How I Spent My May Days Swine Flu Vacation

With a couple of school holidays due to the swine flu outbreak in Madison County, I set about quilting my batik applique quilt. The quilt has 144 batik circles, all hand appliqued on to 144 squares which I then set together. I used the book Foolproof Machine Quilting by Mary Mashuta to figure out how to machine quilt this one. I love the way it turned out, and while it was time consuming and a bit tedious, I really didn't run into any snags. I will use her ideas again, no doubt. I just am not confident about free motion quilting, especially on a large quilt where I have invested hours and hours.
Here it is finished. Not sure if I will hang it up, put in on the dining room table, or what, but for now, I guess I will put it on the balcony rail. I really had fun making this.
Yesterday, I finished all of the machine work just in time to sit down and enjoy the Kentucky Derby with Allen and Louie. Having just been to Kentucky through horse country, we were looking forward to the race. Louie gets very excited when you say, "TV -- Dogs!!" Poor Louie, I think he thought there were dogs racing on his TV. He was fascinated and watched closely. I sat and hand sewed the binding which was finished by bedtime.
Umm, yes, that sure is a mint julep. We picked up this year's glasses while we were in Lexington last month. Today, we are staying in mostly. It is raining. We have had over five inches in the last several days, I'm sure, and it just keeps coming down. We try to sneak in Louie walks in the lulls. The school district is meeting with EMA folks at 3 this afternoon to decide on any possible closings this week. Allen and I were recalling the swine flu scare in the 70's when it hurt so many pig farmers. It's pretty crazy, but I have had a great little vacation.

This weekend was just plain delightful. Meghan brought Taplin up to visit. She wanted to spend time with her sister and see their new home, and she wanted to visit Panoply. Meghan is painting these days, and she is working on an after school arts program for her elementary students, so Panoply was the perfect venue for her. Taplin loves music. We visited the Huntsville Symphony tent, and he had a chance to try out the snare drum. He also got to sit in a drum circle with his mommy and join in the rhythm with little egg shakers. He's going to be a musician of some sort, no doubt.
This is the Fiber Collaborative Tree Project. The woman spearheading this effort came to our school, and I made a leaf too. I quilted one and it's is on my Flickr page. I cannot imagine what it will be like when they cover the Saturn V rocket. That is in the works for 2010.
Taplin and his Aunt Shannon enjoyed the summerlike afternoon together at Panoply. Tap is such a happy, happy fellow. He talks and talks and points and enjoys himself. He started whispering at things -- Meghan says that Bridger taught him that. Bridger stayed home with Dad for his soccer game. I missed seeing him, but what fun to spend one on one time with just Taplin.
The lake in Big Springs is teaming with goldfish. Meghan tried to get Tap to put his feet in the water, but no, he did not want to do that. He doesn't like putting his toes down on the grass either. We took his stroller along, but his favorite is to be carried. He liked sharing Grandma's cheeseburger for lunch, and then he loved sharing Mom's ice cream later. "More, more..."

After Meghan left on Sunday, Louie had us to himself again. He is such a sweet dog, he just puts up with anything Taplin does. However, he is obviously jealous and wants to get more attention that he does. He had a big weekend of theivery trying to get us to focus on him. He spent Sunday afternoon on Allen's lap watching Talledega while I set to work finishing my block of the month work. I now have twenty-four of the little stars I will need out of seventy-two, and the first four of the larger stars. This is testing my quilting skills. I thought I would think the little stars were easier this month, but not so. It's back to work, Monday morning. But I think there are just three Mondays left this year, not that I'm counting.

Online Spring Quilt Festival

On another blog, parkcitygirl, the blogger is hosting a virtual quilt festival. She called for people to post a picture and a blog about a favorite quilt. I think I will be #399 to add a blog. Wow. I had a hard time picking one quilt -- quilts are kind of like your children after you pour your blood, sweat, and tears into them, how can you have a favorite? I decided to post this one that I named Paintbox, because I had such fun making it. The picture doesn't show the colors particulary well, but on my Flickr pictures, it shows up much better. The quilt is all batiks that I bought last year in Denver. I cut the pieces in the hotel room and hand pieced all of the individual blocks. Then I went to the Great American Quilt Factory in Denver, and a very knowedgable (and extremely patient) salesperson helped me pick the sashing and backing. I sewed the patches and sashing by machine and then machine quilted it. It now hangs on the railing of my balcony, and I just love it.

Easter Weekend

We started last Saturday with Bridger's first soccer game and his debut as a goalie. Three-year-olds playing soccer is a hoot! Then we sped over to church for the Easter Egg Hunt and crafts. Taplin especially liked snuggling with the bunny. The afternoon was shopping for Meghan and me with Taplin to help, and a visit to the Battleship for Grandpa, Bridger, and Justin.
Sunday morning, rise and shine to see if the Easter bunny had come, and sure enough, lots of eggs were hidden for these two handsome fellows. Meghan had them dressed alike, and what a pair they made riding on their cars.

Monday, Allen and I took Meghan and the boys to lunch at DeSoto's in Gulf Shores, and we made stops at the outlet mall and Billy's Seafood. We had to get some shrimp and flounder to bring back to Huntsville, of course. Taplin liked sitting in the oyster shells (and would have used them for teething if his mom would have let him) while Bridger and Grandpa threw the shells in the water.
This is just too sweet! Taplin got to try out his new forward facing car seat. Bridger just adores his little brother, obviously.


The boys and Meghan took a catnap in the car on the way back to Daphne, and they were full of energy by dinnertime. Taplin stuffed himself with spinach at dinner. (Grandma and Grandpa took days to recover.) We had the perfect Easter weekend, and we already miss our beach boys.

Paper Piecing Progress

Confession: I did not add more segments to our super spring break, and I don't see that happening at this point. However, I have added more of our pictures on Flickr, and I am trying to label and organize those for anyone interested. I took lots of pictures. Lots. It is taking me a while to upload them all.

Meanwhile, I have been steadily working away on my block of the month project. I added the green border and the pinwheels this month, and I did another set of the stars that will eventually be the outside border of the finished quilt. It now measures about 41" square. I am learning quite a bit from this pattern, particularly the importance of being precise. I thought I was pretty detail oriented, but apparently, I have much to learn. In any event, I finished the March assignment with days to spare before April's is posted.

I am glad that Allen is home from his week in the Denver blizzard. We are currently under a tornado watch, and we've had the emergency vehicles on our street for a tree that downed a power line. Hope that is the extent of Saturday excitement and that March goes out like a lamb.

Super Quilts, Super Store, Superman, Super Vacation

Allen and I had a busy, fun week! Louie spent his time at the doggie hotel, and he had a good week too, it seems. We were worried because on Thursday before we left him, he somehow managed to be out of his cage during the day, and he opened the pantry door and consumed three boxes of crackers. His little tummy was pot-bellied. At first he seemed okay, but by Friday, not so much. What goes in, must come out, if you get my drift. However, by Saturday when we left him, he was back to his silly self.

We helped Shannon and Nathan with their new house Friday and Saturday (Shannon and I painted the living room while Allen worked on the craft center in the laundry area.) Sunday, we drove to our first destination, Paducah, Kentucky. The broken trees are leftovers from a monster ice storm that ravaged most of the state back in January. It was really kind of dismal to see the damage.
On Monday morning, we headed straight to Hancock's of Paducah. I don't know what else to say besides wow. The problems were where to start, what to pick, and how to restrain myself. I was pretty overwhelmed with the selection. Allen solved the problem suggesting that we go on and come back for a second shot at shopping later in the day. I spent plenty and came home with a fun stash and several projects.

Then we headed to the National Quilt Museum. Allen really is a patient man (sometimes), but I don't think he had to work too hard at being patient in the museum. We were both taken in by the craftsmanship, the colors, and variety. They have about 185 quilts on display, some from 1800's, some brand new, some miniature, some full size. We spent a couple of hours strolling through the exhibits. I like my own quilting, but oh my, my quilts pale in comparison.


After a fun lunch at Whaler's Catch, we walked down to the Port of Paducah and watched the local folks, the gulls, and the tow moving the barge along. The port is just about at the convergence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers. Sitting on the bench and soaking in the day was a luxury.After a second trip to the quilt store, we drove over to Metropolis, Illinois to see what there was to see. We could have gone gambling, but we just took in the Superman statue, the Superman Superstore, and the Superman on the building. We had a super first day of our Kentucky trip.

I have decided that I can't blog about the whole week in one entry, so maybe I can add a bit each day. Check out my Flickr pictures too. I am posting them a bit at a time as well.

In Like a Lion

My porch swing is the epitome of a southern porch. It's the perfect spot for sipping iced tea on those steamy afternoons when the air is thick and everything seems to move in slow motion. Today? My red swing is iced in snow frosting, and the wind would blow wet flakes in my face if I dared to sit a spell.
That's my boys, coming home from the first walk of the day.
This is Louie's first snow ever. He was basically nonplussed by it all except that he kept shaking to get the flakes off.
I think the great snow storm of 2009 is just about over. It's very windy and cold for a March morning in 'Bama, but it's fun for a lazy Sunday when we can stay in.