Days of the Garden

 

A card from a friend, and there is glitter and there are sparkles.

A few days ago we had the summer solstice, bringing us to the down side of daylight in our days.  And now that we're into July, the year is half over.

This is not about gloom and doom, just marveling at how quickly the days are passing.  The wonder of smmer has just begun.

This evening I was watering a friend's plants.  She has a lovely polinator garden in her front yard.  And a wonderful vegetable garden in big containers on her upstairs balcony.  The deer can only dream of her goodies, way out of their reach.

Last summer my garden soothed me during the hard days of eye surgery complications.  I would go out in the evenings and water in the days's coolness and go out in the morning and marvel.

This summer I'm counting down to another eye surgery at the end of this month, and I believe all will be well.  I'm watering in the evenings once again, except for Monday, when we had the most amazing rain.  And each morning I'm marveling once again at the growth that happened during the night.

My dream of morning glories on the back porch railings is beginning - the plants are vining.  Those squash I love will surely have blossoms any day now.  For all their late start, the tomatoes look amazing.  I planted basil in a container today.

I always am a little slow getting started in the spring, and I'm always so happy when the plants are growing.  While I'm hanging back a little, the perenniels appear and I remember what I love about growing things.

Sunday

 This morning I got ready and went to church, so I missed my morning sewing time.

By afternoon it was hot upstairs, but I wanted to work on this week's  block for just a few minutes.

But then I really, really wanted to see if those 64 pieces would really fit together so I just kept going.  And they did go together.  And I got really, really hot.

You'll have to take my word for it, I cropped the picture, but there really is 1/4" around the outside of the block, as there should be.

Just to make the day even better, I have 8000 steps today.  It's been a minute.

I Can't Believe

 

I can't believe I just bought fabric at Michael's.  It was a one off that I was even there, my daughter was shopping at Ulta a couple of stores over and I opted for Michael's instead.

I knew Michael's had increased fabric selection after Joann closed, but I expected a few more precuts, not fabric on bolts.  This pink Kona was just what I was looking for and is usually more than $7.50 a yard.

The young guy at the cutting table wasn't experienced, and the customer in front of me helped him measure the entire bolt she was purchasing.  And then she cut my fabric too while she was waiting for him to finish her transaction.

Cuts, at least at this store, are for full yard increments.

I also can't believe I got a pair of knit shorts at Aldi, but that's a whole other story.

Stamps

 I usually don't pay too much attention to postage stamps, just ask the clerk for something pretty.  This time I paid attention and liked the stamps with the baby wild animals and dahlias.  I got both.

As we head toward evening, the sky is darkening and the breeze is picking up, same as yesterday at this time.  Yesterday there was wind, dark skies, and thunder for an hour but no rain.  Not here.

Rain this evening would mean no watering later, fingers crossed.  I don't notice the mosquitos when I'm watering but I have the bites to prove that they're there.

This should be the last day for a while with temperatures in the 90's.  Early morning pleasant temperatures are on their way.

I cut up fabrics for the new Moda block this morning and that was all I had time for.  Lots and lots of little pieces in this one.  I starched the fabrics well and hoped for the best.

Thunder has now arrived and I hear the weather siren.  My phone says rain should start in one minute.

Smokies Memories

 

There are lots of memories from last week's birthday trip to the Smokies but I'll start with this one of Nora relaxing during a hike.  The rest of us arrived on Wednesday, and she and Aaron joined us on Friday.  Wednesday evening we celebrated Winnie's birthday.

Thursday we went to the Arts and Crafts Community outside Gatlinburg.  We had lunch at Split Rail, notable for the good food and for the sixteen pour it yourself beer taps.  I know that day drinking is not for me, but I had to sample a couple of them anyway.  I was drawn in by a Country Boy brew I liked, but instead tried a couple of local selections, one with moonshine.  Sometimes the little headache is worth it.  I really only had a few ounces.

We tried a few shops, a wonderful cinnamon roll bakery, and the best little bookstore.  The bookstore had complementary gift wrapping with a wrapping paper featuring books.  Their selection isn't huge but is excellent.

Friday was a drive through Cades Cove, a must for us, and also Roaring Fork.  We did see a mama bear and cub from a distance.  The grands came that evening and we celebrated my birthday.

Saturday Sarah and Aaron hiked up Mt. LeConte and back.  The rest of us did some smaller hikes, including the Gatlinburg Trail, which allows dogs.  That's where Nora is relaxing in the picture.

Our cabin was way up in the hills, with a lovely night view of Gatlinburg on one side and the Ober tram on the other.  The view made that cabin memorable..  

Challenging Block

 

The four completed Moda Blockheads blocks.  The challenging one is on the lower right.  It's called Cats Cradle.

I kind of knew what to expect.  On the facebook group people mentioned having to redo the block and posted pictures of blocks that turned out wonky.  So I knew to read the directions carefully and repeatedly.

I'm not a fan of the block but it turned out like it should, and it's square.  If I redid it I'd choose color placement differently, but I don't feel strongly enough about that to redo it.

This will end up being a Christmas quilt - the fabric that looks grey in actually a grey green.  It will have sashings between the blocks.

It's hot, I'm considering moving a sewing machine downstairs so I can sew in the afternoons.  The upstairs in my Cape Cod just gets too hot past noon.  We'll see.

Plants Are Thriving

 

I came back from a fun few days in Gatlinburg to find the weather hot and the squash plants thriving.  They are those little yellow squash that bush rather than vine and grow so well in containers.  Tonight I'll plant a second container.  

The morning glories are growing too, and are ready to be encouraged to trail on strings to reach the back porch railing.  My dream is to have those deep purple flowers vining on the horizontal and upright railings.

This afternoon I did some bargain plant shopping at the big box store and scored a container of purple and yellow wave petunias that looked quite fine.  And a containers of healthy gerannium leaves, marked down, I'm sure, because they were finished flowering and the flower color would be mysterious.

And a couople of classic yellow day lilies for the back yard.

More about the trip later, other than to say now that it was a family trip to celebrate Winnie's and my birthdays.