I Like Thursday #111

Welcome to my 111th I Like Thursday post.

I love my Ninja that I can use to make smoothies.  The kids have discovered smoothies so it is MIA a lot.  I decided that I would buy them one so that I can have mine back.

I was told that I spoil them.  I made a smoothie with fresh strawberries, bananas, some frozen peaches, honey Greek yogurt, some cream, and orange juice.  I have been eating my large meal around 2 pm but need something later in the evening.  This hits the spot.

I bought a puzzle board.  That way you can put it up when you want to use your table.  There are drawers in the side for sorting.

A new towel spied heading over to general merchandise at work.

I got this candle for Mother's Day.

Homesick candles are awesome.  Per their website:   Oregon

Like a breakfast in the great forests of Oregon, this fragrance is reminiscent of maple, pears, and roasted almonds layered over a complex base of fir needles, pine, sandalwood, and rich cedar.

Top Note: Fir Pine, Hazelnut, maple
Mid Note: Pear, Cedarwood, Sandalwood
Base Note: Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Musk

Homesick Candles 

I have not affiliation with Homesick Candles I just love their product.  

I think I forgot to share the pincushion I was gifted.  One of the older ladies at church was having problems with her sewing machine.  It was at the beginning of COVID.  We met and I took it out of her car and put it in my car.  Socially distancing.  

 It only took me 15 minutes to fix her machine.  As soon as I fixed it I returned it to her.  Wiping down the case and machine with Clorox Wipes as I left it on her porch.  She came out handed me a bag of what she said were egg cartons, and in it was a thank you note and the lovely strawberry.  

The kids had seen a video and loved it!  They thought for sure that I owned the movie Grease.  Unfortunately I didn't.  I do now!

Sometimes when you are having a hard day, sitting and watching a movie like this just makes you smile.  I will admit it is the first time I have turned a TV on in my house in about 6 months. 

I saw a reference to The Knife Angel when I was reading my Bible devotional one morning.  I went to look up the reference and found this article.

The Knife Angel

All I could think of when I saw it was that it evoked so many different emotions. 

My cousin shared this art initiative on the North Coast of California. 

Otter Initiative, you can read more about it. 

The books I have been enjoying this week are A Treacherous Trader the 4th installment of the

This is the 4th installment of the Antiques and Collectible Mysteries.  Molly has went to Vermont to make plans for her upcoming wedding which is to take place in 6 months.  A vintage wedding gown, missing jewelry and there are mysteries to be solved. 

The next book I am reading is Blackberry Burial a Berry Basket Mystery.  I love books that take place in fictional places in the state I live.  

Now head over to LeeAnna's at Not Afraid of Color to check out the other I Like Thursday posts. 

A Couple of Finishes

While I manage to post an I Like Thursday post weekly the last time I did a regular post was over a month ago. I shared some blocks from a Quarantine Mystery and a BOM from the LQS that fnished last year. 

The BOM from the LQS is called Kaleidoscope. I finished it and went to lay it out on the floor, I was too lazy to try to hang it up.

Do you know how hard it is to get a picture with fur babies around?

Sigh!  Let's try one more time. 

Finally a pic with out a dog on the quilt. 

The Quarantine Mystery Quilt was done by Gail Grassel of River's Edge Antiques and Quilts. 

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3

Block 4

Block 5

Block 6

Block 7

Block 8

Block 9

Block 10

My finished top!

I took the picture and realized that a block was wrong.  Didn't take too long to take it apart and fix that block so it is right now.

While working on this I have been working on my alternating blocks for my Tuesday sewing group BOM.

Once I am done with those I will sash and cornerstone all the blocks.  I think I have 6 more alternate blocks to make. 

I always say if I finish something I get to start something new.  But it also means I need to grab a UFO and start working on it.  Oh the choices.  I think I may grab the Seeing Stars quilt

Now to choose the new project! 

I Like Thursday #110

Welcome to my 110th installment of I Like Thursday.  I am kind of wondering where my week went.  Wednesdays seem to always be so crazy busy I have a hard time finding the time to sit and write a post.

Monday was my day off.  I wanted to work outside, we had torrential rains, to the point where there are several inches of water sitting on the ground.  I am thankful that I am far enough from the river and lake to avoid all the flooding that is occurring, and I feel bad for the people in Midland, Michigan where a couple of dams have been breached and they are experiencing extreme flooding.

What was amazing though is after these rains it is like the world exploded in color.

These are my lilacs from left to right, they are a light lavender, a dark purple, a medium purple, then white, and there is a rogue purple growing up in the middle of the white.  These bushes are over 100 years old.

The flowers are gorgeous and the scent is heavenly.

The chives are all budded up.

Last week my pear trees in my orchard were full of white blossoms.  All that remain are a few after the rain and wind.

But I think I may have some fruit this year.

The apple trees are loaded with blossoms too.

Apple blossoms are so lovely.

I have a prairie fire crab apple which I love the color, but the showstopper is when it blooms.

Jeff and I actually bought this tree together so to see it thrive brings me great happiness.

My flowering almond was bursting with blossoms this year, unfortunately I didn't get a photograph of it.

The little patch of wild strawberries is riotous with blossoms.

My chickens have been laying lots of eggs.  I thought this speckled one was interesting.

A girlfriend is looking to downsize from a huge home in Wyandotte to a small apartment, she doesn't want all the yard work, and home maintenance anymore.  She knows I love rocks and she brought me her Petostsky Stone.

 I had a rough week with losses of a friend and a family member. Hazel is a cousin I am related to on my father's side of the family.  I wrote about visiting here in 2018 in my post Waiting. A month or so ago she became ill, and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia caused by aspiration.  Hazel just didn't respond to the antibiotics and the decision to put her into hospice was made last week.  May 16th, she passed away. 

The friend was a man that was very dear to Jeff.  He was Jeff's spiritual mentor and good friend, sharing his faith.  Uncle Mick passed away on May 16th also.  Granted both of these people were fortunate to live many years, but in losing them I felt like I lost some connections to my father, and to Jeff.  Remember I said Monday we had torrential rains?  I was ironing watching the rain pour down when I heard a thump on the window in front of me.  I looked up and a cardinal was there, hanging on the screen.  By the time I got my phone and tried to focus he had flew up to the tree.

The cardinal and a female, I am going to assume they are a mated pair, have taken up residence in my field.   They say a cardinal is a sign of angels watching over and protecting you, but also providing inspiration. 

With the COVID virus at work we are required to wear a face mask at all times.  Unfortunately we have some people that refuse.  Which means that a couple of us have been pushed outside of our comfort zone.  Like learning how to decorate cakes. 

This was my practice cake I made at home, learning how to do roses.   I was told that I do pretty well, I just need more practice. 

I spied this towel at work the other day in a weird spot. 

Isn't this a great sentiment? 

The kittens are getting big, they are one month old today.  Since they were getting close to being able to escape from their box the kids decided maybe a pool would be a better container.  I get a kick out of them wrestling.

A friend sent me this video and I just had to share.

Finally my books for the week are The Chocolate Snowman Murders byJoAnna Carl this is the 8th

installment in The Chocoholic Mystery which takes place in on the west coast of Michigan in the fictional resort town of Warner Pier. 

Prologue to Murder is the 2nd installment of the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery by Lauren Elliot featuring Addie Grayborne in the fictional town of Grayborne Harbor, Massachusetts.

Now head over to LeeAnna's at Not Afraid of Color and check out the other I Like Thursday posts.   

I Like Thursday #109

Welcome to my 109th post of I Like Thursday.

We have had some cold days, but I loved a short walk around my yard.  Since I let my chickens free range I was worried if I would have any flowers left.

Leconium Gigantum also known as a giant snowdrop.  I love the little green dots at the edge of the petals.

I had a couple of purple tulips bloom.

The Lamium is blooming already.  I need to figure out how to keep the chickens out of my flower beds so that it can have a chance to spread.

The bleeding heart that I planted last year returned.  I hope it takes off and gets larger.  I had transplanted one I found under a bush when I first moved in years ago.  It did alright but the past couple of years it struggled, and I think finally died.

I saw this bag of M & M's at the store.  Made me smile.

The kittens are now 3 weeks old.  One has a slight eye infection so she gets an eye wash a couple of times a day.  I was told her name is Tangiers.

One of her sisters is obviously an aspiring model.

Isn't she just too adorable?

I had a bookcase that was sitting still in a box and finally decided what I would do with it.  The middle boy came over, and I am so freaking impressed with him.  He managed to put it completely together, with power tools in about 15 minutes.  I asked him if he needed the instructions....in true male fashion, nah I got this, it is a basic build.  He did it and didn't make one mistake.

Into the sewing room to hold some kits, and my hoard of Bonnie and Camille fabrics which I have been using in 2 separate quilts.

Have you been wearing a face mask?  Work provides them, and I have one I made, and some others in the making.  Ever wonder if wearing a face mask may become the new fashion?  One to match your moods?  Anyway, the downside to a mask, especially for me at work, because I am in and out of freezers, and the dish room which is hot and humid, my glasses are constantly fogged up.  Jeff used to swear by a wax called Zooke.  I found the one he had stashed, um it was empty.  So I ordered some from Amazon, but I was not going to receive it until June.  I read somewhere that shaving cream would work.

You take the shaving cream, wipe it on your lenses, and rub it in using a microfiber clothe.  I will say it takes a wee bit of work, but it helped greatly and I spent one day almost 5 hours in the freezer restacking pallets to pull our product out.

The Zooke's arrived.  It is actually used by divers to keep their face masks clear.

I tried it.  Worked too, but has about the same effectiveness as the shaving cream.  The shaving cream is much cheaper though.

Finally my books of the week are by Molly MacRae.

Plaid and Plagiarism.  Janet Marsh, her daughter Natalie (Tally), Christine, and Summer have purchased Yon Bonnie Books.  A bookshop, tea room, and bed and breakfast, the 4 women have left their lives in America to live their "what if".  I will say that the book made me laugh quite often.  I am currently reading the 2nd installment titled Scones and Scoundrels.

Thank you LeeAnna for encouraging us to find things we like, and share them with others.  Now head over to LeeAnna's at Not Afraid of Color to check out the other I Like posts.