Tremont Hike

Today's postcard

Some pictures from the Tremont hike.

There's a spider web toward the right - you might have to click on the picture to see it.

One of the reasons I'm so crazy about the Smokies is because there are so many beautiful views like this one. Every time you go around a curve, there's a new one.

In the guidebook it makes reference to an old car as a trail reference point. Strange that it's still there, but I guess it isn't going anywhere. That's Bridget with the camera.

Tremont, by the way, was a logging area prior to the park days.

Back - and Friday Fill In # 89

I'm back from the Smokies, with a stop in Berea for my annual physical at College Health Services. College Health Services, by the way, is fabulous and I miss it. Although I've been very lucky to have not needed it this year.

And yes, I'm missing the Smokies. Alot. I've got lots of great pictures to share. I'm happy that almost all the pictures I took were keepers. The one above is the most impressive, never mind that it isn't the prettiest. And yes, those are bats. And no, I didn't take the picture. Sarah did, in an old house that's part of the visitor center at Cades Cove. Would I have taken the picture? Yes. Would I have been happy about it? Not even close. So, thanks, Sarah.

I'll start back with the Friday Fill-Ins that I missed.

1. I enjoy camping, and most of all camping at Elkmont. Yeah, it's a bummer that there aren't showers there, but we've always been able to find an RV park where we can pay for a shower. There are fabulous riverside campsites (thanks, Bridget, for making reservations) and the sound of the river means the sweetest sleep for me.

2. Whether I should be doing something in the community activitism/social justice realm is something I wonder about often lately. And no, Sarah P, I wouldn't care if I didn't have authority. Only I would.

3. In your heart, you knew that we're all responsible for our own choices.

4. Take Panera whole wheat bread, add a little dipping oil, and you end up with a little taste of heaven.

5. Life has gifted me with all that I need and then some. I am grateful.

6. Heading down to the Levee and Barnes and Noble is an instant vacation.

And as for the weekend, Friday we hiked the Middle Prong Trail at Tremont, Saturday we hiked the Chamney Tops trail, and Sunday we packed up, then hiked the Little River Trail for a little ways.

The weather was downright gorgeous, although we learned on the way home that it wasn't gorgeous here on Sunday, with high winds from the hurricane. Steph is without power. And I'm grateful to my neighbors for cleaning up my front yard and driveway.

To the Smokies

I'm leaving this evening for the Smokies and a family/friend camping trip. I'll be back on Monday, missing the Smokies and the Little River.

This camping trip is an annual event for us, much anticipated. There should be lots of hiking, a little going to town, lots of visiting and campfires. For me, lots of reading beside the river. I love that.

Twin Needle

Today's postcard - just fooling around with twin needle stitching

I've rarely used a twin needle on my sewing machine, although that's about to change. I always thought it was for straight stitching parallel lines and never thought about much beyond that. Turns out that I should read my manual more often.

Here's the deal:

Basically, twin needle threading is similar with most machines, but do look at your manual to see what's recommended for yours. Usually, one of the threads comes through one side of the tension disc and one on the other side. And, for the left needle, the thread goes through that last thread guide above the needle. For the right needle, bypass that last guide.

And those confusing sizing numbers aren't really so confusing at all. The first number represents the distance between the needles, in mm. It's usually 2 mm or 4 mm. The second number is the needle size that we're used to seeing.

You need to use a pressure foot with a wide opening, usually the zig zag foot. If you keep on your 1/4" piecing foot with the little round hole, you'll be very sad.

Those lines of straight stitching are really nice and you can use different colors of thread. If you're using the same thread color, you can wind an extra bobbin and use that instead of spool - then you won't have to buy two spools of the same thread.

It turns out that my machine has a safety twin needle setting and I can sew parallel lines of various stitches. If I try to use a stitch that's too wide, the machine automatically adjusts the stitch to fit. It can then be sewn without breaking that expensive needle and really scaring me. And I can program in the width between my needles. Oh, my gosh.

It's kind of hard to see the stitching in this photo, but it's a little better (barely) by clicking on it. You might have to take my word for it that the stitching is really pretty.

I wonder what else my manual says.

Today's postcard. Retro. I remember well the bias tape and ric rac in my mother's sewing things. I seem to have a new love affair with bias tape, the extra wide double fold. It's amazing how well behaved it is.

And the good news is that after organizing, I can find the bias tape and lots of other things. I got these little 6" x 6 1/2" cubes at the dollar store and wrote on them with a marker. Sewing supplies here

Art supplies on the other table

And since I've moved back upstairs, the dining room is once again a dining room. An uncluttered dining room. I love it.

And a project completed. I usually don't do this kind of quilting, especially from a kit, but I made it for someone else.

Not something I'll do again, but as usual, I learned some techniques, which makes it worth while.

Happy Birthday to Aaron

Today's postcard

Today is Aaron's first birthday. Happy Birthday, little buddy.

Scenes from his party yesterday:

Nora's with friend Blake. In her desire to be like him, Nora ate her first Chicken McNugget and first bite of cake, back in the day when she regarded most food as highly suspicious.

Nora playing with Bridgie

Ah, Aaron and his cake

Aaron and Grandma eating cake

Nora helped open gifts. Fire hat courtesy of Uncle Bobby.

Long Season?

Today's postcard - from a couple of small squares that were in my fabric box.

There were lots of Bengals fans wearing their orange and black today, but if they had high hopes they were disappointed. It could be a very long season, but it still makes for some fun Sunday afternoons.

Nora and Aaron weren't paying any attention to the score, and they were happy to be Bengals fans. Tomorrow is Aaron's birthday and his party was today - pictures to come. It was great to see all the Lockhart's.

Here's a Nora story - Steph told her that I was picking up the cake and buying the party hats. And Nora replied, "Gran B doesn't buy things. She makes quilts. That's her job."

On Saturday I was teaching a sewing workshop and took my machine. When I brought it back I decided to take it upstairs since it is no longer so hot and I'm anxious to be back in my studio. I thought that maybe in moving all my stuff back up I'd find a few things that I don't really need. Wrong. I need it all.

As my sewing things left my dining room, I uncovered various other things. To my dismay, I discovered an un-RSVP'd wedding invitation and an unanswered invitation to a class reunion. No unpaid bills, that's a plus.

When I sat down to read the Sunday newspaper, there was a space on the dining room table large enough to spread it out. Tomorrow I'm going to complete the move. I have a new candle to light, called Fresh Comfort, to set a new tone in my living space.