Interesting...larger-scale, cleaner looks for these quilts, don't you think?
Winning quilts from this conference are here. Enjoy.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Quilt.con - What's All This About?
Take a look at this short about the Modern Quilt Guild. This conference was recently held in Austin, TX.
Interesting...larger-scale, cleaner looks for these quilts, don't you think?
Winning quilts from this conference are here. Enjoy.
Interesting...larger-scale, cleaner looks for these quilts, don't you think?
Winning quilts from this conference are here. Enjoy.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Memorial Day -- And Fenceposts
Monday laziness...except we have 9 fenceposts for the chicken yard that need to be anchored with concrete. The 3-foot-deep holes are already dug -- a miracle, in this dry rocky area. (Lesson learned: don't kill your back - hire a teenager. Thanks, Jake.) Each post will take five 60-pound bags of concrete, mixed with water in the wheelbarrow and poured into the hole. Yep, you're reading that right: 300 pounds of wet, sloppy concrete -- and we have to do it nine times. Oh goody.
While we're shoveling:
Don't forget -- this weekend is the time for remembering our armed service members, and the many ways they've sacrificed for us. We can never forget: we owe them too much.
A surprising conclusion about the 'randomness' of prime numbers -- this breakthrough, along with some other recent discoveries, is changing the world of mathematics big-time.
The Russian 'space ark' just landed . Some of the creatures lived. (Half the mice, some of the newts.) Some did not. (The other half of the mice and all the gerbils. Don't take gerbils as a pet if you're transferring to a space station.)
All of the lizards did just fine. Does this mean that "V" is true??
Don't ignore what you need to deal with! Debt Princess makes this abundantly clear, especially with credit card companies.
Ten Very Weird archeological discoveries. Horned human skulls? Clay dinosaur figures, dating from c.2500 b.c.? Some puzzling stuff on this site, as well as...
Ten people who disappeared for years..and turned up alive. Including a guy who wrote a New York Times bestseller on his experience inside the British Special Forces. (He didn't, but it made for good reading, anyways.)
One of my college friends had a sister disappear from the law firm where she worked. She'd had dreams of being abducted beforehand, which makes it even stranger. (See the Unsolved Mysteries mention of her case here.) That's apparently just what happened, but no body was ever found, nor was anyone convicted. Cindy Anderson, where are you?
Did you know that the Donald has filed bankruptcy FOUR times? Other penniless celebs are listed in this interesting slideshow.
Maybe Trump just needs to pinch pennies like Warren Buffett. Dozens of tips here based on the Great One's basic habits.
Speaking of debt, the slow-down effect student debt has had on one generation's plans and spending habits.
Navy dolphins find a rare late 19th century torpedo. Off the coast of Coronado, CA.
Oven-baked tacos. Cheap, easy, fast. (Thanks for sharing, Mommy I'm Hungry. Some other good recipes on this blog, as well.)
A beautiful gold-leaf serving tray, made from a $2 Goodwill buy. How-tos included...thanks, Design OCD.
Doing what you love...or what brings in the money? Making Sense of Cents tussles over the issue.
Forty-three helpful app tools for businesspeople...small and otherwise. Good stuff here - and much of it is free.
Investing in the stock market...scary even in the best of times. Well, yeah, Financial Samurai, but you're bringing out some excellent advice on investing, even while you pooh-pooh it. And of course:
Scientists think they've isolated the blight that caused much of the suffering during the Irish Potato Famine. They call it HERB 1, and say it's 'probably' extinct -- I call it dangerous.
One interesting way to stop bullying -- with fashion.
And one of the loveliest voice mixes ever...you'll recognize this from O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Have a great week.
While we're shoveling:
Don't forget -- this weekend is the time for remembering our armed service members, and the many ways they've sacrificed for us. We can never forget: we owe them too much.
A surprising conclusion about the 'randomness' of prime numbers -- this breakthrough, along with some other recent discoveries, is changing the world of mathematics big-time.
The Russian 'space ark' just landed . Some of the creatures lived. (Half the mice, some of the newts.) Some did not. (The other half of the mice and all the gerbils. Don't take gerbils as a pet if you're transferring to a space station.)
All of the lizards did just fine. Does this mean that "V" is true??
Don't ignore what you need to deal with! Debt Princess makes this abundantly clear, especially with credit card companies.
Ten Very Weird archeological discoveries. Horned human skulls? Clay dinosaur figures, dating from c.2500 b.c.? Some puzzling stuff on this site, as well as...
Ten people who disappeared for years..and turned up alive. Including a guy who wrote a New York Times bestseller on his experience inside the British Special Forces. (He didn't, but it made for good reading, anyways.)
One of my college friends had a sister disappear from the law firm where she worked. She'd had dreams of being abducted beforehand, which makes it even stranger. (See the Unsolved Mysteries mention of her case here.) That's apparently just what happened, but no body was ever found, nor was anyone convicted. Cindy Anderson, where are you?
Did you know that the Donald has filed bankruptcy FOUR times? Other penniless celebs are listed in this interesting slideshow.
Maybe Trump just needs to pinch pennies like Warren Buffett. Dozens of tips here based on the Great One's basic habits.
Speaking of debt, the slow-down effect student debt has had on one generation's plans and spending habits.
Navy dolphins find a rare late 19th century torpedo. Off the coast of Coronado, CA.
Oven-baked tacos. Cheap, easy, fast. (Thanks for sharing, Mommy I'm Hungry. Some other good recipes on this blog, as well.)
A beautiful gold-leaf serving tray, made from a $2 Goodwill buy. How-tos included...thanks, Design OCD.
Doing what you love...or what brings in the money? Making Sense of Cents tussles over the issue.
Forty-three helpful app tools for businesspeople...small and otherwise. Good stuff here - and much of it is free.
Investing in the stock market...scary even in the best of times. Well, yeah, Financial Samurai, but you're bringing out some excellent advice on investing, even while you pooh-pooh it. And of course:
Scientists think they've isolated the blight that caused much of the suffering during the Irish Potato Famine. They call it HERB 1, and say it's 'probably' extinct -- I call it dangerous.
One interesting way to stop bullying -- with fashion.
And one of the loveliest voice mixes ever...you'll recognize this from O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Have a great week.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Happy Memorial Day
...remembering those who gave of themselves in so many ways, so we could remain free.
Happy Memorial Day
And to those who've served (including Husband Dave, his father, both Dave's brothers, my dad)...
Thank you.
Happy Memorial Day
And to those who've served (including Husband Dave, his father, both Dave's brothers, my dad)...
Thank you.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Memorial Day Weekend Projects
Apartment Therapy just posted 10 'weekend DIYs' that use wood molding. These range from kitchen cabinets to a fascinating mantel makeover (Domaine):
The bifold closet doors from DIY Design are just spiffy:
These book ledges (from And Then There Was Home) are just what I'm thinking of for the large basement room downstairs:
Instructions are included for each of these projects.
...not that you have anything else to do, right?
* * * * *
Maybe it's all the racket that prompting this interest for me. We have a full complement banging away at the roof right now. Troy from Pay It Forward Services is our contractor, and has been organizing everything. (He's great, by the way. If you need an honest contractor who will go out of the way to give you the best price, using good materials, he's your man. He takes time to explain things out, too -- not that important for the Brick who, being an engineer, understands most of the layout. But for an English major like me, it's critical.)
Three guys replacing shingles. Two working on putting in skylights. (Ours were trashed at the same time the June hailstorm took out the roof.) One supervising.
So far, we've dealt with electrical lines in the wrong place (just repositioned the skylights); a dumpster too far over for the roofers to throw shingles in it (the company moved it); and the need to re-deck the entire roof before shingling. (Last year, Castle Rock just passed a new code that said roofing boards couldn't be any further apart than 1/8". Needless to say, ours are. An extra $2500 on the final roof price, at the very least. No choice on this, Troy says.)
Footsteps. Huge somethings sliding off the backside of the roof. (Shingles, I presume. No screaming yet.) Hammering and saws. (Ditto.) The dogs have stopped looking alarmed at every bang or crash, though they jump a bit at the big ones.
The chickens are hiding in the furthest corner of the yard. (They come out at lunchtime and check out the guys' equipment. If you need a spy, hire a chicken.) The dogs, especially Abby, are staying close to my feet, occasionally going to peer out the back deck door.
And I am teaching myself not to wince every time Troy strolls in and announces, "We've got a problem..."
The roof and skylights should be done by Tuesday. (They'll take off for the weekend.) After that: the windows. Oh boy.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Investing...A Few Coins At A Time
I wrote a post last week on investing in gold and silver for my 'other' boss (Joe at Retire By 40).
Are you interested in increasing your investment portfolio, a little at a time?
Try buying coins.
The cheapest, of course, is silver. And part of that is the 'melt' price, something you can find at Coinflation.com . Precious metals are valued by the ounce...and gold is a heck of a lot higher. Currently, it's running about $1400 an ounce, versus silver, at a much more reasonable $25 or so.
Why the big contrast in pricing? Thank Grover Cleveland for that - he put the gold standard into law back in the 19th century. The U.S.'s money was backed by gold, instead of silver -- which meant that silver prices dropped like a rock. The move bankrupted many people, especially out West, who had staked their fortunes on silver, instead of gold. (If you'd like to learn more about this, try my book Quilts of the Golden West. It's got a lot of history about the Gold and Silver Rushes, financial panics and other tidbits about pioneer life. Oh yes, and several quilt patterns. Go here for more. (Mention this blog, and we'll even give you a $5 discount on the price. More bucks to buy coins!)
If you want to invest in gold coins -- the easiest way to do it, since ingots are very heavy -- there are several out there to choose from, including South Africa Krugerrands, Canadian Maple Leafs and U.S. Golden Eagles. These coins weigh an ounce each, and are currently selling for $1400-1700 each. More gold options are here.
The easier way, though, is to consider silver coins -- their price lets you buy a little at a time and balance out any changes in the market. Junk silver is what you want — half dollars, quarters and dimes minted in or before 1964, when coins were still 90% silver. (The term “junk,” by the way, refers to the coins’ value as a source of bullion. They’re generally not collectible for other reasons.) These cover Kennedy half dollars, Washington quarters and Mercury and Roosevelt dimes — and, if you’re ok with less silver content (40%, vs 90%), Kennedy half dollars from 1965-70.
Not only are they more affordable for the average person -- they can also be used as legal tender, if it comes to that. (Gold pieces, on the other hand, will be much more difficult to exchange.) You'll find these coins in rolls and bags on Ebay and elsewhere; prices will vary, especially if you're looking for coins in mint condition. (More silver options here, as well as here.)
Buying a few coins, even if you only do it every now and then, expands your portfolio and gives you added options. And in the long run, it helps. In the past 30 years, gold and silver prices have gone up and down somewhat, but they've generally gone up -- and stayed there.
I bought a handful of Morgan silver dollars some years ago for $8 each. They're now in the neighborhood of $37-49 each. Oh, that my other investments were showing a 400% or higher profit!
Are you interested in increasing your investment portfolio, a little at a time?
Try buying coins.
The cheapest, of course, is silver. And part of that is the 'melt' price, something you can find at Coinflation.com . Precious metals are valued by the ounce...and gold is a heck of a lot higher. Currently, it's running about $1400 an ounce, versus silver, at a much more reasonable $25 or so.
Why the big contrast in pricing? Thank Grover Cleveland for that - he put the gold standard into law back in the 19th century. The U.S.'s money was backed by gold, instead of silver -- which meant that silver prices dropped like a rock. The move bankrupted many people, especially out West, who had staked their fortunes on silver, instead of gold. (If you'd like to learn more about this, try my book Quilts of the Golden West. It's got a lot of history about the Gold and Silver Rushes, financial panics and other tidbits about pioneer life. Oh yes, and several quilt patterns. Go here for more. (Mention this blog, and we'll even give you a $5 discount on the price. More bucks to buy coins!)
The easier way, though, is to consider silver coins -- their price lets you buy a little at a time and balance out any changes in the market. Junk silver is what you want — half dollars, quarters and dimes minted in or before 1964, when coins were still 90% silver. (The term “junk,” by the way, refers to the coins’ value as a source of bullion. They’re generally not collectible for other reasons.) These cover Kennedy half dollars, Washington quarters and Mercury and Roosevelt dimes — and, if you’re ok with less silver content (40%, vs 90%), Kennedy half dollars from 1965-70.
Not only are they more affordable for the average person -- they can also be used as legal tender, if it comes to that. (Gold pieces, on the other hand, will be much more difficult to exchange.) You'll find these coins in rolls and bags on Ebay and elsewhere; prices will vary, especially if you're looking for coins in mint condition. (More silver options here, as well as here.)
Buying a few coins, even if you only do it every now and then, expands your portfolio and gives you added options. And in the long run, it helps. In the past 30 years, gold and silver prices have gone up and down somewhat, but they've generally gone up -- and stayed there.
I bought a handful of Morgan silver dollars some years ago for $8 each. They're now in the neighborhood of $37-49 each. Oh, that my other investments were showing a 400% or higher profit!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
A Three-Minute Trip to Chicago
JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound...ever heard of this group?
They're (JC specifically) from sweet home Chicago. Love that 'big band' sound, especially the trombone.
Get ready to boogie with his "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart:"
(an interview with JC Brooks here.)
They're (JC specifically) from sweet home Chicago. Love that 'big band' sound, especially the trombone.
Get ready to boogie with his "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart:"
(an interview with JC Brooks here.)
Tornadoes and a Miracle...Moore, Oklahoma
While you're saying a little prayer for Libby Lehman's progress, add one in for Moore, OK.
Dozens of people killed -- incredible damage done in just a few minutes.
And at least one amazing event: a survivor reunited with her dog, on camera. (Watch the full report on her here, if you can - it's just a few minutes longer, and gives you a clearer picture of what it was like for this dear lady.)
and more about the general situation here:
Amazing.
Update: You might enjoy this slide show of rescued animals during tornadoes and hurricanes.
Dozens of people killed -- incredible damage done in just a few minutes.
And at least one amazing event: a survivor reunited with her dog, on camera. (Watch the full report on her here, if you can - it's just a few minutes longer, and gives you a clearer picture of what it was like for this dear lady.)
and more about the general situation here:
Amazing.
Update: You might enjoy this slide show of rescued animals during tornadoes and hurricanes.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Loving Spring. Or Is It Summer?
Lots of digging in the garden awaits this week. That's not a chore -- I really enjoy the clean smell of fresh dirt, and the hens are thrilled with an earthworm snack now and then. It's a pleasure, knowing the fresh veggies that will soon be coming.
We seem to have gone straight from spring into early summer, here in Colorado. The trees are suddenly bursting into leaf, when a week ago, they still looked like brown sticks. Sadly, most of our spring blossoms were killed by record-setting low temperatures last month. Our peach trees, for example, won't be producing anything, for the second year in a row. But at least everything looks (sort of) healthy.
I have a great job this afternoon, scrubbing down the back stairs. I'd planned on ripping up the old carpet and getting rid of it in the dumpster. (Delivered this morning for the roofing guys.) But the task became even more insistent after a Sam's Club-sized bottle of maple syrup fell off a shelf, bumped all the way down, and smashed at the bottom of the stairs. YUCK.
It is no fun to smell like maple syrup. Every bear in the county must be mentally checklisting our house for a future visit. Not to mention the ants.
While I'm scrubbing (sooo looking forward to it), you really should do something else -- like checking out these goodies from the Internet.
Dyeing your own sandals. (Wow, these are pretty, R&R Workshop. Easy, too!)
What if your plane went down...and you were the only one who lived? What would it feel like? A new documentary out, "Sole Survivor," follows the lives of several people who had this happen to them.
Did you know that George Clooney's related to Abraham Lincoln? Ancestry.com opens up its files on Honest Abe, including several unusual documents and correspondence. (Take a look.)
An easy app to check out current yard and estate sales in your neighborhood. The list starts with Craigslist, but you can add other sites. Not only does the 'Yard Sale Treasure Map' give you locations, but it plots them on a map for simpler driving. How easy can you get!
Free Redbox rentals, whenever you want. (Thanks, Andy at Tight Fisted Miser.)
Some great present-less parties to celebrate a kid's birthday. From Man vs. Debt. (two words: 'potluck' and 'byo.')
Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman have changed some of their favorite tunes. Basic melody's the same, but there are definitely some new notes and variations. Is it a good change, though? Man vs. Debt also has a very interesting discussion on this.
Zombie debt. Yes I Am Cheap's approach to this subject.
What Wayne Brady has to say about Bill Maher's pronouncement of him (Brady) not really being black. In a silly way, this is amusing -- if you're not Wayne Brady, or someone else who takes pride in their culture. Maybe Maher's counting on that. (Not to mention the extra publicity for acting like the class idiot.)
And yours truly's posts elsewhere --
Investing in Gold and Silver (Retire by 40)
Five Ways to Hedge Your Bets -- financial and family ones, that is. (Midlife Finance)
And life goes on. Have a good week.
We seem to have gone straight from spring into early summer, here in Colorado. The trees are suddenly bursting into leaf, when a week ago, they still looked like brown sticks. Sadly, most of our spring blossoms were killed by record-setting low temperatures last month. Our peach trees, for example, won't be producing anything, for the second year in a row. But at least everything looks (sort of) healthy.
I have a great job this afternoon, scrubbing down the back stairs. I'd planned on ripping up the old carpet and getting rid of it in the dumpster. (Delivered this morning for the roofing guys.) But the task became even more insistent after a Sam's Club-sized bottle of maple syrup fell off a shelf, bumped all the way down, and smashed at the bottom of the stairs. YUCK.
It is no fun to smell like maple syrup. Every bear in the county must be mentally checklisting our house for a future visit. Not to mention the ants.
While I'm scrubbing (sooo looking forward to it), you really should do something else -- like checking out these goodies from the Internet.
Dyeing your own sandals. (Wow, these are pretty, R&R Workshop. Easy, too!)
What if your plane went down...and you were the only one who lived? What would it feel like? A new documentary out, "Sole Survivor," follows the lives of several people who had this happen to them.
Did you know that George Clooney's related to Abraham Lincoln? Ancestry.com opens up its files on Honest Abe, including several unusual documents and correspondence. (Take a look.)
 |
| Our Martyred President- photo from Wikipedia |
Free Redbox rentals, whenever you want. (Thanks, Andy at Tight Fisted Miser.)
Some great present-less parties to celebrate a kid's birthday. From Man vs. Debt. (two words: 'potluck' and 'byo.')
Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman have changed some of their favorite tunes. Basic melody's the same, but there are definitely some new notes and variations. Is it a good change, though? Man vs. Debt also has a very interesting discussion on this.
Zombie debt. Yes I Am Cheap's approach to this subject.
What Wayne Brady has to say about Bill Maher's pronouncement of him (Brady) not really being black. In a silly way, this is amusing -- if you're not Wayne Brady, or someone else who takes pride in their culture. Maybe Maher's counting on that. (Not to mention the extra publicity for acting like the class idiot.)
And yours truly's posts elsewhere --
Investing in Gold and Silver (Retire by 40)
Five Ways to Hedge Your Bets -- financial and family ones, that is. (Midlife Finance)
And life goes on. Have a good week.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Act of Valor
The Brick and I just saw this amazing 2012 movie.
The actors in Act of Valor are real military, and the incidents are based on real events. One particularly moved us -- that of Michael Mansoor. Mansoor, a Navy SEAL on duty in Iraq in 2006, threw himself on a grenade, protecting his fellow soldiers. He died 30 minutes later.
Mansoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by George W. Bush, who attended his funeral. From Wikipedia:
As the coffin was moving from the hearse to the grave site, Navy SEALs were lined up forming a column of twos on both sides of the pallbearers route, with the coffin moving up the center. As the coffin passed each SEAL, they slapped down the gold Trident each had removed from his own uniform and deeply embedded it into the wooden coffin. For nearly 30 minutes the slaps were audible from across the cemetery as nearly every SEAL on the west coast repeated the ceremony.[8]
Bush later said, "When it was all over, the simple wooden coffin had become a gold-plated memorial to a hero who will never be forgotten.” Mansoor's parents later accepted the award on their son's behalf.
Such bravery from these soldiers, who risk themselves every day on our behalf, deserves our grateful thanks, not only around Memorial Day...but every day.
The actors in Act of Valor are real military, and the incidents are based on real events. One particularly moved us -- that of Michael Mansoor. Mansoor, a Navy SEAL on duty in Iraq in 2006, threw himself on a grenade, protecting his fellow soldiers. He died 30 minutes later.
Mansoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by George W. Bush, who attended his funeral. From Wikipedia:
As the coffin was moving from the hearse to the grave site, Navy SEALs were lined up forming a column of twos on both sides of the pallbearers route, with the coffin moving up the center. As the coffin passed each SEAL, they slapped down the gold Trident each had removed from his own uniform and deeply embedded it into the wooden coffin. For nearly 30 minutes the slaps were audible from across the cemetery as nearly every SEAL on the west coast repeated the ceremony.[8]
Bush later said, "When it was all over, the simple wooden coffin had become a gold-plated memorial to a hero who will never be forgotten.” Mansoor's parents later accepted the award on their son's behalf.
Such bravery from these soldiers, who risk themselves every day on our behalf, deserves our grateful thanks, not only around Memorial Day...but every day.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
A Lace Wire Fence?
Yes, and it's beautiful.
Check out these photos of the Hackney House in London.
Or go here for the whole shebang, photo-wise.
More about the Hackney House here.
Check out these photos of the Hackney House in London.
Or go here for the whole shebang, photo-wise.
More about the Hackney House here.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Strange Discoveries
These are weird...
A diver, missing since 1999, is found more than two hundred feet down in Lake Michigan, his body still clad in a diving suit. (Sources say the water's so cold "it's like a refrigerator down there.")
I would have thought this was an anomaly, but here's a video on a Lake Tahoe diver, found two decades after their disappearance. (Guess the fish weren't hungry.)
A Chicana author, Barbara Salinas-Norman, is found among the trash in her Santa Fe condo -- a year after her death. One of her relatives got worried because he hadn't heard from her in a while...
This isn't the first time something like this has happened.
(Or this one - the poor woman was found in a large cupboard in her son's house!)
Shades of Richard the Third, indeed.
A diver, missing since 1999, is found more than two hundred feet down in Lake Michigan, his body still clad in a diving suit. (Sources say the water's so cold "it's like a refrigerator down there.")
I would have thought this was an anomaly, but here's a video on a Lake Tahoe diver, found two decades after their disappearance. (Guess the fish weren't hungry.)
A Chicana author, Barbara Salinas-Norman, is found among the trash in her Santa Fe condo -- a year after her death. One of her relatives got worried because he hadn't heard from her in a while...
This isn't the first time something like this has happened.
(Or this one - the poor woman was found in a large cupboard in her son's house!)
Shades of Richard the Third, indeed.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Plantin' and Readin'
Lovely, warm sun -- and the ground's had a good dampening. Our neighbor built the wood frame for two raised beds, which will help protect the vegetables as they come up. (Hopefully we'll have the chicken yard fenced in a few weeks, but this will give us some breathing room. Those darn chickens scratch up everything they can get their claws on.)
I opened up the little coop for the babies to run around -- they tore out, panicked and promptly rushed back into the coop! Now they'll come out, but won't stray too far. Silly chickies.
Things are looking tidier. I still have things to do, but don't have that sense of pressure I've been dealing with for weeks. Thankfully. Meanwhile, on the Internet:
Food on credit - my story. From Our New Life in the Country.
Taking photos featuring sparklers. Not only good news for photos on the Fourth -- but some good design ideas here. (From Cleverly Inspired.)
An easy bacon-mushroom quiche, also from Cleverly Inspired.
And in keeping with that recipe, an 105-year-old woman who attributes her longevity to bacon! (Hey, I'm all for it.)
Overwhelmed and eliminating it. A great series on figuring out what you really want, step by step. Take some time to read all of the posts. (From Daily Money Shot.)
The girls that were rescued after their years of imprisonment? A 'famous' psychic made a very public prediction about one of the girls...that turned out to be quite wrong. Turns out she's been doing this for decades, and hurting a lot of people in the process. Hmmm.
"I love bacon, I eat it everyday.
I don't feel as old as I am, that's all I can say."
Pearl Cantrell, celebrating her 105th birthday
I'm so glad spring finally seems to be here...out to dig in that wonderful dirt.
I opened up the little coop for the babies to run around -- they tore out, panicked and promptly rushed back into the coop! Now they'll come out, but won't stray too far. Silly chickies.
Things are looking tidier. I still have things to do, but don't have that sense of pressure I've been dealing with for weeks. Thankfully. Meanwhile, on the Internet:
Food on credit - my story. From Our New Life in the Country.
Taking photos featuring sparklers. Not only good news for photos on the Fourth -- but some good design ideas here. (From Cleverly Inspired.)
An easy bacon-mushroom quiche, also from Cleverly Inspired.
And in keeping with that recipe, an 105-year-old woman who attributes her longevity to bacon! (Hey, I'm all for it.)
Overwhelmed and eliminating it. A great series on figuring out what you really want, step by step. Take some time to read all of the posts. (From Daily Money Shot.)
The girls that were rescued after their years of imprisonment? A 'famous' psychic made a very public prediction about one of the girls...that turned out to be quite wrong. Turns out she's been doing this for decades, and hurting a lot of people in the process. Hmmm.
"I love bacon, I eat it everyday.
I don't feel as old as I am, that's all I can say."
Pearl Cantrell, celebrating her 105th birthday
I'm so glad spring finally seems to be here...out to dig in that wonderful dirt.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Raining...Plus An Update on Libby
It's been stormy here the last few days. Why am I pointing this out? Because, other than brief showers, we rarely get moisture. When the skies are gray all day, people actually celebrate. Growing up in Michigan, I saw this day after day...not here in Colorado, though.
The chickies don't seem to care. They've been goose-stepping through the puddles and snapping up unwary worms. The baby chicks are safe and warm behind their covering. (They'll be out in the yard by week's end.)
I'm putting the final touches on the Crazy restoration (whew!) and cleaning up for the weekend's dating and restoration class. Soon the sun will begin shining again, and I can start putting in the garden. Meanwhile, we're all happy it's gray and bleary. Hooray for the rain!
P.S. Thank you for passing the word about Libby Lehman's stroke...her family is keeping her Facebook site updated with current news. So far, it's just a very slow progression toward her hopefully starting to wake. (The doctors have kept her heavily sedated, in hopes of preventing a second stroke. She's been having a lot of 'vascular spasms' which are precursers to it.)
Go here for Libby's Facebook site. And keep her and her family in your prayers.
The chickies don't seem to care. They've been goose-stepping through the puddles and snapping up unwary worms. The baby chicks are safe and warm behind their covering. (They'll be out in the yard by week's end.)
I'm putting the final touches on the Crazy restoration (whew!) and cleaning up for the weekend's dating and restoration class. Soon the sun will begin shining again, and I can start putting in the garden. Meanwhile, we're all happy it's gray and bleary. Hooray for the rain!
P.S. Thank you for passing the word about Libby Lehman's stroke...her family is keeping her Facebook site updated with current news. So far, it's just a very slow progression toward her hopefully starting to wake. (The doctors have kept her heavily sedated, in hopes of preventing a second stroke. She's been having a lot of 'vascular spasms' which are precursers to it.)
Go here for Libby's Facebook site. And keep her and her family in your prayers.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Prayers Needed for Libby
...still working on the quilt restoration, but almost done. I must be doing it in my sleep, as well -- gave up and went to bed last night, and the Brick said I was thrashing around all night. I so want to get this job done.
If you've hung around in the quilting world for any time at all, you've probably bumped into Libby Lehman -- teacher, judge and quilter extraordinaire.
A few weeks ago, Libby was working at the AQS show in Paducah, when she began to have severe headaches. She went to her doctor when she returned home to Houston -- and had an aneurysm while at his office.
She was apparently getting better, though the doctors kept her sedated and in a coma. Within the past week, though, she had a stroke. That seems to have paralyzed her left side. Prognosis is uncertain at present.
Please take some time to pray for Libby and her family. Although I don't know her as well as I would wish, she is a dear, talented woman who has affected many people's lives positively -- quilters, as well as nonquilters. (For more on Libby and her work, go here.)
If you'd like to send a card or encouraging note, here's her address:
Libby Lehman
617 Caroline
Houston, TX 77002
Libby, get well soon. I'm praying for you.
If you've hung around in the quilting world for any time at all, you've probably bumped into Libby Lehman -- teacher, judge and quilter extraordinaire.
A few weeks ago, Libby was working at the AQS show in Paducah, when she began to have severe headaches. She went to her doctor when she returned home to Houston -- and had an aneurysm while at his office.
She was apparently getting better, though the doctors kept her sedated and in a coma. Within the past week, though, she had a stroke. That seems to have paralyzed her left side. Prognosis is uncertain at present.
Please take some time to pray for Libby and her family. Although I don't know her as well as I would wish, she is a dear, talented woman who has affected many people's lives positively -- quilters, as well as nonquilters. (For more on Libby and her work, go here.)
If you'd like to send a card or encouraging note, here's her address:
Libby Lehman
617 Caroline
Houston, TX 77002
Libby, get well soon. I'm praying for you.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Sleep-Deprived
Everything's wrapped in a soft gray haze -- too little sleep. Other than appraising at the Creative Needle, and a quick stop at church, I've been working on this crazy quilt restoration for a good chunk of last week. It's almost done; now on to binding it, and doing some final work fusing. Thank God. Where is the time I used to easily go on little or no sleep for days on end? Gone, gone.
Meanwhile:
Easy ways to keep your financial focus - simple, but effective. From One Frugal Girl.
Chetham's Library. Going strong since the 17th century, and still active. Wow, Andrew Carnegie must be jealous!
Tim Hetherington's portraits of war. What makes these especially poignant: Hetherington was killed during a mortar attack in Sierra Leone. Take a look.
A pallet clock?? This one really grows on you. (Thanks so much for sharing directions, Sugar Bee Crafts.)
Zimbabwe's central bank is getting ready to print 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar notes. (About $300 in U.S. dollars.) Their inflation rates have skyrocketed, making 50, 20 and 10 trillion notes already small change. (Just one loaf of bread costs about 500 billion z-dollars. Ouch.)
An amusing obituary -- honest, too. I wish I'd known this lady; her kids and grandkids obviously loved her.
25 Way-Too-Obvious Photos -- do you think anyone really believes them?
Warren Buffett's best tip for financial advice -- short and to the point. But meaty.
Have a good, sleep-filled week.
Meanwhile:
Easy ways to keep your financial focus - simple, but effective. From One Frugal Girl.
Chetham's Library. Going strong since the 17th century, and still active. Wow, Andrew Carnegie must be jealous!
Tim Hetherington's portraits of war. What makes these especially poignant: Hetherington was killed during a mortar attack in Sierra Leone. Take a look.
A pallet clock?? This one really grows on you. (Thanks so much for sharing directions, Sugar Bee Crafts.)
Zimbabwe's central bank is getting ready to print 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar notes. (About $300 in U.S. dollars.) Their inflation rates have skyrocketed, making 50, 20 and 10 trillion notes already small change. (Just one loaf of bread costs about 500 billion z-dollars. Ouch.)
An amusing obituary -- honest, too. I wish I'd known this lady; her kids and grandkids obviously loved her.
25 Way-Too-Obvious Photos -- do you think anyone really believes them?
Warren Buffett's best tip for financial advice -- short and to the point. But meaty.
Have a good, sleep-filled week.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Thinking Back About Living Below The Line
Sorry I've been quiet...it's been a long weekend.
Not only am I spending every spare waking moment on finishing up a quilt restoration, but I appraised all day at the Creative Needle in Littleton. (If you're looking for a quilt shop that covers about everything, including embroidery and sewing machines, you should stop by to talk to Marge and her staff. They're one of my favorite places to visit in Denver.)
Today was church -- and more restoration. My wrists are getting a little sore. But the top is nearly done.
Saturday morning finished up our commitment to Live Below the Line. What did I learn from living on $1.50 a day for food all week?
*I'm not that partial to beans. In fact, I lived for a couple of days on bread and butter, instead. (We lucked into some free bread at the local thrift shop, so technically I only spent for the butter those days.)
*I honestly think I could have done better -- and more varied -- meals by cutting out coffee (a BIG chunk of our budget), and going longer. Two weeks' worth of money lets you buy a little more.
*We are big protein eaters. That's not as hard, when Daughter #2 and her boyfriend got 3 animals this year, and are willing to share. (We got a lot of elk and venison for the freezer.) The chickie eggs help, too.
*Dairy helps keep the empty feeling away. A glass of milk in the afternoons made all the difference. Cheese helps, too -- and makes a tasty garnish for all sorts of dishes and breads. (Yes, including beans.)
We ended the week with at least a pound of rice, 1/2 pound of beans, and a few cups of milk left. Not bad, considering. But you can't live on just bread and butter forever.
There were some tough moments -- like when Daughter #2 came for supper Tuesday night, and I broke out a bag of shrimp for her to have, along with the refried rice. I thought I was okay -- but I must have been staring at her chowing down the shrimp. "You sure you don't want some?" she said.
Well...I did.
Our contribution is going to the Mennonite Central Committee -- MCC is one of the best, least-wasteful charities, and very involved in helping with world hunger.
Not only am I spending every spare waking moment on finishing up a quilt restoration, but I appraised all day at the Creative Needle in Littleton. (If you're looking for a quilt shop that covers about everything, including embroidery and sewing machines, you should stop by to talk to Marge and her staff. They're one of my favorite places to visit in Denver.)
Today was church -- and more restoration. My wrists are getting a little sore. But the top is nearly done.
Saturday morning finished up our commitment to Live Below the Line. What did I learn from living on $1.50 a day for food all week?
*I'm not that partial to beans. In fact, I lived for a couple of days on bread and butter, instead. (We lucked into some free bread at the local thrift shop, so technically I only spent for the butter those days.)
*I honestly think I could have done better -- and more varied -- meals by cutting out coffee (a BIG chunk of our budget), and going longer. Two weeks' worth of money lets you buy a little more.
*We are big protein eaters. That's not as hard, when Daughter #2 and her boyfriend got 3 animals this year, and are willing to share. (We got a lot of elk and venison for the freezer.) The chickie eggs help, too.
*Dairy helps keep the empty feeling away. A glass of milk in the afternoons made all the difference. Cheese helps, too -- and makes a tasty garnish for all sorts of dishes and breads. (Yes, including beans.)
We ended the week with at least a pound of rice, 1/2 pound of beans, and a few cups of milk left. Not bad, considering. But you can't live on just bread and butter forever.
There were some tough moments -- like when Daughter #2 came for supper Tuesday night, and I broke out a bag of shrimp for her to have, along with the refried rice. I thought I was okay -- but I must have been staring at her chowing down the shrimp. "You sure you don't want some?" she said.
Well...I did.
Our contribution is going to the Mennonite Central Committee -- MCC is one of the best, least-wasteful charities, and very involved in helping with world hunger.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Alexander Graham Bell Speaks
The people at the Smithsonian have done a fascinating thing -- actually managed to recapture Alexander Graham Bell's voice recording.
Graham Bell, as well as others, was heavily experimenting with recording equipment and discs, as well as the telephone. The Smithsonian didn't know how to play these (see below), but managed to do an optical scan on the wax recordings. This one was dated 1885:
Sound recordings don't happen until the mid-1870s, and then only in fragmentary form. For one thing, a satisfactory material for recording wasn't found; they tried everything from wax to cardboard. (In fact, we still don't know for sure, according to the Smithsonian Magazine, how they even managed to play these cylinders.)
I wish we knew what some of our legendary figures really sounded like. What was Abraham Lincoln's voice like, reciting the Gettysburg Address? (Witnesses said it was "a little shriller, a little higher," but carried beautifully.) Was George Washington's voice low, to go with his stature? Charles Dickens was short by our standards (5'6"), but by all accounts, mesmerizing when he spoke. What did he really sound like? (All sorts of actors like to guess -- the results are usually a bit 'plummy,' or snobby British.)
This one, at least, has finally been captured.
Graham Bell, as well as others, was heavily experimenting with recording equipment and discs, as well as the telephone. The Smithsonian didn't know how to play these (see below), but managed to do an optical scan on the wax recordings. This one was dated 1885:
Sound recordings don't happen until the mid-1870s, and then only in fragmentary form. For one thing, a satisfactory material for recording wasn't found; they tried everything from wax to cardboard. (In fact, we still don't know for sure, according to the Smithsonian Magazine, how they even managed to play these cylinders.)
I wish we knew what some of our legendary figures really sounded like. What was Abraham Lincoln's voice like, reciting the Gettysburg Address? (Witnesses said it was "a little shriller, a little higher," but carried beautifully.) Was George Washington's voice low, to go with his stature? Charles Dickens was short by our standards (5'6"), but by all accounts, mesmerizing when he spoke. What did he really sound like? (All sorts of actors like to guess -- the results are usually a bit 'plummy,' or snobby British.)
This one, at least, has finally been captured.
AQS Paducah Best of Show -- and the other winners
Congratulations to Karen K. Buckley and Renee Haddadin for their 2013 Best of Show winner, Fiesta Mexico!
The American Quilter's Society show in Paducah is one of the oldest in the country -- and one of the most prestigious. What an honor. Other winners are here -- I see several friends and colleagues in the list. Congratulations to all of you! (Go here for more info.)
Janome of America Best Of Show
303 Renae Haddadin and Karen Kay Buckley Sandy, Utah Fiesta Mexico
AQS Hand Workmanship Award
519 Keiko Minami Kawanishi-shi, Japan The Charm of Small Pink Roses
BERNINA of America Best Machine Workmanship Award
633 Susan Stewart Pittsburg, Kansas Tulip Fire
APQS Longarm Machine Quilting Award
716 Sue McCarty Roy, Utah Adventure Awaits
Moda Best Wall Award
1140 Janet Stone Overland Park, Kansas Charm School
Benartex Best Miniature Award
1508 Pat Holly Ann Arbor, Michigan Tiny Tigers 2
Coats & Clark Wall Hand Workmanship Award
1011 Suzanne Marshall Clayton, Missouri Echoing Spring
Brother International Corporation Wall Machine Workmanship Award
1107 Jennifer Day Santa Fe, New Mexico Larry
Handi Quilter Wall Longarm/Midarm Machine Quilting Award
1213 Monica Troy Lemont, Illinois Purple Iris
TinLizzie18 Judge’s Recognition Award – Kimberly Einmo
713 Janet Knapp Fergus Falls, Minnesota My Victory Garden
TinLizzie18 Judge’s Recognition Award – Libby Lehman
1115 Sheila Frampton-Cooper Van Nuys, California Fantasyland
TinLizzie18 Judge’s Recognition Award – Velda Newman
1303 Melinda Bula El Dorado Hills, California Monet in Pasadena
1. BED QUILTS: Hand Quilted sponsored by Superior Threads
1ST 113 Linda M. Roy Knoxville, Tennessee Jacobean Dream
2ND 109 Cathleen Miller Albuquerque, New Mexico Days of Wine and Roses
3RD 114 Betty Ekern Suiter Racine, Wisconsin Creation Springs Forth
Honorable Mention 107 Yumiko Mandai Mastusaka, Mie, Japan Duet
2. BED QUILTS: Home Sewing Machine Quilted sponsored by AccuQuilt
1ST 207 Jean Lohmar Galesburg, Illinois Tequila Sunrise
2ND 206 Molly Y. Hamilton-McNally and Cindy Seitz-Krug Tehachapi, California Everlasting Beauty
3RD 204 Marilyn R. Eparvier Byron Center, Michigan Knots of Flowers
Honorable Mention 205 Frances Gillesheimer and Carol Lauterbach Whiting, New Jersey Mary Mannakee Quilt 1850-1851
3. BED QUILTS: Longarm/Midarm Machine sponsored by Hobbs Bonded Fibers
1ST 312 Sharyl L. Schlieckau Loganville, Wisconsin Timeless Elegance
2ND 305 Jan Hutchison Sedgwick, Kansas Remembrance
3RD 313 Gail H. Smith and Donna Derstadt Barrington, Illinois Delft Garden
Honorable Mention 314 Carolyn H. Stine Springfield, Illinois My First Trip to Baltimore
4. BED QUILTS: 1st Entry in an AQS Paducah Contest sponsored by Morgan Quality Products
1ST 420 Karen Mommsen Rice Lake, Wisconsin Heartburst
2ND 407 Terry Engleman Spokane, Washington Terry’s Japanese Flower Garden
3RD 401 Jackie Aguilar Grand Junction, Colorado Jackie Got into Aunt Millie’s Garden
Honorable Mention 415 Sara L. Madson Suffolk, Virginia A Time Between Times
5. LARGE WALL QUILTS: Hand Quilted sponsored by Fairfield Processing Corporation
1ST 502 Junko Fujiwara Narashino, Chiba, Japan A Lot of Thanks
2ND 531 Akemi Soya Toyko, Japan Happy Life
3RD 523 Yaeko Noguchi Saitama City, Japan Summer Garden
Honorable Mention 530 Nancy Ann Sobel Brooktondale, New York Morning at Christam Gazebo
6. LARGE WALL QUILTS: Home Machine Quilted sponsored by Baby Lock USA
1ST 625 Lois Podolny Tucson, Arizona My Journey to Baltimore
2ND 614 Jaynette Huff Conway, Arkansas Celtic Summer Celebration
3RD 616 Liz Jones Leominster, Herefordshire, United Kingdom Love-in-a-Mist
Honorable Mention 631 Patricia Smith Pinehurst, North Carolina Caesar and Me: Roman Mosaic
7. LARGE WALL QUILTS: Longarm/Midarm Machine Quilted sponsored by Robert Kaufman Co., Inc.
1ST 726 Mark L. Sherman Coral Springs, Florida Poppy’s Rainbow
2ND 706 Terri Doyle Gilbert, Arizona Secret Garden
3RD 724 Leslie Rego Sun Valley, Idaho Four Seasons
Honorable Mention 728 Margaret Solomon Gunn Gorham, Maine Zen Garden
8. LARGE WALL QUILTS: Pictorial sponsored by Elna, Inc.
1ST 805 Denise Havlan Plainfield, Illinois The Peaceful Ones
2ND 814 Hiroko Miyama Chofu City, Tokyo, Japan Natsumi on Her Bike
3RD 816 Claudia Pfeil Krefeld, Germany Turtle Bay
Honorable Mention 813 Kathy McNeil Tulalip, Washington More Than a Memory
9. GROUP QUILTS: sponsored by Innova
1ST 905 Susan H. Garman, Cynthia Clark, Pat Cotter, Jerrianne Evans, Marsha Fuller, Georgann Wrinkle Friendswood, Texas Friends of Baltimore
2ND 914 Joyce Stewart and Ann Seely Deweyville, Utah Abundance
3RD 909 Milwaukee Art Quilters Wauwatosa, Wisconsin The Jennings Homestead
Honorable Mention 907 Illinois Quilters, Inc. Green Oaks, Illinois Delectable Mountain Garden
10. SMALL WALL QUILTS: Hand Quilted sponsored by Legacy by Pellon
1ST 1020 Frances Yoder Whispering Pines, North Carolina Baltimore Baskets
2ND 1012 Tina McCann Depoe Bay, Oregon Kells
3RD 1010 Diane Lane Wichita, Kansas Little Puzzling
Honorable Mention 1001 Mary Abbott Williams Pinehurst, North Carolina Opus Jacobus
11. SMALL WALL QUILTS: Home Machine Quilted sponsored by Koala Cabinets
1ST 1136 Ann L. Petersen Surprise, Arizona Grandma’s Stellar Array
2ND 1118 Shirley Gisi Colorado Springs, Colorado Indian Summer Sunset
3RD 1127 Pat LaPierre Bass Harbor, Maine Floribunda
Honorable Mention 1104 Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry Paducah, Kentucky Lepidopteran #3
12. SMALL WALL QUILTS: Longarm/Midarm Quilted sponsored by Hoffman California Fabrics
1ST 1211 Diana Tatro Yuba City, California Imperial Blooms
2ND 1212 Alice Tignor Severna Park, Maryland Northern Stars
3RD 1203 Peg Collins Alamosa, Colorado Bella Rosa
Honorable Mention 1202 Jo Carol Bird and Meri Pinner Yukon, Oklahoma Snowmen A to Zzzz
13. SMALL WALL QUILTS: Pictorial sponsored by Horn of America
1ST 1311 Cindy Garcia Racine, Wisconsin God’s Greatest Gift to Me Was Dad
2ND 1305 Jennifer Day Santa Fe, New Mexico Boy and His Best Friend
3RD 1322 Lea McComas Superior, Colorado Turkish Bread Boys
Honorable Mention 1306 Pat Durbin Eureka, California Megan’s Forest
14. SMALL WALL QUILTS: 1st Entry in an AQS Paducah Contest by YLI Corporation
1ST 1409 Cherrie Hampton Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma Windsong
2ND 1420 Pam McIntyre Gainesville, Florida Sunshine
3RD 1410 Leona Harden Lilburn, Georgia Melon Melange
Honorable Mention 1431 Laura Trenbeath Pavillion, Wyoming Upper Body Workout
15. MINIATURE QUILTS: Miniature sponsored by JUKI America, Inc.
1ST 1507 Robin Gausebeck Rockford, Illinois In Flanders Fields
2ND 1510 Kaye Koler Amherst, Ohio Home at Last
3RD 1522 Jeanie Sumrall-Ajero Fort Collins, Colorado Flights of Fancy
Honorable Mention 1517 Lois Podolny Tucson, Arizona For the Love of the Garden Green
Honorable Mention 1505 Karen Eckmeier Kent, Connecticut Miniville
The American Quilter's Society show in Paducah is one of the oldest in the country -- and one of the most prestigious. What an honor. Other winners are here -- I see several friends and colleagues in the list. Congratulations to all of you! (Go here for more info.)
Janome of America Best Of Show
303 Renae Haddadin and Karen Kay Buckley Sandy, Utah Fiesta Mexico
AQS Hand Workmanship Award
519 Keiko Minami Kawanishi-shi, Japan The Charm of Small Pink Roses
BERNINA of America Best Machine Workmanship Award
633 Susan Stewart Pittsburg, Kansas Tulip Fire
APQS Longarm Machine Quilting Award
716 Sue McCarty Roy, Utah Adventure Awaits
Moda Best Wall Award
1140 Janet Stone Overland Park, Kansas Charm School
Benartex Best Miniature Award
1508 Pat Holly Ann Arbor, Michigan Tiny Tigers 2
Coats & Clark Wall Hand Workmanship Award
1011 Suzanne Marshall Clayton, Missouri Echoing Spring
Brother International Corporation Wall Machine Workmanship Award
1107 Jennifer Day Santa Fe, New Mexico Larry
Handi Quilter Wall Longarm/Midarm Machine Quilting Award
1213 Monica Troy Lemont, Illinois Purple Iris
TinLizzie18 Judge’s Recognition Award – Kimberly Einmo
713 Janet Knapp Fergus Falls, Minnesota My Victory Garden
TinLizzie18 Judge’s Recognition Award – Libby Lehman
1115 Sheila Frampton-Cooper Van Nuys, California Fantasyland
TinLizzie18 Judge’s Recognition Award – Velda Newman
1303 Melinda Bula El Dorado Hills, California Monet in Pasadena
1. BED QUILTS: Hand Quilted sponsored by Superior Threads
1ST 113 Linda M. Roy Knoxville, Tennessee Jacobean Dream
2ND 109 Cathleen Miller Albuquerque, New Mexico Days of Wine and Roses
3RD 114 Betty Ekern Suiter Racine, Wisconsin Creation Springs Forth
Honorable Mention 107 Yumiko Mandai Mastusaka, Mie, Japan Duet
2. BED QUILTS: Home Sewing Machine Quilted sponsored by AccuQuilt
1ST 207 Jean Lohmar Galesburg, Illinois Tequila Sunrise
2ND 206 Molly Y. Hamilton-McNally and Cindy Seitz-Krug Tehachapi, California Everlasting Beauty
3RD 204 Marilyn R. Eparvier Byron Center, Michigan Knots of Flowers
Honorable Mention 205 Frances Gillesheimer and Carol Lauterbach Whiting, New Jersey Mary Mannakee Quilt 1850-1851
3. BED QUILTS: Longarm/Midarm Machine sponsored by Hobbs Bonded Fibers
1ST 312 Sharyl L. Schlieckau Loganville, Wisconsin Timeless Elegance
2ND 305 Jan Hutchison Sedgwick, Kansas Remembrance
3RD 313 Gail H. Smith and Donna Derstadt Barrington, Illinois Delft Garden
Honorable Mention 314 Carolyn H. Stine Springfield, Illinois My First Trip to Baltimore
4. BED QUILTS: 1st Entry in an AQS Paducah Contest sponsored by Morgan Quality Products
1ST 420 Karen Mommsen Rice Lake, Wisconsin Heartburst
2ND 407 Terry Engleman Spokane, Washington Terry’s Japanese Flower Garden
3RD 401 Jackie Aguilar Grand Junction, Colorado Jackie Got into Aunt Millie’s Garden
Honorable Mention 415 Sara L. Madson Suffolk, Virginia A Time Between Times
5. LARGE WALL QUILTS: Hand Quilted sponsored by Fairfield Processing Corporation
1ST 502 Junko Fujiwara Narashino, Chiba, Japan A Lot of Thanks
2ND 531 Akemi Soya Toyko, Japan Happy Life
3RD 523 Yaeko Noguchi Saitama City, Japan Summer Garden
Honorable Mention 530 Nancy Ann Sobel Brooktondale, New York Morning at Christam Gazebo
6. LARGE WALL QUILTS: Home Machine Quilted sponsored by Baby Lock USA
1ST 625 Lois Podolny Tucson, Arizona My Journey to Baltimore
2ND 614 Jaynette Huff Conway, Arkansas Celtic Summer Celebration
3RD 616 Liz Jones Leominster, Herefordshire, United Kingdom Love-in-a-Mist
Honorable Mention 631 Patricia Smith Pinehurst, North Carolina Caesar and Me: Roman Mosaic
7. LARGE WALL QUILTS: Longarm/Midarm Machine Quilted sponsored by Robert Kaufman Co., Inc.
1ST 726 Mark L. Sherman Coral Springs, Florida Poppy’s Rainbow
2ND 706 Terri Doyle Gilbert, Arizona Secret Garden
3RD 724 Leslie Rego Sun Valley, Idaho Four Seasons
Honorable Mention 728 Margaret Solomon Gunn Gorham, Maine Zen Garden
8. LARGE WALL QUILTS: Pictorial sponsored by Elna, Inc.
1ST 805 Denise Havlan Plainfield, Illinois The Peaceful Ones
2ND 814 Hiroko Miyama Chofu City, Tokyo, Japan Natsumi on Her Bike
3RD 816 Claudia Pfeil Krefeld, Germany Turtle Bay
Honorable Mention 813 Kathy McNeil Tulalip, Washington More Than a Memory
9. GROUP QUILTS: sponsored by Innova
1ST 905 Susan H. Garman, Cynthia Clark, Pat Cotter, Jerrianne Evans, Marsha Fuller, Georgann Wrinkle Friendswood, Texas Friends of Baltimore
2ND 914 Joyce Stewart and Ann Seely Deweyville, Utah Abundance
3RD 909 Milwaukee Art Quilters Wauwatosa, Wisconsin The Jennings Homestead
Honorable Mention 907 Illinois Quilters, Inc. Green Oaks, Illinois Delectable Mountain Garden
10. SMALL WALL QUILTS: Hand Quilted sponsored by Legacy by Pellon
1ST 1020 Frances Yoder Whispering Pines, North Carolina Baltimore Baskets
2ND 1012 Tina McCann Depoe Bay, Oregon Kells
3RD 1010 Diane Lane Wichita, Kansas Little Puzzling
Honorable Mention 1001 Mary Abbott Williams Pinehurst, North Carolina Opus Jacobus
11. SMALL WALL QUILTS: Home Machine Quilted sponsored by Koala Cabinets
1ST 1136 Ann L. Petersen Surprise, Arizona Grandma’s Stellar Array
2ND 1118 Shirley Gisi Colorado Springs, Colorado Indian Summer Sunset
3RD 1127 Pat LaPierre Bass Harbor, Maine Floribunda
Honorable Mention 1104 Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry Paducah, Kentucky Lepidopteran #3
12. SMALL WALL QUILTS: Longarm/Midarm Quilted sponsored by Hoffman California Fabrics
1ST 1211 Diana Tatro Yuba City, California Imperial Blooms
2ND 1212 Alice Tignor Severna Park, Maryland Northern Stars
3RD 1203 Peg Collins Alamosa, Colorado Bella Rosa
Honorable Mention 1202 Jo Carol Bird and Meri Pinner Yukon, Oklahoma Snowmen A to Zzzz
13. SMALL WALL QUILTS: Pictorial sponsored by Horn of America
1ST 1311 Cindy Garcia Racine, Wisconsin God’s Greatest Gift to Me Was Dad
2ND 1305 Jennifer Day Santa Fe, New Mexico Boy and His Best Friend
3RD 1322 Lea McComas Superior, Colorado Turkish Bread Boys
Honorable Mention 1306 Pat Durbin Eureka, California Megan’s Forest
14. SMALL WALL QUILTS: 1st Entry in an AQS Paducah Contest by YLI Corporation
1ST 1409 Cherrie Hampton Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma Windsong
2ND 1420 Pam McIntyre Gainesville, Florida Sunshine
3RD 1410 Leona Harden Lilburn, Georgia Melon Melange
Honorable Mention 1431 Laura Trenbeath Pavillion, Wyoming Upper Body Workout
15. MINIATURE QUILTS: Miniature sponsored by JUKI America, Inc.
1ST 1507 Robin Gausebeck Rockford, Illinois In Flanders Fields
2ND 1510 Kaye Koler Amherst, Ohio Home at Last
3RD 1522 Jeanie Sumrall-Ajero Fort Collins, Colorado Flights of Fancy
Honorable Mention 1517 Lois Podolny Tucson, Arizona For the Love of the Garden Green
Honorable Mention 1505 Karen Eckmeier Kent, Connecticut Miniville
Living Below the Line - Day 4
The Brick and I continue our food experiment on Living Below the Line.
It's not been too bad. (I do miss the meat. We eat a lot more meat than I'd realized.) Although I wouldn't enjoy eating like this for extended periods, we actually lived on a similar budget as poor college students. Our mainstays:
*canned chicken noodle soup
*ramen noodles (we bought Sapporo Ichiban by the case at the local Japanese market)
*peanut butter and jam sandwiches on homemade bread. (The Brick still loves this. I'd rather have just plain bread and butter.)
*Pig in the Blankets (recipe over in my foods blog soon)
*pancakes and waffles (still the Brick's favorite on Saturday mornings)
*carrots, onions and potatoes - still the cheapest veggies out there
*any fresh fruit or veggies in season.
*hamburger, with an occasional steak or beef stew (the latter served over rice)
*roast chicken (with the bones and bits used for soup and casseroles)
*pork chops or pork steak, sliced thin. Also bacon -- usually the 'bits and pieces' package -- and the occasional bratwurst.
*smelt and whatever fish was cheapest - it was salmon, haddock and tilapia back then. (We switched to trout when we moved to Colorado, and salmon is now a luxury. Shrimp is the cheap indulgence, instead.)
*rice and beans (heavily relied on for this week's challenge)
*lots of soup, generally made from leftovers
Home-brewed coffee, an occasional beer or glass of wine, and brownies rounded out the essentials.
Our diet was heavier on starches than it is now -- and I use more veggies and fruit. (Fewer apples, sadly - they used to be much cheaper in Michigan.) I use more Mexican ingredients, including tortillas and that blessed taste, green chilies. More cookies - especially chocolate chip - than we should have. (The Brick loves his "pogey bait.")
Otherwise, though, we eat many of the same foods, prepared the same way. That's partly because it's easy. (I still don't have a leisurely schedule, though it was worse back then, working full-time.) Partly because it's healthier. (I bake, more than fry.)
And partly because it's just plain good.
It's not been too bad. (I do miss the meat. We eat a lot more meat than I'd realized.) Although I wouldn't enjoy eating like this for extended periods, we actually lived on a similar budget as poor college students. Our mainstays:
*canned chicken noodle soup
*ramen noodles (we bought Sapporo Ichiban by the case at the local Japanese market)
*peanut butter and jam sandwiches on homemade bread. (The Brick still loves this. I'd rather have just plain bread and butter.)
*Pig in the Blankets (recipe over in my foods blog soon)
*pancakes and waffles (still the Brick's favorite on Saturday mornings)
*carrots, onions and potatoes - still the cheapest veggies out there
*any fresh fruit or veggies in season.
*hamburger, with an occasional steak or beef stew (the latter served over rice)
*roast chicken (with the bones and bits used for soup and casseroles)
*pork chops or pork steak, sliced thin. Also bacon -- usually the 'bits and pieces' package -- and the occasional bratwurst.
*smelt and whatever fish was cheapest - it was salmon, haddock and tilapia back then. (We switched to trout when we moved to Colorado, and salmon is now a luxury. Shrimp is the cheap indulgence, instead.)
*rice and beans (heavily relied on for this week's challenge)
*lots of soup, generally made from leftovers
Home-brewed coffee, an occasional beer or glass of wine, and brownies rounded out the essentials.
Our diet was heavier on starches than it is now -- and I use more veggies and fruit. (Fewer apples, sadly - they used to be much cheaper in Michigan.) I use more Mexican ingredients, including tortillas and that blessed taste, green chilies. More cookies - especially chocolate chip - than we should have. (The Brick loves his "pogey bait.")
Otherwise, though, we eat many of the same foods, prepared the same way. That's partly because it's easy. (I still don't have a leisurely schedule, though it was worse back then, working full-time.) Partly because it's healthier. (I bake, more than fry.)
And partly because it's just plain good.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
May 1? Really??
You could have fooled me -- it's snowing like crazy here.
See for yourself. (This weather cam is up in northern Denver, but it's doing the same thing here in Castle Rock -- only harder.)
So much for May Day in Colorado.
See for yourself. (This weather cam is up in northern Denver, but it's doing the same thing here in Castle Rock -- only harder.)
So much for May Day in Colorado.
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What a July -- a huge amount of credit card bills, thanks to truck repairs and the letters . Hot weather: on one trip north, we experience... -
This quilter, teacher, writer and major influence in the world of quilting died on June 23, 2024 . I heard of her first through her ...
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Some Gentle Readers have been asking me about our move to Fort Garland , from the Sedalia ranch we've been living at in the fifth whee...
