This and That

This seems to be the summer of critters.  We are having problems with everything from bears to ants.  Our neighbour had their composter tore apart on Monday so now all our men folk are keeping their rifles handy.  Doesn't that sound like something from the pilgrim days?  On the other end of the pest scale, ants have been finding their way into our house.  We have plugged holes and put down toxic killers without complete success.  There does seem to be less of them so perhaps we are winning that war.
All of this, of course, is better than having a drug lab next door or hordes of all night revellers.
I am still working on the wedding quilts. One is ready for the top stitching and the other is almost ready to have the blocks sewn together.  Yesterday, I decided I didn't like the layout that I had planned on using so spent a lot of time on EQ figuring out another.  This is a log cabin pattern so layout styles are almost endless.
I think I have an idea for our 25 member celebration (we now have 26).  I still have some work to do on it but will tell you that it will probably be a table runner/wall hanging with a Christmas theme.  Stay tuned.
And now back to the sewing machine.
Blessings.

A New Milestone

This little blog now has 25 followers.  I never thought when I started  last year that there would be so many people who would find my thoughts interesting enough to read.  I hope, in addition to sharing my world, that you have also enjoyed the patterns.  Thank you for sticking with me as I learn how to post blocks and patterns in a format that is easy to understand and use.  I am still going through the learning process but, hopefully, I am improving each week.
I appreciate, also, those of you who take time to share your comments.  They have frequently come at a time when I have felt discouraged.
And now, I would like to do something tangible to show my appreciation.  I would love to take you all on a cruise or, at least give you gift certificates but, as like you, finances often dictate actions, I will have to think more modestly.  I didn't expect to reach this goal so quickly so I will have to give myself some time to come up with something.  I will set myself the goal of Friday to make the announcement and Tuesday to post it.
And now to other stuff:  My thoughts have been with you who live in the Prairie provinces as you go through all the weather related challenges.
We are expecting thunder storms here in the backwood and it feels and looks as though we should be getting them soon.  The air (as my mother would say) feels close.
My thoughts are also with my sister and her husband as they are now enroute from England to Toronto.  We are not happy fliers in our family yet still seem to do it frequently.  I am looking forward to spending some time with Helen and Gra on Saturday along with  her son and daughter in law and their children.  I am hoping that our brother and his wife will also be able to join us.  When your family is so scattered, even a small gathering is wonderful. Do you have a family member you haven't spoken to recently?  This might be a good time to have a chat.
Blessings

A Great Bargain

Yesterday seems to have got away on me.  I went to Huntsville in the morning to get groceries and take advantage of a fabric sale.  I got some great bargains on both so that made for a happy trip.Got home, unpacked and then didn't do anything for the rest of the day.
I hadn't slept well the night before as Heidi was still nervous about the bear which meant she kept me awake. She seems to be settling down now so perhaps we are back to normal.
I am really pleased with the bargain on got on batting.  I needed quite a bit as I have 2 kings, a queen and a double that I am doing.  Everything was on half price so it was a good day to shop.
I found some 124 inch wide batting that normally cost $35.00 a meter on special at $15.00.  I was thrilled with that but, as the clerk was measuring it out, we noticed a lot of dirty spots.  She talked to the manager and I ended up getting it for 75% off plus and extra couple of meters.  I was, needless to say, thrilled.
I am pretty sure the spots will wash out and, if necessary, I can always cut that bit out and patch in a clean bit.
We now have 24 followers.  One more and I will come up with something special for you.
Blessings

Things that go Bump in the Night

We had a relaxing day yesterday going for a drive through Algonquin Prov. Park.  The weather was nice and we stopped at various points to enjoy the scenery, have lunch or just sit.  We hadn't used our camper since moving to the backwoods and, as my sister is going to be using it for her Canadian tour, we thought this would be a good time to make sure everything worked.  Although my husband and I have both driven full sized buses, it still took a bit of time getting used to the camper.  It isn't much longer than a car but definately higher and definately different steering.  Despite its age, it ran well and had enough pep to climb steep hills or pass slower traffic.
We didn't see a lot of wildlife on our trip except for a cow moose that was on the side of the road and ignoring the staring, pointing humans and clicking cameras.
Our personal brush with wildlife came much later.
Sometime after we had gone to bed, I woke to hear the dog barking and my husband yelling at something to 'scram'.  Apparently, a black bear had been attracted by the smell of the clover that surrounds our home and had wandered over to inspect it.  He/she wasn't much bothered by the commotion it created but did eventually stroll away.
I was rather disappointed that I hadn't got to see it but I think I can live with that.
A visitor of a much different size was at the hummingbird feeder this morning.  Nature sure does come in various packages.
Blessings

June BOM

Today's block is called Patience Corners.  It is well named.  While it is one of my favourites and I have used it a number of times, it still takes concentration to get it right.

You will need 4 fabrics' three of them should be a light, medium and dark of one colour and the other a co-ordinating print.

  The rest of the instructions are shown as a scanned page.  Please let me know if you have trouble accessing or reading them.


Sorry they didn't get printed in the correct order.
Enjoy.
Blessings

Spring Babies

 I hope you like the blogs new look.  Blogger offered some new options so I thought I would try this one out.
If you have been out in the country lately, you will have seen unmistakable signs of new life.  Calves and colts, lambs, kids and even baby bison frolic in the fields.
We have our own little ones.  Throughout the day, a family of ducks can been seen crossing our driveway to and from the little pond.  We think they are living in a brush pile that we left.  My husband has periodically mentioned burning it but I said that there are probably rabbits and other wildlife living in it.  Never thought of ducks. We will have to erect a 'duck crossing' sign.
Now that our clover is in flower, it is literally humming with bees.  Yellow swallowtale butterflies add their colour to the pink and green.
We have a male turkey with a couple of hens who frequent the area and we should be seeing some baby gobblers soon.
It is rather humid today.  My husband is working on the area where the garage is to be built and I am getting ready to go to quilt group.
Tomorrow, I will post the first Block of the Month.
Blessings

Pets and Vacations

It is a lovely morning here in the backwoods.  The sun is shining and there is no indication of rain.  I am getting the rest of the laundry done so I can hang it out.  I did a little yesterday and it did dry but I was on alert all day. This is certainly the time of year for holidays.  Both of my sisters are coming from England for a visit-one in June the other July.  A lady in our quilt group is on a cruise and we expect her back soon.  A number of my virtual friends are also cruising, camping and travelling.  All of them, as far as I know, have left their pets at home. Others like my husband and I have tried including their furry family members in their plans.
 Lori, a follower of this blog, shared a pet adventure that she and her husband experienced.  They had taken their adorable calico cat, Missy with them in their motorhome.  It got cool through the night and the furnace came on startling poor Missy who, in full panic mode, jumped onto Lori's husband.  As sleep didn't seem to be an option, they came home.  Missy now has her own little sleep area in the motorhome which seems to have solved the problem.
We took our cat, Tascha with us on holidays once when she was a kitten.  She loved being in the vehicle and, in fact, often went with me for drives.  However, this was rather a long trip and poor Tascha began to feel the effects of motion sickness.  She curled up on the floor by my feet and just drooled buckets of foam.  She never did get over that so we had to leave her at home when we travelled any distance.  I realize now that I could have given her something to help.
My friend, Tara, did give her two cats some medication to help on a trip but they fought it off until they were back home where they promptly fell asleep.
Just goes to prove, that pets, like children are just going to be themselves.
Blessings