Happy Halloween

I do have some Halloween pictures, of course, but I got a new computer this week and have not yet figured out how to upload blog pictures.  It should be easy.  It is easy, I'm sure.  I just need to work with it.


So, in the meantime, Happy Halloween.  So far, it's raining and tonight there may be snow flurries.  I have six bags of candy bars, because I'm hopeful, but I have a feeling that there will probably be less than ten trick or treaters. 


The computer story:  the mother board went out of my seven year old laptop.  I was dismayed, of course.  I wasn't prepared to buy a new computer, both financially or in terms of research.  So, I purchased a former business lease computer.  It has Windows 7, so there was little learning curve, except for those pictures.  And the nice guy at the computer store in Alexandria was able to back up all my files to my external drive.  I have Microsoft Works and my embroidery software loaded on the new computer.  I'm all set.     

Tree Trail

Yesterday afternoon I went hiking on the Landmark Tree Trail at Tower Park in Fort Thomas.  It is one of my favorite fall hikes here because as the leaves fall off the trees the Ohio River becomes visible.  The trail starts high, goes down toward the river, then comes around and up again.

This will be that fall day to work in the yard, cleaning up beds.  Sunny, temperature around 80.  I might even plant a few petunias, if there is anything left of them.  I bought them a month ago and never did plant them.  They are one of my favorite flowers, too, because they are so pretty yet sturdy.

As the weather gets cooler, I find myself thinking about rearranging things in my house to get ready for winter.  One thing is sure, I need more light in my living room.  And a nice space for the Christmas tree to come.   

Art Everywhere

This is one of the reasons I love Asheville - there is art everywhere.

More Snapshots

More Asheville snapshots.  Above, Steph and the kids in the garden at Carl Sandburg Home. 

The goat barns at Carl Sandburg Home.  Nora is not a goat person, hasn't liked them since a goat once tried to eat her mom's shorts.  Since that time, she hasn't once gone into the goat pen at the zoo, just waits outside while Aaron goes in and brushes them.

In Hendersonville with Winnie's dad.  The purpose of this trip was to pick up the shiny red car that Steph bought from Winnie's dad.  I got to drive it on the way home - that car just glides.  It's a 2007 Buick Lucerne.  18,000 miles.  It even has a heated steering wheel.  I didn't realize that could be an option.

A trip to Asheville wouldn't be complete without breaking into Aunt Sarah's Lego stash.  She even has this cool Lego carrying case.  There are always motorcycles, cars, and boats to be made.

So you can see why this trip was just too short.  It always is.  Oh, and there is one thing more.  The quilt garden at the Arboretum.  The plants get changed out throughout the seasons, and the mums are amazing right now.

Snapshots

A few snapshots of our weekend in Asheville.  There will be more another day.  First, Aaron at White Duck Taco.

Nora and Winnie at the Carl Sandburg Home

Aaron and Sarah at a special exhibit at the North Carolina Arboretum

And Nora, at the Arboretum, feeling sad because it's time to leave again . . . already.  Leaving Asheville is always, always hard.

Rhapody White On Navy

I like the Anita Goodesign Rhapody collection white on navy as well as I like the white on white.  How to choose - oh, wait, I don't have to.

Today I went to my favorite fabric store but in a different part of town.  It just wasn't a good day for at least two of the clerks.  I have a whole new appreciation for the store I usually visit.

Aaron tried on the Obi Wan Kenobi costume last night.  A few small modifications and it will be complete.  He told me that there needed to be a light saber loop on the belt.  Duly noted, Aaron.

Yesterday my neighbor and I went to Tom and Chee for lunch.  I think it's probably a local thing, maybe in Columbus as well.  One of my favorite spots.  I tried their soup of the day, a potato spinach garlic.  Think I'll stick to the tomato from now on, but I also think it's important to try new things just because - they're new things.

Got two kinds of pumpkin beer to take on the upcoming trip to Asheville.  I love the pumpkin beers, and the pumpkin English Muffins are lovely too.  And those pumpkin tortilla chips, awesome.

Rhapsody

This work project is Rhapsody by Anita Goodesign.  Many stitches, about 60,000 in each of the four blocks, but the result is stunning and glowing.  12" x 23"

I really wanted to do the white on white, but I'm also stitching as we speak, white on dark navy blue.  A smaller block, just one, maybe we'll see it tomorrow. 

Ah, Potential

My fellow quilters will understand that uneasy feeling when suddenly there is only enough batting left on the roll for a couple of baby quilts.  Maybe not even that much.  The roll has looked full enough for goodness potential, then all of a sudden, it doesn't.

So I was really happy yesterday when I stopped in at Hancock after church and there were three rolls left for their Sunday/Monday sale.  Half off plus there was a 10% coupon.  You'd better believe that I didn't forget that coupon.

Now I feel good again.  Twenty yards are mine.  I can make so many quilts.  There is so much ahead.

Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship 40th Anniversary

Artist Statement:

As I started work on the banner, I thought about CMF’s early beginning when members sat in circles for services. I also thought about the full circle from Mark Weidner’s helping plant the first church to the present as he prepares to leave his interim position. We continue our circles in committees, journey groups, and Sunday School. The background with its dark blues, blacks, browns, and grays is a nod to the early Mennonite and Amish quilters, representing our foundation. Bright circles on top are for celebration and our urbanness. Colors throughout are solids, once again in the Amish/Mennonite tradition, but as I started sewing at a retreat, two people offered me pieces of their fabric. Remembering how two other churches shared their space in the beginning, I said “yes,” so there are two floral pieces. I hope that as people view the banner they will think about our church history, past and present.

Arboretum Quilt

Two years ago, at Christmas, I spotted a Benartex jelly roll called Arboretum.  Of course I thought I'd have enough time to do a jelly roll race quilt for Sarah and Winnie, and of course I didn't.  Sarah and Winnie work at the North Carolina Arboretum, so I thought it would be a great gift.  I did get the piecing finished, but that was it.  I gave them the quilt top in a box and then took it back, promising to finish it.

I quilted it with organic lines earlier in the week.  Today was finally the day it was finished.  I sewed on the binding and washed the quilt to get it soft and crinkled and sewed on little labels from some of the edges.

It looks just like I hoped it would.

Cozy

How cozy is this?  Yesterday the baby quilt group was having lunch at Don Pablo, while the rain was pouring outside.  I could hardly keep my eyes away from this cozy space across the way.  You can see the water as it pools at the edge of the awning. 

The light, the colors, the rain . . . perfect for a transitional October afternoon.  A week ago, it was summer.  And now, it isn't.

The folks sitting across from me had a different but still wonderful kind of view.  Rain on the deck, gray sky, gray river. 

October Miscellaneous

I was deleting pictures on my phone when I found this one that I really liked. I snapped it after last Sunday's game when I was trying to get a position to take a picture of the kids running the bases.  It almost looks a little quilty, guess that's why I like it.  I wonder where that guy got the Johnny Bench jersey. 

Strange, last Sunday it was summer and this Sunday it is fall.

There was lots to finish last week, including embroidering these soccer blankets for Newport Catholic's seniors.  The opposite corners had names and numbers.  I didn't knot and cut the fleece, thank goodness.  Those blankets were BIG.

I wasn't there, but I enjoyed the tales of the kids at Kings Island yesterday.  Especially the ones about when dark came and the Halloween folks appeared.  I'm thinking that I'd enjoy going next Saturday, just to see the goblins.