Progress!

I can't believe how quickly this 18" x 18" block went together last night! I am definately sold on log cabin quilts.

Through the Rambles

I've got writer's block, I think. I simply cannot wrap my mind around anything interesting to say. So I've stayed away for awhile, thinking I'd have some inspiration. But, not so much.

So, I'll ramble. Are you okay to take a spin inside my head for a minute? Buckle up. It might get bumpy.

Last week I bought more material for yet another quilt. Please don't remind me of how many I have started. Or that I was supposed to give Josh's his in December. These will be fun! I'm telling myself that. Psyching myself up. The first one is a collage. Of me. As mom & grandma. Do you think I'm getting ahead of myself, since I have no grandchildren yet? Me neither! Preparation is the key! Or at least that is what Colonel Hathi, the elephant on Jungle Book, said, but I digress. So here are the fabrics that will go into my log cabin quilt:



I've got all of the material cut into strips. All 2 1/2" wide, about 18" long. I hope it works. If not, I'll know better for next time, eh?!

Secondly. I've been thinking a LOT about gardening. I've done very little about it, but I've thought about it a lot! I need to go buy my transplants from the nursery. I know, I know, I could have saved money by planting my own. But this year has been too crazy for me to beat myself up over should'ves. And I'll plant stuff that my family eats. I'd love to experiment...but maybe next year. And I may or may not let the ball drop on planting heirloom seeds that I would then save seed from for next year. Again, life is just crazy. I'll do what I can.

Next: I want to move. My real life friends are rolling their eyes and laughing, because moving has been my preoccupation for the past...well, since I moved here. This old house on 1/3 acre was supposed to be temporary. It was supposed to serve as a stop-over to a house with more land. Six years later.... I'm still looking. I love my house. I do! Along with all of the problems it has, it is also charming. Old houses: you gotta love'em. And if I could take it along to a place with an acre (or 2 or 10 or 100!) I would. It isn't the house I've outgrown, it's the land. So, I'm looking again. But I'm a tightwad. And even though house prices have dropped, they ballooned for a couple of years first, know what I mean? So the prices are still high.

And my animals are definitely on my mind! I need to build a chicken coop. A real one. Not just a couple of dog houses. And I need to totally enclose the thing. Ever seen Chicken Run? Those are my chickens! Seriously. They plan ways of escape. Though I have no intentions of changing my name to Tweedy and baking them into pies, they want to run away from home anyway. So those hens need Alcatraz-like security. And *I* (and hopefully my husband..Steve, will ya lend me a hand?) will be building the prison for them. Or a hotel, if you prefer that imagery.

And the goats are a pain. I love'em, but *man* are they pains! They are harder than chickens! And stronger too. Nina broke the tie-out yesterday. Good thing they are friendly, because she came right up to me and let me put her back into her pen. We've had some that take one look at us and run. As fast and as hard as they can. These are excellent goats by comparison!



And then there is the never-ending housework: laundry, dishes, toilets. Those things never stay clean for long, do they?!

And Michael. Last night Michael and I were going to pick up Emily from dance and we were going to take Meg (our cute little doggy) with us, since she was sad Steve hadn't taken her on a walk too. As I was walking out the door, in ran a cat that isn't litter box trained, so I tried to find and remove her before I left. I left Michael and Meg in the front yard and told Michael to "get the leash". I meant to hold onto Meg, but when I came back out, there was Michael..with the leash. Only the leash. Meg? Gone. Ran off. Yep, he'd let her off the leash. "Here, Mom" he said, handing me the leash. Thanks, Mike. We found Meg a few minutes later. I'm glad Michael is learning to follow directions. Hopefully he'll learn not to be so literal, too.

So that is my life. Hope you held on tight. Some of those turns in my ramblings were pretty sharp!

See ya soon!

Fun Stuff!

I have a bit of housekeeping to do on my blog. Not the drudgery stuff either! The fun stuff, that simply got overlooked because of the drudgery stuff that had to be done first. So today is the day for fun!

Over the past month I have been given two awards by my bloggy friends, Betty and Jen. And you all know that I *L♥VE* awards! They make me feel loved and special, so thank you very much ladies! And here the beautiful things are now!

Betty at Keeper of the Skies Wife gave me this fan award early in April


Thanks, Betty! You know I am your fan too!

And here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment or an email for your favorite blogger telling them that you are a fan of the site.

2. Feel free to copy and paste the award, or you can get the code at Sited and Blogged to present to your blog friend or post on your site when it is awarded to you.

3. When you receive more than one fan, put the number of fans you have received under the image.

4. The more fans you receive the better! So, what are you waiting for...tell someone you're a fan of all their blog...HAVE FUN!


And the second one was given to me by Jen at Creative and Curious Kids!



"The Let's be Friends" award stands for this: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers.

This is always the hardest part! For the past couple of months I have needed friends to rally around me, and you all are the best! I've loved your comments to my posts; they have lifted my spirits! (BTW - to those of you I give the friendship award to, will you also please take the Fan Award too, and save me some time of me telling you all that I'm your fan on your blogs? TIA!) And the awards go to:

Christy at Farm Dreams
Betty at Keeper of the Skies Wife
Joy at Joy in the Burbs
Tammy at Laugh, Live, Learn, Love
Marvelous Thing at Marvelous Pigs in Satin
Stephanie at Ordinary Life Magic
Becca at The Great Mediocre
Kate the Great at Dear Goodness
Randi at I have to say
and last, but not least, I give the award back to
Jen at Creative and Curious Kids!

Thanks to all of you! You are the best!