Sewkrzy Quilts (and now I Knit, too!)

OK... I went to Shirley's, had my sweet tea, got to visit for several hours, but we didn't set out on the deck. The breeze was too cold. So, we did our visiting indoors, and even got to spoil Myleigh a bit as a bonus! Not a bad day. Dennis & Dean (my baby brother), had to go and take tables to my Mom's house for the upcoming Estate Sale, and haul things that we both, (Dean & I) are getting from the house.  They just unloaded my things in the dining room of my house & came back to Dean's house, and unloaded his. When Dennis & I finally left, we took a detour to the local ice cream place, for ice cream cones... M-M-Good! After arriving home, I set to work on cleaning & dusting my new furniture, which was my Maternal Grandmothers Treadle Machine, and an antique Sideboard, that belonged to Pop's Mother. (Pop is my step-dad, but has been my Dad since 1975. That makes him 'family'!) The treadle looks great in my living room, and the sideboard looks terrific in my dining room. Now, I must move my quilt rack/shelf, and re-arrange the other stuff on my walls. But, the sideboard is staying! I'll figure out the rest.

Dennis is getting his homework ready to put in the mail tomorrow. It has to be postmarked on June 1st or before. One of his papers went out last week, one tomorrow. He'll have two that will be handed in late. He'll lose a half of grade point from his final score for them being late. So, he has till June 28th to have the other two completed. He'll be cramming and crabby until then! I will be hiding out in the sewing room as much as possible. But, he'll get them done and he'll graduate from Seminary on July 23rd. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!

It is calling for frost tonight. The temps are to be in the low 30's... B-R-R-R-R-R-R... I went and covered everything I have in the ground, which isn't that much, really, and I brought in everything else. Hopefully, what is outside and covered will be fine. I just hope it doesn't affect my perennials that are blooming.  I have a lot of those... too many to cover! I'll pray for temps in the 40's, that way, the plants won't be harmed.

OK... I am off to bed.

I have an appointment with my sister-in-law (Shirley) today! I called the other day to set it up. What this means is... I asked for an afternoon with her sweet iced tea, on her deck, with her company. It has been so long since we have had this sharing time together, that I really need it. Shirley has been busy with the new arrival of her first grand-daughter Myleigh. Myleigh is a cutie, by the way! Hopefully, this will be the first of many times spent with my sister, in the sun, with her good iced tea! And, I just found out that Myleigh will be there, too! This day is getting better & better!

I think I'll close for now. I have decided to go to the 10 AM church service, instead of the 11 AM one next-door. Dennis is off from the 11 AM church today, so this way, we will both be done at 11 AM together!

I'll write more later & post some pictures of Myleigh!

All I can say is that disassembling a house is a lot of work! My parents went to a personal care home in November, and now it is time to go through years of accumulated stuff! I didn't think my Mom had so much stuff until I cleaned out the kitchen cabinets. But, we are doing an Estate Sale next week. We will most likely have to have several of them. This first one will help clear out some room to add more the next time. It will be hard to see Mom & Pop's things going like that, but, it is necessary. The other siblings and I have bought several keepsake things already, but the rest will go.

I did bring Mom's pictures over to my house... you know the old, old ones! OK, maybe not so old as I am only 50! But, I am the baby girl, with a younger brother. (My Mom & Dad had 7 children). They are ones of our family growing up on the 50 acre farm. Oh My Gosh!! What memories!! I have scanned a few and sent them to my brother Tom in California, and he got a kick out of them. Actually, he threatened to kick my butt! LOL... I want to get copies before I hand them out to the others. They are precious! I really liked the one of my ingenious brothers, Tom & Dean's creation. I have entitled it... 'Go-Cart Country Style'. I'll attach a picture at the bottom of this posting. I personally do not remember this unveiling or creation, but, here it is in print! I was hoping to make the picture bigger, so it is easier to see. But, the boys took my Dad's rototiller and tied a wagon to it, which they then tied a dolly onto the wagon. Tom put a box into the wagon to set on, so he could tip the tiller back, so it would pull them. Dean is riding on the dolly. Apparently they had a great time! We always had fun on the farm!

The picnic on Monday went great. It was just Dennis & I, and he wanted to concentrate on his schoolwork, so we opted to stay home & picnic alone. I don't think he got much homework done, as we tinkered outside during the day, and planted the garden in the evening. But, it was a great day.

Tomorrow, I want to get into the sewing room. I started some Americana place mats last week, that I want to get finished. I also have some more table runners that I want to get together. Then, I will go back to Mom & Pop's quilts that I have started. Wow... a lot of UFO projects! And these are the recent ones! No wonder I have so many! But, we will be going camping in 2 weeks, so I will be on my personal retreat again! I can't wait!

Can't think of too much else to write at the present, so I'll check back in soon.

I am sooooooooo in the mood for a picnic & all the usual food that goes with it! I went to the grocery store this morning... (BIG MISTAKE because everyone & their brother were there...it was very crowded!), and got all my favorites... watermelon, potatoes for potato salad, strawberries, hot dogs, baked beans... M-M-Good! I am not sure when we will go picnicking, probably Monday, so I am hoping it will be a nice day. Tomorrow, we will be involved with church activities for the morning & a few hours in the afternoon. By then, I'll be ready to just come home & vegetate for a while.

The weather is cloudy today, but it is warm. I should be out working in the flower beds, and, I should be upstairs in the sewing room... but, I have no real ambition to do either at this point. Maybe, I'll go watch a movie on TV and rest, then maybe I'll be able to do something after that.

I am going to go scan the TV guide to see what is on... if I can't find anything interesting, I'll get one of the movies we have in the cupboard.

Have a great weekend... DRIVE SAFELY!! There are a lot of cars and motorcycles on the road!

Friday, of a long holiday weekend. When I worked... back in the day... I looked forward to these kinds of weekends. Only problem was, that there wasn't enough of them! I wanted one every weekend, if you want to know the truth! But, I am still looking forward to the long weekend, maybe not for the same reasons as before, but it will be nice, just the same.

I am not sure what I will get into today. I am thinking about just staying home & sewing. I must go to the grocery store... I used my last 2 tea bags this morning, and if you know me, you know that I love my hot tea with honey! My house is never without tea bags... there is usually at least 3 boxes in the cupboard, except for today. You can tell we need to make a trip to Sam's Club!

We were invited out for a cookout tomorrow night. It will be nice to set around a campfire again, cook a hot dog... M-M Good! We are even going to do fruit mountain pies! Double M-M Good! Here come those dreaded calories!

I am going out to set on the porch and enjoy a cup of tea while I think about what I want to get into today... Besides going to the bank, the grocery store, bathing the dogs, straightening up the house, sewing, resting my back somewhere in between there throughout the day... I am glad it's a long weekend!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!

This week by myself is going by too quickly! I have been sewing off and on... and even got to plant some of my flowers yesterday! I am happy about that! I have now finished 3 of the Americana Table Runners... which are spoken for and will be sold. I have enough stuff cut to make a few more. Maybe, I'll have one to keep for me! I started a set of placemats this morning. Americana ones, from the Art to Heart Patriotic Book. I just love those books! I have a lot of them, but I know I am missing a few... But, the placemats, I will probably finish this afternoon, when I get back from my errands. I also want to get busy on my curtains for the kitchen & laundry room. They will be rod-pocket valances with the 36' curtains on the bottom. I purchased some very nice homespun at Verna's just for this project. I can't wait to get them done. I will also be lining them. Changes have been happening here at the parsonage... painting, a little bit of minor face lifts, etc. So, once I get the curtains done... I can call these changes FINISHED! I'll be happy to move on from these projects.

I want to get some charity quilting done. I have 3 drawers full of strings and the foundation blocks cut... now to get busy! The cancer center has said they have been getting a lot of new patients lately. That is terrible that cancer is on the rise. I'll have to put the word out at guild and maybe we can get together and do a sewing bee soon. It would be nice to have an outdoor sewing bee! UMMMMM... Wheels are spinning now!

Well, I'd best get out of here... if I can get to Sheetz here in the near future, I can get a Chai for me!!! I love their Chai! Only thing is that it is caffienated... and I am decaf... so, as long as I can get there by 11 AM, I am good! I will be able to sleep tonight!

Bye all! Enjoy the sunshine & warmth... I know I will be!

Below are two of the Americana Table Runners I have made

I took the time to sew on the bindings last night before retiring to bed.  I even did the hand-stitching, too. So now I am off to the next next project for today. I do still need to do some more Americana table runners to sale though. I'll be taking them to the bank for the girls there, most likely tomorrow. They always love my goodies.

I forgot to mention in my blog that Brooke, my other great-niece who had her second heart transplant done on March 18th, is home from Pittsburgh and doing well. Her birthday was Friday (May 15th). She was happy to be home while doing the celebrating.

The sun is shining so nicely this morning. It is calling me to the great outdoors! I think I'll take a break from sewing later this morning, and get those flower boxes planted. AHHHHHH...my hands in the dirt.... I can't wait! I really do miss my greenhouse at this time of year.

Have a great day!

Dennis is off on his study retreat for Seminary, and I was in my sewing room today on a retreat of my own! I did get two Americana table runners machine quilted, and did start to put on the binding. But, I had to leave due to a doctor's appointment, and I never made it back upstairs. But, there is always tomorrow.

In my travels this afternoon, I stopped in to see my newest great-niece, Myleigh. She is a doll! I can't believe that I had forgot to take my camera! What a dummy! Oh well, next time.

The outside temperature is rising, which I am ever so glad. Maybe tomorrow, I'll get outside & plant my two planter boxes that I put on the brick wall (on my front porch). That will be one job down. I think I'll head to the graveyards on Thursday or Friday.

I am going to bed now. Probably watch some TV a bit before turning in. I'll catch up with you later!

Well, we made it through the weekend with Uncle Harry's funeral on Saturday, church and fellowship dinner in morning/early afternoon  & Baccalaureate at the local high school on Sunday. No, we don't have children in school... this school is actually one of the rival schools of our Alma Mater! But, the Ministerium provides the services for the graduates, and being married to a preacher... you get the picture. But, we have a great time being involved in this. The kids plan it themselves, and it always turns out nicely.

Dennis is getting ready to leave on one of his 'study retreats' again tomorrow. I will be in my sewing room! I have several things I want to work on and several I want finished!

The temperatures are to finally go up around here... I am tired of the frosty nights and low temps! I am anxious to get into the flower beds and get my garden planted! My brother has been writing me, telling me the the temp in California was up to 106 yesterday! I told him to send it our way, at least 20 to 30 degrees of heat, anyway. That would make it nice here. It's been in the 50's to 60's here, so adding the 20 to 30 degrees would put the temps to a comfortable 70's to 80's range! I wish it was that easy!

It's supper time, and I am hungry for steaks on the grill! I need to go get the potatoes going because they'll take longer than the steaks!

Good night! I'll post pictures of my projects