row were my fall favorite plants, ornamental kale.  Of course I got some, they are pictured beside and behind the rabbit.

It's just like it sounds, kale that has been bred for color and appearance.  Its leaves are curly and the centers are often purple, pink, or white.  

You could eat it, but you probably wouldn't want to.  There are other kale varieties bred for eating and they are more tender and less bitter.

They are easy to care for and aren't over and done, continuing, to grow and look nice throughout the fall.  Deer aren't especially fond of them if there are other food sources.

Some years I can find these plants and some years I can't, so I'm happy to find them this year.  They should last through the fall and into the winter, as long as we don't have a prolonged hot spell.

Jealous No More

 

  Th

I no longer have to be jealous of my neighbor's Monarch caterpillars - I've had one of my own.  It quietly chomped the milkweed leaves, and then one day it was gone.  No doubt going on to the chrysalis stage, hanging by a silk thread somewhere, soon to emerge as a butterfly.

I keep looking hopefully for another one.  The idea of that start of a Monarch butterfly, an endangered species, in my own garden, is absolutely enchanting.  And a miracle to behold.

My daughter tells me that next year we'll be planting more milkweed, by the back fence this time.  I know she's right.

Happy Labor Day

 

Happy Labor Day, everyone.

Today the stars lined up just right.  

Today, Labor Day celebrations and good food, maybe even some sales.  In Cincinnati the big fireworks display of the year is on the Sunday night before Labor Day.  Fireworks are set off from barges and bridges on the Ohio River.  It's a big event with coordinating music, and is televised for those of us who choose to celebrate a little more sedately.

Now for the stars lining up - this year, today, Labor Day, is September 1.  Those of you lucky enough to have access to Graeter's ice cream can get the new monthly special flavor, in September Elena's Blueberry Pie.

All the monthly special flavors are good, of course, but Elena's Blueberry Pie ranks way up there.  Bonus:  it helps support The Cure Starts Now, a pediatric brain tumor research charity.

Number Ten

 

Moda Blockheads block ten.  Such an easy block.  For me, so much redoing and ripping.

It started with different fabric choices.  There is probably a reason for following the directions in order.  And for cutting all the pieces before beginning to sew.

I pieced the center block first instead of last, just wanting to get motivated, and then the little triangle blocks didn't look nice with it at all.  Then the fabrics I picked for the four large triangle blocks, which should have been made first, didn't look good with the little triangles and center block.

And then piecing everything together - I got the little triangle blocks in the wrong orientation time and time again.  No reason, other than just zoning out.  Which led to the little triangle blocks starting to fray and needing to be resewn and repressed at the ends.

In the end, of course, it's my favorite block so far.  And I don't know whether it's just prettier or because I worked on it so long.

Flowers of Summer

may

 On this Labor Day weekend, the flowers are blooming profusively, maybe enjoying the cooler days after the hot July and early August.

I'm feeling nostalgic, wanting to hang on to summer but also thinking of .candle scents.  Although I enjoy scented candles, I don't usually burn them during the summer but with shorter days my thoughts turn toward the scents of pumpkin and apples and cinnamon.

Because i keep track of such things in my journal, as a way of keeping myself grounded, I can tell you that on June 24 (close enough to the solstice) sunrise was at 6:13 am and sunset was at 9:07 pm.  And today 7:05 am and 8:11 pm.  It feels like the long days of summer are sliding away even more quickly than usual.

About that eye doctor visit yesterday, it was good in the things that are important.  The new cornea is attached and clear.

I will need a laser treatment at the end of October to zap a "secondary cataract," the back of the lens that is kept in place with cataract surgery to help the eye keep its shape.

It isn't a big deal, very common, just a quick procedure.  I had a moment - I so wanted this to be over - but today I can put it in perspective.  It really isn't a big deal.

Catching Up

 

Sharing theses two new Moda Blockhead blocks before another comes out today. 

I think, but I'm not sure, that with today's new block, I have three more to do before I catch up.  And one of them is a big one.  I've chosen these easy blocks to get started again.

Tomorrow morning is an eye doctor follow-up visit and I'm hoping for a good report.  It's been three weeks since the last one.

My vision in the operated eye is variable from day to day and even from within some days, but the internet tells me that is to be expected. 

I learned after last summer's post surgery adventures to not take visits for granted.  The voice in the back of my mind reminds me of the visit when I thought things were going well, only to learn that I needed another surgery, which turned out to be two.

But, I'm telling myself that this is a different surgery, a different visit, and I'm picturing leaving the office, taking the elevator down, going out to my car and being happy.   

 

Monarch Caterpillars

 My neighbor two houses down has lovely flower beds.  And monarch caterpillars.  

I'm so jealous.

You can see one in the picture, on her milkweed plant.  The fluffy things at the top are seed pods.

This morning, before I knew about the neighboring caterpillars, I put some milkweed seeds from Kristen in damp paper towels in the refrigerator.  The hope is that they will sprout, I'll put them in loose soil, and set them out in late fall for spring plants.

With the milkweed plant already in my garden, maybe next year there will be monarch caterpillars in my own garden.

Friday Nights

Just like in many other places, fall Friday nights here are football nights.

On the left is grandson Aaron's football banner, on the right is his mom.

And between them is the picture my daughter chose for her stick-mounted toddler photo the moms wave around at various times during the Friday night games.  It's a thing.

In Aaron's sweet baby face are his blue, blue eyes.  I used to rock him and look at those blue eyes and be amazed.  Blue eyes just aren't a thing in my family.  Aaron's dad has hazel eyes, my daughter's are dark brown.

I love Aaron's blue eyes.

Can You See It?

 

Can you see it?  Dark space at the bottom, under the sewing table.  Little package laying on the sewing machine. new package of pins, thanks Diane.  Far left, sewing machine needle.  Horizontal slats, window  blinds.  Blue on the slats, stained glass quilt block.  Top, sewing machine top.

All of which means that I was actually sitting there today.  And catching up on one Moda Blockheads block.  There are three more to catch up on, maybe I can do another tomorrow.  For today, I'm content.

Special Edition

 

Ale 8 1 is a local soda, sort of a ginger ale.  I'm a little surprised that it's sold at my local Kroger, it's more of a central Kentucky kind of thing.

Sarah asked me to get some of their limited edition pawpaw flavor.  Pawpaws are native to Kentucky, and are usually harvested from late August to October.  Kentucky State University is known for its pawpaw program - the taste is described as banana mango flavor.

I'm wishing now that I'd bought some for myself - there will probably be a trip back to the store.

The Cincinnati Nature Center has pawpaws along a discovery trail.  There is a sign with a button to push, which was always a favorite back when I'd take the grands because it played the song with the lyrics "Where oh where is pretty little Susie, Way down yonder in the pawpaw patch."

I think I'll need to get some of this special edition for the grands too.  I'm sure they" remember hearing that song.

Cutting Flowers

 

One of my goals for the year was to plant some cutting flowers.  I didn't do a great job of it, but some of the perennials came through.  And, there is still a little time.

Today I drove to meet my retreat friends for lunch.  And then tonight, to Aaron's scrimmage in the opposite direction.  Those were the first trips out of my "neighborhood" since the surgery. 

What I need now is to just relax, to go back to my life, to trust that all will be well.

To start sewing again.

Certified

 

How wonderful is this?  My garden has been certified as a Plant for Pollinators Garden by the Cincinnati Zoo.

Sarah helped me register my plants and find the milkweed plant, which with the Baptisia is a host plant for several species of butterflies.

And thanks to Kristen for sharing some seedlings and seed pods from her lovely garden.

Of course my garden looks so much nicer than it did when Sarah arrived.  Along with weeding, she moved around a few plants.  Last night there were a couple of wrens flitting about and eating echinacea seeds.

And now to settle in for the quiet days, after company.  I haven't tried any sewing yet, that will happen, but probably not today.

Saturday

Sarah left this afternoon, and the house is way too quiet, of course.

But, my energy is returning and it's been fun getting out and about.

Saturday morning we went to Aaron's scrimmage.  His school is large, and the team was divided into two teams for the scrimmage.  I was glad we got to see Aaron play.

After the game, Sarah wanted to go to a large nursery north of the school because they had the milkweed plants we wanted.  When we got there, they were closed, I'm not sure why.

There was an injured morning dove in their driveway.  It could fly, but just barely.  Sarah has a tender heard for injured critters.  She put it in a box and called around to find a rehabber.

There was someone about an hour up I75 so off we went.  We dropped off the bird, visited a nice local nursery that had the milkweed plants, and had a good dinner before we started for home.

And that was Saturday.

The Great News

 

We had two nice days in a row with nice rain showers.  I loved the water droplets that stayed on the plants overnight.

The new air conditioner has done a lot of dehumidifying but little actual cooling.  And that's fine with me.  The ten-day forecast shows temps in the high 80's but no 90's.

But the great news - I had a good eye doctor visit today.  The gas bubble that held the new piece of cornea has resolved and everything looks good.  The post-op drops have been decreased from four to one.  No more restrictions, and I no longer need to sleep flat on my back.

And, I can cut off that green bracelet warning that I have a gas bubble in  my eye, contact ophthalmologist on reverse side of the bracelet before treatment.

I don't have to go back until almost three weeks.  Hopefully now I can relax and not be as anxious.  I didn't expect that anxiety, but it's probably normal after last summer's repeat eye surgeries.

Surprise

 

When Sarah came last night, she brought this delightful piece of pottery from a gallery display that I'd enjoyed.  I'd especially liked the shiny leaves.  It was the nicest surprise.

On her way, Sarah stopped in Berea to run two miles on the college track.  (This is not a surprise.)  She never ran track, but she did have one year of college cross country, different track though.

I'm doing well post surgery, just more tired than I expected.  And bored, there's that too.  I see the doctor again on Thursday and am hoping to be cleared to do a little sewing/piecing. I'm just not sure if that would be too much bending, but I'll find out soon enough.

Random

 

Morning glories are starting to flower, and the purple is as pretty as the pictures in the seed catalog.

This is the weather day we've been wishing for - sunny and temps way, way below 90 degrees.

Yesterday grand guy Aaron drove me to my doctor appointment.  All those times I've driven him to preschool or to appointments or for a day out, and now he was driving me.

I'm getting used to the idea of having someone else's cornea in my eye.  I don't think about it often, but when I do it feels a little strange.  I'm grateful to that person who checked the box on the drivers license.  And I'll try to be a good steward of the gift.

Post Op

 

Partial corneal transplant on Monday went well, and I have the expected bag of drops.  The surgery took about an hour and there was an hour wait afterward for a final check to be sure the new cornea was attached.  And then I went home.

Tuesday morning's appointment found the cornea attached but the pressure a little high.  So, another drop.

Wednesday I could be up and about, no longer needing to stay flat on my back except for 5 minutes up each hour.

Today, Thursday, the new drop has done its job and the pressure is back down, cornea is still attached.  Next visit is in a week

I can now use my laptop in a seated position, just no bending over or lifting over 5 pounds.

Vision is blurry, not back to where it was, but that's to be expected with the gas bubble that holds the cornea in place and with the dilating drop.  There has never been any pain except for a few minutes immediately after the surgery.

And so, we continue on.

Welcome

 Like the rest of you gardeners, I've planted and watered and  fertilized and sometimes weeded.  Admired the blooms and vegetables that have arrived and worried over those that haven't.

But what caught my attention this morning was a a delightful  fragrance from a bush near the hose that I'd completely ignored.  It  was planted long ago in a space wrong for it.  It grew to be  partially shaded by a larger plant and was too close to the house, where the afternoon sun heated the bricks.  It never saw a drop of the blue liquid fertilizer and didn't even get mulched.

And there it was blooming and happy and bug-free and smelling wonderful.  Ignored by me and certainly by the critters.

There may be a life lesson here, but today I don't know what it is.  

Welcome, pretty yellow roses.  It's your time to shine.

Milo Would Be So Proud

 

Milo was a little brown grand dog who lived in North Carolina and who loved cherry tomatoes.

His favorite tomatoes probably started out on a hybrid plant that then reseeded year after year.  And year after year he loved those tomatoes, which grew by his porch steps.

Milo is gone now, but Sarah brought me a seedling from this year's plants - actually she brought more than one.  And Milo would be so proud, they are flourishing despite deer and dry weather.

Those are ornamental grasses growing behind this tub of tomatoes - I didn't want you to think that I don't mow my yard.

Well, actually, I don't, but I have the nicest neighbor.

Found Bird

 

Some time in the spring I set out this little pottery bird in the garden, then went on with life and forgot where I'd put it.  I've been casually looking for it on and off, and this morning there it was.

Kind of hidden by the nasturtiums but basically beside the sidewalk.  Of course.

No blooms yet on the nasturtiums, but I planted them late.

The morning glory are vining well but so far, no blooms.  I should have paid attention to the seed packet - it says blooms come in late summer and fall.  So, something to look forward to.

The In Between

 

We knotted two comforters at church yesterday and today.  Usually we can knot two in a few hours, but July is busy for many people, and it took four of us a morning and part of this afternoon.

We all agree - we enjoy the zen-ness of the knotting, the repetitive motion, the easy conversation.  Sometimes wondering where the comforters will go, who made the comforter tops, how much backing fabric and how much batting we've set aside. 

This afternoon a younger member came in to practice the piano.  Someone who helped last night with with the neighborhood community meal gathered up towels in the kitchen.  Last night's summer meal was turkey and cheese sandwiches with lettuce and fresh tomatoes, chocolate chip bars with ice cream.  Except for the ice cream, visitors took meals home for another meal today.

In the back yard local children have planted flowers and vegetables and will gather tomorrow morning for an hour of play and popsicles, with conversation for the parents. 

Sunday mornings are good, but so is the in-between.

Sunday Afternoon

Even though my granddaughter goes to a local university, it's a treat to see her because she is busy.  As it should be.

Yesterday was one of those treat days, and here we are.

And here is her mom.

Fact:  neither of my daughters or my granddaughter looks like me.

For those of you who are wondering, the stacked appetizer is truffle chips and the other is carrots with lemon humus and pita.  If you're ever in Cincinnati, you'd like Krueger's Tavern in Over the Rhine.

All Star Memory

 

Some of you may have seen this before, maybe even every year, but I just can't pass up sharing the memory.

It was the All Star break, ten years ago, when the game was in Cincinnati.  The week started with ESPN semis parked behind the stadium, next to the river.

The grands and I went to the All Star Parade on game day and we had the best time.  It was a party.

The bridge in this picture was closed to vehicle traffic during the parade and the grands enjoyed walking on the grid.  Locals call this "the singing bridge" because of the musical noise made when cars drive over.

On our way back, the wind picked up and a mist of water from the river came up through the grids.  Once we were in Kentucky the rain and wind started in earnest, and we ducked into a check cashing store for shelter.

That night we went back across the river once again, with their mom, and we watched the game on the giant tv at the city square.  Aaron - he kept working his loose tooth during the game and eventually worked it out.  An older man in a nearby lawn chair enjoyed watching the progress of the tooth loosening.

And that was our day - thanks for revisiting it again with me.

Blockheads 8

 

Moda Blockheads 8 was exactly what I was hoping for, a small block with a simple design.

The only thing was, of course, since it was simple I wasn't paying attention and forgot to piece those little white triangles.  There was some ripping involved.  I could have just finished without them, but I really liked those little triangles.

I started out the project using a layer cake, 42 pieces of fabric measuring 10" x 10".  I quickly realized that wouldn't be enough for the whole project, so I've been dipping into my stash of Christmas fabric remnants.

It fun to revisit those older pieces.  A few I recognize but most I don't, it's been so long since I've seen them.  What surprises me is how many pieces I'd buy all over again.

Ceramic Whimsey

 

One more example of ceramic whimsey.  I'd always thought this was a bird house, but upon closer examination it looks like the addition on the side is a fish.

The back shows an additional bit of humor by the artist:

and now I'm all the more sure it was meant to go in an aquarium.  Maybe

I'm still calling it a bird house, and it's on my back porch.

Another Large Block

 

This morning I worked hard to finish this Moda Blockheads block before another comes out tomorrow.  It's a large 18" block once again.

It's amazing to see other quilters' blocks on the facebook site.  We all start with the same pattern but somehow end up with very different variations.  I'm realizing that my versions tend to end up looking pretty traditional even though they are different from the original posted pictures.

Once again I ended up cutting as I pieced to end up with the design I wanted. I was remembering that I learned long ago that men are better than women at spatial reasoning and of course I wanted to look that up to see if things have changed.

AI tells me that "on average, men tend to perform better than women on certain spatial reasoning tasks, particularly those revolving mental rotation and spatial navigation.  However, this is a generalization, and there is a significant overlap between individuals of both genders."

I remember in second grade taking some kind of standardized test measuring just this kind of thing and feeling hopelessly stupid and lost.  I can remember exactly where I was sitting in the classroom, remember the feeling of that realization that I was, in fact, dumb.  

Looking back now, I'm not sure that this was an appropriate test for second graders.  And I like to think that after many years of quilting and mentally and physically rotating lots of little pieces of fabric that my score has surely improved.

Toad House

 

Another piece of Darvin Luginbuhl garden pottery, and one of my favorites.  As far as I know, no toad has ever taken up residence in the toad house, and that's fine with me.  My uncle told me he used a rubber toad for the mold.

Leaving the toad house thoughts behind - a man from the eye surgery center called this morning to go over my medical history and medications prior to my upcoming corneal surgery, to take place in two weeks.  This isn't a new thing, it's a repair from the glaucoma surgeries last summer.

I'm dreading having the surgery, but hopeful that this will be the end of  the saga.  It will be a partial transplant, out-patient.  For corneal transplants a match isn't necessary, and in this country there are plenty of donated corneas.

So, thanks to someone who made this possible for me.

Luginbuhl Planter

 

This planter was a gift from my uncle Darvin Luginbuhl, made in his home pottery studio.  (With an apology to my cousin Gregg if he was the potter of this piece.  Their work was sometimes, but not always, similar.) 

Both were professors at Bluffton University.  Darvin's first studio there was on the third floor, and he carried many bags of clay up the stairs.  There is now a lovely light-filled building with a pottery studio and art  classrooms.

Both gifted me a few pieces, and one of my regrets is that I didn't buy a few more.

Yesterday I strung wire through the three loops and planted a sweet potato vine, with hopes that the vine will soon cascade down.

I'm beginning to appreciate a touch of whimsey in the garden.  Soon I'll show you a toad house, one of my favorite pieces.

Tomato Cage and a Question

 

I just liked the way this tomato cage looked from a different angle.

The tomatoes are recovering from the deer chomping, and so far the deer repellent is working.

Goodness, it's hot again.  I've been wondering why I get so little done, and I think it's because it's hot inside as well as outside.  I really, really need to make the call to replace the air conditioner.

Yesterday I was musing about overthinking, and I've gone way too far with this.  I don't know how old my air conditioner is, but it's more than twenty years old and probably more than thirty. It just can't keep up.

The thing is:  should I replace the air conditioner or put in a heat pump, using my gas furnace as cold weather back-up?  The furnace is four years old, high efficiency.  The heat pump costs about $1000 more than a replacement air conditioner.

If anyone has words of wisdom, I'd love to hear them.  I realize that with a heat pump I won't get that warm air feeling from the vents in cold weather, and that isn't an issue.

Pink and Green

 

Pink and green is my favorite color combination, so no surprise that this was on my cutting table early this morning.  Now, after two hours before the heat drove me downstairs, all the pieces are cut and on the design wall.

I took a picture of the design wall before I headed downstairs.  It's always surprising what an hour or more away, or a photo, points out errors in triangle rotation or color placement.  Both are even better.  Then fix and repeat.

I'm reminded of the different types of people:  those who push to get the project finished right away.  And those whose tendency is to overthink the project.  (That latter would be me.)

And why it's important to have both types on your team.  Those who might miss out on important information by acting too quickly, and those who need a nudge to move thinking into action.

I just looked at my photo and saw two blocks that need to be transposed.  That makes me smile.

White Coneflowers

I have lots of pink coneflowers, a  and this is their year.  The white ones, though, are new.  I didn't plant them, they just appeared.

A couple of years ago a neighbor asked me in the spring for a start of my red coneflowers.  Which I never had, but now I've been wishing for some.  She must have seen them in someone else's garden.

From my reading tonight, this quote from George Bernard Shaw: 

 "You see things and you say, 'Why?'  

But I dream things that never were  

And I say, 'Why not?'?

Isn't that really what art is?  Imagining things that never were and guiding them into being?

And isn't that what some goals are?  Dreaming of changes we'd like to make, and dividing the dreams into steps to make them come true?

Big Block This Time

 This week's Moda Blockheads block is a big one, 18".  You'll find it at the top left.

The previous blocks are just laid around it, most likely the configuration will change, and perhaps the big block will end up in the middle.

It was the nicest July 4 weekend, poolside lunch with family on the actual 4th, and just relaxing the rest of the time.  I still have a few groceries to put away from Friday, I've been that lazy.

Watering has taken up some of the time, we've had a stretch once again to temps in the 90's and no rain.  There's a possibility of thunderstorms at the end of the afternoon today.

I've staked my tomato plants and scattered Liquid Fence - one day too late.  Several of the tomato plants got chomped.  It will be ok, they are hearty plants, and I'll be more diligent going forward.

There is one tiny squash starting - you know how I love summer squash.