I Like Thursday #66

I guess better late than never, right?  I can't even begin to say I am fashionably late today.  I was just too dang tired to write a post the night before, and got a late start this morning.  Thanks to the beautiful LeeAnna for encouraging us to writ a post weekly about things around our world that we like.  To check out the other I Like posts head over to Not Afraid of Color.

I awoke this morning to a thunderstorm.  I love laying in bed listening to the rain on the old steel roof of my house, it is so soothing. 

I am thankful, and oh so grateful for screens.  I love to have my windows and doors open during the summer.  This morning I was especially thankful!

See all those black spots?  No it isn't that my screen is "just that filthy".  Those are mosquitoes.  Hundreds of mosquitoes! 

Right now I am thankful they are outside, and I am inside. We don't use many chemicals, even though I do spray my fruit trees, but we do fog for mosquitoes otherwise being out of doors is just miserable.

I like that the azalea I planted 3 years ago finally bloomed.

It reminds me of the one near my grandmother's front porch.  She called it a honeysuckle but now I am older I know the difference.  The one near my grandmother's porch the flowers had freckles though.  But still I have loved and nurtured this little plant. 

I like Bobbin's toy, even though it scares the bejeebers out of me occasionally.  Bobbin has been known to fling a toy, and smack people in the face with these toys.  My girlfriend who was over the other day was the latest recipient of a flying squirrel in the face.  LOL

Finally I like these two little ones.  Well they aren't quite so little now.  They love people, and they

love Dolly the pig.  They don't even mind Bobbin being in the yard to play.

Now head over to LeeAnna's to see the other I Like Thursday posts!

Bicycle

I am not too sure which song fits my latest flimsy finish.

Or maybe this!

Remember where I posted that if I finish something I can start something new?  Well my choices were here.

I could start something new, and I chose the bicycle quilt.  The pattern is called Mod GeoCruiser Jr. by Kelli Fannon Quilt Designs of Seriously I Need Stitches.  I had purchased a kit at a LQS and had wanted to start it a year ago, but I didn't have the triangles on a roll which were necessary per the pattern.

I cut all the fabric and started sewing the sections. I had a couple of missteps.  At one point the handle bars were where the pedal was supposed to be. 

Today while I was working on a couple of more sections I thought my bicycle looked more like a Picasso. 

But I stuck with it and I finished the flimsy today!

In my opinion I think it needs something to frame it.  I have a light blue grunge which may just do the trick. 

Oh and as to the other UFO?

I need to clean off my design wall and layout all of my blocks.

More to come.....

I Like Thursday #65

Welcome to my I Like Thursday post #65.  Thank you LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color for encouraging us to find things we like during the week and share with others.

I marvel at how quickly things change during the spring, but then there are times it seems to drag.  Especially when you get days, and days of rain and no sun.

I like the lilac trees for a lack of a better description that front the road along the lot. The smell is heavenly!

There are usual lilac colored ones and white.  I would love to add some of the dark purple, light lavender, and dark pink, and perhaps some other varieties. 

The lily of the valley are starting to bloom finally!  

I don't even know why they make me smile.

My flowering almond, which probably needs a wee bit of work, trimming some dead off of it.  

I love the prairie fire maple.

I like this tree I saw in a nearby town's park.

This tree is in the little town of Dundee.

Nearby along the old main street storefronts is a small door wedged in the wall.  It always catches my attention.

Knights of Pythias hall. 

When the rain lets up for a couple of days the help shows up without being told or asked.  He just decided that I needed my side yard mowed.

Many people asked about the oriole feeder.  I will say that it does attract them.

Sorry for the 2nd photo, but it is through the screen.  If I an outside it will land, scold me and fly away squawking at me the whole time. 

I spied this garden statue at the local feed store.  Going to the feed store is always fun.

This beauty is a about 3 foot tall.  His price tag is $130!

Kids on the farm always do interesting things.  I was walking back after picking the youngest up at the bus stop and spied this little vignette.

All the cars on the top rail of the goat pen racing from the movie Cars.

I will leave you with a chicken picture.  I looked out and I thought Oh no something got my chicken.  

Imagine my surprise when I see this and they are laying on the ground in a mud puddle?  I walked over and they are just basking in the sun!  The sit up, look at me like what's your problem?  Get up and walk away.

Life is always fun and interesting here. Now head over to LeeAnna's to see the other I Like Thursday posts.

I Like Thursday #64

Good morning and welcome to my I Like Thursday post #64.  Thank you LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color for encouraging and inspiring us to find something to like each week, because honestly I wouldn't post hardly ever if I didn't.  

I like my chickens they make me laugh, and smile.  I am not happy with them when I go out and they have dug out my planter pots to dust themselves in.  I was walking past the window and spied them in the small ditch that we have on our property to drain water into the large ditch in front of our home.

You can barely seem them as they walk through the ditch and the tall grass.  Like they are sneaking up on something.  What I don't think they even know. 

I like that the babies are large enough that I can let them out into their yard and they can't escape.  They are so funny.  The first day I opened the door to the yard they all stood in it, crowding each other.  Soon one would fall into the pen and panic and jump back in.  I still don't have many brave ones that venture into the yard.  

I like that I managed to keep my Japanese Maple alive through the winter.  I had one rose that didn't make it (I think someone stepped on it) playing on the berm.  

Yep my grass is tall, and full of dandelions.  I won't spray, I do go out and pull them occasionally.  We have had too many wet days, and so nothing can really get accomplished. 

I like my mother's day planter that was a gift from my mother and daughters.  

As well as 2 Rose of Sharon.  Now to dig them a hole and plant them. 

I like that my tulips finally started to bloom.  Took a long time.

I like surprises.  In the garden.

 I remember planting these before, they have somehow migrated to a different area outside of the flower bed.

Um the oak tree start is a surprise also but I have some Columbine too.  For a few years it was all over.  

I like the lineup of vintage autos even though they are all junkers at what used to be the local parts yard.  

I like my new lounge to enjoy the outdoors and a book when it isn't raining. 

A few years ago there was this weird lump in one of the trees at the very end of the branch.  Later on during the year that tiny branch broke off and I discovered it was an oriole's nest.  I then started to watch for them.  This year there is another nest way up, it has been there for 2 years now.  I was outside and this guy flew by me.

One of the ladies told me to get an oriole feeder.  It uses a jar of grape jelly.

In the couple of days that I have had it, I have watched a couple of orioles enjoying the treat.

I love that they have repaved my road.  Yes it was that bad with pot holes to the point where you had to practically drive down the center.  The problem is that people race up and down this road. I have a feeling it is going to get much worse now.  

Finally I like this series of books by Joanna Carl which takes place on the west coast of Michigan in a fictional town of Warner Pier.

Now head on over to LeeAnna's to see the other I like posts.

If I Finish Something....

If I finish something I can start something new?   But then I have so many WIP/UFO...Or maybe not.

I finished all the blocks for the scrappy trips for guild and am now sewing them together.  That can be considered an almost finish.

No this is not my layout.  I did change it up a bit so it flows a bit nicer.

My big finish though was the Color Crystals Quilt top.

I decided to use the pantry as a backdrop.  Lots of HST went into this quilt and the border.

I ordered an extra wide backing for it, so I hope to have it sandwiched soon and ready to quilt.

I got my bag lady block done for the month.  That is kind of a finish.  OK a mini finish.

I also managed to get a lot of charity quilts moved along for church.

Top one

Top 2.  This one was 10 X 10 so kind of big.  The two tops will go back to church to have batting and backing added.

I also finished 3 quilts for them.

Granted they are baby quilts but I have them ready for the ladies that tie.  So these 5 items my part in their making is finished. 

Last Thursday at guild there was a LQS owner that did a presentation on women and quilts in history.  It was very good, and of course she brought some goodies to purchase.

I saw these and knew they had to come home with me.

Speaking of guild we donate a quilt to the VFW ever year.  Someone grabbed one of my charity quilts and said they would enlarge it to donate.  Well, there is some apprehension by other members of the guild and I was coerced to purchase a pattern, and the necessary fabric from Missouri Star Quilt Company to make a quilt just in case. 

Of course if you look at their daily deals there are some other deals further down the page and I fell in love the with cherry fabric, but I will say I hate it when they rename a layer cake, jelly roll, charm squares and instead of ordering 2 jelly rolls I mistakenly ordered 2 layer cakes.  URGH!  Or course what I had in mind to make,  I needed 2 1/2 inch strips so back to Missouri Star to order the correct fabric.  While there I saw some fun batiks.

Not only did I get the 2 1/2 inch strips.  I got a free layer cake, and a book too!  Now to consider my project that I have been accumulating supplies for.....red white and blue or the fun purples, aquas and green batiks.  Oh the choices. 

I have decided to pick up on an old project and see if I can get it finished soon.  I have already started cutting the fabric.

The Sawtooth Square is my next project to finish up.  I think I need about 20 blocks which should go together pretty quickly.  Then to figure out what I am going to do for a border.  

My new start is going to be this.

I have the triangles on a roll, the pattern, the fabric.  It is a small project and will be fun to work on for a change.

Now if I could just move some of my quilting projects further along.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms, step moms, adoptive moms, pet mom and single parent dads that are moms too! 

May your day be filled with love, and remembrance for those whose mother's are no longer with us.