12.2.16

 This week, I thought I would make some chili. The weather has TOTALLY cooperated with the idea of a big bowl of Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili with Quinoa.

I used several recipes and amalgamated them to suit myself. I made mine with dried black beans and canned pumpkin because I am saving my little pie pumpkin to roast for some lasagna. 

The unboxing is going slowly. Maybe today will be the day I do the linen closet, which will allow me to get to the last two bedrooms, one of which is to become my studio. It will take a fierce investment of time, skill, and cabinetry to accommodate me in the manner to which I have become accustomed.

11.26.16

Oops. Coffee habit is easy to start up. Drank REAL coffee two days in a row. That is a really easy pattern to slip into here in coffee world. To be fair, I was fairly productive those two days and reduced my filled boxes by 25-30. I also used a new ap called NextDoor and offered up all kinds of boxes and packing materials. Within a half hour I had a response and within an hour, they were cleared out. I placed the ad on Craigslist, too, and had a call right as the first recycler left. Not to worry, I told him. More where those came from, and there were. Second load out the door last night! 

I had help arranging furniture last night and the promise of TV and picture hanging today. Two more boxes will leave today, since they are filled with stuff I borrowed and am now returning. Plenty of work yet to be done, so let me gulp down the last of this Rainbow Mate' and get going!

11.18.16

Today is the day! At least, that's what my Mayflower contact in Georgia said...

There sure are going to be a lot of boxes and packing material available to someone who reads my craigslist ad. NearbySon said he would be over on Saturday to help out. I promised to feed him. Think maybe we'll go out!

Not until Saturday. It has only been two weeks, but I kind of miss my bed. Still, I'm here and I love it!

11.17.16

Oh, no. You KNOW chocolate is not my fav. But I DO like THIS ONE!

11.16.16

Boxes and furniture should arrive Friday! Until then, I am eating from the frozen food departments of Trader Joes, New Seasons, Whole Foods, all the places I couldn't go until this week. 
I don't generally eat frozen dinners but there are some amazing Indian entrees for some pretty good prices. 

Last night was Lamb Saag.

I am pretty sure I could eat Indian food 7 days a week and never tire of it. The only trouble I have is getting used to white rice, which even though it is BASMATI, I just don't care for it. 

My bro-in-law and sis-in-law gave me a big package of brown basmati once, and I used it up pretty quickly. I seem to be in the land of weird food opportunities, so I will see what the grocery stores offer when I get unpacked. Who knows, maybe I will learn to cook Indian food! I haven't checked to see what the Halal offerings are, but I bet I can get whatever I fancy.

11.15.16

TEA TIME TUESDAY! 

Tried a new Tulsi. I was looking for just ginger tea, but this was all I found last night. I like Tulsi teas very much, but this has little in the way of flavor. Oh, well. Didn't stop me from having two cups today.

11.14.16

So. I made it to Oregon, thanks to the help of the Godfrey, Wooten, Knight, Ray and Collar families. There just are not enough thanks for them, so I shall spend the rest of my life thinking of them whenever I have a chance to help someone else out along the way.

Thanks to all of my friends and family--ALLL of them--for keeping the big secret from FartherAwaySon. He was bemused to meet me at one of our favorite taco spots when he saw me holding his dog. When he hugged me and I told him I was in Oregon for good, well, let's just say things got even better after that. From now on, I have AwaySon (Chicago) and NearbySon (40 min at peak traffic) And now you know why I wrote so little lately. I was certainly dejunkifying in earnest. I had a huge estate sale and made exactly enough to pay the property tax on the the new place. Easy come, easy go. I surely did not see that coming. I was positive I would be able to buy a new frig and maybe a new washer/dryer.

My furniture and clothes are only 10 days behind me. I bought a rain jacket and waterproof shoes today, and more food that I can heat up in my new frying pan. I can fix anything as long as it is one at a time! I fry up water for tea several times a day. 

Luckily, my parents moved into Senior Living just up the road, so I get a shower every other day or so. I have THREE shower curtains on that moving truck and I am too cheap to buy a fourth. My "new" tub doesn't have a stopper, so I get bird baths on the days I don't go to visit Mom and Dad. 

Not a single room other than the kitchen and bath have overhead lights and all I brought are my flashlights and one lantern. My wonderful brother and sister (in-law) set me up with sheets, air mattress, towels, logs for the fireplace, and a PUMPKIN, so it is exactly like camping except without any of the gross parts.

It is rainy and cold and I love it. 

11.4.16

Yes, I know it has been some time since I last posted. I have been very busy with my dejunkification. In a couple weeks, I will be much more regular with my posting.
I can't even begin to estimate how many pounds of "stuff" has gone to thrift stores--exclusively to the two Humane Society Thrift Stores in my area.
BUT--to date: 860 pounds of "stuff" to the dump. I feel lighter.

9.29.16

The last trip to the dump: 200 pounds. Fabric has had a minor overhaul, but my assistant was NOT QuiltyFriend this time, so it did not get the careful scrutiny of a fellow quilter. 

Instead, AwaySon was my driving force, so more culling may be called for later. His help in the basement and moving boxes between floors is so much appreciated.

Now, this week, I am helping my parents do the same thing. AwaySon has set such a good example, I am having some success with the GreatestGeneration.

9.23.16

It has been a month since I visited the blog. In that time, I have been working on dejunkifying which is a project begun many many months ago. AwaySon came to visit from Chicago and has been instrumental in getting the basement under control. 

In our first trip to the transfer station, we unloaded 300 pounds of unsale-ables and 100 pounds of paper. As soon as we came home, I was looking around to load up and do it again! It is very freeing.

There will be a mammoth ESTATE SALE coming up around October 20. Let me know if you are interested in tools, camping, antiques, fabric, yarn, handmade dolls, American Girl doll and accessories, household sundries, small power tools.

8.22.16

ELIZABETH BARTON is doing a TRUNK SHOW at one of my guilds tomorrow! 

This is City in Winter, one of my favorites by Elizabeth Barton.














Interesting machine quilting. The faced binding gives it that painterly edge to edge look.

Cape Cornwall, by Elizabeth Barton, had me going back to it several times when I saw it at the Blue Ridge Center for the Arts Fiber Arts Show in June.

I kept going up to see the details close up.

She used hand and machine quilting, raw-edge applique, and what I believe to be a dying technique where color is removed from fabric.

I am looking forward to seeing some of her work again, in person.

8.19.16

Excellent ground cover is not an easy thing to remove from gravel. 

I don't know what this weed is, but I spend about a half-hour every morning, working my way around the driveway. 

 

It is sticky and the rocks are rough to brush away, so I wear gloves. 

I can do about five feet, then it is too hot and the bees have woken up. 

 Issues with my elbow have slowed down my hand-sewing considerably. I've been able to get some machine piecing done and I'm caught up in Temecula. 

I've decided to discontinue Splendid Sampler, ending with block #49. When I first started it, it was exciting to find each block and choose the fabrics, work it, and see the results.

Then, it became something to tick off on a list as COMPLETE. Eventually, the blocks got really weird. You've heard me say how I believed some of the designers were trying to show off or make something that no one could duplicate. Some of the juvenile embroidery was not to my taste, either. 

In a way, I'm sorry I am not continuing. When the only pleasure came from marking off each block as I finished it and some of the blocks took eight or nine hours to make (FOR A 6" block!), I was not getting the right fun to effort quotient. 

So, cut bait.

8.16.16

Undeniably, Elizabeth Barton is one of our area's most talented fiber artists. 

This is LEGACY, which I photographed at a recent fiber arts show at the Blue Ridge Center for the Arts. 

For many, quilt making is an exercise--exploring or learning a technique and displaying "homework", if you will. 

For some, it is the skilled copying of another's design that the maker wants to keep for him/herself. 

But for others, each piece has meaning and message. That's the kind of quilt artist Elizabeth Barton is.

8.15.16

I have worms. Fall webworms, to be exact. 

Some are up too high for me to reach. 

These webby pouches are filled with caterpillars. 

Some of the recommended treatments offered by state extension offices include torching, insecticide (SEVIN), pulling them down and hoping birds will eat the caterpillars. 

I called my tree surgeon, and like surgeons world-wide, his suggestion was to CUT. As in CUT THE TREES DOWN. 

I decided to get an estimate for having the branches removed and Saturday I will have that estimate. In the meantime, if you know of someone with a cherry picker who has a saw blade on a 10-foot pole and wants an afternoon's entertainment, give them my number.

8.13.16

My philosophy has been that too much introspection gets you nowhere but deeper into the vortex. 

I subscribe to the theory that to focus OUT helps one engage in the world. But, while I was at Powell's City of Books, in Portland, I found a book that has me re-evaluating this way of thinking.

I had just that week discovered some things about myself that were truly revelatory. Those discoveries are what set me on the search for something in the Buddhist aisle at Powell's.

I am VERY good at identifying a problem. I am not so good at problem solving. My standard method is to look around for a delegate and instruct that delegate regarding the outcome I expect. Since I have had so much success with this method, my problem solving muscles have not had much exercise. 

How to See Yourself as You Really Are is proving to be a difficult read. I am reading each paragraph two to three times before going on to the next. I know I will have to reread the whole book when I finally finish. Right now, I'm at the part about the inter-relatedness of objects to their parts, and objects and their surroundings. Somehow, this has helped me identify some problem solving strategies. From FIX IT, PLEASE, I WANT IT TO WORK LIKE THIS, I am beginning to think WHAT CAN I DO TO GET TO POINT B?

8.14.16

My Pieceful Mountain Guild Sister, Linda Daughtry, is one of my favorite artists. 

This piece is called TSA, for reasons travelers like me can easily recognize.

She used a color discharge technique to make the figures and other golden tones. 

I wish I had thought to take close ups of the written segments. Of course, the golds and oranges and buttons distracted me. Love buttons, love yellow and bronzy, coppery, orange.

I say "travelers like me", because, I am a frequent visitor to Oregon. I just returned from a short visit, where I looked for a place to live. In fact, I am looking to retire from retirement. I saw some promising areas.

I will miss my trees. Every window opens to oaks, pines, poplars, and my favorite, maples. Trees give me solitude and help center me. There are some mighty trees in the Northwest, and I spent time every day with them. Their look is different, but their presence brings me peace. 

7.19.16

This is my favorite kind of morning. Cool, foggy, and full of secrets. 

Scientifically, I know that the density of the fog makes the birdsong muffled, but I like the idea that the morning has secrets for me to discover.

Splendid Sampler block #45 is called Sewing Nut and is designed by Frances Newcombe. 
It's that cutesy style like the embroidery of block #44, kind of a child-like Japanese style. I admire the design talent, but it is not my favorite to execute. 

Something that takes this long to complete should be more pleasing to my personal aesthetic. You can see I exchanged the applique tree and leaves in favor of a quick outline stitch. 

Anyway, I am taking pleasure in completing each block and learning new techniques.

7.16.16

Finished my PULSE quilt top. It will be sent to the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild along with another quilt that was made by members of my modern guild, Southern Appalachian Modern Quilt Guild. 

I will show you that quilt when I get a picture of it in August, when it comes back from the quilter.

Splendid Block #43 is by Pat Sloan and is called Pincushion Love. It is entirely appropriate that the pins are bent, just like my real pins.
You can barely tell, but the background is a very dark blue with red tattersall weave.

Splendid Block # 44 is called Stitch in the Garden by Gail Pan. I am amazed at how little I care to do embroidery of this style. I thought I really liked it. I guess appreciating someone's work and enjoying duplicating it do not necessarily follow.

Last week's Temecula Circa 2016, July 9 is a Friendship Star block.

Here is this week's: Yankee Puzzle

Second Saturday for July (Amish With a Twist from Bless My Stitches Quilt Shop)

I got a little behind with my June Gypsy block from Quilt Shop on Main, but here it is. July will be late, as well!

7.12.16

Mystery solved! HusbandofQuiltyFriend, half of a gardening duo, identified my plant as a Paulownia Tree. 

It goes by several names, such as Princess Tree or Empress Tree. 

It is cousin to the Snapdragon and Butterfly Bush.

Since mine is growing under the overhang of my roof, it must be transplanted and soon.

Someone's full-grown Paulownia

It will grow to be 20 feet or more. 

Ironically, it dislikes clay and rocky soil. 

I have a feeling transplanting it is going to cause it some distress since clay and rocky soil is what I grow best in my yard.

Blossoms up close

Blossoms that Marcelo Garcia liked

Did another Splendid Block. This is #42, Pencils by Jane Davidson. I enjoyed making it.

7.3.16

My gladioli are blooming one at a time. Since they are not making a big show in the garden, I am cutting them and enjoying them in the house, stalk by stalk. I like this photo. It reminds me of Georgia O'Keeffe.

Splendid Sampler Block #40, designed by Barb Groves and Mary Jacobson, is called Flights of Friendship.

Splendid Sampler Block # 41, Sew South, designed by Jennifer Mathis.

Temecula circa 2016, July 1 block, is called Shoofly.

This is the most recent block sewn, I was concentrating better and enjoyed this one.

 Amish with a Twist. I assure you there are WAAAAAAY more seams that were sewn than it looks. My concentration was off, and so was my sewing.

Southern Appalachian Modern Quilt Guild Block of the month: Applique'. Mine is 5.5" by 9.5", half sized. My concentration has been wandering. I need to get some good streaming shows that take up most of my mind so my applique' is more even in temperament.

7.4.16

MONDAY MANTRA

Patience (again)

6.27.16

MONDAY MANTRA

Yes, I waited until some were ripe. I tasted them this morning while out walking the dog. Sweet and delicious!!!

Here is another example of my patience. For three years or more, this plant has tried to grow in the same spot in one of my flower beds. I don't know what it is. The first three years, I pulled it out when it was only about four leaves big. This year, I'm waiting for it to bloom or do whatever it is going to do. The leaves are a little furry and the insects and snails seem to leave it alone. Do you know what it is?